Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Saturday December 08, 2018

Saturday December 08, 2018

Kaieteur News

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No doom and gloom exist in banking sector

By Kiana Wilburg Contrary to the views of the political opposition, Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, made it pellucid during his wrap up of the 2019 budget debates that Bank of Baroda’s decision to sell its operations here is no indication that the nation’s banking sector or its economy as a whole, is in trouble.

Minister Jordan told the National Assembly last night that since April, the government was aware of Bank of Baroda’s decision.

He stressed that it did not come as a surprise to the government or industry regulators when it was officially announced two days ago that the India-led bank wanted to cut its losses.

The Finance Minister said , “We knew of this since April and it was signaled to us since then that they were going to do that. We tried to persuade them that doing business here is good but alas, the local office wasn’t able to persuade the headquarters (in India). In fact, I understand that the people at the local office didn’t know of the decision…”

Jordan added, “It is important to understand that this is happening generally around the world. These banks consider doing business in these states is not profitable anymore, because the risks have increased dramatically. They have to conform with a number of regulations relating to antimoney laundering and countering the financing of terrorism…”

The Finance Minister said that the Indian Bank is not only selling off its operations in Guyana, but it has also done so in Trinidad and New Zealand.

The Minister said, “This is a fact of life. Scotia Bank is the same thing; they are not only pulling out on operations here but in other territories…What we have

…Jordan highlights glowing performance of other banks …Says Govt. knew since April of Baroda’s intention to exit market to do is see what opportunities exist in these challenges…”

Jordan noted that Guyana is poised to receive a tremendous amount of wealth from its oil sector. On that note he said, “Let’s be blunt, with five billion and counting barrels of oil, who is pulling out and for what reason? Who is not willing to take a risk with five billion barrels of oil?”

The Minister then proceeded to note the performance of other financial institutions within the banking sector as proof that the picture of ‘doom and gloom’ is nothing but a delusion.

Referencing some of the headlines in the daily newspapers, Jordan noted that Republic Bank’s profits are up by 14.4 percent for 2018, Demerara Bank recorded $2B in profits and Citizens Bank recorded a 51.6 percent increase in after tax profits.

With this in mind, the Finance Minister said that comments which suggest that Guyana’s banking sector and the economy at large are in trouble can only be seen as wicked.

SCOTIA’S MOVE TO SELL It was only a few weeks ago that Republic Bank announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire S c o t i a b a n k ’s b a n k i n g operations in Guyana, St. Maarten and the Eastern Caribbean territories, including Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Republic Bank said that the agreement signaled the commencement of a transaction that is subject to all regulatory and other

Finance Minister, Winston Jordan customary approvals and conditions.

Ronald Harford, Chairman of Republic Bank said, “This acquisition represents another major milestone for the Republic Group. As we grow and acquire significant positions in our existing markets, it is important that we continue to broaden our footprint, r e g i o n a l l y a n d internationally.

“This agreement, which is subject to all regulatory approvals, affords us the opportunity to reach more clients in the Eastern Caribbean and Guyana, two markets we are familiar with, and build new relationships in St. Maarten...”

The Republic Group’s total asset base as at September 30, 2018 stood at US$10.5 billion, with equity at US$ 1.5 billion and profits attributable to shareholders for the year ended September 30, 2018 of US$ 198 million. The acquisition of Scotia’s operations will increase the Group’s asset size by approximately US$2.5 billion.

REGULATORS WORRIED S i n c e t h e aforementioned announcement, Central Bank regulators have

expressed great worry about the troubling ramifications this move could have, should approval be granted.

In fact, Kaieteur News was informed by several Central Bank officials that Republic Bank has not submitted an application for approval regarding its move t o a c q u i r e S c o t i a ’s operations here. Republic Bank only issued the Central Bank with a letter which highlights that its Board has approved of the acquisition of Scotia in the Caribbean and Guyana.

Contacted for a comment on the matter, Central Bank Governor, Dr. Gobind Ganga said that when Republic Bank makes its application, several processes will have to be implemented to ensure that the financial institution abides by the requirements and criteria set out in the Financial Institutions Act. Dr. Ganga told Kaieteur News, “In addition to that, we will be looking to see to what extent this move by Republic Bank would interfere with fair competition in the banking sector. We will be looking at whether or not Republic Bank has the wherewithal because they are now acquiring a larger share of the banking system not only

in Guyana but elsewhere…

Remember, they would becoming too big, they would be acquiring control of a little more than half of the banking sector…”

The Governor added, “And so we have to check for wherewithal. You can’t have a bank that doesn’t have the wherewithal to resist any situation that may arise (acquiring such a large share of the market)…One would have to check on their ability with capital and other things like management in terms of the governance that is required in this field.

“We have to look clearly

at the implications of this acquisition from all sides.”

Dr. Ganga said that the Central Bank will have to examine this matter from a prudential basis. He said that everything will be done to e n s u r e t h a t G u y a n a ’s banking sector remains strong, sound and profitable.

Further to this, the Central Bank head said that he will be engaging his counterparts in the other regions which Republic Bank would be acquiring the banking assets of Scotia Bank.

He said, “This is a big move so we have to be extremely careful.”

Kaieteur News

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Saturday December 08, 2018

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

The Coalition Government Three and a half years into the coalition government and the questions, conflicts, and struggles continue.

Performance, corruption, and the raging debates about the degree and significance of change proliferate across the political and social spectrum.

Another look is taken at government with two questions in mind: has this government delivered or hasn’t it? And if it has, how acceptable is such?

In some areas, Government’s performance has been mediocre, at best. Economic affairs lurch forward with the frail tentative steps of a drunk. Though the rhetorical surges of its blood pressure are high, the body temperature is cool.

Too cool. Agriculture lacks the daring spirited incursions into the untried; untested the vast potential stays. Gold leaks from the sides. While everyone speaks with angelic innocence and pretended ignorance, the metallic riches elude a nation that can use the benefits. Returns accrue elsewhere and to others.

This is part of what amounts to studied undeclared critical protest. When pillars such as these are weak, the economic house breathes heavily, drags on its own weight.

Foreign Affairs have settled into a low decibel rhythm.

The Americans are here; they declare themselves content.

The Chinese are coming: more of them, and with many more projects and deals, and dollars too. These are not of the zero percent variety either in rate or weight or the state of future obligations. Theirs are the scrappy financing terms of pawnbrokers: hard-edged, hard-knuckled, hard-hearted.

Today is the sweetness of courtship and gifts; tomorrow comes the jarring realities of domestic payback. Home Affairs has this Dante’s Hell called crime. Guns, mules, men, and money all over. All over, too, are these legacies of a torrid time, the violent detritus of what politics made possible and was celebrated before.

Yesterday’s celebrations live on in the many grievances of a poor man’s wake for this government. Government Affairs are severely handicapped by another dirty legacy that gnaws and gores and guts: Fifth columnists. They are all over and under: concealing, undermining, leaking, betraying.

A national network of schemers and sellers thrive; their very presence represents in sum the posthumous exercise of political power, an increasingly palpable expression of postelection reach and effect. It hamstrings and bleeds tactically and critically: whether document or development or discussion, the dams of vital confidentiality are breached, administrative energy and ability drained, if not subverted.

The David Granger administration has been benevolent in multiple instances and several areas. Treachery and the disputatious have been its rewards. And so, a government grasps at discovering that finely tuned field of functionality, where it can plan and deliver authoritatively and consistently.

It is still finding its way.

In race affairs, the national head harbors special visions; alas, the extended political, social, and environmental body parts are suffused with barely contained poisons that speak of historic excesses hard to purge.

In media affairs, government loses the daily propaganda battles, and the generalized unrelenting propaganda war. Not even a contender. It does not seem unduly perturbed.

Volume, cosmetics, and reality are mainly carved out, influenced, and controlled by non-state actors and powers.

Its few hard won successes are given short shrift, overwhelmed by force of circumstances, defeated by avalanches of the negative.

Changes, incremental and occasional, are lost in the shuffle, and suffer from an absence of light and unpardonable official neglect. While the handful of positives disappears before the actions of the many hands that dip into the treasury to lift what does not belong. This, too, is an inheritance from the good times era, when the only color was money; and so too was the politics. Thus, a country is rendered prostrate; indeed, lifeless.

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.

Destroying our children with an education overdose DEAR EDITOR, Anything too little or too much is unhealthy. Food is good, but if taken in excess quantities, will cause harm to our bodies. This principle can apply to many of our other types of behaviour which can be detrimental to our physical, emotional or mental wellbeing.

There is a growing problem in our educational system at present that is causing great harm to our young children in schools. I happened to regularly encounter primary school children and in the process took the opportunity to review their homework and regular classroom work.

What I discovered really shocked me, to the extent that I had to pen this letter. In fact many other parents I had discussions with, share this same horrendous experience.

There are mountains of assignments and homework that seven-year-old children are flooded with, to the extent that another full school session starts at home.

Even nursery school children are facing a barrage of home assignments that leaves them with little or no recreational time.

In employment language, we refer to this as doing a double shift, but as adults we don’t work double shift every day - these helpless little souls have been forced to.

Thes e projects and assignments demand enormous amounts of energy and materials such as cardboard, paste, and a million other items. No wonder hundreds of stationery businesses have sprung up in the last decade to feast on struggling parents’ pockets. This is an unnecessary strain on the hard-earned income of parents.

When examined carefully, these assignments and projects mean little or nothing to the students, as it is so complicated and technical that only the parents can do it, and most parents themselves have to seek additional help. This insane culture forced most parents to return to another life at school, since over 95% o f t h e i r c h i l d r e n ’s assignments and projects have to be completed by them.

So instead of parents utilizing their time in earning

to maintain the family, they are pressured to do their children’s assignments. The only thing the children participate in is to carry the assignments to school.

Worst yet are the many hundreds of persons who take advantage of the situation by making a business by renting or selling assignments. So the entire primary school is engulfed with a culture of utter madness where unnecessary time, energy and money have to be dedicated for no visible cause. In addition to that, I see some words that grade four children are forced to learn that even CXC students may struggle with. I am not against keeping a high standard, but you cannot put out a fire by dousing it with gasoline.

Even more shocking is the conspicuous silence on this matter by parents. Upon close study lies a grave and appalling reason for this horrible culture of silence.

Competition is the main driving force responsible for this dreadful assignment culture. Over time, there developed a growing competitiveness among parents about whose children

will perform better than the others. This fed into larger and larger competition groups with teachers versus teachers, class versus class, school vs. school, and top students of class, school, district and country all bulldozing their way for top positions.

So the entire schooling atmosphere was bent in this ominous direction, piling on the agony on those who could not keep pace. All the assignments and school programmes are designed to keep the top students in this competitive state to the detriment of those who cannot keep up. Hence, parents, businessmen, hired assignment assistants and others suddenly got involved.

The obvious victims of this rigorous competition are the children themselves who had no say but to endure a silent cry. They cannot protest and hold strike action like us in the workforce.

Many of them are cast by the wayside wondering why the world is such a cruel and heartless place.

In fact, many of those students who are cast aside (Continued on page 6)

This is how Guyana works, has been, and will be for the foreseeable future DEAR EDITOR, I will venture, according to Gordon Forte, “Where angels fear to tread” (SN Letters 12/06/2018), by commenting on the current controversy caused by Chairman of the PNC and Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence.

Others have touched on w h a t t h e m i n i s t e r ’s statement ultimately portends, namely, partition, a thought that is virtually banned from discussion in Guyana. I would like to examine that part of the issue, and then some.

But first of all, I wish to commend the lady for casting all political correctness to the wind and calling it as it is. Why the outcry? This is exactly what the PPP does when it is in office. Indeed, this is how Guyana works, has been, and will be for the foreseeable future. It is the backbone, foundation, and fabric of our being.

I do believe that the goodly people who seek to

keep this problem under the rug by espousing unity and shared governance do us more harm than the active and arduous practitioners of the partisanship. As a nonPNC, I would much rather work with Volda Lawrence than say, a Harmon or a Williams.

The only person to have addressed this problem headon, as far as I know, is Eusi Kwayana, when he proposed partition as a last resort solution if joint government is not acceptable. His party at the time, the PNC, acting w ith 11 0 % p o litical correctness immediately sanctioned him by relieving him of his position.

Kwayana continued on his own to work for his people with no less passion and dedication. The one lesson I have personally learned from Kwayana is that he who genuinely cherishes his own people can never despise another people. True love of your own truly means respect for all others.

It is nearly 60 years since Kwayana broached the subject. The only thing that has changed is that the division has gotten worse. It would be really nice to know how the public at large feels about such a prospect (partition). A bi-partisan referendum would be the best way to test that sentiment. If the choice is nay, then we could put that issue to bed forever. Would a government, even when joined by the opposition, ever support such a politically incorrect proposition? Never.

There is one other thing the minister mentioned that puzzles me. I am reminded that she was speaking to Region Four party members at party headquarters. A little e x u b e r a n c e i s understandable in such a home situation. She said she would only give jobs to PNC people because those are the only kind of people she knows. Fine.

She also announced that she was looking for a doctor.

It seems to me a trained specialist like a medical doctor would be embarrassed if his/her job selection was based on the fact of being a PNC or PPP supporter. Colleagues on the job would also harbour doubts about the professionalism of someone who came through that route.

Woe be it that the next thing you know is that the selectee would get his job instruction to only treat party supporters with worthy attention. And since when does a minister look to hire people like doctors? Aren’t there search and recruiting arms of the government trained and well-positioned to do so?

In my 16 years in the Guyana public service (a long time ago), partisan politicians used to confine themselves to find the washer woman, the cleaning lady, the mailroom boy, and such.

Sincerely, P. D. Sharma Los Angeles, CA

Saturday December 08, 2018

Government’s actions do not personify a caring administration DEAR EDITOR, Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder is quoted in the December 06, Guyana Chronicle as saying “I am, pleased to report that our caring government… has paid severance to all employees who were severed at the end of 2017. It was done on November the 30th”. For the thousands who have been affected by the closure of estates, they wonder if a caring government would really put them out of jobs; put their families in miserable situations, and simply leave them up the river without a paddle.

The actions of the Coalition Government hardly personify the notion of a caring government.

Moreover, while the Minister makes it seem that the Government was doing the workers a favour, the fact remains that the workers were lawfully entitled to their severance payments – plain and simple.

In fact, to receive what was dutifully owed to them, the workers had to raise their voices in protest to get the Administration to recognise this glaring reality and it required Judicial intervention to force action.

The Minister, it seems too, was boasting that the severance payments were finally settled on November 30th, 2017, though it was to be paid to the workers since December 29, 2017. Minister Holder, we saw too, sought to downplay that several million dollars more had to be found to pay interest on the outstanding payments to the workers after the Court found that the Administration acted incorrectly to withhold the severance payments. It goes to show that the injustices perpetuated seldom go without repercussion.

