Monday August 27, 2018
How to Allocate the Oil Wealth: A Proposal DEAR EDITOR, Cash payments from oil proceeds have generated public interest at every level in the society. Several questions have been raised. Among these questions are: Cash payments- -What amount should be paid and who should be the recipients? What should be the timing and duration of these cash payments? How much funds should be disbursed for public and private goods? These are only a few of the questions raised by many interested Guyanese both at home and in the diaspora. What appears to be lacking in the debate, however, is a ranking of the many choices being discussed within the context of the ten administrative regions and conditioned by a matrix of project preferences that could be transformative across different groups in the society. The development targets, which are not exhaustive, consider categories covering infrastructure, a social safetynet, human development, export and production incentives, research and other target considerations. Using population data and area measurements of Guyana, we can calculate per capita measurements by region and activities, once the project matrix is completed with the choices by Guyanese. Under infrastructure, policy makers can consider projects such as electricity, using solar power, wind, hydro-electricity, natural gas, and oil. Other projects to be considered are street lights, roads, well-water for home consumption, bridges, kokers, drainage and irrigation to avoid flooding, sea defence, airports, a deepwater harbour, schools, hospitals, markets, police and fire stations, green projects, and internet services, among other choices. In the Social Safety-Net category, allocations can be made for pensions, NIS Benefits and health care, services for the poor and elderly, and cash transfers/payments. Human Development should consider education (free primary and secondary schools; trade schools, free books, computers, free transportation (boats, buses), free lunch for school children, well-paid teachers, school nurses). These school services will remove the financial constraint of households with school-aged children and equalize education access with the tools and facilities for learning.
In addition to traditional education subjects, the curriculum must include sports, arts, culture, at least one foreign language (Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, French, Chinese); classes on cooperatives and social cohesion; and unless medically prohibited, every school child must learn to swim, for this is the land of many waters (Guyana has over 40 plus rivers, https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ List_of_rivers_of_Guyana); and children must visit at least three regions where they do not live. This is important because most Guyanese who live on the Atlantic coast of Guyana (Regions 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) do not know or never visited Regions 1, 7 8 and 9, where we have our largest biodiversity of birds, plants, fish and animals as well as tons of fresh water and numerous water-falls. These regions also contain our largest supply of minerals. Visits by children to these regions can influence what they may wish to study and take up as professions. University training for a four-year degree may or may not require student loans. However, if loans are required, these should be available. Using acceptable, annual performance reviews, payback will be in employment in the public service for 5 years. If the scholarship employee leaves before the contract terms are satisfied, s/ he will pay one and half times the unpaid balance. If s/he serves out their five-year contract, s/he will get a cash gift of 50 percent of the loan s/he repaid. If s/he did not graduate, conditions of employment or payment will be worked out. If s/he has to leave the country before graduation or leave the country before the contract is completed, marketable security to the value of the outstanding contract amount must be lodged. For persons leaving the country on official duty/ training within the contract period, the employer will cover the outstanding liability.
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Under the category for export and production incentives, consideration should be given to agriculture, mining (gold, diamonds, bauxite, glass making, other minerals), tourism, forestry, fisheries, small business loans, and house construction using bauxite overburden/clays. This will stimulate employment, strengthen foreign exchange markets and bring down the cost of home construction and ownership. It should be noted that houses made of bauxite overburden/ clay bricks are more environmentally friendly than wood or concrete and these natural environmental elements should be key components in the Green Guyana Programme. Houses constructed with these elements will require less maintenance relative to wooden houses; and they will still be habitable long after the mortgage is repaid, yielding an asset for at least the next two generations. For example, the Court of Policy on Fort Island, and several churches in Essequibo built with clay bricks in the eighteenth century and just after, are proof of longevity. No wooden building in Guyana has this type of durability. Finally, research funds can be allocated for work on bio-diversity, anthropology (Walter Roth Museum, Dennis Williams), mining, among other worthwhile investigative projects from academic and research institutions. While cash payments are not excluded in this targeted development approach, it is posited that cash grants must be ranked alongside all other development projects and safety-net needs in each region. It would also be premature to speak of cash payments without knowing the eligibility criteria for accessing the funds; as well as not knowing what administrative and accountability structures would be needed to manage the funds. Sincerely, Optimistic Citizen
A most unwarranted attack DEAR EDITOR, The Regional Agriculture and Commercial Exhibition (RACE) was officially launched on August 18, 2018 and it was a resounding success except for the rant and rave by an APNU/AFC Councillor from Region Five, Mr Abel Seetaram, who came with one intention, ‘to curse everyone except the Regional Chairman’. He claimed that he was sent by the Minister of Public Security, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, to carry out that mission. I saw him following the Prime M i n i s t e r ’s Representative, Mr. Gobin Harbhajan, as soon as he exited the stage and Mr. Seetaram could be heard hurling insults at him. He accused Mr. Harbhajan of highlighting corruption and attacked Mr. Gladwin Abdulla claiming that they do that because they ‘can’t get money, they go public’ and are not part of the ‘game’ so they want ‘name’. He claimed that Mr Ramjattan told him that as well. If Mr Seetaram’s allegation about the Minister
of Public Security is correct then he should resign immediately since he is no better than his friend Abel. He then went on to make damning allegations against Prime Minister Moses Nagamoottoo and Mr. I m r a n K h a n , t h e Director of Public Information. He claimed that they would write letters to the press and ordered him to sign but he told later them that he could write his own letters. He then claimed that the PM is the ‘nastiest’ and the ‘biggest waste’ man in the country and can ‘kill people’ for what he wants and wished he had died. I always knew that Mr. Seetaram is just a pawn who is being used to carry out the biddings of his master. This APNU/AFC Councillor made all these disparaging remarks in full view of the Regional Chairman, the REO and the media personnel. It is beyond my wildest imagination that this convicted felon is allowed to continue to embarrass this Coalition Government. He should be removed as a
Councillor immediately and be dismissed from his job as a Community Development Officer. M r. S e e t a r a m h a s a history of wrongs and criminal activities, ranging from alleged fraud, indecent exposure, verbal abuse, driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving, damage to property and felonious wounding. He was convicted and sentenced for felonious wounding but is out on bail to continue his nefarious activities. The Prime Minister did the right and honourable when he dismissed him as his Representative in Region 5. As a member of the APNU, I am calling on my Government to get rid of this ticking time bomb. We should not allow this RDC Councillor to continue on his journey of ignominy, brining disrepute to this Government. I am sending the taped recording, which I took at the RACE event to verify what I have written here. Yours sincerely, Raj Lakhram Councillor #52/74 NDC
Apologise Volda Lawrence DEAR EDITOR, Congratulations to Volda Lawrence for becoming the chairman of the People’s National Congress. Now, with Ms. Lawrence being seen as a potential future presidential candidate, in addition to being a current cabinet member and now the second most powerful person in the PNC, she needs to send clear messages to the Guyanese nation that she has no problem with apologizing for wrong things said or done. Such a gesture would be indicative of a matured and people centered leadership and suggest that Ms. Lawrence is ready to be a leader of empathy and caring
concern. Thus Ms. Lawrence should: 1. Apologize to the nation in general, and females in particular, for referring to rape as ‘deflowering’. After all rape, especially of children, is a heinous crime that now carries the death sentence in some nations and that often leaves lifetime trauma in its wake. 2. Apologize to the nation, and especially children for saying that sexual molestation of children is a ‘family matter’. The fact is the rape of our children should be everyone’s concern and should be treated with utmost seriousness every which way, including legally.
