Monday December 11, 2017
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20 pieces of silver and betrayal on our minds USING RELIGION DEAR EDITOR, Now that someone finally, “let the cat out of the bag” on the signing bonus Government collected from Exxon, the rats seem to be running in all directions. The waters of the famous Jordan seems parted—revealing skeletons of deceit—not of Pharaoh’s lost chariots but of the Titanic web of lies that the Coalition Government weaved on the Guyanese public. This is one of the most colossal and deceptive blunders ever made by any Government in Guyana— back home in England where I belong, a moral Government would have resigned for such deception to its constituents. Not in Guyana! Not the present Coalition Government! They are famous for defending their blunders with some of the most asinine verbiage that you could ever comprehend as excuses. The Natural Resources Minister said he is not ashamed- “We set aside money (signing bonus) to pay
lawyers and to handle the court case” with Venezuela. “We asked for the money as a bonus, Exxon did not know that we were going to use it for that purpose.” Did Exxon inquire about the purpose for the bonus and did they lie to Exxon? This is vague. I don’t envision Exxon should have a problem with a bonus to shore up the territory where it discovered 2.8 billion barrels of oil. Trotman said that the Government was advised not to make the collection of the money public. Was it Exxon or the presidential adviser on oil and gas? Who else, does the Government takes advice from? After his rigmarole, Trotman sought to take credit for a good deed done to the nation by saying, “It was I who went back to Cabinet and told them we cannot continue like this.” Ludicrously unbelievable! The famous Jordan after dismissing claims of a signing bonus as, “a figment of the imagination” and asserting
that there is “no agreement for any bonus” had no intention of swallowing it up, all alone in parliament at the 2018 Budget Debate. His response was, “We don’t care. If whoever leaked it felt that that is the approach to how government business is done, well so be it.” We really have to work fast to enact laws to protect whistle blowers! You could literally smell the hatred emanating from that comment to the whistle blower. Notice! It is, “we” and not I don’t care. It is funny! When people lie and the walls begin to collapse on them, they try to throw the weight on others. From the letter dated 20th September 2016, Gobind Ganga was advised that the account should not be considered as the bank’s reserves and should be held in US dollars and invested in secured interest- bearing securities. So they wanted interest too! The letter itself is incriminating evidence to the charge of conspiracy to
defraud the state. The letter did not state the amount of the bonus. They are saying that the bonus was US$18 million. Can we really believe them now? Could it have been a larger amount and portion or portions were siphoned off elsewhere? There is need for an independent investigationoutside of government or presidential influence. The mysteries of the quintet plus one travels to Exxon HQ is still to be unravelled. Exxon needs to produce its records of the signing bonus. Jordan could have been telling the truth when he said that there is “no AGREEMENT for any bonus.” Monies could have been passed outside of Exxon’s books. When one looks at the Environment Impact Agreement (EIA) where Exxon is not liable for any accidental oil spill-signed by the Government, Guyanese need to remember — the twenty pieces of silver; betrayal clouds the normal mind. Rudolph Singh
Granger should have involved Jagdeo DEAR EDITOR, My initial thinking is that the Coalition Government’s handling, if not bungling of the signing bonus with Exxon Mobil results from inexperience if not incompetence, rather than a desire to be corrupt. Time may perhaps tell. However, no one can be blamed, other than the government itself, for the widespread perception that corruption was the intent. That having been said, I am of the view, as has been evidenced by several letters and articles which I have previously written, that no stone should be left unturned in ensuring that Venezuela’s claim to our geographic space, including our maritime boundaries, is finally and permanently settled in Guyana’s favour. I, therefore, have absolutely no difficulty with the government’s decision to negotiate and use a signing bonus from Exxon Mobil for the purpose of payment of legal fees and funding of heightened diplomatic activity in preparation for mounting our arguments before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). I am also well aware that there are certain arrangements, especially those with a complex international architecture that for a host of reasons require a certain amount of secrecy, at least for a period of time until public disclosure would have limited negative impact. I want to believe that this
signing bonus arrangement is one such case. But here is where I have a problem with the approach of the Coalition Government and where its inexperience is exposed. If corruption is not the intent, and I repeat that I don’t think it is, I am of the view that the President should have invited the Leader of the Opposition, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Auditor General, the Chair of the Guyana Council of Churches and the Chair of the Private Sector Commission to a meeting at which he would have informed them of the impending possibility of the matter of the Venezuela claim going to the ICJ and the need for Guyana to have readily available, in an unencumbered manner, financial resources to meet its bills. His Excellency could then have informed them, having laid out a convincing case of the need for these resources to be used to protect and maintain our territorial integrity and our natural resources, of the negotiation of, and intent to use a signing bonus from Exxon Mobil for the purpose of meeting our expenses. He could also have advised them that because of the complex international architecture of the arrangement, including Exxon’s own problems with Venezuela, that the arrangement had to remain secret for the time being and that he counted on their
support on this issue. Then the President could have gone on to explain to this select group that the funds would be initially deposited in an interest bearing account through the Central Bank (Bank of Guyana) and not deposited into the Consolidated Fund and presented the arguments in support of this. Further, he could have invited the select group to meet with him every quarter for an update on how the funds were being spent, a report that would have been delivered to the group by the Governor of the Bank of Guyana. Now, according to Christopher Ram, some laws may have been broken with this approach and the
Constitution even violated. If the approach I have suggested had been used then I have no problem with breaking laws and violating the Constitution in defense of our territorial integrity and the preservation of the vast natural resources therein. In fact, it would have been nice, if not comedic, to see some ministers of government charged with breaking laws for this purpose and among the defense witnesses are Jagdeo, Eddie Boyer, some priest, pandit or imam et al. I would like to see which Court would punish anyone for the legitimate pursuit of our sovereignty and territorial integrity. Just my take. Regards, Wesley Kirton
Changing the narrative... From page 4 422 million people and an economy of $3.9 trillion (nominal) and $6.5 trillion (Purchasing Power Parity) in the wider South America. Finally, Albert Einstein said that ‘insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results’. As a people, we have to eventually come to the understanding that the problem is not with Guyana, it is rather in the construct that we have established to administer over the country. This construct of voting for one party instead of the other is equivalent to voting one race over the other. We are not matured enough to have two parties, especially in our context. Hopefully, if we chose to go the ‘One Party’ route from 2020 to 2025, with the right systems in place, for e.g. constitutional reform; and a robust economic policy, we will become matured enough to return to the current system of Government and Opposition. I strongly believe that it will be insane for us to go back to the polls in 2020 and vote the same way we have been voting for 51 years and expect different results. Yours faithfully, Audreyanna Thomas
TO JUSTIFY WAR
DEAR EDITOR, History is replete with examples of people using religion to justify war. Let us take the latest example which from a certain perspective is a prelude to war. That is, American President, Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem (a shared city in between Jews, Muslims and Christians) as Israel’s Capital. Clearly, this recognition was meant to anger Muslims and provoke hostilities between Muslims and Jews much like his sharing of hate videos was meant to anger Muslims. Then, he (American President, Donald Trump) turns around and says that he will make peace with the Palestinians. Firstly, the Jews claimed that the lands are based on a promise by God to give them the land. Yet, it was the United Nations from whom they accepted the land known as Israel. Shouldn’t they be waiting for God to actually come and restore the land to them? Or, have they abandoned God?