The goodly Agriculture Minister also reportedly says “[i]n 2016, an agreement was made to commence payment of the severance packages by May that year to workers who opted not to work at the Uitvlugt Estate, following the closure of Wales several months earlier.

However, just before the scheduled date for payment of the severance packages, Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) and the

National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) sought and received an order of the court which stopped GuySuCo from making the payments.” It seems that the Minister is imagining things.

We wish to remind the Minister that Wales Estate was closed in December 2016 and not some months prior to May 2016 as he reportedly said. Moreover, regarding to court action

by GAWU and NAACIE, we have pointed on several occasions that this was used as a red herring to deny the workers their payments.

The Union’s Court Action was approved early May 2016, but the severance pay was due to workers on April 23, 2016.

Clearly, contrary to the Minister’s assertions, the Court Action was in no way impeding the payments.

The denial, it appears, was meant to rub salt in the wound. But our Union’s approach to the Court became necessary after the GuySuCo disobeyed the l a w r e q u i r i n g G AW U ’s presence during the conveying of the decision to terminate the workers. It is instructive to note that the Court, after listening to arguments, sided with the GAWU on the matter.

On Wales, the GAWU was again forced to approach the Courts in March 2017 after GuySuCo compelled the 350-odd cane cutters of Wales to take up work at Uitvlugt, though the law said this was improper. Apart from the compulsion, several threats and intimidatory tactics were deployed against the workers. Nevertheless, the workers did not retreat and on several occasions, as recent as December 05, this year protested the unfair denial of their severance payments.

As several sections of the media reported, the Court ruled in the workers

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favour and awarded interests as well. The Minister told the Chronicle, howe v e r, “ … w e d e c i d e d t o settle”. It should be noted that the Corporation was, initially, vehement in not paying interest and then it subsequently made a small concession. Nevertheless, the Court recognizing the injustice perpetuated against the workers awarded interest from the time of termination.

The Minister and the Government now, clearly, in a defensive positive are saying they will respect the ruling of the Court and, even as the ship is sinking, have sought to say GAWU was preventing the payment though Newsroom on February 01, this year reported the Union’s President, Komal Chand as saying “… GAWU is willing to drop the matter in the court once GuySuCo agrees to pay the workers their severance instead of forcing them to work at Uitvlugt”.

The GAWU was never in the way, but it was the heartlessness of the Government, which it seemed was intent on punishing the workers, probably into submission, that was on naked display.

Now, the Government and GuySuCo will be required to find several million dollars to meet the interest payments. Indeed, apart from the financial implications, the clear embarrassment to the Administration of another loss in Court could have been avoided had it been respectful of the laws of the land and the rights of the workers.

We wish to remind the Government that “Moon ah run till daylight ketch am”.

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU

The AFC has not a glimmer of hope in deceiving the sugar workers once again DEAR EDITOR, The experienced and erudite lawyer, statesman and politician Mr Ralph Ramkarran in his Blog, Conversation Tree, gave sound advice when he said that, ‘The AFC is at a fork in the road.

Logic would suggest that it should take the bend leading to independence. Necessity for survival, as the AFC would perceive it, would force it to take the bend leading to further subservience to APNU.’ This was on December 1st, 2018. The choice was ‘independence’ or ‘subservience’.

However, what the Public Security Minister, Mr Khemraj Ramjattan said in his 2019 Budget speech clearly dispelled any remnants of doubt whatsoever that the AFC has chosen the latter ‘fork in the road’ proposed by Ramkarran - they have chosen the road to ‘further subservience to APNU’, more specifically the PNC. It is amusing to see the AFC Leader vying hard for the top spot.

When I read the headline in the media that, ‘Ramjattan sees parallel between PPP’s stance on sugar workers and PNCR Chairman’s position on jobs for supporters’ I was totally dumbfounded. But it serves to confirm that the Chairman of the Alliance for Change is totally myopic and has allowed his dislike not only for the PPP but for the sugar workers who refused to vote for his party, to take precedence over the survival of the AFC as an independent political force.

The bashing the AFC received was simply too much, so he threw caution to the wind and spewed his venom at random towards the sugar workers. He incorrectly drew this comparison, ‘Volda made a statement recently that she’ll get some em-

ployment for her people. You want to say that that is wrong, but when you state all the time that you got to employ sugar workers, you got to employ sugar workers that is not wrong.

That is not jobs for the boys?

Oh! That is not jobs for the boys.

If it is anything it is also jobs for the boys. You want us to employ your people because you are very strong in the sugar estate areas and we must pump more, we must pump more. No! We will certainly have to bring it to an end”.

It is quote unfortunate a Vice President of this country can see a sugar worker’s job ‘as jobs for the boys’. More so, that Vice President so consumed in his disregard for the sugar workers failed to realize that Volda Lawrence subsequently made this statement, ‘I have learned that as a leader I must be cognizant of what I say and do, and must not allow emotions or political fervour to get in the way.

So to all those whom I have offended in one way or another, I humbly apologize’. Something is definitely wrong with the way he looks at issues.

This man who was born, bred and raised among sugar workers and farmers forgot that thousands of sugar workers voted for the AFC in 2011 and in 2015. He forgot that the same sugar workers would have comprised members and supporters ofAPNU as well. But Ramkarran hit the nail plumb on the head when he succinctly and conclusively stated that, ‘The PPP supporters which the AFC had encouraged to cross over have now moved away because the AFC now appears not as a moderating influence on APNU (PNCR), but as a facilitator’.

May I add a willing ‘facilita-

tor’ for a brewing dictatorship reign. This was the final nail in the coffin. Ramjattan knows full well that the AFC has not a glimmer of hope in deceiving the sugar workers once again, so it is time him to ‘nail’ them to the proverbial cross.

He seemed to suffer convenient amnesia that in order to get votes in 2015, it was the AFC and not APNU which went into the sugar workers’ communities with leaflets promising ‘20% wage increase across the board’.

I confronted an AFC member from Fyrish with the leaflet in my village and he was adamant that the AFC would give that increase. Moreover, the AFC was on television in Berbice promising the same, one of them who now works with the Public Security Ministry had even said that ‘cane cutters will not get the black thing on their skin anymore’. It was a rosy picture for sugar.

Then in January this year it was claimed that God wanted sugar to fail because oil is found!

Let me remind Mr Ramjattan that it is the responsibility of the Government to ensure that the dismissed sugar workers are taken care of even before being severed. It has an obligation to provide support for the livelihoods of those affected by the sugar sector reform it wants to implement (EU’s National Adaptation Strategy stipulation).

Since the Coalition has miserably failed to do so, then it is the responsibility of the Opposition to remind them and agitate on the dismissed workers’ behalf, and it has nothing to do with political affiliation. Get real Ramjattan!

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf RDC Councilor Region 6

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Saturday December 08, 2018

For a professional, neutral and Minister Lawrence is wrong about her Ministry not having a politically impartial public Procurement Dept. prior to 2015 service in the national interest DEAR EDITOR, On Dec. 5, Kaieteur News quoted Minister Lawrence as saying there was no procurement department at the Ministry of Public Health prior to 2015. I can categorically say that Min. Lawrence is not being truthful and it lends itself to a recent trend of reckless and irresponsible statements by this Minister.

According to former Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, the procurement department began to take shape since 1997 and evolved from there to a fully functional Materials Management Unit (MMU) consisting of planning & procurement, warehousing & distribution, quality control and a transportation mechanism that partnered with regional authorities and other stakeholders, including the military.

Minister Lawrence stated that her goal now, is to achieve

70% to 75% availability of medicines in the future, but from 2008 to 2012 we were making 85% of non-essential medicines and 100% of life saving medicines available to all 10 regions of the country. This is a metric that was corroborated by our external partners at that time. Therefore, it is only fair to conclude that Min. Lawrence is slinging political propaganda and slander to make her Government appear competent.

Prior to 2015 the procurement department was fully functional with a Procurement Manager and five supervisors with direct support from our planning department, finance and the National Procurement and Tender Board (NPTB) guided fully by the Procurement Act and other policies.

In 2010 we successfully rolled out the first national and regional public pre-qualification system to select qualified suppliers of medicines and supplies, a feat that could not been

achieved without a procurement department. The late Hon. Winston Murray praised the procurement department for that achievement in his capacity as member of the Public Accounts Committee.

It is important to note the Minister Lawrence was the head of the PAC during most of this time and she was briefed on all our accomplishments as a procurement department, therefore it is very surprising to see her making such reckless statements.

It is time this Government understands that they are public servants and not overlords that serve only a part of the country. They have a legal and moral obligation to be transparent to the people.

Malcolm Watkins, MS OL. Former Procurement Manager – Ministry of Public Health & Supply Chain Professional

Destroying our children with...

From page 4 by this culture would have been in the top rankings had this been pre-2000 where one was able to grow their education at the appropriate age.

The school system was more natural as one can catch up if left behind, unlike now where your fate is already decided in primary school.

There is no place for late bloomers anymore, as they are condemned to the understanding that education was not meant for them. I was not a dunce in primary school by any means, so I am aware of the misdirected position that now permeates our school system.

When one analyses why

this haste and breakneck speed in our educational system, it boggles the mind, since a basic job still requires 5 CXC subjects while we are bursting our children’s brains to attain the title of country’s top student. Being top student is nothing in the world of careers and jobs, as the late bloomers take over at that stage in most instances.

I had the opportunity of supervising many school leavers at work and what I found was appalling. I noticed that the high flyers with 10 and 12 grade ones cannot perform like the students with 5 subjects. In fact the 5 subjects’ students were better in communications, had road

sense and job output. Then I found out that certain schools do not cater for physical exercise, health education and sports, but lost their way only in the pages of books and screens of computers.

A survey also shows that 75% of our students migrate to other countries, so in any case we are not benefiting from the efforts we put in by blasting the brains out of our kids. Even after enduring the torturous life at school, jobs may be hard to find. This develops into mental breakdowns and depression of which in some cases suicide is the end result of our wild ambition.

I urge the Ministry of Education, teachers, parents and other responsible groups to examine this problem and redirect our children on the path to their rightful level of education.

Isabella Singh

DEAR EDITOR, It is reassuring to read reports on the statement by Minister Joseph Harmon that Government wants to build and develop a Public Service of integrity, politically neutral and impartial. The roadmap for such a Public Service in embodied in the Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Public Service. This Commission which was under the Chairmanship of Professor Harold Lutchman, presented its Report to His Excellency President David Granger on 11 May 2016.

The report was subsequently presented by Government to the National Assembly, and was debated. So, the road map, albeit unduly delayed in implementation, is in the hands of Minister Harmon, in the Department of the Public Service, and in the Ministry of the Presidency.

Time for action! Please Minister Harmon and the APNUAFC Government act now.

Such a Public Service will contribute significantly to national cohesion.

The Commission Inquiry into the Public Service recommended the enactment of a Public Service Law with related Regulations for effective public management and administration of the Public Service to insulate the Public Service from irregular political influences and other external pressures.

This is the first of the 89 recommendations of the Commission, made after a review of the earlier inquiries and studies into the Public Service, and consideration of the views of many who testified before this Commission. They all called for the Public Service to be impartial, neutral, professional, non-partisan, non-political, serving the public interest in keeping with the rule of law – the

Constitution and other laws of the land, International Treaties and Conventions within the frame work of Constitutional fundamental rights. These principles are in line with Article 38G of the Constitution states that: “(1) The Integrity of the public service is guaranteed. No public officer shall be required to execute or condone irregular acts on the basis of higher orders.

(2) The freedom of every public officer to perform his or her duties and fulfill his or her responsibilities is protected.

(3) No public officer shall be subject of sanctions of any kind without due process.

(4) In the discharge of his or her duties, a public officer shall execute the lawful policies of the government.”

The Report referred to the late President Forbes Burnham’s address on the theme “The Civil Service in an Independent Guyana,” an extract of which was put a PSC Circular No. 46 of 1966 and was sent to all public servants in November 1966. This Circular was referred to and appended to the Collins Commission Report of 1969. The Circular states in part: “… Governments, and their Ministers, come and go

at the will of the electorate, but under the present system there needs to continue in being an experienced civil service which can carry on the routine of administration and constitute the skilled instrument for implementing the policy of the Government of the day.

To bring appointments to public office under the aegis of ministers would create the danger of such appointments being subject to political considerations, with serious disruption of the administration with each change of the elected Government.

The Constitution seeks therefore to ensure that a newly appointed Government finds at its disposal an efficient, impartial and experienced permanent staff, owing particular allegiance to neither the outgoing nor the incoming administration, and imbued solely with the aim of using its abilities in the service of the Government…”

The Harold Lutchman Commission Inquiry into the Public Service 2016, affirmed the validity and relevance of these principles which must be developed and promoted, given the reality of our social and political context. It is in the national interest to establish a sustainable and professional Public Service for the public good.

Yours faithfully, Joshua Singh

CT scanner at New Amsterdam Hospital not operable as yet DEAR EDITOR, The Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence was delivering her speech on Budget 2019 to justify that the health sector is good for Guyanese. What the minister failed to inform the Guyanese people is that despite having a good health sector, the government doesn’t use the local health facilities they access their healthcare overseas.

What was even more dis-

turbing was that the minister held two photographs to justify that the CT scan machine is in working order at the New Amsterdam Hospital. The truth is that the CT scan machine is not working; it is still being installed and is not operable as yet.The Minister should ensure that information provided must be accurate before presented to the National Assembly and the people of Guyana.

Zamal Hussain

Saturday December 08, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Guyana Defence Force gets more money GPHC main pharmacy, records department to be relocated than Agriculture Ministry, 10 regions …Ram and McRae says army receiving allocation beyond its contribution to country The budgetary allocations for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) not only outstrip that of the Ministry of Agriculture, but also the 10 administrative regions. This was recently pointed out by the 2019 budget focus, an annual document that is prepared by Ram and McRae Chartered Accountants.

The accounting firm noted that current expenditure allocation for the Guyana Defence Force is $12.9 billion, up from $11.5 billion in 2018. In fact, Ram and McRae pointed out that between 2014 and 2019, total expenditure on the Army would have risen from $7.4 billion to $12.9 billion which sees it receiving a higher allocation than the

Ministry of Agriculture and for each of the ten Administrative Regions.

Ram and McRae said, “The Guyana Defence Force continues to receive allocations that appear beyond the country’s capacity and the Force’s contribution to the country. That the Force is also one of the major beneficiaries of supplementary provisions suggests some special treatment and poor oversight that cannot be excused on security grounds.”

The entity concluded therefore that the resources allocated to the Army are misdirected. It also noted its support for the recommendation by former Army Captain Gerald Gouveia that those re-

Chris Ram sources should be reallocated to the Guyana Police Force and to social services.

86 regional officials named for failing to declare assets

Weeks after publishing the names of several top officials of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) who failed to declare their assets, in accordance to regulatory obligations, the Integrity Commission has published names of 86 regional officials who are also late.

