Wednesday August 24, 2016
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Kaieteur News
The true ideological face of Citizens’ rights are being trampled upon by the police 1823 Monument in 2016 DEAR EDITOR; The hostile email and face Book narrative purportedly by Dr Melissa Ifill and the Kaieteur article on August 21, 2016 by Freddy Kisoon directed at whether the President was making an ideological error that bordered on betrayal Commemorating the 1823 insurrection at the current monument at Thomas Lands was impulsive, and not tactically weighted from the perspective of what was important in the entire event. That the monument was a source of contention in 2011 is not ignored. The turning of the sod had commenced in 2010 between Afro Guyanese groups and the PPP government at the Parade ground as an act of good fate. That good fate was flushed in the wake of the Year of the African. Without any collaboration, the then 2011 Government decided to place the monument at Thomas Lands. To confound this, we learnt that they had intended to convert the historic Parade Ground into a car park through their obvious favourite foreign company; this car park was to be shared by the GRA. Thus, the emergence of the 1823 Coalition in the face of that administration’s contempt, disrespect and shameless bigotry. I was an affiliate of the Coalition, and even submitted a monument design to the Ministry which received no acknowledgement. What struck me with the current mentioned missives, especially the hostility in Dr. Ifills’ was how could two prominent members of that group fail to recognise that most of the books, booklets and artwork on that incident was suggested by me and were from publications by Free Press ‘Themes of Afro Guyanese History’ ‘ Kwamina the illustrated booklet’ etc. and that no other local publishing entity has covered so much of Afro-Guyanese history with no overwhelming support as the Emancipation magazine for nineteen years. That publishing group is owned by Ret. Brigadier
David Granger, now President. The then Minister Frank Anthony was given the option of engagement, which he contemptuously rejected, so why not this Government? It was loose cannon behaviour that made me step away from the 1823 coalition group, and it still persists. The 1823 insurrection occurred in the now ParadiseBachelor ’s AdventureMelanie village district, twice in 2010-11 during Emancipation I was invited by my friend Floyd Hendy to lecture at the location of the village monument. These were the people that Anand Persaud of channel 65 addressed as hooligans in 2001 when his political friends in Enterprise were shooting at their homes. I was a visitor of this village in my ‘roaming days’. The other face of the Thomas Lands monument is that since its building our schools have been visiting it, citizens unaware of the 1823 Coalition have been photographing themselves before it, its persona has gone beyond that struggle, that struggle has won the historic Parade ground and it has seen a cultural face. In 2012, there was the 200 Anniversary of the city of Georgetown. The then PPP ignored it. I initiated an idea to my colleagues at ACDA it was called Kreole Day; it was held at the Parade ground,
some members of the coalition supported and it was successful, we did a 200 Anniversary TV show with then Mayor Hamilton Green and all were enlightened and elated by his knowledge of our city. I have witnessed one of the many historical reenactments overseas, I had suggested this for 1823 to the people at Bachelor’s Adventure, to the Steering committee of ACDA, to members of the 1823 Coalition. The first lively approval of the concept came from the President when I raised the idea again when he met with us last Friday. 90% of the history that we know of other nations come from their dramatizations whether falsifications or not, ask ten school children what the nonaligned monument is all about and they will not be able to tell you, dramatise it and they will remember the play. Put a monument and sit on one’s laurels and fail to excite their minds and the next explosion of self absorbed venomous diatribes you pen on face book, and email, will be to accuse; probably the Prime Minister next time, because someone else didn’t educate people to respect it and they stole the metal plaque from the monument and sold it to a scrap iron trader. Barrington Braithwaite
The real reason... From page 4 regime’s actions to date are at best, tame and cannot in any way be considered aggressive, as being suggested by Mr. Jadgeo. Jagdeo and the PPP leadership understand the political dilemma confronting the coalition government and is exploiting it to its advantage. Their logic is ruthless politics. Jagdeo and the PPPC by accusing the government of witch hunting, assaulting Indians and PPP supporters and insinuating that the government is directing attacks on Indian community interests are measures intended to keep their Indian support base in a condition of political/ethnic fear, which they are hoping will help their 2020 elections fortunes. But even more important, their strategy is intended to keep as much political/ racial tension in the Indian community to use it as a political bulwark against the government prosecuting PPP wrong doers among whom are members of the PPP leadership. This is what Jagdeo’s racist and wicked statements in New York, and his bare faced defense is all about. It has nothing to do with Indians being oppressed by the present regime. Tacuma Ogunseye
DEAR EDITOR; It is the second time I have been stopped by police patrol vehicles in two weeks while heading home aback the Providence Stadium. On the first occasion patrol ranks had set up an illegal roadblock demanding documents from drivers. Knowing that this road block was illegal, I refused to give up my documents and explained to the ranks that their actions were unauthorized, and questioned whether they were, that senior police officers had pronounced that these roadblocks were illegal. I even mentioned the stir up caused by Frederick Kissoon in his columns on these illegal road blocks. The ranks accepted what I had said and immediately broke up the road block. Just around 4:00pm on Monday, (August 22), I was again on my way home when the driver of a police van heading towards me began “flagging me down” from a distance. I stopped and from the passenger side of the van, another rank shouted, “Let me see your documents.” I peered into the vehicle since I could not even see the rank asking for my documents. I later told that rank that I could not give him my documents because he was acting outside of procedure. The policeman, Lance Corporal McKenzie, whose name I later learnt, immediately exited the police
van, gun in hand. I concluded that he was the senior rank since the younger ranks with their guns, followed McKenzie and began surrounding my car. By this time I am uncomfortable because I was travelling alone and the road had no other vehicles. It was just me and about four armed ranks. One rank said to me, “You are not above the law,” then said. “If you never give no police your documents, you gone give we today.” I nonetheless held firm that the ranks were trampling on my rights. The whole ordeal ended however, after I placed a call to Senior Sup Clifton Hicken who referred me to Commander Stephen Mansell who spoke with McKenzie from my cell phone. Mansell more than likely told them what they were doing was wrong because after McKenzie claimed he was checking for “guns or something” he handed back my phone and told me to carry on. But this was not before one of the younger ranks gave me as we say in Guyana ‘a royal buse out’. The rank sucked his teeth in disgust and said “girl you stupid.” I said what, and he
replied, “you is a jackass” repeating that about three times. I was unable to see the license plate number, but it was a PTT vehicle beginning with numbers 4 2. I believe. Editor, indeed Perseverance housing scheme has had its share of break ins and robberies, but it is no reason for police officers to flout the law themselves, especially when according to McKenzie, “Ya’ll get one set a break in at de back deh, and we trying fuh help yall out.” I have had many unfavourable run-ins with police ranks to the point where I was stopped ( at another illegal road block) while heading to Timehri once, asked for my documents and when everything was straight, the rank still wanted me to “bless” him a $1000. I have the utmost respect for peace officers but this is too much. I believe it is time the police’s Traffic Department makes a clear pronouncement on this matter and the authority of those ranks who are authorized to stop and even search vehicles; or this bad habit by ranks will remain a negative shadow. Zena Henry Journalist
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We must keep trying despite the odds DEAR EDITOR; This letter addresses all the students who wrote this year’s CSEC examinations not only those who did exceptionally well but also those who may not have gotten their desired results; so I wish to congratulate this year’s candidates. While my article is one of congratulation, reassurance and encouragement, I must at the same time frankly state that you get what you work for. As harsh as it may seem this is the reality but, by the same token I do acknowledge that everyone’s circumstances may be different. With that being said I wish to offer a bit of reassurance more so for those candidates who may not have done so well. Inserting a bit of my own personal experience, I graduated in November 2011 and although I did fairly well, I may not have acquired the results I desired. Reflecting on those years I would say that I was a bit disappointed in myself and I may have been apprehensive in sharing my results with my family. I remember I was so nervous that I asked a school mate to view my results online. I was also unable to gain access to the site due to the fact that the servers were packed. Although I have had other academic struggles here and there for instance at Sixth Form, I resolved to put all that behind me, while it still serves as a reminder. I must say it fueled where I am presently as a third year student at the University of Guyana. Although it has not been an easy journey, I can nevertheless say I am momentarily pleased with where I am personally; and I say momentarily, because I am cognizant of the fact that there is still room for improvement. Moreover in my opinion CSEC more specifically “bad” CSEC results are not the end of the world, equally I’m in no way saying that sub-par results are acceptable, nonetheless I urge you not to get too discouraged. What you decide to do next be it with those results are therefore up to you, indeed I don’t have a Steve Jobs (insert Guyanese version) academic story however all that I have said is the unadorned truth. Finally, in taking the next steps whatever they may be, I encourage you to work harder, whether at another academic institution, a family life or even a regular job because it’s only going to get tougher from here on out, as clichéd as it may sound CSEC examinations are not the final lap, but merely the beginning. Once more I’d like to express that I am in no way attempting to downplay the fact that you may not have done so well, but I urge you not to be too anxious. While it may perhaps be a bit embarrassing and yes, your parents may be disappointed or even upset, I recommend you share your results as this is simply a passage from one step to another; if at first we don’t succeed we must try and try again for only with dedication and hard work will you persevere Supportive Student
Kaieteur News
Wednesday August 24, 2016
PRESIDENT SHOULD NOT HAVE ENTERTAINED THE IAC DEAR EDITOR; I am writing about the visit of the Indian Action Committee to President Granger to discuss their upcoming play on social cohesion. These folks are so lucky to get an audience with the President on a matter that exists only in thought and unseen words. How could the President allow himself to be taken in by this group which was formed for a specific purpose but now conveniently changed its
name to do some politicking? Wolf in sheep’s clothing? I think so! In all seriousness, 1. They should have had their skit already written 2. That skit should have been presented to the President’s office 3. That skit should have been read by the staff in the President’s office and given the ok. 4. Only then should the President give them audience etc. 5. Quote: “Naughton
explained that the play, which will also be taken to other regions across Guyana, seeks to address age-old issues that prevent Guyanese from different ethnic groups from fully understanding and trusting each” What poppycock is this? Do we not have national radio and national television? If the President is that serious should he not open the doors for this group to have quick and frequent access to get their brand of the so-called ‘social
cohesion’ moving? 6. That term social cohesion is so meaningless and generally not within the grasp of most of the population, that the President would be well advised to change it to more readily understandable terms like race relations, racial intergrouping, racial commingling or similar terms. Call it what is and work directly on it. Too much obfuscating. Carl Veecock Markham, Ontario
EXTENDING THE EDUCATIONAL FOCUS BEYOND ‘STEM’ TO ‘STEAM’ DEAR EDITOR; The letter by Mr Hamilton Green in the media recently which rightly lamented the importation of foreign fruits grown abundantly in Guyana appealed to my passion as kitchen gardener and cane farmer; it also resonates with my belief that our national educational programs must extend beyond the liberal arts and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to ‘STEAM’ by adding AGRICULTURE to the mnemonic ‘stem’ acronym. This makes abundant sense having regard to the natural resources with which our country has been blessed and the potential of Guyana being the ‘breadbasket’ for the Caribbean and beyond. Any such shifts must necessarily start at the primary school level with full support from parents. In this regard I recall my own school days at the Blairmont Primary School which taught Gardening, Carpentry and Bookbinding in addition to the typical school subjects. I still marvel at the first big red tomato I reaped from my plot at the school garden. I also recall with much satisfaction the benefits I experienced as a gardener while teaching at the Berbice Educational Institute in New Amsterdam and living at 45
Stanleytown where my kitchen garden produced abundant tomatoes so much so that I was able to sell to the Wreford’s Supermarket and earn the extra cash I needed to cover the additional expenses consequent upon the birth of my first (and only!) child. The gardening passion instilled at Primary school stayed with me throughout my life bringing me much joy and supplementing my professional earnings to this day. For example, even as the Director of HRM at DDL, I reaped enough fruits from my orchard on the East Bank of Berbice to profitably supply DDL cherries and passion fruits for their Juice-making plant and I am still a Cane Farmer supplying Guysuco with tons of sugarcane…and I do walk the fields guys, as the residents at Edinburgh, East Bank Berbice, can testify! I recount the foregoing NOT TO SHOW-OFF as some detractors might be tempted to say but merely to support the observations made by the experienced Mr Green that if Guyana is to be transformed to a more buoyant, broadbased education, learning and developing economy, it must capitalize its natural resources of which agriculture is foremost. Nowrang Persaud
Anil Nandlall faults the Attorney-General DEAR EDITOR; The public must, by now, be accustomed to the curious and uncanny habit of Attorney-General, Mr. Basil Williams, to blame the “previous administration” or the “former AG”, or both, whenever he finds himself in a conundrum, on any given issue. His alleged recent “discovery”, that DIPCON Engineering Company obtained judgment against the State in excess of $300 million since November, 2015, is just but one example of a long line of such matters. He
claims that he learnt of the matter only recently, and characteristically, blames me for his ignorance of its prior existence. I left that office in May, 2015. That judgment was granted over six months after I demitted office. Yet, oddly, I am blamed. Attorneyat-Law, Mr. Mortimer Codette, through the letter columns of your newspapers, has requested that I shed some light on this matter. For the record, though not obliged to, on the 20th of May, 2015, I briefed my successor on every major issue at the Attorney-General
Chambers and Ministry of Legal Affairs, including on pending Court matters. More specifically, I informed him that two external Counsels were retained to act in four or five cases that were pending in the court system. I named the lawyers and the cases. The Dipcon matter was one of those cases. Moreover, the AG Chambers has a fully staffed Registry which has a full inventory and adequate record of every case involving the AttorneyGeneral Chambers pending in the court system. If any case
is being conducted by external Counsel, sufficient particulars in relation thereto, are recorded in the Registry. The Registry falls under the supervision of the SolicitorGeneral. It cannot be the fault of the “previous administration” or the “former AG” if the incumbent fails to familiarize himself with his office, duties and functions. I babysit none. I hope that I have finally put these issues to rest. Mohabir Anil Nandlall, MP (PPP) Attorney-at-law
Wednesday August 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday August 24, 2016
THAT SHADY BOND DEAL…
AFC reneged on its promise to keep APNU in line – Goolsarran WPA Executive Member, Dr. David Hinds The “composed and silent” position assumed by the Alliance For Change
(AFC) on the alarming nature of the controversial bond deal has led anti-corruption advocate Anand Goolsarran to say that the AFC has with its silence and attitude, reneged on its promise to the citizenry. The former Auditor General recalled that it was the co-founder of the AFC, Raphael Trotman, now Minister of Natural
Resources, who said during the election campaign trail that the AFC would serve as the check and balance for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). Trotman had stated, “We are in a coalition where we will act as a check and balance for each other, so if APNU misbehaves in any way we will pull them in line and vice versa and the people, most importantly, will not allow us to mess it up...” Goolsarran said that some critics might want to pose the argument that the AFC may have found itself between a rock and a hard place when it comes to speaking on the controversial bond matter. Agreeing with the contention to some extent, he said that public disapproval and condemnation by the AFC might be seen as an attempt to weaken the coalition. He stressed, however, that the flipside to that state of affairs is the fact that AFC’s silence may very well be seen as one example of proof that it has been compromised and/or
lost its strong political convictions. “AFC’s silence on the situation is frustrating and disappointing. AFC was supposed to be the one keeping the party in line, and be the buffer against any form of excess. With that in mind, silence on the sole sourcing of a bond to store drugs for the nation is something one would expect would not sit well with the AFC.” Goolsarran added, “But not a single statement it has said on the matter as a party, registering its disapproval. What then has silenced this once unashamedly outspoken party? The
situation is just disappointing to the electorate.” Adding to the points made by Goolsarran was Executive Member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), Dr. David Hinds. He commented that it is not only the AFC but all the other parties which are silent. He made specific reference to the WPA as well as the People’s National Congress Reform. The political activist asserted that none of the parties wants to appear to be undermining the government of which they are a part. This position he is an understandable one.