Indeed, Ms Lawrence has created history by her ascension to the chairmanship of the PNC. Now she needs to create history by proving that she is a leader who has no qualms about apologizing for seeming to condone and/or water down the most horrible of crimes against the nation’s most vulnerable citizens – our children. Madam Chairman please rise up to the level of leadership demanded of your position; prove to the nation that you are big and strong and humble enough to say ‘sorry’. Sincerely, Annan Boodram
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Monday August 27, 2018
Govt. is taking Guyana and its value for granted A poor job securing DEAR EDITOR, On August 23, Demerara Waves published an article titled, “Guyana will not nationalise American companies: US – Guyana relations of “high geostrategic value.” The title paraphrased the assurance of the current Minister of Natural Resources to the group of visiting US Congressmen. So Guyana’s Oil and Gas industry is already an instrument of foreign policy. The Minister, bereft of a political ideology or personal philosophy, apparently could not provide an alternate assurance. It is no wonder that trolls on social media are expressing concern about the PNCR being an ‘ex-military party’ with two former Chiefs of Staff of the GDF now added to the party’s Executive Committee, and Mr. Van West Charles finding no more use for the AFC. The question that I wish to ask is where do they think they are going? Are the people of this country invisible, irrelevant or asleep? Far from it. I am reminded of the List of Candidates that the PPP/C put up for the 2015 Elections. What did they think they were doing? The Government of Guyana is making a huge mistake by relying too much on the “geo-strategic value” of US-Guyana relations at the onset of our Oil and Gas negotiations. This militarisation of our politics and government may find favour with US interests, but
this is not in the interest of the People of Guyana. The military has a specific role and that does not include Governance. The People of Guyana, in the absence of genuine democracy and lack of open communication from the Government, must pay attention to how the dots are connecting. We must do more than just express our demand for an entirely civilian political culture and government. We must work for it. The People of Pakistan have lost decades and 50,000 lives by being what Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Imran Khan, described as being a ‘client-state, a hired gun’ of the US Government. After decades of suffering, Mr. Imran Khan has now articulated the lesson learned by the people of Pakistan that there can be no military solution to the so-called ‘war on terror.’ In Guyana, we are already pursuing diplomatic solutions to our border conflicts. Military solutions are always the last resort. We must guard against being pushed in a direction that is counter to our philosophy, our history, our culture, our instincts and our collective wisdom. The Government of Guyana is not capable of articulating an alternative paradigm for our Oil and Gas industry. If they were, they would have done it already. We do not nationalise or confiscate private industries and private property because it is theft. It is unjust and unconstitutional. These are
Chinese medical team... From page 4 last the operation was finished. The anesthetist told us that the vital signs were all normal. I knew I had succeeded. After I was finished, I found that my scrubs were wet from sweat. The next morning even though it was only one day post-op, the patient told us she was feeling much better and we knew the surgery was a success and all the doctors said that the outcome is “Amazing!”. My colleague, Dr. Motilall, told us that there are many patients like this and this operation would be very useful for these patients. They have never done any operation like this before in Guyana. Even though I was smiling
at the time, I regretted in my heart that we can only relieve her symptoms and not cure her. The only thing we can do is to relieve her pain and help her live the rest of her life with respect. If these patients come to hospital earlier and the medical condition is much better so that we can assess the patient’s situation correctly, we would have a chance to resect the tumor completely and after operation, the patients can receive sufficient nutrition to sustain their life. It was perfect and the smiling patient and her family will be with me forever. That’s all we want as a doctor. Sincerely, Chinese Medical Team Zhang Biao
our principles and we are grounded in principles, otherwise life falls apart. Efficient Oil and Gas industry requires minimal Government interference and a reliance instead on professionalism. This has to become embedded in our culture for future peace and prosperity. On the contrary, the Government is pushing for the use of Oil and Gas industry as an instrument of foreign policy. Can we see the path of destruction ahead? This Government, with an overreliance on ex-military, has already negatively impacted the Guyana Public Service and the attempts at modernisation have been called ‘a joke’. They have utilised command and control management strategies and marginalised knowledgeable independent minded professionals, weakening the Guyana Public Service. How can we take the ‘word’ of such individuals that they will not ‘nationalise’ industries? How many of the people trying to HEAL Guyana are on the fringes of society? Viewed by the administration as not “fit and proper?’ How many of us have gotten close enough to the AFC Leadership in Government and allowed them to reveal themselves, only to find out that they are short on idealism and big on opportunism? How many of us died inside when scandal after scandal broke about corruption in the Health and other Sectors? Are these the people that we are going to leave to administer our nation now that we are blessed with a boon of Oil and Gas? Nations do not develop by opportunists in administration. The Mahathir
Mohammads of the world are focused on human and national development. We have a Government in office who can play deference politics with US Congressmen but cannot even articulate a strategy for constructively utilising Oil and Gas related revenues. What about social security and compassionate government? How many Guyanese children are malnourished, half-starved of basic needs on a day to day basis? How many parents are suffering mental health issues? Chopping up each other and committing suicide. Adults need support too. What about luring back those teachers who went to Botswana and elsewhere to develop other nations? What about Governance to significantly improve the lives of the Amerindian communities? What about CREDIT for all those people on the fringes of the business community? The list of human development possibilities is endless. And yes, there is also need for infrastructural development works. The time has come for those who wish to HEAL Guyana to come center stage. It is now or never. The time for healing has past. We are now focused on the future. We are grateful for all that the current administration has tried to do for this nation. However, their best is just not good enough for an Oil and Gas producing nation. In the inspiring words of a colleague, “We can do much better.” Leadership for the future demands unshakeable faith in the Guyanese people and the Guyanese dream. Sincerely, Sandra Khan
A life of deception DEAR EDITOR, President Granger’s address to the delegates of the PNC Twentieth Biennial Congress included the statement “numerous unpaid liabilities, including court judgments in excess of G$7 B, had to be settled.” Editor, His Excellency directly caused our nation to be indebted to RUDISA when as Leader of the Opposition, he directed MPs to vote against an amendment to our Environmental Tax law of 1995 which had become discriminatory after the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas came into effect. The combined Opposition at the time voted against the amendment to the law, which would have seen this matter settled without a cent being paid from our
treasury, so for H.E to now say his administration ‘inherited’ this from the PPP is a blatant lie and a sad symptom of his denial of his own irresponsible actions whilst Leader of the Opposition. Robin Marantz Henig famously said, “The English language has 112 words for deception, according to one count, each with a different shade of meaning: collusion, fakery, malingering, selfdeception, confabulation, prevarication, exaggeration, denial.” Given that BK International was paid $1.8 Billion as settlement based on a demand letter, I would add that H.E Granger is living in a hellish existence of his own creation. Respectfully, Robin Singh
convictions
DEAR EDITOR, At some point, I hope sooner rather than later, it will have to be accepted the State is doing a poor job in securing convictions and it needs to be asked were/are the officers (prosecutors, researchers, etc) well prepared, equipped with the knowledge of the law, or set out to embarrass the State? Or this whole thing was a charade from Jump Street to appease society’s clamouring for justice from a rapacious government? If not, the Westford’s case (below) is another glaring example of incompetence to the highest. $600+ million of taxpayers’ money gone unaccounted for and teachers are told they cannot get an increase because no money is there! A high profile case like this should have received laser beam attention from the high echelons of the State. What message is being sent to the man and woman in the streets- the law is an ass for the connected and powerful but a baton for them? Why didn’t the State au fait itself under what legal basis charges could have been brought and ensuring the credibility of the witnesses, after spending tens of millions of dollars on audits, etc? Why didn’t the State do its homework with
rigour and dexterity? It is noted from the inception that Westford’s partner, army officer, Gary Beaton, who was implicated, was never charged. What was his immunity, pray tell (having colleagues in “high office”) or as Trump would say, in the midst of the glaring, “no collusion”? This is gross embarrassment that will see loss of significant political mileage and good will. The PPP/C will make hay of this. When it does, Government should not be upset, because Government presented the opportunity on a golden platter. Honestly, I don’t know how the APNU+AFC thinks it can win in 2020 with these continuous poor records, growing incompetence and arrogance, and mistreatment of the ordinary man and woman. These aren’t energizers to get voters to the poll. Everything we see happening is energizing PPP/ C supporters, depressing APNU+AFC’s, and awakening the apathetic towards the PPP/C or a credible third force. To ignore these, bury heads in the sand, or tilt heads to the sky in aura of confidence will bring rude awakening, only then it will be too late! Minette
Local govt. education must... From page 4 dispensation where they now have the power to make real decisions for the socio- economic growth and development for their communities. This, can only be reinforced by public education, such as the forum, like that recently hosted by the National Council of Local Democratic Organs (NCLDO), and continuous public awareness programmes which must be taken to the communities. This is in addition to Public Service Announcements, where citizens must become aware of the importance of the system of local governance, and their participation in same. This is not about propaganda, as some detractors and enemies of change would be quick to bleat. Instead, it is about bringing to the attention of communities that the mechanism for change is now in their hands, and that it is their right to exercise their power for the betterment of their communities. Above all, they must be made to understand that local government is not about central government, but about their respective regions, municipalities, and neighbourhood democratic councils, of which they as citizens have become the important players in guiding the decision-making process for betterment. This is the message that must be carried to all the regions and the respective local government organs. So, to wait for those mentioned “commentators” is to wait for an expected diet of negativism, since for many of them, and their known political agendas and allegiance, such change of dismantling the old system of micro management, means the end of political domination and control. A clear warning, is that these ‘’commentators’’ and the reactionary forces they represent, will do everything in their power to stymie change, thereby disrupting progress. Our communities and citizens must realize that such elements do not have their best interests at heart, and must guard against their presence. They must not be allowed to thwart the new progressive system of local governance. Sincerely yours, Dillon Goring
Monday August 27, 2018
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We will not allow abuse of Natural Resource Fund By Kiana Wilburg When Guyana’s Natural Resource Fund is established, Central Bank is expected to be appointed as its Operational Manager. This was outlined in the Government’s Green Paper on the Fund. While many acknowledge that it is common for Central Banks to have a role in monitoring the Fund, fears have been expressed about the Bank’s insulation from political interference. In light of such concerns, Central’s Bank Governor, Dr. Gobind Ganga recently noted that the Bank would be guided by the laws governing the management of the Fund. In an interview with Kaieteur News, Dr. Ganga firmly stated, “We will not allow any abuse of the Natural Resource Fund. The withdrawal rules will be upheld.” The Bank of Guyana Governor noted that there will be quarterly and yearly reports about the operations of the Fund. He said that there will be auditors coming in to do separate audits of the Bank’s work and these will be laid in Parliament. He said that the selection of these External Auditors will be determined by the law and they will be individuals who are certified to audit in Guyana. Further to this, Dr. Ganga said that Central Bank has commenced a review of the skills that would be needed for the management of the Natural Resource Fund (NRF). He added, “Our role is not anything difficult. The role of central bank will be to operationalise the Fund. When the money is coming in and it is placed into the Fund, our role will include where would we put the money in terms of investments and this would be guided by law. So the law will say you can only put your investments in Triple A securities which are very safe securities. We know what is needed and it is similar to what we have already being doing. It is similar to managing our own reserves.” Dr. Ganga was also asked to state if the Bank has asked