And the names include top regional officials, including chairmen, their deputies and even the chief accounting officers- the Regional Executive Officers.

The Commission disclosed in October that 1,296 letters were sent to public officers who are mandated to file their declarations with the Commission on or before June 30, each year.

As of early October, the Commission had received 248 responses and only a few MPs had responded. The response rate at the time was 19%.

Under the law, any public officer who fails to comply with the Commission is liable upon summary conviction, to a fine of $25,000 and to imprisonment for a period of not less than six months or more than one year.

Public officers including the President, Permanent Secretaries, Director of Public Pros-

ecutions, Auditor General, Commissioner of Police, the Army Chief, Heads of the Service Commissions, Foreign Affairs officials, Judges and Magistrates and Department Heads are required to declare their assets.

Also required to submit declaration forms of their earnings and gifts received are Regional Executive Officers, the Chief Elections Officer, Mayors, Chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers of state companies, Registrars of Lands and the Commissioner-General of Guyana Revenue Authority, along with Presidential Advisors, and Heads of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and Guyana Forestry Commission.

Public officers are also required to operate within the Integrity Commission (Amendment of the Code of Conduct) Order 2017, which addresses, frontally, matters relating to discrimination, bribes, conflict of interest, handling of classified information, use of public property and sexual misconduct, among others.According to the Official Gazette published December 8, 2018, the nearly 100 persons in public life in the various regional administrations failed to submit their declarations to the Integrity Commission.

T

he Georgetown Public Hospital will be receiving $524.6M from the 2019 budget, most of which will go towards several projects which will commence in the New Year.

One of the main projects high on the sector’s agenda is the construction of a fourstorey building within the hospital’s complex which will house the hospital’s main pharmacy and the medical records department.

According to Minister of Public Health, Vo l d a Lawrence, in her 2019 budget debate presentation, “this will allow the Corporation to commence and roll out the Guyana Health Management Information Systems (GHIS) across the hospital.”

The GHIS which is currently being piloted at the East La Penitence Health Centre is the government’s first step towards creating paperless health facilities while capturing, storing, managing or transmitting health information and data of persons within the health system.

Among other items on the hospital’s budgetary agenda is the completion and furnishing of the Waterloo Street

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation

staff quarters. This will provide a better living arrangement for GPHC staff needing to stay at the facility.

Also, slated is the rehabilitation and extension of the pre and post-natal maternity wards (old building) and the upgrade and transformation of the mental health clinic at the GPHC into a mental health ward.

The Minister added that there will be the construction of a trauma centre which will facilitate the upgrade of the existing Accident and Emer-

gency Unit.

The government is currently in discussions with development partners to facilitate this aspect.

This new trauma centre will make a way for an increase in the number of inpatient ward space, with the bed capacity at the GPHC increasing from 483 to 1000; more outpatient clinic space and an increase in the number of theatres from five to 12 including two separate theatres for Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday December 08, 2018

Drug running teen nabbed Ganja user fined for trafficking at Police roadblock

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nother teen who has been caught with a quantity of drugs in a motor car on his way to make a sale in Georgetown, has been nabbed. He has since been charged.

The teen, Delroy Paul ,18, of Adelphi Village, Canje, Berbice, was the lone passenger in motor car HC7904 which was heading towards Georgetown on Tuesday, December 3. He was seated in the front passenger seat of the car which was being driven by a resident of

Williamsburg, Corentyne.

On the day in question the police were manning a road block on the Weldaad Public road when they stopped the said vehicle. Upon searching the car they noticed a camouflage bag on the floor of the vehicle between Delroy’s feet.

The bag was retrieved by ranks and checked and was found to contain five transparent plastic parcels containing what seemed to be leaves, seeds and stems of the marijuana plant.

Delroy Paul was arrested and taken to the Weldaad Po-

lice Station along with the suspected narcotic. The suspected narcotic was subsequently tested and weighted and was found to be 2047grams of marijuana.

He appeared in the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Rhondel Weaver and pleaded not guilty. He was granted bail in the sum of $150,000, but could not post the sum and was taken to prison.

He will have to return to the Weldaad Magistrate’s Court for continuation of his matter on December 27.

Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan yesterday fined a farmer $70,000 or in default four weeks’ imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to trafficking 35 grams of narcotics.

Edward Bacchus, 60, a farmer of Soesdyke/ Linden Highway appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court where the charge was read to him.

He pleaded guilty and explained that on December 5, 2018, he had in his possession 35 grams of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

Bacchus in his explanation to the court stated, “I does smoke ganja one and two time and I does make medicine to strengthen men back.” Facts presented by Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield stated that on the day in question, ranks from the Mackenzie Police Station, acting on information went to the defendant’s home.

The court heard when the defendant saw the officers he began running and he dropped a bulky plastic bag which he had in his possession. The officers quickly ap-

Charged Edward Bacchus prehended the defendant and retrieved the bag which was opened in his presence.

He was then arrested and told of the offence. “Officers I does use the weed on and

off and I does mek medicine.”

The Magistrate after listening to the prosecutor facts fined Bacchus $70,000 or in default four months’ imprisonment.

Saturday December 08, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Masquerade bands have become nuisances The bulk of the masquerade bands which are parading the streets are a disgrace.

They are doing a grave injustice to a traditional art form.

The present crop of masquerade bands, unfortunately is not up-keeping any traditions. The bands are destroying them with their mediocrity and by using it to make money without really earning that money through the display of their craft.

Masquerade has long been associated with the Christmas season. It is also an African tradition which, it is claimed, was used as part of the resistance during slavery. Its cultural value has been established by the fact that it survived the process of cultural emasculation by

the colonialists.

Unfortunately what the colonial authorities did not achieve – the erasure of this art form – may well be achieved by the majority of the present crop of masqueraders. They are bringing the art form into disrepute.

In the old days, colorful bands of dancers and musicians bedecked in costumes and with props would take to the streets of villages and the wards of towns and perform for residents who in turn would make small donations to the band.

Dancers would flounce and perform deft and fancy quick-steps much to the delight and envy of onlookers.

In the old days, you could not but help admire the artistry of

masquerade dancers who took pride in their craft and made the effort to please residents.

These days the bands do not go into the wards and villages. They stay on the main roads, use their ‘privileges’ to obstruct traffic in order to extort monies from motorists who are forced to slow or stop to and to give a donation.

This practice has cheapened masquerade and turned it into extortion. In the old days, you had to dance to get a donation. These days you just have to jump in front of a moving vehicle. Most drivers find these masqueraders as nuisances and mainly give money in order to go along their way.

The performers are also

Dem boys seh ...

Only a cut can keep Jagdeo silent De nicest thing about de future is that it always starts tomorrow.

Ask de politicians, especially Jagdeo.

Everything dem do today is to benefit dem tomorrow.

Check Jagdeo and most of dem in de party and see de wealth dem accumulate.

Check dem salary and you realise that dem didn’t wait till tomorrow.

Some of dem in de coalition, both de PNC and de KFC, not waiting fuh tomorrow. Dem already helping demself today.

De Waterfalls paper expose de lopsided oil contract day after day and month after month. None of de politicians open dem mouth to say anything.

De govt seh dem believe Exxon give dem a good deal and dem boys believe dem— that de deal was fuh dem and not fuh Guyana.

Dem boys also believe Jagdeo get he share, too, and that is why he never seh nutten. Dem boys hear things share out again de odda day.

Jagdeo ain’t get suh he now criticizing de deal.

He seh de oil contract wha Soulja Bai sign damage Guyana international reputation.

When he criticize de deal in parliament yesterday, everybody ask if he was watching Discovery Channel pun cable.

Dem boys been round by he house and dem see de ENetworks sign pun ee gate.

Is nearly three years de contract sign and de Waterfalls paper been talking all de time and Jagdeo never support. All of a sudden ee talking bad bout de contract.

Dem boys don’t know how lang he gun talk but when you hear he stop talking bout Exxon you must know money pass.

But karma is a bitch and he know dem two words good. When he was in Govt he get he PPP people to walk out. Now karma come round.

People walking out on him.

He end up talking to heself fuh two hours while he colleagues reading de Waterfalls paper and playing computer games.

Talk half and shame on all of dem in Parliament.

endangering themselves by jumping into the path of moving vehicles by playing their wares on some of the busiest thoroughfares in the country.

The practice of jumping in front of moving vehicles is extremely dangerous. God forbid of anything should happen to one of them while on the road.

In the main, what passes for masquerade bands is a poor imitation of the art form.

Most of the performers are not properly trained. They are more interested in holding out the collection cap than they are about moving their feet and upper body. Most of them do not have a clue about flouncing.

The police should have long taken action to discourage the practice of masquerade bands on busy streets. It seems as if only when a tragedy strikes, the police are prepared to take action. One of these days, someone is going to be run over by a motorist and only then will the police issue guidelines on the use of roadways for masquerade bands.

The appalling lack of skill is just one of the many challenges standing in the way of preserving the masquerade band. To be brutally frank, the costumes of most masquerade bands have seen better days. These costumes are mainly hand-downs.The art

of masquerade needs a makeover. As has been said, this is a special Guyanese tradition and one which most people feel should be preserved. But to do this requires the establishment of standards and guidelines on its practice.It would be sad and a loss to Guyana’s cultural heritage if the masquerade goes into remission or is further degraded. The Ministry responsible for culture should intervene to help support the cultural tradition.

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Saturday December 08, 2018

Kaieteur News

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

The PPP must be the world’s most undemocratic party Bharrat Jagdeo stated that before 2018 ends, the Central Committee (CC) of the PPP will choose the presidential candidate for the 2020 poll.

He affirmed in his belief that the central committee is the right forum.

He stated this has been the pattern and he will continue with it.

It has to be the worst party in the entire world that

in its sixty five year of existence would choose a person that could be the president of the country and such a person’s election comes from a group of 35 persons.

In this part of the world, party leaders come to the top from a congressional election or from the ballots of its membership.

Every PPP member must demand from his party’s lead-

ership the answer to the question— what is essentially flawed about delegates choosing their party candidate for the 2020 contest.

Why does Jagdeo have no faith in his party delegates or the entire membership?

In the recently concluded local government poll, Jagdeo openly embraced local candidates who live in their neighbourhood to gov-

ern effectively. If the PPP could allow each NDC to field its own people to rule Guyana (make no mistake, NDCs and municipalities do have crucial authority within the overall administration of Guyana) why can’t such people be allowed to end delegates to a social congress for the purpose of electing the 2020 candidate?

It is literally an anachronism in today’s world where small groups with a political party vote for their leaders. It is a thing of the past.

The PNC broke from that tradition a long time ago.

David Granger won from Carl Greendige by twelve votes at a congressional process. It was a phenomenal resurgence by Greenidge because he was out of the country for twenty years while Granger was a household name during that time.

In 2017, at a delegates’ conference hundreds of AFC members voted for a new leader. The incumbent, Khemraj Ramjattan, lost by one vote to Raphael Trotman.

This is the way of politics in today’s world. It is inconceivable that in a party with thousands or hundreds of thousands or millions of members, a small cabal would make the choice.

I believe Jagdeo wants the CC to vote because he has enough authority to manipulate the system. What is hard to comprehend is how those within the PPP can re-

main silent when they think of what Guyana has to offer after 2020. And their party can lose out because of the will of one man.

Every human in the world that read up on Guyana’s oil future has agreed that the economy will improve.

The party in power in 2020 will not lose in 2025.

There will be sufficient funds available to develop Guyana to the extent that the population may feel that the ruling party should be reelected. In 2018, in allowing the CC of just 35 persons to decide who is to be the presidential candidate, the PPP may be making its final destructive act.

Out of power after, 2020, the PPP may not regain office long into the future.

There are two nightmares facing the PPP at the moment.

Against the backdrop of their stunning performance in the 2018 PPP leaders feel they could win in 2020.

Here are the two ghosts stalking them. Jagdeo will claim that his leadership created the LGE phenomenon.

Based on such exaltations, Jagdeo will want to have a substantial input into the presidential candidate debate.

In direct contradiction to this is the thinking in some quarters in the PPP that the APNU+AFC government is badly tattered and the PPP in enjoying renewed credibility.

That credibility should be taken to its logical climax by the selection of names that

Frederick Kissoon are presentable and have no baggage which the PPP campaign may be vulnerable to.

Simply put; those claimants are saying it is time for new PPP leadership because it is that type of leadership that will win in 2020.

If Jagdeo is allowed the latitude he wants then the CC will make the decision and the outcome will certainly be someone Mr. Jagdeo feels will be dependent on him. Those who want new faces in the PPP leadership have only one way of getting that; it is to allow the members or a special congress to make the decision.

There are rising arguments within the PPP for the presidential candidate to be chosen democratically. The PPP has never operated in their congressional elections with democratic instincts.

That party is now facing its worse unnerving moment in a long time – will it control oil money or stupidly throw away an opportunity to do so?

Saturday December 08, 2018

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Saturday December 08, 2018

Govt ruined Guyana’s int’l reputation with oil contract - Jagdeo

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he government’s handling of nego tiations with Exxon Mobil constitutes a situation that has ruined Guyana’s international reputation, said Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, yesterday.

He was making his presentation on the 2019 budget, at Parliament.

Jagdeo said that the people of Guyana have been badly served by the government through negotiations that display incompetence, which he believes damages Guyana’s prospects for economic growth.

He noted that though they continuously referred to the looming prospect of first oil, none of the government speakers addressed the oil contract with ExxonMobil in their budget speeches.

The former president stated that Exxon is a multinational corporation that has a revenue base of about $400B, while Guyana is a small country with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of just over $3B. This, he believes, should have urged the government of Guyana to pursue the best legal, financial and technical advice, because “[Exxon] has the best lawyers and technical people.”

He said that they didn’t deliver on that expectation, thereby, putting the people of Guyana at risk. He said that in their reluctance to mention the lopsided contract, the government continues to re-

… even as MPs walk out for Jagdeo’s entire speech

Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo cite the successes of ExxonMobil worldwide.

But they are unwilling to come clean to the Guyanese people about how they are going to benefit from the proceeds of oil.

Jagdeo said that the address of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, indicates that he is frustrated with the independent media for its handling of news relating to the oil contract and the $18M signing bonus that the government received.

He said that the government went to great lengths to prevent the Guyanese public from finding out about the specific terms of the oil contract with ExxonMobil.

When it was eventually released, no one suffered any grave consequences he said.

So, he explained, there was no reason to go about signing the contract with such an attitude.

Of interest is that Jagdeo never disclosed any contract his government signed.

He never released the first oil contract his government signed with ExxonMobil and would not have done so, pointing to Trinidad which never did.He exclaimed, “And this is the government that talks about protecting whistleblowers!”

“It’s not the media that’s peddling falseties, it’s the government.”

“In a democracy, where you have a free civil society and independent media, it’s normal for them not to carry the government line.”

He further said that the government, specifically the Minister of Finance, lied about the existence of the $18M signing bonus when he said that the government did not receive such a contract.

