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Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
IMPROVING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE
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Thursday August 02, 2018
Kaieteur News
o nation has ever developed without invest ing massively in infrastructure and indeed, this is why in the aftermath of the Second World War, Western Europe did so to ensure faster economic growth and development by creating jobs, providing better connectivity of people and communities and enhancing productivity and efficiency. Investments in infrastructure also work as a force multiplier whereby the monies put into building roads, ports and airports etc., results in more growth because the huge sums spent on construction materials, wages, and production of other raw materials would help those industries to grow faster. Good roads are needed for manufacturers to obtain raw materials and other products in the shortest span of time. Well-constructed ports are needed to reduce the waiting period of ships, avoid congestion at the ports and thus reduce the cost to exporters and importers. Similarly, there is a need to develop modern and efficient airports for freer and easier movement of people and goods to different countries. Proper infrastructure is the mainstay of healthy and strong economies. It allows the nation to be able to quickly respond to the needs of the people, for example, in security or healthcare in the various communities. In Guyana there are strong areas of growth in the corridors of the country. This powers the manufacturing, mining, fishing and the agricultural industries and forestry, with the latter showing significant improvement in growth and providing consistent valuable returns over the past decade. It is necessary for the government to create a strategy/plan to develop an all-weather road network over a 10-year period. This would increase production, create much needed employment and higher paying jobs as well as improve the economic situation in the sectors that are performing poorly. For decades, governments have spent huge sums of money on road networks in the interior but the problem is, these roads require frequent and costly maintenance. It is clear the roads cannot handle heavy duty vehicles and the traffic that are needed to support economic activity in the remote areas of the country. The building of all-weather roads is expensive, but the economic returns and the overall growth of the nation depend on it. Operators who traverse these trails will also have to pay their share in the advancement of this important cause that ultimately benefits them. It is only fair that the responsibility/burden is shared. The economy is at a critical juncture; we reiterate that it needs reliable and modern infrastructure to enable supply chains and efficiently allow for goods and services to move through these remote areas. This would make Guyana more attractive to foreign investors and provide expanded opportunities in energy distribution, agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, education, healthcare and the communication sectors Improved infrastructure has never been in more demand. There is the need for the government to commit itself to invest in these areas. The lives of the masses depend on it. Infrastructure is crucial for any country’s image and Guyana is no exception. There is not one person who would disagree that injecting funds into improving how our surroundings look would be uplifting. The country needs such upliftment, but apart from the aesthetic value, any delay could incur huge economic losses for manufactures and the country as a whole.
SURINAME A “FAILED STATE” AND GUYANESE “RUNNING FROM HIV”? DEAR EDITOR, Suriname is a “failed state”, and Guyanese are “running from HIV; the country has few roads and children roll in mud, naked”, have been some recurring narrative coming out of Western media about these former European colonies. The Dutch Foreign Minister, Stef Blok, recently referred to Suriname as a failed state because of its ethnic diversity. A New York Times journalist, Mr. Clifford Krauss, in a recent article titled, The $20 Billion Question for Guyana, described Guyana as a “vast wilderness of few paved roads, people escaping HIV and children rolling in mud, naked.” These two recent incidents provoked a strong rebuke from all sectors of society. Citizens from Guyana and Suriname and local media vented their anger. The public also went on social media to express their anger towards
the Dutch minister’s statement and Krauss’s “condescending” piece on Guyana. Blok asserted that “multiethnic societies breed conflicts” in the Hague some weeks ago. He said, “Give me an example of a multiethnic, multicultural society, where the indigenous population still live ... where they live in a peaceful, societal union.” He continued, “I don’t know of any.” When someone in the audience pointed to Suriname, a former Dutch colony, Blok hit back hard. “I admire your optimism,” he replied. “Suriname is a failed state, and that is very much linked to its ethnic composition.” Blok is either ignorant of Dutch colonial history or most likely pandering to his right wing base. Holland once had a colonial empire that included British and Dutch Guyana, and Indonesia. It was Holland in the 1940s that
granted Hindus and Muslims in Suriname “Asian” family laws. Part of that brutal history was slavery and indentureship which form the basis of today’s Suriname multi-ethnic and multi-religious society of Africans, Chinese, Javanese, Jews, Lebanese, Amerindians and Hindustanis today. When Suriname passed the “Asian Marriage Decree” in 1940, it was a rejection of “Dutchification” and acceptance of “Asianisation” by the Dutch themselves, since Muslims and Hindus have been living in Suriname since 1873. Up to the 1940s their religious marriages were not registered with the government, “which caused many problems regarding law of succession and registration of children.” It was in this context that Dutch Governor, Dr. Johannes Kielstra was sympathetic towards the Asians
that he tried to resolve these problems by enacting the Asian Marriage Decree during his governorship. The professor came from Indonesia; however, he was a Dutchman from the Netherlands. This bold step taken by the Dutch Governor of incorporating special privileges to the Muslim and Hindu community was a goodwill gesture to the Asians that demonstrated that the Dutch were not interested in “civilising” the Asians, unlike the British policies in Guyana. The decree consisted of two parts — the Muslim Marriage Act and the Hindu Marriage Act which legalised marriages performed by Hindu and Muslim religious leaders. The Netherlands created this multi-ethnic gem of Suriname where people have peacefully coexisted so Blok is ignorant of facts or is appeasing his racist base. Ray Chickerie
DEAR EDITOR, As I pen this piece millions around the world would be celebrating Emancipation Day. Many will be running around all happy with smiles on their faces dressed with their African apparel shouting “Happy Emancipation Day”. But are we really emancipated?It was only recently that I had a heated debate with a childhood friend. We had both attended the same church. I no longer attend. The church has been in existence since 1863. Its headquarters is in Germany but most of the many million followers are blacks from Africa. The head of the church since its 155 years existence has always been white. Never black. The hierarchy in the church called apostles is disproportionately white with a few token blacks. The church magazine which serves to educate and relay news to the followers is a predominantly white affair with the occasional token black. The Sunday school books used by the teachers to teach the kids have all white characters; Jesus white; his disciples white; all the bible Godly characters are whites. The devil is black with horns on his head. Judas is black. Women in the church have to know their places. No female voices. The women’s role is to sit on the pews and keep the kids quiet while the men do God’s work. They can never be leaders or active voices in the church. I argued that the church is institutionally racist. I also
argued that the church is sexist. My friend did not concur. He argued that whites will do a better job than the blacks. He had no comments on the status of women. I was shocked, this coming from a university educated person, very shocked that a black person would make such an ignorant and blind statement. Mind you this gentleman once said blacks are more likely to commit crimes than whites. This gentleman also said whites are academically superior to blacks since they were the ones that made all the scientific discoveries. I have a serious problem with his arguments and I let him know. He called me a black militant who wants to live in the “white man” country and wants to change it. I did not take it personally. I’ve been called worse. I’ve been once told I have self hate when I was critical of black men stating that they are useless and only live for their phallus. In return I called him a blind educated fool. He became offended. Unfriended me on Facebook and blocked me on WhatsApp. It’s good when the garbage can take itself out. Tell
me, are we really free when we continue to see the whites superior to the blacks? When we cannot question what we see around us when the evidence is overwhelming? Just following blinding! Guyana will have oil soon. An American journalist wrote some difficult to read truths about that Guyana. I supported him. I stated that it may be difficult to read but it is the truth. Many of my countrymen and women did not agree. Because I did not support the common black view I was called a colonist. Again I was not offended. I’ve been called worse. Are we really free when we are still living with the mental chains of colonisation? Are we really free when we cannot accept differing views from our black brothers and sisters without characterising each other as Uncle Toms? Bill Cosby was found guilty of rape. I argued that he is guilty because 62 women cannot be lying. Lots of my black friends put forward different conspiracy theories of whites trying to destroy a successful black man. I had none of it and maintained that he is guilty.
It is impossible to have 62 women all saying the same consistent story to be part of a conspiracy. I was abused for my position. Of course I was not offended. I have a thick skin. I give as much as I received. I intentionally infuriated my attackers by saying Michael Jackson and OJ Simpson were also guilty. The attacks got worse. I just sat back and smiled. Are we really free when we feel the need to defend someone just because he is black?I would argue that we are not truly free. The physical chains and shackles were removed. Sadly we still have them mentally. When we are thinking that whites are better than us we are mental slaves. When we cannot accept the constructive criticism of a white person we are mental slaves. When we feel compelled to defend an obviously guilty person just because he is black then we are mental slaves. We are mental slaves because we do not have that ability to be rational. Today we will dress in African apparel. I refuse to wear any such. Africans sold me into slavery. They (Continued on page 5)
An objection to remembering Africa
A good time to reflect on ... DEAR EDITOR, I wish to take this opportunity to salute our African brothers and sisters on the occasion of Emancipation Day. Slavery was finally abolished in 1838 which subsequently led to the importation of other ethnic groups to replace slave labour, the majority of whom were East Indians. This is indeed a good time to reflect on
how much we have progressed as a nation since the horrible days of slavery. Our African ancestors were brought to our shores against their will and endured several hardships but in the end they managed through hard work, grit and determination to lay the foundations for a strong and cohesive society. Hydar Ally
Thursday August 02, 2018
THE EARLIER THE BUDGET, THE WORSE IT GETS! DEAR EDITOR, The former President of the USA, Barack Obama, had said that, ‘A budget is more than just a series of numbers on a page; it is an embodiment of our values’. I guess ‘values’ will also include where we want to see ourselves in the year ahead. Unfortunately, our Budgets in Guyana for the past three years failed dismally to take our country forward in terms of economic growth and development. The Budgets are just a series of trials and errors and complete failures in some cases. This Coalition seems to be obsessed with early Budgets and the Finance Minister has already informed us that this year’s Budget will be the earliest. Every year the economic performance gets worse and the Budget does nothing to stem this downward decline, so in this case, the cliché of ‘the early bird catches the worm’ is clearly inapplicable. This early preparation of the Budget is fraught with uncertainties and guesswork, since it is done under conditions of severe revenue and expenditure uncertainty, as well as weak expenditure control, which have resulted in frequent changes in ceilings and appropriations. We have seen that economic growth was 3.2% in 2015 and this was moved down downward to 2.1% in 2017 and it was projected in the 2017 Bank of Guyana Report to reach 1.5% in 2018. We have seen that forecasts are repeatedly revised, and this is because as Dr Jagdeo puts it, the Finance Ministry needs actual figures to work with and these are seriously lacking. Even the allocation of resources in the budget presents a serious disability. When we look at the specifics we can discern that adult unemployment rate increased by 12%. It is the role of central government to create opportunities for gainful employment and this must be done through the Budget. But instead, we have seen that the Government’s brainless economic policies have catapulted more than 7,000 per-
sons into the ranks of the unemployed and impoverished. It is estimated that 40% of our people live below the poverty line. We have also witnessed a deteriorating health sector with a multitude of complaints, including widespread and frequent shortages of basic supplies of medications at health centres and public hospitals. This has further impoverished the people, since they have to find additional monies to buy medication. This situation is compounded by long waiting lines and non-functioning medical equipment at hospitals and health centres. In 2018, the Public Health Budget increased by $3.4 billion to $32.6 billion, but a decrease in value for money through poor implementation. We have also witnessed the deterioration of public security and safety, with the news headlines being replete with reports of murder, robbery and other crimes. This is despite more monies being expended in the Public Security Ministry. The Budget increased by $1.3 billion to $34 billion. Again poor implementation. On the other hand, the Agriculture Sector, which employs 21% of the Country’s workforce, has its Budget slashed by more than $1 billion to a paltry sum of $19 billion! Since 2015, the Government has been cutting the budgetary allocations for Agriculture, and it is evident that the performance of this sector has been progressively declining. This year even the rice sector is projected to do badly since the dams in the cultivated areas are impassable. This is sheer shortsightedness! In this same vein, the Public Infrastructure Budget was cut by $3.4 billion to $40 billion. Public infrastructure is vitally important to improve our economy and our quality
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of life. In 2017, also, the capital expenditure budget was slashed by 20%. This has severely impacted on investment in the sector, resulting in accelerating the downward slide of the economy. This has exacerbated the unemployment crisis. More short-sightedness! Thus there is clearly a disconnection between policies and expenditure. There needs to be a strengthening of the linkages between policy formulation and expenditure. The Budget must take into account the macroeconomic realities; if not, it can result in the continued poor economic planning which has manifested in the past three years. Clearly there has been little effort by the Coalition Government to make budgetary allocations to increase production and productivity and to foster economic development. The treatment of the sugar industry is a prime example. Over 5,000 workers were heartlessly dismissed, no redundancy monies were budgeted for, and no alternative employment was provided. And to add insult to injury, until now, all the workers have not received their full severance pay. However, the wastage on pomp, celebration, pageantry and the ballooning excesses on the military will pave the way for the economy’s downward decline. This is definitely the worse economic planning by any government ever. Therefore, the haste by this Government to prepare and present early budgets has failed to make evident the competence of this Government. I wish to agree with the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Jagdeo that this Government has learnt nothing from the past! Will it ever? Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf RDC Councilor-Region 6
RAISING THE PROFILE OF DIFFERENTLY-ABLE STUDENTS DEAR EDITOR, Traditionally, Guyana, like the rest of the Caribbean, does not have a good track record of how it treats its disabled people. This issue only affects you when you have a disabled person in your family.Besides the guilt that you feel, you realise very soon that your disabled child is exactly the same as any other child, and your love for them is just as urgent and unconditional than your able-bodied children. However, you do worry about their future and how they will be able to navigate the modern world, especially as an adult. This is not a sad story though, because I have noticed a real change in the education system that will go a long way in providing disabled children an opportunity to learn and perform just as well as their contemporaries. The Ministry of Education seems to be putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to their mantra “Quality Education for ALL”. I have noticed three significant
changes: 1. The Ministry of Education’s work for differently abled: The appointment of Special Education Needs officers in regions 1, 2, 8 & 9. 2. The assimilation centre on the grounds of the Cyril Potter College. This is the Caribbean-wide early childhood diagnostic headquarters for the training of special needs teachers. 3. Two nurseries opened recently - Eastville and Diamond No. 2 nursery - that now include places for special needs children. All of these efforts prove that at last, we have a government that sees disabled children and understands that they have the right to be educated and therefore have the opportunity to work in the real world and contribute to our society. If Sudha Chandran, Ray Charles, Whoopi Goldberg and Stephen Hawking can overcome their disabilities, then with the right support so can others. Yours Sincerely, Leon Persaud
Preparing to say farewell to the Georgetown Mayor DEAR EDITOR, With the citizens of Georgetown having been subjected to enduring over the last two years, some of the worst living conditions that one could encounter in a capital city, it finally seems as though the end is nigh for the current Mayor and City Council with the announcement of local government elections for November 12, 2018. One would think that this gives for more substantial grounds or cause for celebrations than the commemorations of the 175th anniversary of the birth of the city, as substantial as that is. As the Mayor begins to pack and remove her things from her office, in anticipation of departure one can only hope that she takes along with her a number of the infamous things from her stint, including the infamous parking meter contract, the useless stun guns that were purchased for the Abattoir, the scores of used airline tickets and boarding passes, the plans to convert green spaces in Bel Air Park, Farnum Play-
ground and Lamaha Springs into residential areas. The Mayor should also take the massive plans they had to overhaul Georgetown and restore its Garden City acclaim, plans for the Merriman’s Mall Recreation Park which were supposed to feature among its facilities a petting zoo, the proposal to construct a three-storied shopping mall with special entertainment facility at the New Vendors mall and a similar edifice with parking facilities for farmers, wholesalers and other merchants at Bourda Green and all the other quixotic ideas that came from
La La Land. Hopefully, the new Mayor and City Council will do away with all of the excesses such as bodyguards, chauffeurs, special assistants, residential security, frequent travel to the ends of the earth with assistants in tow etc. Hopefully also, the new municipal government will be filled with smart young people that will not be so out of control, so bloated and so infested with deceit and abuse of power.Have faith citizens. Morning will come to City Hall, it has no choice. Best regards. Sambu Jacobus
An objection to ...