Secondly, only God through Jesus Christ will make peace in the world. Does anyone actually believe that American President, Donald Trump is Jesus Christ? Thirdly, as a Christian we are supposed to live peacefully with our neighbours not provoke hostilities. Fourthly, Americans have come to believe that they are “God’s Own People” because of economic prowess. They believe that because they are seen to be protecting Israel that they will be accepted into God’s Grace. Fifthly, on the American Currency it says “In God we Trust” when it is very clear that Americans do not trust God but trust money/wealth. Make no mistake; war is coming and everyone will feel its impact. This is because those who have so much want more and more. And, those who have little want more. No one seems to be contented with what she or he has. Yours Faithfully Sean Ori
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Monday December 11, 2017
Ruel Johnson’s report mirrors the American fiction, Rennillia DEAR EDITOR, There have been a number of disturbing details that have since surfaced following the initial hysteria created on social media by Cultural Advisor to the Ministry of Social Cohesion, Mr. Ruel Johnson, concerning allegations of sexual misconduct by Coen Jackson. From the onset, Mr. Johnson, over a period of four consecutive days, from Friday 17, 2017, to Monday 20, 2017, almost without break, dedicated all of his Facebook page and time to a singular issue – the alleged sexual misconduct of Coen Jackson. Over this four-day period, Johnson alleged that Jackson’s “victims” ran into the hundreds, spanning a twenty-year career in teaching. Johnson likened his “discovery” to the Boston Catholic Church sex scandal, suggesting that “victims” not only included countless hapless girls, but also extended to boys. At one point, Johnson even suggested Jackson was frantically seeking to get in touch with “victims” to disrupt any possible prosecution. Johnson did not stop there. He also made the incredible claim that he had
in his possession thirty documented cases of “sexual abuse” by Coen Jackson, and that he had turned over “all” he had to the “relevant authorities”. I believe there is sufficiency of publicly available information on this affair to register serious doubts about the veracity of the claims championed by no other person than Mr. Johnson himself. For one, his claim of having turned over some thirty documented cases of “sexual abuse” to various entities was rubbished by ‘A’Division Commander, Mr. Marlon Chapman. In Kaieteur News of Friday 1, 2017, Mr. Chapman was reported to have said: “Well I haven’t gotten anything from the Ministry of Education, except the okay to go ahead with the investigation.” Clearly, Mr. Johnson lied to the public about his list of thirty “victims”, unless we are to assume that the Ministry of Education, along with all the other ministries he submitted his findings to, was a co-conspirator in a grand cover up of Mr. Jackson’s alleged misconduct; in much the same way Johnson alleges that The Bishops’ High School’s administration
Bring those charges against the former PPP Ministers now DEAR EDITOR, It’s time to bring major charges against many former PPP Ministers for their alleged roles in pilfering state funds and other of state property during their twenty-three years in office. Noteworthy, since Christopher Ram was denied the GECOM chairmanship, his vendetta against the APNU+AFC Coalition Government has risen to a lofty height. His recent call to “initiate private criminal charges against several top Guyana government ministers and officials for allegedly failing to deposit a multi-million United States (US) dollar signing bonus from ExxonMobil into the Consolidated Fund,” shows his viral vengeance towards the coalition. The PPP opposition must not be allowed to carry the mantle of initiating charges allegedly based on corruption, when they are/were the main purveyors of corruption and fraud. This type of “take no prisoners approach” by Ram is a clear indication why the coalition government should have been more forceful in bringing criminal charges against many of the former PPP Ministers. It’s not too late to implement such additional actions. It’s time for SOCU to formally lay out the charges for the public consumption, even those charges which are privately being considered. The APNU+AFC coalition should also be cognizant of the direction in which the opposition plans to travel and therefore must be fully prepared to counter any malfeasance directed towards them. The coalition MUST also be prepared to defend themselves in a vigorous manner against all actions. Further, President Granger should not take the “bait” from Christopher Ram to “apologise to the nation,” for this would show culpability. Ram is hoping his so-called revelation will be his day in the sun. Ram must also remember, forgetting the core of the sun is its hottest. The PPP and its surrogate, Christopher Ram, do not have any evidence that Ministers Trotman and Jordan did anything wrong. Noteworthy, why didn’t Ram call in the police when Anil Singh allegedly kept over $11.117 billion in “special miscellaneous accounts” outside of the Consolidated Fund? Lloyd Phillips
has ducked reports about Jackson, over the years. More to the point, it wasn’t until an entire week had elapsed, and after countless calls by Johnson on his Facebook page for socalled “victims” to come forward, that Johnson’s significant other made a report to the police station about an incident that was alleged to have taken place some six years ago. What is bizarre about this is that accuser admitted on her own Facebook page on Sunday, November 26, 2017 one week before Jackson’s arrest - that she and Jackson were friends up until recently. She related that in August of 2017 she received investment advice from Jackson, and that she never saw herself as a victim until she was convinced of it by, you guessed it, Ruel Johnson! Mr. Editor, above all, consider a most troubling account of one of the alleged victims of Coen Jackson while
a student of The Bishops’ High School, whose version of events was conveniently posted by Ruel Johnson on his Facebook page some time between Monday, November 20, 2017 and Wednesday, November 22, 2017. It reads: “So when I was talking, he was showing me something, I couldn’t see properly, then he held my head and kissed me. I pulled away, I told him to stop and I pushed him away. He put his hands up my skirt and pulled me back, held me down and grabbed my ass. I still have a vivid picture of everything that took place, I wanted to go home. I wanted to shower. I still felt his hands on me, and it’s not easy.” Now contrast this story with one of the scenes in chapter 12 of the novel, Rennillia, vol. 1, written by American fiction writer, M. Sembera (2011), and played out by, incidentally, a character named Jackson: “ ‘I just want to go home. ‘ Back
at the house, I rushed inside. Jackson was right behind me asking if I wanted him to stay. Nodding, I ran up the stairs. I could still feel his hands on me. I wanted to shower and wash all traces of him away. I scrubbed extra hard on my wrist where he touched me and where I felt his breath on my cheek …” This nexus between Sembera’s Rennillia and the narrative fashioned by the anonymous “victim” was first brought to my attention by Ron G. Morrison, on his Facebook page. A similar incident, involving another “victim”, was also posted on Johnson’s page, where the events were not dissimilar to the one described in Rennillia, the only difference being that it allegedly took place at another location in the school. This begs the question: How many of Johnson’s self-compiled list of “victims” are also works of fiction? Yet another instance of
what I believe is Johnson’s deliberate manipulation of facts relates to the claim that Jackson was attempting to flee the jurisdiction. This was contradicted when, together with a team of lawyers, Jackson appeared at a press conference to deny the allegations levelled against him. At that presser, Jackson countered that Johnson was motivated by personal reasons. Given the way Johnson went about this entire episode, including bypassing every structure and authority in place to deal with such issues, and even recommending his own committee to investigate the allegations against the accused, speaks to a mind disturbed and a man driven by personal motivations. Further, that he used his very visible public office to meet his personal end, at a minimum, necessitates an investigation. Yours truly, Kevin Anthony
