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Kaieteur News
Friday December 06, 2019
Kaieteur News
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Friday December 06, 2019
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
Guyanese roads can lead to oblivion Those newfangled vehicles can go fast; real fast and too fast, injuriously and fatally fast. The news reports are quickly assuming the regularity of routine: another terrible accident, another grotesquely smashed and crumpled metal hulk once a magical machine, and someone—hopefully only one and not any—broken for the rest of this life, or blanked into the cypher of eternity. If only Guyanese drivers-all of us, all of them-would listen and actually hear: speeding is endangering and crippling and, ultimately, killing. The message is captured and conveyed by that single word, only one word: speeding. Then add a few more: speeding is a loser’s game that leads to one of two places only: a hospital bed or the graveyard. It is the same message of caution and appeal issued by mothers, the mature, those who know better, those who may have been there before through individual involvement or personal loss and pain. The Guyana Police Force has been unrelenting with its own messages: slow down, follow the rules, observe the courtesies, live healthier and longer. Nobody is listening: not the many young, hot blooded impatient, who are in a haste to make a waste of their youthful lives, and not the dead on the sidewalk shrouded in a sheet, for they are now beyond any more listening to anything, especially old-school, old-timer wisdom. It is not just the thrill of teenagers, since the older, supposedly more stable minds and cooler heads are also seen racing along at breakneck speeds and heard honking horns at anything, including what is imagined or anticipated. Guyanese drivers can be this alert, this sensitive, and this much in a hurry that there may be absolutely nothing on the road and in the way, and still there is the blowing of horns, as if reassuring that they still work, and that they (the drivers) are still alive. As said before, most are not listening, which leads to the news of the mad disregard that leads to lasting bodily wounds and eternal spiritual woes. And they are only the statistics that contain and relay the sad stories of human failure and physical disaster; they are the many other daily occurrences, as shared by the lucky survivors, of narrow escapes, near misses, and recklessness that are so much a part of road culture and road survival. In this country, defensive driving can attract much that is offensive. Going slow(er) and observing the speed limit is enough to attract several unwanted gifts. There are the gifts of too close company (tailgating), of high-volume, high intensity urging and warning (horn blowing), of urban camaraderie (middle finger saluting), and of the lingering aroma of that special Guyanese traffic language (cursing). It is surprising that there are not more reported instances of road rage fallout, or of people losing control and losing life in the process. It only promises to get worse, given what is underway and what is on the various drawing boards. Take a look and it is obvious that this country is busy with the visible roadworks, which means more lanes and more miles of roadways, which should function as the blessing of much-needed relief. The problem is that this transforms into a double-edged sword, a flashing, lifethreatening weapon placed in the hands of the irresponsible and impatient, who set aside neither time nor energy for the reflections that bring the wisdoms leading to corrections. It is because more lanes and more space mean more room to floor the gas and create the lethal catapults that usher in untold dangers in even the most ordinary situations, which can quickly rise to the level of daily existential crises. When so many younger ones occupy a place of numerical significance in the national demographics, there is a lot of raging and rarefied blood that races to the roar of engines and the rushing intoxicating breath of the wind in the ear and heart.
Editor’s Note; If your sent letter was not published and you felt its contents were valid and devoid of libel or personal attacks, please contact us by phone or email.
Turmoil at Takuba Lodge DEAR EDITOR, As a former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guyana (1992-2001) I cannot help but interpret the recent ‘diplomatic shake-up’ at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs other than a break down in policy formulation and coordination between the Ministry of the Presidency and the Foreign Ministry. Vi e w e d f r o m t h e perspective of management of the ship of state, it is perhaps, a manifestation of the President’s exuberance for foreign affairs characterized by defects of coordination and hubris with an electoral agenda in mind. Having been caught n a p p i n g , t h e caretaker/illegal government of President David Granger tried desperately to camouflage damage control as “Re-balancing” when in effect, its actions were essentially the overthrow of certain long established diplomatic practices and conventions. The so-called ‘rebalancing’ seems to be more easily prescribable than achievable. On the one hand, the caretaker/illegal government’s actions must have caused some amount of ‘twittering in the diplomatic dovecotes.’ On the other hand, its actions brought in its wake, speculation and uneasiness as regards the remaining Heads of Missions and l e g a t i o n s a t G u y a n a ’s Embassies and High Commissions abroad. The amateurish dabbling in the deep recesses of foreign relations was, for all intents and purposes, the casus belli for the precipitous b r e a k d o w n i n communications between the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of the Presidency. And, as was to be expected, some were made to be the fall guys. Rather than adopting the wiser option to leave reparation of the damage to the experts in diplomacy, the political ‘has beens’ at the Ministry of the Presidency foolishly blundered by inserting themselves in the process and in so doing, sought to mask their real political intentions by putting up for public consumption moves that did not require any of the accompanying fanfare. The heavy-handed
political intervention by the Ministry of the Presidency must have raised the eyebrows of those Senior Foreign Service Officers who will remain at their posts, as to whether they could, under the prevailing circumstances, be able to continue playing an honourable and influential role at the capitals to which they have been posted. It would not be surprising if in the wake of the shakeup, many would now view their future unhappily and their days as being numbered. The unconventional manner and undue haste by which the services of their colleagues were dispensed with must have left them looking askance, if not in bewilderment at each other And while some at Ta k u b a L o d g e m a y b e rubbing their hands in glee at the dramatic turn of events favourable to them, the backstabbing and covetousness, coupled with the untimely and disruptive nature of government’s actions can have a deleterious effect on foreign service morale and efficiency, and, by extension on Guyana’s diplomatic efforts abroad. From all appearances, a combination of personal and political considerations,
rather than an objective appraisal of the international situation played a major part in the shake up. The cautious canons of professional diplomacy, on the eve of what can turn out to be an epochal elections, now looks as though it will end up in the hands of a trusted and politically motivated generation of cadres ensconced at the Foreign Ministry. If there are two government agencies that must always be as one at all times in pursuit of matters of state, they are the Ministry of the Presidency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The recent shake up at Foreign Affairs has demonstrated that this has not been the case under the A P N U + A F C caretaker/illegal administration. Internal friction began since the Ministry was divided into two, and the sudden irruption of a Foreign Secretary and a Foreign Minister in a single Foreign Ministry. The facade of harmony was to soon give way to a disharmonious situation. If it is true what is being peddled about that there is a push by some, known only to the President, but not to key functionaries at the Foreign
M i n i s t r y, t o a s s u m e chairmanship of the G77 and China, then it is clear that there was no unified tactical nor strategic approach by the principals. As the plot unraveled, it became clear that some at the Foreign Ministry were left out of the loop. The last occasion Guyana assumed the Chairmanship of then 133 (now 134)-member grouping was on January 12, 1999 under a PPP/C administration. Guyana’s assumption of the Group’s Chairmanship eventuated from a seamless, unified, and highly coordinated approach. In this regard, there was absolutely no room for amateurishness, imprecision or feckless opportunism. In addition to coordinating the Group’s year long activities at the UN, Guyana played the lead role in preparations for the first ever South Summit held in Havana in 2000. Border issues have always been the core f u n c t i o n s o f G u y a n a ’s Foreign Ministry. And its staff strength in that area has by far been the greater part of its personnel. The Ministry’s core functions are addressed (Continued on page 29 )
Would it not have been wiser to allow Dr. Hutson to continue as the CEO? DEAR EDITOR, It shocked me, and I am sure, many other teachers across the teaching fraternity that the Chief Education Officer, Dr. Marcel Hutson was sent on pre-retirement leave or ‘fired’. I am surprised by this for a number of reasons. Firstly, under the Chief Education Officer (CEO), there are four (4) Deputy Chief Education Officers. Currently, all the DCEOs are functioning in an acting capacity and have been doing so for a number of years. Under the Deputy Chief Education Officers are the three (3) Assistant Chief Education Officers for N u r s e r y, P r i m a r y a n d Secondary. All the Assistant Chief Education Officers are also functioning in an acting capacity. The organizational structure of the Ministry of Education requires more than 6 Senior Education
Officers (SEO). Less than half of that number have been appointed. The Minister of Education, Dr. Henry is reported to have refuted claims that Dr. Hutson was fired, and hence has not been attending meetings for a while, by saying that “When officers are going off on retirement, that is the time you’ll want to build the capacity of those that will be succeeding him,” adding that the Deputy Chief Education Officer and Assistant Chief Education Officer were being “exposed to more meetings”. Editor, this is an anomaly that the Honourable Minister must explain: how do you build capacity by having officers act in a position for such extensive periods of time? How do you build capacity by having someone attend a meeting in a capacity that they may not be appointed to? For years, the Ministry of Education has
d r e s s e d i t s o ff i c e r s i n ‘borrowed robes’. S e c o n d l y, w h e n D r. Hutson goes on retirement leave, the person who will act as CEO will be a person who is acting as DCEO. Every other officer will go up one place acting. What we have here is a theatre not a Ministry! Thirdly, with elections early next year, the dissolution of the National Assembly and the reduction in powers of the Minister of E d u c a t i o n , t h e C E O ’s position becomes even more important than what it normally is. Due to his institutional knowledge of current programmes, would it not have been wiser to allow Dr. Hutson to continue as the CEO? Over the years, I have observed that wisdom is not the strong suit of the Ministry of Education. Yours faithfully, Mohammed S. Hussain
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MR GRANGER HAS STOLEN CHRISTMAS FROM THE SUGAR WORKERS DEAR EDITOR, We now find ourselves in what many have described as the “most wonderful time of the year”. In a matter of days, our people will celebrate the Christmas and the New Year holidays. It is a time of the year when generally everyone seeks to spend some time with their loved ones. It is a time when we look to enjoy a special meal and the niceties of life. It is a time when the little ones in our lives look forward to a special treat and receiving even small tokens of joy. Today, while many Guyanese look forward to this season of merriment, joy and happiness, for thousands in the sugar belt they face yet another season of grim, sadness and despair. This year, like the previous four Christmases, President Granger and his Government, like the Grinch, have stolen the joy from the children, have put households in despair, and have depressed entire communities. The President, during a recent interview, was asked pointedly whether his Government could intervene to grant sugar workers a pay rise, taking into account that the workers last pay adjustment was since 2014. Rather than addressing the question specifically, Mr Granger, like many of his colleagues, went out on a tangent. He said that his Govern-
ment had given the industry $1B per month for some months, and that was all it could do. This is utter nonsense from Mr Granger who continues to repeat this drivel over and over, apparently, without any shame. But let’s consider what the President said. In the life of the Granger Administration, his Government allocated to spend, using the National Budget estimates, $1,239,743,900,000. Of that magnificent sum, the sugar industry was allocated $36B or 2.9 per cent of all expenditure. We should not forget that the industry, at that time, had employed some 17,000 persons. Directly and indirectly, sugar benefitted approximately 100,000 Guyanese. In other words, Mr Granger is saying that all he could afford to give 13.3 per cent of the population was less than 3 per cent of all the monies his Government spent. The inequity is glaringly blinding. But while the President seems to decry the monies the Government has provided to the sugar industry, it is important to know that the Ministry of the Presidency, has an astounding budgetary allocation of $12.4B this year. That is, coincidentally, over $1B per month. We ask if the President’s Ministry has as great of an impact as the sugar industry. But here is another dose
of reality, under Mr Granger’s leadership, the cost of Central Government has ballooned by 64 per cent between 2015 and 2019. In other words, it costs us – the Guyanese people, about $200M per day or $8M per hour to run the Government. In the tenure of the Granger Administration, the Guyana Budget and Policy Institute (GBPI) in considering the 2019 Budget concluded that the Coalition has unleashed a “fiscal assault on agriculture”. The Institute, pointed out, that the closure of estates has seen many falling “...into poverty or deeper poverty and are struggling to feed their families on subsistence activities.” The GPBI concluded that the ‘assault’ waged has more political rationales than economic or social considerations. The organization recognized that “…the [agriculture] sector is the largest source of income for poor and low-income families and is vital to ending poverty and realizing ‘the good life’”. The President, in the interview, reminded of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) established by his Government in 2015. What Mr Granger didn’t say was that his Government ignored many of that Commission’s recommendations to make the industry viable. The Administration even ignored a fundamental
recommendation not to close any estate. So for President Granger to speak about the CoI is sheer poppycock. He also spoke about the State Paper on sugar. Apart from the closure of estates, what else has the Government implemented? Mr Granger unbelievably said many of the 7,000 sugar workers his Government displaced have been re-employed. We wonder where he got that information from. Whoever may have shared this information with him has obviously misinformed the President. We are aware that some workers have secured jobs, though their pay levels and conditions-of-work are inferior to what they enjoyed in the sugar industry. But for too many, they remain right where Mr Granger put them, on the breadline. Some from their ranks survive undertaking odd, oneoff, menial jobs where job security is absent and their NIS contributions remain at a standstill. They are literally left to be exploited and are at the mercy of the Good Lord. Our Union knows of instances where qualified,
skilled workers have been reduced to labourers and porters. Is this the ‘Good Life’ that Mr Granger promised us all? The President also informed that lands not retained for use by Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt Estates would be privatized through the State Land Sales Commission. This is a stark departure by the Granger Administration. The September 05, 2018, Kaieteur News reported that the President said “[i]t is unlikely that Government will contemplate selling sugar lands at the closed estates that are up for privatisation in any wholesale manner”. The newspaper quoted the President as saying “[t]he idea is that we will not sell off the family jewels…” It seems that Mr Granger is indicating that his Government’s planned privatization of three of the closed estates is off the table
and he is preparing to sell the ‘family jewels’ as he puts it. Such a policy we contend is not in the interest of Guyanese now and in the future. Mr Granger also said that newer forms of sweeteners are displacing sugar consumption globally, and thus the necessity to move away from sugar production. Again, it appears the President is not au fait with the facts. The trend has indicated that global sugar consumption has been rising over the years. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has indicated that it estimates global sugar consumption to rise to 176.6 million tonnes next year up from 169.4 million tonnes in 2016. Moreover, Mr Granger should know that the International Sugar Organisation (ISO) informs that “[s]ugarcane, on average, accounts for nearly 80% of (Continued on page 29)
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The call for the removal of the statue of Queen Victoria is timely and welcome DEAR EDITOR, Claudeston G. Massiah’s call for the removal of the statue of Queen Victoria from in front of the Supreme Court is timely and welcome. Organization for the Victory of the People (OVP) has long advocated for the statue to be removed and placed on the grounds of the British High Commission or at the Haags Bosch dumpsite (Chronicle, 8/6/18). Another idea being floated is that it should be placed in a museum that exhibits colonial relics that will serve to remind each generation of the horrors of the colonial project. The statue was resurrected by former Mayor of Georgetown, Compton Young, from the eastern end of the Botanical Gardens, where it had been placed after being removed from the grounds of the Supreme Court by Forbes Burnham. With explicit permission from the counter-revolutionary and reactionary Desmond Hoyte, Young placed the statue in front of City Hall. It was later removed from that location by the PPP regime and placed right back in front of the Supreme Court. This statue is an affront to our ancestors – Indigenous, African and Indian, and our sovereignty, whatever little is left of it. To those who are proclaiming that Queen Victoria abolished sla-
very, I refer you to the letter by Patricia Commissiong (KN, 3/11/19) which clearly debunks this false narrative. For the record, I would like to add that the primary factor in the abolition of slavery was that of African agency. Africans resisted enslavement from the moment they were captured and it was their continuous and well organized resistance that eventually made their enslavement untenable. Any attempt to trivialize and minimize the role of our captured ancestors in their own liberation reeks of racism and the historical erasure that accompanies it. All those who played a part in returning this statue to where it stands today, and all those who are now calling for it to remain there, are guilty of pandering to the British Government and their representatives in Guyana. Something is wrong with the psyche of those who insist that this statue must remain in its present location, simply because it is part of our history. They are making the absurd argument that this white supremacist, Queen Victoria, must retain pride of place in front of a building which is supposed to uphold justice, something that was denied our ancestors under her reign. The brutal repression that she presided over, from India to Zululand, is well docu-
mented. What exactly are we celebrating with this statue – crimes against humanity? Adolf Hitler is part of German history; does that mean that a statue to honour him should be placed in front of Germany’s law courts? Colonization is a part of our history, however, the way we read and remember that history is very important. Our rejection of the racism, injustice and terrorism that characterized the colonial project of the past and those historical figures like Queen Victoria who presided over these crimes is imperative. If we as a people truly understood the horrors of our past, the statue would never have been reinstated after Burnham dislodged it. And if we do not truly understand our past, how then are we to successfully resist attempts by the ABC/EU countries to trample on our independence and right to self-determination in the present? It is self-defeating to demand respect and our right to independence, while at the same time we ourselves persist in preserving and giving pride of place to the symbols and images of our past oppression and subjugation. The statue must be removed from its present location. Yours faithfully, Gerald A. Perreira Organization for the Victory of the People (OVP)
Friday December 06, 2019
When Human Resources Management? DEAR EDITOR, Normally one would expect the leadership role to be undertaken by the Administration, particularly in the matter of employment considering the vast and varying levels of personnel extended geographically across the country. One is therefore intrigued by the probability of the Guyana Public Service being most singular in perpetuating the position and practice of Personnel Officering in determined irrelevance to comparable positions in Human Resources Management apparently unnoticeable in (semi-autonomous) Public Sector entities. So that in discourse with increasing numbers of immigrant organisations there may well be need for a translator to relate the role and authority of the Personnel Officer to that of the listeners Human Resources Manager. According to the Annual Budget approved in the National Assembly, our Public Service has a single Human Resources Manager, that is in the Ministry of Education. The position is complemented by Principal Personnel Officer and Senior Personnel Officer. With respect to the latter positions it is important to note the job hierarchy, as shown in the 2019 Budget.