Chartered Accountant, Anand Goolsaran Dr. Hinds said, “If one party speaks unfavourably it would suggest instability in the ranks and could be exploited by the PPP. We have not developed a culture yet that balances selfcriticism and support. So the parties in the coalition are in a bind; they are muzzled by our narrow political culture.”
2013 High Reef murder trial…
Son saw father choking mother – court hears The murder trial of 34year-old Prabhudyal Tarchand continued yesterday in the Berbice High Court before Justice JoAnn Barlow and a mixed Jury. Tarchand called “Ramesh, “of High Reef, Albion, Corentyne, is accused of strangling his wife Geeta Devi ‘Diane’ Bissondyal, at their home on Sunday June 2nd 2013. The court was told that the couple had lived together for eight years before the incident and the union had borne three children. Attorney Stacy Goodings is presenting the state’s case. In her opening address, she told the court that on the day in question the couple got into a misunderstanding following a “third party relationship” (triangular love affair). During the misunderstanding Tarchand killed Bissondyal and attempted to take his own life, but because of medical intervention he was saved. The woman’s lifeless body was discovered on a bed. She was rushed to the hospital where she was
pronounced dead. Tarachand was rushed to the Port Mourant Hospital, before being taken to the Albion Police Station. He was subsequently taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital where he remained overnight. Among those testifying was the nine year old son of the accused, who was deemed competent by the court. Deoraj Tarchand told the court that he lives with his grandmother at Edinburgh, East Bank Berbice. During the time of the incident he lived at High Reef, Albion. He said on the day in question his father left to go to work, but returned sometime after. He (Deoraj) was watching television. He said his father came and carried his mother in the room. During the time he heard his mother go “ah, ah”. He decided to peer inside the room and saw his father choking his mother. He screamed and his father loosed her. During the time, two of his cousins visited the house and he overheard his father telling
his cousins that he gone dead tonight. He and his siblings left and went by his grandmother later during the day where they spent the night. The woman’s sister Shakuntala Seecharran called “Vashti “also took the witness stand. She was at home when she was called by Brian Luke, a good friend of the couple, who told her to come because something had happened at the house. She and Luke subsequently went to the house where they found Geeta Bissondyal lying motionless on a bed. Tarchand was found hanging in the house. He was cut down and rushed to the hospital. The police were subsequently informed. The woman was subsequently grilled by defence Attorney Mursaline Bacchus. Also testifying were prosecution main witness Brian Luke; the deceased woman’s parents, her father Indra Bissondyal and mother Khemranie Bissondyal; Detective Constable Emanuel Rajnauth who witnessed the post mortem examination; Constable Edmond Barlow who took the accused into custody; and Detective Corporal Primus Sam and Corporal Sherlock King who gave evidence during a voir dire. A preliminary Inquiry was held before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh in the Albion Magistrate’s court. The matter is continuing.
Wednesday August 24, 2016
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Kaieteur News
Public administration is decelerating There are many persons within Diaspora and within Guyana who are asking why has more not been done by the government, considering the goodwill and lack of disruptive protests greeting the government’s ascension to office. The answer is to be found in the quality of public administration which the government has been stymieing through its meddling and interference. We have seen so far an attempt to frustrate a decision made by the Judicial Service Commission. We have been provided with the most frivolous excuse as to why this has happened. We saw an attempt earlier this year to question a decision of the Board of Directors at NCN. This decision was rebuffed because there was a strong Chairman in place. We have seen similar attempts being made to run roughshod over a decision of another Board of Directors. This saga is ongoing and is going to bring the government into disrepute. The government is obsessed with control, absolute control, and this desire for control is being centrally directed, which makes it all the more ominous. We have seen in another agency a non-executive person virtually exercising one-man control over the agency, including ordering the firing of persons without
the support of his Board. We have seen the contract of a long-serving senior public functionary not being renewed without any reason being given. This sort of highhandedness and political interference in public administration could not have taken place anywhere else in the world. There is no doubt the above transgressions would not have been attempted in other parts of the world. But it happens in Guyana, and this is why despite the large size of government, the system of public administration remains ineffective. There cannot be efficient public administration when there is public interference. The government is treating certain commissions and Boards as if they are robots sent to carry out the sole will of the government. The professionals on those Boards are being disrespected. There are power drunk persons being let loose on hapless professionals in the public administration system. Well, professionals are not going to tolerate that sort of mistreatment. The government is meddling too much in public administration. It is interfering too much. It does not seem as if the politicians have enough work on their hands. They are seeking to push their noses into the day-to-day running of public agencies and corporations.
All the talk about a professional public service is just talk. It is not being backed up by action. The government is out to control in all aspects of public administration and its meddling will lead to mistakes, will compromise existing procedures, and will lead to mismanagement and, who knows, possibly even malfeasance. We are going backwards rather than forward. Guyana has too many problems for this sort of obsession with political control. We have gone this route before, and it destroyed the civil service inherited from the British. The lack of professionalism caused a brain drain, because the professionals ran from the PNC government; they ran from the PPP government and now they are facing the possibility of professionals sprinting from the APNU+AFC government. It seems as if APNU+AFC is trying to outdo the PNC and the PPPC in demoralizing public administration. They are going at a rapid pace. The effects are already evident. The government is becoming bloated and instead of having to transfer the fossils from the Walter Roth Museum, the government may end up itself becoming a museum piece. There is no vim in public administration. Things are plodding along at a snail’s pace. The output of the various ministries is more paperwork than legwork.
Poor power supply affects eight Region Three wells Poor power supply is among major challenges facing the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) in the delivery of water supply in the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara region (Region Three). According to Regional Divisional Manager, Martin Garrick, poor power supply is affecting eight of the company’s wells in West Bank Demerara between Parfaite Harmonie to Vriesland, and Wales and Canal Number Two Polder. According to a Government release, electricity is necessary to pump water from the wells to the taps. Garrick explained that “whilst the residents may see power at their homes, the quality of supply at the well stations cannot suffice the operations of those wells, so sometimes we would have no water supply.” He disclosed that the water company is working with the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) to address the issue, including reducing the downtime. Recently, GWI managed
Martin Garrick to improve the level of service in Hubu, East Bank Essequibo by re-activating the area’s well. Garrick explained that this intervention resulted in the level of service, moving from ground level in most areas, to second floor level. GWI also restored services to the Parika Façade area, after one year, Garrick said. In the meantime, the water company is looking to drill
several other wells, to increase the level of services throughout the region. Garrick said, “2017 promises to be better,” explaining that the plans are in place to drill wells in the new housing schemes of Parfaite Harmonie, Westminster, Schonoord and Lust-en-Rust. The manager was confident that by the end of the year, GWI would complete the installation of distribution mains in the unserved areas of Zeelugt, and some parts of Parika. “So whilst we have some challenges some amount of work is being done,” Garrick noted. Other areas that are set to benefit from intervention include the Parika Zone and Tuschen. The Tuschen system is set to be resleeved.
Things are not happening at the rate at which they should be happening. One year has passed and the City Council still cannot get the authorization to increase rates and taxes. One year has passed and the health system is on the verge of collapse, with many places complaining about the absence of drugs. One year has passed and crime is still on the increase and getting worse. One year has passed and workers are still to enjoy the significant increase in salaries and the reduction of the VAT. One year has passed and we have not seen any major infrastructure projects
being launched. One year has passed and no major investment. One year has passed and NDCs are not financially much better off than they were one year before. One year has passed and agriculture is collapsing. The reason for the slow activity is because the government is too obsessed with control and domination. It should leave the professionals to do their job and concentrate on making policy. It promised inclusivity and making use of civil society personnel in running the country. This has only happened on a very limited
scale. Government should cease trying to put its acolytes into the system of public administration. It should advertise for jobs and let the best persons be selected. It should cease this practice of trying to decide who will work where. If the veterans and political hacks are as qualified and competent as is claimed, then subject them to a competitive process and if they are best candidates then by all means put them to work.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday August 24, 2016
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN...
People do things to win votes; it’s commonsense I have heard many persons who support the Coalition Government frown on the PPP’s chastisements and castigations of the Granger/ Nagamootoo administration with the bellicose exclamation; “they are in no position to talk.” They are right. The PPP created oceans of power madness when it governed Guyana. This columnist will definitely be afraid should the PPP return. And I fear for my family too. Reality is a different matter. You may deny the PPP the moral right to criticize the Coalition, but you should understand that what the PPP is doing is what APNU and the AFC did when it was in opposition – it didn’t lose time in condemning the PPP Government for policies, whether good or bad. That was understandable because APNU and the AFC wanted to get citizens’ votes. When it got those votes and became the administration of the nation’s affairs, it relegated to the backburner many things it bitterly rejected. It even practiced and is practicing behavioural traits it rejected in the PPP regime. I have written about the barricades a r o u n d Parliament so many times
that I don’t have the psychological verve to rehash it again. One simply cannot say to the PPP; you have no moral right to criticize us. The PPP wants votes, so they will continue to carp about the wrongdoing of the Coalition. But there is another dimension to the story. If the PPP has no ethical standards from which to judge the Granger/Nagamootoo regime, then who does it fall upon to shine the torchlight on bad governance? This is where the role of an opposition becomes a matter of democratic exigency. If the AFC had won the government in May 2015, you really think the PNC, ACDA and other groups would have attended a ceremony at the 1823 Frederick Monument on the seawall. You are naïve if you think the PNC would have done that. To keep their support base solidified, they would have insisted that Parade Ground was the place for any such ceremony. They would have boycotted the ceremony as they did when it was inaugurated. The PNC is in power and it went to the
monument at the seawall for the 193rd anniversary of the 1823 slave rebellion. If the AFC was the government, you think the PNC would have been silent on the continuing brutality of teenagers caught with a few grams of marijuana? You are naïve if you think so. The PNC is in power today and in the fifteen months it has held power, literally hundreds of young men and women have had their future destroyed through possession of very small amounts of marijuana. If the PNC was in power and the AFC was in Parliament, you think the AFC would have accepted the massive eviction of over 300 vendors at the Stabroek Market Square just for PNC leaders to have the float parade move from Stabroek Square for the Golden Jubilee Kissoon celebrations? As night follows day, AFC cadres would have been out on the picket line in solidarity with the vendors. Against this backdrop, isn’t it logical for the PPP to engage in demagogic condemnations of the Coalition’s politics and policies? Let’s return to the torchlight theory. Even if the PPP lacks moral standards, the
opposition, by force of logic, has to shine the torchlight on governmental wrongdoing, and the PPP is in a position to do just that. It has the resources to make the torchlight work. It has a parliamentary presence that allows it access to very sensitive information which it can publish if that information is of public interest. It was through parliamentary questions by the opposition in Parliament that the nation knows that over half a billion dollars was spent on the D’Urban Park project. So we come to the complex question. Should the media, civil society and the nation at large make use of the opposition’s exposures? The answer is yes. The argument that posits that the PPP’s moral bankruptcy disqualifies it from castigating and criticizing the Coalition Government has serious consequences. To choose not to use powerful information the PPP has on governmental wrongdoing can open the door to dictatorship. How then are we to know if there are conspiracies inside the corridors of power? It was a newspaper purported to be partly owned by Bharrat Jagdeo that first informed the nation that there was a huge salary increase done surreptitiously and secretly, weeks after the Coalition came to power. Should Coalition supporters frown on that revelation all because it came from Jagdeo’s newspaper? The PPP was downright depraved when it was in government, but a country needs to have information on governmental violations. Who cares where the info comes from? Once it is factual.
Wednesday August 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
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The Bishops’ High School to be extended - South R/veldt Secondary to see some rehabilitative works During the opening of the tenders at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) yesterday, at the Ministry of Finance, a contract for the extension of The Bishops’ High School attracted 17 bidders. The Ministry of Education was listed as the procuring entity and the Engineer’s estimate was announced as $84,986,929.
Also, tenders were opened for the contract to construct a pavilion, fence and the levelling of the playfield at the South Ruimveldt Secondary School, Georgetown. The Procuring entity was listed as the Ministry of Education. The contract attracted 27 bidders and the Engineer’s estimate was announced at $37,418,674.
Bids were also open for the supply of male condoms. The Ministry of Public Health was listed as the procuring entity.
Two bids were opened at the NPTAB for the supply and delivery of Computer items. The procuring entity is the Office of the Elections Commission.
And finally, works will be carried out on the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) flagship, GDFS Essequibo. Bids were opened for the refurbishing of the Warping Capstan and its related equipment on board the vessel. The procuring entity was listed as the GDF and the Engineer’s estimate was announced at $ 12,150,000.
Students of Queen’s College, Georgetown, are likely to benefit from a new Cafeteria/Multipurpose Complex. Bids were opened for the construction of this facility yesterday. The procuring entity is the Ministry of Education and the Engineer’s Estimate was announced at $51,611,321.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday August 24, 2016
Technicians retrieve damaged GPL submarine cable Technical officials have retrieved a damaged submarine power cable linking the city and West Demerara, but it may be some time before the cable becomes operational again. The submarine cable is necessary for the critical sharing of power through the inter-connected system along the coastland stretching from Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Berbice, to Georgetown and across the Demerara River to Parika, East Bank Essequibo. Giving an update yesterday, the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) said that a team of its workers, with assistance from a number of submarine experts from China, retrieved the submarine cable from the Demerara river bed in order to assess the extent of the damage. Since it became known that the cable was damaged on July 12th, GPL has blamed it on faulty connection, although the Chinese contractor, China National Machinery Import & Export Corporation (CMC), has
- excess power from US$30M-plus West Dem plant continues to waste insisted that dredging in the Demerara River was what damaged it. Yesterday, the power company said it had conducted a comprehensive test on the cable subsequent to a total shutdown on July 12. The tests attributed the incident to faulty insulation at the connection or “Pot Head” linking the 69KV submarine cable to the overhead transmission lines at Kingston. The test obtained from the protective devices at GPL’s sub-stations at Kingston and Vreed-enHoop indicated damage to the cable. According to GPL, an actual retrieval of the submarine cable from the Demerara River was necessary to determine the extent of the damage. It is now being recommended that the damaged section of the cable
Work being done on the submarine power cable in the Demerara River.