From page 4 continue to murder each other just because we may be different tribes, look differently and serve the same God differently. For me to ever want to be associated with Africa, the leaders not their minions have to apologise for what they did and continue to do. So I will not celebrate Emancipation Day. I never did as an adult. I was forced to as a child. Today just reminds me that we are not free. Until that day when a black or white man is judged based on his character and not the colour of his skin or historical past then we will just be co-existing as mental slaves. Regards Dr. Mark Devonish
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THE EVILS IN GUYANA DEAR EDITOR, In Jonah chapter 3 and 4, God sent Jonah to warn the people of Nineveh of His displeasure. In the end, an entire city repented and destruction was averted. It may not be okay to suggest a day, perhaps a week or month of repentance for Guyana, for in suggesting this, I am saying that imperfection exists, furthermore, that sin abounds in the land. What a dreadful creature I am! However, there may be one Guyanese who asks: well what are my sins? Here are a few of my observations: (1) One year ago, persistent taunting of a teenager about his sister by a taxi driver led to the demise of the taxi driver. Five days ago (July 27), a young man choked a five-year-old and stabbed a nineteen-year-old. Take a look at our domestic crimes. We are a distracted society. Teenagers and elders alike curse and offend each other. Arrogance and disrespect are
orders of the day. (2) Our roadways have become race tracks. Pedestrians, old and young, are falling victims, and some guilty perpetrators are paying their way out. The poor continue to be oppressed. Justice runs from them. (3) Respected citizens are stealing from the country’s treasure boxes. These smartly- dressed professionals continue to take at their leisure, robbing other citizens of their due. (4) We have lost originality and creativity, influenced to a great extent by North America. (5) We have fifteen holidays a year, yet we remain tired and burnt-out. A requested document from the public service can take weeks to be prepared. Our favourite words are ‘come back tomorrow.’ (6) We operate without clear protocols and regulations. The general public remains unaware of how to access service from the govern-
ment. Some weeks ago a woman from Berbice (I believe) was asking about the steps in acquiring help from the Social Protection Ministry. Her plea was broadcast on television. (7) Any critic of any government service, Government official or person in authority is dismissed from duty, their dwelling place is omitted from scheduled remedial road works, or they receive their benefits long after the due date. Is this Godly? (8) We are quick to dismiss criticisms, failing to use these to propel us forward. Here is now my challenge to all Guyanese: spend time praying about that thing in/ about Guyana which makes you angry to the bone. Then simply do your part in not falling into the trap of doing the same. To my Atheist friends: be the change that you seek. May the Lord grant us the desires of our heart according to His will for Guyana. Ayanna Onique Isaacs
CONSOC member organizations and affiliated individuals are not receiving funding from the IDB DEAR EDITOR, I am writing in response to a letter to the editor of July 31 in your publication captioned “Genuine concern of opposition politics?” The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) would like to take the opportunity to inform the public that the IDB’s financing instruments (loans and technical assistance) are intended to fund public sector projects following a programming dialogue with the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and both parties are mutually in agreement with decisions. The IDB Group also sup-
ports large-scale investment programs that promote the sustainable development of Guyana and its people. Through IDBInvest, we support the private sector to bolster competitiveness and growth while ensuring sustainability. IDBInvest provides financial products and advisory services to large companies, financial intermediaries, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and partially or whollyowned state enterprises. The IDB supports the democratic processes of its member countries, and engages with civil society in
these countries through its civil society consulting (CONSOC) mechanism. In the case of Guyana, the CONSOC is composed of a wide range of civil society groups including: academia and other research institutions , the private sector, environmental groups, community groups and associations, including indigenous associations like NTC and APA. CONSOC member organizations and affiliated individuals are not receiving funding from the IDB. Sophie Makonnen IDB Country Representative Guyana
Thursday August 02, 2018
Let’s Make Hospitality & Good Customer Service a Big Deal DEAR MR. EDITOR, Ever so often, there is a call for hospitality and better customer service, even though the two can take different forms in terms of definition and composition. Hospitality deals with “the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests or strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way” while Customer service” is the act of taking care of the customer’s needs by providing and delivering professional, helpful, high quality service and assistance before, during, and after the customer’s requirements are met.Customers are the core for any Organization. Understanding the significance of good customer service is essential for a healthy business in creating new customers and retaining the old ones. Good customer service involves promising bonds with customers, ultimately leading to long term relationships. It creates advantages for both customer and the business alike. The Customer get benefits because the business is providing a service that meets their needs and the business gets benefits because satisfied customers are likely to be repeat
customers.Tourism, on the other hand, “is the temporary, short-term movement of people to destinations outside the places where they normally live and work and their activities during the stay at each destination. It includes movements for all purposes. “Tourism has become an important, even vital, source of income for many regions and even entire countries. The Manila Declaration on World Tourism of 1980 recognized its importance as “an activity essential to the life of nations because of its direct effects on the social, cultural, educational, and economic sectors of national societies and on their international relations.” Tourism brings large amounts of income into a local economy in the form of payment for goods needed by tourists, accounting as of 2011 for 30% of the world’s trade in services, and for six per cent of overall exports of goods and services. It also generates opportunities for employment in the service sector of the economy associated with tourism. The hospitality industries which benefit from tourism include transportation service
(such as airlines, cruise ships, trains and taxicab; hospitality services (such as accommodation, including hotels and resorts); and entertainment venues (such as amusement parks, restaurants, casinos, shopping malls, music venues and theaters). This is in addition to goods bought by tourists, including souvenirs. So the forgoing shows how hospitality, good customer service and tourism are inextricably linked to each other. Kudos to the government of Guyana and the Chambers of commerce around the country for their continuous contribution but in my option, in order for tourism to be successful and sustainable, apart from the other necessary variables, such as infrastructure and policies: hospitality and good customer service must become a way of life. Hence, the need for more frequent public forum and workshops. In addition, I would support hospitality, customer service and tourism being taught extensively in schools as a single subject. Let us make Hospitality & Good Customer Service “A big deal.” Michael Hercules
Rampant corruption in Region Six DEAR EDITOR, Corruption in Region Six is taking a quantum leap and is mostly perpetrated by the AFC faction of the Coalition Government. There is a group of them who goes around in every nook and cranny promising a varied array of services for a fee whilst getting their clients to sign AFC membership forms. They will then supply these names to the AFC Leaders who will reward them. Recently eight of these AFC members were lavishly awarded when they were given huge chunks of contracts worth in excess of $15 million each to slash and clean the shoulders of the Corentyne Highway. One of the ‘contractors’ is a member of the National Executive Committee and belongs to the Diaspora NY Chapter. This same person is allegedly involved in a lot of corrupt and nefarious acts. Another one is the Chairman of the AFC’s Regional Management Committee while one is an AFC’s RDC Councilor and another is the CIIP Supervisor. It’s job for the boys. Another point to note is that none of these ‘contractors’ have any experience or competence to do the job and one from Black
Bush Polder actually subcontracted the work to an experienced contractor. Also there is a lot of substandard work done; the bush and grass are not cut properly and there are long stalks left standing. In some cases the garbage remains on the road sides. What system is in place for the Ministry of Infrastructure to certify these works? It is reported that there is a senior AFC member within the MoPI who was instrumental in the awarding of these contracts. These men were simply handpicked by the AFC and given these contracts on a platter. There were no advertised tenders and did not follow any procurement rules. The AFC was most vociferous during the 2015 Elections Campaign calling for transparency, accountability and an end to corruption but today the AFC is in the forefront practicing wholesale corruption, cronyism and nepotism. All the procurement rules are thrown on the wayside. This is shameless no wonder the AFC in Region 6 is losing grounds rapidly. Many of our qualified and experienced contractors made complaints to Mr. Gobin
Harbhajan, the PM’s Regional Representative and when objections were made by Mr. Gobin, two of these persons made negative comments and even made reports to the #51 Police Station that they are being slandered. He was made a target of a part of this nefarious gang infamously known as the Three Musketeers. But I am sure that Mr. Gobin will not be deterred he is an adamant fighter against corrupt practices. As a member of the PNC and an NDC Councilor, I am calling on the various ministries to ensure that contracts awarded follow the procurement laws and that such contracts are awarded through the Tender Boards. It is time to stop handpicking contractors so that the public trust and confidence in our procurement process can once again be maintained. The Honorable Junior Minister of Public Infrastructure, Ms Annette Ferguson, should look into these corrupt AFC ‘fly by night’ contractors as a matter of urgency. They should be fired immediately. It is time our President put his foot down on these types of corruption. Yours sincerely, Raj Lakhram #52/74 NDC Councilor
Thursday August 02, 2018
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Too much gas, very little substance from Govt. on emerging oil sector – Frank Anthony It is clear that the President David Granger-led government is overwhelmed by the enormity of the tasks in the oil and gas sector. This is the view of People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Parliamentarian, Frank Anthony, who pointed to a lack of leadership, with confused and conflicting signals coming from various sections of government. He told Kaieteur News that if this continues, it would undoubtedly undermine this nascent sector. “There is no doubt that the government is talking up the oil and gas sector. The talk has escalated to the point where there is too much gas and very little substance,” Dr. Anthony stated. The discovery of oil by ExxonMobil in 2015 has put Guyana on a trajectory to receiving significant revenues, but according to Dr. Anthony, the government has failed to create the appropriate legislative framework. He said that the department of oil and gas which will be the government lead agency for the industry is yet to be fully established. Dr. Anthony stated that the flawed Petroleum Bill is languishing in a Special Select Committee, and the other relevant legislation related to the growth and development of the sector has not been laid in the Parliament. The former Government Minister pointed out that the establishment of a Sovereign Wealth Fund and the adoption of fiscal rules to ringfence investments from proceeds of overtime depletion of natural resources are also yet to be finalised.