- Central Bank Governor
Central Bank Governor, Dr. Gobind Ganga the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help in conducting an assessment of whether it is capable of managing such a Fund. He answered in the negative but noted that it was a topic of discussion. NO GUARANTEE OF PROSPERITY Governments are often open to creating Natural Resource Funds with the intention of squirreling away excess moneys made on their natural resources. These moneys can be used for various purposes. They can help to support budget shortfalls, used for international investments or simply serve as a savings for future generations. But SWFs by themselves cannot guarantee future prosperity. This point was made recently by economic analyst Andrew Bauer. He is attached to the prestigious Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI). The consultant pointed out that the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund in Canada
for instance, was designed in part to save oil revenues for future generations. Yet, it failed to save anything in all but two years between 1987 and 2012. As for Trinidad and Tobago, Bauer said that this country’s Heritage and Stabilization Fund’s mandate to mitigate the negative effects of oil revenue volatility on the country’s budget, actually led to worse public investment decisions. He said that it even led to slower growth. Elsewhere, as in Kuwait and Libya, the NRGI official highlighted that SWFs became channels for corruption and patronage, diverting billions of dollars away from social service and infrastructure spending. In short, Bauer emphasized that SWFs by themselves do not guarantee sound macroeconomic management. In fact, the economic analyst said that these Funds may complicate budget processes and make public spending less accountable. Bauer said, “SWFs can be useful, but only if they help fulfill at least one macroeconomic objective, such as mitigating the impact of oil or mineral revenue volatility on government spending, or ‘parking’ oil windfalls until they can be spent more efficiently.” The economic analyst said that a global study of natural resource funds by the NRGI and Columbia Center for Sustainable Investment (CCSI) found that there are two pre-conditions for funds to function as planned: Appropriate rules must be enacted, and there must be ad-
equate oversight and enough broad-based consensus to ensure compliance with those rules. APPROPRIATE RULES While there is no one-sizefits-all solution, Bauer said that the joint study of the two institutions offers guidance. With regard to deposit and withdrawal rules, the analyst said that these determine the timing, amount and conditions for the sovereign wealth fund’s inflows and outflows, either to or from the government’s main bank account. Bauer said that withdrawal and deposit rules must be tight enough to constrain government spending but loose and flexible enough to withstand political pressures to spend more. “For instance, Timor-Leste enacted a rule that only allowed its government to spend three percent of petroleum wealth in any given year. This rule was too restrictive given the country’s capital scarcity, high poverty levels and the high social rate of return on domestic investment. As a result, the rule has consistently been broken. Further
guidance on deposit and withdrawal rules can be found here.” Bauer then turned his attention to investment risk limitations. In this regard, he pointed out that SWFs hold public assets to improve macroeconomic management or for safekeeping. As such, he noted that governments should not be allowed to gamble with these funds and their asset portfolios should reflect their purpose. “For example, a petroleum fund designed for stabilizing budget expenditures would require more liquid assets than a savings fund designed to benefit future generations since the government might need to draw on these assets if oil revenues collapse unexpectedly. Regardless of the asset allocation used, SWFs should be explicitly prohibited from investing in certain high risk assets, such as junk bonds.” Bauer said that Governments must also monitor conflicts of interest and set clear investment guidelines. Where there is inadequate oversight and rules are unclear, he said that it is often too easy for investment managers to invest with political allies, family or friends. “Equally, following the
precedents set by Abu Dhabi (UAE), Botswana, Chile, Kazakhstan and Norway, among others, legislation should strictly prohibit SWFs from investing domestically. Spending directly out of the SWF could bypass the normal budget process, including parliamentary, auditor, media or citizen oversight.” Bauer said that this could result in inconsistencies with the budget and circumvention of controls and safeguards such as project appraisal, public tendering and project monitoring. In Angola, Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia, Bauer said that SWFs have been used as secondary budgets, becoming easy sources of patronage or financing for investments that support the political goals of fund managers. As for institutional structure, Bauer made the point that there should be a clear division of responsibilities between the legislature, president or prime minister, the fund manager, the operational manager and external managers to help funds meet their objectives and prevent corruption. Again, he noted that there is no standard solution, but guidance from those who have studied the area, is always recommended for consideration.
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Kaieteur News
PM Nagamootoo defends Govt.’s acceptance of fleeing Venezuelans …Opposition warns permanent settlement is threat to territorial integrity Amidst warnings of a security threat, Guyana continues to accept Venezuelans fleeing their homeland due mainly to worsening economic and political turmoil. In fact, by international estimates, more than 1.5M have left the South American country in search of better conditions, many of them have trekked over to neighbouring countries. Guyana has seen an influx in recent months along border communities, especially in Region One (Barima Waini), promoting Govern-
ment to announce plans to construct a homestead at Mabaruma for registered Venezuelans. Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo has defended Guyana’s acceptance, pointing that the country has tried to regularise the inflow by admitting Venezuelans who had passports, and tracking cases of suspected trafficking in persons. “We were accused of allowing entry to those with only ID cards, which was not the case; but it is significant to note that a close ally of the
Maduro outfit, Ecuador, is accepting Venezuelans with ID cards only. Peru, Colombia and Bolivia have all eased restrictions,” the Prime Minister stated. The Prime Minister defence of the Government’s position is being made as the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has cautioned against the long-term settlement of Venezuelans. For decades, Venezuela has maintained a claim to Essequibo. According to Opposition leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, there are three types of individuals
Minister of Citizenship Winston Felix (at head of table) at a recent meeting with other stakeholders to discuss Government’s approach to the influx of persons from Venezuela. who will come through the borders into Guyana from Venezuelan – Guyanese who live in Venezuela, Amerindians who tend to move across borders seamlessly without passports and Venezuelans who are leaving the country. According to Jagdeo, as it relates to Venezuelans, Guyana has an obligation to treat them fairly and in a humanitarian way. However, he stated, “In the long-term, they will be repatriated to Venezuela, given the nature of the threat on the border and what a settlement on the border, with permanent residents from Venezuela – a settlement of that nature can pose a threat to our territorial
integrity and arguments in the future.” In his column published in the Sunday Chronicle, the Prime Minister said that the decisions taken by Government thus far are on ‘humanitarian grounds’. He recalled when Minister of Citizenship Winston Felix visited Guyana’s border areas where stranded Venezuelans were reportedly eating from garbage cans and sleeping virtually in inhabitable hovels. “Ministers in the Health and Indigenous Peoples’ sectors went to locations where there were cases of measles and polio – diseases that have been eradicated in Guyana. They rendered prompt assis-
tance,” Nagamootoo stated. He pointed out that Guyanese cannot be unaware of the plight of refugees. The Prime Minister noted that during ‘hard times’, Guyanese scattered almost everywhere. “Wherever they went, and whatever they became, Guyanese made a success story of themselves. They became achievers from hard work, whatever the nature of that work,’ the Prime Minister noted. He added, “We cannot curse the bridge that we ourselves had crossed, either to Venezuela, Suriname, Brazil and beyond our Atlantic shores.”
Monday August 27, 2018
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CAT GOT AFC’s TONGUE? The following are the Regional Executive Officers of Guyana’s ten administrative regions: Leslie Wilburg – Region 1, Barima-Waini Rupert Hopkinson – Region 2, PomeroonSupenaam Dennis Jaikaran – Region 3, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara Pauline Lucas – Region 4, Demerara-Mahaica Ovid Morrison – Region 5, Mahica-Berbice Kim Williams-Stephens – Region 6, East BerbiceCorentyne Roderick Edinborough – Region 7, Cuyuni- Mazaruni Gavin Gunga – Region 8, Potaro-Siparuni Carl Parker – Region 9 Upper Essequibo-Upper Takutu Orrin Gordon – Region 10, Upper Demerara-Berbice The Regional Democratic Councils (RDC) is the supreme local government organ in Guyana’s ten administrative regions. The RDC is a mini-government. It has vast responsibilities. The provision of health, education and infrastructure all within the regions fall under the RDCs. The RDCs also assist the lower-level
local authorities such as village councils and neighbour democratic councils. In addition, they are assigned agency functions for some government agencies and ministries. The RDC’s therefore should ideally reflect, as far as possible, the ethnic makeup of the country. This will help encourage social cohesion, something that the government says it is interested in having. Each Regional Democratic Council is headed by a Regional Chairperson who is an elected official. Given this fact, one can appreciate that the hands of the government are tied when it comes to ensuring ethnic and gender balance of the Chairpersons of Regional Democratic Councils. However, the same cannot be said of Regional Executive Officers (REOs). These are appointed positions. The REOs is the Accounting Officer and Clerk of a region. The REO is akin to a Chief Executive Officer. Here again, however, the government has failed to ensure ethnic balance in the appointment of Regional Executive Officers. At the least, the government could have ensured greater
Amerindian representation, particularly in the appointments of REO’s for Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9 where the Amerindians form the largest ethnic group. The Alliance For Change (AFC), in this regard has been a major disappointment within the government. They hold 40% of the seats in Cabinet. It should be more vocal when it comes to ensuring that these appointments reflect greater ethnic balance. But it seems as if cat got the AFC’s tongue. The AFC can no longer use the excuse of being off-guard when it comes to state appointments. Just after the May 2015 elections, there was a public outcry over the ethnic and gender imbalance of appointments to state Boards. At the time, the AFC claimed that the process may have been rushed. AFC leader Raphael Trotman has been quoted as admitting that the various boards lacked gender and ethnic balance. The AFC therefore was fully au fait with the need to ensure greater ethnic balance in appointments. The AFC therefore cannot claim that the appointment of Regional Executive Officers was rushed. It therefore must
explain whether it was consulted on these appointments and what was its position; and if they were not consulted why they had not objected to the lack of ethnic balance in the appointment of Regional Executive Officers. The AFC owes the nation an explanation as to how it plans to ensure ethnic security in a divided nation when it has not been able to prevent these imbalanced appointments. If theAFC is being bullied within the government, it should come out and say so and then remove itself from the government. The AFC has been allocated 40% of the seats in Cabinet and in the National Assembly. It can use its position within Cabinet to speak out in favour of greater
ethnic balance in state appointments. It must not be seen as complicit in imbalanced appointments. The AFC is not powerless. It can exert pressure on the government even if it is ignored. Recently, a government motion – misplaced as it may be – was defeated in the National Assembly because two AFC Ministers abstained. With the government only holding a one seat majority in the National Assembly, the AFC holds the balance of power within the National Assembly even though it is on the government side. It can bring pressure to bear on the government to remedy the imbalance in state appointments. Right now the APNU+AFC is smelling ranker than the PPPC. If you compare the ethnic balance in Permanent Secretaries
between the PPPC and the APNU+AFC, the PPPC was far more balanced. The PPP had appointed more African Guyanese as Permanent Secretaries than the APNU+AFC has appointed Indians. Under the PPPC, the following African Guyanese were appointed as Permanent Secretary: Emil McGarrel, George Jarvis, Joslyn McKenzie, Trevor Thomas, Delma Nedd, Leslie Cadogan, Lorraine Baird, Alfred King and Angela Johnson. The APNU+AFC promised change. Most people thought this meant change for the better.