be removed altogether and replaced, using a special submarine cable-joining kit which GPL is currently sourcing in order to bring the cable back into operation in the shortest possible time. “In the interim, the company has confirmed that
there is sufficient capacity within East Demerara and Berbice to meet the electricity demands of its customers,” GPL explained. CMC, which has been facing questions over its work on a US$40M contract (which included the cable,
seven substations and overhead transmission lines along the coastland), has been insisting that it followed specifications of the cable laying across the Demerara River. “The submarine cable was put into operation since
December 4, 2012 and abnormality has never been detected. As far as we know, the cable was damaged during the dredging operation in the evening of July 12. The non-service of submarine cable has nothing Continued on page 30
Wednesday August 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Plans apace to improve image of GPHC’s Maternity Unit
Even with additional beds in a new facility, the space issue that has faced the Maternity Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital
Corporation (GPHC) is not likely to become a thing of the past. This notion was recently amplified by Senior Departmental Supervisor
of the Maternity Unit, Sister Denise Marks. “Even if we have 100 more beds, it probably wouldn’t make a difference at certain times of the year,” Sister Marks explained. This, she said, is due to the fact that there are periods during the course of the year that there are over 50 deliveries within three days and these patients remain admitted for at least 24 hours before they are discharged. This of course is compounded by the fact that the Georgetown Hospital is the country’s main referral hospital, thus catering to outlying and other areas while at the same time serving as the Region Four regional hospital. “We get more than our fair share of patients who we cannot turn away,” Sister Marks said. This essentially means that space could at times be severely depleted and could deprive new admissions of much needed space, but yet is an unavoidable state of affairs. A new maternity facility slated to be opened shortly isn’t likely to solve the space problem, Sister Marks reiterated, as she emphasised that a true change at the GPHC is likely to materialise with more nursing staff. Currently the Maternity Unit benefits from the services of just over 40 midwives, five ward managers, 22 staff nurses, 14 nursing assistants, 19 patient care assistants, two clinical instructors, one junior departmental supervisor and of course, one senior departmental supervisor. In fact Sister Marks disclosed that plans are already apace to improve the image of the Maternity Unit and by extension that of the hospital, even in the face of existing challenges and naysayers. According to Sister Marks, who has been in the profession for over 20 years, “the perception that people have of the hospital and of the profession itself, causes you to want to give up. For instance there might be some issue...there might be some maternal deaths, but nobody finds out exactly how it happens. Then there is a negative report in the newspaper and we all feel bad and sometimes we want to chuck in, but because of the love for the job and to prove to people out there that this is not what the GPHC is about, we stay...it is not all negative.” She, however, noted that while the criticisms that are directed to the Maternity Unit may never stop, it however serves as a motivating factor. “We need to work on lots of things so that we wouldn’t be criticised too much though,” she asserted, as she pointed to the need for improved professionalism among nurses. To achieve this goal, she noted that
Wednesday August 24, 2016
Senior Departmental Sister, Denise Marks training programmes are in place. Sister Marks disclosed that while some nurses join the profession simply as a means of getting a pay package at the end of the month, they are cautioned that that should not be the main agenda. “Money of course is important, but it is not all about the money. If you don’t like the job it is likely that you would do anything, but if you like nursing you will go all out,” she added. Recalling when she delved into the profession several years ago, Sister Marks recounted that “I actually loved it, but when I went on the ward and saw what was happening I had to make a decision right there and then whether I would stay or go. So people might like the job, but they may not know what it entails...you have to understand it and want to do the job...you have to love it,” she reflected. Sister Marks also stressed the need for nurses to be able to divorce their professional life from their personal life. She noted that while it may not always be easy, it is in fact an ability that could be acquired over time. “I don’t bring my personal life to work, I leave it at home, and that is from experience,” said Sister Marks as she disclosed that “I have nurses under my guidance who I share my experiences with and at the end of the day I do see changes with them.” She also disclosed that nurses are also able to benefit from counselling sessions which is all part of a journey to helping to improve the general image of the hospital. “We try to have one and one with our nurses and within the next two years or so we will get there...we are working hard and we have a lot of young people who are coming up and are very vibrant and they are here to work,” she asserted.
The new Maternity Unit which is expected to be commissioned soon.
Wednesday August 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
Should Michael Khan be on the job at GPHC? - Public Health Minister says no - Official says Khan staying put; abiding by Board’s decision Cabinet has reportedly issued a directive for Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Mr Michael Khan, to be sent on leave pending the outcome of a review of a recently released audit report of the hospital. Khan’s fate as CEO reportedly lies in the outcome of that review. Cabinet had instructed that Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Basil Williams, conduct the review. This announcement was made two weeks ago by Minister of State Joseph Harmon, who disclosed that Williams would have to present Cabinet with a solution within a week’s time. However, when attempts were made to contact Williams yesterday to ascertain the status of the review, he, through his Secretary, revealed that this publication should contact Minister of Public Health Dr. George Norton for that update. Minister Norton acknowledged that it was C a b i n e t ’s d e c i s i o n f o r Khan to be sent on leave pending the outcome of the review. However, checks at the GPHC yesterday revealed that Khan was still on the job. In fact a source close to the hospital yesterday disclosed that Khan will remain on the job until he is issued with a letter from the Board instructing him to proceed on leave. Khan was last year sent on administrative leave in order to facilitate an audit of
GPHC’s CEO, Michael Khan
Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton
the financial and general operations of the hospital. While there were some damning allegations detailed against Khan in the report, the Board had opted to write to Khan advising him to resume his duties. He has been on the job ever since. Minister Norton had, however, issued a directive that Khan remain off the job. This is in light of the fact that following the release of the audit, the Board was divided as to whether Khan should return and therefore sought the intervention of Minister Norton. However, the Board is said to have subsequently decided to reinstate Khan and disregarded the request for the Minister’s intervention. At a post-Cabinet press briefing held on August 11, last, Minister Harmon had 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 also disclosed that “Cabinet, having deliberated on the matter, appointed the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister (Basil Williams) as mediator to inquire into all the issues raised in the report.” Williams was also tasked with making recommendations to Cabinet which would allow for a resolution within one week, Harmon had said.
West Demerara man caught with gun on Corentyne Coast remanded to jail A 36-year-old West Demerara man was nabbed with a gun in a car on Saturday, last, on the Corentyne Coast. Leslie Blackwood of 215 Westminster, West Coast Demerara, was travelling in a White Toyota Allion Motor Car, PNN 9422, around 18:20 hrs, when the vehicle was intercepted by the police who were conducting a stop and search exercise at the time, outside the No. 51 Police station. The driver and Blackwood were the only two passengers in the vehicle. Blackwood was sitting in the front passenger seat at the time. Upon checking the vehicle one .32 Ruger revolver was found between the two front seats of the vehicle. Further checks unearthed 12 live .32
REMANDED: Leslie Blackwood rounds in the said vehicle. While the driver denied knowledge of the gun and ammunition, Blackwood claimed that the gun and
ammunition belonged to him. He stated that he bought the items in Kitty for his own protection since his life was being threatened. The men were reportedly heading to Corriverton to “sport”. The driver, who also hails from Georgetown, stated that he rented the car from a service and had lent it to Blackwood. He did not know that Blackwood had a gun in his possession. Blackwood appeared yesterday in the Springlands Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Rabindranath Singh on two charges of possession of arms and ammunition without being the holder of a licence. He was remanded to jail until September 14 when the matter will be heard again.
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Wednesday August 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
Is Guyana’s manufacturing sector dying? Pt. 7
More protection possible for manufacturers By Kiana Wilburg One of the crucial questions coming out of the debate on Guyana’s ailing manufacturing sector is whether it is possible for some level of protectionism to be had for local manufacturers without appearing discriminatory to other countries and/or infringing on some of the nation’s bilateral agreements. Some Government officials have expressed great caution over the idea, saying that it involves too many risks. But in the estimation of Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge, protection is certainly possible without hurting international agreements. He noted, however, that it would call for a careful look at Guyana’s rules and regulations as well as its standards and enforcement of various forms of protectionism. Greenidge explained that there are different types of protection, some of which include tariffs, quotas, embargoes, subsidies and administrative barriers. The Foreign Affairs
Minister explained that tariffs refer to a tax on imports, while quotas speak to physically limiting the quantity of imports. As for embargoes, he said that this is a ban on dangerous substances. On the aspect of subsidies, Greenidge said that if a government gives financial support to domestic production, this gives the beneficiaries in the sector an unfair advantage over other competitors. He said that what a government may do is take action against the dumping of goods into the local markets by importers, at prices below their economic levels. With regard to administrative barriers, Greenidge said that this mechanism makes it more difficult to trade, as one of the things it can seek to do is impose minimum environmental standards. The Foreign Affairs Minister commented that countries may impose tariffs on goods in order to protect fledgling industries, and to give them a chance to become established. In order for such an argument to be defensible
- Foreign Affairs Minister in Guyana’s case, he contended that an acceptable time limit will have to be set for those tariffs. Greenidge also recorded his dismay with the fact that Guyana is importing goods such as roti and puri, tamarind balls, sugar cane juice, coconut water and water. He said that normally, trade in such products which are primarily first stage processing would give local producers an advantage. “However, we are witnessing these products entering Guyana as a result of several factors ranging from poor surveillance, to superior marketing and packaging by foreign competitors, and a more reliable delivery, as well as more competitive pricing by the said persons. It is also possible that a wider range of consumers with higher incomes are also influencing the trend by seeking a wider variety,” the former Finance Minister articulated.
He asserted that there can be little doubt that some manufacturers are worried and “rightly so” because some of the causes lie at their doorsteps. “In negotiating trade agreements, the CARICOM negotiators normally identify those products which are so sensitive that we will not agree to negotiate access to our markets at all. In other cases we can also insist only to allow the importation if the access is phased over a period, during which we could try to enhance our capacity to compete. Under the CARIFORUMEU Economic Partnership Agreement there are such arrangements, with the restriction on some products being as long as 25 years. Obviously this cannot be applied to all potential imports which compete with our products.” The Minister continued, “Clearly, more needs to be done to ensure that foreign suppliers do not get away with selling us goods of lower standard than our own manufacturers are required to meet. In a recent report, a consultant, Professor McKaig, suggested that foreign suppliers and domestic importers do not always adhere to the rules, and Guyanese Customs Administration neither makes nor enforces demands for safer, healthier or higher quality imports.” He added, “It needs to be said that all states can demand adequate protection against
Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge potential health hazards in imports that may threaten the health of consumers, crops, and livestock.” Greenidge noted that Guyana can impose more stringent and unified controls on international and local border crossings. But to do this in a manner that is defensible, the authorities would have to monitor and undertake surveillance of the prevalence of pests, diseases, and health hazards so that Guyana can have data required by trade partners, and information with which to manage health risks. The politician said that the absence of a viable Sanitary and Phytosanitary or SPS system is at the core of the problem for SPS capacity building. “Behind all of this is a need for our manufacturers to improve their capacity to compete. There are obvious constraints that need to be removed or attenuated. These include the cost and reliability of power, the cost of fuel, and the inefficiency at Customs
and handling.” Greenidge said that is for this reason that many economists emphasize the contribution of management efficiency, worker productivity and skill upgrading to improving cost/ price competitiveness. In addition, he said that they would often call for Government policy to pay more careful attention to the crucial role of non-price factors that are critical to winning and maintaining competitive advantages by firms in world markets. Greenidge said that these include knowledge, skill, marketing and economic intelligence, product quality, production for specialized niche markets, management and organizational capabilities, and production flexibility. “For the same reason there are calls for Governments in the region to look at industrial policy and options such as the use of international licensing as a means of ensuring that domestic companies can compete – by way of getting access to intangible assets, such as their patents, trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, or even their company name and logo, of foreign partners. Similar contractual agreements may include franchising, technical agreements, service or management contracts, and other variations.” Greenidge noted, however, that, pre-1992; many of the imports causing concern now would not have been permitted, because there was the option of using tariffs. However, the economist said that it should also be noted that there existed specific policies to fill these needs, until the fiscal crisis made it difficult for the states to provide support to programmes that encouraged the type of extensive import substitution/replacement common at that time. To be continued …
Wednesday August 24, 2016
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Kaieteur News
Despite challenges, Blind Society willing to offer CSEC Maths
Funding continues to be a major issue in sustaining the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination programme at the Guyana Blind Society. This is according to Coordinator of the Programme, Ganesh Singh. Singh at a press conference on Monday said that while the Ministry of Education caters to the salary of teachers who give their time to prepare blind and visually impaired students for the examination, other administrative funding is left to the Society. Singh said that because of limited funding, the Society currently is not able to do as much as it would like for its CSEC students. “We would like to do more to help the students but again finances is our main challenge,” said Singh who noted that while fundraising activities is an option, this has not happened at the society for some time. He, however, noted that there are occasions when companies
Ganesh Singh and individuals would donate towards the Society’s initiatives. He asserted, though, that although “there is no organised programme of fundraising we are fortunate, due to our track record and being here for a very long time, persons would just call, companies especially, and give us funding and so.” There are instances, he noted, that the Society has written to some entities
seeking support for specific activities and support is generally forthcoming. Singh asserted that this support, though limited, is very important, since the Government subvention is very minimal. But should steady increased funding be made available at the Society, Singh is confident that more programmes, aside from the CSEC programme, could be introduced at the Society. Among the measures Singh was hoping to introduce from the inception of the CSEC programme a few years ago was to have classes for the blind streamed live. This, however, was not possible in previous years. But with support from the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company, which provides free internet to the Society, this feat is now possible. “At this time we are having one of our students from Berbice joining us during classes via Skype and this is a way of cutting cost and allowing students in outlying
Slain pensioner reportedly had $6M stashed in home - son, workers still in custody Detectives are trying to ascertain reports that Better Hope, East Coast Demerara pensioner David Ramkissoon had some $6M stashed in his home prior to him being found in his residence with his throat slashed. The claim about the large sum of cash is being made by the slain man’s son, who, along with two of his workers, has been detained. The son has told police that he had gone to a creek on the Soesdyke/Linden highway with his family, and returned to find his 76-yearold father dead in his bedroom. Kaieteur News understands that the workers who were later detained were to have accompanied the son and family on the trip to the creek, but then indicated that they were not going. The house was ransacked and money was reportedly stolen, but a source said that detectives found “absolutely no sign” of forced entry. Police who examined the scene reportedly found several envelopes, in which Ramkissoon would have received his pension money, in a refrigerator. One theory that investigators are examining is the possibility
that the killing may be linked to a property dispute. David Ramkissoon, called “Shortman”, was found in a pool of blood in the living room of his home at around 19:30 hrs on Sunday. His son had reportedly just returned home after spending the day at a creek on the Soesdyke/ Linden Highway with his family. The pensioner shared the home with his son, daughterin-law and the couple’s two children. The daughter-in-law had said the family left home around 11:00 hrs on Sunday to go to the creek. “We left late and he (the father-in-law) was telling us is best we stay home and eat lunch then go to the creek, because the traffic to go to the creek gun be bad. He was sitting in the hammock when we left home.” She added that when they returned home, they noticed that the house was in complete darkness. “My husband went in the yard and opened the door and went inside to put on the light and he go in his father room and called for him, but he see the room ransacked and his father wasn’t there, so we went in the other rooms and they were ransacked,” the
Dead: David Ramkissoon woman said. She said that it was when her husband was heading back downstairs that he noticed his father’s body and started screaming. The daughter-in-law said that she and several neighbours rushed into the house and saw Ramkissoon on the floor. She said that she has no idea as to why the police would take her husband in custody since he is innocent and would in no way harm his father. Asked if she has any idea as to who may want her father-in-law dead, the woman responded in the negative, but claimed that there are a number of unemployed youths in the area who hang out in the streets.
areas to be a part of the programme,” Singh added. Over the past three years, the programme has registered blind and visually impaired students to write CSEC - a number of whom have since moved on to the University of Guyana (UG). According to Singh, “we will be having about 11 students at UG (this year) who came out of this programme directly and that is a significant accomplishment. Every year, so far, we have had people at UG; they are not going to UG and making up numbers, they are doing exceedingly well.” Currently the Society is able to prepare and register students for the subject areas of Social Studies, English, Principles of Business, Office Administration, Human and Social Biology and Religious Education. But the entity has been eyeing Mathematics as well.
This, however, may not be realised in the very near future, Singh confided. According to him, while efforts are being made by the local Ministry of Education and at the Caribbean level, to introduce CXC for the blind, a challenge to this is the use of Braille... very few persons in Guyana have skills in Braille and that is why we try to do this programme electronically,” added Singh. He nevertheless pointed out that while Braille is still relevant, the use of computers is the preferred way to deliver a lot of things to persons who have visual disabilities. “It is the main means of communication for persons with visual disabilities these days,” said Singh as he disclosed that, typically, preparing students for CSEC means teaching them to learn the computer simultaneously. “Usually the students
who take advantage of the programme have little to no foundation and we try to transform them probably in two years. It is not like they come with the basics,” Singh noted. Although the task is likely to be greater for the Blind Society, Singh said that the Society will be happy to include Mathematics. “It is something we are hoping for; I don’t know how soon but they are setting up a network of teachers and educators for the blind. It is a regional network and the hope is to have them deal with certain issues, especially Maths for persons with visual disabilities at the CXC level.”