PPP MP, Dr. Frank Anthony Additionally, he noted that legislation, policies and implementation plans on local content are still in its conceptualisation stage. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its 2018 Article IV Consultation with Guyana in July 2018 warned that the “rules-based fiscal framework for managing oil wealth should be transparent and consistent with the resource fund deposit/withdrawal rules.” In the meantime, Dr. Anthony noted very few local companies have been able to realign themselves to benefit substantially from the business opportunities. “The Granger government’s incompetence is manifested in the oil and gas decision-making; at best it is indecisive, and at its worst it is paralytic. And when it finally makes the decision it has an uncanny knack for amalgamating the worst options,” Dr. Anthony noted. A recent Bloomberg article
pointed out that of the 10 wells that ExxonMobil have drilled, eight are commercially viable, with an estimated 4 billion barrels of oil. With an additional 19 more wells to be drilled, this oil reserve estimation will increase exponentially. Exxon predicts that first oil flow is expected in 2020 and Dr. Anthony warned that the Granger government needs to urgently get its act together. “With first oil expected in 2020, the government seems quite ill-prepared to inoculate itself again the Dutch Disease where volatility, risks of over-borrowing and overconsumption, and crowding out of local manufacturing, can quickly spread in the economy,” Dr. Anthony noted. He explained that policies should be guided by international best practices that would ensure that this country gets the maximum benefit from its natural resource wealth. “All Guyanese would like to see policies in this sector, that provides transparency and strengthened checks and balances for all phases of natural resource extraction and use in terms of contracts, monitoring of operations, collection and use of taxes,” Dr. Anthony stated. He said there is an urgent need for public sector capacity building in public investment management, monitoring and evaluation, budget processes, to transform natural wealth into produced capital and other forms of intangible wealth. Many economists, Dr. Anthony warned, have ex-
Parliament could recommend disciplinary action for ‘disobedient’ public officers – Nat’l Assembly Clerk Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs has written to Parliamentarians regarding how they treat with public officers who appear periodically before Parliamentary Committees. Isaacs noted that the Parliamentary Committees, including the Sectoral Committees, do not have the power to discipline public officials. However, he noted that where there are breaches and acts of disobedience, Committees may detail the breaches in their reports to the National Assembly and recommend that disciplinary action be taken against the public officers. In recent months, committees have complained about the lack of preparedness by
public officials to provide timely information and, in some cases, to provide answers to questions. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has sent away Regional Executive Officers (REO) and their teams for failing to properly answer questions relating to concerns over expenditure practices detailed in the Auditor General’s report. Some regions have been sent away twice and at times, MPs from both the Government and the Opposition have lamented their frustration in getting accurate information from the public officers. The PAC has ordered an investigation into the actions by Region Five REO, Ovid Morrison, who is accused of
Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs not cooperating with the AG’s office. In the case of the PAC, (Continued on page 12)
plained how certain conditions could lead to a curse. These include cases where weak governance and corresponding poor economic poli-
cies underlie the misallocation and mismanagement of resources. “The Guyanese economy is no exception. If the Granger
government fails to embrace these policies, it will have profound consequences for this and future generations,” Dr. Anthony noted.
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Thursday August 02, 2018
GRA to work around the clock at container scanning facility - authority delays implementation of processing fee
The line of containers on Sussex Street, on Tuesday.
The mobile scanner in operations, a few weeks ago. Customs officials will be working around the clock at the new mobile container scanning facilities on Lombard Street to ensure there are no delays. According to Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority, Godfrey Statia, he has passed instructions also that there will be
no fees for container scanning until there are publications and an introductory period for the stakeholders. The official’s statements came hours after truckers complained that the process of container scanning at the new facilities are not going as smoothly, with major delays being experienced.
On Tuesday afternoon, the container lines were snaking along from Lombard Street along Sussex Street, heading in the Cemetery Road direction. One truck driver said that he was in the line since 9am. At around 2pm, he was about fifteenth in the line. The truckers also com-
U.S. welcomes home remains of presumed war dead from North Korea
plained of new scanning fees being introduced that amounted to almost US$100 per container. “I instructed that GRA must work all round the clock,” Statia said yesterday. The official, who is out of the country, was responding to questions sent to him. “Any charges must be approved only after GRA examines the financials and proposals, there must be published releases on the proposed charges and an introductory period before any charges can be instituted.” Statia said that he will be
back at work today and will be looking into the matter. He has been away for more than a week. Last week, 81 containers were scanned. According to GRA, there are some teething problems, with one staffer giving birth prematurely and another leaving early. Yesterday, there were operations until midday, despite it being a holiday. GRA is now moving to train two other operators. The container scanning facility was commissioned by Statia and Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, early
last month. It is a major requirement, for security reasons, if Guyana like other countries wants to continue to trade with the US and other partners. Government had tagged the loss of revenues and inefficient use of personnel where Customs officials had to manually check the containers in the past. Guyana is moving to acquire more scanners and there are considerations for a number of smaller wharves to have some kind of arrangement for scanning.
Linden council appoints junior mayor and councillors
An honor guard signals a command as caskets containing the remains of American servicemen from the Korean War handed over by North Korea arrive at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S., August 1, 2018. (REUTERS/Hugh Gentry) WASHINGTON/OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea (Reuters) - In a solemn ceremony, the United States welcomed home yesterday human remains it said presumably included Americans killed in the 19501953 Korean War, and thanked North Korea for making good on a June summit pledge to hand them over. Only one identification “dog tag” was delivered by
the North Koreans, underscoring the long path ahead for U.S. military efforts to identify the remains inside the 55 boxes presented by North Korea to the United States last week. Vice President Mike Pence hailed the remains’ arrival in Hawaii as evidence of the success of President Donald Trump’s landmark summit in June with North Koran leader Kim Jong Un. Critics say the summit has so far failed to
deliver on promised steps toward denuclearization by Pyongyang. “I know that President Trump is grateful that Chairman Kim has kept his word, and we see today this tangible progress in our efforts to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula,” said Pence, whose father fought in the Korean War. More than 7,700 U.S. troops remain unaccounted (Continued on page 23)
In an effort to create awareness of youth involvement in local governance, the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LMTC) has appointed a junior mayor as well as junior councillors. The intention is that they make representation for their peers in the area of youth development as well as speak up for their constituencies. Junior Mayor, 18-year-old Devon Beckles, is a fourth form student at one of Linden’s private secondary schools, MC’s Educational Institute. The junior councillors are fourth form students from various secondary schools. The process of their appointment came after the LMTC invited students from across Linden to compete for the post. They were each furnished with a booklet on local governance which they had to study and were tasked with completing an essay to be judged by councillors. The programme is geared towards equipping youths with the requisite skills and knowledge needed in the local government arena. One of the challenges the present councillors face, says
Mayor Waneka Arrindell, is the lack of knowledge relating to local governance. “The main aim of the programme is having continuity in leadership at the local level. It was birthed out of the struggles the councillors faced following Local Government Elections, entering without any prior training.” Junior Mayor Beckles now meets with Mayor Arindell twice a week, attends the council’s monthly statutory meetings, as well as social committee meetings in which he is able to raise concerns and make representations. Beckles is currently working along with Arindell to create a student government package which entails the framing of a student government body manual which will be presented to the Ministry of Education. He will be accompanying Arindell to the United States Embassy on August 9 where he is expected to meet with Ambassador Perry Holloway on topics such as constituency literacy and student leadership amongst other topics pertinent to youth development in local governance. He
was also appointed as a member of the Fourth Youth Parliament. He told this publication that being appointed as Linden’s junior mayor was strengthening his drive for volunteerism: “I always love to offer voluntary service that is needed to help drive development in Linden and Region 10. I am able to sit in and raise concerns and that makes me feel good.” He related that his community, Christianburg was experiencing garbage collection issues and he was able to raise it at the social committee meeting and that issue has since been resolved. The young achiever boasted of being a part of the YMCA Young Challengers Youth Club and is also the Head Prefect for his school. “Every single activity the school has, I take part in it and the school door is always open to the general public to come in an air your views.” Beckles is hoping to sit six subjects at CSEC next year. MC’s Educational Institute will also receive $500,000 from LMTC to embark on a project to better the lives of the students.
Thursday August 02, 2018
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Kaieteur News
The father of Emancipation William Wilberforce was the father of Emancipation. Yet, surprisingly, not a single of Guyanese newspaper, local politician or local Emancipationist thought it fit to give honorary mention to this giant whose efforts helped to end the slave trade and eventually led to Emancipation. Fortunately, Wilberforce is not entirely forgotten in the West Indies. Unlike Guyana’s dailies, the Jamaica Observer carried a column, “The Road to True Freedom”, which paid a fleeting tribute to Wilberforce. It noted that the moral force brought against slavery by men of conscience, such as Wilberforce, drove the final nail in the coffin of slavery. Wilberforce was unrelenting in his efforts to end the slave trade. He and other abolitionists doggedly
fought this issue in the British parliament. Wilberforce had many setbacks. And at times it seemed as if he would not have succeeded. He lost favour with friends who accused him of going against his own class interests. A converted Christian, Wilberforce saw his task as a moral mission and despite the vilification and ostracism which he suffered, he never quit. When finally he and his colleagues succeeded in having the slave trade abolished, it was only a matter of time before the institution of slavery in the British Empire folded. And it did. The passage of the Emancipation Act in the House of Commons on July 26, 1833, ended slavery in the British colonies. When the legislation was passed,
Wilberforce was said to exclaim, “Thank God, I have lived to see this day!” His life’s work complete, he died soon after. Wilberforce was not without his faults. He was no angel. After the ending of the slave trade, he was not entirely convinced that those still living under slavery were quite ready for freedom. He felt that they needed time to adjust to the challenges of freedom. He may have been afraid that if he pushed too hard and too fast, that he would have failed again. But even that view cannot taint his efforts to end the slave trade. A morally weaker man would have long quit. But not Wilberforce. Wilberforce was also no democrat. Some of his actions and decisions would be
Dem boys seh ...
Emancipation Day good fuh business Emancipation Day come and gone. People tired and some of dem couldn’t let de day done just so. Dem find parties which some smart people decide to set up and mek a dollar. But it was de day that attract all de attention. Just like how dem does have duck curry competition, dem had cook-up competition. This thing had people thinking about all de different tastes and de obstacles. De people who know bout de occasion decide dem gun mek a dollar. That s when dem boys realize that ordinary people don’t see big money. A lady cook she pot and mek $30,000 profit. She feel that she mek de world of money. Dem boys hear she seh if she did know she woulda mek two pots because de thing sell out fast. But people know she been last year and seh de same thing. De fun come when de Waterfalls paper decide to buy food fuh de staff. Since is Eman-
cipation Day dem decide dem gun buy cookup from de National Park. Is either dem wait too late or people was very hungry. De Waterfalls paper couldn’t get twenty box of cookup. But then again de person who go to buy de food didn’t think. She know that she should collect a bill but who gun walk wid a receipt book in de National Park on Emancipation Day? Imagine de staff had to eat de few cook-up and a lot of fry rice. Some of de staff believe was a Chinee National Day. De one thing that was special was de chicken. It look like if de people serve de chicken wha GRA seize. Was nuff. Today is a wukking day but some people gun be sluggish and wish fuh anodda holiday. Guyanese don’t know to sport and relax. At least one thing certain; nuff people recognise Africa although Africa don’t recognize dem. Talk half and plan properly fuh next year.