Accountants and Auditors in the Anti-Corruption Effort DEAR EDITOR, The current news swirling around the almost US$20 million ExxonMobil signing bonus saga reinforces the important role of accountants and auditors in the anticorruption effort. It is rather strange that such a large and relatively suspicious transaction escaped the eyes of accountants at the two Ministries involved, the central bank of all places, and worse, the Audit Office! Credit goes to accountant and attorney Mr. Chris Ram for first sounding the alarm and to Opposition Leader and Former President Bharrat Jagdeo for ably and competently following through the audit trail to bring it to the Guyanese public. It is also a stark reminder that Government Ministers, including the President, need to be financially literate. A good understanding of accounting, auditing, and finance fundamentals will enable these elected officials to effectively discharge their mandate in addition to understanding and interpreting financial reporting. How can accountants and auditors help in this anticorruption drive? First, accountants are the first set of gatekeepers to ensure that transactions are valid, at arms-length, captured and properly recorded according to established standards. Secondly, as professionals with a duty to protect the public interest, they are bound by rigorous codes of professional and personal ethics calling for the
highest levels of integrity and objectivity. Thirdly, their key strategic positions within an enterprise or organisation – whether in an internal position or as an external auditor or adviser – mean that they very often have access to highly privileged and confidential information. A few years ago, the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the global umbrella organisation for the accountancy profession with over 175 members and associates in more than 130 countries representing almost 3 million accountants, took the lead in anticorruption and came out with a paper entitled “The Accountancy Profession and the Fight against Corruption.” The Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAG) of Guyana is a member of the IFAC and so is the Global Institute of Internal Auditors, a chapter of which exists in Guyana. IFAC urges accountancy bodies worldwide to unite with various professions including the business community, government agencies, and other organisations to wipe out corruption. The document mentioned above contains several proposals, one of which advises accountants to develop outlets for building relationships with legislative and regulatory authorities, the legal profession and other groups interested in improving the framework for good governance, transparency and accountability. In addition, the document
places responsibility on audit committees to consider the propriety of anti-corruption policies in place and insist that corrupt acts be reported. Auditors too are advised to promote codes of conduct among practicing firms, their clients and governments that expressly prohibit corrupt activity. The paper goes on to focus on the accounting profession’s individual role in curbing corrupt practices by urging ‘professional skepticism’ when establishing business relationships and in reviewing transactions. Within this context, it is mind boggling that almost US$20 million could have escaped a typical accountant and auditor’s watchful eyes and ready pen. Corruption is now a global problem common in both developed and developing countries and reaching epidemic proportions across borders. In democratic nations, where checks and balances deter corrupt and other unethical practices, corruption is still prevalent. The impact on business and the wider society is even greater as it diverts resources from productive to unproductive sectors and makes a few rich at the expense of others. Corruption also undermines institutions and redistributes wealth to the undeserving. What this indicates is that, human nature being what it is, no country and indeed no system is immune from corrupt practices. Indeed, nations have gone to war, Governments have been toppled, companies have
been made bankrupt and whole kingdoms lost due to corruption scandals. The most obvious effect of political corruption is a loss of public esteem for politicians and political life. The cynical view that ‘politics is a dirty business’ becomes a reality; people enter politics not from a sense of public service but in pursuit of personal power and advancement. If left unchecked, corruption weakens the very structures of an organized society as it undermines the forces of law and order and reduces public morale. In the long run, both economic and social developments become crippled and all suffer. This disease increases risks and costs to the economy, damages investor confidence and stifles economic growth. Corruption acts as a strong deterrent to foreign direct investment. With corruption being a scourge to societies, there is now more focus being placed on good governance practices and sound risk management efforts. It is clear that both the accounting and audit professions have an important role to play now and in the future in preventing, detecting and reporting on corruption. After all, stakeholders place a considerable amount of trust on these highly trained professionals to do so. Lal Balkaran, MBA, FCPA, FCGA, FCMA Past President, Institute of Internal Auditors (Toronto) and Published Author
Monday December 11, 2017
‘A DANGEROUS ATTITUDE’ - says Chris Ram on Finance Minister Jordan’s response to signing bonus scandal ‘Dangerous’, is the way Chartered Accountant, Chris Ram has described the attitude of Finance Minister, Winston Jordan’s response to the ExxonMobil signing bonus scandal. Ram said that the only description for this attitude is unmitigated arrogance and a display of ignorance of what constitutes a democracy. He reiterated, “It is more than worrying – it is dangerous.” Kaieteur News asked Ram if the Government could be forgiven for the manner in which it has chosen to handle this matter, especially with ministers stating that they are not ashamed of what they did. “This is not a matter of forgiveness. It is not even only one of a sustained pattern of lies and deception by key Ministers over close to 28 months. Under section 85 (a) and (c) of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act, indictable offences appear to have been committed for which substantial penalties apply.” “To return to the question, the essential fabric of a government is its relationship with citizens which is grounded in trust and that has been irrecoverably severed. How can anyone be forgiven if they are incapable of remorse, penitence, shame and embarrassment?” The Chartered Accountant also criticized the
Draft oil spill plan still being developed - Trotman says T&T to provide assistance Thomas Tomblin, ExxonMobil Oil Spill Response Advisor, addressing the audience.
Finance Minister, Winston Jordan
Chartered Account, Chris Ram
money from ExxonMobil which was going into a special account. Ram insisted that the Consolidated Fund is the only and constitutional place where it must go. It was only a few weeks ago that Ram commended the government on ushering the return of transparency with the promised release of the ExxonMobil oil contract this month. In light of this signing bonus with the USA oil company, Ram said that the administration has revealed its true self and his kudos was premature and misplaced. Jordan had dismissed signing bonus issue when he addressed the House on Friday last during the budget 2018 debates. He had said that the document which proves that the government is setting
up an account at Central Bank to receive the signing bonus from ExxonMobil could have been kept under lock and key. Jordan said, “Signing bonus seems to be a big issue. I don’t know why they calling it a leak. If we didn’t want a document in the open we would have pressed it under secret and made certain only certain people saw it. But it was open. The letter that was put in today’s (yesterday’s) paper was there since last year…” The economist added, “Ask yourselves why it suddenly appeared in the papers today (yesterday). We don’t care. If whoever leaked it felt that that is the approach to how government business is done well so be it. It is out there.”