As can be readily seen the promotion structure is quite suspect. The gap between Grades 6 and 9 raises questions about qualification and competence evaluation. The same, if not more concern, applies to the gap between Grades 9 and 11. Meanwhile, the question must be asked of the differentiation (if any) in the job descriptions of Human Resources Manager and the Principal Personnel Officer in the Ministry of Education, and indeed in any other Ministry. The following Table shows the disposition of Personnel Officers across 12 Ministries; 8 of 10 Regions (Regions 8 and 9 are excepted); and a) Public and Police Service Commission (a constitutional contradiction) b) Teaching Service Commission
pable gaps in the job hierarchy. But, what is the point of bringing this organisational constipation to attention for the umpteenth time! When is the Public Service going to step retroactively into the 20th century of Human Resource Management? The tabular presentation above sadly indicates the indifference paid to the fundamental concept and functions of recognising and treating employees as human beings, pay increases notwithstanding. We have already entered an environment that is both informed and misinformed by the widest range of technology which, unfortunately, does not communicate with the individual client or customer. It is difficult to understand therefore the ambivalence in reconstructing the role of Per-
Unfortunately space would not allow a detailed display of the position assignments to the various agencies. However, the following sample shows pal-
sonnel into the more fundamental philosophy of Human Resources Management, that at least would prepare what is now Personnel Officer II to adequately fill the next senior position. After all, it is they whose daily performance reflects the real competence and credibility of the Administration. In the meantime, why has this collective never attempted to find in this technological environment an appropriate retitling of the position of Typist/Clerk, who would not have seen a typewriter? The urgency for a proactive Human Resource Management construct in the Public Service must be addressed with explicit will. E. B. John
Mr Granger has stolen Christmas ... From page 5 global sugar production.” The ISO also tells us “[s]ugar crops offer production alternatives to food, such as livestock feed, fibre and energy, particularly biofuels (sugar-based ethanol) and co-generation of electricity(cane bagasse).” It appears that the President is limited in his views on sugar, though the Sugar CoI had recommended the Guyanese industry take a similar path. Maybe it is he wasn’t
clear on what the CoI said. Mr Granger went on to speak about the NICIL $30B bond for the industry, which he said is aimed at re-balancing the industry. On this matter, he should be the last to speak. The President in June, this year, during his visit to Albion Estate, said “[w]e are going to ensure that that money comes in a timely manner and in sufficient amounts.” It is now December, and the money has stopped coming altogether according to GuySuCo. The interviewer indicated to the President, that the bond proceeds were not intended for wages and salaries. Again, President Granger averted the question and spoke about the Management of the industry, which our Union has some concerns about. Mr Granger is seeking to avoid, like the plague, the sugar industry and the situation of the sugar workers. Prior to the election as
President, in an interview, he said “…we want to save the sugar industry, we want to save the livelihoods of sugar workers…”. Today he is in the driver’s seat and his actions are much louder and clearer than his words. Indeed, his deeds speak a mouthful. Today while he refuses to even answer whether his Government could assist the sugar workers, his response is unequivocal. He has not a care for the sugar workers, their families and their communities. This year while he and his big wigs will have a happy and jolly time, the workers and their families and their communities will once again be darkened. Their hopes of a bright season dashed as Christmas has once again been stolen from them. Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU
PPP/C has failed sugar workers Dear Editor, There is no place in modern Guyana for its citizens to continue cutting cane. That back-breaking labour was a legacy of British colonialism and exploitation that, despite the ending of the European Sugar Protocol, the PPP/C continued to perpetuate in order to control and reward its base through lavish transfers from the Treasury. Their GuySuCo gravy
train was derailed In May 2015. Since then it has been fascinating to watch how quietly the party that once championed the cause of sugar workers has allowed the closure of the three estates. There were no significant protests, just grumblings. It is as if they have pretended to be concerned while wanting the coalition to do the dirty work while leaving the workers out to dry. But the facts are these: the closures were necessary. Sugar in Guyana like mining in the UK or the steel industry in the US Midwest is economically unviable. All former GuySuCo employees received
full severance and the vast majority are simply getting on with their lives after sugar, finding good paying jobs or starting businesses. They know that the future for sugar in Guyana requires a massively scaled back and value added industry. So why is the PPP/C insisting it will reopen the estates and drive these poor folks back into the fields to cut cane in the hot sun? Sorry but those backward plantation days are over. If the PPP/ C wants to reopen the estates, let their bigwigs go work the cane themselves in their Gucci loafers. Yours sincerely Albert Russell
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Exxon’s PSA includes special account for payments By Gary Eleazar Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL)—ExxonMobil Guyana—has a special arrangement in its Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with the Guyana Government but officials insist that all of the payments have been accounted for. Under the PSA inked with another operator, CGX Energy Inc, in February 2013, that company would pay to the regulating body—the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC)—an annual rental of US$100,000 for its contract area. Ratio Energy Ltd which inked its PSA with Government in April 2015, also agreed to pay a rental fee of US$200,000 annually for its contract area. That rental is being paid, according to the PSA, to the
GGMC. The same obtains for Tullow and Eco Atlantic, a joint venture. That Joint Venture inked a PSA on January 14, 2016, and agreed to pay US$40,000 annually for its contract area. ExxonMobil Guyana— EEPGL and its partners Hess Corporation and CNOOC— was charged a higher rental of US$1M for its contract area which runs the length of Guyana’s coast with the Atlantic Ocean—bordered by Venezuela to the West and Suriname to the East. That PSA however, dictates that the payment be made directly into accounts controlled by the Government of Guyana, and that the “Contractor (ExxonMobil Guyana) shall verify such bank accounts and the Minister agrees to cooperate, assist and provide the Contractor with any information it re-
quires to conduct such verification.” The definitions in Article I of the PSA defines government as the “government and its ministries and agencies.” Each of the other PSAs identifies GGMC as the body to conduct verifications or provide account information. Then Minister with responsibility for the Energy Sector, Raphael Trotman, in an invited comment yesterday, said that the reason for the change in arrangements had to do with the fact that it was a new regime in the way business was being conducted. He sought to assure, however, that the Ministry does not control the money but rather, despite the PSA
provisions, the monies are paid to and held by GGMC. GGMC Commissioner, Newell Dennison, told Kaieteur News that rentals from all of the oil companies are indeed paid to the GGMC. He told Kaieteur News that GGMC in its expenditure of its resources does not differentiate between its sources of income but rather all revenue streams are accounted for and consolidated. As such, he could not say what, if any, specific programmes were funded using the revenues earned from its offshore rental. The payment by the ExxonMobil and other oil companies with concessions in Guyana’s Exclusive Economic
Zone (EEZ) is monies paid to Guyana separate from royalty and profit oil to be earned from its offshore operations. Companies are also required to pay to the Ministry an annual amount to be used for Corporate Social Projects (CSP) payments. Government is yet to say what this has been earmarked for specifically.ExxonMobil in its PSA had also committed to providing the Ministry of the Presidency (MotP) with US$300,000 each calendar year, for the Department of Energy (DoE). Department of Energy Director, Dr. Mark Bynoe, had confirmed the existence of the money and payments made and that it was still to be uti-
lized. Under Article 28 of the PSA which deals with Social Responsibility and Protection of the Environment, “The Contactor shall directly fund” the amount of US$300,000 per calendar year with any funded but unspent portion of the amount being carried over to ensuing years. Article 28.7 of the PSA stipulates that the Minister and the contractor shall meet annually to agree which projects shall be funded in a year. Asked to provide an update on the state of the account, the Energy Department Head said he would be unable to, since this was an account set up by the Ministry.
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Friday December 06, 2019
Public Service Department gets new Permanent Secretary
Jagdeo endorses call for Civil Society’s involvement in Guyana’s Oil & Gas Industry
The Department of Public Service, Ministry of the Presidency, has a new Permanent Secretary, in the person of Ms. Soyinka Grogan. Ms. Grogan’s appointment became effective December 2, 2019. Ms. Grogan holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work. She joined the Public Service as a Student Affairs Officer in 1997 and held a number of other senior positions prior to being appointed as Manager of the Scholarships Administration in 2014. She remained there until her current appointment. During a meeting with
General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), Dr. Bharrat Jadgeo, has endorsed calls by Civil Society to be involved in the Oil and Gas sector during a press conference yesterday, at his Church Street office.Jagdeo, calling it a ‘national approach”, expressed plans to permanently engage various civil societies in the monitoring of compliances as it relates to agreements in the oil industry. Earlier, Civil Society members had begun to request their involvement in the process of decision-making with respect to Guyana’s oil
Minister Tabitha Sarabo-Halley welcomes Ms. Soyinka Grogan Staff at the Department’s Waterloo Street location, yesterday, the newly appointed Permanent Secretary expressed gratitude for the appointment and the cooperation from the staff. She committed to and encouraged staff to work to make the Public Service a better sector. Present at the meeting was Minister of Public Serv i c e , Ta b i t h a S a r a b o Halley, who also encouraged all present to work steadfastly to improve the delivery of services in keeping with the mandate of the Public Service.
and gas industry. In a statement released, they noted that Article 13 of Guyana’s constitution establishes the country’s government as “an inclusive democracy… for the participation of citizens and their organisations in the management and decision making process of the State” and asks that their inclusion in the various aspects. With petroleum production likely to start before the end of the year, the Opposition Leader also stated that in his aim for constitutional reform the party is in favour of “power sharing” on matters of mutual interest.
Woman wakes up to see her car being driven off from her bridge Sixty-three-year-old Lynette Browne came home from church on Wednesday at 2:30 in the afternoon. As per norm, she left her car, a Toyota Corona with registration number PLL 5825 parked in front of her yard. But to her shock and surprise, the very evening, around 2:10am, she awoke to the sound of her car engine running. “When I wake up and hear the engine, I get up and go outside and when I reach out on the veranda, I see my own car turning the next street.” The distraught woman stated that she immediately raised an alarm and neighbours came out but by that time it was too late, the car was already gone. Browne disclosed that a report was made to the Turkeyen Police Station. According to her, just a few weeks ago, her spare set of keys were stolen. “I had two boys weeding my yard and I had the keys with me and the alarm on it…So they ask me to move the car from the yard front so they could weed it but I couldn’t find the keys.” The woman said she asked the men if they had seen her
keys, to which they replied in the negative. “They tell me they ain’t see the keys so I give them the benefit of the doubt and that was it.” Browne relayed to Kaieteur News that the very next day, she replaced the lost keys and went about her daily routines, not thinking that her car would be stolen from her. “I used to park it in front my neighbour’s place and it got cameras but I extend my front so I could get to park it there.” According to her, police received reports of the car being spotted in different parts of the capital city but no concrete lead has emerged. “People telling police they seeing it all over but every time they go, they ain’t finding it. People even seh somebody trying fuh sell it all but they don’t know is who.” The motor car is beige in colour with a damaged windscreen, a dented left fender and a damaged rearview mirror. Anyone with information is asked to contact Lynette Browne on mobile no. 687-6450. Investigations are ongoing.
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Police stations are frightening places Police stations are very intimidating places. When you enter a station, it is almost as if all your civil rights freeze.If you try to speak back to an officer, you are liable to be accused of obstructing justice. If you question the conduct or any officer, you are likely to be silenced. If you refuse to be photographed, you can be manhandled. If you are vociferous in defending your rights, you can be accused of being abusive. If you demand to be told the reasons for your arrest, you will probably end up being thrown in the lock ups. It is for these reasons that Guyanese have become very timid when dealing with the police. As a consequence, their rights are consistently abused within police stations. The police treat their stations as their kingdoms. Members of the public, when on the lawmen’s turf, have to abide by the police’s rules even when these rules are in breach of the “Judges Rules”. The “Judges Rules” are administrative guidelines about how the police should conduct themselves when dealing with members of the public, including undertaking arrests and questioning. But in Guyana, these are often either ignored or bypassed or
observed in the breach. The “Judges Rules” require persons to be told of the offences for which they are being arrested. After a person is charged, it limits the grounds upon which they can be further questioned. In the case of Shabadine Peart v the Queen, the Privy Council quoted the relevant section of the “Judges Rules” which limited such questioning. The section states as follows: “It is only in exceptional cases that questions relating to the offence should be put to the accused person after he has been charged or informed that he may be prosecuted. Such questions may be put where they are necessary for the purpose of preventing or minimising harm or loss to some other person or to the public or for clearing up an ambiguity in a previous answer or statement.” The issue of a right to a phone call may be something, which is allowed in the United States, as shown in the movies. But it is not clear whether such a right exists in Guyana. The right to legal counsel is also an issue, which requires judicial clarification in light of Thornhill v. the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago.Many persons are ignorant of their rights and this is responsible for their coy-
ness when entering police stations. Many years ago, the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers issued publications, which sought to enlighten persons of their rights and how to deal with certain situation such as being arrested by the police. One publication, “The Law and You”, advised that, “If you are arrested without a warrant, you must be told, in simple language, the reason for your arrest. If you are not told why you are being arrested, you should ask. The police officer is duty bound to tell you unless you are caught re-handed so that an explanation is not needed or you make one impossible by resisting arrest. Even then, the officer must give the reason for the arrest as soon as possible.”In practice, this hardly happens. The police operate as a law unto themselves and are extremely sensitive towards persons questioning their actions or insisting that their rights be respected. In a well-publicised incident, not so long ago, a traffic rank had great difficulties, in providing a reason for stopping a motorist. When persons are either invited or arrested, they are often forced to stand or sit on benches in the police station while the investigating ranks
take their own good time to process them. In many instances, persons are thrown in the lockups and kept for the statutory 72 hours in the hope, that out of frustration, they will confess or given in to pressure. There needs to be a timebound process concerning detention of arrested persons. A decision should be made immediately as to whether they will be detained and this decision should be subject to review after a certain amount of hours. It is unconscionable for persons to be held for long hours without cause or without being interviewed.
“Judges Rules” will help protect these citizens. “Judges Rules” lack the force of law but they do serve an important function in ensuring that citizens’ rights are not violated. The Minister of Public Security should make these rules legally enforceable. Citizens should not be intimidated when at police stations. There is nothing wrong with arrested persons demanding their rights. There is nothing wrong with arrested persons expressing their perception of prejudice or bias on the part of the police, regardless of whether this is true or not. People have a right to their opinions, how-
ever misguided. People also have a right to speak out against what they see as police misconduct, once they are not being disorderly. Speaking out does not automatically translate to disorderly conduct. Unless they do so, police stations will continue to be frightening places. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 06, 2019
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
Guyana: Vehicular insanity and psychic destruction I have long argued on this page that collective psychic destruction occurred in the Guyanese nationality decades ago. In another column, I attempted to trace this psychological decay back to the zero sum confrontation between Burnham and Rodney and the tragic consequences that had for Guyana. Migration became massive in the seventies and eighties. People became eerily fearful. People were resigned to an unchanging Guyana. What happened then was that Guyanese accepted their fate. A generation has come after that and they embody that mental fatalism. One of the most graphic examples of this collective psychic destruction is Guyana’s attitude to mistreatment by the regional air carrier, BWIA, which subse-
quently became Caribbean Airlines. For over sixty years, this airline has mistreated travelers from Guyana, has shown a bizarre disinterest in the complaints of Guyanese passengers and single out Guyanese for harsher treatment than any other nationalities in the world. An irony emerged that was sickening. Trinidad has a long trade surplus with Guyana and Guyana is perhaps the most profitable route for Caribbean Airlines and for a long time now. Read the newspapers tomorrow and next month and next year, you will see how angry are the complaints of Guyanese about Caribbean Airlines. Suffering from decades of a psychic vacuum, Guyanese have lost rationality and the
will to reason and to separate and understand differing concepts. The great English philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, said that “in such a condition, there is no place for industry because the fruit thereof is uncertain and consequently no culture of the face of the earth … no knowledge of the face of the earth; no account of time; no arts; no letter; no society and which is worst of all continual fear…and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short” (Taken from Hobbes’ seminal work “Leviathan”). Guyanese live in a Hobbesian vortex. Nothing is what it appears to be. Nothing is what it is. Nothing makes sense. I have seen countless displays of Hobbesian fatalisms over the decades, which I will
date from the seventies. People in this land just do not know what to make of life and have no understanding of the logical fulcrums on which existence rests. In the week dedicated to safety and careful use of the roadways, more than a dozen people die in vehicular accidents. Since then, I have seen no changes in the way people drive. I see absolutely no dilution in the ragged driving in the captains of the minibuses and hire-cars. Something is deeply wrong with the collective psyche of this nation. Many foreigners have told me that of all the countries, they have visited they have not seen as yet, the type of destructive use of a vehicle as what they see in Guyana. With a population of under 800,000, this country has perhaps the world’s highest road fatality rate or it must be among the first five. When you look at how people drive and the way they park, the signs of psychic breakdown are there. Very few drivers in this land know
what dimming means thus drivers do not respond when you dim the headlights. I see manifestations of an illogical country in every hour of the cycle of a day in Guyana. You put analysis to these aberrations and my conclusion is psychic breakdown. I ask with a deep burden in my soul; why would concert organisers want to do their thing in the heart of residential communities where thousands of people live right on the car park of a shopping mall. I ask with all sincerity in the world, why a corporate company would give permission for their car park facilities to be used for such a purpose even if they are being paid a fee. Why would a country arrest and jail young persons for three years for the mere possession of a smoking utensil? Why would institutions prevent women in the 21st century from entering the premises if they wear a sleeveless dress? Why in the 21st century, judges and magistrates write down everything
Frederick Kissoon that is said in the testimonies from the witness box? Why would commercial banks refuse a police certificate of vehicular fitness as proof of address? That document is issued by one of the major, respected institutions in the land. Why is an electricity bill a more valid document than a police vehicular fitness certificate? Why would a commercial bank refuse as proof of address the very notice it sent to a customary? This is indeed a sad country. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)
Friday December 06, 2019
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Friday December 06, 2019
Joint Services persistent in development
Participants of Joint Services amongst officials
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oint Services persis tent in development Sixteen ranks of the Guyana Defence Force received certificates when they graduated on Wednesday from a seven-day bartending programme at the Carnegie School Home of Economics. These graduates are set to demonstrate their capabilities at various functions, which will be held across the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) from time to time.
At the same time, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) hosted a two-day seminar on Juvenile Justice Act. It was conducted over two days from December 3, 2019 by Director of the Juvenile Justice Act; Mr. Boston and his Deputies Mrs. Edghill and Mr. Gonsalves at the Indigenous Peoples Conference Hall Central, Lethem. Commenting on the graduation of the soldiers, Base Commander Major of GDF; Earl Edghill said, “Soldiers can now rub shoulders with their peers in the training. These soldiers are employed at various messes across the GDF
and were drawn from Air Corps, Base Camp Ayanganna, Base Camp Stephenson and the Coast Guard. “Exposing them to this skills training is in keeping with the Forces policy on development of its human resources.” The course was conducted under the aegis of the office of the Staff Officer One General Five (SOIG5), which has responsibility for overseeing the training of GDF troops at external institutions. The SOIG5 and the Force were represented by Major Edghill at the graduation ceremony. Meanwhile, the Juvenile
Justice Act (JJA) training was geared to sensitise the participants on the purpose of the JJA. It rehabilitated, educated and reintegrated juvenile offenders also highlighted the various ways that a juvenile must be dealt with once he or she has come into conflict with the law. The various measures of diversion were emphasised and how it is to be done once possible. The training was welcomed by Commander, Superintendent K. King and his Deputy, Woman Assistant Superintendent, Fernandes.