Monday August 27, 2018
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Guyanese-led Oil Company ready to develop country’s weak local content By Kiana Wilburg
The industrial and educational capacity needed to ensure Guyanese take a leading role in managing the country’s nascent oil and gas sector is woefully deficient. In spite of calls from revered institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for an accelerated process, the sloth continues. But even in the face of several challenges, one Guyanese is determined to change this state of affairs by taking an active role in developing local content in Guyana. Just more than a year ago, Sheldon Davis partnered with Century Tamara Energy Services (CTES), a Nigerian oil and gas firm with more than 30 years experience. Together, they have established an office here that sees a large employment of locals. According to Davis, his partnership with the Nigerian firm has enabled him to provide an array of capacity building exercises for his fellow brothers and sisters. Davis said that taking an active role in the development of local content here is of importance to him, especially when one considers the recent call by the government for support from regional and international partners to build the capacity of policy makers, officers, technicians, private sector professionals and all stakeholders on the issues and challenges surrounding this emerging sector. Davis said, “With this CTES partnership, we are more than equipped and ready to answer Government’s call for experienced partners. Just to give you some insight into what we do, CTES provides Supply Chain Management services, Operations and Maintenance programmes, Marine Services, Ports/
CTES Country Manager, Sheldon Davis Terminal Development and Management services, and even training to the South American Hydrocarbon market.” The Country Manager continued, “CTES prides itself as the only one that will do whatever it takes to get the oil/gas to the market that needs it while ensuring full domestic participation and contribution to economic and national growth. In the maritime services sector, CTES offers a suite of services. These include Port Management; Chartering and Management of Offshore Support Vessels, Platform Support Vessels, Utility Vessels, and Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessels; Mooring and Installation, Bunkering Services and Tank Farm Operations.” Further to this, he said that CTES brings along with it, more than a decade of knowledge and experience from its strategic partner, Century Group, which happens to be sub-Sahara’s largest indigenous oil and gas service provider in the operations and maintenance of both onshore/offshore facilities. CTES also offers a range of other services, which
include Operations and Maintenance of FPSO’s onshore/swamp-area flow stations; Manpower and Crew services; Community Liaison and Storage and Evacuation Solutions. With the blessings of the government, Davis noted that CTES would be ready and committed to training and certifying qualified Guyanese for oil and gas positions, which include but are not limited to: Production engineers, technicians, production chemist, maintenance engineers, welders, fitters, oilers, maintenance planners, engine room operators, materials cocoordinators, deck supervisors, Health Safety and Environment (HSE) personnel etc. LOCAL CONTENT & EXTERNALPARTNERS According to Davis, the need for local content development in Guyana cannot be over emphasized. He stressed that Guyana’s local content policy, in whatever form it takes, must ensure the development of partnerships between locals and regional and international companies so that Guyanese can be able to harness the opportunities involved in the oil sector. He said that these include opportunities to bring more foreign direct investment, job creation, skills acquisition, technological transfer and wealth creation. Davis said, “Many countries with natural resources, especially oil and gas, have already developed polices to favour the fostering of partnerships to help develop these resources. The idea is to enact and enforce policies that will persuade participating companies to transfer technology, create job opportunities and at the
same time patronize the local supply industry while they are exploiting resources of the host country.”
The Country Manager continued, “Partnership networks between companies, governments,
schools/universities, and training institutions, including affected Continued on page 23
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Don’t pay those new minibus fares yet! - Minibus Association head Not so fast. That’s the message that President of the United Minibus Union, (UMU) Eon Andrews is sending to unscrupulous minibus operators who have already raised their fares. Following a meeting between the Association and the Ministry of Business, operators are to increase their fares by $20 from September 1. However, some operators are already demanding the extra $20 from passengers. The issue has been fuelling anger amongst users of public transportation system. This past week, Kaieteur News caught up with some users of minibus and hire cars, who expressed their concerns over the demands being imposed. Melissa Agard, a regular passenger of the (‘Short- to- Grove’) bus route explained she has had clashes with the minibus operators over the issue. “Unless you demand your rightful change, these bus conductors are taking the extra $20. It is not fair for us to have to argue with these minibus people for our rightful
change,” she exclaimed. Another passenger questioned whether the fare is temporary and based on the rise or fall of fuel prices. “I just want to know since $20 is being added on the regular fare because of a spike in fuel prices whether when the price of fuel drops if the fares will decrease. I believe that would be a fair deduction.” Commuters have often complained about the manner in which they are treated by minibus operators. The passengers expressed concern at being verbally abused by operators if they object about overloaded vehicles, the volume of music or music with vulgar lyrics, or about reckless driving. As such, many commuters are in support of a code of conduct for minibus and public transport operators. Meanwhile, President of UMU, Eon Andrews noted that the Union is actively pursuing the implementation of a rule book for minibus operators. “If I am honest with you, decorum is a big issue for minibus drivers and conductors,
A scene at the Route 44 Minibus Park especially when it comes to dealing with passengers. They want to overload the minibus and play the music as loud they like without taking into consideration that they are providing a service.” So some of the things we are taking into consideration is ensuring that these minibus operators undergo some form of training before they are licensed. We also want to make sure that they are uniformed,” he added. At present, we are looking to consult with a number of
agencies including the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, and Ministry of Public Security on the draft the code of conduct. We are looking at introducing suitable legislation to back the code of conduct.” Andrews said that the travelling public will also be included in the process of consultation since civil society will largely by affected by the pending changes. As it relates to the increase fares, Andrews noted
that fare structure would have to be posted on minibuses in keeping with the law to ensure that commuters are not exploited. “We will be circulating the new fare structure so that commuters will not be exploited. There are some instances were a ‘short drop’ is already $80 and $100. Those prices are adequate for ‘short drops’; they need not be increased. “In the meantime, it must be reiterated that the increase
is from September 1 so any imposition of increase to commuters before that is a violation and passengers are urged to report such incidents to the police.” Andrews said too that the cost of fuel is not the only factor for the fare increase. “We took into consideration a number of factors, including the cost of tires, excise taxes, insurance, licensing fees and what would be a fair price for passengers to pay before deciding on the increase,” he added.
Govt. incapable of fighting crime - Former Pres. Ramotar - claims anti-Chinese sentiments fuelling some attacks Former President Donald Ramotar has asserted that the early morning robbery and beatings of the proprietors of the Real Value Supermarket is the latest incident that confirms that crime has our nation in a strangle hold. The incident occurred on Tuesday, August 21, 2018. “Crime has increased greatly under this regime,” Ramotar expressed in a statement. There were similar sentiments expressed about the crime situation while Ramotar was president under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration. Murders, including drug-related executions, were in some cases in the hundreds during the height of the ‘crime wave’ period. Many crimes also went unsolved, with some ‘cold cases’ only being solved after the PPP lost power. However, Ramotar stated that the tough stand that the Coalition said they would take against the criminals proved to be totally false, pointing out that many police officers are feeling restrained in dealing with the criminals
because they are afraid of being reprimanded by officials in the Government. “The only way to get a handle on this situation is to involve our people, to gain their trust so that valuable information would be given to the police by the population in the fight against criminals,” Ramotar stated. Further, he said that the people need to feel that the disciplined forces are protecting them as a whole and not carrying out the political diktat of the Government. The former President pointed out that when the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) regime took power in May 2015, many felt that that regime would have been able to deal with the crimes. He noted that the ‘false expectation was, no doubt, due to the fact that the list of candidates of the now ruling parties were littered with numerous former army and police officers’. “Indeed, President David Granger was Second in Charge of the Army at one point during his career. The Minister of the Presidency,
Former President, Donald Ramotar Joseph Harmon was senior in the Intelligence Department. Both were in very senior positions when Walter Rodney was brutally assassinated. The list too has names like Winston Felix, a former Commissioner of Police,” Ramotar stated. IMPACT ON POLICE Ramotar pointed out that the administration ‘intended to fool’ law enforcement officers from the beginning by promising a 20% increase in the first year. Further, Ramotar stated that A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) APNU, the largest partner in the Coalition Government, had long ago signaled their displeasure in (Continued on page 24)
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SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK;Guyanapassport application. G r a p h i c s design, advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535.
FOR SALE
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PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620