He read from the Natural Resources Fund Bill, which is awaiting its second reading in parliament, stating that if a person fails to make information public about how much money they received during such negotiations, they would be criminally liable to jail time or millions of dollars in fines.

He said that if this Act was in place then, quite a few [government officials] would have been in jail already.

The leader of the opposition also criticized the government’s touting of the prospect of paying US$5000 for every family. He said that, paying US$5000 to about 200,000 families would

amount to $1B. “We have only collected $300M from Exxon in the first few years but we’re giving out $1B?” Government walks out All government MPs walked out of the chamber as soon as the Speaker of the House announced that Jagdeo would be delivering

his budget speech, yesterday.

Opposition MP, Irfaan Alli, shouted to the ministers of government as they led the procession out of the room, “They’re running. Why y’all running?”Jagdeo spoke extensively, at the permission of the Speaker. The leader of the opposition spoke for about two hours.

Education Ministry driver hits Guyoil over $1M in diesel Yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, Mark Samuels and Lilian Akeyoung, found themselves before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan accused of being in possession of diesel fuel which was fraudulently obtained.

It was alleged that Samuels, on December 12, 2017, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he obtained $1,054,789 in diesel from Guyoil service station, Regent Street, in the name of Clyde Fowler knowing same to be forged.

In Akeyoung’s case, it was alleged that between December 12, 2017 and January 7, 2018, at Georgetown she received from Mark Samuels, pails of diesel knowing them to be stolen or falsely obtained from the Ministry of

Education.

The duo was not required to plead to the charges as it was made indictable.

Both defendants were represented by attorney at law Darren Wayne. In his application for bail for Samuels he told the court that the defendant is 29 years of age and resides at 276 South Ruimveldt. He is the father of one and is a driver for the Ministry of Education.

The attorney went on to say that this is the first criminal offence for Samuels. He is not a flight risk and is ready to be available for trail. According to the attorney he stated that Samuels works for a salary of $60,000 per month and he is the sole breadwinner for his home.

On the other hand, Akeyoung is 39 years old and

she resides at 117 Cane View Avenue, South Ruimveldt.

The attorney stated that Akeyoung is married with two children. He argued that she purchased the diesel for her business and asked that she be released on her own recognisance since she is not a flight risk.

Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield had no objections to bail but insisted that it be cash bail and under the conditions that the defendants report to the CID Headquarters.

Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after listening to both the attorney and the prosecutor granted bail of $70,000 for Samuels and $150,000 for Akeyoung. The condition of the bail is that the defendants are to report to the CID headquarters every Friday until the completion of the trial.

Samuels is to return to court on December 14, and Akeyoung is to return on December 21 for the continuation of their cases.

Saturday December 08, 2018

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

Despite Govt.’s finest adjectives on economy, signals from the banking sector cannot be ignored – Nandlall

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ormer Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, has said Government continues to fail to clearly articulate its economic, social and political policies especially in the 2019 budget.

On the final day of the budget debate in the National Assembly yesterday, the Opposition front-bencher said despite what the Government says about the performance of economy, the banking sector is sending a different signal.

“We can’t and I advise that we should not turn a blind eye to signals that are coming from the banking sector,” Nandlall cautioned as he waved the front page of the Kaieteur News with the headline that Bank of Baroda is selling its operations in Guyana.

He said three weeks ago Scotiabank announced it was also selling its operations in Guyana.

“We can speak here in the finest of language, using the best of adjectives to describe the economy, but the reality out there is a quite different

one,” Nandlall disclosed.

He shared that five budgets have been presented, but yet a vision has been absent in every budget presented by the Coalition Government.

“The people of this country are entitled to know on what developmental path this Government is piloting them traverse.

That is why after the expenditure of over one trillion dollars in budgetary allocations by this Government, if you ask the ordinary Guyanese, they will tell you that they are worse off than they were in 2014,” Nandlall pointed out.

He stated that over the past four years, Government expenditure has increased in consumables and a neverending list of non-productive matters, policies and programmes.

According to Nandlall, every major capital project of worth, over the past three years are all projects Government inherited from the PPP. He listed the East Coast Highway; the Cheddi Jagan

International Airport expansion project; the East Bank Berbice Highway; the recently concluded West Coast Demerara Highway; the recently concluded East Bank Demerara Highway; and the Sheriff/Mandela Avenue road expansion project.

“Please do not embarrass yourself by pointing to the roundabout at Vlissengen Road and the two overpasses on the East Bank Demerara (Continued on page 21)

Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall holds up Kn’s front page with news of bank of Baroda’s closure.

Kaieteur News

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Saturday December 08, 2018

30 teen mothers graduate from reintegration programme at Carnegie Ye s t e r d a y, 3 0 t e e n mothers graduated from the Carnegie School of Home Economics in Elementary Cookery and Cake Decorating. These courses that were offered form part of the reintegration programme being executed by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health.

Programme Coordinator, Janel Sweatnam, told the young ladies that they are now equipped with skills to provide for themselves and their child. They are also equipped to advance their skills in the respective field by taking advantage of opportunities that will become available.

She said that the collaborative effort between the two Ministries began a number of years ago and it has been successful with today having the first batch of graduates from the fiveweek programme.On behalf of the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Boyle, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, said that the collaboration is part of the Public Health Ministry’s community support programme for young

mothers.She said that the families of the graduates must be thanked for providing the support to the teenage mothers so that they could have been able to attend classes every week.

Dr. Boyle reminded the graduates about late American author and political activist, Helen Keller. She said that the late American was able to achieve a lot in an era where a woman’s presence was considered to be necessary only in the kitchen.

She said that Ms. K e l l e r ’s s t o r y w a s remarkable since she was both blind and deaf but was still able to defy the odds. Dr. Boyle shared with the graduates a famous quote by Ms. Keller which is “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”The Public Health official encouraged the women that regardless of their background and situation, they need to have a vision as to what they want to achieve in life and work towards that by not limiting themselves.“It is an important message for us women today. It doesn’t matter what your

Teen mothers at the session

circumstances started off as. the two Ministries is congratulated the teachers It doesn’t matter what the o u t s t a n d i n g . S h e a n d t h e s t u d e n t s f o r curveball in life might throw at you, the important thing is that here and now, to have a vision for yourself”, Dr. Boyle advised.

The principal of the ttorney General Carnegie School of Home and Minister of Economics, Ms. Myrna Lee, Legal Affairs, told the graduates that it was Basil Williams, said that a great pleasure to share in the experience. She said that officials in Guyana are the collaboration between seeking the cooperation of law enforcement in Brazil to recover revenue from suspected gold smuggling operations.

Wi l l i a m s d i s c l o s e d during the budget debate, yesterday, that the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) is spearheading these efforts.

“SARA is presently seeking cooperation with Brazil to identify and if possible recover gold held in Brazil due to illegal activities

by Guyanese smugglers,” Williams stated.

He stated that the agency is working with the Ministry Attorney General and of Legal Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to recover Minister of Legal Affairs, revenue lost through gold Basil Williams shipments leaving Guyana.

According to Williams, Agency has five cases, which there have been several cases are 90% complete and are where amounts declared at o n l y h e l d u p b e c a u s e the Cheddi Jagan Airport requests for information have were vastly different to what not yet been fulfilled.

“Several agencies are still was declared at J.F.K. in New going through mountains of York.

The Minister reminded old documents to find the that SARA’s mandate is to r e l e v a n t p i e c e s o f recover stolen national information which are wealth. There have been needed to wrap up cases,” criticisms that since its Williams said.

He said there are another establishment under the current Government, it has 12 cases with a possible not presented any major case recovery value of over $2 billion that are about 70% to the court.

W i l l i a m s t o l d t h e complete.

Williams also disclosed National Assembly that the Agency has been working on that SARA, working with 25 cases referred to them by NICIL, was able to have the Police Legal Advisor plus three pieces of Government property repossessed from other referrals.

Presently, he said that the delinquent leasees. He said

beginning well and ending well.

SARA seeking Brazil cooperation to recover revenue from smuggled gold – Attorney General

A

…says agency has 12 cases with possible recovery value of over $2B two of these properties are again on the market and interested parties are prepared to pay 300% - 400% more than the previous tenants. The third piece of property was sold to the Guyana Revenue Authority for $60M. “SARA, working with Ministries and Regions led to improved inventories of equipment and the repossession and reallocation of more than 30 buildings across the country,” Williams stated.

He said Government continues to have combatting corruption on the front burner and has been working to fight against all forms of corruption.

“Our policy is that corruption must be eliminated. This Government recognizes that corruption hinders economic growth and development and undermines public confidence in the administration. The Government therefore continues to strengthen its anti-corruption mechanisms and formulate strategies to ensure that all Guyanese, not some, can enjoy the good life,” Williams explained.

He said this year the A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l ’s Chambers continued its anticorruption sensitization seminars with teams visiting Region Three, Five and Seven.

Next year, there are plans to visit other regions.

Saturday December 08, 2018

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Saturday December 08, 2018

Insurance Association of Guyana hosts first award ceremony The Insurance Association of Guyana (IAG) at an intimate gathering on Friday, November 23, 2018 honoured four of its longstanding insurance stalwarts for their contribution to Guyana’s Insurance Sector.

Honoured were Mr Bishwa Panday, Mr Errol Cheong, Mr James Morgan and Mr Howard Cox. Bishwa Panday of P and P Insurance began his journey with insurance in 1974 at GTM, moving on to Hand in Hand and finally co-founding P&P Insurance Brokers & Consultants Ltd. Under his stewardship, P&P has built a formidable reputation as a first-class insurance brokerage and was honoured in 2017 by the Gafoors Group of Companies for its excellent support and claims service. The honour followed the two fires which gutted their premises leading to Guyana’s single largest ever fire claim.

Mr Howard Cox has been in the insurance industry for 45 years, also starting out at GTM and later moving on to Hand in Hand where he continues to serve with

Insurance Association of Guyana — Two of the awardees, Mr Howard Cox and Mr Bishwa Panday with Mr. Omadatt Singh, President, IAG distinction, dedication and commitment as the Director.

Errol Cheong boasts a career in insurance spanning over 59 years. In 1966, he was one of the founding members of IAG and in 1983 was appointed as the Managing Director of GTM. In 1988 he was honoured with the Golden Arrow of Achievement.

Mr James Morgan is currently the Company Secretary of DEMLIFE, serving with distinction for

over 46 years.

His commitment and loyalty to the growth and development of Guyana’s oldest Life Insurance Company has made the company proud.

IAG, an umbrella organisation representing all insurance companies in Guyana, has served the country for over 50 years. It opened its first office in 2017 and was one of the vocal proponents of the AML/CFT (Amendment) Bill.

Saturday December 08, 2018

Kaieteur News

PAGE 17

Sustained viral load suppression equals no risk of HIV transmission sexually - UNAIDS

I

t is important that testing is freely available to anyone who wants to know one’s HIV status.

This was the assertion of Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director, who in a recently released report stated “I am hearing how important it is to keep HIV suppressed.

“Having an undetectable viral load—a level of HIV in a person’s blood so low that it can’t be detected—is vital.”

In essence, Sidibe pointed out that HIV suppression helps to improve the health of people living with HIV and by extension, reduces deaths.

He backed his argument by giving emphasis to the notion that people with sustained viral load suppression have effectively no risk of sexually transmitting the virus to a partner who is HIV-negative.

“I have seen the successes. A full 75 percent of people living with HIV knew their HIV status in

2017, up from 66 percent in 2015—in three short years the number of people living with HIV who don’t know their status fell from a third to a quarter,” Sidibe noted He noted that worldwide, the percentage of people living with HIV, who are virally suppressed has increased significantly, from 38 percent in 2015 to 47 percent in 2017. He, however, noted that access is mixed.

“In some parts of the world, getting a viral load test is easy—it is fully integrated into a person’s treatment regime—but in other places it is close to impossible, with only one viral load machine for the entire country,” Sidibe added.

He explained that to reach the 90–90–90 targets, including the target of ensuring that 90 percent of people on treatment have a suppressed viral load, “we have to redouble our efforts to reach the millions who are not aware of their HIV status and to reach the millions

who are not virally suppressed.”

In 2014, UNAIDS and partners launched the 90-9090 targets which aims at the diagnosis of at least 90 percent of all HIV-positive persons; the provision of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) for 90 percent of those diagnosed, and achieving viral suppression for 90 percent of those treated by 2020.

To reach the millions who do not know their status, Sidibe stressed the need for universal access to HIV testing services. HIV testing, he said, should be as widely available as pregnancy testing.

But to reach the millions who are not virally suppressed, he added, “We need viral load monitoring to be as available in Lilongwe as in London.”

“HIV testing and viral load testing should be universal. In the past few years we have seen incredible innovations become available and helping to revolutionize the

AIDS response,” Sidibe said as he considered the impact of HIV self-testing kits.

These kits, he noted, allow people to test for HIV in privacy, expanding testing rates among hard-to-reach populations.

According to the UNAIDS Executive Director, HIV self-testing is reaching more and more men, young people and key populations including: gay men and other men who have sex with men, sex workers, transgender people, people who inject drugs, prisoners and other incarcerated people and migrants.

He noted too that pointof-care viral load testing machines are bringing virological testing nearer to the people who need it.

He, nevertheless, noted that technology alone will not be enough to ensure that people can access the HIV testing services they need.

This is in light of the fact that stigma, discrimination and abuses of human rights are still among the biggest barriers to the uptake of all

Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director.

HIV services, including testing, Sidibe said.

He, moreover, stressed that stigma and discrimination must be confronted wherever it is experienced.

“Human rights, including one of the most fundamental, the right to health, need to be upheld if we are ever to reach our goal of ending AIDS. HIV testing gives people

the knowledge they need to make choices—choices on the right options for treatment and prevention.

Knowledge really is power...the power of people to determine the right options to keep healthy, and the power to stay well and live long and productive lives.

L e t ’s e n s u r e t h a t everyone has that power,” Sidibe appealed.

PAGE 18

Kaieteur News

Saturday December 08, 2018

Saturday December 08, 2018

Kaieteur News

PAGE 19

GRDB calls out RPA for lying in Parliament - as GRDB debunks claims of failed germination of Seed Paddy in Region 2

Rice field

GRDB seed paddy The Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) has slammed a news report in which the General Secretary of the Rice Producers Association, Dharamkumar Seeraj, has told the National Assembly that farmers had complained of failed germination of GRDB Seed Paddy.

The article was quoted as saying that, “Seedlings granted to the farmers from the GRDB are not germinating causing farmers to now have to re-prepare and

re-plant their crops” H o w e v e r, G e n e r a l Manager of the GRDB, Mr. Nizam Hassan has called this an absolute fabrication on the part of the RPA General Secretary. To compound matters, the identified farmer, Mr. Pameshwar Ramdatt, well known as ‘Blackberry’ has denied these claims.The farmer who sowed 160 acres in total planted GRDB 12 and not 10 as was mentioned in the article, said the GRDB. “Our extension officers visited the farmer in question

who denied speaking with members of the RPA with regards to failed germination of his seed paddy.