Friday December 06, 2019
Kaieteur News
Murdered womans body parts were pulled from Atlantic Ocean - police witness testifies The head, arms and legs of murdered US-based businesswoman, Samantha Benjamin, were pulled from the Atlantic Ocean along the Annandale foreshore, East Coast Demerara (ECD). This is according to police rank Deoraj Ramdeholl who testified yesterday when the trial of Imran Ramsaywack, also known as “Kevin Jones”, “Ramsa” and “Coolie Boy”, who is charged with murdering Benjamin, continued before Justice Sandil Kissoon and a jury at the High Court in Demerara. According to reports,
Benjamin was killed in a house at Middle Walk, Buxton, on March 25, 2015 and her body was dismembered and subsequently dumped into the Atlantic Ocean, along the same village. It was discovered the following morning with the head, arms and legs missing. The body parts were subsequently discovered in the Atlantic Ocean after waters receded. When the trial continued Ramdeholl testified via SKYPE. During March 2015, he said he was stationed at the Vigilance Police Station, East Coast Demerara and was
attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). According to him, on March 26, 2015 at around 07:30hrs, he received an anonymous call from someone. As a result of what was related to him, Ramdeholl said he visited the Annandale foreshore where he found the body of a woman which was stuck between two rocks. The body, according to him, was clad in a blue bra and pink skirt; it had no head, arms and legs. He added that upon examining the body, there (Continued on page 28)
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 06, 2019
Businessman charged with attempting to bribe CANU rank Businessman, Vibert Marks, yesterday found himself before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan to answer to a charge in which he is accused of attempting to bribe a Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) rank. The 44-year-old defendant who was arraigned in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read to him. It is alleged that on November 18, last, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), he corruptly offered a Dominic Smartt $100,000 as a reward for forbearing to investigate the defendant. Last week, Marks was charged for attempting to
export $7.3M in raw gold on an international flight. Attorney-at-law Glenn Hanoman represented the defendant and he asked that all the matters be tried together as it arose from the same incident. Marks was granted another additional $100,000 bail and his reporting conditions were reduced to every Friday when he is expected to present himself to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU). The matter was adjourned to January 6, 2020. The fact of the charge had stated that on the day in question, the defendant who is a permanent resident of the United States of America (USA) was an ongoing passenger on a flight at CJIA des-
tined for the USA. It is alleged that while a CANU rank was checking the suitcase of the defendant, he observed a darkish object in it. Upon asking the defendant some questions, Marks stated that he was only carrying 20 ounces of raw gold. However, the checks revealed that it was more than 20 ounces and the defendant reportedly used the opportunity to attempt to bribe the CANU rank. The court was told that the rank refused the bribe offer and reported the incident to his superiors. The defendant is currently being investigated for money laundering based on the incident.
Friday December 06, 2019
Kaieteur News
Panty sends man to jail for three years A man who was caught with a pair of stolen female underwear in his pocket was yesterday found guilty of the offence. He was sentenced to three years imprisonment. Yudhister Samjawan appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts, when he was charged for breaking and entering. Samjawan pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on October 4, 2019, at West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, he broke and entered the dwelling home of Yanti Stephens and stole one Samsung cell phone, a panty valued $400 and $50,000 cash. The sentencing was handed down by Magistrate Dylon Bess who conducted the trial. Magistrate Bess ruled that there was sufficient evidence against the defendant.The defendant who was not represented by
Jailed: Yudhister Samjawan an attorney, told the court that he is 26 yearsold and resident at 58 Third Street Alexander Village. He added that he works at the fisheries wharf and is also a taxi-driver. Police prosecutor, Adduni Inniss, had objected to bail
for the defendant based on the fact that he was found in a trench by neighbours who summoned the police. Upon arrival, the police searched the defendant and found him with the panty in his right side pants pocket. Prosecutor Inniss also added that the victim positively identified the defendant. She has seen him crawling out of her house. She further noted that the particulars about the defendant which he related to the court were not what he told the police when he was arrested. The defendant stated that on the day in question, he was drinking with friends in the area. Suddenly persons came running towards him, pushing him in the trench. He added that it was the people who placed the underwear in his pocket.
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Friday December 06, 2019
Kaieteur News
New Amsterdam Mayor Deputy reelected Mayor of New Amsterdam, Winifred Haywood, and Deputy Mayor Wainwright McIntosh, were recently reelected to serve in their respective positions when Guyana’s oldest town in Berbice held elections for the various positions. Haywood, a long-serving PNCR member and Councillor, was first elected Mayor in 2017. S he was the only Councillor returning to the council since the 1994 elections. She served as Deputy Mayor on two occasions, once in the previous Council and again as Deputy Mayor before she was elected as Mayor in 2017. Mayor Winifred Haywood, a retired head teacher and former President of the Guyana Teacher ’s Union, is a practising preacher at the Mission Chapel Congregational Church in New Amsterdam. Deputy Mayor McIntosh was also grateful to his col-
Mayor Winifred Haywood leagues for reelecting him to serve in the post. He promised to continue doing his best and to give the Mayor his full support in getting the work done. McIntosh, who is rela-
tively new to local politics, is already one of the more popular faces of the municipality. He is also an educator, serving for a number of years as a teacher and now as an Education Officer. McIntosh is also a member of a number of social organisations including the Rotary Club of New Amsterdam. Following the election, both the mayor and deputy mayor promised to work harder for the enhancement of New Amsterdam while at the same time providing improved services for the citizens within the township. Haywood, in her thank you speech, expressed gratitude to her colleagues for the confidence shown in her. She thanked them for their support shown so far. Since her accession to the top position, the town has seen a transformation with numerous developmental (Continued on page 30)
Friday December 06, 2019
Bureau of Statistics ready to assist GECOM with data science
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he Bureau of Statistics (BoS) has said that if the Guyana Elections Commissions (GECOM) needs assistance with “Data Science”, it is ready to help. An official from BoS said that it has the expertise of both young and senior statisticians if GECOM requires. But GECOM will have to write to BoS indicating the need for assistance and the specific areas that the Elections Commission is unable to resolve. Recently, it was reported that GECOM had observed striking disparities in the cross-matched data that returned from overseas supplier, Gemalto. Gemalto is an international digital security company, contracted by GECOM to cross-match the house-to-house data. But to GECOM's surprise the cross-matched data sent back appeared to indicate that there are about 60,000 new registrants. This unusually high figure prompted GECOM to do its own assessment of the crossmatched data. It was then found that about 17,000 of those supposedly new registrants are already on the National Register of Registrants Database (NRRDB). The findings sparked a belief that the crossmatching job was flawed. This issue had also raised concerns and doubts about the integrity of the house-tohouse data. The other concern highlighted was the amount of unverified registrants who came forward to claim their identities. T h e G E C O M Commissioner, Vincent Alexander, had said that only 300 persons had uplifted their ID cards out of the 18,000 names published in the daily newspapers.
Alexander had also said that unreported deaths might be a contributing factor for the ID cards not collected. H o w e v e r, “ P e e p i n g Tom” suggested in one of his columns that GECOM can resolve these controversial issues by hiring a qualified s t a t i s t i c i a n . The Columnist wrote that “GECOM seems to lack an understanding of Data Science” because of the confusion it has found itself in. It was further stated in the column that the services of a statistician would greatly help to clear up the confusion over the large number of uncollected ID cards and the massive number of “non hits” in the cross-matching exercise. The columnist explained that as it relates to the uncollected ID cards, a statistician can extract a representative sample from the list and make a physical check on the persons' addresses. This will verify whether the large numbers of uncollected ID card belong to the dead or people who have migrated. The column went on to state that “If it is found that there are large numbers of dead persons on this list of the names of uncollected identification cards, and if these names also appear on the Official List of Electors, then it means that the list may b e t e r m i n a l l y c o n t a m i n a t e d . ” As it relates to the controversy over the crossmatched data, the columnist iterated that statistical tools can help to determine whether fraudulent registrations were involved or if a problem exists with the cross matching-process. GECOM told Kaieteur News yesterday that it does not have a qualified statistician. It cannot say if one will be employed at this point in time.
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Friday December 06, 2019
TOTALTEC participates in World Energy Capital Assembly in London
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he 2019 World Energy Capital Assembly (WECA) was held over two days from December 2, last, in London, with TOTALTEC Oilfield Services CEO, Lars Mangal, presenting and participating in a panel session highlighting emerging and high potential regions and companies, and how they are changing the way the industry operates. The World Energy Capital Assembly, an anchor event on the industry calendar, brings together the oil and gas and finance and investment worlds and senior executives to discuss emerging and re-emerging energy investment opportunities, to review deals done. The two-day event kicked off with an opening plenary titled 'Taking the Pulse of the Industry in 2019 and Giving Insight to 2020 and Beyond'. According to TOTALTEC, which has operations in Guyana, subsequent topics included the role of Environment, Social, and (corporate) Governance (ESG) in the future of the industry, insights into the technological innovations disrupting the future of the oil and gas industry (in particular digital), and a number on attitudes of the financial markets to investing in oil
and gas. The scale of ExxonMobil discoveries in Guyana and pace of ramping up activity to first oil, expected in the next few weeks, made it clear the country would be of strong interest to the assembly, said TOTALTEC in a statement. Lars Mangal, said, “Being asked to participate in this conference validates the work we are doing in Guyana through our partnerships and the International Petroleum and Maritime Academy (IPMA). There was considerable discussion on the environment, and the importance of the industry working to positively contribute to addressing climate change and other environmental concerns in the countries where it operates. Guyana is an ideal partner for operators to put these green objectives and plans into action.” WECA includes eight awards in various categories, with TOTALTEC nominated as a finalist for the service company of the year. The three other finalists are three major oilfield service companies operating in Guyana; Schlumberger, TechnipFMC, and S B M O f f s h o r e . Mangal explained: “To be a finalist and considered within this group of
nd
Lars Mangal, CEO TOTALTEC (2 r) with other officials at the event. four is an honor, and highlights the focus of the awards on companies at the forefront of the industry in regions having exploration and development success.” TOTALTEC Oilfield Services said it is focused on the success of
the oil industry in Guyana for the benefit the country, its people, and partner companies. Examples are Guyana Shore Base Inc. providing support to offshore operations and Jaguar Oilfield Services offering a
complete range of lifting equipment and inspection services. “The 94% Guyanese TOTALTEC workforce includes eight nationalities with over 160 years of international oilfield experience.”
Friday December 06, 2019
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Friday December 06, 2019
IS GUYANA, DESTINED FOR WEAK GOVT.? - PART 1 By Donald Ramotar
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olitical parties are mushrooming in Guyana these days. We have far more political parties than any other country in the Caribbean and one of the h i g h e s t i n t h e Commonwealth. The last count shows that Guyana has some 20 political parties. Why is it that so many parties are emerging on our political scene? No doubt some would interpret this as a testimony to our “democratic” society. Some outsiders, unfamiliar with our political history and today's reality would think that democracy is flourishing here. That would have been true during the period 1992 to May 2015. However, since then we have seen a great decline in democratic practices. Accountability has almost totally disappeared and the regime has shown scant regards for our constitution and the rule of law. Moreover, racial and political discrimination are rampant in our country. I am sure that even the most ardent supporter of the APNU+AFC regime will have to admit that, using the yardstick of abiding by constitutions and respecting the rule of law, Guyana is the most undemocratic regime in the region. As this article is being prepared, we see all the signs that the regime is preparing to rig the upcoming elections, scheduled for March 2020 and perpetuate itself in power. This is more a case of history repeating itself. Yet, the growth of political parties in our society is natural and, had we begun to have free and fair elections much earlier, this spurt in the amount of parties may have happened long before now. Even though we see the proliferation of parties, this is not the limit. More parties may well emerge before the 2020 elections and possibly even after. The reason for this growth is no doubt the electoral system that we have. Proportional Representation (PR) encourages the rise of many political parties. This system is alien to almost all of the Commonwealth countries. Almost all these countries have the Constituency system, popularly known as the “First Pass the Post”
system. This is the system in the United Kingdom that was adopted by almost all the countries of the commonwealth and many others outside of the Commonwealth. The “First Past the Post” system creates conditions for strong political parties to contest specific areas where the people's representative would be well known. It is widely recognised as a more representative system, d e m a n d s m o r e accountability and delivers better representation to the masses, the electors. This was the system that we had up to 1961. It was replaced in 1964 by Proportional Representation (PR). The record would show that the number of parties were much less before PR electoral system was introduced. In 1953, three parties contested the elections, they were the People's Progressive Party, National Democratic Party (NDP) and the People's National Party (PNP). Independent candidates also participated for various constituencies. In fact, 86 independent candidates took part. In 1957, five political parties, PPP (J), PPP (B), NLF, UDP, GNP and six independent candidates contested. In 1961, three parties contested, PPP; PNC; and UF: No independent candidates took part in those elections. These were the last elections where the First Past the Post method was used. In 1964, the first elections held under the system of Proportional Representation (PR), seven parties contested. They were PPP; PNC; UF; Justice Party; Guyana United Muslim Party; Peace, Equality and Prosperity Party (PEPP); and National Labour Front. From these first elections under P.R. we see a growth in the quantity of parties e m e rg i n g . S o m e w e r e organized on Religious grounds, and other smaller interests. As is well known, the PR system was not imposed on us because the British thought that it was a better system. Indeed, this system first arose in the United Kingdom but was discarded as unsuitable. Up to today, the British still have the Constituency system. So does the overwhelming number of Commonwealth Countries. Many politicians have a (continued on page 30)
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'Lotus Hardware' to offer consumers Home Depot shopping experience
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new store on the local market is looking to give shoppers an experience similar to that which is offered by United States retailer – Home Depot. According to the manager of Lotus Hardware Store of Lot 19 -20 Broad and Charles Streets, Charlestown, the goal is to sell quality products at competitive prices. Sasenarine Sarjoo told Kaieteur News that Lotus Hardware recently opened its doors with the Guyanese consumer in mind. “We want to help bring better quality stuff to the people and give the Guyanese people a better option to some of substandard material currently on the market. We want to offer products which will help eliminate that.” In addition, he said the store is set to offer consumers a shopping modern experience. “We took concepts from some of the top hardware dealers in Europe, North America and Asia and we are bringing it our Guyanese people.” The manager said that the main goal is providing quality goods. “That's why we are not threatened by the competition because we are offering the best,” he said. At present, the store is offering a wide range of hardware products, including floor, bathroom and other types of tiles, decorative stones imported f r o m I t a l y, c e i l i n g medallions, PVC ceiling, hot and cold sinks combinations, as well as protective coatings and other construction necessities. Sarjoo said that Lotus
Hardware currently has a range of other items in stock. “We have a number of i t e m s i n s t o c k which costumers can take advantage of.” “We also specialise in building and selling concrete slabs and piles,” the Manager
Some of the items offered by the new Hardware store
buyers make decisions that are best for them.” “Customers will be advised on topics like how to calculate the right mixture of construction materials to get the results they want and so forth.” At present, Lotus
said of the store which is operated by local investors. According to Sarjoo, the hardware store is operated by a company, which started out in Guyana's construction sector. “ We a r e 1 0 0 % Guyanese-owned and we decided to invest in the country because we have faith in our economy. Our parent company, Kares Group of Companies, has been in construction for a number of years and has made its name in construction as well as fitness with ownership of the cross fit gym. “So we are in the middle of expanding and
diversifying the brand. We are not operating at our full capacity as yet but we plan to do so by next year.” Sarjoo explained that at the full capacity, the outlet will offer a range of other material and services. “We started operating to facilitate our client during the Christmas seasons.” But by next April, Lotus is expected to have about 70 on staff, including two professional engineers. “Our staff will be trained on site to ensure that our customers get the construction advice they need. The store will also have its own electrical and civil engineers to help our
Hardware operates out of the warehouse located at its Charlestown address. On completion, Sarjoo said the facility will be fully air conditioned and outfitted with escalators and elevators.
“There will be departments, a travel agency and a café. We are still working to get the building fully operational but people are free to contact us and check out our products to see for themselves.”
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Competition Pt. 3
Celebrating three years of success!!!
T
A
The talented Latoya Zephyr aka Lashes Boss
M
T
The Carlo Rossi Rose
he Carlo Rossi Rose which is distributed by Ansa McAL and readily available at most supermarkets for under $2500, is a refreshing wine with flavours of fresh strawberries and sweet cherries. It can be enjoyed with a variety of dishes, ranging from meat and fish dishes and fruit desserts. The wine has a pleasant mild flavour
he Karaoke Competition of the Garage Bar and Grill which kicked off on November 26, at its Aubrey Barker Road location will now see 25 talented Guyanese competing in the second round. They are: Joylon Harry, Trevoon Shurry, Jamacy, Darlene Burnett, Rhonda Williams, Sherwin Chisolm, Olivia Morris, Anasha Dutchin, Rawle Meusa, Melissa Alstrom, Lennox Wade, Abigail Charles, Tonya Bourne, Selwyn Cort, Demalie Hamilton, Mario Broom, Seon Cameron, Kenola Glasglo, Moniff Pillay, Abiola Hope, Bergman Jordan, Romeo Jones, Mekiba Williams, Shawndell Williams and Monifa Williams. Kaieteur Entertainment understands that there will be over one million in cash and prizes to be won along with consolation prizes from sponsors such as Ansa McAL and Hits and Jams Entertainment. The third round kicks off tonight. See you there.
Armageddon Clash
Wine of the
Week
to compete in round two of Garage
Karaoke
Editoria fter surmou nting every challenge that came along away, it is with great honour that I disclose that Lashes by Toya recently celebrated its third anniversary. Yes Ladies and Gentlemen, it has been quite a journey and its success would not have been possible without you, my faithful clients and supporters. In honour of what I deem to be an esteemed occasion, I am launching three products that I have carefully pack aged and designed in an effort to make the lash experience a revitalizing one as well as healthy and glamourous for my clients. The package includes a Lash Bath Foaming Cleanser, the Lash Brush and a Spoolie. It will be offered to my clients for the Christmas season as a demonstration of my appreciation for the continued support Lashes By Toya has received over the years. Plans for its retail are still in the pipeline. Until next time guys, Season’s Greetings and stay tuned for more update ! Have a great weekend!
Friday December 06, 2019
and exquisite colour. Carlo Rossi Red and White wines are made from the most delicious grapes from the Central Valley of California. The characteristics of those grapes evolve from year to year but Carlo Rossi wine has always been served in a sturdy glass jug. With Carlo Rossi wines, one can always count on quality and value.