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Wednesday August 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
Missing boy’s body in drain…
Woman tells cops spouse confessed to killing A Number 58 Village, Corentyne woman may have helped detectives to solve the murder of 14-year-old Akeem Grimmond, whose body was found in a drain last Monday. The woman has reportedly told police that her husband admitted to killing the lad, and also told her to “buy coffee and biscuits” for the slain boy’s wake. Both husband and wife were detained yesterday after the woman went to the police with her story. However, Kaieteur News understands that the suspect is now telling investigators that he did not kill Grimmond. A post mortem conducted yesterday by Government Pathologist Dr. Vivekanand Brijmohan gave the cause of death as suffocation and compaction of mud in the airways. The findings suggested that someone had pressed the 14-year-old boy’s face-down in the drain in which he was found. Because decomposition had set in, the pathologist was reportedly unable to detect further signs of assault. Yesterday, the slain lad’s
Murdered: Akeem Grimmond stepfather, Ryan Persaud, appealed for justice. He said that the tragedy is particularly stressful on his pregnant wife, who is scheduled to deliver this week. He said that the suspect is a ’junkie’ who lives a few villages away. Kaieteur News understands that the suspect was previously charged for murder. Akeem Grimmond’s body was found at around 13:00 hrs on Monday at Number 61 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, two days after he went missing. The school dropout, of 53 Section ‘B’ Number 61 Village, was last seen alive around 17:30 hrs last Saturday when
he left his home to tend to some cows. According to his mother, 32-year-old Parbattie Takurdyal, her son would usually tend to a villager’s cows which he would round up in the afternoons. The grief-stricken woman stated that the lad left home as usual to go to the Number 61 backdam to collect the cows, but failed to return. After she did not see him around 20:30 hrs she made a report at the No. 62 police outpost. Search parties were then organized and the badly decomposed body was found around 15:00 hrs in a drain aback of a burial ground some 700 yards west of the public road in the same village. The corpse reportedly bore a four-inch wound behind the left ear. The body was in a state of decomposition. Grimmond was clad in the same clothes that he had left home with- a pair of green short pants and red and white vest. The lad was reportedly last seen by a neighbour around 17:00 on Saturday while he was in the backdam.
51 small miners awarded claims; 59 await approval The Closed Areas Committee yesterday awarded 51 claims to small miners who would have applied to the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). Chairperson of the Committee Attorney-at-Law Dela Britton said that after the installation of the Committee in February, last, they were tasked with creating guidelines to direct the application process. She said that in total the Committee has considered over 120 applications, however only 110 including the 51 already approved, were sent to the Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Raphael Trotman. Britton said that having been asked to conduct the necessary procedures in a fair and transparent manner, the
list was produced. Minister Trotman also validated the final list, saying that it was arrived at based on measures geared at transparency and fairness. Trotman, while emphasising that the Committee will continue its work, said that he and Acting Commissioner of GGMC Newell Dennison are considering applications from larger bodies to see how they can take care of syndicates. He reminded the miners to conduct their operations safely and responsibly, thereby ensuring the protection of the environment and more importantly, lives and limbs. Receiving awards yesterday were eight recipients representing each of the six min-
ing districts. These persons are Hansraj Mahabub, Mohan Ramsundar, Martin Carter, Colin Nelson, Aisha and Mario Figuiera and Mr. and Mrs. Van De Cruz. The Closed Areas Committee was first established in February 1994 and is mandated to identify closed areas and state reserves which can be allocated to miners as claims, and to approve grants of prospecting and mining licences and permits. After the installation of the new members, Minister Trotman had charged the Committee to address the backlog of pending applications. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Joslyn McKenzie informed the recipients that having been approved, they will now have to work very closely with the Mines Division and the Compliance Department so as to properly locate their plots and establish themselves. He said that the other approved applicants will receive their documents at a later date. He admitted that there may be a few hiccups along the way, but urged the miners not to be dismayed as it will be only for a time.
Freddie Kissoon denies KNews prompted him to testify in assault trial —Magistrate declines to grant defence counsel request
Attorney Glenn Hanoman Attorney Glenn Hanoman who is representing one of the men accused of assaulting Frederick Kissoon suggested that Kissoon is testifying in the trial and recalling events of the alleged attack as a ploy designed to attract public attention for Kaieteur News, given that the newspapers is responsible for the alleged perpetrators being charged. This was suggested to Kissoon under cross examination by the Attorney. However, Kissoon vehemently denied the suggestion deeming it “utterly ridiculous”. He said that he was in court to testify what had happened and was in no way instigated by the newspapers. Kissoon completed his testimony yesterday before Magistrate Judy Latchman in the trial of Kwame McCoy, Jason Abdulla and Shawn Hinds. The trio is accused of assaulting Kissoon on May 24, 2010, at Georgetown. They have each been released on $100,000 bail. The men a l l e g e d l y threw fecal matter into Kissoon’s face when he emerged from the Nigel’s Supermarket, at Robb Street, Georgetown. It was reported that an individual walked up to the columnist’s vehicle and threw the substance on him. After the attack, Kissoon reportedly drove behind the perpetrator who ran north along Light Street then went into North Road, before jumping into awaiting motorcar. Attorney Latchmie Rahamat is representing McCoy; Attorneys Euclin Gomes and Glenn Hanoman are representing Abdulla; Hinds is being represented by Attorney George Thomas. When Kissoon took the stand he was asked by Police Prosecutor Kerry Bostwick to recall what transpired on the night he was attacked; to explain where he was before
Frederick Kissoon
Kwame McCoy
Jason Abdulla
Shawn Hinds
he parked his vehicle and the events that occurred thereafter. Kissoon recalled that on the day in question, he had left Nigel’s Supermarket on Robb Street, Georgetown and entered his vehicle which was parked nearby. He said that he had wound down his vehicle’s window when a man walked up and threw a substance on him. The witness recounted that after the substance was thrown on him, a man of African descent walked away, jogged across North Road, proceeded down Merriman Mall and entered a motorcar. He also went on to describe his attacker’s height and body structure. When asked by Prosecutor Bostwick if there were other persons in the car, Kissoon replied in the affirmative. However, when asked by the prosecutor to point out the person who had thrown the substance on him, Kissoon was unable to do so, indicating that the individual was not present in court. Under further cross examination by Hanoman, Kissoon said that he discarded the shirt he was wearing at the time of the attack, because he had no reason for wanting to keep a nasty piece of material. “For such an event in your life you can’t remember what type of shirt you were wearing?” the Magistrate
asked. Kissoon then sought to explain that it was an ordinary denim shirt. In addition, Hanoman requested the Magistrate to warn Kissoon about his demeanour. At this stage, Kissoon asked the Magistrate to tell him what was wrong about his demeanour. The Magistrate did not respond. Hanoman and Kissoon had an exchange of words after Kissoon refused to answer questions he said were not clear to him. It was then that Hanoman asked the Magistrate to make a ruling on Kissoon’s competence to continue as a witness. The Magistrate did not do such. During cross examination by Rahamat, Kissoon was asked how he was able to identify his attacker since he mentioned in his testimony that he was in a state of shock. In response, he told the lawyer that although he was in a state of shock, it did not affect his visual capabilities. During K i s s o o n ’s t e s t i m o n y, Rahamat requested for the Magistrate to warn Kissoon. The Attorney did not specify what she wanted the witness to be warned about. Kissoon repeatedly asked Magistrate Latchman what the lawyer was implying, but she declined to answer. The trial continues on August 29, when Kissoon is expected to be further cross examined by Hanoman.
Wednesday August 24, 2016
Man gunned down in car, female friend wounded
Show Me The Money:
Some Of Jamaica’s Opposition Candidates Fail To Account For Campaign Funds KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) is now reeling from damaging allegations of misuse of campaign donations by some of its candidates in the February 25, 2016 General Election. The allegations were made by PNP Treasurer Norman Horne in his report to the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on July 23 and 24, but which only surfaced publicly Monday. In his report, Horne painted a picture of a party in campaign disarray that spilled over to its ability to raise funds for the election that it eventually lost by one seat to the Jamaica Labour Party. He said there were “multiple non-cohesive and disjointed campaigns being run by distinct groupings and individual members of the party”. Horne said that prior to February 17, 2016, when the party communicated its decision not to participate in three planned national debates, the treasury’s greatest competition in the marketplace was the membership of the party who held senior positions in Government. “These persons were actively in the market for what seemed to be sole benefit of their personal campaigns and collected significant amounts from members of the private sector who were earmarked by the treasury as potential substantial donors for the benefit of the PNP as one cohesive unit,” he wrote. “On numerous occasions, information received by the treasury from the potential donors was that contributions had already
Norman Horne been made to senior party members for the benefit of the party. However, only a few members reported or accounted in full, or even in part, for the receipt of these donations to the treasury or the party executive. This heavily affected the party’s income and short-changed the party, resulting in a negative effect on the national campaign. Financially speaking, there was not one central bank, but several banks; some of which had more resources than the treasury,” Horne stated. Since the election loss, the PNP has been in turmoil with calls for changes to the leadership, particularly that of President Portia Simpson Miller. Horne, in his report, also called for renewal in the party, stating that the PNP’s former president, PJ Patterson, had stated that it is now time for “Norman Washington Manley’s party to rebuild, repair and reignite the sparks of change”. Manley was a co-founder and first president of the PNP in 1938. Caribbean360 (Jamaica Observer)
Brazil’s Rousseff faces final impeachment battle
Brasília (AFP) - Brazil’s suspended president Dilma Rousseff enters her final battle to win back power tomorrow, when senators open an impeachment trial expected to remove her from office for good. That would formally end 13 years of leftist rule in Latin America’s biggest economy. During a trial expected to last several days, the former Marxist guerrilla, 68, will take the stand to defend herself against charges that she fiddled state accounts. She denounces the impeachment drive as a “coup” by her rivals, led by her replacement, former vice president Michel Temer. “In the Senate, I will argue not only for democracy and respect for the direct vote of the Brazilian people, but also for justice,” Rousseff told reporters. But media estimate that most senators will vote to remove her. “This will be the last chance she has to defend herself. For our part, we will treat
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Dilma Rousseff
her with respect,” said one of the senators seeking to impeach Rousseff, Cassio Cunha Lima. “It will also depend on her attitude. If she is aggressive and provocative, there will be a reaction,” he told AFP. The trial opens tomorrow, four days after the Olympic Games closing ceremony in Rio de Janeiro. Rousseff is scheduled to appear in person to defend herself on August 29. Senate president Renan Calheiros said the final vote
would likely take place on August 30. If two-thirds of the senators vote against her, she will be out. “Dilma would need a miracle for that not to happen,” said political analyst Everaldo Moraes from Brasilia University. “Even her own allies can see that.” Rousseff survived torture in the 1970s under Brazil’s military regime. She later beat cancer and became the country’s first woman president.
A 23-year-old man was gunned down and his 22year-old female friend wounded, allegedly during a confrontation with another man in Perry Street, Tucville at around 21.20 hrs last night. Relatives said that the victims, Colin Perreira, of Barr Street, Kitty, and Gail Ann Chacon, 22, were shot while sitting in a car that Perreira was driving. Perreira, an excavator operator, was shot in the chest and stomach and died shortly after. Chacon was reportedly shot in the back and hands and was undergoing surgery last night at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. Reports indicated that the two friends were shot by a resident of Perry Street, Tucville, shortly after they had reversed onto the resident’s bridge.
Colin Perreira The shooter has reportedly been detained. Kaieteur News understands that Perreira had just left a popular Kitty bar, where he was hanging out with friends. He then dropped off some
people and then headed to Perry Street, where the shooting occurred. His mother, Cerene Roberts, said that she received a call at around 21.20 hrs that her son, also known as ‘Malcolm’, had been shot. She said that she went to Perry Street, where she was shown the area where the shooting had occurred. She also saw a police rank driving the car that her son had used. The vehicle had a number of bullet-holes in the windscreen. According to Mrs. Roberts, the rank indicated that he was taking the vehicle to the East La Penitence Police Station. She said that her son succumbed after being taken by friends to the GPHC. According to the woman, her son had no enemies that she is aware of.
Conference of Defence Ministers of the Americas in T&T…
Security ministers for terrorism talks
Trinidad Guardian - The upcoming 12th Conference of Defence Ministers of the Americas, which will be held in T&T in October, will be used to discuss terrorism and terrorist threats related to Isis, the trafficking of arms and ammunition, drugs and human trafficking. All discussions will, however, take place in “side bar meetings,” T&T’s National Security Minister Edmund Dillon said Monday during the media briefing about the three-day conference. The budget for the conference, where an unprecedented number of Ministers of Defence and delegates from the 34 nation states representing the Americas will be attending, is estimated to be at $9 million, but the majority of costs will be covered by corporate sponsors. He said they will be holding meetings on the issue of terrorism and terrorists within “our security landscape” and they will be looking at sharing information and intelligence gathering. “The sidebar meetings will also deal with how do we treat with the inflow of arms ammunition, drugs and human trafficking. The conference allows us to do that type of networking. Also, the trading of experiences and best practices,” Dillon said. He said there are three topics the meeting will be addressing: Security and Defence of the Americas in a
Edmund Dillon
Harold Phillip
Changing International Environment: The Evolving Role of the armed Forces, Environmental Protection and Resilience; and Hemispheric Security and Defense Cooperation Policy: Beginning with Strengthened Humanitarian Emergency Assistance. Questioned by the media about claims that the Central Division was understaffed and under-resourced at the same press conference, acting Police Commissioner, Harold Phillip, said he had full confidence in the operational activities of the Defence Force and police. “I am not aware that the police in Central is understaffed and/or underresourced. We have added resources to the
Central Division, in particular in the Enterprise area, over the last period and there has been a reduction in terms of criminal incidents,” Phillip said. He said a request was also made for police officers to give extra hours of work and promised that they will be paid overtime. Dillon, in weighing in on the topic, gave the assurance that right now they were treating with the issues of crime and criminality and areas are still safe and secure. “The agencies of the State will continue to be outside there on the streets doing their investigations and operations and again we present a secure environment for T&T citizens,” Dillon said.