1 Air compressor 5HP 3 Phase 230/220 volts. Call: 628-1486/698-1134.
Generac Pressure Wash for sale 3100 PSI. Tel#654-5267/ 652-2244/220-4203
Furnished 2 & 3 bedroom apartments available for rent in Providence. Contact 6826238, 617-2666 & 660-7716
CAT 320 DL, 2 complete 6'’ land dredge, 2 Perkins engine, MWM 6'’ Cylinder, Miller, Kubota, Boats , Yamaha. Call: 613-5062 $22M
One two (2) bedroom apartment in Kitty. Contact# 227-6824
Pure breed German Shepherd pups for sale. Contact Tel# 612-6672, 697-1141
Installations, Repairs and parts for AC, Fridge, Washing machine, Stove etc call Nick 627-3206, 630-1600
2 Bedroom apartment 140 BB Eccles Scheme. Contact Malinda Williams @ 6536743/665-6160
September Cosmetology Courses $40,000 Nail Technology $25,000 Advance Make-up $15,000, All products provided. Abby #614-6749
EDUCATION IAE- Register for full time school (Grade 7-11) Lessons, Day & Evening CSEC adult classes. Call/Whatsapp #683-5742 Register your child for after school classes for slow learners in Phonics, Reading, Maths etc, #6754379 Study in Canada/US 100% acceptance MicroGraphics #264-3057 2019 Processing now. CXC 2018 Computer deal 9 course Diploma $40,000 4 Course Computerized Accounting MicroGraphics Vreed-en-hoop #264-3057
1 Male to look after layer birds in the interior. #688-9450 Live in waitress to work in bar. Call: 692-4649 Contract cars: Contact City Taxi Service, 8 Vlissengen Rd. Phone : 696-0404/226-1081
2006 Suzuki Escado (White) Excellent condition. Price $3.5M Neg. Contact #6093777/697-4557 2011 Ford Raptor fully loaded, 6.2 litres 4x4 excellent condition blue #610-5370
Commercial Land at EBD Friendship Craig Busbee Dam, Ideal for Wharfs. Houselots at Farm & Eccles #672-0416, 226-6568 Lot 15 Public road #2 Vill. WCB 3 House Lots. Rice Cultivation 49ftx10,314ft length. Price $18M. Contact# 648-7109/686-4818 Lot 89 Robb Street, Lacytown, Georgetown. Next door to Mike’s Pharmacy. Phone: 617-5323, 666-8052 3 storey commercial building. Location- Lot 1486 Plot B Herstelling (2 Bridge) EBD. Suitable for school/ apartments. Contact #6093777/686-0522 Super newly renovated property, 2 storey house with 2 washrooms, one with bathtub, Lowland ECD Price $10.5M Nego. Cell: 647-0655 TAXI SERVICE West Dem Cabs 24 Hrs Goed Fortuin WBD Tel#253-3600/ 696-6709 Parfaite Harmonie #656-3872/694-3110 TOLET Student accommodations availablein Goedverwagting, E.C.D. 6 minutes from UG. Private bedroom. Phone: 222-6004 after 5pm
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MISSING: Monica Ramdayal
Responsible hire car drivers. Tel# 231-7200
Skilled carpenters and mason to work in Linden. 602-9469, 660-6385 VEHICLE FOR SALE
A 26-year-old mother of two has gone missing. The woman, Monica Ramdayal is the reputed wife of R a j i s h R a m a s a r. T h e y reside on the Linden/ Soesdyke Highway. According to her reputed husband, his wife has gone missing since last week Monday. Rajish said that upon arriving home on Monday at approximately 06:30pm, he noticed that his spouse
Experienced, mannerly, caring female 45-55 yrs to care for elderly female, 3 nights & Saturday daytime weekly. Call: 624-0239 8am-5pm
Back to Eden 85 David Street GT. Bakers, Pastry, Puri makers, General. Apply in Person, Food Handlers’ Certificate.
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Mother of two goes MISSING
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Monday August 27, 2018
Kaieteur News
1 experienced driver/ salesman to drive canter, must be living between Parika & CI. Tel#661-9447/662-9341 1 Live in nanny/domestic to take care of children. Must know to cook various meals. Age 32-48. Contact 682-8251 Experience our 2 weeks cosmetologist workshop $20,000 & 1 hair dresser wanted who knows to do everything. Contact Melissa: 698-3018 3 Bedroom house with concrete yard space E.C.D 659-6494, 216-3709 1 Female caretaker to work in Atlantic Gardens E.C.D. 1 Planner - experienced in pressure systems. 1 Receptionist - Age 18-25. Contact 608-5303 VACANCY Manager to work at Xenon Hotel in Charity. Call#2235273/74 Driver/Expediter. Call: 2235273/74 Carpenter & Mason to do Maintenance work at Adamantium Holdings. Call: 223-5273/74 Experienced washbay staff. #646-8748 1 Female tutor to teach 3 year old boy 12:00-5:30 Mon-Sat Apply Alabama Trading For sales girl. Apply at Alabama Trading 65 Robb St Bourda Vacancy exist for labourers 18-23 yrs & Operators 23-40 yrs to work at Del Ice Co. Tel #231-1408/642-9191
VACANCY Fantastic Job Opportunities. Architects, Engineers, Draftsmen, Construction workers. CXC Graduates. Email Experience & Q u a l i f i c a t i o n s guyanajobs@yahoo.com Tel# 656-0075 Salesmen - Age 18-40 knowledge in stocktaking & salesmanship, apply with written application KeyFood McDoom Village. Experienced Pharmacy assistants to work @ Reputable pharmacy in G/ town. Interested persons call #227-0630/628-8811 between 8am-4pm Vacancy for assistant manager & shop manager at Wencai Trading. Phone 6179513 Experience Bartenders and Cleaners. Call: 225-8572 between 7am - 9am Experienced Handyman with 2 yrs experience. Apply @ Christine’s Variety, Lombard St. Contact: 227-8529 Experienced female Accounts clerk, must have passes in English & Maths, Apply at Alabama Trading 65 Robb St, Bourda Jos-el Educational Institute seeks 1 grade 5 teacher Experienced, 1 year 1 Nursery Teacher Abeka trained. Phone#226-7868 Vacancy exist for two experienced pastry makers. Apply @ Humphrey’s Bakery & Farm Products Ltd. 38 Ketley St Charlestown. Tel# 225-7864/227-8607 Cook/Baker for interior location. Must know to cook & bake a wide variety. Call R&V Mining 618-2020 Azeez Burgers now hiring. 672-9662 Data Entry Processing clerk, with knowledge of QuickBooks, Apply in person with application. Wieter & Richter, Water St Tel#226-6150
was not there and made inquiries about her whereabouts from their 13year-old daughter. The teen told her father that her mother had left home for Georgetown. Ramasar told the newspaper that he tried calling Monica several times but all his calls went unanswered. The worried husband added that he made contact with his wife’s parents who told him that they had not seen her. He is kindly asking anyone who knows of Monica’s whereabouts to contact the nearest police station. They can also contact him on 680-9631 or her father on 675-7516. Rajish has already reported his wife missing to the Timehri Police Station. He’s worried about her and begging for her safe return as he and their children miss her greatly.
Partly decomposed body found on C’tyne shore Police are seeking help to identify a partly decomposed body that was found yesterday morning along the Hampshire, Corentyne foreshore. According to police, the corpse, believed to be that of a male Caucasian, was found by a fisherman sometime around 5:30 a.m. It is currently at the Bailey’s Funeral Home awaiting identification. However, if the body is not identified within a certain time, the police will be forced to bury the corpse because of the state it is currently in. The police are currently seeking to make an image available to assist in identification.
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CHILD KILLING BY MOM…
Tributes to John McCain, ‘American patriot and hero’ WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Tributes continued to pour in yesterday for John McCain, the former US presidential candidate, veteran senator and war hero who has died at age 81. Here is a selection of key quotes from home and abroad: President Donald Trump: “My deepest sympathies and respect go out to the family of Senator John McCain. Our hearts and prayers are with you!” Former president Barack Obama: “We shared, for all our differences, a fidelity to something higher — the ideals for which generations of Americans and immigrants alike have fought, marched and sacrificed.” Former president Bill Clinton and secretary of state Hillary Clinton: “Senator John McCain believed that every citizen has a responsibility to make something of the freedoms given by our Constitution, and from his heroic service in the Navy to his 35 years in Congress, he lived by his creed every day.” Former president George W Bush: “Some lives are so vivid, it is difficult to imagine them ended. Some voices are so vibrant, it is hard to think of them stilled. John McCain was a man of deep conviction and a patriot of the highest order.” Former president George HW Bush: “Few sacrificed more for, or contributed more to, the welfare of his fellow citizens — and indeed freedom-loving peoples around the world.” Former president Jimmy Carter: “Americans will forever be grateful for his heroic military service and his steadfast integrity as a member of the United States Senate.” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: “Senator John McCain was an American patriot and hero whose sacrifices for his country, and lifetime of public service, were an inspiration to millions.” German Chancellor Angela Merkel: “Senator McCain was one of the great political figures of our time and a tireless fighter for a strong transatlantic alliance; his importance stretches far beyond his own country.” French President Emmanuel Macron: “John McCain was a true American hero. He devoted his entire life to his country. His voice will be missed. Our respectful thoughts go to his beloved ones.” British Prime Minister Theresa May: “John McCain was a great statesman, who embodied the idea of service over self. It was an honor to call him a friend of the UK. My deepest sympathies go to his family, and the American people.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu:
John McCain “I will always treasure the constant friendship he showed to the people of Israel and to me personally.” Jens Stoltenberg, secretary general of NATO: “John McCain - soldier and senator, American and Atlanticist. He will be remembered both in Europe and North America for his courage and character, and as a strong supporter of NATO. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones.” - Friends, colleagues and family Senator Lindsey Graham — who along with McCain and former senator Joe Lieberman formed a trio dubbed the “Three Amigos”: “America and Freedom have lost one of her greatest champions. ….And I’ve lost one of my dearest friends and mentor. I will need some time to absorb this, but I want Cindy —and the entire McCain family — to know they are in my prayers.” Joe Lieberman: “America has lost one of the greatest patriots and public servants in our history. And I have lost a dear friend.” Former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin: “Sen. John McCain was a maverick and a fighter, never afraid to stand for his beliefs.” Former secretary of state John Kerry: “John McCain was an American original — guts, grit, and ultimately grace personified. All of us were blessed by the example he shared with us of a life in service to country....To John I wish the peace he deserves with fair winds and following seas, my friend.” Former senator Harry Reid : “John and I both ended our final call a few weeks ago by telling each other, ‘I love you,’ and that was how we felt about one another. There will never be another John McCain.” Meghan McCain, his daughter: “He was a great fire who burned bright, and we lived in his light and warmth. We know that his flame lives on in each of us.” Cindy McCain, his wife: “My heart is broken. I am so lucky to have lived the adventure of loving this incredible man for 38 years. He passed the way he lived, on his own terms, surrounded by the people he loved, in the place he loved best.”