2020 launched
ango Lane, East Ruimveldt was a buzz on Sunday December 1, 2019 as Empire Media Inc. launched Armageddon Clash 2020. Giving remarks on behalf of EMI and Coordinator for Armageddon Clash 2020, Keston Tyrell, stated that Empire Media Inc. was excited to host the biggest Clash in the world. It will be held on January 25, 2020 at the National Park tarmac. He noted that the large attendance at its Clashes is testimony to the transformation that had taken place in the industry. He added that Armageddon 2020 was dubbed the War of all Wars because of the calibre of sounds that will be participating. Mr. Tyrell explained that the Clash will feature six champion Sounds, in one night on one stage competing for $1Million. Competing will be Notorious International Sound - Armageddon 2018 & 2019 Champion; Dynamq Sound (from South Sudan Africa) - 2018 US Rumble and 2019 War in the East Champion; Trinity Sound Destination Badda Dan Guyana Champion; Kanabis Sound (from Antigua) - Pain & Sorrow 2019 Champion; Exodus Nuclear Turbo Sounds of Steel Champion and Firehouse Int - Art of War 2019 Champion According to Mr Tyrell, Empire Media Inc. was pleased to have on board again the
Guyana Beverages Inc., whose Turbo Brand will be the official Energy Drink of Armageddon Clash 2020. He remarked that EMI sees it as a good move and thanked them for their partnership. Speaking on behalf of the Guyana Beverages Inc., Brand Manager Mr. Raymond Govinda, stated that the company recognized the importance of supporting cultural values within Guyana and providing a platform for local talents to grow and develop. He noted that Armageddon provides the perfect platform for this to happen and to further the growth of the brand among the audience. Other businesses that have committed to sponsoring the event thus far includes6Vibes, Coles Screen Printing and Maad 97.5 FM. Armageddon Clash 2020 goes down on January 25, 2020 at the National Park tarmac. Tickets for the Clash will go on sale soon. Early bird tickets cost $1,500 and if you buy two (2) you will get 1 free (while stocks last). Empire Media Inc. can be reached on Instagram and Facebook using the business name, on whatsapp at 862-233-0494, email on empiremediainc1@gmail.com or you can call 680-6720.
Kaieteur News
E POLICE THE
ntertainment
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The Enetworks guide for Hallmark’s Christmas movies special
W
ith Christmas approximately six weeks away, Christmas movies are considered a must-do for the season. It is in recognition of this beloved tradition; Enetworks is pleased to present its countdown to Christmas with holiday movies via the Hallmark Chanel 24/7. Here’s the movie guide which you and your loved ones can follow and enjoy for today and tomorrow. Friday Guide 6:00 AM: LOVE YOU LIKE CHRISTMAS A high-powered marketing executive is on her way to a client’s wedding when her plans are derailed by car trouble. When a fork in the road leads her to Christmas Valley, a town in love with Christmas. 8:00 AM: WELCOME TO CHRISTMAS A developer finds herself stranded in Christmas, Colorado. The town hopes to employ the Christmas spirit to convince her that their community is the best location for a new ski resort. Stars Eric Mabius and Jennifer Finnigan. 10:00 AM: HOME & FAMILY Actress Alison Sweeney from the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries original Time for You to Come Home for Christmas. Actress Danica McKellar talks about the Hallmark Channel original movie Christmas at Dollywood. 12:00 PM: SWITCHED FOR CHRISTMAS When identical twin sisters are stuck planning their respective Christmas parties, they’re convinced the grass is greener on the other side. Stars Candace Cameron Bure and Mark Deklin. 2:00 PM: 12 GIFTS OF CHRISTMAS Anna, an unemployed painter, is hired to become a personal shopper for Marc, a corporate exec. Marc learns that Christmas giving has less to do with the amount of money spent and more to do with the importance of the gift. 4:00 PM: CHRISTMAS AT THE PLAZA NEW 2019 When historian Jessica is hired to create The Plaza’s Christmas display, she finds more than facts while teaming up with handsome decorator Nick to bring the display to life. Starring Elizabeth Henstridge and Ryan Paevey 6:00 PM: CHRISTMAS IN EVERGREEN When a storm shuts down the airport, a veterinarian crosses paths with a doctor and his daughter. What transpires will give them all a Christmas more magical than they could’ve imagined. Stars Ashley Williams and Teddy Sears. 8:00 PM: THE CHRISTMAS CLUB - NEW 2019 Two busy strangers meet when they help an elderly woman find her lost Christmas savings. Thanks to fate and Christmas magic, they also find something they were both missing… true love. Stars Elizabeth Mitchell & Cameron Mathison. 10:03 PM: CHECK INN TO CHRISTMAS NEW 2019 Julia Crawley and Ryan Mason must unite their families during Crestridge’s Centennial Christmas celebration in order to save their family inns from a chain resort. Rachel Boston, Wes Brown, Richard Karn. Saturday Guide 12:06 AM: CHERISHED MEMORIES: A GIFT TO REMEMBER 2 - NEW 2019 Darcy and Aiden celebrate their second Christmas together when an unexpected guest and a fight to save the beloved community
center unites everyone for an unforgettable holiday. 2:09 AM: MERRY & BRIGHT - NEW 2019 Cate and Gabe work together to make a candy cane company profitable and find love during the holidays. Jodie Sweetin, Andrew Walker, Sharon Lawrence 4:05 AM: SHARING CHRISTMAS A real estate developer gets the opportunity of his career, transforming an old shopping complex into a prime location. Unfortunately, there is one tenant hold out, the Christmas shop owner. Stars Ellen Hollman and Bobby Campo. 6:00 AM: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY MANOR In this holiday re-imagining of “Pride and Prejudice,”rookie party planner Elizabeth works with the all-business William Darcy to put together a Christmas Festival at Pemberley Manor. Stars Jessica Lowndes and Michael Rady. 8:00 AM: A DREAM OF CHRISTMAS When a restless young married woman is granted a wish by a Christmas Angel to be single again, she soon discovers her new life isn’t what she bargained for, and embarks on a quest to win her husband back. 10:00 AM: THE MISTLETOE SECRET NEW 2019 Aria hopes being selected for “Sterling Masters’ Big Holiday Adventure” will save Christmas in Midway. Little does she know that Alex Bartlett is the voice behind Sterling Masters. Kellie Pickler, Tyler Hynes, Patrick Duffy 12:00 PM: THE NINE LIVES OF CHRISTMAS Zachary Stone, a handsome bachelor with distaste for responsibility, sees his life change before his eyes when he decides to adopt a stray cat. 2:00 PM: CHRISTMAS IN EVERGREEN: TIDINGS OF JOY - NEW 2019 As the town searches for a rumored Christmas Time Capsule, a skeptical writer arrives in Evergreen to get the story on the town’s “toogood-to-be-true” Christmas-fever. Stars Maggie Lawson and Paul Greene. 4:00 PM: CHRISTMAS WISHES & MISTLETOE KISSES - NEW 2019 Weeks before Christmas, Abbey is hired to decorate the estate of businessman Nick. She must break down the wall between her and Nick, all while keeping the holiday spirit alive. Starring Jill Wagner and Matthew Davis. 6:00 PM: CHRISTMAS TOWN - NEW 2019 Lauren leaves everything behind in Boston to embark on a new chapter in her life and career. On an unforeseen detour to the town of Grandon Falls, she discovers love and family, helping her to embrace the magic of Christmas. 8:00 PM: A CHRISTMAS LOVE STORY NEW 2019 NYC youth choir director, Katherine, must write the title song for the Christmas Eve show but becomes distracted when a gifted boy joins her choir unbeknownst to his widowed father Greg. Stars Kristin Chenoweth and Scott Wolf. 9:55 PM: CHRISTMAS IN ROME - NEW 2019 Angela, an American tour guide in Rome, agrees to teach a culture-shocked businessman named Oliver about the heart of Rome at Christmas. In the process, both may find that Rome is where the heart is. Stars Lacey Chabert, Sam Page.
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DJ Dauren to host
“Bliss: Wet Fete” on December 14
D
J Dauren will be celebrating 20 years in entertainment with an event titled “Bliss – Wet Fete” on December 14, 2019 at New Amsterdam Stelling Road, and as he was always promoting local entertainers and their music throughout his career, he will be celebrating his two decades in entertainment with a long line-up of local entertainers. It is the first time that a show will feature this many local artistes in Berbice, and arguably the entire country. The line-up will feature nationally renowned artistes such as: Mystic, Jumo, Kwasi Ace , Steven Ramphal, Jackie Jaxx, Vintage, Saint , Bear Sawse, Wiz Phil,
THE
Friday December 06, 2019
and Gucci Boss (overseas based Guyanese artiste). Linden will be represented with artistes such as Mike Menace, Black Money and Bam Shell. Several prominent DJ’s, selectors and dancers from Berbice will also be bringing the vibes and energy while Crown Vibes will be covering the full production. This is an event that is truly by Guyanese and these talented artistes will surely need the support of everyone. Be sure to come out for an epic night of entertainment. Tickets are $1,500 (general admission) and $4,000 (VIP) and are available in advance. Prices will remain the same on the night of the event.
POP
CULT
THE REVIEWS ARE IN!!!
: ‘Frozen 2’ Review
The Biggest Problems With Disney’s Disappointing Sequel
F
rozen II has made a big box office splash over the Thanksgiving holiday. Since its release, the animated sequel to Disney’s biggest animated feature has nabbed over $700 million worldwide. The problem? It’s just not a very good movie, at least when compared to the original Frozen. My hunch is that the box office success is largely due to two factors: First, people are curious to see what happens with Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf after a six year hiatus. When I went to see the original, my twelve-year-old daughter was six. My nine-year-old son was three. Of course we’re all curious to see what this sequel is all about, and why not go to the theater? Second, it’s a tent-pole family movie for a whole new generation of six-year-old girls who don’t care about plot holes or mediocre music. They love it for the princesses, the magic and the cool water horse. I admit, I did really enjoy that horse. And Olaf, who was—once again—quite funny this time around. The rest? Well, let’s take a look at the biggest problems with Frozen II. Spoilers below. 1. The plot is a convoluted mess.
In the original Frozen, the conceit is quite simple. Two princesses are raised by their parents in a palace, but one is cursed with superhuman powers over snow and water and ice. Elsa is a water-bender, essentially, and it makes her feel isolated. Her power is too strong and she doesn’t know what to do with it, so even as a girl she begins shutting out everyone close to her, including her sister, Anna. When their parents die at sea, the girls face even more trauma and heartache, and Elsa leaves to go it alone in the frozen north where she builds herself an ice palace and sings “Let It Go”. Anna goes to find her lost sister, and one thing leads to another and pretty soon there’s a story of betrayal and true love and you know the rest. (to be continued)
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 06, 2019
Chief Justice orders mediation in false imprisonment lawsuit by Jamaican Instead of a trial, Chief Justice Roxane George has ordered mediation in a lawsuit against the Guyana Police Force and Attorney General. The action was filed by lawyer, Darren Wade, on behalf of Jamaican national, Sandra Russell, who is seeking in excess of $70M for false imprisonment by the police. During a hearing yesterday, lawyers from the Attorney Generals Chambers requested that the case be sent for mediation. This was met with no objections from Wade. Russell is alleging that she was kept in police custody for an additional eight months after she had completed serving a sentence of three and a half months for trafficking 70 grams of marijuana. In the circumstances, she argues that her fundamental rights as guaranteed under Articles 139, 141 and 148 of the Constitution were breached, encroached and infringed by the Guyana Police Force and Immigration Officers. Russell, 54, says that she is a citizen of Jamaica and
resides locally at Pouderoyen Squatting Area, Pouderoyen Village, West Bank Demerara. Wade in a Statement of Claim, said his client arrived in Guyana on May 13, 2013. Wade said that on June 25, 2018, Russell was held by police at Omai Landing in the Essequibo River with 70 grams of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. Three days later, on June 28, 2018, his client was placed before the G e orgetown Magistrates Courts where she pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, along with a fine of $180,000. Russell in an Affidavit in Support of her claim said, “I was taken to the New Amsterdam Prison to serve my sentence. I had a reduction of sentence to three and a half months in prison. I was released from prison on the 10th November, 2018.” The woman said that she was released into the custody of a female Immigration Officer who informed that she had to be taken to the
Immigration Office to be processed for deportation to Jamaica. According to Russell, while travelling to the Immigration Office, the Immigration Officer received a phone call and later informed her that she would be taken to the East La Penitence Police Station, instead. She further claims that she was only released from police custody on July 7, 2019 on $10,000 bail after the intervention of Kaieteur News. Russell swore in the Affidavit, “Whilst I was at the East La Penitence Police Station, I was informed by a female office and verily believe that a Kaieteur News reporter came to the police station to interview me and they sent the reporter away.” She said that while in custody, she was never taken before a Judge or Magistrate. Russell pointed out that the conditions at the East La Penitence Police Station were poor. She disclosed that she was without proper and adequate meals and supplements and as a result
had to be taken to the East La Penitence Heath Centre for m e d i c a t i o n s . She complains, “While at the East La Penitence Police Station, I became depressed and stressed. At the East La Penitence Station, the lighting and ventilation were very poor and I spent all the time in the cell and had no leisure or physical activities.” She continued, “There were no beds at the East La Penitence Police Station and I slept on a thin mattress that was very stink, on the concrete floor. As a result, I suffered from back pains. There are only three cells at the East La Penitence Police Station and at times, it could be about three to twenty of us prisoners in those cells. There were many of us; we were packed like sardines in order to fit on a mattress and the place was very humid because we had neither fan nor AC.” In all the circumstances, the Jamaican national believes that the police had no legal authority to keep her in custody after 72 hours without charging her or seeking an extension of time from the courts. In her lawsuit filed against the Attorney General, Commissioner of Police and
Sandra Russell Chief Immigration Officer, Russell is seeking in excess of $50M for false imprisonment; a declaration that she suffered inhuman, degrading treatment by the State; a declaration that the Guyana Police Force and Immigration Officers of the State had no legal authority to further imprison her beyond her prison sentence; a declaration that the Guyana Police Force and Immigration falsely
imprisoned her. In addition, she is also seeking, $10M per day for everyday she spent in unlawful custody; in excess of $20M for inhuman and degrading treatment suffered by her; in excess of $20M for the breach of her freedom of movement. The woman is also asking the court for exemplary and aggravated damages and any further or such other orders that the court may deem just in the circumstances.
Friday December 06, 2019
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Kaieteur News
Viral videos sisters slapped with slew of charges Sisters from Number 36 Village, Corentyne, Berbice yesterday appeared at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Peter Hugh to answer to several charges, all of which they pleaded not guilty to. Charged are Hemwattie “Mona” Singh, 28, and Yasminie “Tina” Ramsew, 22 of Lot 3 Number 36 Village. The sisters were yesterday placed on $50,000 bail each. Singh who stood in the p r i s o n e r ’s d o c k w a s slapped with charges of damage to the property of Traffic Constable Umkar Suknanand, his cellphone worth $190,000 and assaulting him along the Port Mourant Public Road. She was also charged with disorderly behaviour, resisting arrest by a peace officer at Rose Hall Outpost and assaulting Police female Constable Parks. Ramsew, on the other hand, was charged with d a n g e r o u s d r i v i n g resulting in an accident; failing to stop after an accident, failure to report the accident, resisting arrest, disorderly behaviour and
assaulting female Constable Parks at the Rose Hall Town Outpost. According to the facts of the case, Ramsew drive motor vehicle PTT 6628 with Singh as the occupant in a manner dangerous to the public, resulting in a collision with motorcar PLL 9377. Ramsew then, reportedly fled the scene with a police patrol giving chase. The police eventually caught up with Ramsew along the Port Mourant Public Road. All occurred on December 3, last. R a m s e w, h o w e v e r, claimed in court that she was assaulted by Constable Parks at the Rose Hall Town Outpost and has a medical certificate to show for it. Her sister who made no mention in court that she was assaulted, said that she was, after the case had ended and while she was making her way out of the courtyard. She stated that she was hospitalised for two days. Magistrate Hugh, considering the allegation made by Ramsew, ordered that a probe be launched to address the allegations made. Both sisters have since retained Attorney
Saphier Hussein. The incidents that took place along the Port Mourant Public Road were transferred to the Whim M a g i s t r a t e ’s C o u r t f o r January 6, next, while those that took place at the Rose Hall Town Outpost were transferred to the Albion M a g i s t r a t e ’s C o u r t f o r January 7, 2020. On Wednesday, several videos made their way into the public domain showing the sisters verbally abusing and at one pushing a female policewoman. They were heard hurling racial remarks towards the ranks who were recording their actions from their phone. Ramsew in her heated rant threatened to contact the Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, and having them “knocked off”. Singh also threatened to contact the Minister and the Commander of Region Six, Calvin Brutus. Their blood alcohol level was tested and was found to be below the legal limit. Advice is currently being sought in relation to the remarks that were thrown at the ranks at the Outpost, a police
Hemwattie “Mona” Singh and Yasminie “Tina” Ramsew source said. Their mother was present in court yesterday. Singh had previously
made the news after was reported missing. had reportedly left home on Diwali Day.
she She her She
was later located at a relative’s home on West Coast Berbice two days later.