Apart from this, the farmer himself didn’t even purchase seed paddy from the GRDB for this crop,” Hassan pointed out.

Apart from the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), farmers also purchase seed paddy from other farmers, the RPA and the Golden Fleece Rice Investment.

Ironically, the farmer in

question has also informed that he only completed sowing his crop today, hence, germination couldn’t be an issue at the moment.

To ensure accountability, the GRDB has a system in place whereby purchases of seed paddy are documented, and based on records, the farmer at the center of these report didn’t make any purchase of seed paddy for this crop. In addition, the seed paddies are packaged and carefully labeled in batches according to its

variety. This is to show clear distinction between seed paddy produced and sold by GRDB and other seed paddy suppliers in the market.

Hassan is questioning the motives behind these allegations and has called for political maturity and a true representation of realities on the ground.

During the last crop, Guyana’s farmers received in excess of $17B from sale of paddy to millers across the country.

It is anticipated that

farmers would have earned almost the same amount this crop. (DPI)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

Saturday December 08, 2018

Govt. to provide support programme for perpetrators of domestic violence

Perpetrators of domestic violence within Guyana and the global Diaspora have been on the receiving end of very little empathy. Society, in painting a rather rigid image of these offenders has forgotten in the process that these persons are people as well.

As such they do deserve empathy and some level of psychological reform.

Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally, in Thursday’s Parliamentary Debate, conveyed that a support programme for perpetrators of domestic violence is slated for 2019.

“Hands were not made for Hitting” seeks to act as a support and reform system for perpetrators of domestic violence.

Guyanese women account for more than half of the country’s demographic and are disproportionately affected by domestic violence. This concludes t h a t m e n a r e l a rg e l y considered as the main perpetrators.

According to Minister Ally, the Ministry holds the p r o t e c t i o n a n d empowerment of women as one of its fundamental

responsibilities to the nation.

Ally, in responding to a statement made by member of the opposition Dr. Vidya Persaud, went on to list the major programmes that are in place as well as those slated for budgetary allocations by the ministry for women.

The Minister believes that targeting perpetrators for psychosocial support is a key factor in the eradication of domestic violence in all of its forms. She further went on to add that it is through the ministry’s actions for women empowerment that progress may be seen.

“It is through actions and not words that the Ministry represents women.”

Furthermore, it is through programmes like “Hands Were Not made for Hitting” that the rights of women and people are asserted, she said.

The programme, created in the pretext of influencing behavioral changes within perpetrators is focused on changing the person’s desire to control his/her partner by assessing his/her own attitude.

However, programmes like these are often posed

Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection

with major difficulties since various factors such as mental health issues, drug misuse, intergenerational abuse, unemployment and other social deficits are intermixed in that perpetrator’s behavioral pattern. With all this being said, it should be noted that these factors do not suffice as reasons for domestic violence.

Reports by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) have concluded that at least one in three women in Guyana is a victim of gender-based

violence. While, this is quite alarming, one can attribute these statistics to the

normalization of unequal power dynamics in relationships between men and women worldwide.

Notably, it was also found that 58% of child abuse cases, both physical and sexual, were girls.

Perpetrator programmes h av e th e p o ten tial to transform the lives of men through attitude and behaviour changes.

However, programmes like this hold the maintaining of victims’ safety as its primary focus.

Domestic violence crosses all social and cultural barriers and stymies the

growth of a country’s economy. This form of violence stymies the fundamental right of freedom for individuals, negatively affects their social and physical wellbeing and furthermore affects that of their families.

Perpetrator programmes holds efficacy once integrated with police, courts and corrective services.

Domestic violence against individuals is a gendered phenomenon and perpetrators are fully responsible for the decision to assault, Ms Ally said.

Brazilian remanded for trafficking Venezuelans A Brazilian who has been living in Guyana for the past 11 years was yesterday remanded to prison after she was slapped with two trafficking in persons charges and two charges for harbouring of Venezuelans for means of labour exploitation.

Thirty-two-year-old, Christine Rodriguez, who is the owner of the Ola Hotel which is located at Charlotte Street, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

It is alleged that between November 4 and November 28, last, at Ola Hotel Charlotte Street, Georgetown, while being an employer of two Venezuelans for the purpose of trafficking, she knowingly confiscated immigration documents belonging to the women. She pleaded not guilty to the charges.

It was further alleged that during the same period,

Remanded to prison Arnold Melville Rodriguez engaged in trafficking of persons by harbouring two Venezuelans by means of abuse of position, she hired the Venezuelans for means of labour exploitation. She was not required to plead to the indictable charge after it was read to her.

Attorney-at-Law Siand Dhurjon in an application to

Remanded to prison Christine Rodriguez secure bail for his client, told the court that Rodriguez has been living in Guyana for the past 11 years and she is married to a Guyanese.

The lawyer told the court that if bail is granted to his client she will return to court since she has assets in Guyana. Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield objected to bail being granted to Rodriguez citing that she is a flight risk.

Facts presented by the Prosecutor stated that Rodriguez hired the women to cook at her hotel and they were being paid $12,000 weekly. However, when the women requested their travel document, the woman refused to hand it over to them. Hence, they went and reported the matter.

The Magistrate after listening to the Prosecutor remanded Rodriguez to prison. The mother of one was instructed to make her next court appearance on January 3, 2019.

Meanwhile before the same Magistrate a teary miner was also charged in relation to trafficking of the Venezuelan women.

It is alleged between (Continued on page 21)

Saturday December 08, 2018

Kaieteur News

Reggae megastar Buju Banton released from jail, returns to Jamaica Buju Banton has been released from prison after eight years at the McRae Correctional institution in Georgia, USA. An officer at the institution said the entertainer whose given name is Mark Myrie, was let out earlier yesterday. The Jamaican megastar returned to his homeland last evening.

Buju, 45, was arrested in December 2009, months after he was met by a convicted drug trafficker on a flight from Spain who sought to set up a cocaine deal for him.

Following his conviction in February 2011, Buju was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.

Federal prosecutors required two trials to convict the reggae icon, who was targeted and pursued by an undercover federal informant for more than a year.

Buju, a Grammy awardwinning entertainer was convicted of drug trafficking on February 22, 2011 in Tampa, Florida, 12 days after the retrial of his case began. He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.

His initial release date was set as February 2019, but was later revised to December 8, 2018.

Buju recently released a statement saying that upon release he only wants to be associated with his craft.

“Having survived, I want to share the good news and strength of my music. I just want to continue making music, which I’ve devoted my life to. I look forward to the opportunity to say a personal thanks to my fans and everyone who supported me,” Buju said.

Reggae megastar Buju Banton Banton was living in South Florida in 2009 when he was picked up on gun and attempted cocaine-possession charges, but after reviewing the evidence in the case, New Times writer Chris Sweeney found that Banton had likely been set up by a corrupt informant.

That reporting led to a Tampa judge’s decision to throw out Banton’s gun-possession convictions. But the cocaine-possession charges stuck.

Before he was imprisoned, Banton was arguably the biggest reggae star in Jamaica.

David Markus, Banton’s former lawyer, told New Times he’s glad to hear the

musician is finally able to put the ordeal behind him.

Markus said that, even though he no longer represents Banton, the pair “went to battle together” in multiple trials and have since remained in touch.

“It’s such a relief that he’s getting out,” Markus said.

“This was such a really unjust prosecution and sentence.

Buju is as talented as they come. Luckily, he’ll be able to get back to his music now.

Everyone is looking forward to him seeing his career take off again, which we expect to happen.”

He added, “You’ll probably be able to hear the party all the way from Jamaica.”

Despite Govt.’s finest adjectives on...

From page 13 Highway. They are not capital projects of worth,” Nandlall pointed out.

He stated that Government has doubled the national debt; placed the foreign reserves at perilously low levels than it has ever been in years; made Balance of Payment as volatile as it has ever been in two decades; and imposed over 200 new tax measures ‘on the backs of the Guyanese people’.

“I hate to paint such a dismal picture, but that is the reality of what has transpired over the last four years and that is the reality, which faces the Guyanese people and of which this Government appears oblivious,” Nandlall pointed out.

He said while the Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, boasts about presenting an early budget, he omitted to say that the statistics he has used are extracted from the mid-year report with a projection of how he estimates

the different sectors will perform for the remainder of the year 2018.Therefore, what we are given here are only six months of actual data, merged with the Minister’s self-serving optimistic speculations,” Nandlall noted.He said MPs are being asked to debate a budget, which has no reference to a national developmental plan and where

the foundation of the framework in which the budget is presented, is fraught with surmise and assumptions.

“However, the Minister has skillfully managed to package this farce attractively and with great sophistry. A little probing beyond this glittering exterior reveals how hollow and empty the budget is,” Nandlall stated.

Brazilian remanded for...

From page 20 November 4 and November 28 last, Arnold Melville, 50 ,of Eteringbang Cuyuni River, assisted by receiving and transporting two Venezuelans to Christine Rodriguez to engage in trafficking them for the purpose of labour exploitation.

A teary-eyed Melville denied both charges after they were read to him by the Magistrate. His lawyer, Clyde Forde, in an attempt to secure bail for his client told the court that he has never been charged before.

However, Prosecutor Mansfield opposed to bail being granted to Melville citing that if bail is granted he will likely interfere with the witnesses.

The Magistrate after listening to the prosecutor remanded Melville to prison. The father of six was instructed to make his next court appearance on March 19, 2019 at the Kamarang Magistrates’ Court.

PAGE 21

PAGE 22

FOR RENT

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisement, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535.

ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6006887: We create A/works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included.

Eagle’s re-gas AC, Fridge, Washing machine & computer repairs, Gas stove, Plasma flat screen, Electrical installation & more. Call: 697-2969/6460966

FOR SALE Generac Pressure Wash for sale 3100 PSI. Tel#654-5267/ 652-2244/220-4203 One Ford explore sportage jeep, fully loaded $3.7M. Call# 684-4636/676-4810 One heavy duty sewing machine, only used 4 months, price neg #661-5396 Bourda Green Market Stall.

Call: 610-0227, 219-3435 ONE DESKTOP COMPUTER COMPLETE WITH PRINTER NO REASONABLE OFFER REFUSE. #692-8464/6220267 Iphone case with screen protector & free cable $3000, Iphone & Type C USB cables $1,800 call#621-9604

Installations, Repairs and parts for AC, Fridge, Washing machine, Stove etc call Nick 627-3206, 630-1600

Android TV boxes fully loaded over 1000 channels plus free after sale service $15,000 call: 621-9604

HOUSE PLAN DRAWING OR IF YOU NEED A ESTIMATE. #216-0671/6928464/622-0267 FB K . L A K E R A M CONSTRUCTION

Empty 20lbs Shell/Tex bottle also Acetylene & Oxygen 5 Leyland DAF Flatbed lorry, owner migrating, #228-5655/ 649-8449

Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezer-Call: 610-5846 or 661-8158

Four (4) Pure breed German Shepherd (Black & Tan) Seven (7) weeks old. Tel#650-9998/ 626-0953

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Salon for rental, New Market St, Georgetown, also hair/ nails/barber/massage.

Makeup stations for rental #638-1106 1 Apt for rent- Bottom flat for rent, for business. Contact Radica Kassim #264-2639 Lot 7-8 Plantain Walk WBD

2 Bedroom apartments, 3 bedroom house, 2 living rooms ECD. Contact Mr. Khan #695-6550/656-9313 LAND FOR SALE 35 acres land at Yarrowkabra, situated next to the Soesdyke Linden Highway. Tel#2612553 Farm (East Bank) $3.2M Eccles $7M Herstelling $4M & $5M Schnoord $2.8M Dairy $1.6M & $2.6M Tel#656-0701/6481635 Transported land 11.6 acres.

Lot 15 public road. #2 Village W.C.B. Price $18M. Contact 686-4818, 648-7109

Business apartment on ground floor 70 Quamina Street. $50,000 monthly Negotiable. Phone: 225-6741 One bedroom studio apartment, Parfaite Harmonie $22,000 monthly #694-7817/ 668-0306 FOR SALE/RENT American Pool table. Tel#2770578

PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS FROM $4000 & UP, SUV’S PER DAY- CALL:643-5122/6560087, ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL:225-7126/ 2263 6 9 3 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL @YAHOO.COM/ WWW.D OLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM HEALTH HERBAL REMEDIES: Diabetes, Hypertension, Infertility, Menstrual disorders, Enlarged prostate, Kidney,Gall stones & Arthritis etc. Call Sparman #676-5924

Buying Wamara Whatsapp: 664-5150

Logs.

Experienced Taxi & Private Drivers #227-0638/622-6413

Couple or male to live & work on fruit farm, must know to operate weeding machine #697-8928

Diamond New Scheme, 5th Avenue Double lot (Million Dollar area) $9.2M. Tel#6039700

TO LET

We buy land in Eccles, Herstelling, Farm, Parfaite Harmonie, Uivlugt, Zeelugt, Providence & Dairy Tel# 6117223/651-1969

(1) 4 Bedroom upper flat, fully grilled in first st Herstelling.

Contact #265-3844/662-2687

Secret Villa & Harmony Inn. Fully furnish, air-condition rooms & apartments. 2256337, 668-0306, 218-1400, 6028769, 266-5243-4

N. Outar Driving School, Learn to Drive the right way.

Affordable package. Call: 6445166/691-2561

Demerara Bakery Inc. is looking for Distributors, Wholesalers & Retailers. Call us on 266-5847 or email: sales@demerarabakery.com

1 General Domestic, must know how to cook. Please call: 225-3832 between the hours 8:30am-4:00pm

ACCOMMODATION

CAR RENTAL

WANTED

Mini excavator $8,800 per hour, also Bobcat service available. Tel#623-0290

Zeelugt $2.3M Tuschen $2.9M Parfaite Harmonie $2M (fenced) Parfaite Harmonie $1.5M #697-6311, 642-1252

LEARN TO DRIVE

Saturday December 08, 2018

Kaieteur News

Seamstress and Tailor.

Contact: 684-1345 Monday to Saturday 9am to 4pm 1 Handyboy/man must be honest- 1 live-in Nanny/Maid living accomodation & meals provided free. #228-5655/6498449 Wanted Porter to work on water truck for Nimbus Waters Tel#231-7002/622-0445 79 Albert & Laluni Sts, Queenstown.

Experienced salesgirl at American Variety Store Guyana 140 Regent & Light St Bourda, Georgetown One housekeeper for The Millenium Manor Hotel, Apply in person with application, 43 Hadfield & Camp St One female domestic to work in Trinidad Age 25-35 yrs.