Appeal Court reduces death penalty to 35 years in prison for convicted killer The Court of Appeal on Tuesday reduced the sentence for death row inmate Ryan Robinson to 35 years in prison. In 2007, Robinson was sentenced to death for the murder a mentally-ill woman, Carol Ann Augustus, which occurred at Mahaica in 2005. The mandatory death penalty was imposed by then High Court Judge Yonette CummingsEdwards. The victim, Augustus, who was of unsound mind, went missing from her Sophia home in July 2005. Her body was later found floating in the Atlantic Ocean. The High Court indictment said Robinson called “Bat-Ears” killed her sometime between July 21 and 22 and during the trial, the prosecution admitted into evidence a caution statement the accused gave police, saying that he had sexual intercourse with the woman, choked her, and then pushed her into the ocean.
During the trial, Robinson’s counsel, Lyndon Amsterdam told the Court that Robinson only had sex with the woman but he did not kill her. Robinson was later found guilty and sentenced to death. However, following his conviction and sentence, Robinson went to the Court of Appeal. He requested a reversal of the decision to convict and sentence him. The matter was heard at the Appeal Court by Chief Justice Roxane George, Justices Dawn Gregory and James Bovell Drakes. During the hearing, issues were raised about the manner in which the trial judge did her summation. The lawyer believed that the summation could have led the jury to speculation in their period of deliberation. The lawyer also claimed that the no case submission presented on his client’s behalf was unreasonably over-
ruled and the sentence was unconstitutional. Relying on a decision of the CCJ as it relates to section 100 of the Criminal Offences Act Chapter 8:01, which essentially states that everyone who commits murder must suffer death, Amsterdam argued that the Act crafted by the legislative arm of government breaches the model of separation of powers by tying the hands of members of the judiciary to no other option but a death sentence. The lawyer noted too that although the Act was not amended at the time that his client was sentenced, it was altered later to give adjudicators the option of imposing a penalty in a term of years for a conviction of murder. The Appeal Court therefore upheld the murder conviction but overturned the death penalty, translating it to 35 years in prison instead.
considered appalling by modern day standards. He was a humanitarian, but he was not ideologically opposed to a system which repressed the working classes within his own country. He was a liberal with limitations. He is better seen as a Christian man who believed that the slave trade and slavery were wrong. He and his abolitionists did not singlehandedly demolish slavery. Uprisings in slave colonies were instrumental also in bringing an end to both the slave trade and slavery. And Wilberforce never failed to capitalize on reports of repression in the colonies to
aid his moral crusade. In 2007 there was an event hosted in Westminster Abbey to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the end of the slave trade. Tributes were paid to Wilberforce and other abolitionists. This led to a negative reaction from those who felt that the whole event minimized the struggles waged by those who were enslaved. In Guyana, the opposite is happening. A narrative of the great struggles of Africans to liberate themselves from slavery has been created. And written completely out of this narrative is the decisive work done by the abolitionists.
It is unfortunate that persons like Wilberforce are being cut out from the credits which are being showered on those who contributed to the end of slavery. If the British want to invert history, it does not mean we should do the same and refuse to acknowledge the role played by Wilberforce towards Emancipation.
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Thursday August 02, 2018
Kaieteur News
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
Is David Granger behaving like Bharrat Jagdeo? If I ask the question, it is expected that readers would want to know my own thoughts. I will as early as these opening lines say yes, if what has been circulated about the appointment of Dr. Mark Bynoe is based on plain facts. Here is what has been publicized so far: 1– The President chose Dr. Bynoe himself to fill the position as Head of the Department of Energy (DoE). 2 – The position was not advertised and if it was, there wasn’t a pool from which Bynoe’s application was chosen. 3 – There was agreement during the tenure of Dr. Jan Mangal that the advertisement would have been done globally to attract applicants who have experience and qualifications in the
energy sector; it doesn’t seem that was done. 4 – There is a five-minister team that is currently overlooking the energy sector until the DoE comes into existence and it is reported that they did not know about Bynoe’s appointment. Finally, there appears to be both a lack of experience and relevant qualifications in the energy sector by Dr. Bynoe. Those are the five dimensions to the Bynoe selection. If they are based on incontrovertible facts, then my answer is definite – Granger is behaving like Jagdeo. This is the direction Jagdeo as president led the government into. He unilaterally made decisions. Cabinet was not an equal partner in decision-making.
Jagdeo exercised hegemony over his government after he won the 2011 general elections. The reality after 2015 was that the Jagdeo style of governance was over because there wasn’t a single-party government but a coalition cabinet. To any high school kid, a coalition means different parties ruling the country, and the head of government cannot do whatever he/she wants if what he/she does is anathema to the other members in the governing circles This happened two weeks ago in Germany. A minister threatened to pull his party of out the government if Chancellor Merkel did not reshape her immigration policy. She agreed to. Since 2015, there have been adumbrations in
political and academic quarters that the AFC is not an independent party in the coalition, but prefers to shape its existence in power as being part of a unified cabinet. Political analyst, Dr. David Hinds puts it another way. He wrote that the AFC continues to accept ownership of many of the unpopular emanations of APNU’s leadership. One of the persistent remarks against the AFC is that the Prime Minister’s role, as second in constitutional power, seems to have been lost in the vast forest of the Ministry of the Presidency. If one accepts that the AFC does not project an independent narrative within the spheres of power, then the big guy in the coalition virtually administers the
state as a single-party formation and not a partnership. That big guy is the PNC. This brings us to David Granger’s style of leadership. It is my analysis of his 38-yearold tenure that Granger is not deeply driven by democratic instincts and has no intention at the present time (I cannot predict the future and what he will do if he retains the presidency in 2020) to transform Guyana in ways that move this entire nation away from the destructive morass it has been living in. Even if that is a frightening task that carries monumental energy with it, my opinion is Granger is nowhere near those endeavours, and I would say his record so far does not indicate any movement in that direction. This is a sad thing to say in the context of a nation whose lonely eyes have been crying for a modern, democratic future for the past seventy years. It is even sadder to think that after the most exalted opportunity was thrown away by the PPP after the 1992 election, that moment was recaptured by the forces of liberation in May 2015, only to fail again. In journalism there is a pathway that is travelled
Frederick Kissoon daily, and it is one that brings suspicion by members of the public, it is called the ‘confidential source’. If you pick up any leading newspaper in the world, you cannot miss the publication of a story that was told to the newspaper by a confidential source. Without exception, every day the New York Times and the Washington Post carry news item on the Trump presidency fuelled by information supplied by an insider who chose to be anonymous, or a reliable source. I will conclude by saying a source that I consider 100 percent reliable told me the president wanted Hinds and Lewis to be dropped from the Chronicle. Scents of Jagdeoism permeate New Garden Street.
Thursday August 02, 2018
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Kaieteur News
Reparation process must begin in Guyana - Ret’d Rear Admiral Best
Director for the Centre for Reparation Research at UWI, Professor Verene Shepherd Part of the audience decked out in cultural wear at the event As Guyanese observe 180 years of Emancipation, the issue of reparations for ancestors of enslaved Africans continues to be a topical issue across the region. This subject was discussed Monday evening at the University of Guyana’s sixth conversation on Law and Society. The event was held under the theme “the challenges of and to reparations for people of African Decent in the 21st Century.” Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Gary Best, in his discussion, declared that the reparation pro-
cess must begin in Guyana and opined that the state should provide partial reparations. “There were three specific occasions in our history of our ancestors to support this; first we were kidnapped and transferred to this part of the world for our lands, secondly we indigenised the lands for over 200 years and at the end of the period of indigenisation those lands were not given to us, thirdly at the point of independence only our Amerindian brothers received reparatory justice,
partially through the Amerindian Act, where lands were provided for them,” he said. According to the retired Rear Admiral, it was the enslaved Africans who “humanised the coastline and provided a haven for our Indians, Chinese and Portuguese to come.” Supporting his colleague, Chairman of the Guyana Reparation Committee, Eric Phillips noted that reparation is the moral, ethical, social, religious, economic, political and financial crises of the modern
West Berbice fire destroys home, leaves $$M in losses
The fire completely destroyed the property A fire at Kingsley Village, West Coast Berbice has left thirteen persons including eleven children homeless. The blaze occurred yesterday morning. Homeless are Ms. Shelly Long, her reputed husband George McDonald, and the woman’s eleven children ages ranging from 22 to 3 years old. According to Ms Long, she has no idea how the fire began but she left her children at home at approximately 09:00h and ventured to a shop nearby.
It was while she was on her way home that she noticed fire and smoke emanating from her house.
Long is estimating millions in losses. All of the children escaped the blaze unhurt.
time. He called on people of African descent to unify so that the issue of reparations can be addressed. Meanwhile, Professor Verene Shepherd, Director for the Centre for Reparation Research at the University of West Indies (UWI) in her discussion noted that an “allhands-on-deck” is required if the fight for reparation is to be won. Professor Shepherd also added that any group
whose ancestors suffered any form of colonial oppression should make this their fight also. She specifically called on women to be advocates for reparatory justice since the burden of enslavement fell disproportionately on female ancestors. Professor Shepherd said the issue refuses to go away and more attention has been focused on the Caribbean. “The concept of reparation is a part of the theory of
justice known as restorative justice and this concept of justice emphasises repairing the harm caused or revealed by criminal action. A part of identifying and taking steps to repair harm is to unequivocally acknowledge that wrong was done and to make amends,” Professor Shepherd explained. The discussions are intended to increase awareness and start conversations on various issues, deemed relevant to today’s society.
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Thursday August 02, 2018
Kaieteur News
Suspicious car tracked, one occupant shot -Police Jamal Goriah, the suspect who was shot by police (Travis Chase photo).
The gun that was recovered (Guyana Police Force photo).
Jamal Goriah, 21, was shot by police yesterday afternoon at the junction of Norton and Chapel Streets, Lodge, Georgetown, after police claimed to have stopped a car, PSS 4647, and that soon after, Goriah exited and started to shoot at them. With the outburst of gunfire, people in the vicinity ran
for cover. It was around 14:45 hrs. When the dust settled, Goriah was nursing gunshot wounds to the back and left shoulder. Two other persons were arrested. The police also recovered one .357 revolver with four live rounds and one spent shell. From the police accounts
of what transpired, ranks on mobile patrol in Georgetown, observed suspicious movement of a motor car in the city, and followed it into Princes Street, where two occupants exited with handguns and proceeded into a yard. Two ranks went in pursuit of the men while the vehicle continued to Norton and
Chapel Streets where another armed male exited. He too was pursued by two other ranks and in the process he discharged his weapon at the ranks, who returned fire. An elderly woman, whose yard in Princes Street the police claimed two of the suspects ran
into, said she was up stairs with her grandson when she heard the gunshots and peered out, only to see two men running in her backyard. The woman showed media personnel who were interviewing her at the time, bullet holes in her stairs. She said she would normally be sitting on the stairs with her young granddaughter, but the child was not home yesterday, and she was thankful for that. The shots she heard might have struck some fam-
ily member if they were sitting on the steps. When residents learnt that Goriah was shot, a number of them came out. At one time they even hampered the police from carrying out their duties. Police have since taken the car into custody and two other persons are assisting with investigations. Goriah, who is said to b e f r o m A l b e r t St r e e t , Queenstown, is in a stable condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation under guard.
The car from which police claimed Jamal Goriah emerged before shooting at them (Travis Chase photo).
Parliament could recommend... From page 7 Isaacs outlined that if it is a financial breach, it could be recommended that the Finance Secretary take disciplinary action. Isaacs noted that in the case of contract offices, the recommendation for disciplinary action should be directed to the respective Permanent Secretary, and in the case of the Permanent Secretary, the recommendation should be made to the head of the Public Service or the head of the Presidential Secretariat.
“Committees may recommend, in their reports, that breaches and/or acts of disobedience, et cetera, by public officers be sanctioned by the Service Commission which is responsible for their appointment, promotion and discipline,” Isaacs stated. The Clerk told MPs that he could find nothing in the Standing Orders and other parliamentary texts to prevent Committees from making the recommendations in their reports to the National Assembly.
Kaieteur News understands that public officers have complained about the way they are being treated when they appear before the Parliamentary Committees. In addition to disciplinary action, Isaacs also told MPs that it is ‘important to note’ that they must be polite in their dealings with public officers. “In the same vein, public officers must also display the appropriate courtesy in their dealings with Members of Parliament,” Isaacs noted.