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Kaieteur News
Guyana asked not to prosecute Venezuelans for immigration offences - Minister Felix Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, said in a radio interview that Guyana was asked not to prosecute Venezuelans for Immigration offences. This request was made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) last year. This request was also extended to all countries that border Venezuela. These countries, including Guyana, were also asked not to send back Venezuelans and to treat them humanely. But according to a recent World Bank Report, it has been observed that 11 countries have begun to tighten border entry requirements for Venezuelans. However, the report says that this has not stemmed the influx but affected its legality. One such country that has taken this initiative is Peru.As it regards to Guyana, Minister Felix said that his country will not “turn its back on its neighbours.” He said that since the request, Guyana has taken the
initiative to admit and register Venezuelans who were found in breach of the immigration laws. Felix explained that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is working along with the Ministry of Health to register and inoculate these migrants. Not so long ago the World Health Organization (WHO) along with the Pan American Health organization (PAHO) had projected that Guyana can expect an entry of 38000 to 40000 Venezuelans next year.Minister Volda Lawrence had raised concerns about the strain this would have on Guyanas economy especially as it relates to Health services. She highlighted the fact that Guyana may not have the capacity to deal with such a large number of Venezuelan migrants. In response to this, the Minister of Citizenship made it clear that even though these numbers may be true, they are only projections. Felix said that he will not be driven by such projections
but will assess “what is going on locally” and make his own projections based on the evidence at hand. The Minister advised Guyana that it should not deny accepting Venezuelans in its doors. Felix made reference to numbers of Guyanese who live and work in countries abroad including Venezuela. The Minister said that when Guyana experienced its share of trouble, 1000s of Guyanese migrated to Venezuela. “Even now as Venezuela is suffering, some of these Guyanese are still returning home”.As it relates to the strain on Guyanas national budget, the Minister admitted that indeed it will have an impact on the countrys economy. However, Guyana is being assisted by a number of organisations including UNHCR to provide these migrants with basic aid such as water, food and hygienic products.The World Bank report states that 4000 to 5000 (Continued on page 29)
Murdered womans body parts were pulled... From page 13 were chop wounds on the abdomen. He said that he received a head, two arms and two legs from the sea. The police rank told the jury that on April 03, 2015, he received certain information and as a result he and a party of policemen went to 103 Middle Walk Buxton ECD. Once there, he made contact with Ramsaywack, who gave his name as “Kevin Jones.” Ramsaywack, he said, told him that he and Benjamin resided at the property and that he last saw her on March 27, 2015 around 10:00hrs. Ramdeholl told the court that he searched Benjamins bedroom where he found what appeared to be blood on a beam and mirror. At this point, he testified to cautioning the murder accused before putting a murder allegation to him. The police rank recounted that he searched a fowl pen in the yard and found a brown handle cutlass before escorting Ramsaywack to the Vigilance Police Station. There, he added, Ramsaywack was shown the cutlass and admitted that he and two other men, “Itchy” and “Zakari”, used it to chop off Benjamins head, arms and legs. These two men, he said, were arrested but later released. The police witness recounted that the murder accused was taken back to the house where he pointed out a yellow wheelbarrow that was used to transport the womans body to the foreshore. The police rank also told the court that Ramsaywack took him to an area at the foreshore where they chopped off the womans head. He added that the remains were transported to Memorial Gardens. Questioned by Ramsaywacks lawyer, Ravindra Mohabir, as to whether he retrieved fingerprints from the cutlass or wheelbarrow, Ramdeholl replied in the negative. The wheelbarrow and cutlass were tendered in court for identification purposes through another police witness. On Wednesday, Orland Alleyne, a police rank attached to the Crime Laboratory at the Criminal Investigation Department
Friday December 06, 2019
14,000 land titles distributed over 4 years - Min Bulkan reveals Over the last four years, the Coalition Government, through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has delivered some 14,000 land titles; a representation of close to 4000 titles per annum. This was revealed by Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan yesterday. Providing an overview of his Ministrys work, which includes housing and water, Minister Bulkan said the allocations are a great achievement for both the government and citizens. “It means that these persons or families have a legal instrument, easier to secure mortgages for the construction of their homes. Equally and significantly, the length of time it now takes for the delivery of a title has been significantly reduced to under three months from six months,” he told the Department of Public Information during a “One on One” interview.The government also pumped some $6B into the upgrades of 31 housing schemes across Guyana that were left bare by the previous government. Out of the 55,000 house lots, established during the previous administration, almost half of that quantity was left undeveloped. Minister Bulkan stated that more than 28,000 of those lots were undeveloped. He reminded that the Coalition Government inherited a “difficult hand” for the provision of housing for
-“$6 B invested in infrastructural upgrades in govt housing schemes
Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan. Guyanese in need. From the $6 billion, more than $2.9 billion was spent on the construction and upgrades of roads, while another $2.7 billion was spent on the provision of electricity. “What it speaks to is that the emphasis seems to be on the allocation of a house lot, characterised largely by inadequate infrastructure.” He said despite the huge investment made on the inadequate infrastructure, the budgetary requirement to complete the infrastructure was some $16 billion. Due to the upgrades, the administration was also able to establish 10 new housing schemes, from which more
than 4,600 house lots were allocated. These include Recht-Door-Zee in Region three, Parcels 1-3 at Providence, Phase four Providence East Bank Demerara, Non Pariel, Peters Hall, La Penitence, Amelias Ward, Region Ten, Experiment in Region Five, Onderneeming, Region two, and Prospect in Region Four. Minister Bulkan revealed too that the Ministrys initiative of providing built units to Guyanese has seen more than 354 persons making purchases. “What it meant was that the governmental investment in infrastructure, instead of being invested in areas in low occupancy, it justified the considerable subsidies made by the state in the development of new areas. The Minister assured that hinterland communities have not been neglected. The Hinterland Housing Programme under the Sustainable Housing partly funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has seen 270 families benefitting from grants to build their homes. An additional 72 families were able to access funds to have their roofs replaced. Some $3.1 million was invested in the programme.
Finance Minister “disgusted” over France’s decision to blacklist Bahamas
Samantha Benjamin Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, was called to give testimony. He said that on May 26, 2015 around 09:30am, he was performing duties at the Crime Laboratory when he was instructed by his superior to visit a scene at Buxton where a body was discovered. Alleyne told the court that he armed himself with a digital camera. On arrival at the location, the police rank said he saw a large crowd and the remains of a headless woman, whom he later learnt was Benjamin. According to the witness, he took several photographs of the womans remains as well as the surroundings. Added to that, he and another officer searched the scene and found a head and limbs. The photographs taken by Alleyne, which totalled 40, were tendered, admitted and marked as exhibits in the trial, which is set to continue next week Monday. State Counsel Abigail Gibbs and State Counsel Mandel Moore are appearing for the prosecution.
NASSAU, Bahamas CMC – Finance Minister Peter Turnquest has expressed “disgust”over a decision made by France to place The Bahamas on its blacklist of tax havens for lack of cooperation. Speaking on Wednesday, Turnquest, who is also deputy prime minister confirmed that Paris had formally notified the Minnis administration of its decision earlier in the day. Turnquest labelled the decision as “surreptitious and as an affront” to international diplomatic norms and the relationship this nation had sought to build with France. He added that The Bahamas’ inclusion on France’s list of countries deemed non-cooperative in the fight against tax-related crimes stemmed from “the perception by the French authorities” that this nation “has not been responding to requests for information in a manner that is satisfactory to them”. The Finance Minister said an inter-governmental investigation had not turned up any French tax information requests that remained out-
Finance Minister Peter Turnquest standing or had not been dealt with, saying The Bahamas has “nothing on the record”. He also criticised France’s failure to invoke the dispute resolution process contained in the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Assistance in Tax Matters, which The Bahamas signed in late 2017 to facilitate tax information exchange and co-operation.“I have expressed to the French ambassador our disappointment, our total disgust with the way in which this has been done,” Turnquest said, “the disrespectful manner in which The Bahamas has been treated in this particular regard.
The Finance Minister said that he intends to communicate that to the Global Forum, to the OECD and the EU. “There is no point, Mr Speaker, in us engaging in these multilateral organisations if individual members are going to take unilateral action, particularly without dialogue, at the highest level. Yet they expect commitment from us at the highest political levels.” The latter point refers to the EU’s move to temporarily “blacklist” the Bahamas in early 2018 on the basis that this nation had not given a commitment at the Government’s highest levels to address its concerns over economic substance and the elimination of preferential tax regimes for foreign investors. Other countries blacklisted by France are Anguilla, the Virgin Islands and the Seychelles .France has been carrying out investigations into 500 offshore companies following the Panama Papers scandal three years ago which exposed illegal practices in the offshore finance industry.
Friday December 06, 2019
OPEC, allies agree to deepen oil output cuts
VIENNA/LONDON (Reuters) - Oil producers led by Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed yesterday to cut output by an extra 500,000 barrels a day for the final three months of their deal to curb supply but stopped short of pledging action beyond next March. The countries involved pump over 40% of the worlds oil, and their new combined cuts amount to 1.7 million bpd or 1.7% of global production. A panel of energy ministers representing the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC producers led by Russia recommended the deeper cut on Thursday, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said. “We really do see some risks of oversupply in the first quarter due to lower seasonal demand for refined products and for crude oil,” Novak said. Details of the agreement, and how the cuts will be distributed among producers still need to be ratified at meetings in Vienna of both OPEC and a wider OPEC+ group of 24 producers. OPECs deliberations stretched into a fifth hour yesterday, prompting it to cancel plans for a press conference and a gala dinner for delegates aboard a boat on the Danube. OPEC+ will meet
today. Some OPEC ministers, concerned that a slowing economy could hurt demand, had called for a deal that would last until June or December 2020. “This should ensure a $60-$65 Brent oil price in the seasonally weak period of next year,” said Gary Ross, founder of Black Gold Investors. At their last meeting in July, OPEC and partners agreed to an extension of nine months. The latest deal represents a compromise between de facto OPEC leader Saudi Arabia and Russia, the worlds top oil exporters. Sources have told Reuters Moscow was reluctant to deepen cuts while Riyadh wanted them deeper and longer. Russia and Saudi Arabia have led OPEC+ agreements to voluntary reduce supply since 2017 to counter booming output from the shale fields of the United States, which has become the worlds biggest producer. Producers face another year of rising output from the United States along with other non-OPEC producers Brazil and Norway. Another complication for OPEC as it attempts to measure what members should pump this year is that two members, Iran and Venezuela,
Guyana asked not prosecute... From page 28 migrants leave Venezuela every day not knowing where they will end up. Many of them arrive in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. These countries have been complaining about jobs being lost to Venezuelans, the economical strain and the influx of persons with criminal backgrounds. But the Author of the World Bank report began his article with this question, “How many kilometers are you prepared to walk to flee from hunger?” This question was then followed with a statement, “For Venezuelans, no distance is too great to escape their countrys economic and social collapse”.
are under U.S. sanctions that have severely constrained their ability to export. Iran, Libya and Venezuela are exempt from cutting output while OPECs other 11 members are participating. Novak said yesterday OPEC+ producers would meet again in March to decide policy, when factors could include the run-up to Novembers U.S. presidential election. OPECs cuts have supported oil prices at around $50-$75 per barrel over the past year. Brent crude futures yesterday extended this weeks gains to trade above $63 per barrel. COMPLIANCE OPEC sources said Riyadh, which has been cutting more than required to help OPEC+ meet its overall target, was pressing Iraq and Nigeria to improve their compliance with quotas. Full compliance could provide an additional reduction of up to 400,000 bpd. “Saudi Arabia is pushing for deeper cuts to try and shore up prices. However, deeper compliance is imperative and hence the deal will last only for one quarter so that they can assess compliance then,” said Amrita Sen, co-founder of Energy Aspects.Novak also said OPEC agreed to allow all OPEC+ members to exclude condensate from their oil output calculations, same as OPEC does with its own figures. Condensate is a high-value light type of crude oil extracted as a byproduct of gas production. For Russ i a , i t means that some 760,000 bpd of condensate would be excluded from calculations, meaning Russian baseline prod uction used for cuts would decline to around 10.66 million bpd from 11.42 million.
Guyanese wanted for attempted murder ... (From page 3) that between February 1, 2019 and September 2, 2019, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, Singh conspired with Valenski to forge one Guyana National Identification Card in favour of Roy Anthony Sewnarine, purporting to show that it was issued by the Guyana Elections Commission. Also, it was alleged that on September 2, 2019, at Central Immigration and Passport Office, Camp Street, Georgetown, with intent to defraud, Valenski uttered to a police constable, who is an Immigration Officer, one forged Guyana National Identification card #101263701 in favour of himself, and purporting to show that it was issued by the Guyana Elections Commis-
sion, knowing same to be forged. Finally, it was alleged that on September 2, 2019, at Central Immigration and Passport Office, Georgetown, for the purpose of procuring a new passport, Valenski signed a written declaration, that he was Roy Anthony, knowing it to be false. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all of the charges, which were read to them by Senior Magistrate, Clive Nurse, in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. It was said that the accused knew each other. Valenski was said to reside in the United States of America and returned to Guyana last January. He allegedly later made contact with his co-accused,
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informing him that he is in need of a birth certificate, identification card and a driver’s licence. The two then allegedly made arrangements for Valenski to pay Singh a large sum of cash to provide the documents. On September 2, 2019, Valenski went to the Central Immigration Office where he reportedly used the forged documents to apply for a passport. The documents were examined and found to be forged. He was arrested. The two accused were each placed on $300,000, under the condition that they lodge their passports with the court and report every Friday to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters.
Abbott signals interest in collaborating with Guyana on healthcare On Tuesday, senior executives of Abbott, an international medical and healthcare company, headquartered in Illinois, USA, paid a courtesy call on Guyana’s Ambassador to Washington, Riyad Insanally, to discuss possibilities for collaboration and partnership. Abbott wants to collaborate in the areas of general health care delivery, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and diagnostics. The courtesy call was a follow-up to Ambassador Insanally’s keynote address on developments and opportunities in Guyana, to the Washington International Professional Group (WIPG), at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in August.
Ambassador Riyad Insanally with the officials
Lands of closed Sugar Estates should be allotted to former employees DEAR EDITOR, On Wednesday I visited the Villages around the closed Wales Sugar Estate. I was deeply disturbed at the level of poverty and unemployment in that community. Lands of closed sugar estates should be allotted to former employees to enable them to create a livelihood to cushion the dislocation that the closure bringsI am aware of large slots of land being parceled out at Wales to friends of the APNU administration without any consideration for the displaced sugar
workers. This reflects a most uncaring and unpatriotic act of the Granger administration. I am demanding that the President articulate a viable economic relief plan for those workers as a matter of urgency. I am also demanding that the President halt all sale or lease of sugar lands and disclose all transactions whereby lands were leased, sold or are being sold, outlining the acreage, name of purchaser or lessee and the amounts paid. Robert Badal Change Guyana
TURMOIL AT TAKUBA LODGE From page 4 though its diplomatic efforts at the bilateral and multilateral levels as well as through its economic diplomacy efforts. Any attempt to steal a march on the core functions of the Ministry by overambitious elements within the Ministry’s highly integrated structure can result in chaos.The Foreign Ministry’s uncontested right to advise government on border matters in particular, and foreign affairs in general, cannot be underestimated. While it is the President and cabinet’s prerogative to give general policy direction for the execution of government policy, in the case of the Foreign Ministry, the task of the career diplomats is to draft policies and to advise and guide the President and his cabinet on international relations and assist in the formulation of foreign policy. In matters of policy, a Foreign Ministry’s submissions can be ignored or shrugged aside by the President and his cabinet, but at no time should a trained and professional diplomatist (diplomat) be supplanted or superseded by a politician in the practice of diplomacy.
The recent shake up was probably long in the making, but the opportunity for such a step was finally provided only the other day when a turf war that was festering for sometime had finally erupted within the confines of Takuba Lodge. New aspirants to the privileges and functions peculiar to a Foreign Ministry will step forward, providing a clear indication that the Ministry’s functions would become even more chaotic in the coming months. Moreover, the sweeping ukase abolishing the post of Director General and replacing it with that of a Permanent Secretary must have dealt a severe blow to the Foreign Ministry’s proud and distinctive role that set it apart in many respects from other government agencies and departments. The post of Director General was established with the personal approval of then President Forbes Burnham who had received for his consideration, the travail préparatoire for a draft Bill calling for the enactment of legislation elevating the Foreign Ministry to a level where all public service rules
did not apply, and to effect fundamental institutional changes at the Ministry including responsibilities and official designations of Homebased staff, their salaries and allowances peculiar to a Foreign Ministry. The records show that Burnham was not entirely convinced. He instructed that the draft Bill be put on hold, but not before he approved some of the recommendations contained therein including the establishment, inter alia, of the post of Director General as Head of the Ministry. The shake up at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, influenced primarily by the Ministry of the Presidency, must be seen as a move to exercise greater political control over an institution, which, in the eyes of the public, can be a distraction from pressing domestic economic, social and political issues, but whose value, depending on a government’s strategic outlook of the international situation, may very well be a jewel in the crown. Yours sincerely, Clement J. Rohee Former Minister of Foreign Affairs
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IS GUYANA, DESTINED...
SERVICES
FOR SALE
Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisements, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040
1 CAT 215 Excavator, 1 CAT 428 Backhoe, 1 Mack concrete mixer 8 CU YDS. Tel# 275-0367/ 683-7225
ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6006887: We create A/works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, G R A D U AT I O N , W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Installation, Repairs and parts for AC, Fridge, Washing Machine, Stove etc. Call Nick 630-1600, 6273206 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer-Call: 231-0655; 683-8734. Omar
1 Double Steel wheel roller, 19 Wheel Pneumatic roller, 2 Bitumen kettle. Tel# 275-0367/ 683-7225 Copra Meal for sale. Tel# 2235273/223-5274 480 acres of Transported Water Front Land, situated at Hogg Island. Contact # 6174004 1 Lathe - 2'’, 1 Mill- never used in Guyana. Call: 261-5401/6802095 TO LET Rooms tolet, 1 bedroom- 3 bedroom, working people: $30,000,$32,000,$35,000, $55,000 monthly, 2 month security. Call: 623-0076
VEHICLE FOR SALE 1 Honda CRV. includes TV, music system, alarm, reverse camera, sproiler, crash bar, Low mileage. PTT Series (First Owner) Contact #6490956
PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS FROM $4000 & UP, SUV’S PER DAY- CALL: 656-0087 / 6435122 ,EMAIL:PRO_ A U T O R E N T A L @YAHOO.COM AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MINI BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPORT & FAMILY OUTINGS, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807 PEN PAL Overseas Base Male Indian seek female.Age 30-33.Must be Educated.Call#602-9975.