Drunk minibus driver kills soldier standing outside night club An alleged drunk and speeding minibus driver careened off a roadway and rammed into a 22-year-old Guyana Defence Force lance corporal, killing the young soldier in front of his shocked friends. The tragedy occurred at around 03:10 hours yesterday outside Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara night club. The victim has been identified as Marvin Dodson of Cross Street, Alexander Village. Police reports state that the corporal was standing in front of the night club when a speeding minibus, registered as BTT 8922 struck Dodson. The vehicle was reportedly driven by a 31-year old resident of Schoonard, West Bank Demerara. Reports state that the driver was proceeding south along the eastern carriageway at an allegedly fast rate. The 22-year old, according to his family was in the company of a few of his friends at the club and was standing on the eastern carriageway in front of the build-
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Dead: Marvin Dodson ing when the accident occurred. This newspaper understands the victim was dragged some distance away by the speeding vehicle. The driver, who had stopped some distance away, was allegedly assaulted by witnesses before being whisked away by police ranks. Police said that his alcohol level, when tested, was found to be above the legal limit. Lance Corporal Dodson
was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital by public spirited persons. He was transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he succumbed around 09:04 hours, a mere six hours after the accident. Last August, army Staff Sergeant, Omawale Sibdhannie perished after crashing into a parked low bed truck at Timehri, East Bank Demerara. He was stationed at the Four Engineer Battalion at Camp Stephenson. And in April, 2016, Lashana Moore, 23-year-old GDF rank, was killed in a hit and run accident on Sheriff Street, shortly after exiting a bus.
Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman has assured that a comprehensive oil spill response plan is being developed through Civil Defence Commission (CDC), which has been identified as the lead agency. Trotman made the disclosure yesterday at a public lecture on oil spill response hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources in collaboration with the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC) and U.S Oil giant ExxonMobil at the Queen’s College. According to the Minister, the CDC is being supported by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guyana Geologies and Mines Commission (GGMC). “The training sessions have started and there is a draft plan, but we are two years away from production and so we are constantly revising and updating that plan,” Trotman told the audience. He noted that in the early period of oil extraction, Government may not have the income to respond, but with oil revenues from the first year, the response will be nationally. In the meantime, Guyana is working with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CEDEMA) and has enlisted support of Trinidad and Tobago through a draft agreement. The Minister also assured that ExxonMobil, which is get-
ting ready to extract oil in 2020, is required to pay into the environment trust fund that is intended to take care of not only accidents, but to enhance other aspects of protection of our environment. Although the forum was called to discuss the response to oil spills, the draft plan for Guyana was not shared with attendees. Instead, one of the presenters, Thomas Tomblin, ExxonMobil Oil Spill Response Advisor, sought to assure residents that generally the company’s response to oil spills has been good. “I have been around the world twice. I have been to a lot of places. There is no place I’ve been to that’s anymore prepared than ExxonMobil here in Guyana. We are prepared,” Tomblin stated. He also focused on the company’s preventative measures, noting that the incident that occurred in Alaska has shaped a new operations integrity management system approach where workers are held accountable. “Every place we have been in the world we do things the right way,” he stated. Exxon has faced challenges globally. The company has faced accusations of not honouring its commitments. There is the infamous Exxon Valdez oil spill which occurred in Alaska on March 24, 1989. The Valdez, an oil tanker, owned by Exxon Shipping Company, was bound for Long Beach, California. On its
journey, it struck the Prince William Sound’s Bligh Reef and spilled 10.8 million gallons of crude oil for several days. Given its effects, it is considered to be one of the most devastating human-caused environmental disasters. But more than 20 years later, many question whether ExxonMobil actually learned anything from the great Valdez mistake. On May 1, 2010, a ruptured ExxonMobil pipeline in the state of Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, spilled more than a million gallons of oil into the delta. The leakage contaminated waters and coastal settlements in the predominantly fishing communities along Akwa Ibom. Importantly, Nigeria’s authorities flagged ExxonMobil for its response to the oil spill as it sought to use certain chemicals which were proven to be toxic to human and marine life. Even as early as February of this year, ExxonMobil found itself under investigation after Australian regulators discovered that there was an oily sheen around ExxonMobil’s rig in the Bass Strait of Australia. The findings of the investigation revealed that it was indeed an oil spill caused by ExxonMobil and worse yet; its failure to properly respond increased the risk of contamination and posed a “significant threat to the environment’.
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Monday December 11, 2017
Kaieteur News
GECOM Corriverton building collapses while under repairs
A passive nation is recipe for disaster in preparation for oil
- contract reportedly awarded to mechanic
- Int’l oil expert By Abena RockcliffeCampbell
The collapsed GECOM building at Corriverton, Berbice
The Corriverton, Berbice office of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) collapsed on Saturday while under repairs. While no one was injured, workers and others reportedly had to rescue a man who was trapped under the structure. However, it is also being reported that the contract was awarded to a mechanic from the Corentyne area who then sub-contracted it out to another contractor. According to persons familiar with the incident, work to repair and raise the building started about two weeks
ago. It was after lunch time in Saturday that while workers were ‘jacking up’ the structure that it came crashing down. The building is said to be an old one. An official of the Mayor's office said that he heard of the collapse and promised to investigate. The official was unable to say if permission was granted to raise the building or conduct repairs. The official did note that if such a request came it likely would not have been greenlighted, as the building was an old one.
Rather, GECOM would have been told that it would have been better to build a new building. If it is indeed true that GECOM awarded the contract to a mechanic, it would raise eyebrows as the entity which manages general and local government elections in Guyana is under investigation for questionable procurement practices for its procurement not only communication radios but stationery, batteries, pliers and a host of other supplies to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.
In fact, a $100M purchase of outdated communication radios investigated by state auditors suggested significant wrongdoings. With a new Chairman, Justice (Ret'd) James Patterson sworn in recently, it is widely expected the commissioners will deliberate on the report of the state auditors who are also investigating other purchases to the tune of millions of dollars. Already, Auditor General Deodat Sharma, has committed to hand the report to police for further investigations if the commissioners fail to act.
The worst thing that the people of Guyana, or any other oil producing country, can do is to sit passively while policy makers take actions that can change your lives for the better, worse or worst. That fact was impressed upon those who recently attended a lecture by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Shoreline Energy International, Kola Karim who is also the World Economic Forum Youth Leader 2008 honouree. Shoreline International is a Nigerian conglomerate with interests in oil and gas, power generation, engineering, commodities trading, infrastructure and construction across sub-Saharan Africa. The lecture was held at Marian Academy’s auditorium. Karim touched on a wide range of issues relating to the theme of his lecture, “Entrepreneurship and its role in using the country’s natural resources to establish a cooperative social contract for all of Guyana.” In a series of articles this newspaper will highlight the many issues that Karim spoke about. It is often said that oil can be a blessing or a curse but Karim does not subscribe to that. He said that oil is always a blessing; it’s the management of the resource that sometimes turns out to be a curse. Karim said that ever since he was invited by Guyanese businessman, Stanley Ming, to give a presentation in Guyana, he has been reading everything about Guyana and looking at the country’s uniqueness, most of which can be used to its advantage. The international billionaire said that Guyana has a tremendous opportunity ahead and if handled well, oil can be the country’s proverbial goose that lays the golden egg. He said that the goose needs to be protected and that
CEO of Shoreline Energy International, Kola Karim is why Guyanese must make it their business to find out what is going on in preparation for first oil. In fact, Karim said that the worst action that Guyanese citizens can take at this time is no action at all. He impressed upon a mixed audience of grassroots, policy makers and entrepreneurs that the time is now to demand that the best provisions are made. Karim said that Guyanese must demand that the best steps are made to protect the environment and that a very strong Local Content Policy is set up and implemented as early as possible. “Citizens need to stand up,” he said. Karim noted Guyana’s small population and said that the pie is big enough to share for every Guyanese and nothing short of that should be accepted. Karim is originally from Nigeria and is no stranger to the issues that can face oil producing countries. He said that, very often, oil companies are able to announce billions of dollars in profits yearly, while the masses see no improved standard of living from the exploitation of their resource. He said that Guyana has too small a population for a reality where the masses are not all financially well off when it is considered the resource that is to be pumped out of the ground.