Thursday August 02, 2018
Kaieteur News
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Thursday August 02, 2018
Kaieteur News
Lula’s party strikes pact to keep Socialists neutral in Brazil vote
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presidential candidate since it is not fielding its own. The pact is a blow to centerleft presidential candidate Ciro Gomes, who is running third in early polling and sought the backing of the PSB to boost his chances of making the run-off between the two most voted candidates on Oct. 7. It also confirms that Brazil’s left will enter the election divided, which could help the businessfriendly center-right candidate Geraldo Alckmin and far-right hopeful Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently the front-runner riding on voter anger with political corruption and rising crime. In Brazil’s most uncertain race in decades, the Workers Party plans to nominate Lula at its convention on Saturday, even though he cannot campaign and will almost certainly be barred from running due to a corruption conviction. Lula, who is still Brazil’s most influential politician, is expected to name a stand-in at the last minute in mid-September. The Workers Party will withdraw Marilia Arraes, its candidate for governor who was threatening the re-election of Paulo Camara in the PSB’s most important state, Pernambuco. In return, the PSB will not run against the Workers Party governor of Minas Gerais, Fernando Pimentel, party officials told Reuters.
IDPAD-G... From page 20 and during this decade, we need to come together and create economic wealth. Not just economic wealth, generational wealth.” He encouraged participants to assess the budding oil economy and create diverse visions. The ACDA Executive stressed that the business ventures should not be dependent on the oil industry. The event placed emphasis on “knowledge sharing” for budding entrepreneurs. Other presenters at the business conference included the Small Business Bureau (SBB); the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA); commercial banks and credit unions; GO-Invest Guyana, Credit Info, the Commercial Registry; Lands and Surveys; the Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED), the Central Housing & Planning Authority (CH&PA), the National Insurance Scheme (NIS); the New Building Society (NBS); and representatives of the Ministries of Finance, Agriculture and Natural Resources.
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Kaieteur News
Minister Broomes to recommend training for sandpit operators For the first time, sandpit operators could receive formal training from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) as part of reforming quarrying operations. Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, said she will be speaking with the Commissioner of the GGMC to facilitate the training which will include setting up safe operations and calculations for quantities extracted. This was among the issues discussed last week between the minister, sandpit operators and holders of license and officials of GGMC at the Ministry of Natural Resources, Duke Street. “I’m going to recommend that when we go onsite at these pits, the [GGMC] officers talk to the persons on the ground, explaining what we are measuring and doing, so even practically on the ground they can start to have some training in that regard,” Minister Broomes said. The meeting is a followup to visits the minister made to sandpits along the Soesdyke/Linden Highway. She is leading efforts to ensure greater compliance in the quarrying sector and is also seeking to have outstanding royalties, which are owed to GGMC, paid, according to a release from the Government information depart-
Sandpit operators and license holders’ meeting with Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes and Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) officials. ment. The GGMC is mulling re-introducing a monthly payment system, according to Acting Mines, Manager Krishna Ramdass. Ramdass explained that GGMC sold payment books to operators “and they would use slips… what that really
did was to… at the end of the month redeem that book to GGMC and pay off that royalty”. Many of the quarry operators the minister met with agreed to work with the ministry to ensure greater compliance in their operations. There is also a proposal
for the ministry and GGMC to meet with operators on a regular basis. The inspections of sand and loam pits are to gather a “comprehensive overlook” of the sector as part of efforts towards ensuring the GGMC is better equipped to monitor,
enforce and recover costs in the quarrying sector. There have been major complaints by the government especially about the safety practices at some of the mine site, located mainly along the Soesdyke/Linden highway. A few of the sand pits
were not paying their royalties, owing millions in some cases. In others, there were examples of unsafe mining practices. Recently, there was a move to hike the price of sand, despite Government not raising its fees.
U.S. welcomes home remains of presumed war dead from North Korea From page 8 for from the Korea War. About 5,300 were lost in what is now North Korea. Other countries under the command of the United Nations also lost troops that are still unaccounted for, including the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. Pence, in his address at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, said he trusted that Americans killed in the war were among the flag-draped cases flown to Hawaii on Wednesday. “Whosoever emerges from these aircraft, today begins a new season of hope for the families of our missing fallen,” he said. The U.S. military flew the remains from Osan Air Base in South Korea after they had undergone an initial review. John Byrd, director of analysis for the U.S. Defense POW/MIAAccounting Agency (DPAA), told reporters at Osan that the family of the soldier identified by the dog tag had been notified. But he cautioned it was unclear if that soldier’s remains were among those received from North Korea. Experts say positively identifying the decades-old remains could take anywhere from days to decades. Still, the initial field forensic review indicated the “remains are what North Korea said they were,” Byrd said. The North Koreans
provided enough specifics about where each suspected body was found that U.S. officials have matched them to specific battles fought from 1950 to 1951, although not necessarily individuals, he said. DIPLOMATICGESTURE The pledge to transfer war remains was seen as a goodwill gesture by Kim at the Singapore summit, and was the most concrete agreement reached by the two sides so far. While it has taken longer than some had hoped, a U.S. State Department official said the process had so far proceeded as expected, and the handover rekindled hopes for progress in other talks with North Korea aimed at getting it to abandon its nuclear weapons program. But questions have deepened over Pyongyang’s commitment after U.S. spy satellite material detected renewed activity at the North Korean factory that produced the country’s first intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week that North Korea was continuing to produce fuel for nuclear bombs despite its pledge to denuclearize. Air Force General John Hyten, who as commander of the U.S. Strategic Command
Honor guards carry caskets containing the remains of American servicemen from the Korean War (REUTERS/Hugh Gentry) oversees America’s nuclear forces, said North Korea had clearly demonstrated its commitment to halt flight-testing missiles since none had launched since November. But he declined to comment on intelligence about any other North Korean research activities when speaking to reporters on Wednesday. “I won’t say anything about
what they’re doing on the ground because that would cause me to reveal intelligence sources,” Hyten told reporters in a briefing. Friday’s transfer of the remains on the Korean Peninsula coincided with the 65th anniversary of the 1953 armistice that ended fighting between North Korean and Chinese forces and South Korean and
U.S.-led forces under the U.N. Command. The two sides remain technically at war because a peace treaty was never signed. The United States and North Korea conducted joint searches from 1996 until 2005, when Washington halted the operations, citing concerns about the safety of its personnel as Pyongyang stepped up its nuclear program.
More than 400 caskets of remains found in North Korea were returned to the United States between the 1990s and 2005, with the bodies of some 330 other Americans also accounted for, according to the DPAA. The Pentagon said last week it was considering the possibility of sending personnel to North Korea to search for additional remains.
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Iran readying massive military exercise in Persian Gulf, officials say Washington (CNN) Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard forces are expected to begin a major exercise in the Persian Gulf as soon as within the next 48 hours that could be aimed at demonstrating their ability to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, according to two US officials directly familiar with the latest US assessment of IRGC troop movements. “We are aware of the increase in Iranian naval operations within the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman. We are monitoring it closely, and will continue to work with our partners to ensure freedom of navigation and free flow of commerce in international waterways,” Captain William Urban, chief spokesman for US Central Command, told CNN. The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically critical passageway linking the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea that is crucial to international shipping and particularly for global
Thursday August 02, 2018
Kaieteur News
energy supplies. While the US sees no immediate signs of hostile intent from Iran, the IRGC show of force has US military intelligence deeply concerned for three fundamental reasons according to officials: The exercise comes as rhetoric from the IRGC towards the US has accelerated in recent days. It appears the IRGC is ramping up for a larger exercise this year than similar efforts in the past. The timing is unusual. These types of IRGC exercises typically happen much later in the year. As of now, the US assesses the IRGC has assembled a fleet of more than 100 boats, many of them small fast moving vessels. It’s expected Iranian air and ground assets including coastal defensive missile batteries could be involved. Hundreds of Iranian troops are expected to
participate and some regular Iranian forces could be involved as well. The IRGC exercise comes as the US has only one major warship, the USS The Sullivans inside the Persian Gulf, several officials say. Other US warships are nearby and there are numerous combat aircraft in the region. The US military has been trying to encourage other nations in the region, especially Saudi Arabia to take a strong line on keeping the Gulf open in the face of rising Iranian rhetoric. They have also expressed concern about keeping open the waterways off Yemen where Iranian backed rebels have attacked oil tankers. Defense Secretary James Mattis, responding to rising Iranian rhetoric said on Friday, “Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz. They’ve done that previously in years past.
Trump demands Russia probe end ‘right now’
(BBC) US President Donald Trump has ramped up his attacks on the Russia investigation by demanding it end “right now”. In a series of tweets, he said Attorney General Jeff Sessions must halt the inquiry into alleged election meddling. Mr Trump also labelled
special counsel Robert Mueller, who leads the probe, “totally conflicted”. His remarks are notable because he himself has previously acknowledged the US Department of Justice should be free from political interference. According to US media, some Trump aides believe
that Mr Mueller will report soon on the findings of his 14-month investigation as they relate to the president. In a fusillade of tweets on Wednesday, the Republican president also lashed out at the case against his former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, whose trial is entering its second day.
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South Africa’s De Kock hits quickfire 87 to set up ODI win DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - South Africa opener Quinton de Kock’s attacking 87 set up a fourwicket win over Sri Lanka in the second one-day international yesterday, handing the tourists a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Chasing 245 for victory, South Africa reached their target with 43 balls to spare, giving themselves the perfect opportunity to pick up a series win in the 50-over format after going down 2-0 in the test matches. De Kock and Hashim Amla gave the touring side the perfect platform in their run chase with an opening stand of 91 before spinner Akila Dananjaya dismissed Amla for 43.
Dananjaya, who picked up 3-60, also sent back Aiden Markram soon after but de Kock and South Africa captain Faf du Plessis pegged Sri Lanka back with a 53-run stand for the third wicket. De Kock hit 13 fours and a six in his 78-ball knock while du Plessis chipped in with a handy 49, before spooning a catch back to Dananjaya to become the off-spinner’s third victim. South Africa lost du Plessis and David Miller in quick succession but once Dananjaya’s quota of 10 overs ended, Sri Lanka’s attack lacked the teeth to pull off an unlikely victory. Earlier, half-centuries from captain Angelo Mathews and opener Niroshan Dickwella took Sri
Lanka to 244 for eight in their 50 overs after the hosts won the toss and chose to bat. Pace duo Andile Phehlukwayo and Lungi Ngidi picked up three wickets each as South Africa’s bowlers once again managed to prevent Sri Lanka from posting a commanding total. Ngidi, who took 3-50, provided the early breakthroughs for the tourists by dismissing Upul Tharanga and Kusal Mendis off consecutive deliveries in his opening over. Dickwella and Mathews steadied the innings with a 67run stand for the fourth wicket before the former was bowled by Phehlukwayo, who picked up 3-45, for 69. Sri Lanka failed to add much momentum to their innings as none of their other
Sri Lanka’s captain Angelo Mathews reacts next to South Africa’s Willem Mulder and Andile Phehlukwayo after Sri Lanka lost the match against South Africa. (REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte) batsmen managed to cross a score of 20. Mathews re-
mained unbeaten on 79 off 111 deliveries.
The third ODI will be played at Kandy on Sunday.
Guyana Mixed Martial Arts ... Thursday August 02, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Cool your jets today, Aries. This is a good time to stop and focus on you. Make sure to give your body the respect it deserves. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Your brain and warrior instincts are in agreement today, Taurus. Team up with others who share similar thoughts and desires. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Something or someone could confront you today, Gemini. Try not to assume things about the situation before you know all the facts. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Have no fear today, Cancer. You have the power and mental capacity to cut through just about anything. Don't let fear or regret hold you back. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Don't worry about not being on the right path, Leo, because you are. You seem to always be in the right place at the right time. There's no need to feel regret or shame about things that have happened in the past. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) A war could be brewing in your world today, Virgo. Emotionally charged arguments shoot back and forth with conviction. Try not to get discouraged.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) An inner voice is warning you to slow down, Libra. It's probably best if you take a break and let someone else take the lead. Concentrate on matters at home and take care of issues that crop up among loved ones. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Today is a fantastic day to take action, Scorpio. Your eagerness to strike out for new territory is heightened by a drive to experience the unknown. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Think before you act today, Sagittarius. Rash moves are likely to get you into trouble. An annoying interruption in your daily routine could throw you off guard. Sit down and think about the situation before you act too hastily. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Today is a great day to act on things that have been brewing in your brain for quite some time, Capricorn. Perhaps you've been feeling unsure of yourself. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Be a bit more sensitive with your words today, Aquarius. Your mind is apt to be especially active and even a bit restless. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Your mind is clear and your sensitivity focused, Pisces. Now is a good time to make a move. Don't let insecurity or fear keep you from pursuing your dreams.