Two bedroom apartment for rent in Albertown. #698-5800/ 648-1391
American Variety Store, 140 Regent & Light StreetWanted Salesgirl, apply in person with written application
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, G R A D U AT I O N , W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
One Toyota Spacio, in good condition, fog light, alarm and Alloy wheels. Price $1.2M. Tel# 611-3558/664-3488 One Ipsun, Good condition, $900,000 neg. #689-5103 1- Pearl Nissan Bluebird Slyphy. Excellent Condition, low mileage, first owner, accident free. Price $2.3M Negotiable. Tel# 628-8799
One bedroom apartment Middle Road, La Penitence $35,000 monthly. Contact #666-9534 One Kitchen/Canteen at Land of Canaan #668-0306 $20,000 monthly, suitable for catering/ preparing guest meals PROPERTY FOR SALE Lot 89 Robb Street, Lacytown, Georgetown. Next door to Mike’s Pharmacy.Land size3431.25 Sq.ft. Phone: 617-5323, 666-8052 One 3 Story building at 97 Sugar Cane St, S/Rveldt Gdns. $125,000,000. Tel#674-9905/ 695-1356/225-2971
Wanted land to buy anywhere on the East Bank, Parfaite Harmonie or on the West Coast #642-1252 1 male sales clerk, 21 - 40 yr, must be living on WBD/WCD Call: 264-2524 8am to 4:30 pm 1 Security Guard, Waiter, Waitresses, Servers. Apply at Herdmanston, Anira & Peter Rose Sts, Queenstown Tel#225-0808 Ex-100 Minibus driver to work with company #646-8748, Driver for route 42 minibus #6640802 Contract cars, Trace’s Taxi & Transportation Delivery Service. #219-0400/502-3989/ 680-7482
LAND FOR SALE
Wanted 1 Office/Personnel assistant at People’s Choice Office, 3 CXC subjects. Tel# 679-9449 or whatsapp #6143895
Parfaite Harmonie $1.8M, Zeelugt $2M neg Tel# 6976311
Bus drivers #44 route, truck/ canter driver Tel#698-7807/ 225-3234
Parfaite Harmonie $1.2M Farm (East Bank) Main road $7.5M & $4M New Schnoord (100ft x 50ft) $3.8M Tel# 651-1969
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Apartments for rent at Nandy Park. #641-3318
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VACANCY Driver/Expediter. Contact#223-5273/223-5274 2 Vacancies- Clerk & Domestic, live-in facilities for Berbicians and Essequibians #219-5354 Driver, must have sound secondary education, for more information, please call: 223-0090 Female Cleaner office & home.Call#642-9823. Looking for a job & educational services? Contact The Job Centre 43 Croal & Alexander Street or call 684-3757/600-8457 One Experienced teacher who will love to read and teach a 4 yr old boy. Call: 623-1615 Truck & Hauler drivers, Excavator operators, Engineers, Labourers, Security & Procurement Officers Accounts & Marketing Clerk. Apply @ chungsvacancy@yahoo.com Salesgirl needed (mature preferable) store at Gafoors Mc Doom. Tel# 638-1106 LEARN TO DRIVE N. Outar Driving School, Learn to Drive the right way @ Cuffy Square. Affordable package. Call: 644-5166/691-2561/6812808
From page 20 negative view of it. Harold Wilson, a former Prime Minister of UK, described it as a “fiddled arrangement.” The main fear was that it would create weak governments. The first objective of the colonial power in imposing the Proportional Representation system on the then British Guiana was to remove the PPP from office before Independence and to install a coalition of the PNC and the United Force. They did not want a political party that was truly independent and sought to manage the country in the interest of its people as the PPP had tried, to take control in a post-colonial Guyana.
That was not the only reason. The British had another reason in mind that was not so obvious as the first, which was the removal of the PPP. That other reason was to ensure that our country would always have weak governments. They envisaged that no one party would be able to take the government, that we should always have coalitions. By this method, they felt that control of the government would always be in the hands of the colonial power or the United States that had replaced Britain as the main power in the world. It was an arrangement to keep a multi-racial, multi-cultural society divided. (To be continued)
New Amsterdam... From page 16 projects on the way. With her vast experience and work attitude, residents are happy that she has been reelected to the prestigious position to continue the development of the town. All the main roads and streets in the Town are being rehabilitation and resurfaced. Some were not touched for more than two decades. Several major trenches have already been cleared. Residents are being urged to keep canals clean in an effort to prevent flooding within the town. They are also being urged to be more involved in cleaning their surroundings clean.
The Mayor said she will be placing special emphasis on the Esplanade Park and have a special eye on the ongoing Construction work of the Synthetic Track at the Burnham Park, New Amsterdam. Another plus for the affable Mayor is that she always has an ear for the residents. Deputy Mayor McIntosh said he would like to see a clean, healthy and green environment, especial since “New Amsterdam is among the oldest town; we are going to try our best to lead by example.” They are both pleading with residents to abide by the by-laws and regulations of the Mayor and Town Council.
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Dad speaks out after bullied Man remanded for murder son lands in hospital of North West boat captain
A single parent father wants the public to know that bullying in prevalent and that anyone’s child could be a victim if the issue is not taken seriously. His comments came at a time when he is currently dealing with an incident that has left his nine-year-old son with an arm in cast. The injured child, Ravi Rajkumar, a Grade Three student of Number 56 Primary School, will have to write his end of term tests with his left arm injured. However, an x-ray done at the Skeldon Hospital showed that there were no fractures, father of the child, Hemant Kumar, said. He stated that the doctor told him that his son’s arm would require to be in a cast for the next two weeks, that there would be some swelling. According to Kumar, the incident occurred on Wednesday during recess at the Number 56 Primary School. He said that his son informed him that he was standing with his friends in front of the washroom facility that is several steps high when a child who has reportedly bullied him in the past pushed him from behind. “My son said when the child push him, he fell on his arm and from that point, it was swollen really bad,” Kumar said. He added that his son told him that his class teacher took him to the hospital when the incident occurred but when he contacted the class
Injured: Ravi Rajkumar teacher Wednesday night for the medical, he stated that the teacher told him that it was too late to come out and give him it. He said he visited the school yesterday and spoke with the head teacher of the school, but he has not seen the parents of the other student. Kumar stated that while he was at the school yesterday, he was informed by the head teacher that a guard who was present told him that the lad was not pushed but jumped and fell. The single parent father said when he spoke to the guard, the same was told to him, but students of the school said that his son was pushed. “When I went to the school today, the security guard is saying she saw everything that happened and that my son jumped and fell but my point is she was looking at the scene and if you
see children putting themselves in danger are you not going to stop them from doing it?” He believes that the school is trying to cover up the incident by having it appear that his son hurt himself on his own. “The HM told me yesterday that some children are saying that my son was pushed and some saying he was not. Then he told me that I should listen to the security but I told him I made written notes to the class teachers already that this child always picking on my son,” Kumar stressed. He said that he wants his child’s story to be heard and made public so that parents can be aware of what is taking place. He believes that if teachers take the minor reports of bullying seriously such incidents would not occur.
The suspect, who was a few days ago held for the murder of a 47-year-old boat captain, was yesterday brought out from the interior and placed before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts where the charge was read to him. Marcus Joaquinn was not required to plead to the capital offence of murder after the charge was read to him. It was alleged that the defendant murdered Cleveland James on November 30, last, at Kumaka Waterfront North West District (NWD). He was remanded to prison until February 18, 2020 for his next court date at the Mabaruma Magistrate Court. It was reported that the victim of Hobediah, North West District (NWD), was beaten to death on Saturday night last. Police said that James reputed wife left their home with their three year old child and headed to Kumaka, North West District, to collect a phone charger. Upon returning home, she saw her spouse near a shop, which was closed at the time. James and his reputed wife were sitting on the boat land-
Dead: Cleveland James
Charged: Marcus Joaquinn
ing, when they heard the owner of the premises cursing. The owner of the premises allegedly came out and threw a beer bottle at the couple and their child. An argument ensued and as the couple was leaving the area, the suspect reportedly
pushed James. This escalated into another row and the assailant allegedly struck James with a piece of wood. The attacker then fled the scene while residents took James to the Mabaruma Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
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Coach Ford urges Ireland to adapt quickly to Caribbean conditions DUBLIN, Ireland, CMC – Ireland coach Graham Ford has underscored the importance of a quick acclimatisation after selectors yesterday announced 14-man squads for the limited overs tour of the Caribbean next month. Both the one-day and Twenty20 International squads – described by Ford as “a blend of experience and youth” – will be led for the first time by stroke-maker Andrew Balbirnie who last month replaced the longserving William Porterfield as Test and one-day skipper, and has now taken over from Gary Wilson as T20 captain. With only one warm-up
match before the six-match series against West Indies, Ford said his side needed to hit the ground running. “The Caribbean tour will be the start of a quite intensive year for the senior men’s team,” Forde said. “We have tours before the start of the home season, hosting several full members in the summer, commence our participation in the ICC World Cup ODI Super League, including playing an ODI series against England, and then head to a T20 World Cup in October. “These matches will be the first under Andrew Balbirnie’s leadership, so will be a great first-up challenge
for him and one which I know he is looking forward to.” He continued: “We’ve played the West Indies a few times over the last couple of years, and the two sides have built up a decent rivalry on the field – but the Windies are an altogether different proposition in their own backyard. “We have one formal warm-up game on [January 4], then it’s straight into the ODI series. Our lads will need to adapt quickly to local conditions and be ready from the outset in order to build some momentum, which is an important aspect of any series.” Ireland clash with West Indies in an ODI doubleheader at Kensington Oval in Barbados on January
Friday December 06, 2019 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Your energy and spunk should finally return after a couple days of feeling slightly down, Aries. You should enjoy a good mood all day.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) People may be somewhat selfish and self-centered today, but this doesn't mean that you have to follow suit, Libra. Remind others of the importance of the collective.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Get out of the mud, Taurus. Have fun and don't worry too much about the consequences. Put your to-do list aside for a while and focus on enjoying yourself.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) It may not be the easiest day to relate to others, Scorpio, but as usual, if you just go with the flow, you will find that you can have fun.
GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your emotions may be volatile right now. There's passion behind your words. You have the power to instigate major changes in your life. CANCER (June 21–July 22) If you aren't careful about the energy you dish out today, you will find that it all comes back to smack you in the face. Other people are likely to be as stubborn as you, so proceed cautiously. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Today is a fantastic day for you. You should enjoy a good mood and positive experiences with others. There's most likely a slow-moving, transforming energy in your life right now that's touching off your emotions. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Other people may be demanding of you, so do what you can to please the crowd. Don't go overboard in thinking you need to be someone you're not, and certainly don't do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Things should flow extremely well for you, Sagittarius. Load your engine with extra fuel, because you will be burning red hot. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You need bigger and longer hugs than usual today. A powerful force is moving through your life and trying to shake things up. Don't stoop to the level of petty argument and verbal sparring. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Act with courage today, Aquarius. Dress as if you were going to meet an important statesman. See yourself in the mirror and be proud to say you look good. Take action with confidence and feel free to strut your stuff. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Be conscious of your own needs, Pisces, and feel free to be a little selfish. Give yourself the credit you deserve, and don't let other people bully you into feeling like you aren't worthy of the attention you receive.
7 and again two days later, before playing the finale in Grenada on January 12. Grenada’s National Stadium will also host the opening T20 International on January 15 before the series concludes at Warner Park in St Kitts with a weekend doubleheader on January 18 and 19. In their only previous meeting in a bilateral ODI series, Ireland went down by four wickets to the Windies in a one-off match in Jamaica five years ago. Overall, Ireland have beaten West Indies only once in 10 one-day meetings, losing seven. On the 2014 tour, Ireland split the two-match T20 series. SQUAD: ODI – Andrew Balbirnie (captain), Mark Adair, Gareth Delany, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, James McCollum, Kevin O’Brien, William Porterfield, Boyd Rankin, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Lorcan Tucker, Gary Wilson, Craig Young. T20I – Andrew Balbirnie (captain), Mark Adair, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Kevin O’Brien, Boyd Rankin, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Gary Wilson, Craig Young.
Boxing: I will die trying to... From page 35 my job to prevent that. “(In the June bout) I was the one who had the strength, the one backing him up. When I jabbed I pushed him away.” Joshua believes this will not be the last time the two fight each other and predicted a third bout in the future if Ruiz was up for it. “This ain’t going to be the last time I see Ruiz in the ring,” Joshua said. “We make for good fights. “I think there’s definitely gonna be a knockout and that is what people want to see, bloodshed and knockouts.”
Friday December 06, 2019
Hammie Green Birthday Inter-Ward football finals set for Uitvlugt December 21 Competition in this year’s 9-a-side Inter-Ward Football Competition to commemorate the 85th Birth Anniversary of former Prime Minister and City Mayor Hamilton Green is set to conclude on Saturday December 21 at the Uitvlugt ground. Originally featuring teams and players from the East Coast Demerara, East Bank Demerara, Georgetown and West Berbice battling those from the host community, the action is down to the final eight teams who will be battling for some $400,000 in prize money on offer. Saturday’s action starts at 5:00pm and will see Den Amstel kings facing Soesdyke to be followed by Den Amstel against Pouderoyen, West Side Spartans versus Stewartville and Uitvlugt battle Wales. The winning team will take home $200,000 and the NAMILCO trophy, while
second, third and fourth place finishers will receive $100,000 and Ministry of Communities trophy, $60,000 and the NAMILCO trophy and $40,000 and the Cummings Electrical trophy respectively. The winning and runner-up teams will also receive hampers from Ricks and Sari. The player with the most goals will get a Dinette chair from China Trading and a single bed from AH&L Kissoon. Among the sponsors to date are NAMILCO, Ministry of Communities, Cummings Electrical, I n t e r n a t i o n a l Pharmaceutical Agency (IPA), Guyoil, BK International, Gafoors, Ready Mix, Ricks and Sari, New Thriving, TecnoMills, AH&L Kissoon, China Trading, Ministry of Legal Affairs, Ministry of National Resources, National Sports Commission and the Guyana Police Force.
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NBA roundup: Bucks’ win streak hits 13 Giannis Antetokounmpo poured in 35 points and grabbed nine rebounds in 28 minutes, and the visiting Milwaukee Bucks extended their winning streak to 13 games by rolling past the Detroit Pistons 127-103 on Wednesday. Khris Middleton had 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists while Eric Bledsoe contributed 13 points, six rebounds and six assists. Robin Lopez and Ersan Ilyasova each had 10 points off the bench for the Bucks. Andre Drummond led the Pistons with 23 points, 14 rebounds and five assists. Langston Galloway scored 20 points, and Blake Griffin had 16 points and 10 rebounds but shot just 4-for-17 from the field. Derrick Rose added 14 points. The Bucks won their 10th consecutive matchup against their Central Division opponent. Milwaukee swept the four-game regular season series and a first-round playoff series against Detroit last season, and the Bucks have won the first two games of this season’s four-game series. Magic 128, Suns 114 Aaron Gordon scored a season-high 32 points and hit all five of his 3-point attempts, and host Orlando continued its offensive roll in beating Phoenix. Reserve Terrence Ross had 22 points and three threes, Evan Fournier had 21 points and three threes, and Markelle Fultz added 13 points for Orlando. The Magic posted a season-high point total for the second night in a row and have won for the fourth time in five games. Frank Kaminsky had a season-high 23 points, and Devin Booker put up 17 points for the Suns. Phoenix, which has lost four of five, will play the second of backto-back games in New Orleans on Thursday. Celtics 112, Heat 93 Jaylen Brown scored 22 of his 31 points in the second half, Kemba Walker added 28, and Boston cruised past visiting Miami. Jayson Tatum had 19 points, and Robert Williams III came up with 10 rebounds as the Celtics won for the fourth time in their past five games. Jimmy Butler led all scorers with 37 points, and Kelly Olynyk chipped in 12 for the Heat, who had a threegame winning streak snapped. Lakers 121, Jazz 96 Anthony Davis scored 26 points, and LeBron James added 20 points as Los Angeles got off to a fast start
Chelsea Edghill to participate in Finland Open Table Tennis Championships - Journey Part of Olympic Qualification Preparation
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) brings the ball up court at Fiserv Forum. (Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports) and held off Utah in Salt Lake City. James, who leads the NBA in assists, added 12 more to his season total. Rajon Rondo contributed 14 points and 12 assists for Los Angeles. Donovan Mitchell had 29 points, and Rudy Gobert added 13 points and 10 rebounds as the Jazz lost at home for just the second time in 10 games. Bojan Bogdanovic had 23 points for Utah. Pacers 107, Thunder 100 T.J. Warren scored 24 points to lead Indianapolis host Oklahoma City. He was one of seven Pacers to finish in double figures, a continuation of the balanced scoring that has helped the Pacers win seven of their past eight games. Three former Thunder players were among those scoring in double figures for Indiana: Domantas Sabonis (17 points), Doug McDermott (14 off the bench) and Jeremy Lamb (13). Steven Adams led the way for Oklahoma City with 20 points, making all eight of his shots from the field. He also grabbed nine rebounds, five on the offensive end. Danilo Gallinari and Dennis Schroder each had 18 points. Nets 130, Hawks 118 Veteran Garrett Temple scored a season-high 27 points, one of four Brooklyn players to tally 20 or more, as the Nets won at Atlanta. Spencer Dinwiddie scored 24 points and added six rebounds and five assists, former Atlanta player Taurean Prince scored 23 and Jarrett Allen added 20 points and 13 rebounds. It was the sixth win in the last eight games for the Nets.
Atlanta was led by Trae Young with 39 points and 10 rebounds. Young shot 13-for23 from the field and made five 3-pointers. Rookie Cam Reddish scored a career-high 25 points, and center Damian Jones set a career high in scoring for the second straight game with 20. Trail Blazers 127, Kings 116 CJ McCollum scored 33 points and blocked a careerhigh four shots to lead host Portland past Sacramento. Damian Lillard added 24 points and 10 assists as the Trail Blazers won for the fourth time in the past five games. Hassan Whiteside scored 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting, grabbed 16 rebounds, blocked three shots and delivered a career-best seven assists for the Trail Blazers. Carmelo Anthony scored 20 points, and Kent Bazemore had 15 off the bench. Richaun Holmes scored a career-best 28 points on 11of-14 shooting and collected 10 rebounds for the Kings. Buddy Hield recorded 23 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for Sacramento, which dropped its 12th consecutive game in Portland. Bulls 106, Grizzlies 99 Zach LaVine scored 25 points on 7-for-13 shooting, and host Chicago never trailed en route to sending Memphis to its eighth loss in nine games. Wendell Carter Jr. scored 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for his 12th doubledouble of the season. Lauri Markkanen finished with 15 points, and Tomas Satoransky added 13 to go along with eight assists. The
Bulls won consecutive games for the first time this season. Jonas Valanciunas scored 32 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead the Grizzlies. Jae Crowder and Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 15 points apiece. Hornets 106, Warriors 91 Devonte’ Graham matched a single-game franchise record with 10 3pointers and racked up 33 points as host Charlotte defeated Golden State. Backcourt mate Terry Rozier added 25 points as the Hornets won for just the third time in the last 10 games. It marked the first time since Graham joined the starting lineup that he and Rozier each reached the 20-point mark in the same game. D’Angelo Russell, returning from a nine-game absence caused by a thumb injury, had 18 points. Eric Paschall added 16 and Alec Burks had 15 for the Warriors, who have lost on the first four stops of a five-game road trip and 14 of 16 games overall. Mavericks 121, Timberwolves 114 Red-hot shooting from 3point range in the fourth quarter powered Dallas to its ninth win in the last 10 games as it outpaced visiting Minnesota. Dwight Powell buoyed the Mavericks before the lategame push, scoring 24 points. Luka Doncic scored 22 points, and Jalen Brunson gave Dallas a spark off the bench with a career-high 16. Robert Covington added 22 points for the Timberwolves, and rookie Jarrett Culver added 11 points. (Field Level Media)
Chelsea Edghill, current national sports woman. Chelsea Edghill, current national sports woman, national table tennis player and Olympic prospect as part of her Olympic Qualification preparation will be participating in the Finland Open Table Tennis Championships. The championships which is ITTF sanctioned world circuit event is scheduled for the 5th to 9th December 2019 and will see many players from Europe participating. Coming off her recent qualification and participation in the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima Peru, Edghill is seeking to qualify for the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. She is travelling with Coach Tony Rato of Portugal and will compete in women singles event and arrived yesterday in Helsinki for the championships. This represents the first time a player from Guyana will be participating in a Senior World circuit event. Following her participation in the Finland, Edghill will then travel to Romania to train and play in competition before returning to Portugal to prepare for other key engagements. This tournament is also geared towards assessing the progress made in the implementation of several new elements of her game in high level competitive environment and picking up valuable ranking
points. Part of her identified road map for Olympic training and possible qualification based upon a limited budget entails participation in the German and Portugal Open, continued training in Portugal, training in China, participation in the Caribbean Championships leading up the continental qualification event to Tokyo 2020 which entails competition in Teams Singles and Mixed qualification and is scheduled for April 2020. Edghill, a former junior Olympian, and recent graduate from the Lindenwood University with a Degree in chemistry, has an extensive resume with several junior sports women title, national champion, Caribbean women under-21 champion 2018, Caribbean women’s doubles champion, Caribbean women’s bronze medalist 2019, several collegiate tournament wins, Caribbean Cadet and junior champion, Caribbean women’s team silver medalist 2018/2019 and is currently training and playing competition in Portugal under the tutelage and guidance of coach Tony Rato. He is Portugal’s Junior Coach and is a member of the Lusitania de Lourosa table tennis Club Portugal. The Guyana Table Tennis Association would like to extend thanks to the Guyana Olympic Association for assisting Chelsea in her quest for possible Olympic qualification.