APOLOGY As a measure of good neighbourly existence, the management and staff of Kaieteur News extended birthday wishes to Mr. Toolsie Persaud. He was 90. Everything was well until the newspaper published the photograph of the now dead David Persaud in place of Toolsie Persuad’s. We apologise for the error. We meant well.
Monday December 11, 2017
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Kaieteur News
The end of the 2020 oil dream Why would the government hide, from the public, that there was a ‘signing bonus’ with Exxon Mobil? Why was it necessary to conceal and deny this fact? The government renegotiated the contract that the PPP had signed with Exxon Mobil. As part of that renegotiation, there was an agreement for a ‘signing bonus.’ The public was told that the contract was renegotiated but the renegotiated contract could not have been made public based on legal advice. No reason was given as to why this legal advice was given and why it was accepted by the government. The government did eventually concede that it had settled for a two percent royalties and 50 percent production sharing. But it still refused to budge on making the contract public. Was the reason because it wanted to hide the bonus?
Christopher Ram revealed that he was told that there was a ‘signing bonus’. The government neither confirmed nor denied. It dodged the issue. It later denied that there was any agreement on a ‘signing bonus’, suggesting it was the figment of someone’s imagination. Now we are learning the truth. There was indeed a ‘signing bonus’. A special account was being created in the Bank of Guyana to hold the ‘signing bonus]. This was over one year ago. When it was suggested by Demerara Waves that the signing bonus was to pay legal fees related to the territorial controversy between Guyana and Venezuela, there was stout denial from the government. Now there is admission that the signing bonus was really to pay Guyana’s legal fees. So why all this deception? The monies were never paid into the Consolidated
Fund. Christopher Ram says that he has done a detailed search of the Estimates for 2017 and 2018 and cannot find the money. So why is the government trying to hide this signing bonus from the public? What was the government planning to do with money that would cause it to not want to have it accounted for in the Estimates or to admit to its existence? The government’s actions will now cause persons to believe that there may be more monies which are hidden and not made public. There must now be a special investigation launched by the Auditor General into this fiasco which has serious implications for Guyana. If it turns out that the bonus is designated for legal fees, then it means that Exxon Mobil would have had to agree to the payment of those fees. It means that, contrary to what most Guyanese
believe, Exxon Mobil is tying its risks to the resolution of this controversy. It means that Exxon is not likely to go ahead with the any oil exploration unless the matter with Venezuela goes to the ICJ. The matter is not likely to go to the ICJ anytime soon, judging from recent developments. What this means is that the 2020 oil dream is over. All along people felt that Exxon would simply go ahead and drill for oil while regardless of the outcome of the UN good offices process. People felt that the United
States would not allow Venezuela to get in the way of Exxon’s oil production. Big companies, however, do not operate recklessly. They will not treat political risks lightly. Multinationals asses these risks and it is this assessment which most likely would have pushed Exxon Mobil to agree payment of the signing bonus. If the ‘signing bonus’ is indeed for legal fees, it means that Exxon is hitching its oil production plans to the controversy between Guyana and Venezuela being referred
to the ICJ. We know that the controversy will not be referred to the ICJ anytime soon. Exxon Mobil therefore is not likely to meet its deadline for production of 2020. Guyanese can therefore kiss the oil by 2020 dream goodbye. It will not happen. Perhaps this explains by the government was so deceptive about the signing bonus.
ROAD OBSTACLE
DEM BOYS SEH
Is more than US$18 million share out as bonus Dem Ministers quiet. Since dem get ketch dem so shame dem ain’t even come out dem house this weekend. Fuh months dem reporters was asking dem about de signing bonus and fuh months dem seh dem ain’t know wha de reporters talking bout. One man seh de whole talk about bonus was a figment of de imagination. De news come out and all of dem shame. Now another question popping up because dem boys believe is more than de US$18 million. Dem know that Exxon got a way of giving out money under de table to get dem own way in countries like Guyana. Dem boys remember how dem give a president nuff money, so much that he son coulda buy high end cars and a fancy house in California. De set in Guyana would never seh no to money, especially since dem see wha Jagdeo do wid de treasury. Dem boys know that dem Ministers can’t do that because people watching. But Exxon know how to pass money under de table; that is why dem boys believe is more than de US$18 million. Is not de first time government people lie bout money. Jagdeo never answer de question bout wheh he get he money from. Ole people always seh when mouth open story jump out. Some odda old people
does seh that when poe bore is nuff spill. Dem same people also know when thieves and whores fall out nutten don’t
hide. Everybody gun know wheh de rest of de money that Exxon pay deh and who get. Talk half and wait fuh de fall out.
This truck had a blow-out on the Friendship, East Bank Demerara Public Road and served as an obstacle on the road for several hours. The motor lorry, registered as GNN 7244, affected the free flow of Sunday traffic.