From page 26 Avenue Diamond New Housing Scheme, the Invisible Kicks Martial Arts Academy located in La Parfait Harmony and the Vreed-en-Hoop Primary Martial Arts Academy located at the Vreed-en-Hoop Primary School. The next event is an international tournament to be held in Suriname scheduled on the 18th and 19th of August.
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Kaieteur News
Thursday August 02, 2018
Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Karate Association hosts Annual Karate Exam
The Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Karate Association concluded their Annual Karate Exam on 29th July 2018 last, where students from the various dojos showcased great skills earning them the next level of grades. The results are as follows: Ashi Harnauth promoted from white belt to 10kyu yellow belt. Junami Telman promoted from white belt to 9kyu orange belt. Enami Telman promoted from white belt to 9kyu orange belt. Tyrese Benons promoted from 10kyu yellow belt to 9kyu orange belt. Beyanka Benons promoted from white belt to 10kyu yellow belt. Michael Bastiani promoted from white belt to 10kyu yellow belt. Akash Roopnarine promoted from 9kyu orange belt to 8kyu green belt. Vikash Roopnarine promoted from 9kyu orange belt
to 8kyu green belt. Parvesh Kumar promoted from 9kyu orange belt to 8kyu green belt. Parmeshwar Haripersaud promoted from 9kyu orange belt to 8kyu green belt. Kevin Cao promoted from 9kyu orange belt to 8kyu green belt. Judah Holder promoted from 9kyu orange belt to 8kyu green belt. Nathalia Mohammed promoted from 10kyu yellow belt to 9kyu orange belt. Judah Ewing chow promoted from 8kyu green belt to 6kyu blue belt. Mark Ferreira promoted from 8kyu green belt to 6kyu blue belt. David Ewing chow promoted from 8kyu green belt to 6kyu blue belt. Terrence Gonsalves promoted from 8kyu green belt to 7kyu green belt. Joseph Da Silva promoted from 8kyu green belt to 7kyu green belt.
Students take time out for a photo after the conclusion of the grading exams. Shiv Ferreira promoted from 8kyu green belt to 7kyu green belt. Sachin ram promoted from 7kyu green belt to 6kyu blue belt.
England slump as India strike back in final session
Davendra Singh promoted from 6kyu blue belt to 5kyu purple belt. Azariah Duncan promoted from 6kyu blue belt to 5kyu purple belt. Randolph Chrisen promoted from 6kyu blue belt to 5kyu purple. Darshan Diaram promoted from 5kyu purple belt to 4kyu purple belt. Roman Pollard promoted from 5kyu purple belt to 3kyu brown belt. Altaf Singh promoted from 4kyu purple belt to 3kyu brown belt. Chandrapaul Sukhu promoted from 3kyu brown belt to 2kyu brown belt. Mahendra Gorakh pro-
moted to 3kyu brown belt to 2kyu brown belt. Tyrese Harris promoted from 3kyu brown belt to 2kyu brown belt. Adrian Rambarran promoted from 3kyu brown belt to 2kyu brown belt. Jaffar Ramnarine promoted from 3kyu brown belt to 2kyu brown belt. Brandon Deolall promoted from 3kyu brown belt to 2kyu brown belt. James Downer promoted from 3kyu brown belt to 1kyu brown belt. Zafar Ramnarine promoted from 1st degree black belt (shodan) to 2nd degree black belt (nidan). Abrar Wahid promoted
from 1st degree black belt (shodan) to 2nd degree black belt (nidan). Master Lloyd Ramnarine congratulated each of the students for their amazing performances and for being successful in their exams, especially to his black belt students who achieved their 2nd degree black belt. Anyone desirous of joining any of the four branches can contact Master Ramnarine on telephone 6986727. The four branches are; the Iron Fist Martial Arts Academy located at the New Grove/Diamond Primary School, the Canadian School Of Arts and Science Martial Arts Academy located in 3rd (Continued on page 25)
Record-breaker McMaster adds CAC...
India’s Virat Kohli celebrates after Ravichandran Ashwin bowled out England’s Alastair Cook. (Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers) BIRMINGHAM (Reuters) - England collapsed in the final session on day one of the first test against India, losing six wickets for 67 runs as they limped to the close on 285 for nine yesterday. England captain Joe Root top scored for the hosts with a fluent 80 runs but his run out from a brilliant throw by Virat Kohli sparked their demise.England, who were 216 for four when Root was dismissed, lost their next four wickets for 27 runs, with spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who ended the day with four wickets, inflicting the bulk of the damage for the visitors. Electing to bat after winning the toss, England had made a solid start to their innings, reaching 83 at lunch in
a morning session that offered some early help to the fast bowlers.The confident start almost threatened to unravel in the afternoon before Root and Jonny Bairstow steadied the ship with a 104run partnership for the fourth wicket. In England’s 1,000th test match, opener Keaton Jennings was dropped on nine, but moved to 42 before being bowled by Mohammed Shami, while Bairstow looked confident on his way to 70 runs off 88 deliveries. India’s seam attack struggled to extract much help from the pitch and the visitors’ one success before lunch was a ripper from offspinner Ashwin that removed Alastair Cook for 13.
The 33-year-old had struck two handsome boundaries off Umesh Radav but in Ashwin’s second over he played forward to a ball that drifted in towards middle stump before straightening past Cook’s outside edge and clattering off stump. After Cook’s dismissal, Shami continued to look dangerous for India — beating Jennings with a beauty in the 21st over. Shami took the wicket of Jennings midway through the afternoon while Dawid Malan could only score eight before becoming the Indian medium pacer’s second victim of the day. Scores: England 285-9: Root 80, Bairstow 70, Jennings 42; Ashwin 4-60.
From page 31 stormed to the finish first in a time of 55.08 second, with Mexico’s Zudikey Rodriguez finishing second in a personal best 55.11. Cuban Zurian Hechavarria also clocked a personal best 55.13 in capturing bronze but there was disappointment for Jamaican Rushell Clayton (55.30) and Trinidadian Sparkle McKnight (55.56) who finished fourth and fifth respectively. There was further success for the English-speaking Caribbean when Barbadian Shane Brathwaite produced a personal best run to win the men’s sprint hurdles in 13.38 seconds. Trinidad and Tobago’s Ruebin Walters copped silver in 13.57 hile Cuban Roger Valentin was a close third in 13.58. In the women’s equivalent, Haiti’s Vanessa Clerveaux stopped the clock at 13.07 to capture silver, following home winner Andrea Vargas of Costa Rica in a personal best 12.90. Jamaican Jeanine Williams
was forced to settle for silver in 13.11 but there was no such fortune for Guyanese Jenea McCammon (13.40) and Barbadian Kierre Beckles (13.48) who were seventh and eighth respectively. Jamaica, meanwhile, managed yet another gold courtesy of Ramone Bailey who left it late before coming up with his winning leap of 8.07 metres to take the men’s long jump. Bermuda’s Tyrone Smith was second with a personal best 8.03 while Trinidadian Andwuelle Wright snatched bronze in 7.94. Guyana’s Emanuel Archibald barely missed out on a medal when he finished fourth with a jump of 7.83, a personal best. In the men’s 200 metres, Jamaican Rasheed Dwyer posted a personal best 20.19 seconds to finish second in semi-final one and qualify for Wednesday’s final. He was joined by countryman Jahnoy Thompson who clocked 20.23 to finish third in the second semi-final where impressive Trinidadian Kyle
Greaux sped to a personal best 19.97 in finishing second. Alonso Edward of Panama reset the games record for the third time on the day when he edged Greaux in 19.96. Colombian Navas Baloyes had earlier broken Churandy Martina’s eightyear-old record with a run of 20.04 in the heats only to reset his own record when he won the first semi-final in 20 seconds flat. In the women’s 200m, Jamaican Jodean Williams won the first semi-final in a personal best 22.88 seconds, with Trinidadian Semoy Hackett (23.01) and French Guiana’s Gemima Joseph (23.74) also booking their spots in the final. Williams’s teammate Shashalee Forbes stormed to victory in semi-final two, clocking 23.02. Trinidadian Kayelle Clarke (23.57) finished second, Cuba Adriana Rodriquez (23.65) was third and Laverne Jones (23.93) of the US Virgin Islands, fourth, to all qualify.
Thursday August 02, 2018
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Kaieteur News
Badminton at the CAC Games 2018 Hamid and Singh softball set for Sunday Ramdhani siblings make good showing in tourney I
n an effort to resurrect the sport on the West Demerara, Imran Hamid and Greg Singh will be hosting a 7-a-side softball cricket competition on Sunday starting at 09:00hrs. The tournament will be played at Goed Fortuin ground and the winning team will take home $100,000 and runner up $50,000. https:// w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / imram.hamid The best batsman and best bowler in the tournament will be given trophies as we l l a s t h e player who hit the most sixes, highest individual score, best figures and the most outstanding Captain. This competition is being sponsored by Sawh Volt Comm Inc., Trophy Stall, Amrol and Sons and Khans Trading. Interested teams can contact Hamid on 622-5843; entrance fee is $10,000 per a team.
The trophies that will be up for grabs.
10-year-old Clark Kent destroyed one of Michael Phelps’ oldest swimming records Yahoo Sports - Michael Phelps has already solidified himself as the greatest swimmer of his generation — if not of all time. It’s only fitting, though, that Superman is the one to pass him up. No, not the Superman from the planet Krypton. And no, not Henry Cavill, who has played Superman in the latest reboot of the series in the D.C. Universe. This Superman is just 10 years old, and he’s already shattered one of Phelps’ oldest swimming records. Clark Kent Apuada, appropriately named Superman, won the 100-meter butterfly at the Far West International Championship in California on Sunday with the time of 1:09:30 — more than a full second faster than the record Phelps set at the same championship in 1995. Since setting that record, Phelps has won 28 Olympic medals — making him the most decorated athlete in Olympic history. Clark, though, has only been swimming competitively for four years, and is just out there having fun. “I love swimming because I have a lot of people supporting me and my coaches are always there for me and my parents are always there,” Apuada told CNN. Apuada, from Carmel-bythe-Sea, California, won all
Michael Phelps, perhaps the best swimmer and Olympian of all time, just had one of his oldest records shattered by Superman — a 10-year-old named Clark Kent in California. (Getty Images) seven of his events on Sunday, including the 50 and 100meter freestyles, the 50 and 100-meter backstrokes, the 50-meter fly and the 200-meter individual medley. “The kid is unlike any other young man that I’ve ever coached,” Apuada’s coach, Dia Riana, told CNN. “He’s always stood out. He’s just, he’s kind of a savant of sorts.”While it may seem early — Apuada is only 10, after all — he is the same age that Phelps was when he set the 1995 record. If Superman keeps it up, fans might see him repping Team USA in an upcoming Olympics.
Clark Kent Apuada broke Michael Phelps Record set in 1995. (Salinas Aquatic Center facebook)
Priyanna Ramdhani (centre) is flanked by General Secretary of the GOA Mr. Hector Edwards (left) and Deion Nurse (right) along with her Teammates.
T
he Guyana Badminton Players, who took part in the CAC Games 2018 held in Barranquilla Colombia, performed exceptionally well with Priyanna Ramdhani reaching the Quarter-Finals in the Ladies singles at only 16 years of age in competition against athletes 20 years and over and being placed in the top eight in Central America and the Caribbean at these Games. Ladies Singles in the opening rounds saw her gaining a bye to move into the second round where she defeated Nathalie Angelique Fedney Vidal: 21-13, 21-11 to move into the Quarters where she lost to Sabrina Solis
Martinez: 21-13, 21-8. Mix Doubles in the opening rounds resulted in Narayan Ramdhani & Priyanna Ramdhani defeating Damien Ricardo Howell & Tamisha Janelle Williams of Barbados in a thrilling three setter, losing the first game at 20-22, and then came back in the second game to win 21-17 and took the last game and match at 21-19. In round two Narayan and Priyanna lost to the Dominican pair of William Cabrera Jose and B. Polanco Munoz in another thrilling three-setter, with the Guyanese pair losing the first game at 22-20, winning the second at 21-17 and losing the third and deciding match
at 21-19. In the Men’s Singles in the opening rounds Narayan Ramdhani lost to the No.1 Jamaican player 21-8, 22-20, while Jonathan Mangra lost to Esteban Hurtado Rojas of Costa Rica in a three setter: 21-12, 12-21, 25-23. Men Doubles opening rounds Narayan Ramdhani & Jonathan Mangra lost to William Cabrera Jose & Brito Gonzalez 21-10, 21-9. The Guyana Badminton Association is expressing thanks to the GOA for all their efforts in getting the team to these Games and it could only have been a great benefit to the Athletes in improving their standards to a higher level.