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SALON
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: 626-7040; 265-4535. INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: 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 Jadesco Offers: Architectural designs, 3D modeling, building estimation/quotation, rehabilitation works & general construction. Call: 612-0468, 629-3605, email: jadesco15@gmail.com Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158
Cashier for supermarket 624-0033; Driver for water truck - 680-3863; Pump attendant /Security in store; 680-3863; Porters- Call: 6803863 Assistant Accountant with own transportation & QuickBooks, PAYE, NIS & VAT knowledge -$150,000. Call: 673-5475/kevin@ expresstruckingcorp.com Male & Female workers, machine operators with TI certificate & experienced Accountant, bond clerk. Call: 330-2399; 623-5920 Taxi Drivers wanted between Better- Hope –Enmore. Call A1 Taxi. Call: 220-1000 1 General Domestic able to prepare vegetarian meal. Apply in person @ Alabama Trading, Georgetown Ferry Stelling Stabroek. 1 Mechanic/Welder for interior, must have knowledge of Doosan excavator & engine at least 5yrs experienced. Call: 6859028 (8-3pm) Truck Driver, Skid steer operator, Civil Engineer, Road Foreman, cleaner, security, chef/cook, admin assistant. Call: 603-3997 HEALTH Need Herbal supplements? Contact Hazel’s Herbal Store. Call: 226-9136
VISA processing centre for all US/Canadian Visa processing @ Cybertron Parika. Call: 260-4850
TO LET Fully furnished; 2X3 bedrooms, luxury apartments to let (long & short term). Call: 655-3505
Live in or live out babysitter/ domestic –Call: 223-7500. Monday-Saturday 8:154:15pm
FOR RENT
General worker (must have basic Maths & English), general domestic, restaurant cook- Call: 225-9211 We are interested in buying lands in Farm New Scheme E.B.D, corner lots preferably. Call: 266-0693
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Hair station rental at convenient location, Georgetown, Call: 638-1106, discounts given to newcomers, persons with experienced & clients 1 Small one bedroom apartment toilet & bath included single or couple no children. Call between 9 to12pm & 2pm to 5pm @ Charlestown. Call: 225-1418 Bachelor’s apartment to rent. Call 233-0327 between 7:00pm-8:30pm Upper Flat; three bedrooms at 143 Pike Street Kitty. Contact B.Badal: 234-0733 Apartments for rent at Nandy Park, 2 bedrooms -$70,000. Call: 227-5194 3 Bedrooms house; top and bottom property at Canal No.2 Polder -$35,000 monthly. Call: 613-1860 Self-contained rooms in Prashad Nagar. Tel: 227-2993 Stand for rent in the New Amsterdam area. Interested persons contact 646-9087. Price affordable. EDUCATIONAL Classes for cake decoration, cakes & pastry, bridal accessories, classes start September. Call: 612-4193; 672-8768; 223-3303
CAR RENTAL CAR RENTAL TAXI SERVICE GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 2257878 (24HRS) FOR SALE/RENT American Pool Table. Call: 277-0578
DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL. COM Aidan’s Car Rental: 4WD pickup. Call: 698-7807
WANTED 1 Male cook in the Interior. Call: 678-0565
- Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. - Cosmetology Courses: $120,000 - Technician Course: $45,000. Call: 647-1773/660-5257 VACANCY One Trainee A.C, Refrigerator, Technician – Call: 231-0655
RepairstoLED,Plasma,LCDand other electronic items. Abdul Electronics.Call:225-0391 Guytec Repairs Services & Spares to washing machines, pressure washer, dryer, stoves, refrigerator, treadmill, vacuum, etc –Call: 680-2377
Wednesday August 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS& SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 , EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM Wings Car & Pickup Rental: Low down payment, cheap reates,special offer for the summer. Call: 690-6494
Experienced Driver & cashier apply @ Hacks Halaal with written application, 5 commerce Street. Ladies to clean fish & crab in Suriname. Call: +597-8754660 Carpenter/mason and porter. Call: 225-3234; 698-7807 One Arc welder must know to do grill work with limited supervision. Call: 613-3879 1 Live in domestic -$60,000 – Call: 686-2201
VEHICLE FOR SALE 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 RZ minibus -$1.2M, 192 Car $800,000, 2009 unregistered bluebird -$2.8M, excellent condition, owner leaving country. Call: 265-0204; 676-5824 Fielder 2006, Bluebird 2006, Army general 6X6 truck, extendable 40 FT Trailer. Call: 616-5595; 665-3676 One 2008 Toyota IST-Call: 614-9742 White Toyota AE110, PKK series, price -$600,000. Call: 697-8639
Boys & girls to work in the Interior -$80,000. Call: 6592708; 674-1767
SALE @ STAR CARS: PREMIO, RUNX, IST, AXELA, RZ BUS, SPACIO, FIELDER. CALL: 679-3140
Accounts Clerk, must have drivers license, send application to info@cevons.com
2003 Verossa with leather interior & alarm. Call: 6670338
Male Sales assistant/porter @ Sparkle, Meten-Meer Zorg. Apply: Key Food Trading, Mc Doom Villlage
1 Nissan Bluebird 2006 model, PSS series, alarm, headlight, camera. Immaculate condition. Owner migrating. Price $2,300,000- Tel:629-9500
Place to rent or buy in Lethem. Call: 609-9223; 6269044 or email:w876@aol.com
1-2006 GX 470 Lexus 44000 KM, A1 Condition. Call: 661-6161
Experienced female bartender, live in/live out waitress, cooks & bouncers needed @ Eden Bar & Lounge, Garden of Eden-Call: 652-0074
One Toyota Spacio PRR Series. In good condition. Price $1.2M- Call: 645-0749, 691-8272 Toyota 212 Carina PKK 9753, owner driven, very good condition, price to go -$1.2M. Call: 226-7628; 661-2727
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. 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; 651-0717; 671-2490 CAT 320 BL excavator, 428 CAT back hoe, CAT930 Front End, 9 Wheeled Pneumatic Roller -Call: 275-0538; 683-7225 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 AudiA4-$3.7M, BMW-$2.3M, Ist-$1,895,000,Fielder$1,895,000, Spacio-$1,995,000. Contact#650-0402 Prime commercial building for sale @ Broad & Charles Streets, Georgetown, 68,000 square feet. Call: 592-231-6694 1-Leylad DAF-45 $1.5M, 1Cat 928F Loader-$6.9M,1Hyster Forklift-$1.5M, Light To w e r- $ 8 0 0 - 0 0 0 . Contact#650-0402 Double Steel Drum Compactor, CAT 215 Excavator, Leyland DAF55 Truck, 400 GLS, Bitumen Kettle. Call: 275-0538; 6837225 Fans (2 on stand), music set, TV, Table Set, Kitchen Utensils, digital scale, minibus BKK 8932. Call: 6852206 One complete trout boat for sale, less than a year old. Call: 654-2817 Cargo Trawler. Call: 6828724; 616-5954 1 Heavy Duty Juki sewing machine, straight stitch. Call: 642-6079
EDUCATIONAL IAE: Register for full time school (Grades 7-11) CSEC lessons; adults and school leavers CXC classes. Call Mr. Roberts: 683-5742 Computerized Deal for 2016 CXC Students, 9 Courses Diploma in Computerize Accounting @ Cybertron Parika. Call: 260-4850 9 Courses Diploma in Computers -$35,000, Computerized Accounting $30,000 @ MicroGraphics. Vreed-enHoop, Call: 264-3057 Register your child for our after school program for slow learners in Maths, Reading, Spelling Etc. Call: 675-4379
LAND FOR SALE La Parfaite Harmonie-$2.3M, La Parfaite Harmonie -$2M (Corner Lot), Zeelugt -$2.3M, Herstelling 4th Bridge -$4M. Call: 642-1252 Tuschen Front (Phase 1) $3.5M, Tuschen (Phase 2) $2M with foundation, Uitvlugt Main Road -$2.3M. Call: 642-1252 La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.2M & $1.6M, Uitvlugt -$2M (100X50ft), one mining claim -$1.5M. Call: 658-5897; 673-2692 Transported land for sale @ East Bank Demerara 60X200 Road Front, close to public road -$7Million. Call: 648-9066
Muscovy Ducklings- Call: 602-7203 French Muscovy Ducklings for sale -$400 for 1. Call: 671-2474 1-Hooka lounge at Giftland Mall Profitable business. Call: Call: 661-6161 ERF Parts, cabin, dump pump and Rockwell Dect 19 feet tray. Call: 672-0470 Elevator (good condition), Diesel Generator (23KVA, 110/ 220V). Call: 231-1284; 223-9719 1-210 Hyundai excavator, good condition, any reasonable offer accepted. Call: 610-0515; 216-1390; 6128009 Continue page 29
Wednesday August 24, 2016
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Critical training to improve Customs Officers’ efficiency underway A major training exercise for Customs Officers is underway, with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) announcing yesterday that performance remains a key focus. According to the authority, the training programme started Monday at its Camp Street headquarters, and is titled “Customs Officer 1”. It was put together by a corps of experienced officers. The training seeks to improve performance, promote career development and a quality of human resources that can deliver timely services to clients, the tax collection entity said. Deputy CommissionerGeneral of GRA, Hema Khan, in her address, said that it was necessary to conduct inhouse training as it is not readily available outside.
Given the large number of participants involved, the current programme has catered for training in two batches. Additionally, it was time-tabled for August, so as not to interfere with the staff complement needed for the holiday peak season. According to GRA, there is additional training to follow. “We’re hoping that when you are trained to carry out your job you will be able to carry out decisions at your level. In this way the delivery of service to the taxpayer can be done in a more timely and efficient manner,” the Deputy Commissioner-General said. The Customs arm of the GRA monitors the country’s ports of entry to ensure that the laws and regulations for border trade are applied. Duties include examining container cargo and ship files, de-stuffing, rummaging
(vessel and aircraft search) and reporting of vessels. Deputy Head of Customs Excise and Trade Operations, Patrick Hyman, who will be one of the facilitators, said professionalism and striking balance between expeditiousness and “doing the right thing,” comes with the territory. The programme will be ongoing for seven weeks, focusing on Customs and other Trade Legislations, Customs Release and Accounting of Cargo, Prohibitions and Restrictions, Warehousing, CARICOM and the introduction to Rules of Origin, Valuation Tariff structure and Classification, Smuggling, Vessel, Aircraft, Passenger and Baggage Search, Documentation related to Financing of International Trade,
From page 28
PROPERTY FOR SALE Transported property @ Grove and Diamond $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461 Transported property, 5L Hilux pick-up, 1-complete music set. Call: 265-3586
GRA’s Deputy CommissionerGeneral, Hema Khan Remission and Exemption of Import and Export Taxes, among other things. GRA has been under pressure to improve its customer service, with
members of the public complaining of delays and corruption. New management and a new Board of Directors have taken over the organization.
High value transported land and 2 bedrooms newly built house, Greater Diamond E.B.D -$16M negotiable. Call: 265-4338 Property @ 172 Zohora Street and Market Street Better Hope E.C.D. Call: 220-1583/ 1718-847-4196 (NY). Serious buyers only. 1 Church building in front and 2 story building at the back 30X120, vacant possession, 180 Charolotte Street Bourda. Call:624-7341/ 227-6817/226-5183 Property for sale at Lot 32 Princess Street, Werk-EnRust- Tel: 621-8767 One (2) plus storey house, 3 self contained bedrooms, fully carpet. Price negotiable. Residential scheme, W.C.DCall: 275-0582, 650-6723 Tuschen, Light St, upfront, 1-2 storey concrete house $23M negotiable, Non-Pariel E.C.D - 1 two storey concrete house 56X36. Call: 642-1252 Brand new 2 storey concrete building in 5th Avenue, Diamond, E.B.D, all modern amenities -price reduced– Call: 662-9335; 612-3244
Some of the Customs Officers who are participating in the training exercise.
Region Two RDC approves $4.7B budget for 2017 The Region Two Regional Democratic Council at a recent statutory meeting approved its $4.7 billion 2017 budget. On the council’s agenda is to resuscitate the region’s once thriving rice cereal factory and to conduct infrastructural development in areas such as drainage, roads and bridges. The budget was approved after a series of consultations with Neighbourhood Democratic Councils. Based on issues raised during the engagements, emphasis was placed on the construction of bridges at Golden Fleece, Queenstown, Anna Regina
and Charity. With respect to the upgrade of bridges, this is to be done in the Good Hope, Johanna Cecilia, Perseverance, Pomona, Affiance and Better Success communities. Rehabilitation plans are also on the cards, particularly for roads leading to Mainstay, Tapakuma and Lima Sands. Further, work is to be done for the maintenance of several roadways within communities. Other plans for the region include the enhancement of community playgrounds. Council took this decision after it was agreed that it is
better to develop such facilities, instead of play parks. The budget also addresses needs within the education, health and agriculture sectors. It is expected that a new building will be constructed for the Abram Zuil Secondary School. The Charity Secondary School is to benefit from an extension. Kabakaburi Primary School will also be extended to provide access to secondary education for Upper Pomeroon students. Moreover, there are plans to purchase a boat and engine
which will aid in transporting students in the lower Pomeroon to Wakapoa community and for the Bethany and Mashaboa communities. For the Health sector, there are plans afoot to construct a new wing at the Suddie Public Hospital. Additionally, rehabilitation of the Oscar Joseph District Hospital is in the pipeline. Oxygen lines are to be installed at the Wakapoa and Kabakaburi Health Centres. The council has also approved the construction of a road which will link the Essequibo Coast at
Tapakuma to the Pomeroon at Siriki. In the area of drainage and irrigation, there are plans to upgrade and maintain the various sluices, pumps, excavators, trenches and main canals. Council will also ensure that irrigation checks are constructed at Better Success. To increase the region’s capacity in handling drainage and irrigation, two long-boom excavators will be purchased to facilitate the clearing of outfalls, residential and cultivation drainage and the de-silting of canals and trenches.
Transported property for sale located at Vreed-enHoop not far from the Junction, price negotiable. Call: 638-0271 One transported two flat 6 bedrooms concrete property in Strathspey, E.C.D (large land space) -$14M negotiable. Call: 689-5103
FOR SALE N-27 Perkins engine & dredge. Call: 622-9147
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Kaieteur News
THE VOICE OF THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS...
Where is the manufacturing sector? By Sase Singh INTRODUCTION A decade plus into the 21st century, the role of our manufacturing sector continues to deteriorate. From a position of 11.2% of GDP under Hoyte, it expanded to 12.4% under Jagan, then declined to 9.8% under Jagdeo; 7.4% under Ramotar and it is now 6.2% under Granger. The Guyana Manufacturing & Services Association (GMSA) held another luncheon, and the messages coming out from bona fide business people, remain brutally gloomy. But it is clear that very few in the ruling political directorate in 2016 are listening. Every week we get another message from a Cabinet member that “the economy not in crisis”. However, anyone who is aware of the granular details in the manufacturing sector (like the agriculture sector) will know that on the policy front, we are disintegrating on this question of how to transform these vital sectors. One only has to read the 2016 Half Year Report put out by the Ministry of Finance and you can see that key benchmarks that can aid in the sustained economic transformation process, are all under clear and present danger. The end result; a continuation of a predominance of poverty, unemployment and inequity, in all 10 regions. FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT Foreign direct investment inflows fell in the first half of 2016 by 62% to US$29.2 million compared to the corresponding period in 2015. Why is FDI not surging in Guyana in 2016? The policy makers are telling us that the macroeconomic fundamental is in order, there is political stability, and the “economy is solid”. But yet foreign direct investments have rapidly declined in the first half of 2016. Too many key business bosses have told me that they feel unwelcomed, to the point
that they are preparing to invest in other little for the manufacturing sector and by countries like Suriname, Brazil, and Trinidad extension put bread on the dinner tables of rather than Guyana. Only those who are ready the proletariats. National pride cannot feed to feed the financial kickback machinery in our people; real policy action on the wages the public service at all levels have been front, on the foreign investment front and on prospering for over a decade now. So where making Guyana as an attractive and easy is this commitment to breaking from the past location to invest, will deliver the bacon. But with its associated financial skullduggery and constructing this troika of progress seems to be beating the Economic Presidential “Ponzi” scheme deals? Advisors. WHERE IS THE BORROWING BY THE MANUFACTURING MANUFACTURING SECTOR? SECTOR But how do we generate Credit to the manufacturing economic expansion? Exports, sector declined by 2.4% or and of course consumption, are G$733 million in the first six key ingredients. The working months of 2016. The fact class continues to be starved remains that in 2016, our due to unnecessary delays in manufacturers are not the finalization of the wage borrowing enough, to invest package, and this economic more, so that we can make more docility is not helping at taxable profits in Guyana, all. FITUG was totally in order create more jobs for Guyanese to refer to this situation as and in the process contribute “empty pockets and empty to the expansion of the stomachs” because the Granger economy. There is a administration has done tremendous amount of precious little to help the Sase Singh “investment fear” in Guyana workers over the last 14 months. today. Where is the good life? Just read the narrative coming out of Combined with a decline in remittances from overseas, we have an economic “Molotov” SARA, SOCU, and GRA and you can detect cocktail on our hands in 2016. Inflows of heavy doses of illegitimate intimidations and remittances from overseas declined by some fear mongering. However, when these 23% from the first half of 2015 to US$95.7 organizations are called upon to back up these threats with real prosecutable cases, they put million in the first half of 2016. Those who were rich under the PPP remain their tails between their legs and run for the rich under this Granger administration, and hills. Every day that goes by, you can detect the overwhelming majority who were struggling under the PPP, continue to struggle that there is no concrete plan on this front. The agenda of collectively bluffing the nation has today in 2016. So what really has changed in Guyana for directly contributed to the commencement of the people other than a greater occurrence of a wait and see period in Guyana. This will only national parades and military maneuvers? But aid in the economic destruction of the nation. I challenge those in charge to prosecute parades and military maneuvers will do very some people rather than continue their charade of making infantile excuses why SARU and SOCU cannot deliver on their mandate. I would be the first to celebrate their success, but I am fully aware these people are playing with the intelligence of the Guyanese people as they continue to fail on all fronts. These people are a danger to Guyana’s progress and the Granger administration. We are struggling to mold the nation because their action is causing too many business people to apply pause on Guyana. If business people are not investing then the poor and the working class are being denied a fighting chance to craft and own their tomorrow. But
today in 2016, SARU and SOCU incompetence rules the roost and thus value for money from these witch-hunting outfits should not be expected. MADE IN GUYANA Like Agriculture and Mining, the Manufacturing sector is critical to Guyana’s success, but too little attention is being paid to crafting and implementing public policy to catapult these sectors forward. While we are busy in pause mode developmentally, countries like Trinidad, Suriname, and Brazil continue to benefit from the wealth of Guyana, because business people are not going to wait until SARU, SOCU and the GRA wake up from their policy slumber. Every day Guyanese business people are making investment decisions, but they are borrowing and investing at an increasing level overseas to the detriment of the ordinary masses in Guyana. Today, the “Made in Guyana” campaign lacks fire in its belly. Our investment environment lacks enhanced competitiveness, and too many manufacturers are being made to feel unwelcomed in Guyana. When you look at the performance of GO-Invest and the Ministry of Business, the bureaucracy is clearly not working for the nation, because I am yet to see the deliverables on the scaled projects like the next GT&T, as was done under the Hoyte Government. Although we now have a totally independent Ministry of Business, its performance to date is nothing but appalling. After two jaunts to Toronto and New York, both of which I attended, we are yet to see the impact of the Diaspora investments on the economy. But more importantly, where is the impact of the nonDiaspora foreign direct investments? When the Singapore investment team goes to New York, they are meeting early stage investors, the banks, the hedge funds, the finance managers from an employee retirement plan, the accredited investors, and the trust fund representatives. We are clearly fishing in the wrong pond when we do not even have Black Rock Inc. in the room. CONCLUSION As more people around the world enter the consumer class, their demands are changing. Their need for raw sugar and raw rice is very low. What they really need is value added products. Unfortunately, our manufacturing sector is losing this battle, thanks to a dysfunctional GO-Invest.