Phone#1868-386-5302 Security to work in the interior- Contact #223-7165 LEGAL NOTICE 1

VEHICLE FOR SALE 2005 Toyota Tacoma Ext cab 4x4 $2.6 Negotiable Tel#6901894 Diesel Toyota canter truck long base double cab.

Working condition. Tel: 6266889 1 2005 Toyota Tundra GLL Series, brand new paint job, price $2.5 Neg Tel#661-9447

2018-HC-DEM-CIV-FD-1413 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND M AT R I M O N I A L JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION PETITION NO. FD-1413 BETWEEN (CABOSE) RAUL ANTHONY Petitioner -and(CABOSE) VIDYARIKA nee ANDREWS Respondent To the Respondent VIDYARIKA CABOSE nee ANDREWS 118-03 109th Avenue, South Ozone Park, Jamaica, Queens, 11420, United States of America.

LEGAL NOTICE 1 contd

LEGAL NOTICE 2

TAKE NOTICE that on the 30th day of October, 2018 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by RAUL ANTHONY CABOSE, the Petitioner in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 21st day of November, 2018 the Petitioner was directed to effect service of his Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of the New York and Guyana editions of the Kaieteur News, a daily Newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around New York and Guyana.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorneyat-Law at the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), Answer and/or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 42 (Forty-two) days from the date of the second and final publication of this Notice.

TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Friday the 15th day of February, 2019 at 9:00 am before the Honorable Madam Justice Sandra Kurtzious in The Direction Hearing Room of the High Court at Georgetown.

IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to Defend, Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce.

The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara]. The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE CIVIL JURISDICTION 2018-HC-DEM-CIV-FD1560 BETWEEN DAIMYON WRAY FIGUEREDO Applicant -and- ASIEF SAHADAT Respondent NOTICE TO: ASIEF SAHADAT Lot 146 Section ‘B’ Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara TAKE NOTICE that a Fixed Date Application was filed against you (the within named Respondent) on the 3rd October, 2018 in the High Court of the Supreme Court of Judicature of Guyana at Georgetown, Demerara by DAIMYON WRAY FIGUEREDO in which the Applicant claims: a. The sum of $410,000.00 (four hundred and ten thousand dollars) being the balance of an amount due, owing and payable to the Applicant by the Respondent. b. Interest on the sum of $410,000.00 (four hundred and ten thousand dollars) pursuant to Section 12 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) ACT, Chapter 6:02, at the rate of 6 (six) percent per annum from the date of filing to the date of judgment and thereafter at the rate of four (4) percent per annum until fully paid. c. Costs d. Such further or other orders as may be just.

UPON APPLICATION in person or by letter to Ms. Shellon Boyce, Attorney-atLaw for the Applicant, whose address for service and place of business is at Maraj Building 185 Charlotte & King Streets Georgetown, Guyana copies of the Fixed Date Application, filed herein, will be delivered or sent to you

AND TAKE NOTICE if you desire to defend this action you must forthwith within 28 days after the final publication of this notice, prepare and Affidavit in Defence in Form 10C prescribed in the Civil Procedure Rules 2016, serve it on the applicant’s attorneyat-law, Ms. Shellon Boyce Attorney-at-law, whose address for service and place of business is at Maraj Building 185 Charlotte & King Streets, Georgetown, Guyana and file it with proof of service at the Registry at Georgetown, Demerara, not later than 4 days before the date fixed for hearing of the application, and you or your attorney-at-law must appear at the hearing.

Dated the 22nd day of AND FUTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you fail to file November, 2018 such affidavit and or if you fail to appear at the hearing, final judgment may be given against you notwithstanding your absence Continued on the next page

Saturday December 08, 2018

Mechanic stabs wife 10 times, gets two years

A heated domestic dispute resulted in Ivor Gillis receiving a two-year jail sentence for maliciously assaulting his reputed wife.

Ivor Gillis pleaded guilty to the charge which alleged that on November 26, 2018 at Middle Road La Penitence, he unlawfully and maliciously assaulted Keron Blaze with intent to mane, disfigure or disable.

Facts of the charge stated that on the day in question around 20:15 hrs Blaze came home from work and was relaxing in a chair. Gillis then asked to speak with her concerning a domestic issue; however Gillis left and went to the bath.

As Blaze came out of the bath, Gillis took a pair of scissor and dealt her several stabs to her body causing injuries.

Blaze who sustained well over 10 stab wounds was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

She further experienced very low blood pressure as to the pain from the laceration which could be life threatening.

Gillis was contacted by the police and was told of the accusations where he admitted to the offence under caution. As a result he was charged.

Blaze who appeared in court for the hearing had to drag her body to be able to stand before the magistrate.

She showed the magistrate

PAGE 23

Kaieteur News

Govt. contemplates $174M bail- out for City Hall -sum intended to settle garbage disposal debt

G

Convicted Ivor Gillis her wounds and as a result the magistrate sought an explanation from Gillis what moved him to commit such a gruesome act.

“This thing going on long.

I talk to she long and she ain’t listening. This is because of an affair she had with someone which we took counselling for,” he said The magistrate then responded by letting Gillis know that he cannot take the law into his own hands and therefore he will have to take account for his act. Gillis was sentenced to two years imprisonment during which he will receive counselling.

overnment is c u r r e n t l y considering a $174M bailout for City Hall to address its garbage disposal woes.

This publication was privy to this development even as two major garbage disposal companies, which had recently pulled their services for non-payment, announced that they were prepared to return to work.

The two companies – Cevon’s Waste Management and Puran Brothers Inc. – in a joint statement issued yesterday said, “We await the ‘green light’ for City Hall to return to work.”

Their decision comes on the heels of a meeting earlier

in the day which was attended by Minister of Communities, Mr. Ronald Bulkan, officials of the Georgetown City Council and representatives of the waste disposal companies.

The meeting facilitated discussions on the possibility of a settlement of the sums owed to the companies for services they provided to the city this year.

“The meeting was amicable and constructive.

It yielded what we believe to be credible assurances that settlement of the outstanding debt will commence very shortly,” the waste disposal companies noted in their joint statement.

With a mere few weeks

remaining before this year comes to an end, the garbage disposal companies intimated that “our understanding is that the first payment will be made before the end of 2018.”

The companies said too, “We have, without prejudice, accepted those assurances,” adding that they have agreed to “return to work with immediate effect” subject to the assent of City Hall and under the terms and conditions stated in their respective contracts.

“In taking this decision, we remain mindful of the manifest inconvenience which citizens of the capital and its environs have had to endure,” said the garbage (Conitnued on page 25)

PAGE 24

Kaieteur News

Saturday December 08, 2018

No increase in deportations or reductions in visas- US Ambassador The US has not reduced the number of non-immigrant visas issued to Guyanese nor has it adopted policies that have led to many being deported back here.

This is according to outgoing US ambassador, Perry Holloway, who has ended his tour, and is heading into retirement.

The diplomat is leaving today after overseeing a key period of transition in which one of the US’ biggest companies, ExxonMobil, is set to start oil production offshore Guyana in 2020.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday at the Duke and Young Street embassy, Holloway in responding to questions on perceptions that the number of visitors’ visas for Guyana has been reduced, said he has seen no evidence of this.

He said also that there has not been an increase in deportations. While a plane may come every few months with varying number of persons who committed crimes in the US and are being sent back, the yearly average has not seen much change.

In fact, there has been quite a “few Guyanese” granted visas.

While not giving figures, the official who has been here since 2015, noted that at the beginning of the Donald Trump administration, in 2016, a record number of visas were issued.

Holloway said that there have been no orders to change the policy or evidence of a perceptible shift.

On the issue of immigrant

US Ambassador, Perry Holloway visas, thousands of Guyanese live especially in the New York area. Others have been going up and there is no drop in that.

A visa is a travel document, affixed to a passport, granting citizens from foreign countries permission to enter the United States for a certain purpose, whether it’s a business trip, a family vacation or a student exchange programme. Unlike passports, visas are issued by the country a traveler is intending to visit.

A visa, approved by a consular officer in the traveler’s home country, does not guarantee admission to the United States. Officials from Customs and Border

Protection (CBP), on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), may deny a traveler permission to enter the United States for a variety of reasons, even if the individual has a valid visa.

According to figures of immigrant and non-immigrant visas issued at embassies for immediate relatives, it was 236,526 for 2018 so far as compared to 254,430 in 2017.

For this year, over 9.6M visitors’ visas were issued as compared to the 10.3M last year.

According to figures released by the US, the number of immigrant visas issued to Guyanese this year is almost 7,700.

Duo granted bail for ganja found in washing machine David Lynch and Oslyn Richards were yesterday lucky to be granted bail after being arranged before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts for the possession of narcotics.

The defendants were not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleged that on December 5, 2018 at Lot 157 Curtis Street, Albouystown they had in their possession 245 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

The two accused were represented by attorney at law Kemo Griffith. He informed the court that Lynch is a 41-year-old mechanic and

resides at 112 Craig Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara.

He has six children and he does not have any previous convictions.

Richards is 39 years of age and resides at Curtis Street, Albouystown. She is a mother of three of whom is a special needs child with Downs syndrome. She is a mortician technician and a porter at Sandy’s Funeral Home.

The attorney stated that Richards was at work when she received a phone call from family members stating that police ranks were at her home and that she should come home. When she arrived the police were searching the pre-

mises after they reportedly found narcotics in an appliance.

The attorney argued that the defendant lives in an apartment building with about 10 apartments.

The prosecution did not object to bail because police stated that the narcotics were found in a washing machine in the yard under a stairway.

Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan granted bail to the defendants in the sum of $100,000 each under the condition that they report to the narcotics branch CID every Friday until the completion of the trail. The matter is adjourned until the 28 December.

Saturday December 08, 2018

Police Corporal jailed for 12 months

A

police Corporal was on Thursday sentenced to 12 months in jail by Magistrate Rhondell Weaver when he appeared before her at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court and was found guilty on a number of traffic related charges.

Earl Rowley, 28, of 41 Wi l l i a m St r e e t , Campbellville and attached to the Special Branch faced a number of charges.

They included causing death by dangerous driving, driving an uninsured, unlicensed and uncertified motor vehicle.

The Prosecution’s case was presented by Woman Police Corporal Racquel Mars.

Govt. contemplates $174M bail...

From page 23 disposal contractors who pointed out “Our goal is to restore a condition of normalcy in the shortest possible time.”

“This decision has been taken in good faith and consistent with our commitment to contributing to the welfare of the capital and its environs,” they said.

Kaleshwar Puran, General Manager of Puran Brothers Inc., told Kaieteur News in early October that City Hall owes his company $73M for services rendered from June 2018 to early October. Also, Chief Executive Officer of C e v o n ’s Wa s t e Management, Morse Archer, said that the City owes his company $75M for services rendered from May 2018 to early October.

At the time, both officials of the major waste disposal companies had said that they were making attempts to obtain the outstanding p a y m e n t s , and would consider strike action if their demands were not met.

In addition to the two major garbage disposal contractors, the City Council had also utilized the services of five others namely: Sandeep, C&S, Garbage Eaters, Grandison and Campbell’s Waste Management.

These companies the council had reportedly contracted last year to perform works on the city when major garbage disposal companies rescinded their services to the city in protest of non-payments.

Reports suggest that the Council has not completed payments to those companies for works done from August to November 2017.

The man is accused of driving motor vehicle PSS 1675 in a dangerous manner, colliding with motor car PPP 2200 which was being driven

by Earl Nicholas, 56 a Contractor of the said village.

The collision occurred around 17:40 hrs on Saturday May 20, 2017 on the No 28 Public Road, West Coast Berbice.

Rawley was reportedly driving at a fast rate, heading in the direction of Georgetown while the businessman was heading in the opposite direction.

Nicholas who was seriously injured in the crash was rushed to the Fort Wellington hospital where he died some time after.

While he was found not guilty on the causing death by dangerous driving charge, he was found guilty on the other charges.

The accused was represented by a number of lawyers.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 25 LEGAL NOTICE 2 contd AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that this matter stand adjourned for the Honorable Madam Justice Diana Insanally on the 13th day of December, 2018 @ 9:30 am.

Dated this 14 th day of November, 2018

VACANCY Paralegal, must have Immigration experience & Excellent communication skills. Please send CV’s to: moses@rambarranlawfirm.com Inventory clerk/Store keeper 5 Subjects including Maths & English, Computer literate, send application to operations@cevons.com / call #227-1717 Male & Female security officers wanted by superior security, age range 25-50. Call: 672-1920 A. Wahab Trading. Wanted sales man with van licence & experienced sales girl #2274861/627-5726/227-6659 American Home & Beauty Center: Sales girl, Bond Clerk # 592-692-9979 Urgent 1 assistant Cook 1 Domestic. Contact X’s Grill & Cuisine.#695-6550/656-9313 ENTERTAINMENT Big G Sounds is available for small events. (Wedding, Small BBQ, Birthday parties etc) Contact numbers #661-9931/ 622-5713/672-9293 PROPERTY FOR SALE 22 Hill St, Alboystown $7.5M Negotiable. Contact Shirley McCalmont #718-345-1416 Royston #516-853-4213/6835664/677-9938 Lot 87 Albert St. Albertown, Price $29M #669-8701 3 storyed commercial buliding for sale in Diamond. Contact owners on #676-8129/6438348

PAGE 26

Kaieteur News

Saturday December 08, 2018

Saturday December 08, 2018

PAGE 27

Kaieteur News

Hamilton Green 9-a-side Inter-Ward/ Village KO Cup

Teams report preparations going well for tomorrow’s showdown -Den Amstel CC venue for final Following weeks of exciting clashes, this year’s Hamilton Green 9-a-side InterWard/ Village KO Cup is expected to conclude with riveting action when the final is played tomorrow, at the Den Amstel Community Centre ground.

In the fixtures: Sophia is set to take on Newtown Kitty in what is anticipated to be a scorching affair to set the tone for the rest of the evening.

Sophia will be led by the Smith combination that includes Ernie, Peter and Simon along with Jason Clarke, while Newtown Kitty’s charge for

victory will be spearheaded

by Pernell Schultz, Anthony Sancho, Steffon Reynolds and Simeon Moore.

Central McKenzie then goes up against Mahaica and this encounter should see the former start as firm favourites to advance.

They will be hoping for solid performances from players such as Seon Barrett, Marvin Sullivan, Orlanzo Thurman and Emanuel Atkins, while Mahaica’s chances of progressing will depend heavily of the likes of Michael Amsterdam, Kurt Roberts, Quincy Holder, Ewart Abel and Troy Morris.

Trayon Bobb

Delon Lanferman

Andrew Murray

Jeffrey Perriera

Charlestown then square off against Mahaicony and it would be almost suicidal to bet against the Georgetown juggernauts who will be led by tournament top goalscorer Jamal Cozier and also includes Devon Charles,

Kareem Knights and Curtez Kellman.

Mahaicony will have in their lineup players the caliber of Ruel Chester, Kenroy D’Aguiar, Jason Wronge and Mark Roberts and they will no doubt be aiming to register a huge upset against the opposition’s star-studded team.