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Trophy Stall and Upper Corentyne U-19 50 overs cricket tournament in Berbice
Friday December 06, 2019
Banks DIH 15/15 Softball Cricket League in Berbice
Fixtures released for quarter Another century and finals set for Sunday at disqualification highlight round Albion, final under lights A magnificent century by Niradj Singh was all in vain as his team No73 Young Warriors lost their game by default to No43 Scorpions after it was found that they played players who were not registered to play in the competition, the Trophy Stall and Upper Corentyne Cricket Association (UCCA) Under-19 Inter club cricket Tournament on Saturday last. Two matches were played in the competition which is in its second year. The games are being played on a one day 50 overs format. Despite No73 Young Warriors losing the game, Singh was in super form as he hammered 102 (14x4, 2x6), half his team score as they made 204 in 30 overs. Victor Latchman 20, Paul Jabar 16 and Eton Odel 13 not out supported. Bowling for No43 Scorpions, Pameswar Arlasaran led the way with 4 wickets with Younge Sawar 3 and Devash Utham 2.
Niradj Singh They in reply were skittled out for 38 in 9.4 overs with Utham making 19. Bowling No73 Young Warriors, the main wickets takers were Eton Odel with 4 and century maker Niradj Singh with 3. In another game, Scottsburg United whipped No72 Cut and Load by seven wickets in their game at the Scottsburg Ground. Cut and Load took first strike and were cut down for 64 in 19.2 overs with Mukesh
Edwards 14. Bowling for Scottsburg United, Akhtar Nohar led the way with 3 wickets, while there were 2 each for Trevon Sukhoo, Joel Dhanraj and Akrum Ali. In reply Scottsburg reached 67-3 with Akhtar Nohar returning to make 30. Three matches are fixed for this Saturday with No72 Cut and Load and No43 playing at No72 Cut and Load ground, while No52 Cricket Club being at home to No73 Young Warriors and Scottsburg United being at home in their contest. The tournament is being sponsored by the Trophy Stall Port Mourant Branch through its General Manager Ramesh Sunich. The top teams at the end of the preliminary matches will advance to the semifinals with the winners clashing in the final. The competition is being coordinated by former National Wicketkeeper batsman Sydney Jackman.
CWI announces revised schedule for West Indies Rising Stars U19 tri-series ST. JOHN’S, Antigua - Cricket West Indies (CWI) yesterday announced a revised schedule for the West Indies Rising Stars U19 Tri-Series involving West Indies U19, England U19 and Sri Lanka U19. The matches will now commence one day earlier and will be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua from December 6 - 21. The West Indies Rising Stars U19 Tri-Series sees the opening match now featuring the West Indies U19 take on England U19 today Friday, December 6 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium from 9:00am. The West Indies U19 Head Coach, Graeme West will be utilizing this series to ramp up preparations before the squad leaves the Caribbean in early January to participate in the ICC U19 World Cup in South Africa. The Tri-Series also adds a bonus element for the West Indies U19s as the England U19 team are drawn in the same group. Coach West indicated that this will give the young lads a close look at their opponents ahead of the group stage in South Africa. The West Indies U19s will be led by Kimani Melius and includes Leonardo Julian and Ashmead Need, a trio who were part of the victorious West Indies Emerging Players squad that won the Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cup last Sunday. All matches featuring the West Indies U19s will be live streamed on the Windiescricket.com website and the Windies Cricket YouTube page, as well as exclusively in India through the Fancode app (available
at Fancode.com). Fans can watch all games for free with the opportunity to see some of the rising stars of cricket in the West Indies. West Indies U19 Squad For West Indies Rising Stars U19 Tri-Series; Kimani Melius – Captain, Nyeem Young, Ashmead Nedd, Leonardo Julian, Kevlon Anderson, Daniel Beckford, Matthew Forde, Joshua James, Antonio Morris, Mbeki Joseph, Avinash Mahabirsingh, Kirk McKenzie, Ramon Simmonds, Matthew Patrick and Jaden Seales. West Indies Rising Stars U19 Tri- Series Schedule (All matches take place in Antigua, starting at 9.00am) Fri, 6th Dec 2019 ODI 1- West Indies v England at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium Sun, 8th Dec 2019- ODI 2- West Indies v England at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium Tues, 10th Dec 2019 ODI 3-West Indies v Sri Lanka at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium Wed, 11th Dec 2019- ODI 4-England v Sri Lanka at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium Thu, 12th Dec 2019 ODI 5- West Indies v England at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium Sat, 14th Dec 2019 ODI 6-West Indies v Sri Lanka at Coolidge Cricket Ground Sun, 15th Dec 2019 ODI 7- Sri Lanka v England at Coolidge Cricket Ground Tue, 17th Dec 2019 ODI 8 at West Indies v Sri Lanka at Coolidge Cricket Ground Thu, 19th Dec 2019 ODI 9 at England v Sri Lanka at Coolidge Cricket Ground Sat, 21st Dec 2019 ODI 10- FINAL at Coolidge Cricket Ground
The quarterfinals, semifinals and final of the ongoing Banks DIH Limited 15/15 Softball Cricket League for teams in East Berbice is set for this Sunday 8th December, at the Albion Community Development Center. The finals will be played under flood lights. The teams and fixtures for the quarterfinal matches have been set. At the end of the preliminary rounds of matches in the competition in the two respective zones, the top four teams from each zone have made to the last eight of the competition. Zone A is made up of teams from East and West Canje, East Coast and East Bank Berbice and New Amsterdam. Zone B teams were from Corentyne. The teams that qualified from Zone A are Grill Master,
Chase X1, Betsy Ground United and Young Strikers. The Zone B qualifiers are Port Mourant United, Regal X1, Franchise and Turbo United. The quarterfinals matches will see a team from Zone A playing a team from zone B. Semi Final one will be between the winner of match number one and match two. Semifinal number two will see the winner of match three playing the winner of match number four. The Fixture is as follows – Quarterfinal No1 will be between Port Mourant United against Young Strikers. Quarterfinal number two will be between Regal XI and Betsy Ground United. Quarterfinal No 3 will see Franchise XI taking on Chase XI. Quarterfinal No 4 will see
Turbo United matching skills will Grill Master. The tournament is being coordinated by Omeshwar Sirikishun. The competition is being sponsored to the tune of $700,000 in cash, trophies and other incentives. The winning team will collect $150, 000 trophies and other incentives, second place $100,000, third $75,000 and fourth $25,000. There will be other incentives for outstanding individual players. Banks DIH Limited, Berbice Branch Manager, Reginald Matthews and Sales Manager and other senior staff are expected to be on hand to witness the proceedings. A well stocked bar and games and other family fun activities for children and adults will be a part of the day’s activities.
Linden Fraser says his action was never reported Former Guyana fast bowler Berbician Linden Fraser played four First-Class matches, three of them at senior Inter-County level before making his Regional FirstClass debut in 1984 against Jamaica. In First-Class cricket Fraser took three wickets at an Average of 85.00 and strike-rate of one wicket every 123 balls. With the bat, the former Christ Church Secondary School and GCC player, batted six times in FirstClass cricket and scored 31 runs with a highest score of 11 not out. He also played two for the Guyana U-19 team before playing for several seasons in England in the Lancashire
Leagues. On Tuesday December 4, I wrote a story headlined ‘Local Umpires helping to produce more Beatons’ in which I mentioned Fraser as one of the bowlers who was reported for suspect actions when they played for Guyana. Back in 1997 when I was playing for Berbice in Senior Inter-County four-day competition I was doing a story for the Stabroek News about Guyanese bowlers who I felt should have played more FirstClass matches. I asked the late Leslie Amsterdam, who was the Manager of that Berbice team about Fraser, who I had seen bowl in Georgetown. Mr Amsterdam said Fraser
GDA to host Pull-A-Rama tomorrow at Turning Point The Georgetown Dominoes Association (GDA) will be hosting a PullA-Rama dominoes competition tomorrow at Turning Point, Starting at 17:00hrs. Entrance fee is $2,000 and over $150,000 in cash and trophies will be at stake for the top three finishers. The competition is being sponsored by Dynasty Sports Club, Spartans, Cevons and Glasgow’s Construction Service. Players can contact GDA President Colin Mc Ewan on 642-7502 for registration.
Meanwhile, a release from the GDA stated that, “Mr. Mark Wiltshire who was the Senior Organizing Secretary of the Georgetown Domino Association is no longer a member of the said organization effective 21st October 2019 since he tendered his resignation with effect from the said date. He is therefore not authorized to conduct any business or coordinate any Domino Competition on behalf of the Georgetown Domino Association. He is now a free agent.”
Linden Fraser had some pace but his action was reported. Unfortunately Mr Amsterdam died two years later when he fell into the Berbice River attempting to catch the Berbice Ferry. Fraser, who now resides in New York, contacted me yesterday to say his action was never reported in his lone FirstClass game for Guyana in which he opened the bowling with former Berbice and Malteenoes pacer Ray Joseph. I had seen Fraser bowl with a ‘suspect action’ in local club cricket but since Mr Amsterdam has passed away I have no way of verifying what Mr Amsterdam’s said. And knowing Fraser personally and judging from his character I have no reason to doubt him when he says his action was never reported. I hope that Fraser, who is a certified Cricket Coach, accepts my deepest apologies for in anyway damaging his excellent work as Coach in the USA by printing what I was told in the Kaieteur News, paper and its online version. (Sean Devers)
Friday December 06, 2019
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Elder statesman Kieron Pollard wants to create nurturing environment for West Indies’ young talents ESPNcricinfo Hyderabad. It’s where the Kieron Pollard story burst to life a decade ago, when he smashed an unbeaten 18-ball 54 for Trinidad & Tobago against New South Wales in the Champions League. That innings changed his life, and it changed T20 too, setting him on a trailblazing path towards becoming the format’s first globetrotting freelancer. Hyderabad was also the scene, more recently, of Pollard’s fourth IPL title win with Mumbai Indians, in May earlier this year. Pollard is back at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium now, as the captain of a West Indies team that is preparing to defend its T20 World Cup title next year. He has fond memories of the ground, and hopes his vast experience of playing in India will benefit a revamped West Indies team that includes some new faces as well as old ones like Lendl Simmons. “It is common knowledge. We have played a lot of cricket around the world, we play a lot of cricket here in India,” Pollard said on the eve of the T20I series opener against India. “Fond memories of this ground, going all the way back to 2009, with Trinidad & Tobago. So, it’s just a matter of trying to use that experience and enlightening our group. Hopefully, that experience can
hold us in good stead. We are here to play some good cricket and we are prepared well. Hopefully, come tomorrow, we will hit the ground running.” Opening batsman Brandon King and legspinner Hayden Walsh are among the new faces in the T20I and ODI sides. King torched the CPL with his blistering strokeplay, but his form cooled off against Afghanistan in Lucknow, where he managed a mere 17 runs in three T20I innings at an average of 5.66 and strike rate of 73.91. Walsh, who was the leading wicket-taker in the CPL despite playing only nine games for the champion team Barbados Tridents, hasn’t yet posed the same kind of threat in international cricket. Pollard has backed the newbies, urging the public to not be too critical of them after just one or two international series. “We’re excited to be here [in India] and represent the West Indies and yes, again, scores and wickets haven’t shown their ability yet,” Pollard said. “But, you can’t judge people on a couple of games and I think that’s the problem we have as individuals. We try to judge people too quickly. We need to give people time in everything we do. “In order for guys to invest in what they do, they
need experience and we as the management team want to back these guys and see how far we can go because we have seen their talent and attitude and that’s some of the things we look at.” Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran have been around the set-up a little longer than King and Walsh, but though they were both part of West Indies’ 50-overs World Cup side, they’re still easing their way into international cricket. Pollard said the team management is focused on protecting West Indies’ bright, young talents from “vultures”. “There are a lot of young talents coming through,” he said. It’s just a matter of trying to reach them and ease them into the world of international cricket, which we know is a very, very tough place. Again, the most important thing for the management is to have patience and yes at the end of the day you want to have results but sometimes you need to be honest with yourself. “And that’s something we’re trying to do in every aspect of our game as well just try to be honest, assess and improve. So, look forward to these talents to show the world what they can do. Sometimes, you need to have that umbrella over them and try and protect them from the vultures that are out to take down their careers pretty
quickly.” Pollard was also pleased with West Indies’ preparation in the lead-up to the limitedovers series against India. Pollard led West Indies to their first ODI series victory in five years, against Afghanistan, and although they lost the subsequent T20I series 2-1, they got a feel of Indian conditions. The likes of Pollard and Pooran - who is not available for the series opener against India because of his balltampering ban - then jetted to the UAE for the T10 league. In addition to these stints, some of West Indies’ players were part of a camp in Mumbai before heading to Hyderabad. “Couple of the guys had a couple of days off, couple of the guys went to T10, couple of the guys played in the Test matches against Afghanistan,” Pollard said. “We didn’t leave from this part of the world. Eleven of us were there in Mumbai for five-six days. We had good practice. Then we came here on the second [of December] and had three full days of good practice. So, for us it’s just a matter of getting acclimatised [to the conditions]. “We’ve been here for a while now, since November. It’s about putting the pieces of the puzzle together. There are instances where we know we faltered, in that last series.
Grenada basketballers arrive for 3-night friendly against Guyana - Tournament starts tonight at CASH Number sixth ranked at the 2018 Caribbean Basketball Championship Grenada arrived here yesterday to battle defending CBC Champions Guyana in a three-match Goodwill tournament from tonight at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. The action in the friendly series, organised to provide exposure and competition for the Ball weavers, is scheduled to commence at 20:00hrs and admission is $300. At the head table yesterday were Guyana’s Head Coach Junior Hercules, President of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) Michael Singh, President of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) the long
serving K. Juman Yassin and Grenada’s Head Coach ‘Naka’ Joseph. Yesterday’s launching of the series was held at Palm Court Club on Main Street Georgetown and Singh told the gathering, which included the team from the Spice Isle, that more tournaments like this are needed. “More basketball tournaments are needed in Guyana, not to only provide exposure and competition for the local players but to encourage teams to come here and help to build sporting Tourism,” the GABF Head declared. The Grenadians will face a Guyana team without most of the players who participated in the CBC and are being used as preparation for the 2020 CBC. Singh informed that there
are no more competitions for the side but the Federation is planning two tournaments before the CBC and said Grenada is likely to hold a reciprocal tournament next year. Yassin spoke of many benefits for Guyana hosting sporting Events like this and told the visiting team that three days is too little time for them to sample what Guyana has to see since the real beauty of this Country is outside of the City. “I must commend the Grenada Olympic Association for helping to fund this team getting here,” Yassin added. Hercules said this tournament was in the making a long time ago and revealed that it became a reality through many conversations between himself and Joseph. “Through our several conversations we realised how much shared similar
limitations in organising Basketball tournaments and getting funding. We are planning to give some young players a chance in this tournament,” informed Hercules. Joseph said he was delighted to be here and reiterated what Coach Hercules said about this venture coming to fruition. “Although the Guyanese are not playing most of the players who played in the 2018 CBC we are expecting competitive Basketball since we are aware of the strength of Guyana’s basketball and I know it an exciting and entertaining three days. I hope the fans come out in large numbers and show their support to what promises to be high standard Basketball,” concluded the visiting Coach. (Sean Devers)
Brandon King (Getty Images) We’ve spoken about it and hopefully come this series, we can put these things right.” Pollard’s aggression and in-your-face captaincy style has worked for him in the CPL, where he nearly carried Trinbago Knight Riders to the final in October. He hopes to lead by example for West Indies too, and set up victories for them. During the
T10 league as well, Pollard had spoken of how his “will to win” drives his career. “Things have been going pretty decently for me and I just want to continue doing that, continue scoring runs for the team, and hopefully my contribution to the team is going to hold it in good stead and put us in a winning position.”