Technicians retrieve damaged... From page 12 to do with the quality of the cable,” the Chinese company said in a statement. The company had earlier tendered for another GPL project- a US$18M metering and upgrade project. While the tenders of that IDB-EU funded project have been opened since February, there has been little word on who won it, with contractors expressing frustration. GPL itself has not said who is to be blamed for the damage of the cable. With excess power being produced by the new US$30M-plus power facility at Vreed-en-Hoop, West
Demerara, critics have blasted GPL for wasting money. It is estimated that millions of dollars in excess power is lost from the generation by the Vreed-enHoop station because of the downed cable. GPL has been under pressure to reduce its outages, with some of them coming at embarrassing times. The submarine cable was part of a larger infrastructural work by GPL to improve its efficiency. It included, also, the building of seven substations and stringing of miles of new transmission lines with fibre optic across the coastland.
GPL came under scrutiny recently, with Minister of State Joseph Harmon in responding to media questions, saying that he is of the view that a contractor’s track record must be an important consideration when evaluations are done. CMC’s h a n d l i n g o f t h e sub-stations and transmission lines project had been cited. Harmon said that anyone can submit a bid, but it is up to the evaluators to ensure that contractors with bad track records do not get the contract. He noted that when the documents come to Cabinet, it is for Cabinet to either object or give its no objection to the contract.
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Wednesday August 24, 2016
Wednesday August 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
OAS chief says no democracy, rule of law in Venezuela Washington (AFP) - The head of the Organisation of American States (OAS) denounced corruption and violence in Venezuela, saying a 14-year prison term for an opposition leader there marked the end of democracy in the country. In an eight-page letter to opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, Luis Almagro highlighted the climate of “intimidation” against the political opposition in Venezuela and those working to recall leftist President Nicolas Maduro. “No regional or sub-regional forum can ignore the reality that today in Venezuela there is no democracy or rule of law,” Almagro said, calling Lopez a “friend.” “Under no circumstances should power be used... to prevent the sovereign will of the people from being expressed.” The former foreign minister of Uruguay said Venezuelans are a “victim of bullying”. The Venezuelan government “seeks to maintain its power and deny the people the right to make decisions through voting, by resorting to violence against those
Luis Almagro demonstrate or hold other opinions,” Almagro said. “It has crossed a line, which means it is the end of democracy.” On August 12, Venezuela’s court of appeals upheld a 14-year sentence for Lopez that was handed down after a closed-door trial. The sentence was strongly condemned by the European Union, the United Nations and the United States. Lopez, one of Maduro’s most hardline opponents, had repeatedly declared himself innocent of the crime for which he was convicted —
inciting violence at anti-government protests in 2014 that left 43 dead. Maduro blames the recession on wealthy business magnates he says are conspiring against his government. The opposition is racing to force a referendum to recall Maduro from office, blaming him for the crisis and mishandling the state-led economy. Earlier this month, 15 members of the OAS called on Venezuela to act “without delay” to clear the way for the election.
Venezuela to sack officials who backed Maduro recall Caracas (AFP) - Venezuelan civil servants who signed a petition for a referendum on removing President Nicolas Maduro from power must be sacked within 48 hours, a top aide to the president said. Five ministries have been given lists of employees in managerial posts who signed the petition in favour of a recall vote against Maduro, said Jorge Rodriguez, the embattled leftist leader’s designated aide to monitor the opposition’s referendum drive. “They have 48 hours to see to it that these people who are in so-called positions of responsibility — managerial jobs — get a different professional destiny,” he told a news conference on Monday evening. Those who signed the petition had “publicly expressed their closeness to the Venezuelan right” and had no place in Maduro’s government, Rodriguez said. “People who are against President Nicolas Maduro’s revolution cannot be in management positions... in ministries, public institutions, or state or local governments,” he added. The lists of signatories
were distributed to the food, finance, labor and basic industries ministries and the presidential office, he said. Maduro, who succeeded his late mentor Hugo Chavez in 2013, is fighting for his political survival amid a crushing economic crisis that has caused severe shortages of food and basic goods. The opposition coalition behind the referendum drive, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), submitted a petition to the electoral authorities in May with 1.8 million signatures calling for Maduro to face a recall vote. They are racing to complete a bureaucratic maze to hold a referendum by January 10, the cutoff date to trigger new elections rather than simply transfer power to Maduro’s hand-picked vice
Nicolas Maduro president. Accusing the electoral authority of stalling, they have called nationwide protests on September 1 to pressure officials to accelerate the process. The opposition must still gather another four million signatures on a second petition to force a referendum. The electoral authorities have not set a date for that step, which must be completed in just three days.
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Wednesday August 24, 2016
Over 300 dead in India as floods force villagers into relief camps NEW DELHI/ BHUBANESWAR, India (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - At least 300 people have died in eastern and central India and more than six million others have been affected by floods that have submerged villages, washed away crops, destroyed roads and disrupted power and phone lines, officials said yesterday. Heavy monsoon rains have caused rivers, including the mighty Ganges and its tributaries, to burst their banks forcing people into relief camps in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. Government officials in Bihar, which has seen some of the worst flooding this year with almost 120 dead and more than five million affected, said the situation was serious. “The flood waters have engulfed low-lying areas, homes and fields of crops,” said Zafar Rakib, a district magistrate of Katihar, one of 24 districts out of Bihar’s 38 districts which have been hit
A man walks through a flooded street in Kolkata, India. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhur by the deluge. “We have shifted people to higher ground and they are being provided with cooked rice, clean drinking water, polythene sheets,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. In neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, where 43 people have died and over one million are affected, schools were closed in the cities of Varanasi and Allahabad as both the Ganges and Yamuna rivers crossed danger levels and flood waters continued
to rise. The holy city of Varanasi, where thousands of Hindus flock daily, was also forced to halt cremations along the banks of sacred Ganges river — forcing families to cremate their relatives on the terrace roofs of nearby houses, officials said. Television pictures showed villagers wading waist deep in floodwaters with their livestock, mud-andbrick homes collapsing and people climbing into wooden boats to get to relief camps.
Wednesday August 24, 2016
This has never been a... (From page 34) times a year, and discuss cricket and so on. We need to make sure that whatever we’re doing upstairs is going down to everybody,” Simmons disclosed. “I think in some cases you have to adjust techniques, which is a sad thing because it’s something that we should be doing at a level below. I think the same thing with mentality because when we come up here it’s a lot harder to get runs and get wickets.” “I think at our domestic level it’s a lot easier, that patience and that time at the crease and things, if we bat
two sessions in a domestic game a lot of the guys playing here would have a hundred or more. But if you bat two sessions here, it might be 60 or 70, so the patience at the domestic level is not tested as much as up here,” Simmons added. If we don’t have the same objective, then we spin it up in muddles. I think that’s lacking. It’s quite a few things to be fixed, but at the end of the day the quality of cricket that is downstairs is not good enough for the maturity of the players to be quicker.” “Things like our pitches and our practice facilities need to be better, a lot better,
in order to produce players, not just fast bowlers as we’re lacking now, but batsmen, because the better the pitches the better the batsmen show themselves. Little things like that we need to put in place,” Simmons stressed. Simmons believed that the gap between Test cricket and regional cricket needs to be filled. “Whether it can be done with an academy, which we don’t have right now, A-team cricket…. which we have one series a year….we should have two to three a year. Something has to be done to fill that gap, you know? We’re missing a few things,” Simmons pointed out.
Wednesday August 24, 2016 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Business trips will be more productive than trying to fight the red tape facing you. You should be in business for yourself. You can expect to have some problems with skin, bones, or teeth if you haven't taken proper care of them. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Learn some new skills that will increase your income. Try to include friends and relatives in your activities. Follow through on some of the good ideas that come up, and you could have a real winner of a deal. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Deception is evident around you. Entertainment should include sports events or physical activities. You can buy or sell if you're so inclined. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You need time to make things better. You can meet interesting new friends if you join worthwhile groups. Make a point of working on yourself. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Don't let your emotions interfere with your professional integrity. A change of attitude has probably disrupted your home environment. Control your emotions and everything will fall into place. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Investments are best left alone today. Abstain from getting involved with married individuals. You can make financial gains if you
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are prepared to take a risk. LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You must try to help. You should want to feel good about yourself and your goals. You must avoid gossip and focus on what you have to do. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Catch up on any correspondence you've neglected. Make sure to arrange in advance to spend quality time together. You may want to pull out some of those unfinished project you've got tucked away. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) If you can include them in your plans, do so. Friends and relatives may be hard to take today. Concern yourself with legal matters and formulating contracts rather than finalizing your objectives. CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Deception and confusion regarding your status in society is likely. Don't let peers distract you or push their work your way. You can make money if you get involved in real estate deals. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Overindulgence may be a problem. Find an outlet for any mounting frustration. Consider a creative hobby. Discord may arise with someone you're close to. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You will be moody and react poorly to issues concerning your mate. You need a change of pace. Your input into their activities will help bring you closer together.
SUR includes Berbice... (From page 32) Sunday at 1pm. “Well preparations are going good so far, we have athletes from Berbice as part of our team, I expect them to do well, we may not get the million, but I expect them to do well at these games,” the confident Rodney noted. “They train everyday at several different grounds depending on the work they have to do, but they really need a facility up there and somehow I think the Government needs to get a facility there that is the only way they will get better athletes,” Rodney continued, shedding
Guyana defeat Barbados... (From page 33) Priyanna Ramdhani & Ambika Ramraj defeated Cheyanna Burnett-Griffith: 21-14, 21-6 MIX DOUBLES: Narayan Ramdhani & Priyanna Ramdhani lost to Shae Martin & Amanda Haywood: 1621, 16-21 August 23, 2016. GUYANA defeated ARUBA 5-0 BOYS SINGLES: Narayan Ramdhani defeated Efraim Van Der Linden: 21-7, 21-4 GIRLS: SINGLES: Priyanna Ramdhani defeated Thyrza Van Der Linden: 21-10, 21-10 BOYS DOUBLES: Narayan Ramdhani & Jonathan Mangra: defeated Tim Hankark & Efraim van Der Linden: 21-3, 21-5 GIRLS DOUBLES: Priyanna Ramdhani & Ambika Ramraj defeated Leyenne Schairer & Thyrza Van Der Linden: 21-8, 21-15 MIX DOUBLES: Jonathan Mangra & Ambika Ramraj defeated: Jai Lalwani & Leyenne Schairer: 21-4, 216 Guyana winner of Group B were down to play Suriname who got second place in Group A last evening.
some light on the challenges of their Berbice affiliate. Nevertheless, she wants her athletes to remain focus as the club aims for success. “I just want everybody to put their best foot forward, I don’t want them to let a name in a race put them off their guard, they need to remain focus and perform,” she said. Rodney believes that going up against big clubs such as Police Progressive Youth Club and Guyana Defence Force will only help them improve. “We see this as an opportunity to better ourselves even though we have Police to contend with, GDF
to contend with,” she added. “We also know that Mercury Fast Laners and Linden will be there, but we will make that extra effort to make sure we are in that top bracket this year,” Rodney committed, bringing into focus an epic battle among the five registered clubs for the four prizes. The winner of the 2016 Classic runs away with $1 million while second place pockets $500,000 and third place $300,000. The fourth place team takes home $200,000. There is also $100,000 up for grabs in eight International events.
Probe to be launched... (From page 38) (TTCB) and the QPCC regret that limited play was possible in the 4th Test match between WI and India at the Queen’s Park Oval,” the statement read. “We have jointly launched an investigation to determine what occurred with a view to remedying the situation so that this does not occur in the future. Once this has been
done it will be presented to the WICB”. West Indies reached 62 for two in nearly two hours of play possible in the morning session of the opening day. West Indies lost the opening Test in Antigua by an innings and 92 runs, drew the second in Jamaica before suffering a 237-run defeat in the third Test in St Lucia.