Monday December 11, 2017
Kaieteur News
PAGE 11
Central Bank Board kept in dark about Special account for ExxonMobil bonus - Audit Committee Chairman, Anand Goolsarran
Chartered Accountant, Chris Ram
Chartered Accountant and Former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran
Chartered Accountant and former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran has clarified that during his time as a director at Central Bank, the issue of a special account being set up to receive a signing bonus from ExxonMobil was never brought to the board’s attention. His comments come on the heels of a Kaieteur News on Sunday, in which Chartered Accountant Chris Ram commented on the signing bonus scandal. Ram had said that “... this web of deception has ensnared high level officers of the Ministry of Finance, the Geology and Mines Commission and the Bank of Guyana, including the Chairman of its Audit Committee, Mr. Anand Goolsarran”. But Goolsarran stated that he resigned as a nonexecutive director in August
2017 and therefore had to relinquish the position on the Audit Committee. He emphasized that Ram is fully aware of this. Goolsarran said, too, that media reports indicate that in September 2016, the Ministry of Finance requested the Governor of the Bank of Guyana to open a special foreign currency account into which a signing bonus from ExxonMobil is to be placed. He said that during his tenure as a director of the Bank, this matter was never brought to the attention of the Board, and therefore he could not have been aware of the request to set up such an account. The former Auditor General explained that the Audit Committee’s role is set out in a Charter that was approved by the Bank’s board. He said that this essentially involves Continued on page 22
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Kaieteur News
Monday December 11, 2017
AG accuses Nandlall, former Chancellor of blocking efforts to establish local law school Attorney General, (AG), Basil Williams, S.C is accusing former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh, and PPP executive member, Anil Nandlall of undermining effort to establish a local law school. In a release to the press last Saturday, the AG outlined what he called a massive attack against the establishment of the school. According to recently uncovered information on the matter, that new Chairman of the Council of Legal Education (CLE), Reginald Armour of Trinidad and Tobago is relying on, a report of a Review Committee, which included former Chancellor Justice Carl Singh, is now saying that the CLE never gave permission to Guyana to establish its own Law School. According information released from the Ministry of Legal Affairs, the former Chancellor was the only head of Judiciary on this Review Committee established in 2009. He was allowed to continue to serve on the committee by the new Chairman, until he retired from that office. In September, 2017, the Review Committee which comprised the Principals of the three Law Schools under the CLE; a Senior Counsel from Barbados, former Chancellor Carl Singh, the new Chairman and the Guyana delegation which included Attorney-General, Basil Williams were present at the meeting in which a decision of a Council Meeting made in September 2016 was revisited. That meeting was chaired by previous Chairman Jacqueline Samuels-Brown S.C., of Jamaica who concluded with some “determination had been made, granting
Attorney General, (AG), Basil Williams Guyana permission to establish a Law School. The new Chairman (Amour) reportedly raised no objection about the decision taken at the time, which later led to the signing of a Memorandum Of Understanding, (MOU) with the University College of the Caribbean (UCC) and the Law College of the Americas (LCA) on January 11, 2017 in Guyana. MOU provides for a feasibility study to be undertaken to determine whether the Joint Venture Partners should proceed to execute the establishment of the Joseph Haynes Law School (JHLS) in Guyana. The AG noted however that Chairman Amour later raised contentions about the establishment of the law school after he received complaints from Nandlall. He accused Nandlall of launching a massive attack against the establishment of the law school. “By email dated January 23, 2017 the new Chairman of the C.L.E Mr. Reginald Armour S.C. revealed that
Nandlall had complained to him by email dated January 21, 2017 about the signed MOU to establish the Joseph Haynes Law School (J.H.L.S) in Guyana. Mr. Armour assured Mr. Nandlall he would put the matter on the agenda of the CLE’s Executive Council Meeting to be held in Jamaica on January 27, 2017.” Kaieteur News understands that there was some discourse over the matter between Guyana’s AG and the new Chairman of the CLE (Amour) which led to the issue being placed on top the agenda of the next executive Council Meeting of the CLE, in the New Year. Nandlall has in the meantime released a statement explaining his stance on the matter. He said that it is a matter of public record that when the announcement was made by the Attorney General in January 2017, that the Government of Guyana will establish its own law school and that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed to this effect by the Attorney General and representatives of two obscure institutions, “I questioned this development on two grounds.” Nandlall based his contention on the fact that legal education in the Caribbean is administered by the Council of Legal Education of the West Indies under a common law enacted in all member states; including Guyana and that no new law school can be established without the permission of the Council. He noted that any law school established in that manner runs the risk of not being recognised by the Council and the host country
AG Chambers plays pivotal role in fight against corruption As he took the floor of the National Assembly to make his contributions to the National Budget debates, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams boasted of the strides his office has made in efforts to keep corruption at bay. Williams told Speaker, Dr. Barton Scotland that the APNU/AFC Government continues the fight against corruption “which has had a debilitating effect on the economy of Guyana.” He said that this is being done through the empowerment of several agencies including the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) and the State Assets Recovery Agency. He said that SOCU, in re-
- Williams lation to financial crimes, has conducted investigations of offences deriving from forensic audits of Government Ministries Departments and Agencies under the last Administration. Williams said that investigations follow the trail of billions of dollars of tax payers’ money. Williams said that it is in this connection that Special Prosecutors were appointed by the Government to prosecute persons charged with stealing State assets. He said that before embarking on any such prosecution the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) issues a fiat to empower them. Williams also noted that in
keeping with the principle enshrined in Article 13 of the Constitution of inclusionary democracy and participation of citizens, this year, the Attorney General’s Chambers held consultations and sensitization seminars with the public on the State Assets Recovery Act 2017, the Witness Protection Bill and the Protected Disclosures (Whistleblower) Bill to raise awareness on the Government’s anti-corruption policies and on the protection afforded witnesses and other persons who assist in the investigation and prosecution of perpetrators. The Minister reminded that the State Assets Recovery Act of 2017 was passed (Continued on page 24)
The Hugh Wooding Law School, in Trinidad and Tobago
that does can be liable for violation of treaty obligations. Nandlall went on to say that as a former Executive Member of the Council with more years standing than the current Attorney General, “I knew what the Council’s position was and possibly still is, in relation to the establishment of additional law schools in the Region. “I therefore knew, immedi-
ately, that he was lying and that he never obtained such permission as he claimed. As a result, I dispatched a letter to the Chairman of Council of Legal Education of the West Indies on the 21st January 2017.” The government had announced that efforts were made to establish a local law school after Guyanese law students faced a number of
issues related to the entrance and acceptance to the Hugh Wooding Law School (HWLS). Just recently, the fees of a Guyanese Law Student increased to TT$94,000.00 (ninety four thousand Trinidad and Tobago dollars) or US$15,000.00 (fifteen thousand United States Dollars) or G$3,000,000.00 (three million Guyana dollars).
You are guilty of the corruption you accused us of - Nandlall tells Govt.
Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, is suggesting that the Coalition government is guilty of the same corruption of which it once accused the former PPPC Government. Addressing the Speaker of the House, Dr. Barton Scotland, Nandlall said on Thursday that the Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, owes it to the people of Guyana to explain how the nation have descended to such a low economic ebb, so quickly. “After all, he inherited a vibrant and robust economy, growing at an average rate of 4 percent) per annum for over a decade.” Further, Nandlall said that the government has reaped a windfall of revenue, which was up till now not available. Nandlall reminded the house that while in opposition, the Alliance For Change (AFC) and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) “used to say that $300B per year under the PPP Government was lost to corruption. Well unless they are stealing that money, after two and a half years they ought to have saved over $750B.” Nandlall cynically questioned, “Where has this money gone?” He then posited, “This money alone could have kept all the sugar workers on their job and paid every public sector employee a
Member of Parliament, Anil Nandlall 50 percent increase in salaries.” That example did not go down well with those on the government’s side. The MP nevertheless moved to another example. He noted that it is common knowledge that one of Guyana’s largest imports is fuel. Nandlall said that when the PPP/C demitted office, the price for fuel on the world market was about US$120 per barrel. In 2016, it dropped as low as $29 US dollars per barrel and is stabilising in 2017 at about $57 US dollars per barrel. “Here again the Government would have saved sev-
eral billion dollars annually. Where has all this money gone?” Nandlall also said that the government must have been able to save billions with the scrapping of certain social projects. “This Government scrapped the $10,000 cash grant programme for children in public schools and removed subsidies from pensioners light and water bills, raking in another several billions, annually. Where has all this money gone?” Nandlall said that despite all the lump sums the government secured, it still imposed over 200 new tax measures which would have netted another several billion dollars in revenue annually. “Again, where has all this money gone?” “I can offer two reasons. Firstly, the cost of Government has gone up tenfold and secondly, corruption and procurement fraud are as high as they have ever been in this country. That is why our workers cannot get a proper increase in salaries. That is why the sugar industry is closing. That is why we cannot offer any incentive to any new investment and we can offer no incentive to none of the productive sectors.”