Parasnath calls upon College-Athletes... From page 29 triumphant among the twelve institutions that competed in the finals of the 30-event programme and registered the first lien on the Brij Parasnath National College Athletics Championships Challenge Trophy. Overall, twenty one Educational and Training Institutions participated in the
heats and trials. At the finals, there were many hotly-contested races and there were thrilling finishes but UG was just too powerful for their rivals and dominated most of the events. UG’s Osafa Dos Santos (36 points) and Ruth Sanmoogan (38 points) were crowned ‘Champion Male’ and ‘Champion Female’ ath-
letes respectively. There were other outstanding performances from Mackenzie High’s Chantoba Bright who won three field events (high jump, long jump and triple jump) and was third in the 200 which was won by Sanmoogan who made a clean sweep of the 100, 200 and 400 titles.
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Thursday August 02, 2018
Kaieteur News
Audacious Russell powers Windies to series lead BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – All-rounder Andre Russell showcased his explosive hitting in a devastating cameo as he fired West Indies to a seven-wicket victory under Duckworth-Lewis-Stern, in the opening Twenty20 International against Bangladesh at Warner Park. Chasing a revised target of 91 off 11 overs after rain during the interval delayed the start of the their run chase, West Indies motored to their target to get over the line with 11 deliveries to spare, with the clock just having ticked past midnight into the early hours of yesterday. Russell bludgeoned an unbeaten 35 off 21 balls, which included three fours and sixes while veteran Marlon Samuels stroked a typically classy 26 from 13 balls. The Windies were slumping at 10 for two in the second over when Russell, promoted to number three, inspired two rollicking stands to wrench the advantage away from the visitors. First, he put on 42 off 22 deliveries for the third wicket with Samuels before adding a further 41 from 21 balls in an unbroken fourth wicket stand with Rovman Powell (15 not out), who ended the match
with a giant six over long-on off captain and left-arm spinner Shakib-al-Hasan. Bangladesh had earlier gotten a top score of 35 from Madmudullah as they tallied a below-par 143 for nine, after they were sent in. Liton Das chipped in with 24 but support throughout the innings was lacking as West Indies made crucial strikes at key stages to stall the visitors’ progress. Fast bowler Kesrick Williams was at the forefront of the attack, finishing with four for 28 while off-spinner Ashley Nurse (2-6) and seamer Keemo Paul (2-24) supported with two wickets apiece. West Indies got off to a dream start when off-spinner Ashley Nurse grabbed two wickets inside the first four balls of the game, to stun Bangladesh up front. With just the first ball of the encounter, Nurse had Tamim smartly stumped, after the left-hander charged and missed one deliberately pushed a bit wider. Left-hander Soumya Sarkar followed his opening partner quickly afterwards, playing back to Nurse and going bowled, also without scoring with five runs on the
board. Das and captain Shakibal-Hasan (19) then repaired the innings in a third-wicket stand worth 38, as Bangladesh found their footing somewhat. The right-handed Das had struck three fours in a 21-ball knock when he tried to pull a quick one from Paul and miscued to Andre Fletcher at square leg. Off the very next ball, Shakib was undone by Williams’ brilliance on the third man ropes, the fielder jumping to haul in the catch – releasing the ball as his momentum took him over the ropes – before stepping back onto the field to complete the catch. With the visitors desperately in need of a partnership at 43 for four in the sixth over, the experienced Mahmudullah came to his side’s rescue, posting 47 for the fifth wicket with wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim (15). The right-handed Mahmudullah stroked three fours and a couple of sixes off 27 deliveries while Mushfiqur faced 11 deliveries and counted two fours. Mahmudullah exploded from a quiet start to punish luckless leg-spinner Samuel Badree in the seventh over,
-
Andre Russell and Roveman Powell walk off after the Windies victory. (Windies cricket Flickr) smashing back-to-back fours before clearing the ropes at long on with the final ball of the over. Paul also suffered in the next over as Mahmudullah lifted him over long off for his second six but Williams got the breakthrough when he had Mushfiqur caught at
Baracara residents get Sports gear, books from Government
third man by Powell in the 10th over. Williams then ensured there was no revival of the innings, grabbing three of the next four wickets to fall to put the Windies in control. Pacer Russell clipped the bails to bowl Ariful Haque for 15 before Williams got Mahmudullah’s prized wicket, the batsman deceived and bowled by a slower dipping yorker in the 17th over with Bangladesh struggling at 125 for seven. Needing to score at just over eight runs an over, the Windies got 10 runs from the first over but then lost two wickets in the second when Evin Lewis (2) top-edged leftarm seamer Mustafizur Rahman to third man and Fletcher (7) edged a cut behind. Any hopes of an upset were then dashed, however, as Russell arrived at the crease early. Showing no signs of the injury which kept him out of the last two ODIs last week, Russell tore into the
Bangladesh bowling with relish. In one over from Mustafizur, the right-hander plundered 20 runs as he belted three fours and a huge six over mid-wicket. Samuels struck a pair of fours and sixes in a 13-ball knock before holing out in the deep off pacer Rubel Hossain in the sixth over but his was the last wicket to fall as Powell, who crunched a brace of sixes off nine balls, helped Russell secure the result. The last two matches of the series will be a weekend doubleheader at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium in Fort Lauderale, United States. Scores: BANGLADESH 143 for nine off 20 overs (Mahmudullah 35, Liton Das 24; Kesrick Williams 4-28, Ashley Nurse 2-6, Keemo Paul 2-24). WEST INDIES 93 for three off 9.1 overs (Andre Russell 35 not out, Marlon Samuels 26; Mustafizur Rahman 2-18).
Serena suffers...
Director of Sport Christopher Jones hands over the Sports Gear. A number of Sports gear and equipment and over 150 books were recently donated by the Government of Guyana to residents of the Riverain Community of Baracara through the Baracara Cooperative Group for the benefit of the residents of the community and those in neighbouring villages. Spearheading a 20member delegation to the Region Six village, some 60 miles up the Canje River,
Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, with responsibility for Labour, Keith Scott, handed over the books to the Co-op. Director of Sport, Christopher Jones who was also part of the delegation donated the sports gear which included cricket, football and tennis gear to the Baracara Community Centre. The minister noted that while the government has been pushing the use of
Minister Keith Scot hands over some of the books to Head Mistress of the Primary school Mrs. Sampson. Information and Technology Communication (ICT), the use of books is vital to teaching and enhancing the ability to read. “We are talking about the computer age, but you cannot understand the computer unless you can read a book,” Minister Scott said. He added, “Barcara is not an isolated village, it is part of Guyana. You are Guyanese and it is, therefore, our job to educate you. Education
belongs to all of us equally and in the same measure no matter where we live.” The minister encouraged all the residents of Baracara to make full use of the books. The area has one school which houses a Primary and Nursery Section. Baracara is a regular participant in cricket activities organised by The Berbice Cricket Board and has reached the playoff stage before.
From page 29 Wimbledon final earlier this month to German Angelique Kerber, had never lost a match before where she did not win at least two games since turning pro in 1995.As poorly as Williams played, the 27-year-old Konta was sharp, firing six aces and smacking 17 winners to Williams’ nine while controlling the tempo of the match.“She obviously wasn’t playing at her best level, nowhere near it, and I really just tried to play the match on my terms,” said Konta, who won the tournament two years ago.“I tried to put aside the incredible champion she is and just play the player of the day,” she said. “I felt I did better than her on the day but it’s still a humbling experience to be out here with her.” With the loss Williams falls to 11-4 since returning to the tour and will look to bounce back when she competes in the Cincinnati Open next month, another hard court tune-up ahead of this year’s U.S. Open. Konta will face American teenager Sofia Kenin in the second round.
Thursday August 02, 2018
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Kaieteur News
Parasnath calls upon College-Athletes to balance their academic and athletic career Brij Parasnath, International Sports Commentator/ Analyst; called upon studentathletes to learn to strike a good balance their studies with their athletics career in their pursuit of excellence at the higher levels. Parasnath delivered the feature address at the opening ceremony of the recentlyconcluded inaugural Brij Parasnath National College Athletics Championships which was held at the Leonora National Track and Field Centre. He exhorted the StudentAthletes who participated in the historic Championships to train hard, be focused but most importantly not to postpone assignments. Parasnath, former Head of the Physical Education Departments at Bladen Hall Multilateral School (1977, September -1980, July) and Bishop’s High School (1980 to 1982); stressed the need to complete assignments on time and ensure that they are submitted to their lecturers so that they will graduate successfully and with flying colours. He said: “All of you need to balance your studies with your athletics and sporting careers. Do not postpone your assignments. Do not postpone your success. Make it a point of duty to complete your assignments as quickly as possible and not allow them to roll over to the weekend when you are most likely to be involved in your athletic activities. By completing them on time, you will ensure that you will earn top grades for course work assignments and eventually graduate successfully with full certificate and distinctions. Many others have achieved top marks academi-
cally while they excelled in major sporting disciplines. If they did it, you too can also achieve excellence too.” He explained how the dream of Tertiary Institutions Championships started at the Cyril Potter College of Education in 1975. Parasnath expressed his sincere gratitude to Aubrey Hutson and other officials of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) as well as from the other Tertiary Institutions to have given rebirth to a dream which was designed to cater for the advancement of secondary school student’s athletics careers at the higher levels. He expressed hope that there will be a physical education teacher in each school in the country, especially at the secondary school level where the athletics and sporting abilities of the nation’s children will be nurtured and allowed to bloom. Parasnath says that he envisaged that Guyana can become the leading country when it comes to tertiary level sports in the Caribbean. Although he migrated to Trinidad and Tobago, Parasnath had served in dual capacity as President and Head Coach of Striders Athletics Club which was the most dominant Club in Guyana between 1977 and 1982. The club won most of the Senior and Junior Championships crowns, crosscountry races, Road Relays, Track Relays, 5ks, 10ks and half-marathons and its athletes dominated events at all levels and was Guyana’s leading athletic coach before he left for the twin-island republic. He had served as the successful Manager/Coach for Guyana teams at the InterGuiana Games 1973 (Guyana’s first ever athletics victory
…Says stick to your training but not to postpone assignments
BrijParasnathNCAC triple Gold medallist Chantoba Bright beams with her medals at Leonora National T&F Stadium. over Suriname), Carifta Games 1978 (Bahamas) and Hampton International Games (1980). Parasnath also emphasized the need for studentathletes to be disciplined, dedicated and to strive to be the best. He said: “It’s important to make the necessary sacrifices and eventually you will be rewarded with successes, both academically and on the track. Stick to it and you will be successful in your examinations and achieve glory on the track.” He also implored the parents present to continue to invest in their children’s welfare, both academically and
BrijParasnathNCAC Champion Team coach Mark Scott is congratulated by Brij Parasnath while Champion Female & Male Ruth Sanmoogan and Osafa Dos Santos share the historic triumph at the Leonora National T&F Stadium.
sportswise; and offered special congratulations to the hard-working Hutson (President of AAG) and Laverne Fraser (Commissioner) as well as their dedicated team of officials for the wonderful job they did in staging the historic National College Athletics Championships that will allow the nation’s best youth-
ful talent to pursue their goals of excellence in academics and athletics. Parasnath also singled out the coaches for special mention and congratulated them for their dedication in shaping the athletic careers of the nation’s budding athletes. He stated that: “With the
successful staging of these Championships, Guyana will now have a bigger cadre of outstanding athletes to choose from to represent it at the higher level Games- like CAC, Commonwealth, PanAmerican and Olympics.” The University of Guyana (UG) with 328 points emerged (Continued on page 27 )
Serena suffers career’s worst loss to Konta
BV/Triumph 8th of May Movement Emancipation Football
League to be launched tomorrow The inaugural Beterverwagting/Triumph 8th of May Movement Emancipation Cohesion Football League is scheduled to be launched tomorrow, Friday 3 August, 2018 from 17:00 hours at the Annex of the Calvary Baptist Church, which is situated on Republic Drive (main road), Beterverwagting. The league which will feature Junior Shield and Senior Cup Phases, will witness the participation of registered teams. The Junior Shield Phase will be for competing U20 teams, with the age eligibility of players being those who were born on or after 1st Janu-
ary, 1998. These teams will test and demonstrate their skills in an attempt to lift the Gold Crown Honours of the Junior Shield League. There will also be a Silver Plate and Bronze Award for the respective second and third placed teams. The Junior Shield will also feature a “Doving Skill Competition.” This skill exercise will occur before and during the breaks of selective matches where designated team players will “dove” it out for a single overall league cash prize of $20,000 and the attainment of a champion trophy for bragging rights.