Childcare Agency checking on whether it received previous reports - received over 100 reports last month from East Coast Demerara - appeals for more vigilance from families, communities An official from the Childcare and Protection Agency (CCPA) is appealing to families and communities to be more vigilant when they witness acts of violence against children. The plea comes in the wake of last Saturday’s horrific murder of three -yearold Ramdeo Mahadeo at the hands of his mother, 27-year-old Brenda Ferreira. Reports in the Kaieteur News indicate that residents had witnessed previous acts of abuse meted out on the three-year-old and his elder brother. One report indicated that some residents had made a previous call to the CCPA, but when officials responded, no one was at the home. In a statement posted yesterday on its website the Agency said, “the death of the child is horrific and the East Coast Child Protection Team is reeling from the action. Information is not available at the moment on the case – whether or not a report was ever received and the response. The CPA Intake Manager and the District Supervisor are examining the call records and are expected to produce a report on the matter. What is known is that no such report of this case was made in the past four days. This is sad indeed and when a child dies in circumstances like these, all the work we have done comes to naught.
Much work is being done at the community level across the Regions to build capacity of parents for the parenting role; for social network supports for at risk families and to organize and mobilize communities to take their share of the responsibility for keeping children safe, but it is clear that much more needs to be done. “Child Protection is a collective responsibility; all must be involved – all systems must work - the family, the extended family, the community, the neighbourhood police and the other authorities - there can be no lapses. “The CPA has been asking persons to call in and report cases of suspected abuse and don’t stop calling until action is taken. Some persons are inquiring why they should call again after making the first call and we have explained with previous posts on the process, the responsibilities of the caller and the respondents and how it can help. “The East Coast District Child Protection Officers have responded to over 110 suspected cases of abuse for the month of July 2018 and from indications, the figure will not decrease for the month of August. “Child Protection Officers and members of the Community are secondary victims when incidents like
The family’s home
HELD: Mother, Brenda Ferreira these occur - It is not easy to lose a child under the circumstances and it is hard bouncing back for many, but we have to keep working to ensure all children are safe and this can only come about with more involvement and support from communities and the public at large. “Child protection starts in the home and in the community an official said. The Agency has done and continues to do multiple outreaches and workshops with various communities and NGOs in the hope of empowering persons to speak up when they witness the abuse of children. Reports in the Kaieteur News are that the neighbours, on Friday night, had to resort to calling the police on Ferreira, who was being abusive to the two small children. On Saturday, an eyewitness reportedly saw the woman, who reportedly has a history of alcohol abuse, chasing three-year-old with a knife, and saw her thrust it repeatedly into the boy’s back. The police responded promptly, and the child was found in a bloodied state, lying on a bed in the small wooden structure, they call home. The ranks that responded immediately rushed the child to the Georgetown Hospital, where he succumbed around 12:00 hrs.
Guyanese-led Oil Company ready... From page 11 communities; with agreement on gaps, goals and targets is an effective way to manage expectations and plan beyond the project.” Davis said that this includes expanding existing facilities and introducing new materials and experts to support training platforms that can be used across multiple industries or can be modified later for different skills needed within the industry. Moreover, Davis emphasized that partnership networks can also “crowd-in” external donors, ancillary industries, investors, and NGOs to align their economic development programmes around a common local content vision and plan for the country. OPTI MIZING LOCAL CONTENT Expounding further on the need to optimize local content here, Davis highlighted that where local skills
exist, introducing expatriate workers can cost more. Beyond variance in pay, Davis stated that the costs of recruiting, transporting, and caring for expatriate workers can add significant costs to the project. Davis commented, “While this has an obvious impact on competitiveness, it also affects the ability to finance local content building projects. Even when such skills do not exist locally, it is desirable to maximize local workers and suppliers, and where appropriate, optimize relevant capabilities to develop their specialization and diversification. In Guyana’s case, CTES is willing to play an active role in this regard.” He continued, “This approach brings benefits beyond the immediate financial ones to a country that is entering the oil and gas sector. They include indigenous knowledge and know-how; supportive social interactions with communities; local workforce/
suppliers becoming anchors for future business growth in the region, and “clusters” of service companies serving as a local supply chain for future projects.” Davis added that corporate social investments can also be used to supplement workforce or supplier development programmes. This may include creating a venture fund to catalyze local entrepreneurship, partnering with local NGOs to build technical competencies, or implementing a training programme on savings and tax preparation. In conclusion, the Country Manager of CTES said it is imperative for the Government and industry supporters to work together to identify the demand for goods and services, available local capacity and a strategy for training and supplier development to close gaps, as determined by national or local development priorities.
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MotoGP boss blames new Silverstone track for cancellation
Intermittent downpours disrupted Saturday’s qualifying sessions, after earlier track flooding led to several riders crashing in practice. (Getty Images) BBC Sport - Yesterday’s British GP at Silverstone was cancelled as “a direct result” of a new track surface laid in February, MotoGP race director Mike Webb has claimed. The race, scheduled for 11:30 BST, was called off just after 16:00 because of heavy rain and standing water. “We’ve had a number of years’ experience here in very wet conditions recently with the old surface and have been able to run races,” Webb said. Silverstone’s management says a full investigation will be launched. The circuit’s managing director, Stuart Pringle, added: “All the work we have
done here to make Silverstone a better place for motorcycle racing has been done with the best of intentions. “We will be making further investigations into this matter immediately after the Bank Holiday to understand whether our newly resurfaced track played a part in today’s inability to stage races. “We will be reviewing all the data we have on the track and gathering more, and together with the contractor, Aggregate Industries, a full investigation will be carried out.” The start time of yesterday’s race had been brought forward by 90
minutes to 11:30 because of a forecast of heavy rain, but after several hours of delays the decision was finally taken to cancel. MotoGP also confirmed that there was “no option” to hold the race today. Webb added: “This year, with the new surface, is the first time we’ve encountered quite so much standing water in critical places on the track. So yes, it’s a direct result of the track surface. “The staff have done an unbelievable effort over the whole weekend to try to make the track safe and until the last minute they were still working, but unfortunately we couldn’t battle nature. “We obviously want to
have a British Grand Prix. The climate of the area means we’ve got to expect rain and the surface has to be able to handle it.” Spain’s Jorge Lorenzo was set to start on pole at the Northamptonshire track after beating fellow Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso, of Italy, by 0.015 seconds in qualifying. However, the race was then delayed for safety reasons as heavy rain fell 10 minutes before the revised start time after the riders had completed their sighting lap, before it was cancelled. “I am truly sorry this has happened,” added Pringle. “If I had known fans would have
to wait for six hours in these conditions with this outcome, I would have taken the decision to cancel the event at midday. “We were willing to cancel the meeting much earlier but I was assured by [MotoGP organisers] Dorna that the teams were willing to race if conditions improved. “I’m very conscious of the amount of money people have spent on this event. We will be contacting all customers next week to explain what we are doing about the cancellation of this event.” The cancellation came after a fraught day on
Saturday, with Tito Rabat suffering a broken leg during the fourth free practice session. Spain’s Rabat, who had come off his Avintia Ducati in heavy rain, was walking away in the gravel at Stowe corner when he was hit by Italian Franco Morbidelli’s bike. Rabat had surgery at the University Hospital of Coventry, with his team later confirming “fractures of right femur, tibia and fibula have been fixed”. “It has been a long, unusual, tiring day that we hope won’t happen again,” said championship leader Marc Marquez.
Late Newcastle own goal makes it three wins for Chelsea
Asian Games: Iran’s Sohrab Moradi breaks weightlifting’s longest standing world record BBC Sport - Iran’s Sohrab Moradi broke weightlifting’s longest standing world record en route to winning gold at the Asian Games. Moradi lifted 189kg in the opening discipline of the men’s 94kg class to beat the 188kg snatch record set by Greece’s Akakios Kakiasvilis in 1999. The 29-year-old went on to lift a new Asian Games record total of 410kg after a clean and jerk of 221kg. Qatar’s Fares Elbakh took silver, with Thailand’s Sumpradit Sarat in bronze. He now has a complete set of world records, with the leading marks for the clean
and jerk (233kg) and total weight (417kg) in the men’s light heavyweight division. It was Moradi’s last chance to complete the set as all of the sport’s weight classes will change after the Asian Games before the Olympic qualifying cycle, which begins at November ’s World Championships in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. “I really wanted to break the world record as it was the only one I didn’t have and this was my last chance,” said Moradi. “I feel very happy to know that my name will always remain on all the 94kg world records.”
Moradi just failed with an attempt at 234kg in the clean and jerk which would have bettered his own world records for that discipline and total lift. (Getty Images)
Chelsea’s Eden Hazard celebrates scoring their first goal with Cesar Azpilicueta and Jorginho. (REUTERS/Scott Heppell) (Reuters) - Chelsea kept up their 100 percent start to the Premier League season by snatching a 2-1 win at a stubborn Newcastle United yesterday, grabbing victory thanks to a late own goal by DeAndre Yedlin. Eden Hazard had blasted Chelsea ahead in the 76th minute from the penalty spot after Swiss defender Fabian Schar had tripped Marcos Alonso, allowing the visitors a breakthrough after they had monopolised possession. Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez had played a dogged 5-4-1 formation in an effort to shut out his former club. They created little at the other end, but they drew level when Spanish forward Joselu headed in at the near post in the 83rd minute. Chelsea got back in front with a fortuitous goal four minutes later from Yedlin, who had stretched his foot out to block a shot from Alonso which had looked to be going wide. Chelsea join Liverpool and Watford at the top of the table on nine points after three games while Newcastle have one. Hazard took the first of several painful knocks in the very first minute but remained a threat as Chelsea achieved almost 80 percent of possession in the first half and increased that figure in the second. Newcastle, although pushed back, had one excellent chance before halftime when Salomon Rondon, on loan from West Bromwich Albion, headed wide. He was replaced by Joselu after little more
than quarter of an hour of the second half and after Chelsea also changed a striker, Olivier Giroud replacing Alvaro Morata, the game boiled up in the last 20 minutes. Newcastle protested with some justification that Schar played the ball in his challenge on Alonso but Hazard nervelessly converted the penalty. Chelsea were equally upset with the equaliser, claiming Giroud had been elbowed before Yedlin crossed for Joselu’s fine header. Then Yedlin became the fall-guy, deflecting Alonso’s shot in for the winner. “When they scored, I think everyone was thinking of a draw,” Hazard said. “But we are Chelsea, we never give up. We created a lot of chances and did very well today.” Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez felt his side were hard done by. “The penalty was soft and changed everything as we had to be more open. “We had five players out and thought if we were compact we could maybe frustrate them. We wanted to stay in the game and try to take our chances and we were very close.” Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri was surprised that Newcastle played with five at the back. “I have never seen a Rafa Benitez side play with five defenders,” he said. “I think it is very difficult to play here for every team — not only us. We were a bit unlucky when they scored to make it 1-1.”