Monday December 11, 2017
Kaieteur News
TWO KILLED in Mahaicony accident
DEAD: Stephen Phillips
DEAD: Abeanna Harris
The driver of a car and a female passenger were killed at around 21.00 hrs last night following a horrific accident at Perseverance, Mahaicony. Dead is the driver, Stephen Phillips called ‘Mal’ of Buxton, East Coast Demerara and Abeanna Hubbard, 20, of Melanie, East Coast Demerara. Those critical are Aresh Harris also of Buxton, East Coast Demerara and Dominique Ally also of Melanie, East Coast Demerara. They were also occupants of the car. Kaieteur News understands that the
INJURED: Dominique Ally
friends were returning home from a pool party at Park Square, Mahaicony, when Phillips lost control of the motorcar and slammed into a tree. Reports are that Phillips, who may have fallen asleep at the wheel, was driving at a fast rate of speed. Harris and Ally arrived at the Georgetown Public Hospital minutes after 22:00hrs last evening in an ambulance. From all observations, they both sustained head injuries. Ally was crying out in pain, and her feet were swollen.
New markets to push rice growth – Agri. Minister Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder, is upbeat about the future of the rice industry as Government has five new export markets that will realize growth, although losing preferential access to the Venezuelan market. “I am pleased to report that we have secured five new export markets, namely Canada, United States of America, Cuba, Mexico and Peru. Mexico and Cuba came on board in 2017 and thus far, Cuba imported 15,513 metric tonnes with additional contracts to be fulfilled before December,” Holder stated. By the end of the year, the Minister noted that rice production is projected to be 602,087 metric tonnes, representing an increase by 12. 7 percent, although there has been serious concerns given the collapse of the rice for oil PetroCaribe deal with Venezuela in 2014. “Despite the uncertainty that surrounded the rice industry following the collapse of the Venezuelan market in 2014, the industry managed to surpass
Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder production and export targets. In 2015, 687,784 tonnes of rice were produced, the highest production of rice ever achieved in Guyana of which 537,334 metric tonnes were exported.” While in 2016, production numbers fell due to poor weather conditions caused by El Nino, the Minister noted that the increase in 2017 is due to improvements in yield and access to new markets. As of November 27, paddy
production stood at 956,327 metric tonnes with farmers receiving as much as $3,500 per bag of paddy in Regions Four and Five. According to Noel, in 2018, rice exports are projected at 520,000 metric tonnes to 34 countries at a value of U.S.$176,890,000. The Minister noted that between January and October this year, exports declined by one percent to 436,826 metric tonnes when compared with the same period in 2016. However, due to higher prices in 2017, the export value was five percent higher at U.S.$163, 605,766 during the period. He shared that the Burma Rice research station has 60 acres under cultivation of a new, high yielding variety that is expected to be released to farmers by April 2018. “The industry will be producing high quality seed of internationally acceptable standards, establish a national seed certification programme and produce three new varieties of paddy, including one aromatic and two hybrids, by 2019 via the Malaysia Rice Production Reverse Linkage Project,” Holder stated. He also noted that more than 1200 farmers were trained through technology transfer in various disciplines within the industry including paddy grading, management of pest and disease and improved production practices.
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Monday December 11, 2017
Kaieteur News
Central Bank Board kept in dark about...
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From page 11 oversight of the work of the Internal Audit Department. In this regard, the Committee reviews the annual programme of the Audit Department and recommends its approval to the Board. The Committee also meets quarterly to discuss audit reports issued during this period, and the discussions are documented in the form of minutes and submitted to the Board. “If the matter involving the signing bonus was not brought to the attention of the Committee, there was no way
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I could have known of the transaction. Suffice it to state, it is not the role of the Committee to delve into the books of account of the Bank to find out about a transaction.” “However, if a matter is brought to its attention regarding a transaction that appears to be irregular, the Committee is obliged to request officials of the Bank to provide the necessary details. Suffice it to state that no such matter was brought to the attention of the Committee.” Goolsarran said that in his capacity as Chair of the Audit Committee, he sought to engage the Auditor General on several occasions since one of the terms of reference contained in the Committee’s Charter is to facilitate an arrangement whereby the Committee acts as a “gobetween” management and the External Auditor. He said that the Auditor General is the External Auditor of the Bank of Guyana. However, for whatever reason, the Auditor General was not receptive to having such an engagement, and this was reported to the Board. As a result, Goolsarran said that the Committee did not have the benefit of examining the Auditor General’s audit plan to ensure that there is adequate audit coverage of the operations of the Bank, and to provide an input, as is the norm. “Having regard to the above clarifications, it is my sincere hope that readers will not be misled in any way into believing that I was aware of the setting up of a special account at the Bank of Guyana to receive the proceeds of the signing bonus from ExxonMobil and that I was somehow in collusion with the Government to violate Article 2016 of the Constitution and the relevant sections of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act.” “I would be the last person to condone with any violation of the Constitution or our laws relating to the transparency and proper accountability of public resources.” account at the Bank of Guyana to receive the proceeds of the signing bonus from ExxonMobil and that I was somehow in collusion with the Government to violate Article 2016 of the Constitution and the relevant sections of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act.” “I would be the last person to condone with any violation of the Constitution or our laws relating to the transparency and proper accountability of public resources.”