In the All West Demerara affair, Uitvlugt and Crane face each other for a place in the last four.

Uitvlugt’s most popular ball weaver Trayon Bobb will be excited to produce a sizzling performance for his side and his support will come from Seon Bobb, Keon Duke and Daniel Floy.

Crane’s quest to stun what is anticipated to be a large turnout will rest on the shoulders of Kwesi Henry, Jamal Mounter, Taylor Wharton and Oswin Boyce.

The Ministry of Citizen-

ship has sponsored the first place of $400,000 and the winning trophy, while John Fernandes Ltd has done likewise for the losing finalist and it carries a prize of $200,000 and a trophy.

The Highest Goalscorer and Most Valuable Player will collect gifts compliments of China Trading and A.H. & L Kissoon.They will also receive trophies donated by Javon Dazzell.

Among the other sponsors on board are: Courtney Benn Construction Services, Techno Mills, IPA, Alfro Alphonso, Sattaur Gafoor, Ansa McAl, Top Brandz Distributors, MACORP, Starr Computers, Cummings Electrical, Ready Mix, B.K Inter-

national, New Thriving, ENetworks, NaMilCo, Sleep In, Comfort Sleep and E.C Vieira Investments.

Meanwhile, before that there will be three winnertake-all exhibition matches that will see the winning teams receive $25,000 and a trophy.

In the fixtures: host Den Amstel tackle Soesdyke for cash and trophy sponsored

by MACORP. In the next encounter, Goed Fortuin square off with Timehri and this will be for cash and trophy compliments of Sterling Products Ltd, while the other engagement pits Pouderoyen against Lilliendaal for cash and trophy sponsored by Muneshwar Ltd.

Saturday December 08, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Most people form their opinions on the basis of what they're told by a few people who supposedly know what they're talking about. Certain ideas become fashionable.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) If you're involved with theater, dance, or painting, the day ahead will be a bright one for you, Taurus. You feel a strong desire to bring people together in pursuit of some artistic endeavor.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) ou can expect to be volatile today, Libra! No one will dare contradict you or insinuate that you've taken your ideas from others.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Don't hesitate to speak up for what is right, Scorpio, even if it means confronting someone with power. So be it. The slightest injustice can't be tolerated.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Today you can expect to have some disagreements with your partner or friend.

You may overreact.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) No one has ever accused you of being overly diplomatic. Since you have no compunction about saying what you think, your mouth regularly gets you into trouble.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Today you will be confrontational. This comes after several weeks of holding yourself back from openly criticizing other people.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) There's some likelihood you'll become irritated with someone close to you today, Capricorn. Just who do they think they are, anyway?

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You must be wondering what in the world is going on? On the one hand, you have humanistic and harmonious thoughts about your family and work environment.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Something's gotten into you today, Aquarius. An iconoclastic imp inside you is determined to tear down every convention, especially in the art world. Why are you so furious with orthodoxy?

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You may be planning for the future, Virgo, yet find yourself needing to make choices that will resonate far beyond the next few months. It's possible that you will have to consider sending your children to a new school

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) If you're involved in an occupation similar to that of your mother or father, Pisces, today you may question if the choice was yours or preordained. Did you take this career path of your own volition?

DSSC recognises...

From page 31 performances were also registered by Maiya Ifill (North Georgetown) who swam in the Open category and achieved silver medals in both races, while Safiya Foster (East Georgetown) participated in the Girls 18-and-Under races splashing to three (3) silvers and a bronze medal.

Donna Carter (South Georgetown) contested the 16-and-Under category, winning two (2) gold and one silver. Zara Crane (East Georgetown) registered two second places (silvers) in the 12-and-Under category, while Kyra Soares (North Georgetown) hauled in a bronze medal.

Newcomer to racing, Renia Sinclair of East Georgetown, in the Girls 10and-Under category, swam for points for her district. The club has also recognised Brandon Abrams and David Scott of East Georgetown along with Akeem Sinclair of West Demerara who swam three (3) races to assist their respective Districts.

PAGE 28

Saturday December 08, 2018

Kaieteur News

Shemar Britton wins T&T Super Singles Men’s Open Table Tennis Title Guyana’s recently crowned Caribbean under 21 Men’s table tennis champion continues his forward progression when won the Trinidad and Tobago Open Super-Singles men’s open singles title when that championships concluded on Wednesday last at the National Racquet Centre, Orange Grove Main Road, Tacarigua, Trinidad and Tobago.

Britton a scholastically inclined and immensely talented, disciplined table tennis player and gifted athlete, currently pursuing a law degree at the University of the West Indies St Augustine T&T, represented and played under the Queen’s Park Table Tennis club banner. He defeated all comers in the men’s singles round robin finals involving Trinidad and Tobago’s national Champion Curtis Humphreys of the WASA Table Tennis Club, Arun Roopnarine of the Arima Hawks, American-based Dayanand Maharaj, who plays for the Solo Crusaders club, former Caribbean junior champion Luc O’ Young and Aaron Edwards, another Queen’s Park Table Tennis club player to win the prestigious title which pits the

Shemar Britton in action. crème of Trinidad and Tobago’s table tennis players.

Britton and the other gladiators advanced into round robin “Big Six” finals from the knockout phase held on Sunday 2ndDecember, national men’s champion Curtis Humphreys of the WASA Table Tennis Club beat N’kosi Rouse in three straight sets (11-7, 11-2, 11-8) to move forward to the finals. Arun Roopnarine of the Arima Hawks did the same to Joshua Manswell (11-8, 11-8, 11-3). Despite a little trouble

in the third set, Shemar Britton, a Queen’s Park Table Tennis Club member, took out former national champion Reeza Burke (11-5, 11-6, 1315, 11-9) to move forward.

American-based former national champion andnational men’s team representative Dayanand Maharaj, who plays for the Solo Crusaders club, had to channel his inner Harry Houdini to recover from two sets down to beat child prodigy Derron Douglas in a gruelling five set clash (13-15, 8-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-9). Luc O’

Pestano, Permaul bowl Guyana Jaguars to first innings points

Clinton Pestano and Veerasammy Permaul

Cash, other prizes upfor grabs in Rupununi Football tournament....

From page 30 champions will take away $300,000 and the runners-up for both categories will take home $150,000 and trophies.

There are also individual prizes for the best goalkeeper and most valuable player.

The Prize for the MVP will be sponsored by Banks DIH. The results so far are as follows: Females: Tabatinga Fc (0) - Gladiators Fc (6)

Paiwomak Fc - Far East Fc (Nil all) Males Paiwomak FC (4) - Basin FC (0) Three matches are scheduled for this weekend including a face-off between female teams Culvert City FC and Rising All Stars and male teams Rush Saints and Gladiators.Former national footballer Emerick Williams is playing for Tabatinga Fc in the tournament.

Clinton Pestano and Veerasammy Permaul shared seven wickets between them to bowl defending champions Guyana Jaguars to first innings points over the Windward Islands Volcanoes when the first round game of the Cricket West Indies Regional four-day Franchise League continued yesterday.

Resuming on 32-2 at the Darren Sammy Stadium, Volcanoes were bowled out for 187 in 59.1 overs. Alick Athanaze and Delorn Johnson top scored with 34 each, while Dennis Smith made 20 and Kaven Hodge 19.

Pestano finished with 4-46 and Permaul 3-13.

Guyana Jaguars closed the second day on 60-1 with Tagenarine Chanderpaul on 16 and skipper Leon Johnson on 15. Griffith was run out for 23 after adding 42 for the opening stand with Chanderpaul.

At the Three Ws Oval, Barbados Pride are 197-6 in reply to Leeward Islands Hurricanes first innings’ 252 all out. Jonathan Carter made 63, while Anthony Alleyne got 36. Sheldon Cottrell claimed 3-48 and Alzarri Joseph had 2-19.

Shemar Britton Receives his Prize from Mr. O’Young .

Young moved past Everton Sorzano (14-12, 12-10, 11-9) to go to the final, and Aaron Edwards, another Queen’s Park Table Tennis team member, beat Andrew Alexander (12-10, 11-7, 11-6).

In the round robin Finals Britton defeated Arun Roopnarine by a margin (3-0) margin, Arron Edwards (3-1), Luc O Young (3-1); Dayanand

Maharaj by a (3-0) and Cutis Humphrey’s by a 3-2 margin to secure the title.

Britton, who will be doing battle for Guyana in the 2019 Senior Caribbean Table Tennis championships scheduled for March 9th to 17 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall Guyana, will be sacrificing his holiday season to commence intensifying his preparation

for these critical championships with a training camp in China.

The 2019 Caribbean Championships will be the qualification event for the Caribbean to select one male and one female to represent the Caribbean Region at the 2019 Pan American games scheduled for August 2019 in Lima Peru.

Thirsty Fox backs David Hunte Dominoes competition Thirsty Fox of Durban Street is the latest entity to lend support to the David Hunte Dominoes competition which is set for Sunday at 6 Middle Street, Pouderoyen.

The entity’s representative Shanella McPherson yesterday handed over the third place prize to Senior Organising Secretary of the Georgetown Dominoes Association Mark Wiltshire.

McPherson said they are happy to be associated with the tournament since they have are passionate about the sport. She added that she is looking forward to a successful tournament while Wiltshire thanked them for the support.

Wi l t s h i r e i s u rg i n g t h e teams to be at the venue at least 30 minutes prior to the starting time and informed that no late entries will be accepted.

Mark Wiltshire accepts the trophy from Shanella McPherson.

Entrance fee is $12,000 and the winning team will take home a trophy and $150,000, runner up a trophy and $75,000 and third place $35,000.

The MVP will be given $5,000 and double-six time is 13:30hrs. Interested teams can contact Wiltshire on 665 5855 for registration.

Saturday December 08, 2018

Kaieteur News

PAGE 29

GCA’s Noble House Seafood 2nd Division 2-day final

Police hoping to arrest GCC in today’s final at Bourda The eighth annual GCA’s Noble House Seafoods twoday Second Division Cricket final between inaugural Champions GCC and 2013 winners Police, is now set for today and tomorrow at Bourda from 10:30hrs each day and fingers are crossed since last weekend the adverse weather forced a postponement to the final.

The sun has been shining for most of the days of this week and yesterday the outfield at Bourda was being cut, while the curators were busy working on the pitch.

Last year’s final ended in a draw at Bourda but by virtue of taking first innings points GNIC were crowned Champions, while Transport had to settle for the runnersup spot despite a Man-of-theMatch performance from offspinner Rafael Singh who had match figures of 13-87 in a losing effort.

On the road to the final of a tournament which was first played in 2010 Police beat Everest at Eve Leary and GCC and MSC played to a no-re-

sult but advanced by virtue of GCC having more wins than MSC as both semi-finals were rain affected.

At Eve Leary, 28-year-old former Essequibo left arm spinner Hemchan Persaud confused the Everest batsmen with his second sevenwicket haul of the tournament to send them crashing to 137.

Andrew Lyght hit an explosive 69 and added 85 with the subdued Reginald Rodrigues (34) as Police reached 142-4 before rain washed out the entire final day.At Bourda in the other semi-final MSC declared on 211-5 as Bernard Bailey had 3-50 and Renaldo AliMohamed had 2-47 for GCC who slumped to 77-7 with only Marlon Persaud with 22 past 15 as bad light saved GCC. Today the host will depend on the highly talented but temperamental AliMohammed who has scored a century and taken a fivewicket haul in the same match in this tournament.

GCC will also depend on

UDFA GT Beer Football C/ship in Linden

Senior Champions Eagles United face new comers Capital FC to kick off event - Botafago get bye to semifinals New comers Capital GFC will open their campaign in senior football when they face the senior champions of Upper Demerara, Eagles United out of Christianburg in the opening game of this year’s year ending championship, known over the years as the GT Beer tournament on Sunday at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground on Sunday.

S u n d a y ’s opening fixture is one of a doubleheader which also features the runner-up senior club Net Rockers facing the challenge of Silver Shattas as group play kick start the competition which has three groups in the ten team tournament.

The defending champions Botafago have benefitted from a bye straight to the final four

when they play the winners of Group Two. The three groups are: Group One which has Eagles United, Capital FC and Hi Stars; Group Two with Net Rockers, Silver Shattas and Blueberry Hill United, and Group Three comprising Amelia’s Ward Panthers, Wi n n e r s Connection and Topp XX. From the round robin format the top three clubs will move to the semifinals where Botafago has been lodged waiting for the top cub out of Group Two. Today the tournament will be launched at the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN) building from 14.00hrs and the rules among other relevant information will be made known.

Clubs are expected to attend this launching in their numbers.

Skipper Khemraj Jaikarran, Timothy McCalmont, Deonarine Seegobin, Marlon Persaud, Chevam Persaud and Bailey with the bat, while the Bourda Boys will hope that Bailey, Ansuggna Rodrigues and AliMohammed to utilise what should be a flat and slow track.

Police on the other hand will want the pugnacious but at times reckless Lyght to fire and along with Rodrigues to give them a solid foundation, while their most complete batsman and Keeper Kemol Savory will need to play a key role with the bat as will Chemroy Kendell, and Jason Heyliger and Hardcourt.

Police’s bowling should be done by First-Class pacer Raun Johnson, Hardcourt and Heyliger.

(Sean Devers)

Renaldo Ali-Mohmmed is the most naturally gifted player in the match.

Kemol Savory should play a key role with bat and gloves for Police.

PAGE 30

Kaieteur News

Saturday December 08, 2018

Six Guyanese win on CBC opening night at CASH

By Sean Devers Named after the late British Guiana’s lightweight Champion Cliff Anderson who was born in 1921, the Sports Hall was built in 1975 and on Thursday night hosted the four-night Caribbean Boxing Championships (CBC), but unlike in the 1970s and 80s when capacity crowds flocked the venue, a disappointing turn out watched the opening night on which Guyana won six of the 10 bouts.

Boxing in the Novice 75kg match-up, the fight between 26-year-old Guyana’s Alex Murray and Michelson Mathurin of Guadeloupe was the most competitive contest of the night, while the four Elite bouts were all entertaining with the Light Heavyweight fight between Guyanese Markember Pierre and Shakir Flemming developing into an all-out brawl.

The night began with two Junior bouts with Guyanese Christopher Romeo beating Barbadian Tyreec Taitt in the Featherweight division and Guyana’s Mark Crawford defeating Bajan Reshawn Holder.

In the Novices division, Grenada’s Prince Henry had his Welterweight fight against T&Ts Shawn Jackson stopped in 1:11 in the second round, while T&Ts Jamill Jo-

seph won by TKO in 2:02 of the second round over Guadeloupe’s Mickeel Torchy in a Light Welter match-up.

The Novices bouts between Bahamas and Dominica and Guyana and Dominica were cancelled, while in the Youth Middleweight, T&T’s Tyron Thomas’ corner threw in the towel in 2:29 of round two against Grenadian Brandon Taylor.