The Senior Cup phase of the league will feature village and invitational teams battling for over $750, 000 in cash and prizes, with the sponsored top prizes for first, second and third places to be $350,000, $250,000 and $150,000 respectively. All three of the top prizes are inclusive of a trophy. Those expected to attend the launch, are Director of Sport, Mr. Christopher Jones, Assistant Director of Sport, Ms. Melissa DowRichardson, representatives of sponsors and a representative of the Guyana Football Federation.
Johanna Konta and Serena Williams shake hands after the lopsided match. (Reuters) - Twenty-three times major champion Serena Williams suffered the worst loss of her storied career on Tuesday, falling 6-1 6-0 to Britain’s Johanna Konta in the first round of the Silicon Valley Classic. After a routine hold to start the match, Williams lost the next 12 games in a one-
sided affair that lasted less than an hour, stunning the partisan crowd of 3,000 at San Jose State University. Those expecting to see Williams continue to battle back after a difficult child birth last year were left disappointed as the 36-year-old committed 25 unforced errors to Konta’s nine and managed
to put just 41 percent of her first serves into play. “I think she played well in the second set and I think I wasn’t sharp at all in the first set and she got confident and she clearly ran away with it,” the American said after the loss. Williams, who lost the (Continued on page 28)
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Thursday August 02, 2018
Kaieteur News
GT Beer / Keep Your Five Alive Competition
Sparta set up dream matchup against Leopold Street - Back Circle square off against Tiger Bay
Part of quarter-final action in the GT Beer / Keep Your Five Alive Competition currently being played at the National Gymnasium.
Sparta Boss, Tiger Bay, Back Circle and Leopold Street roared into the semi-finals of the GT Beer / Keep Your Five Alive Competition following some lop-sided wins as quarter-final action ended on Tuesday evening, at the National Gymnasium. The semi-finals set for this evening will see Back Circle square off against Tiger Bay in the first game, while Sparta Boss and Leopold Street lock horns shortly after. First up, Leopold Street on the back of a brace from the lively Roy Cassou outlasted a spirited Rhythm Stars 2-1. Cassou, who came on as a substitute, fired in his goals
in the 13th and 17th minutes to seal his team’s spot in the last four slated to be staged tonight. The second encounter saw a mesmerizing performance from tournament favourite Sparta Boss who hammered Showstoppers 8-1 in a clinical display. Sheldon Shepherd, Courtney Britton and Denis Edwards each netted a pair, while Gregory Richardson and Jermin Junor supported with one apiece.Marvin Josiah was the lone marksman for Showstoppers. In the third game, the resurgent Tiger Bay reminded Future Stars that they still have a long way to go after
beating them 5-1 with talisman Deon Alfred continuing his ripping form with four goals.He netted in the 2nd, 13th, 22nd and 26th minutes and surely confirmed to their semi-final opponent that he will take some stopping. Orin Moore completed their tally, while Jamal Codrington scored for Future Stars. Back Circle then closed off the night in exciting fashion with a dominant performance against Albouystown that had looked unbeatable in the earlier rounds. Back Circle won 5-1 with Stephon McLean leading the way with a double in the 8th and 17th minutes, while there
was one each for Delon Kelly, Donavan Francis and Selwyn Williams. Albouystown’s goal came off the boots of Lenox Cort. Complete Results Game-1 Leopold Street-2 vs Rhythm Stars-1 Leopold Scorer Roy Cassou-13th and 17th Rhythm Scorer Dorville Stewart-9th Game-2 Sparta Boss-8 vs
GFF Elite League Season III
Differently Able cyclist Walter Grant-Stuart continues to be assisted by companies and other wellwishers for his trip to Italy to participate in the UCI ParaCycling Road World Championships in Maniago, Italy which is expected to begin today. Grant-Stuart has been riding for some time with success against able bodied riders in Guyana and further afield. He successfully made his debut with a win at the Union de Cycling C1 Para Cycle Road Race in Montreal, Canada in April when he competed. On Sunday last he participated in the fifth Annual Grenville Felix Memorial Cycle Road Race in East Berbice where he placed second. After the event he was presented with a cheque for an undisclosed amount by members of the Felix family of East Canje to offset the cost of his participation in the event. This is the second year in succession that he has been presented with a special prize by members of the family who wished him all the best in his endeavor overseas.
Den Amstel and Fruta Conquerors hit 7 on Tuesday night A whopping 16 goals were scored in two matches when the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League continued on Tuesday night with a double header at the National Track and Field Center (NTFC) Leonora. In the first match, the free scoring league table leaders Fruta Conquerors completely dominated league stragglers New Amsterdam United with a commanding 7-1 performance. The win further improved the leaders’ superior goal difference, while pummeling the New Amsterdam deeper towards a likely relegation. Center Forward/Captain, Eon Alleyne along with new signing Domini Garnett both netted a brace each, while Dennis Edwards, Raushan Ritch and Ryan Hackett all scored once each. Quin Hazel managed to
pull one goal back for the Berbice-based club during the second half (63rd minute) but Conquerors were already up four goals at that point. In the feature match, West Coast based Den Amstel didn’t disappoint their fan base and they delivered an identical 7-1 thrashing on East Coast’s Ann’s Grove. The game was very similarly entertaining and one sided as the previous one that evening. In addition, after Den Amstel had banged in four goals during the first half, Ann’s Grove through Travis Grant managed to pull one goal back early in the second half (46th minute) to have the score 4-1. Delon Lanferman continued his sublime goal scoring form and added to his hat-trick on Sunday night at the same venue with a helmet-trick on Tuesday. His goals came during both periods of play in the
fourth, 33rd, 72nd and 74th minutes. Also on the score sheet for Den Amstel were Kevin Dundas and Leo-Orion Dundas who scored twice. After Tuesday night’s play, Den Amstel are now second with 32 points from 15 games played, while Fruta Conquerors are top with 32 points from 13 matches played with a league’s best goal difference of +31. Third place Western Tigers have played 11 matches with a total of 27 points. The league continues tomorrow at a venue which is yet to be determined with a double header featuring Victoria Kings and New Amsterdam United in the first match at 19:00hrs followed by Western Tigers versus Fruta Conquerors which will be a blockbuster of a match at 21:00hrs. (Calvin Chapman)
Showstoppers-1 Sparta Scorers Sheldon Shepherd-2nd and 11th Courtney Britton-22nd and 24th Dennis Edwards-21st and 28th Gregory Richardson-3rd Jermin Junior-7th Showstopper Scorer Marvin Josiah-8th Game-3 Tiger Bay-5 vs Future Stars-1 Tiger Bay Scorers
Deon Alfred-2nd, 13th, 22nd and 26th Orin Moore-28th Future Scorer Jamal Codrington-29th Game-4 Back Circle-5 vs Albouystown-1 Back Scorers Stephon McLean-8th and 17th Delon Kelly-13th Donovan Francis-23rd Selwyn Williams-28th Albouystown Scorer Lennox Cort-29th
Walter Grant Stuart gets assistance from Felix family for UCI event in Italy
Claville Francis presents the cheque on behalf of the Felix family to Walter Grant-Stuart to assist with his participation at the UCI Para Cycling Road World Championship in Italy. Grant-Stuart in return promised to do his best to make all his well-wishers proud and keep the flag of Guyana flying. He is expected to participate against riders from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Belarus, Brazil, Greece, Hungry, Indonesia, Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia, Switzerland, Slovakia, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, USA,
Venezuela, Canada, China, Columbia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Malaysia, Netherlands, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Great Britain, Germany, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, South Africa and the Russian Federation. Grant-Stuart has been listed as an MC-5 cyclist. (Samuel Whyte)
Kaieteur News
Thursday August 02, 2018
PAGE 31
Mazi Night Club and Hyper Malt confirm support for Guyana Cup 2018
Ramona Suknandan of the Hyper Malt Beverage Company hands over her company's sponsorship cheque to Compton Sancho of the organisers. The most lucrative horserace meet to be organised in the 'land of many waters'; the Guyana Cup 2018 which will see over $15 million in cash and prizes up for grabs, will be run off on Sunday August 19th. The twelfth edition of the race is gaining traction both locally and overseas with a lot sponsors ready to saddle up with the mega event which is organised by the Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred
Racing Committee in collaboration with the Port Mourant Turf Club. The latest supporters of the horserace meet are Mazi Night Club of Richmond Hill, New York, USA and Hyper Malt.Last week, Ramona Suknandan, of the Hyper Malt beverage company handed over her company's sponsorship cheque to organiser and popular horserace commentator, Compton
Sancho.Meanwhile, Vidyanand Chattergoon, Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee Representative, was presented with Mazi Night Club's sponsorship last week as well, from one of their reps at the popular Richmond Hill chill spot. Also throwing support behind the Guyana Cup recently have been Discount Store, Hand-in-hand Insurance, Superbet, Gizmos
Vidyanand Chattergoon of Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee was presented with Mazi Night Club's sponsorship from their Rep. and Gadgets, B.M. Soat and Rohan Auto Spares. The programme of events for the day has been released and as is customary, the C Class event is the main attraction. The day's full race programme reads as follows: 1) C class and lower,
1 6 0 0 m . To t a l p u r s e : $3,875,000 2) 3yr old Derby 1100M – purse: $2,000,000. 3) G1 and lower 1400M – purse: $1,550,000. 4) H3 and lower 1100M – purse $1,350,000. 5) 2yrs old Guyana Bred 1100M – purse: $680,000.
6) I class and lower 1400M – Purse: $581,000. 7) J3 and lower 1400M. Purse: $485,000. 8) L class 1400M – purse $390,000. 9) L class 1400M – purse $390,000. 10) L class 1100M – purse $290,000.
First minnows, now Champs; Guyana defy odds to win CBC Championships Record-breaker McMaster adds CAC title to Commonwealth honour
BARRANQUILLA, Colombia, CMC – Reigning Commonwealth Games champion Kyron McMaster added yet another trophy to his collection when he broke an eight-year games record en route to gold in the men's 400 metres hurdles at the Central American and Caribbean Games here Tuesday night. The third fastest in the world this year, the British Virgin Islands athlete stopped the clock at 47.60 seconds – his second fastest time ever – to eclipse Jamaican Leford Green's old mark of 48.47 set in Mayaguez back in 2010. Jamaican Annsert Whyte clocked a personal best 48.50 to clinch silver while the Dominican Republic's Aquino Santos picked up bronze in 48.77, also a personal best. Another Jamaican Shawn Rowe missed out on
Kyron McMaster of the BVI … won the men's 400m hurdles in a new games record. the podium when he trailed in fourth in 49.30.The 21year-old McMaster, who won Commonwealth gold in Gold Coast, Australia back in April, said the success was his way of honouring his small country. “Today was really more about the c o u n t r y. I t i s m y contribution, but nothing to do with me personally,” he explained.“I just wanted to come out and run for the
country. I am leaning a lot with my new coach. We are just combining, mixing and playing with new things. The Games represent the area where we grew up, our beginnings, our heritage.” W i t h t h e v i c t o r y, McMaster became the fourth athlete from the BVI to win CAC gold.Jamaica captured the corresponding women's final as Ronda Whyte (Continued on page 26)
rt o p S
Audacious Russell powers Windies to series lead P. 28
Andre Russell (left) and Rovman Powell enjoy a chat during their match-winning stand in the opening Twenty20 International against Bangladesh at Warner Park. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)
Shakib Al Hasan (L) of Bangladesh, Andre Russell (C) and Rovman Powell (R) of West Indies smile at the end of the 1st T20i match between West Indies and Bangladesh at Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts
GT Beer / Keep Your Five Alive Competition
Sparta set up dream matchup against Leopold Street - Back Circle square off against Tiger Bay 30P.
Part of quarter-final action in the GT Beer / Keep Your Five Alive Competition currently being played at the National Gymnasium. Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.