Boxing: I will die trying to defend my title against Joshua, says Ruiz Jr (Reuters) - World heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr has said he fulfilled a lifelong dream when he triumphed over Britain’s Anthony Joshua in June and he would “die trying” to defend his belts in the title rematch in Saudi Arabia tomorrow. Mexican-American Ruiz produced one of boxing’s biggest upsets when he dethroned the previously undefeated world champion Joshua with a seventh-round stoppage at New York’s Madison Square Garden. “I have been doing this since I was six and it is finally paying off,” Ruiz told the BBC. “There is no way I am going to let these belts go, I will die trying. “It has been a rollercoaster and now that I made the dreams come true there is no way I will let these go.” Joshua has trimmed down ahead of the second WBA, IBF and WBO title showdown with an eye on taking the
contest deep into the latter rounds, saying he expects a “marathon, not a sprint”. The Briton has also been taking advice on his training regime and diet from former world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko in his bid to reclaim the title at the fight dubbed the ‘Clash on the Dunes’. “I may be less than 17 stone (107.95 kg),” Joshua said. “I’m punching loose and heavy — rhythm and flow. “Before I was trying to bench-press a house. I used my body to get where I needed but then I started realizing the sweet science of the sport. I am punching like a horse kicking backwards right now.” Ruiz, however, said he would not ‘underestimate’ Joshua and that he had his own strategies to counter the former Olympic champion. “I know he lost weight and that he will try and box me around,” Ruiz added. “So it’s (Continued on page 32)
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Friday December 06, 2019
Rio Indoor Streetball Championship quarters set for National Gymnasium tomorrow Tournament coordinators, Three Peat Promotions, declared that all systems are in place for the staging of the quarter-final section in the inaugural Rio Indoor Streetball Championship tomorrow at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue. According to an official release, “All systems are in place and structures have been improved for a thrilling quarterfinal section which is expected to set the trend for the remainder of the elimination round and which will captivate the large crowd that is expected to descend on the venue.” The correspondence added, “The excitement and anticipation for the knockout section is at a fever pitch. Although the tournament is in its maiden campaign, it has
been very competitive, with several teams more than capable of securing the coveted title and the one million first prize, which is the largest ever to be awarded for a community streetball championship.” The quarterfinal matches will pit Rio All-Stars against Future Stars which promises to be a titanic clash. This will open the evening’s proceedings at 20:00hrs. The second match will pit Leopold Street against Gold is Money, which is another chapter in the storied rivalry between the established giants. This will occur at 21:00hrs. In the third match, tournament favourite Sparta Boss will oppose East Coast Demerara giant Beterverwagting [BV] at 22:00hrs. This will be followed by
The action in the Streetball tourney at the Gymnasium promises to be exciting. the feature clash between the formidable Back Circle and heavyweight Bent Street 23:00hrs. The correspondence
GASA/FINA officials’ clinic commences at NAC The Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) in collaboration with FINA, the world governing body for swimming, have commenced its officials’ clinic yesterday at the National Aquatic Centre, Lilliendaal. The clinic, which will conclude on Monday, is expected to attract some 40 participants and is being conducted by FINA official Bill Hogan of Canada. The clinic is designed to enhance the knowledge of swimming officials and will touch on the functions of time keepers, referees, starters and judges.
It will also highlight the purpose of the meet director and the chain of command at a swim meet. Hogan said that this is his first trip to Guyana and he is pleased to be here; he touched briefly on the importance of the clinic. GASA Vice President Shefetah Tzedeq told Kaieteur Sport that the objective of the course is to prepare officials to manage swim meets in a more effective manner and standard according to FINA’s regulations. “For us to rise to any standard, we must have
persons in areas that are efficient, so the more pool of officials we have is the more we can execute a swim meet at the standard FINA would like it to be. So having this course is a plus, because basically throughout the year we have a few officials in this regard and the purpose of this clinic is to increase that pool so we when we have our meet there is competent people to execute so the swimmers will not be shortchanged,” he said. Both theory and practical sessions will be held. (Zaheer Mohamed)
FINA official Bill Hogan speaks with the participants at the opening of the course.
further said, “The tournament has certainly elevated the standard and the manner in which Streetball is viewed. The intention is for several
other tournaments to be staged in a similar light which will add to the growing phenomenon. This is the only way for the quality to be
sustained and eventually improve. At the moment, the quality is at an all-time high and the players, sponsors and fans are directly responsible for such a realization. After all this format is fixated and focused on the players, fans the communities that they emanate from.” The release concluded, “We are imploring on all fans and teams to work together to continue to make the championship an incident free and thrilling spectacle. We must also thank the lawmen for their contributions. They have carried out their respective duties with aplomb and are also vital in staging an incident free competition by providing the necessary security which creates a welcoming environment for all and sundry.” The grand finale will occur on December 14th at the same venue.
Bach wants clear lead from WADA on Russian Olympic status AFP - Four days ahead of a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) meeting on Russia, Thomas Bach, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president, refused to “speculate” on the outcome but asked for a “clear” answer for events that might be affected. If the WADA Executive Committee, meeting in Lausanne on December 9, approves the long list of measures recommended by its Compliance Review Committee (CRC), Russia would simply be banned from international sport, including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. “I’m not in a position to speculate,” said Bach yesterday after a three-day meeting of the IOC’s own Executive Board. “I don’t know the details of the decision WADA could take.” “I hope that WADA will be clear on the events to which this decision will refer and why it applies or not. This is in the hands of WADA and in particular the CRC,” Bach added, making clear the decision would be binding on the IOC as “a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code”. The CRC recommendation followed what WADA investigators described as “an extremely serious” case of noncompliance “with several aggravating features.” The proposed four-year ban comes after WADA examined data from Russia’s
IOC President Thomas Bach refused to speculate on Russia’s participation at the Olympic Games. (AFP/File / Fabrice Coffrini) doping-tainted Moscow laboratory, which was handed over to WADA in January. Full disclosure of data from the Moscow lab was a key condition of Russia’s controversial reinstatement by WADA in September 2018. The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) had been suspended for nearly three years previously over revelations of a vast statesupported doping programme. WADA said in its statement on November 25 the data handed over was rife with problems, describing it as “neither complete nor fully authentic.” It said hundreds of adverse analytical findings had been removed while
underlying raw data and PDF files had been deleted. WADA also said someone in a Moscow laboratory had planted fabricated messages into a key database. As well as a ban from all sporting competition, the CRC had recommended Russia be forbidden from hosting or bidding for any major event. Russian government officials would also be barred from attending any major events. Individual Russian athletes may still compete in events such as the Olympics, but only if they are able to prove they are not implicated in the broader doping scandal.
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Four-Day matches return to Trelawny Stadium ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Tw o We s t I n d i e s Championship matches will be played at Jamaica’s Trelawny Stadium next year. It will be the first time in 11 years that the ground will be staging four-day matches in the Championship, which begins on Thursday, January 9. Cricket West Indies has scheduled the fifth-round match between Jamaica Scorpions and Leeward Islands Hurricanes from February 13 to 16 at the venue, along with the sixthround match between the Scorpions and Guyana Jaguars from February 27 to March 1. CWI director of cricket, Jimmy Adams, said the stadium is scheduled to stage a Twenty20 International in two years’ time and this was part of the process to get the ground in shape. “It will be good to see the Trelawny Stadium hosting regional cricket again after so many years with this effort from the Jamaica Cricket Association to build its capacity in western Jamaica,” said Adams. Only one West Indies Championship match has been played at the ground in the past, when current West Indies team operations manager Rawl Lewis led Windward Islands to a threewicket victory over Jamaica in 2009. The ground has staged five other first-class matches – two involving international teams touring the Caribbean, and three involving West Indies A and counterparts from Sri Lanka and England. The stadium was completed in 2007 before the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 West Indies and can seat 25,000. Adams said he was excited about the forthcoming West Indies Championship season and working with the new West Indies senior selection panel – under chairman Roger Harper – to identify the next wave of players to stake their claims for the West Indies Test team. “A new season is always an occasion for
optimism as we expect performances from both established and rookie players within the system,” said Adams. “I’m sure the new Selection Panel under Roger Harper will be keen to cast their eyes over this competition which will wrap up our 2019-20 cricket season.” Guyana Jaguars are the five-time, defending champions of the Championship. They open the tournament on the road, when they travel to Antigua to face Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in a day/night contest played with a pink ball. The Championship marks a decade since CWI were the first member of the I C C , c r i c k e t ’s w o r l d governing body, to play a pink-ball match in its firstclass competition, when Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago played from January 15 to 18, 2010. Pink-ball matches have now become a standard part of the Championship and each team will play two of these games – home and away – under the tournament format. The other first round matches feature: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force battling Scorpions at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad, and Windward Islands Volcanoes tackling Barbados Pride at the Arnos Vale Cricket Ground in St. Vincent. MATCH SCHEDULE (Play in all matches start at 10 am daily, except where indicated) Round 1- January 9 to 12 Hurricanes vs Jaguars – Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua (2 pm daily) Red Force vs Scorpions – Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad Volcanoes vs Pride – Arnos Vale Cricket Ground, St. Vincent Round 2-January 16 to 19
Scorpions vs Volcanoes – Sabina Park, Jamaica Pride vs Jaguars – Kensington Oval, Barbados Red Force vs Hurricanes – Brian Lara Cricket Academy Round 3-January 23 to 26 Jaguars vs Red Force – Guyana National Stadium, Guyana (9:30 am daily) Scorpions vs Pride – Sabina Park Volcanoes vs Hurricanes – Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St. Lucia (2 pm daily) ***BREAK*** Round 4- February 6 to 9 Jaguars vs Scorpions – Guyana National Stadium Hurricanes vs Pride – Warner Park, St. Kitts Volcanoes vs Red Force – Windsor Park, Dominica Round 5-February 13 to 16 Scorpions vs Hurricanes – Tr e l a w n y S t a d i u m , Jamaica Pride vs Red Force – Kensington Oval Volcanoes vs Jaguars – Grenada National Stadium, Grenada ***BREAK*** Round 6-February 27 to March 1 Scorpions vs Jaguars – Trelawny Stadium, Jamaica Pride vs Volcanoes – Kensington Oval Hurricanes vs Red Force – Warner Park Round 7-March 5 to 8 Red Force vs Pride – Brian Lara Cricket Academy Volcanoes vs Scorpions – Grenada National Stadium Jaguars vs Hurricanes – Guyana National Stadium Round 8 - March 12 to 15
Red Force vs Volcanoes – Brian Lara Cricket Academy (2 pm daily) Hurricanes vs Scorpions – Vivian Richards Cricket Ground Jaguars vs Pride – Guyana National Stadium (2 pm daily)
***BREAK*** Round 9 - March 26 to 29 Pride vs Scorpions – Kensington Oval (2 pm daily) Hurricanes vs Volcanoes – Vivian Richards Cricket Ground
Red Force vs Jaguars – Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad Round 10-April 2 to 5 Jaguars vs Volcanoes – Guyana National Stadium Scorpions vs Red Force – Sabina Park (2 pm daily) Pride vs Hurricanes – Kensington Oval
Kaieteur News
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Friday December 06, 2019
Raiders and Royals Ninvalle calls for Caribbean governments win for the second time as LABA/YBG U-19 to have more respect for the sport C/Ship continues Caribbean Boxing Championships in Trinidad
G
u y a n a ’s 1 6 member Boxing team began their quest of a successful defence in this year’s Caribbean Boxing Championships yesterday at the Pleasantville Sports Complex in South Trinidad following the opening proceedings. Hampered by inadequate funding and the National Sports Commission (NSC) chipping in at the last hour with a one million dollar cheque, the Guyana Boxing Association was only able to send a reduced team to the event. At the opening ceremony, Chairman of the Caribbean Boxing Steering Committee, Guyanese Steve N i n v a l l e , y e s t e r d a y, declared that governments across Caricom need to show some more respect to the sport of boxing. Ninvalle was at the time delivering an address at the opening of the Caribbean Boxing Championship being held at the National Cycling Ve l o d r o m e i n C o u v a , Trinidad and Tobago. Ninvalle told the gathering of regional
Guyanese welterweight Kevin McKenzie (blue) versus Joshua Frazer from Jamaica in one of the earlier bouts yesterday. officials, administrators and over 110 athletes, that boxing in Caricom has been struggling over the years and advised that there be a collective approach to governments. “The elephant in the room is funding and there is very little trickling in. Ask Jamaica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and the list goes on. We all have the same story. Boxing needs to be shown a little more respect,” Ninvalle declared. He reasoned that Caricom only winning one Olympic medal in boxing (Guyana’s Michael Parris
bronze medal) can be directly or indirectly linked to the amount of support being received. Ninvalle, the president of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association, applauded his Trinidadian counterpart Cecil Forde for pulling out the stops in staging the tournament. “To Mr. Forde I say congratulations for pulling this one off. I more than anyone else know what you have gone through, and are going through at this time. Nevertheless you understand how important this tournament is to this
region and you have stayed with it.” Guyana, the defending champion, has sent a team of 13 boxers to the tournament which included: Youths: Mark Crawford, Richard Howard, Abiola Jackman, Emanuel Pompey, and Alesha Jackman. Elites: Jullius Kesney, Keevin Allicock, Colin Lewis, Kevin McKenzie, Desmond Amsterdam, Dennis Thomas, Daren France and Kevin Hunte. The Coaching staff is Terrence Poole and Sebert Blake.
Kareem Roberts of Retrieve Raiders
Kobe Tappin of Victory Valley Royals
The unbeaten run by the Retrieve Raiders and Victory Valley Royals continued on Wednesday night when they won their respective games against Kings and Amelia’s Ward Jets in the Linden Amateur Basketball A s s o c i a t i o n / Yo u t h Basketball Guyana Under-19 tournament being played at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court. Retrieve Raiders looked well in winning their second straight game with a 41-29 thumping of Kings following their 17-10 lead at half time. Kareem Roberts once again was their spearhead with 12 points, while T. Grannum
supported with nine points. For the Kings Jaden Rose shot in 10 points and Tevin Belle seven. Victory Valley Royals continued their running game with a 54-16 blowout of Amelia’s Ward Jets with Emmanuel LaRose leading with a game high 14 points w h i l e K o b e Ta p p i n maintained his good form with 12. L. Benjamin ended with four points for the Jets to be their best scorer. Due to the international series involving the Grenada and the National Men’s team in a goodwill series this weekend, the tournament will take a break.
Ogle Masters, Success Masters to clash for Regal Stationery & CC trophy Sunday
O
gle Masters and Success Masters will clash in a T20 fixture on Sunday at the Ogle Community Centre ground, East Coast Demerara. The game which is set to commence at 10:00hrs is being sponsored by Regal Stationery and Computer Centre of 41 and 69 Seaforth Street, Campbellville. Teams; Ogle MastersKhalid Haslim ( C ), David Harper, Azeemul Haniff, Romain Mangra, Khemchand Dindyal, Fazleem Mohamed, Abdool Gamal, Clive Grimmond, Unnis Yusuf, S. Sugrim, J. Hardyal and P. Hardyal. Success Masters; Hackim Majeed ( C ), Rafman Ali, Vijay Baljit, Rajesh Baljit, Seekumar
Budram, Mohan Motilall, Chandra Dyal Budram, Reyaz Khan, Masood Khan, Mustapha Azeemullah, Raymond Karim and Asif Zambia. Dianand Singh (Manager). In an invited comment, Rafman Ali Vice Captain of Success Masters expressed gratitude to Mahendra Hardyal of Regal Stationery and Computer Centre and stated that they are confident going all the way. He said that this is a long awaited contest and they will not be taking their opponents for granted. Haslim of Ogle Masters said his players know what to expect and proper execution on the day will be important. Both teams and the manof-the-match will receive trophies.
Kaieteur News
Friday December 06, 2019
PAGE 43
BCB/Trophy Stall Under-13 Tournament
Albion and Rose Hall Town Poonai Pharmacy advance to finals Over the last fifteen years, the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club MS and the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club have been the two dominant cricket teams in Berbice. They have played numerous finals at the different levels and both clubs have a lot of respect for each other. On Sunday, both clubs advance to another final after registering victories in their respective semifinals of the Berbice Cricket Board/ Trophy Stall Under-13 tournament. RHT Poonai Pharmacy defeated a determined RH Canje on first innings, while Albion obtained a similar result against Achievers CC at the Bush Lot Ground. At the Hampshire Ground, RHT Poonai Pharmacy won the toss and elected to bowl first. Rose Hall Canje raced to 60 without loss as Zadeem La Rose and R. Ramdehol started like a house on fire. Ramdehol fell for 19 to spark a spectacular collapse to 107 for 8 off their allotted 40 overs. La Rose top scored with a well-played 35. Spinners Tyrese Smartt 3 for 26 and Imran Mohamad 3 for 21 were the best bowlers for Poonai Pharmacy. Needing to score 108 to take first innings and a place in the final, the 2018 Under-13 runner up reached 131 for 6 when their first innings quota 40 overs were bowled out. Twelve years old Tyron Smartt batted throughout the
Tyron Smartt, who scored an unbeaten 63
innings to remain unbeaten on a classy 63 not out, while Khemraj Tika scored 16 before he was run out in a mix up with Smartt. La Rose returned with the ball for Canje to take 3 for 31. Batting a second time with 70 minutes remaining in the match, Rose Hall Canje raced to 61 for 2 with Aaron Craig hitting a quick fire 29. Off spinner Deeraj Ramjit took 2 wickets for 19 for RHT Poonai Pharmacy as the match was called off early. At the Bush Lot Ground in West Coast of Berbice, Albion batting first against Achievers scored 77 from 29.4 overs. Afraz Budhoo top scored with 36, which included seven sweetly, struck boundaries. Extras contributed a healthy 13. T. Isaacs took 4 for 20 and T. Ramcharran 3 for 14 for West Berbice who in reply were bowled out for 27, with only E. Rogers reaching double figures with 10. Seven of Achievers batsmen failed to trouble the scorers as Afraz Budhoo 3 for 10, Devin LalBehari 2 for 10 and Ritesh Nathoor 2 for 0 bowled well for the visitors. Albion batting a second time reached 65 for 4 when the game was called off. Afraz Budhoo completed a fine all-round performance by scoring 16, while Nathaniel Chinapen 17 and Devin LalBehari 17 chipped in with support. A. Doobay took 2 for 11, while T. Isaacs and C. Dale took a wicket apiece. Earlier in the
day, the match was delayed by three hours due to heavy morning rain. Rose Hall Town Poonai Pharmacy and Albion would clash in the final tomorrow at the Area ‘H’ Ground. The 2018 Under-13 runners up had taken first innings from Albion, when they played in the opening round at the area ‘H’ Ground. The match would bowl off at 10:00am, with the first innings been restricted to 40 overs.
The Winning RHT Poonai Pharmacy Team
Elder statesman Kieron Pollard wants to create nurturing environment for West Indies’ young talents
t r o p S Caribbean Boxing Championships in Trinidad
Nicholas Pooran congratulates Kieron Pollard for his half-century Associated Press
Ninvalle calls for Caribbean governments to have more respect for the sport
Grenada basketballers arrive for 3-night friendly against Guyana - Tournament starts tonight at CASH
The Grenada team standing, while sitting (from left) Guyana Coach Junior Hercules, GOA head K Juman Yassin, GABF President Mike Singh, Grenada Coach Joseph and Grenada Manager Ronald Johnson. Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.