The Murray versus Mathurin contest saw several effective Jabs from both boxers and while Mathurin threw more of the shots in the first round Murray out-boxed him and retaliated with more quality blows to the target and took a close round.

In the second round both fighters traded punches as they went after each other with nice jabs that set up shots to the body before a looping right connected to the head of the Forgotten Youth Foundation boxer resulting in a standing 8 count being administered which swung the round in Mathurin’s favour.

Both boxers answered the bell for the final round knowing a good round would give them the win, but while Mathurin looked for a knock out with big shots Murray covered up and took most of his shots on his gloves.

St Lucia’s South Paw Lyndel Marcelin kept catching Guyanese Emmanuel Sancho with rights to his head.

Guyana’s Alex Murray left jab goes through the guard of Michelson Mathurin in the most competitive bout of the night.

Urged on by his daughter and her mother, Murray counter-punched with nice combinations to the mid-section and head and did enough to take the fight.

In the Lightweight affair, T&T’s Jesse Beckles, with fast combinations, beat Grenadian Nelson Cyrus, while in the Light Heavyweight bout, Pierre and Flemming came out with all guns blazing.

The Trini was backed up on the ropes from some good one/two punches to the body

as the Guyanese dominated.

The action intensified in the second round with the fighters going toe to toe in a slug-fest before a brutal right hand crashed into the head of T&T’s Flemming who received an 8 count.

Although tiring, the boxers got into a brawl with rapid combinations to body and head coming fast and furious and the noisy crowd were on its feet as the Solider, a former Gold Medallist, was hit with some hard shots. Both fighters survived the onslaught

with Pierre winning on points.

Harpy Eagles Emmanuel Sancho was the only Guyanese to loose on Thursday night; beaten by defending welterweight CBC Champion St Lucia’s Lyndel Marcelin.

Marcelin’s South Paw stance seemed to confuse the Guyanese who kept moving to his right and into some wicked lefts.

Sancho is known for his power but most of his big shots connected with thin air as the St Lucian demonstrated good evasive movements and his pawing right jabs kept Sancho out of range as Marcelin took the opening stanza.

Sancho came out for the second round with more intent with the crowd chanting ‘Sancho, Sancho’ and while the round was closer the St Lucian again won the round.

Marcelin, with Medals at CAC, Commonwealth Games and twice at the Olympic Qualifiers, knew Sancho needed a knock-out to win and went on his bicycle and he danced out of danger as the home-boy missed some big swings to gain a unanimous decision.

In the last fight of the night, a series of left, right combinations from Guyana’s Desmond Amsterdam staggered T&T’s Aaron Prince in the second round resulting in him getting a standing 8 count.

The Solider from Guyana’s Champion Gym, was all over his man and a crunching right sent Prince sprawling to the canvas for the referee to stop the contest.

President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Steve Ninvalle said that hard work had been invested into the planning to stage this Championship.

Ninvalle expressed gratitude to the Government and the American Boxing Confederation (AMBC) for their support and reminded that this is a Caribbean event.

“This is our Olympics and is being used to develop Boxing in the Region and Mike Parris (Bronze in 1980 in Moscow) is still the only Caribbean Boxer to win an Olympic Medal,” Ninvalle told the gathering which included, among others,veteran Commentator Reds Perriera (St Lucia’s Manager), Television Host Alan Fenty, former Guyana Welterweight Champion and Journalist Mike Benjamin and former pugilist Clive Atwell, who fought for the WBC featherweight title in 2014 in Mexico.

Director of sports Christopher Jones commended the GBA for hosting a Regional Championships here before declaring the tournament open.

The Championships continues today and concludes tomorrow from 18:00hrs.

Cash, other prizes up for grabs in Rupununi Football tournament The Tabatinga Football Club in the Rupununi will be staging a tournament which features several teams from across Region Nine.

The football tournament which began on November 16, 2018 is being played at the

Lethem Community Centre Ground.

It is expected to run until January.

The winners of the male category will picket some $400,000, while the female (Continued on page 27)

Kaieteur News

Saturday December 08, 2018

PAGE 31

DSSC recognises performances of its athletes at GTU National Aquatic Championships

The President and Executive of the Dorado Speed Swim Club (DSSC) is recognising the sterling performances of its members at the just concluded Guyana Teachers Union National Schools Aquatic Championships.

In a release from the club it stated that maximum performances were registered by Monique Watson (North Georgetown) in the Girls Open category, Amy Grant (North Georgetown) in the Girls Under-18 category and Raekwon Noel (East Georgetown) in the Boys 14and-Under division.

These three athletes the club noted all won gold medals in three (3) individual races and a relay. Jasmin Allen of North Georgetown, in the Girls 10-and-Under category swam for gold in both of her races, ending well ahead of her competition.

The aforementioned swimmers were all declared champions in their respective categories. Sterling (Continued on page 27)

Maiya Ifill

Donna Carter

Zara Crane

Jasmine Allen

Kyra Soares

Amy Grant.

Monique Watson

Raekwon Noel

Safiya Foster

Renia Sinclair

Kaieteur News

PAGE 32

Five matches inclusive of both semifinals set for this afternoon at the MOE ground in the Smalta Girls’ peewee football tournament.

Saturday December 08, 2018

Turbo football tournament

Rangers and GFC to contest next week’s final

Daniel Ross – GFC

Smalta girls’ peewee semifinals kicks off today

T

he fifth annual 11 - y e a r s a n d under Peewee football tournament for Primary school girls, being sponsored by the Ansa Mcal through their Smalta, Lyrix and Icool brands continues with all the semifinal matches today at the Ministry of Education (MOE) ground on Carifesta Avenue.

The action gets underway from 13:30hrs with the three matches which will be contested to determine the 8th to 10th ranking of the teams before the last four matches that will be competed concurrently from 15:10hrs.

Defending Champions South Ruimveldt will be led by 2017 MVP and current

leading goal scorer Fayon Henry and the school will be the favourites in the clash against North Georgetown.

The other semifinal will pit West Ruimveldt against St. Pius. West will be motivated by their boys’ team that are the two-time defending champions in the COURTS sponsored Petra Organisation’s event.

The day’s full fixtures are as follows: 13:30hrs St. Margret’s vs. Smith Memorial 9 to 10 14:20hrs Tucville vs.

Enterprise 5 to 8 14:20hrs Genesis vs. St Stephen 5 to 8 1 5 : 1 0 h r s We s t Ruimveldt vs. St Pius semifinals 1 15:10hrs South vs. North Georgetown semifinals 2

City sides Northern Rangers and Georgetown Football Club (GFC) will clash at the Ministry of Education (MOE) ground this Wednesday to battle it out for the grand $800,000 first place cash prize in the final of second annual Turbo football tournament after winning their respective semifinals on Thursday night at the Carifesta Avenue venue.

In the feature game, Northern Rangers were made to work for their win against Santos FC in a match which went right down to penalties.

For much of the match, Santos had the lead, granted through Orin Yarde in the 16th and they did well to fend off the incoming challenges of the Rangers. At the half time whistle, things were going according to plan for the Santos side but sure enough, Captain Fantastic Nigel Denny in the 70th minute brought things level again. For the remaining twenty-minutes, the action picked up intensity with both teams searching for that decisive goal that would give them the spot in the finals.

Even in extra-time, things were still deadlocked, both sides getting into scoring positions several times but squandering their chances to take the game home.

At the end of the day

Ralph Paris – GFC

Nigel Denny- Northern Rangers (Skipper) however, it would be rangers, who succeeded 4-2 via kicks from the penalty mark, to ascend into the final.

In the first semi-final GFC made early inroads into the Mahaica Determinators putting them on the back foot early and securing that all important win.

Daniel Ross got the ball rolling in the 11th minute after taking controlling the ball between two defending players and clinically firing home.Ralph Parris doubled the score in the 32nd minute and the GFC who haven’t won a senior final in decades, never looked back and will have a 50/50 chance to finally get a taste of silverware.

Mahaica and Santos will contest the third place playoff next Tuesday from 19:00hrs.

A total of $1.5 million in cash prizes is up for grabs in this tournament with the winners pocketing $800,000, second place $400,000, third $200,000 and fourth $100,000.

Budhan Memorial Turf Club race Meet set for tomorrow at No.66 Village Corentyne The Budhan Memorial Turf Club and Sports Facility will hold a grand one day horserace Meet tomorrow, Sunday December 9th at the No.66 Village, Corentyne Racetrack starting from 1:00pm.Six races are carded for the programme and over two million dollars in prize money along with trophies are up for grabs by the outstanding performers.

The main event is for racehorses classified 2years and L/1 Open and keen competition is expected among the leading 2 year

olds.

Other races will see animals battling in the Unclassified Division one and Division two, the L/2 and lower along with the L/3 and lower.

This will be the first time the Turf Club will stage a Meet along with live entertainment at the same time. Chutney competition 2018 runner-up Sase Narine will rock the house and fans are in for a treat. A well stocked bar and popular sound system will add to the day’s entertainment.

Kaieteur News

Saturday December 08, 2018

3rd Annual BOA Independence Invitational Games

Archery Guyana represented for 2nd consecutive year

PAGE 33

Former athlete, Snr. Supt.

Prisons Neil Rudder takes charge of Mount Sinai CC President Neil Rudder receiving cricket gear from National Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan.

Participants at the 3rd Annual BOA Independence Invitational Games in Barbados.

O

n November 10 and 11, 2018, Guyanese A r c h e r, M r. D w a y n e Grovesnor joined Archers from Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Martinique, Guadeloupe and Bahamas in Bridgetown, Barbados for the 3rd Annual BOA Independence Invitational Games which was hosted by the Barbados Olympic Association at two different locations; Coverlet Terrace and Carrington College,in Bridgetown.

Recurve and Compound Men and Women shot over 4,000 arrows at a distance of 50metres. The tournament

began where competitors shot 12 rounds consisting of 6 arrows in each end total number of 72 arrows with a maximum score possible of 720 points. Conditions were not the best for shooting because of overcast skies for most of the morning session, but archers pressed on to the very end.

After the ranking round Archery Guyana’s representative, Mr. Dwayne Grovesnor finished in 6th place.

1 (MTQ) Christian Comte 618 points (bye) 2(TTO) Sherwin Francis 607 points 3 ( T T O ) K a m i l

Sadahanan 602 points 4 (TTO) Mondol Riaz 569 points 5(TTO) Rollin Betrand 549 points 6 (GUY) Dwayne Grovesnor 539 points 7 ( B A H ) D a v i d Rahming 370 points When the scores were posted Archers were informed which other archer he/she would be paired with for match play elimination rounds whereby Archers shoot 5 rounds of 3 arrows each with a top score of 30 points. In Guyana’s Match Play against Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana took the first set 24 to 23 but Trinidad

came back to win the next set 24 to 21, as Guyana could not find the form that won the first set and lost Sets 3 &4 missing out on a spot in the finals thus making it an all-Trinidad finals.

Archery Guyana commends the organisers of the BiiG Tournament and congratulates all the winners as the Caribbean as a whole moves forward to promote Archery as a sport.

More information on Archery Guyana can be found on website www.ArcheryGuyana.org o r e m a i l ArcheryGuyana@gmail.co m.

Andre Boyce Jr wins Chato’s Hot Spot pool competition Andre Boyce Jr gave a good account of himself to emerge as the winner of the Chato’s Hot Spot Pool competition which was contested recently at the pool bar in Shell Road and Stanley Place in Kitty.

Boyce Jr played well in the preliminary round game and continued his fine form in the finals, while Mark Singh placed second. Vishal Ramdeen took third place and Richard Hemraj was fourth. The competition was sponsored by Banks DIH and Trophy Stall. Yudhistra Gangaram proprietor of pool bar congratulated the prize winners and thanked the sponsors.

From left Mark Singh, Andre Boyce Jr., Vishal Ramdeen and Richard Persaud.

The Mount Sinai Cricket Club, which is one of the early members and permanent members of the Berbice Cricket Board, has a new leadership.

Former Senior Superintendent of Prisons and National Athlete Neil Rudder is the new President. Rudder was unanimously elected when the club held its election of officer bears recently at the Smithfield Drop in Center.

Others elected to serve are J o e l A m s t e r d a m Vi c e President, Pinky Arthur Secretary, Jaipersaud Hardeo Treasurer, Caleb Morris Assistant/ Secretary Treasurer. The Committee members are Safraz Kassim, Ravi Ramkumar, Travis Sinclair, Godfrey Stayman and Kevin Budhoo.The club once played First Division Cricket and was once a force among the first division clubs in the area. It had become dormant overtime due to a number of reasons. It is now up and running as stringent efforts are being made to return it to some of its past glory days. The catchment area of the club includes Vryheid, Sandvort, Caracas, Mount Sinai, Smythfield and the Angoy’s Avenue Area.

Rudder who is also an executive member of the BCB is using all his previous training and experience as a senior military personnel and national athlete to get things done. The club is presently participating in the New Building Society 40overs

cricket tournament for 2nd division teams in Berbice.

They played five matches, won 3 and lost 2. Presently the U15 team is participating in the 2019 Mike’s Pharmacy U15 cricket tournament organised by the BCB, while the U17 and 19 squads are waiting to participate in tournaments organised by BCB. The club presently has 54 members and growing.

Efforts are being made to assemble a female cricket team.

Rudder who acted as Deputy Director of Prisons on numerous occasions and was in charge of all the locations during his tenure said that the catchment area of the club has an abundance of youths especially the Angoy’s Avenue (Cow Dam) area and he hopes to use his experience to bring them on board.The club recently played a major role in the rehabilitation of the defunct Town Council Sports Ground in Vryman’s Erven (Where they played all their cricket matches). They also participates in regular practice and friendly games.

They recently received donations from Director of Sports Christopher Jones and National Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan. According to Rudder, efforts are being made to set up a facebook page and he is calling on all former members and those interested in assisting with donations to step forward.

(Samuel Whyte)

rt o p S

Six Guyanese win on CBC opening night at CASH

Guyana’s Markember Pierre backs up T&T’s Shakir Flemming with a shot to the body.

Guyana’s Desmond Amsterdam kept going forward as he dominated T&T’s Aaron Prince at CASH on Thursday night.

GCA’s Noble House Seafood 2nd Division 2-day final

Police hoping to arrest GCC in today’s final at Bourda

Turbo football tournament

Rangers and GFC to contest next week’s final Play between GFC (on the ball) and Mahaica Determinators on Thursday night at MOE ground.

GCC Captain Khemraj Jaikarran (left) and Police Skipper Kester Hardcourt will face-off today in the Noble House Seafoods cricket final at Bourda.

Hamilton Green 9-a-side Inter-Ward/ Village KO Cup Pestano, Permaul Amstel bowl Guyana Jaguars Teams report preparations going -Den CC venue to first innings points well for tomorrow’s showdown for final 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.