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Kaieteur News
Monday August 27, 2018
Tridents lose despite Irfan brilliance BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Not even a record spell from Mohammed Irfan could prevent Barbados Tridents from tumbling to a six-wicket defeat at the hands of St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, in the Caribbean Premier League here Saturday night. The gangling seven-footer produced the most economical four-over spell in the history of T20 cricket – conceding a single run from four overs which yielded two wickets – but Tridents failed to defend a modest 147 in their opening home game at Kensington Oval. Irfan’s spell left Patriots tottering on seven for two in the third over before Brandon King lashed an imperious 62 and Devon Thomas, 32, to stun Tridents and take the visitors over the line with seven balls to spare. For Patriots it was their third win, pushing them to second in the six-team standings on six points while Tridents slipped to their second defeat and remained fifth on four points. Yetserday at the Oval, Tridents took on archrivals and reigning champions Trinbago Knight Riders in a key clash. Earlier, Tridents needed captain Jason Holder’s 54 to get up to their eventual 147 for six, as their batsmen struggled on a two-paced pitch. Test star Shai Hope struck 26 and Dwayne
Smith, 20, but no other batsman really impressed, undermined by seamer Ben Cutting (2-18) and left-arm spinner Anton Devcich (225). Smith and New Zealander Martin Guptill (19) posted 39 for the first wicket but both batsmen struggled to score and the stand required 45 deliveries. The partnership was broken when Smith left Guptill stranded mid-pitch in the eighth over and off the next ball, Smith fell to a onehanded stunner by Evin Lewis on the midwicket ropes off Cutting. Holder, promoted to number three, then anchored the key stand of the innings, adding 87 for the third wicket with the stylish Hope whose knock required 24 balls and included a four and a brace of sixes. For his part, Holder belted four fours and three sixes off 35 balls before both he and Hope perished off successive deliveries in the 18th over. Irfan then offered Tridents a massive slice of hope, removing talismanic captain Chris Gayle with the first ball of the innings, squared up and caught behind. The Pakistani left-arm seamer followed up that wicket-maiden with another in the third over, also having the out-of-form Evin Lewis taken behind for one.
Patriots had no answer to Irfan’s brilliance and when he completed his four-over spell, the visitors were struggling on 18 for two off seven overs and facing a required run rate of 10 runs per over. Inexplicably, Holder turned to Steve Smith’s unpracticed leg-spin and the move released the pressure. The Australian leaked 10 runs in his opening over – including five wides – and then gave up 27 runs in his second over, the 10th of the innings as King and Thomas combined to plunder four sixes. The over turned the tide in Patriots’ favour as King took command , striking four fours and five sixes in an entertaining 49-ball knock and anchoring a crucial 88-run partnership off just 60 balls with Thomas. By the time Thomas, who faced 29 balls and counted two fours and three sixes, was bowled by left-arm seamer Wahab Riaz in the 13th over, Patriots had lowered the asking rate to a little over seven and the result became a formality. Scores: TRIDENTS 147 for six off 20 overs (Jason Holder 54, Shai Hope 26; Ben Cutting 2-18, Anton Devcich 2-25). PATRIOTS 148 for four off 18.5 overs
Left-arm pacer Mohammed Irfan sends down a delivery during his record spell against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at Kensington Oval on Saturday night. (Photo courtesy CPL) (Brandon King 60, Devon Thomas 32, Ben Cutting 28; Mohammad Irfan 2-1).
Tallawahs win pushes TKR beat Tridents by four wickets to Stars closer to elimination move top of table in CPL 18th match
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Trinbago Knight Riders defeated Barbados Trident by four wickets, in their Caribbean Premier League match at Kensington Oval here yesterday to go top of the points table. Chasing 129 to win, TKR led by Brendon McCullum with 66 they reached the target for the loss of six wickets with over three overs
to spare. Scores: TRIDENTS 128 for eight off 20 overs (Shai Hope 42, Nicholas Pooran 34, Jason Holder 30; Fawad Ahmed 2-13, Dwayne Bravo 2-23, Khary Pierre 2-29). TKR 130 for six off 16.2 overs (Brendon McCullum 66, Denesh Ramdin 20; Mohammed Irfan 2-24).
Rovman Powell … top-scored with a Man-of-the-Match 64. GROS ISLET, St Lucia, CMC – Jamaica Tallawahs ended a three-game losing slide when they disposed of St Lucia Stars by 21 runs here Saturday night, pushing the embattled hosts further into strife and closer to elimination from the Caribbean Premier League. Rovman Powell’s Man-of-the-Match 64 fired Tallawahs up to 204 for five off their 20 overs at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground and the target proved beyond the Stars’ capabilities, despite 46 from captain Kieron Pollard and strong support knocks from Trinidadian Lendl Simmons (45) and Australian David Warner (42). While Tallawahs leapt to the top of the standings on eight points, Stars remained bottom on four points, with just two matches remaining in what has been another wretched campaign comprising just two wins in eight fixtures. Reeling from three straight defeats in Fort Lauderdale last week, Tallawahs rebounded in style, with Powell spearheading the batting enterprise that saw Johnson Charles getting
34, Kennar Lewis, 33, and David Miller an unbeaten 32. Charles put on 34 off 22 deliveries with Glenn Phillips who made 17 before holing out to long on with seamer Kesrick Williams (334) in the fourth over. And the visitors lost their second in the seventh over when Charles picked out long off with 18-year-old Afghan leg-spinner Qais Ahmad after notching five fours and a six off 26 balls, as his side slipped to 56 for two. Promoted to number four, Powell made the move count, hammering two fours and five sixes off 37 balls as he added exactly 100 with Lewis, whose 34-ball knock including a four and two sixes. When Lewis edged Williams behind in the 17th over, it triggered a slump where three wickets – including those of Powell and captain Andre Russell (5) – fell for eight runs in the space of seven balls. However, South African Miller turned on the style, stroking two fours and three sixes in a 13-ball cameo, as Tallawahs gathered 40 from the last 16 balls of the innings. Stars were reeling at eight for two in the second over before a series of partnerships threatened to bring them back into the contest. Warner added 44 for the second wicket with Andre Fletcher (21) before putting on another 45 for the third with Pollard. The left-handed Warner struck five fours and a six off 26 balls before top-edging a catch into the deep off leg-spinner Adam Zampa and Pollard then carried the fight to the Tallawahs, adding 59 for the fifth wicket with Simmons before having his stumps rattled in the 17th over by Russell. Pollard faced 27 balls and crunched four fours and two sixes but his dismissal saw the innings lose intensity as Simmons was left without valuable support, as he clobbered four fours and three sixes in a 26-ball effort. Scores: TALLAWAHS 204 for five (Rovman Powell 64, Johnson Charles 34, Kennar Lewis 33, David Miller 32 not out; Kesrick Williams 3-34). STARS 183 for eight off 20 overs (Kieron Pollard 46, Lendl Simmons 45, David Warner 42; Andre Russell 2-15, Oshane Thomas 227).
Monday August 27, 2018
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Kaieteur News
American men battle to Curtis Harper walks out of bout end drought at U.S. Open with Efe Ajagba in pay protest
John Isner (USA) returns a shot against Sam Querrey (USA) in the Western and Southern tennis open at Lindner Family Tennis Center. (Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports) (Reuters) - American men have failed to emulate the glory of their female compatriots at the U.S. Open in recent years and appear to have little hope of ending a 15-year drought at Flushing Meadows since Andy Roddick’s 2003 win. With six titles, Serena Williams has dominated the final Grand Slam of the season but will have strong home rivals in the draw this week, including defending champion Sloane Stephens. Stephens faced Madison Keys in last year’s final, an all-American showdown not seen in the men’s tournament since Pete Sampras defeated Andre Agassi for the 2002 crown. Roddick’s runner-up finish in 2006 was the last run to the final by an American man, and there have been few
highlights since in an era so thoroughly dominated by the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. At 33, John Isner and his huge serve will carry the brunt of local hopes in the men’s draw following his maiden Grand Slam semi-final at Wimbledon. Beyond Isner, there is little cause for optimism. Steve Johnson has achieved a pair of low-profile wins this season and reached the final of the WinstonSalem Open on Sunday when he lost to Daniil Medvedev 6-4 6-4. Johnson was vying to become the first player in 2018 to win a title on three different surfaces. “I really was hoping to be last man standing today but it wasn’t the deal,” Johnson told reporters following his
DCC destroy MSC by... From page 28 on a good batting track. However, the Thomas Lands side, set 238 to avoid and innings defeat, slipped to 26-2 by Lunch. MSC needed to bat out the entire day to save the match and started in promising fashion with Stephon Browne and school boy batsman Tuen Hicks putting together 25 for the first wicket before Hicks (8) fell to leg-spinner Steven Sankar. Barker, who looked set on 25 in the first innings before he threw his wicket away with an impetuous slash at a wide ball from Barnwell high to point, hit one back to left arm back-of-the-hand spinner Totaram Bishun before he had scored to give the former Guyana U-19 bowler his first of four wickets on the stroke of Lunch. After the interval only Browne (18) who was removed by Barnwell at 28-3 and Bollers seemed intent on batting long and although Alex Rodrigues hit four fours and two sixes including a massive six off Sankar in his top score of 39 and shared in a frustrating little stand with Carl Kumar, who hit a quick-fire 20 with four boundaries, MSC were bowled for 112. Bishun confused the young batsmen with his both ways turn and captured 4-59, while Sankar and off-spinner Anthony supported with two wickets each. In zone ‘B’ GNIC leads the points table with 62, while UG (57) and TSC (43) will battle each other in the final round for a place in the semis.
final loss in Winston Salem. “Hopefully we’ll get up to New York and have a great couple of weeks. Maybe I’ll finish that trifecta up in New York.” Much was expected of Jack Sock after he broke into the top 10 during a strong 2017, but he has battled ankle problems and heads to Flushing Meadows without a win since May. Sam Querrey, a quarterfinalist last year, has also been well off peak form through the early hardcourt season. Frances Tiafoe, at 20, may be at long odds to end a generation of futility for U.S. men. The youngster has been a player on the rise and last year enjoyed a banner triumph against world number four Alexander Zverev, while pushing Federer to five sets in the opening round of the U.S. Open. “I always dreamed of being on centre court, playing the best in the world,” Tiafoe told weeklystandard.com. “It finally happened so I was ready for it.”