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Wednesday August 24, 2016
As China’s football spree accelerates, rival suitors eye Liverpool stake - source SHANGHAI (Reuters) A consortium led by stateowned financial conglomerate Everbright is not the only Chinese group to have looked at investing in English football giant Liverpool, with the club attracting interest from Fosun, property-to-film group Dalian Wanda and others, a person familiar with the matter said. Though none have put together a formal bid, according to the person, interest expressed over recent months in one of England’s most storied clubs reflects a significant step-up in China’s drive to become a football powerhouse. A senior Liverpool source on Sunday denied the club’s American owners were planning to sell, but indicated they could be open to offers for a minority stake. Since the start of last year, Chinese buyers have spent some $4 billion on football assets large and small, from Italy’s Inter Milan to French second-tier side Auxerre. The football land grab has accelerated this year with around $3 billion worth of deals announced since December, when a state-backed group spent $400 million for a minority stake in the firm that owns Manchester City. In recent months, though, small, lesser known Chinese buyers have dominated, as in the case of AC Milan, sold by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s Fininvest to a group of virtually unknown Chinese investors. L i v e r p o o l ’s l i s t o f admirers suggests large, high-profile Chinese groups could still be in the wings with the potential for deals to dramatically alter the dynamics of European football. Already, teams in China are offering some of the highest salaries in the game. Fosun, which has close ties to ‘super agent’ Jorge Mendes, bought Wolverhampton Wanderers in a deal completed last month. Wanda, led by China’s richest man, owns a 20 percent stake in Atletico Madrid and is a major sponsor of FIFA, football’s world governing body. Neither group replied to requests for comment. “Many Chinese are
General view of Liverpool fans before the match UEFA Europa League Quarter Final Second Leg at Anfield against Borussia Dortmund. (Reuters / Darren StaplesLivepic) interested,” said the person, who declined to be named as the discussions are not public. “No-one has bid, (but) letters of interest? There are many.” He added Liverpool’s Boston-based owners, Fenway Sports Group, want a valuation of 780 million pounds ($1.02 billion) and had been looking for a while to sell a minority stake. Liverpool declined to comment. The club reaffirmed over the weekend that it is not for sale. NEVER WALK ALONE As well as Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wa n d e r e r s , C h i n e s e investors already have stakes - or have announced deals in - English clubs Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion. Sources say Hull City, recently promoted to the English Premier League (EPL), and others are also in talks with Chinese investors, lured by a lucrative TV rights deal. Chinese firms like Fosun and Wanda have led the charge, but others have followed. Retail giant Suning Commerce Group Co Ltd bought Inter Milan in June and aims to create a global sports empire. Liverpool, one of England’s most successful clubs, is among the most valuable in the EPL in commercial terms. It generated almost 300 million pounds ($390 million) of revenue in the year to end-
May, 2015, most of that from broadcasting rights. However, it hasn’t won the English league since 1990. “There are a large number of brokers seeking to find available clubs for prospective buyers, and we are contacted almost daily by intermediaries looking to find a deal for Chinese investors,” said Liz Ellen, London-based partner and head of sports practice at law firm Mishcon de Reya. “The reality is that most clubs are for sale if anyone wants to meet the asking price.” SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT? China’s drive comes with the public backing of President Xi Jinping, who portrays himself as an avid fan and says he wants China to one day host - and win - the football World Cup. China currently ranks 78th in the world, below Uzbekistan and Benin. While many clubs and fans are keen to bring in Chinese investors for an injection of cash, question marks remain over the sustainability of the investment boom. The fast growth of the market also means there are still some rough edges. A person at the EPL, who asked not to be named, said there wasn’t a particular concern about Chinese investment, but any investor taking a 30 percent stake would trigger rules to check
on the sustainability of the investment. Both the EPL and the Football Association declined to comment. The Everbright consortium also includes PCP Capital Partners, run by financier Amanda Staveley, a British businesswoman who was involved in the
high-profile takeover of Manchester City by Arab billionaire Sheikh Mansour in 2008. In the same year, she was also involved in the negotiations when Dubai International Capital sought, unsuccessfully, to buy a stake in Liverpool. Ellen at Mishcon de Reya
said there was unlikely to be much resistance by governing bodies to new Chinese owners given that foreign investment was already the norm. “Previously, (the league) was dominated by the Americans, but we will now see Far Eastern owners take the lead,” she said.
SUR includes Berbice affiliate for Boyce/Jefford Classic VII -in bid to challenge for top placing
Carla Rodney The Super Upcoming Runners (SUR) Athletics Club is hoping to steal a bit of the spotlight at the 2016 Edition of the Boyce and Jefford Track and Field Classic, scheduled for this weekend at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) Ground, Linden.
While not in the top tier clubs in the country, the budding athletics club is hoping to make a big statement when the seventh edition of the Classic begins on Saturday in the Mining Town with about eight Finals, including the 200m Men and Women.
All the other preliminaries are also set for Saturday. Coach of the Club, Carla Rodney sat down with News Room Sport and spoke of preparation for the twoday athletics event. Guyana’s most lucrative athletics event continues on (Continued on page 31)
Wednesday August 24, 2016
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Rio to help cover deficit of local Olympic committee: mayor RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) Rio de Janeiro’s City Hall will help cover the deficit of the local Olympic organizing committee if necessary, Mayor Eduardo Paes said in an interview on Tuesday, going back on assurances that the committee would be entirely privately funded. The local organizer, known as Rio 2016, is a private company responsible for running the Olympics and Paralympics using funds from ticket sales, sponsorship, merchandise and broadcast proceeds passed on by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). That it was fully private, unlike for London’s Games for example, was a key part of Rio’s claim to hosting a sustainable games which used public money mainly for legacy projects instead of for the sporting event. But with just 20 percent of tickets sold for the Paralympics, which start on Sept. 7, and Rio 2016 spending heavily to fix last-
minute problems such as plumbing and electricity in the Athletes’ Village, the committee’s finances are stretched. “If it’s necessary we’ll help,” Paes said. “We won’t let the Paralympics not happen because of that.” The mayor said he expected the city to pay around 100 to 200 million reais ($31 to $62 million), which he described as “small” in comparison to the committee’s budget of 7.4 billion reais. The total cost of the Games is around 40 billion reais. A Reuters report last month put the committee’s deficit at between 400 million and 500 million reais. Given unexpected costs during the Games, that could have risen further still. A Brazilian judge last week lifted an injunction which stopped the federal and city government using public money to help finance the committee, though the judge maintained a previous ruling that organizers make their accounts public.
A person walks in the rain through the Olympic Park a day after the closing ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, in Rio de Janeiro. (REUTERS/Bruno Kelly) Rio 2016 said it is d i s c u s s i n g e m e rg e n c y funding with the municipal and federal governments but that a final figure has not been confirmed. “We believe that the fact that we were able to do the Olympic Games in the middle of a crisis like the one we have without public funds is already historic,” Rio 2016 spokesman Mario
Brathwaite receives vote of confidence from Sammy P O RT O F S PA I N , Trinidad, CMC - New West Indies T20 captain Carlos Brathwaite says he has received a vote of confidence from former skipper Darren Sammy as the regional side prepares to play India in two T20 internationals this weekend in Florida. Brathwaite was announced as the new captain shortly after Sammy disclosed through a Facebook post that he was dropped after leading West Indies to two World T20 titles. The Barbadian allrounder said support from Sammy and other senior members of the West Indies team is allowing him to make a smooth transition at the helm of the side. “He gave me his blessing and as a senior guy appreciated it, which allowed me to ease into the role. It has allowed me to transition easier from just being told [about the captaincy] to the excitement of wanting to get on the field
and lead,” said Brathwaite during a press conference after the fourth Test against India in Port of Spain. “It was a good vote of confidence speaking to Sammy, then I saw him at a charity event, saw some of the senior guys as well, all have been telling me positive things.” The 28 year old Bajan enjoyed his best moments during the World T20 final against England earlier this year. W i t h We s t I n d i e s needing 19 runs off the last over, Brathwaite struck four successive sixes off Ben Stokes to take the side to their second T20 title. “I think a team like this will be pretty easy to lead, from the point of view that the dressing room is a fun place to be. I don’t think it’s a case where I have to negotiate too many egos,” he said. “The guys enjoy each other’s company. It’s just a matter for me to go there, do the things that I can do, firstly as a player and then a
captain, continue to mould the team that Darren has started to mould, efficiently”. The clash between the World T20 champions and their Indian rivals is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at the Central Broward Regional Park in the city of Fort Lauderdale in the American state of Florida. The state recently hosted matches in the fourth edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which attracted large crowds as organizers continue to test the US market. “From all reports, CPL had a fantastic ovation and it was well-received. And I hope this is the start of big things,” the new Wi n d i e s T 2 0 s k i p p e r pointed out. “ We a r e n e x t - d o o r neighbours and the US is a powerhouse so let’s see how it goes. We are testing the waters a bit, hopefully it goes well and hopefully this is the first of many in the USA.”
Andrada told reporters recently. Brazil’s economy is in the midst of its worst recession since the 1930s. The collapse in the economy, partly due to falling commodity prices, has been accentuated by a political crisis fueled by a huge corruption scandal and the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff. POST GAMES Paes dismissed concerns
about the impact on Rio’s economy of the loss of thousands of construction jobs linked to building venues and infrastructure for the Games, saying a number of large projects were still in the works. “I think the Olympics isn’t the end, it permits the city to become better with more opportunity, more vibrant,” Paes said, listing a number of potential mobility projects such as an extension
of the light railway network built for the Games that could provide jobs. In terms of legacy, the mayor said a tender process had begun to secure a public private partnership (PPP) for running the permanent venues in the Olympic park, including the tennis stadium and velodrome. “There’s interest ... I’m confident it will work,” Paes said, adding that four companies had shown interest. The mayor said lackluster sales of apartments in the Athletes’ Village and lack of plans to build commercial and residential real estate on the Olympic Park, as originally agreed, had nothing to do with Olympic legacy because they were predominantly privately funded. Critics highlight the possibility that these sites are abandoned, after so much public investment to improve transport links to reach them, as one of the flaws of the Games. “I don’t count that as legacy,” Paes said. ($1 = 3.22 reais)
Caribbean Badminton team championships 2016 – Aruba
Guyana defeat Barbados 3-2 & Aruba 5-0 to top Group B The Guyana Badminton Te a m c o n s i s t i n g o f SUNBURST’s Narayan Ramdhani, Jonathan Mangra, Priyanna Ramdhani and Ambika Ramraj are currently playing in the Caribbean Badminton Team Championships which started on Monday 22 of August 2016 at the Centro Deportivo Sports Hall. This is the second part of t h e C A R E B A C O Championships after the 4day play off of the
CAREBACO International which concluded on August 21th. Six countries are participating in two Groups. The two winners in each group will then move forward to the main knockout draw. Guyana is in Group B and played Barbados and Aruba, while Group A will see Dominican Republic, Trinidad & Tobago & Suriname playing. In the results: August 22, 2016.
G U YA N A d e f e a t e d BARBADOS 3-2 BOYS SINGLES: Jonathan Mangra defeated Shae Martin: 21-13, 15-21, 21-19 GIRLS SINGLES: Ambika Ramraj lost to Amanda Hayood: 6-21, 9-21 BOYS DOUBLES: Narayan Ramdhani & Jonathan Mangra defeated Jehu Gaskin & Keshem Moore: 21-15, 21-10 GIRLS DOUBLES: (Continued on page 31)
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Wednesday August 24, 2016
Rio court says no date This has never been a ground like that says Simmons set for hearing of former By Sean Devers in Trinidad Phill Simmons, the 53 year-old West Indies head Coach said he has played at the Queens Park Oval for many years and has never seen a match called after less than a session of play being possible. West Indies now moves to Florida where they play India in two T20 games. Their next Test assignment is against number one ranked Pakistan in the UAE. Only 22 overs of play were possible in the fourth Test in Trinidad and there was no play on the last four days despite the ground being blessed with brilliant sunshine. “I am extremely surprised, because, as far as I know, in my years here, this has never been a ground like that,” he said. “I don’t know what is the position is over on the other side [the ground officials], but it was really bad and after two days of sun, and when I saw it yesterday morning, I couldn’t believe how bad it was. I don’t know what the
Not getting what he wants to improve Windies cricket position is there and what caused that, but I’m surprised and I never expected that here,” said a baffled Simmons, who scored a century and four fifties in his 26 Tests between 1988 and1997. This was the third shortest abandoned Test match in the history of this format in the West Indies. In 1998 at Sabina Park in Jamaica, England had lost three wickets inside the first hour against West Indies and the match was abandoned after 56 minutes, due to a dangerous pitch. In 2009 the second Test of the series between England and West Indies was halted after 10 deliveries in Antigua. England were once again batting, but this time it was the safety of the home team’s bowlers that caused the umpires to call a halt. The sandy surface was not allowing the bowlers sufficient traction in their run-ups. Match referee Alan
Hurst declared it “unfit and dangerous”. Reviewing the rain affected series Simmons said he thought the series was a little bit too up-and-down. “We played well across maybe two hours, three hours sometimes, and the next two hours we would be down. And I think that was, for me, the major disappointment. We’ve shown that we can do things but not consistently enough. We batted well in Jamaica, but we went and did the same things we did in the first Test in the third Test. It’s disappointing that we weren’t consistent enough,” Simmons who was recently reinstated as Coach lamented. According to the Trinidadian there are a lot of things that he asked for that has not been coming to fruition. “I’ve asked for coaches to meet twice, maybe three (Continued on page 31)
IOC official, Hickey
Police find evidence of money laundering (Reuters) A court in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday said that no date has been set for a hearing for Patrick Hickey, the former top European official at the International Olympic Committee, after his arrest last week on accusations that he took part in illegal ticket sales for the Games. Hickey, a 71-year-old Irishman, is in a maximumsecurity Rio prison following a police raid last week at his hotel on suspicion he participated in an illegal price-gouging plot for tickets to the Olympics, which ended in Rio on Sunday. Some media had previously reported that Hickey would face a judge on Tuesday but the Rio court said that no hearing as yet has been scheduled. Meanwhile, Brazilian police said on Tuesday that they had uncovered emails between International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Patrick Hickey and
European Olympic Committee (EOC) President Patrick Hickey (L) and International Olympic Committee President (IOC) Thomas Bach (C) arrive for a ceremony in Frankfurt, Germany, May 20, 2016. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/Files the head of the THG Sports hospitality company that discussed the illegal sale of Olympic tickets. Police told a news conference in Rio de Janeiro that they were also investigating bank documents amid suspicion of money laundering tied to the illegal ticketing ring.
Three members of the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) whose passports were seized by police on Sunday - Executive Director Stephen Martin, SecretaryGeneral Dermot Henihan and Treasurer Kevin Kilty are suspected of involvement in the illegal sales, police said.
Wednesday August 24, 2016
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Lausanne Diamond Walcott criticizes disunity in T&T camp League set for tomorrow
Keshorn Walcott RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, CMC-Trinidad and To b a g o ’s O l y m p i c champion Keshorn Walcott has criticized a lack of team spirit and unity within the T&T camp during the just ended games in Brazil. The javelin thrower had to settle for bronze, T&Ts only medal in Rio, after stunning the world in London four years ago when he became the second Trinidadian to win Olympic gold. Walcott threw the javelin a distance of 85.38 metres on Saturday after German
Thomas Rohler who won gold with a top throw of 90.30m, while Kenyan Julius Yego took silver with an effort of 88.24m “We did not do so well as a team this year because honestly, for my part, we were not a team. We did not come together as a unit as in 2012,” complained Walcott. “I was young in 2012 and I was one of the younger ones and I saw the gelling of the team, but here it was not like that”. Without calling names, the 23-year-old athlete told reporters “the heads” and not
the athletes are the ones to be blamed for the lack of unity in the team this year. Walcott’s comments come as the country’s Chef de Mission Dr Ian Hypolite faces public criticism for his role as an analyst on ESPN during the games. “I would not say it was the athletes, I would have to say it was the heads. You need to be able to understand that for a team to be able to perform properly you need to bring them together,” said Walcott. “It is the environment. When you as a team do not feel everybody is together (it) is like everybody is just concentrating on their own”. Walcott is not due to return to Trinidad and To b a g o u n t i l e a r l y September as a result of two international engagementsthe Paris leg of the Diamond League on Saturday before travelling to Zurich in Switzerland to compete on September one.
RHTY&SC cricket teams planning massive career and business fair The eight cricket teams of Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation, the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, MS as part of their Youth Development Campaign would be hosting a Massive Career and Business Fair on Thursday 22nd of September. The event would be organised in conjunction with the RHTY&SC partner, the ‘B’ Division of the Guyana Police Force and would be held on the Public Road of Guyana’s smallest township. The main objectives of the Career and Business Fair are to assist youths to u n d e r s t a n d t h e qualifications needed for youths, to guide youths to career choices, to inspire youths to get involved in business, to allow youths to meet and be inspired by role models, to promote businesses around Guyana, to promote Rose Hall Town as an investment centre and to promote the Club’s highly successful S a y N o a n d Ye s Campaign.
Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster stated that the Cricket teams and the Management of the RHTYSC, MS are working overtime to make sure that the event is properly organised and achieves everyone one of its objectives. The organisers are aiming to have at-least 6080 Government Agencies, N G O ’s , B u s i n e s s e s , Government Ministries and Educational institutions. The experienced administrator who have successfully completed over 6000 projects/activities at the RHTYSC, M.S, stated that several companies and agencies have already indicated that they would be part of the Career and Business Fair. They include the Guyana Forestry Commission, Comfort Sleep, Guyana Post Office Corporation, Guyana Bank for Industry and Trade, Habitat for Humanity, Guyana Tourism Authority, National Library, Bank of Nova Scotia, Republic Bank, Guyana Revenue
Authority, Regional Health Services, UNICEF, ST. Francis Community Developers, Ministry of Social Protection, Bakewell and J’s Printery among others. Foster is urging sports organisations around Guyana to be involved in the Career Fair as part of an effort to promote sports as a career for youths. He is urging the Guyana Cricket Board, Football Federation, Guyana Olympic Committee, Guyana Karate Federation, Guyana Bask e t b a l l F e d e r a t i o n among others to promote their sports in Berbice by sending up booths. Contact can be made to the RHTYSC via Telephone Number 3374 5 6 2 o r e m a i l foster_hilbert@yahoo.com
Elaine Thompson won the women’s 100m at the Rio Olympics. (Yahoo Sports). SB Nation - It is hard to believe that the Olympics are not only over, but that the Diamond League will resume with the Lausanne meeting this Thursday. Historically, the meeting has delivered fast times in the wake of the Olympics as athletes capitalize on their peak fitness with fast times. In 2012, Bolt blitzed a 19.58 200m and Yohan Blake delivered an equally impressive 9.69. A few events to watch out for: Women 100m Elaine Thompson races the clock after showing she can’t be stopped with her Olympic 100m-200m
Double Gold. Women 800m This race is practically an rematch of the silver medal Olympic race with N i y o n s a b a , Wa m b u i , Bishop, Sum and Sharp all entered. The only thing that would make this race better would be the addition of Semenya. Men’s Shot put A loaded field includes the Olympic Gold, Silver and Bronze medalists facing off again. Olympic Champion Christophe Harding gets to show whether his surprise victory was a one off or if the newly minted champion is here to stay.
Men’s Steeplechase While the event does not include any of the Olympic medalists, American’s Donn Cabral, Dan Huling, and Andy Bayer are all in the hunt for a historic win in a Diamond league race. The best entrant in the event, Jarius Birech, has struggled since his 8:03 in May at the Rabat DL meeting. Subsequently he has run 8:11 and 8:20 before DNF’ing the Kenyan Trials. The next best entrant has an 8:08 SB. While such a performance would be a step forward for Cabral (8:13), Huling (8:13) or Bayer (8:17), it is certainly not out of their range.
Kaieteur News
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Wednesday August 24, 2016
The 10 strangest stories of the Rio Olympics
Michael Phelps
Pita Taufatofua
Steffen Peters and Legolas. (Reuters) (Yahoo) When we think back on these Rio Olympic Games, we’ll remember the blinding speed of Usain Bolt, the domination of Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky, the ageless brilliance of Michael Phelps, the peculiar storytelling of Ryan Lochte. That’s as it should be; these are our greatest athletes, and we should recall them for their greatest achievements. ( We l l , n o t L o c h t e ’ s storytelling.) But it’s not all anthems and glory at the Olympics. We’ll also remember the strange moments, the misfires and misplays, the faces and flops. Let’s run them down, shall we? 1. #Phelps Face: Minutes before his 200meter butterfly race against South Africa’s Chad le Clos, TV cameras caught Michael Phelps glaring hard into the middle distance as le Clos attempted some cheap intimidation tricks. In the end, Phelps won the race and launched a thousand internet memes. 2. Green water: We knew coming into Rio that the open waters off
the coast would be treacherous and unhealthy, but the contained ones seemed safe. That is, until the diving pool turned green one morning, and stayed that way until a full water transfusion. 3. Irish boxer throws a fit: I r e l a n d ’s M i c h a e l Conlan appeared to have easily defeated Vladimir Nikitin of Russia, but the judges didn’t see it that way. In the wake of the loss, Conlan unleashed a profane rant for the ages, claiming, “I came for gold and I’ve been cheated. I’ll not do another Olympics.” Adding insult to injury, Nikitin ended up dropping out of his next fight, sticking with the bronze. 4. Pole vaulter’s equipment: Japanese pole vaulter Hiroki Ogita failed to qualify for the pole vaulting final after it appeared that he dislodged the pole with, well … with his penis, folks. With his penis. Further replays appeared to show he probably knocked off the pole with another body part, but that wasn’t nearly as
You want your coach to go to the limit for you. (Reuters) painful, or viral, of a story. 5. The shirtless Tongan: The Opening Ceremony was a genial, colorful spectacle as athletes from every country marched into Maracana Stadium … that is, until Pita Taufatofua of Tonga, shirtless and greasy enough to slide around the track, led the nation of Tonga. He didn’t exactly light the Olympics on fire in his taekwondo match, but he fluttered plenty of hearts during his brief turn in the spotlight. 6. The stripping coach: This one came in right under the wire, happening just hours before the Closing Ceremony. The coaches for wrestler Mandakhnaran Ganzorig of Mongolia absolutely lost their minds when Uzbekistan’s Ikhtiyor Navruzov won a highly curious decision. One coach doffed his shirt, and another stripped to his underwear and screamed in protest, to no avail but high humor. 7. Diving for gold … on a track: Felix ended up on the wrong side of another controversy, when the
Bahamas’ Shaunae Miller dove across the line at the end of the 400-meter run to defeat Felix by 0.07 seconds. It was legal, but it struck many observers as a lessthan-upright way to win a foot race 8. The smiling sprinter: You simply will not find a better photo of Usain Bolt, and probably not a better sports photo all year, than the one where the Jamaican
Japan’s Hiroki Ogita competes in the men’s pole vault in Rio de Janeiro. (Getty Images)
Usain Bolt smiles as his challengers play catch up sprinter is smiling as his opponents are racing the sprint of their lives. Bolt is so far ahead of everyone else already; the smile just makes his grace perfection. 9. IOC member arrested: You know, when you’ve got a prominent member of the International Olympic Committee accused of scalping tickets for profit, that’s a pretty bad look. But when said member is hauled
Shaunae Miller (L) is shown diving across the finish line ahead of Allyson Felix. (AP)
from his hotel room virtually naked, well, that belongs on a stranger-things-from-Rio list. 10. Dancing horses: In the actual Olympics, horses danced to Vanilla Ice and Santana. We don’t have anything more to add than this. All that in just two weeks. You’ve got a high bar to clear in 2020, Tokyo.
Kaieteur News
Wednesday August 24, 2016
Delroy Tyrrell helps T&T win third Goodwill Title Guyana born Delroy Tyrrell amassed five gold medals and one bronze to assist Trinidad and Tobago retain the Goodwill Swimming Championship for a third consecutive year. Delroy clocked 106.84 sec in the boys 13-14 100 backstroke to take the gold. He followed up with a golden swim in the 200m freestyle, dropping his seed time (2:13.64) to 2:11.34) to grab yet another individual gold medal. Delroy also won a bronze medal in 200IM with a time of 2:28.46, down from his seed time of 2:31.84
secs. Trinidad and Tobago emerged as champions and retained the trophy. Final scores Trinidad and Tobago 1397 pts, Suriname 1080 pts, and Barbados 721 to complete the top three performing countries. Delroy plans to continue training vigorously to make Trinidad and Tobago Carifta and CCCAN teams next year. Delroy is a member of Tidal Wave Aquatics Swim club and is trained by veteran coaches Hazel and Chabeth Haynes.
GFF/NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power Nat. U-17 League
Eagles thump High Stars, Shattas earn draw against Botofago; matches continue today
As rivalry in the Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) leg of the GFF/NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour National Under-17 league motors on, two more matches will be contested today at the Wisburg School ground. Amelia’s Ward Panthers will throw down the gauntlet to Topp XX once a powerhouse side in the Bauxite Mining Town, while Eagles United
will seek to continue soaring when they oppose Netrockers in the feature match of the day. Kick off time is 13:00hrs. In latest play, Eagles United, on account of a double off the boot of Omar Brewley, trounced High Stars 4-0. Brewley set the tone for victory and was ably supported by Delroy Reid and Rasheed Johnson with o n e g o a l e a c h . In the other match, Silver Shattas left it late to tuck in the equalizing goal from a corner against Botofago which had taken the lead through a Koby Amsterdam goal. But Shattas struck back late through Javel Johnson to walk away with an even share of the points.
Delroy Tyrrell arrives in Trinidad after winning five Gold Medals.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday August 24, 2016
RHTY&SC, M.S Town Week
Roraima Airways INC and JR Engineering Solution on board as Official Sponsors Roraima Airways of Georgetown and JR Engineering Solutions of New Amsterdam have become the latest cooperate entities to support the efforts of the Cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club to host a memorable Town Week in
observance of the 46th Anniversary of Rose Hall Town. The teams have arranged an impressive list of activities to be hosted between the 14th to 25th of September and which includes a Career and Business Fair, Medical Outreach, Day of Sports, Launching of Booklet on the history of Rose Hall Town, O p en i n g o f a F am i l y Recreational Park, Public Exhibition, Launching of a Television Documentary on Rose Hall Town, Tourism P o s t e r, H o n o u r i n g o f Outstanding Students and Senior Citizens, Rose Hall Cuisine Competition and Massive March Past and Opening Ceremony. Roraima Airways INC and Captain Gerry Gouveia have donated two trips to the Arrow Point Resort for the top Grade Six and Best CSEC Student from Rose Hall Town for the Year 2016. The prize would be for the students, one parent each and would be handed over by a representative of the company during the Opening Ceremony on We d n e s d a y 1 4 t h o f September. Meanwhile, the Club also received a financial contribution from JR Engineering Solution towards the construction of the HD Hoyte Memorial Family Recreational Park which would be formally
RHTY&SC Secretary/ CEO Hilbert Foster. declared open on September 23rd. The park would include the construction of a Benab, Slides, Seesaws, Swings and Flower Garden among others and forms part of the Club’s and the Guyana Police Force ‘B’ Division Say No to Drugs, Crime and Suicide Programme. Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster who is the coordinator of the Town We e k c e l e b r a t i o n s expressed his gratitude to Captain Gerry Gouveia, Roraima Airways and JR Engineering Solutions for their support. He stated that the RHTYSC, MS would work towards making the prize an annual one for the best Grade 6 and CSEC Students from Rose Hall Town. The cricket teams organising the Town Week are the Farfan and Mendes Under 15, Bakewell Under 17 and Second Division, Pepsi Under 19 and Intermiade, Metro Female and Gizmos & Gadgets Under 21 and First Division teams.
Probe to be launched into the Oval’s poor outfield P O R T- O F - S PA I N , Trinidad, CMC- An investigation is to be launched into the reasons for the poor condition of the outfield at the Queen’s Park Oval which led to play in the fourth Test between West Indies and India being abandoned after only 22 overs. T h e Tr i n i d a d a n d Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) announced that it is teaming up with the Queen’s Park Cricket Club (QPCC), to carry out the probe after the fourth and final Test
finished in a farcical draw on the final day Monday. Rain halted play just before lunch on last Thursday’s opening day and the action never resumed, raising huge questions about t h e h i s t o r i c g r o u n d ’s drainage system and mopping up operations. Attempted mopping up operations by ground-staff occurred in an abundance of sunshine at Queen’s Park Oval but were all in vain. “As host, the Trinidad and Tobago cricket Board (Continued on page 31)
Kaieteur News
Wednesday August 24, 2016
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Olympic firsts during Rio 2016 (Yahoo/Fourth-Place Medal) The history of the Olympic games goes back to the start of the Modern Olympics over a century ago in 1896. If you want to be a real Olympic purist, Olympic history began in 776 BC and ended in 393 AD. That is over 1000 years of achievements, accolades and glory. With so many years of competition in the books, firsts are rare to come by. Kind of. Despite centuries of competition, the Rio Games were the site of many firsts in Olympics. The games themselves were the first Olympics held in the South America in the competition’s long history. That isn’t the first break from tradition that these games have seen. For the first time, flowers were not given to medal winners. Instead, they were given a little model of the Rio Olympic Logo for a more sustainable souvenir. All of the athletes participating in Rio have reached one goal or another getting there, but only few will be remembered for eternity for being the first to achieve something that had never been achieved before by a fellow countrymen or Olympic competitor. Here are some of the firsts of the Rio Games: ·Vietnam’s first gold – Xuan Vinh Hoang 10meter air pistol
·Kosovo’s first medal – Majlinda Kelmendi, gold in judo ·Fiji’s first medal – gold rugby ·First swimmer to win four consecutive individual events: Michael Phelps, 200meter individual medley ·First track athlete to win 100-meter sprint three times: Usain Bolt ·First track athlete to win 200-meter sprint three times: Usain Bolt ·First gold competing under the Olympic flag – Fehaid Al-Deehani gold men’s trap shooting ·First African-American woman swimmer to win an individual medal – Simone Manuel 100meter freestyle ·First U.S. athlete to compete with a Hijab – Ibtihaj Muhammad, Fencing ·First U.S. Gold in Triathlon – Gwen Jorgensen ·First sweep of women’s 100-meter hurdles: USA ·First hole in one in Olympic golf history: Justin Rose Great Britain ·First Summer Olympian to win individual medal in six consecutive Olympics – Kim Rhode ·First Olympian to win on five different continents – Kim Rhode ·First Shootout Women’s Olympic Soccer – USA vs. Sweden ·First Olympics in South America
·First Olympics without flower bouquets ·First soccer gold for Brazil ·First Refugee Team ·South Sudan First Olympics ·Kosovo First Olympics · First time American women didn’t medal in soccer
Sharpshooting Pools Competition set for Sunday at Jerries in Grove The Grand Central Pools Bar or as popularly known, Jerries Shop, at Grove on the East bank of Demerara will be the venue for a Sharpshooting Pools Competition on Sunday starting at 3:00pm. All Pools pros and amateurs are invited to be a part of the action which attracts an entry fee of $2,000. Prizes on offer are $100,000, $40,000, $20,000 for the top three finishers, all accompanied with the respective trophies, while
the fourth place finisher will collect a trophy. The best player will get a complementary cellphone as their reward. The tournament is s p o n s o r e d b y E d d i e ’s Bobcat, Excavator and Construction Service, Shaffie Mohamed Mining Company, Ansa McAl Trading, L. Mahabeer and Son Cambio, Sahadeo Mining, Khemraj Nauth Contracting Service, Grand Central (Jerries) Pool Bar, A1 Imports and Cell Phone Shack.
Historic firsts at the Rio Olympics as the games saw breaks with tradition and record setting performances.
t r o Sp Caribbean Badminton team championships 2016 – Aruba
Guyana defeat Barbados 3-2 & Aruba 5-0 to top Group B
Brathwaite receives vote of confidence from Sammy
Brathwaite preparing to lead Windies T20 side. (Getty Images William West) The Guyana Badminton team currently in Aruba: (from left) Narayan Ramdhani, Priyanna Ramdhani, Ambika Ramraj and Jonathan Mangra.
This has never been a ground like that says Simmons Not getting what he wants to improve Windies cricket
India coach Anil Kumble and West Indies coach Phil Simmons are engaged in conversation. ŠAssociated Press
SUR includes Berbice affiliate for Boyce/ Jefford Classic VII -in bid to challenge for top placing 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