BBC Sport - Boxer Curtis Harper has been criticised by his trainer for leaving the ring after the opening bell of a heavyweight bout in protest over pay. The 30-year-old American instantly walked out of the arena when the bell sounded for his bout against Efe Ajagba of Nigeria in Minneapolis. Trainer Nate Campbell said he was “embarrassed” by his fighter’s move. “This man disrespected himself, his wife, the fans and me,” Campbell posted on social media. Journalist Jordan Hardy - who works for Premier Boxing Champions, which was broadcasting the fight - said Harper told her the walkout was because of money. “He walked out of the ring because he’s not getting paid enough to fight and that he wants respect,” she wrote on social media. ‘Why did he take the deal?’ Promoter Leon Margules told BBC Sport organisers had no idea of Harper’s plan before the bout and confirmed the fighter received no payment as a result. “He signed a contract and agreed to the fight,” said Margules. “First time we heard about money issues was after he left the ring. He weighed in and showed up on time and even touched gloves before the bell. It is strange. “If he didn’t like the deal, why did he accept the fight and money?” Harper had reached the bottom of the
steps at the side of the ring with just five seconds gone in the round. Fans began booing as he made his way along the walkway out of the ring and officials disqualified him at the one-second mark of the first round. Britain’s former unified heavyweight champion of the world Lennox Lewis shared footage of the incident on social media. Writing on Twitter, Dave Coldwell, trainer of British heavyweight Tony Bellew, said: “Boxing...expect the unexpected!! Can’t say I’ve ever seen this before!” Harper now holds a record of six defeats and 13 wins, while Ajagba, 24, has six wins from six, including five knockouts. How do you commentate on one second? Host broadcasters Premier Boxing Champions were as surprised as those in attendance at the Minneapolis Armory when Harper made his exit. Commentator one: ”Do not blink. Of Ajagba’s five professional bouts, four have been done in the first round - so he likes to bring an end to opponents in quick fashion.” Bell rings Commentator one: ”And Curtis Harper has walked out of the ring.” Commentator two: ”Wait, what? I have never seen this before. He has walked out of the ring. He’s not fighting this guy. I have never seen this before in my life and the fans are really upset right now.”
The referee raises the hand of Efe Ajagba of Nigeria after the bizarre conclusion of their fight.
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Monday August 27, 2018
Kaieteur News
BV/Triumph 8th of May Movement Emancipation Cohesion Football League
BV sweep double titles
GISE Star Party Rentals 1st division cricket
DCC destroy MSC by inns & 126 runs despite Barker’s 5-67 Advance to semi-finals
BV Senior 1st Place Champions. The BV/Triumph 8th of May Movement Emancipation Cohesion Football League, which was largely sponsored by Bakewell/ Lloyd W P Britton/G O Benjamin/GLDA/ NAREI/ROCK and Roy’s Pharmacy, concluded in histrionic fashion on Saturday when BV’s Junior and Senior teams exuberantly celebrated becoming the first teams to record championship titles at the festivity, which is planned to be an annual event. The Junior Shield and Senior Cup finals, which were eventually played successively, saw the BV U20 players battling fiercely with Mahaicony U20 players for top honours. Despite enterprising play by both teams seeking the ascendancy they went to half time with the score locked at 0-0. Both teams fought hard and it turned out that the winner could be distinguished by a single goal. And that the way it was as the winning strike was scored off the right boot of BV’s captain, Marcus Havercome, six minutes into the second half. This goal sent the BV supporters into a frenzy. Time ticked away and Mahaicony eventually had to count their losses, as their 2018 Junior Shield Challenge was brought to a mixed end with the sound of the referee’s whistle. They settled for the BV/Triumph 8th of May Movement/NAREI Silver Honor Trophy. As a consequence, BV U20 lifted the BV/ Triumph 8th of May Movement/GLDA Gold Crown. Earlier in the day, TucvilleU20 were awarded the BV/Triumph 8th of May Movement/ NAREI Bronze Award Trophy, after Mahaica U20 were unable to present themselves for the rescheduled time for the 3rd placed Junior Shield Play-off. The rescheduled time was particularly due to prematch concerns on the electrical wiring connection of the flood-lights, which required urgent attention. The Senior Cup third place play-off, between Tucville and Mahaica, presented yet another brilliant display of the qualities of top flight football, with both teams demonstrating good ball control and communication, to exhibit the standard attributed to a final. Leon Richardson, with probably the most goals in the league at the time, affixed yet another goal to his name, when he penetrated the goal in the 21st minute. Richardson’s goal would eventually be sufficient to put the writing on the wall, as Mahaica despite their best efforts were unable to equalize. It meant, that notwithstanding Mahaica’s obvious competitive showing in the league, they were made to walk away empty handed. Tucville on the other hand copped the BV/ Triumph 8th of May Movement/ Gladstone O Benjamin, Bronze Award prize of $150, 000
(inclusive of a trophy). In what can be considered, the most competitive and intense battle of the evening, previously unbeaten Eastveldt and BV clashed under a heavily passionate and challenging atmosphere. With Eastveldt seemingly bent on upsetting BV, and with BV obviously enjoying the home advantage, it appeared that both teams would lay down their lives, for the right to be crowned champions. The passion, skill, strategy and team work were something to behold, as both teams gave of their best. At half time the score though was 0-0. On resumption, and just three minutes into the second half, Junior Alleyne made a desperate but smart move from the right wing, to create an opening in Eastveldt’ defence to immediately finish the play with a stunning right footer past the Eastveldt goalkeeper’s grasp, registering BV’s first goal of the match. Alleyne’s goal energized the BV supporters and electrified the atmosphere. Despite Eastveldt’s efforts to create an equalizer they were unsuccessful and the home side took the wind out of their sails when BV’s Omari Glasgow, with 9 minutes of scheduled time remaining sunk the dagger deep, scoring the go ahead goal and put the game out of Eastveldt’s reach and hand them the title 2-0. For their effort BV Seniors collected the inaugural BV/Triumph 8th of May Movement/ Bakewell Gold Crown Champions, and the right to walk away with $350, 000 (inclusive of a trophy). Eastveldt received the BV/Triumph 8th of May Movement/ Lloyd WP Britton Silver Honour prize of $250,000 inclusive of a trophy. In other presented awards, young Ian Dooker of BV, took away the ‘Doving Skill’ prize of $20,000 and a trophy when he defeated Mahaica’s Joseph De Freitas in the U20 skill exercise final. GFF Match officials and physiotherapist Dexter George were provided with medals. The BV/Triumph 8th of May Movement also announced that U20 players Trevon Adams (Mahaica), Ian Dooker and Omari Glasgow (BV) are the three beneficiaries of the Academic/Vocational Awards sponsored by Restoration Opportunities through Christ (ROC). These awards are worth $180,000 each for the period September, 2018 to August 2019, at a value of $15,000 monthly, and are to assist in aiding the holistic development of the youngsters. Mr. Claude David of Kaieteur newspaper was selected for the Media Appreciation Medal, which is one, given to an individual of a media entity that promoted the said Football league for the development of sport, the empowerment of youth, and beyond a measure of self-interest.
Totaram Bishun (4-59) bowls to Carl Kumar who smashed a cameo 20 yesterday at DCC. (Sean Devers photo) By Sean Devers Hosts DCC yesterday inflicted a crushing innings and 126 runs victory over Malteenoes with over a session to spare on the final day of their game of the GISE Star Party Rental two-day first division competition to book a place in the semi-finals. DCC took 27 points from this match to move to 69, five ahead of Police, while MSC took five points for dismissing the powerful DCC batting line-up yesterday to go to 36 with one game to play. MSC will face-off with Police in the final game for both teams and mathematically can still make the semis if they claim the
maximum 32 points and deny the Cops any points. However, judging from the MSC batting over the weekend that is an unlikely scenario and DCC and Police should be teams qualifying from zone ‘A’. Yesterday in sweltering heat, the much vaunted DCC batting line-up, led by first day centuries from openers Trevon Griffith and Raymond Perez began the final day on 281-2 with a lead of 167 replying to MSC’ paltry 114. With their robust Skipper Chris Barnwell (1) and Windies U-19 player Tevin Imlach (32) at the crease, it seemed that the home team would amass a total of over
450 and then declare. But skipper Nichosie Barker, a batting all-rounder, removed the dangerous Barnwell, arguably the batsman with the most first division runs in the last five years, before he got to double figures and although Imlach added 31 to his overnight score before he was removed by school boy leggie Wayne Bollers, DCC last eight wickets fell for just 92 runs as MSC enjoyed their best period of the encounter. Barker finished with 5-67 and little Bollers had 3-70 as DCC were bowled for 382 at 10:50 hrs as MSC fought back well on the small ground Continued on page 27
Alex Rodrigues, who top scored with 39, hits Sankar for six as Trevon Griffith and Keeper Kemol Savory watch the ball sail out of the ground. (Sean Devers photo)