Monday December 11, 2017
PAGE 23
Kaieteur News
GNIC continues to be major player in ship building, manufacturing sector
Silos for TCL Guyana done by GNIC
Prison Launch ML TROY ‘W’ recently constructed and commissioned by GNIC
By: Kiana Wilburg The Guyana National Industrial Company Incorporated (GNIC) has been quietly making a significant contribution to the Guyanese Maritime/Logistics Services and Manufacturing Sectors. This is according to GNIC’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Clinton Williams. The GNIC CEO said that over the years, the entity has been celebrated for its unmatched capacity to build and repair ocean-going and riverine vessels which include coastal trawlers, cargo boats, tugs, passenger ferries, pilot launches, and deck and towing barges. These are only some of the multitude of marine vessels built and repaired with the well tested skills of GNIC’s Technicians and Engineers. SECURITY SECTOR Williams noted that the current Dual Purpose Prison Launch ML TROY ‘W’ (as was the previous vessel ML Godfrey ‘J’) was designed and fabricated by GNIC for the Guyana Prison Service Authority in record time within international specifications/standards for less than 50 percent the price
for such a vessel in the international market. The construction of the ML Troy Passenger Cargo Vessel for the Guyana Prison Service, commenced in May, last and was handed over to the Guyana Prison Service on Saturday last. The Twin Screw Passenger- Cargo Vessel has been designed for harbor and riverine service in Guyana. It has accommodation for 80 passengers above the Main Deck as well as 60 ton cargo space below main deck, forward of the engine room. It contains three watertight bulkheads which divides the hull in four compartments. The vessel was designed with a free running speed to not less than minimum 12 knots. It was be fitted with two Perkins Diesel Engines developing about 500HP. Additionally, the vessel is steel welded in construction and is of ABS Classification Standard. There was a transverse framing throughout, spacing and Engine Room according to design as well as transverse watertight bulkheads continuous from keel to deck to form forepeak, cargo hold, engine room and steering gear compartment. There was also the design and fitting of two rudders to give maximum
GNIC CEO, Clinton Williams steering efficiency for a vessel of this type. This project is the second that GNIC has completed for the Guyana Prison Service in an effort to improve their security services. The previous vessel, ML Godfrey ‘J’, has been working for close to 17 years. It was constructed from June 2001 to October 2001. It was valued at $23.1M. MANUFACTURING/ AGRI. SECTOR According to Williams, GNIC had earlier fabricated and assembled three 1500 tons of Cement Bulk Storage Silos for TCL Guyana Inc which was only recently refurbished also by GNIC at
the request of TCL this year. As for the agriculture sector, Williams said that GNIC recently fabricated and assembled the Stainless Steel Sluice being utilised for irrigation and flood control purposes for the East Demerara Water Conservancy. He said that during last year, GNIC fabricated and delivered a new batch of four pontoons for the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (East Demerara Water Conservancy). They are being utilised by the Ministry of Agriculture under the World Bank Funded Flood Control Programme. “We are in the process of constructing a barge (96Ft x 26Ft) and supplying two excavators together with a suction cutter dredge to dredge all the outfalls along the coastline and the rivers.” For agriculture and sugar in particular, Williams said that a number of punts have been manufactured and delivered to GuySuCo, repairs and maintenance to GuySuCo Pontoons have also been done along with works on molasses storage tanks and fishing trawlers. MARITIME/MINING/ ENERGY As regards Maritime Transportation Sector,
North West District Secondary stages Farrier’s supernatural... (From page 14) “I am satisfied with the performances we produced, because we had our students working around the clock and at the end of it all, you can see that their participation helped to heighted their self-esteem, you can see that they have a renewed sense of purpose because of the exposure that they got.” For this very reason, Barker-King said that the future efforts will be focused on ensuring that even more time and attention is afforded to preparing students for such engagements. This, she believes, will help Guyana to realise even more outstanding results.
Elated that her school not only yielded outstanding performances, Warde said that it was only natural that she take the lead in this regard, since she too was intrigued by drama while a student herself at the very North West District Secondary. “I had a passion for drama since I was in high school,” said the barely 19 years old Warde who became a teacher just over one year ago. She was understandably entrusted by Head Teacher, Ms. Carlotta Joseph, with teaching drama at the school in order to prepare the students to participate in the national festival. “I feel very proud of my
school, my region and my country too,” said Warde who also amplified that the support from various individuals to ensure the students were ready for an overseas platform was phenomenal. Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of her classmates and fellow acting colleagues, Adams [who was awarded for being the best actress in the play] said that she hopes that her school will one day be able to offer Theatre Arts at the level of the Caribbean Examinations Council. “Drama is fun, you can be one person in one moment and a whole other person when
you get into character,” said Adams, as she expressed gratitude that she and her schoolmates were found befitting of a life-changing experience. “We feel excited because we were just a group of students who wanted to be a part of the drama festival, and we not only did that, but we got a chance to represent our country. We found that other students who participated in the festival were writing it for CSEC too, so we need to be doing this too,” said Adams who will be writing CSEC next year. Because of her exposure, Adams foresees acting as a permanent feature in her future.
significant input has been made with respect to drydocking, ship repairs and maintenance to government ferries, The Suction Hopper Dredge Steve ‘N’, Pilot Launches, GDF patrol craft and Demerara Harbour Bridge Pontoons, etc. For the mining and quarrying sector, the GNIC CEO said that there has been the provision of tugs and barges for inland transportation and logistics, apart from offloading, storage and delivery of bulk, break bulk and containerised cargo, allowing for efficient project execution and production operation thereafter such as Guyana Goldfields. In energy, he revealed that GNIC was responsible for the design and fabrication of Fuel Storage Tanks for Guyoil and other sectors as well. EDUCATIONAND TRAINING Williams noted that Technical and Vocational Skill Development and Training in partnership with the Board of Industrial Training where skill sets were generated in the areas of welding and fabrication, electrical installation, fitting and
machining is part of the company’s contribution to poverty alleviation and the empowerment of vulnerable youths, such as school dropouts and those from depressed communities. “This is quite apart and distinct from cargo handling, stevedoring and storage for import and export cargo as agency representative for various International Shipping Lines.” “With respect to the way forward, we are continuously engaging a number of vendors and service providers in the Oil and Gas Sector with a view to expand our services by Logistics and Storage for Pipes, other repairs and maintenance, onshore facility for Supply Crafts between the Oil Rigs and the Land Base Operations.” Williams said that GNIC believes that the movement in this direction will prove to be beneficial not only by expanding the company’s contribution to national development, but also by providing increased employment through a new range of services for these Sectors.
Monday December 11, 2017
Kaieteur News
St Lucia records decline in unemployment CASTRIES, St Lucia CMC – Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, has hailed a drop in the country’s unemployment figures, declaring that his administration is very excited about the development. However Chastanet told reporters that there is a difference between progress and success. “When I say we are making progress, that does not in any way say that we are successful,” Chastanet explained. He described the recent economic figures as indicating that progress is being made. “But by no means is my administration standing up and down shouting that we are successful,” he stated. Figures released last month by the Central Statistics Department, showed that unemployment went from 20.8 percent in the second quarter of 2017 to 16.8 percent in the third quarter – a four percent drop. About 5,000 new jobs were created in the third quarter of this year, according to the figures. However, Chastanet lamented that the percentage drop for youth unemployment is not as significant. He explained that the government is currently coming up with a number of programmes that will assist younger people. “The apprenticeship programme that we are doing – getting young people involved in call centres, the work we are doing in agriculture – and I think you are going to see a substantial
Allen Chastanet amount of empowerment. “When we were in Mexico there was something I saw that I loved – basically it was an App that younger people can get, they would go on the piece of land that they have and the App would tell them through a satellite reading what that land was suitable for,” the Prime Minister told reporters. He disclosed that the App also supplied information in relation to yields and here supplies could be obtained. “I am working with the development bank on several projects – one is the Village Tourism which is to put a support mechanism in so people can open small guest houses, small shops and also vendors – we are looking to create a whole system that would create more entrepreneurs in our society, using tourism as a vehicle for that,” Chastanet, who is a former Tourism Minister observed. “We are doing the same
thing in agriculture where we are now going to be issuing contracts to people so that they no longer have to guess what they have to grow. “They will know what they have to grow, what price they are going to get – the Extension Officers will now focus on them in terms of helping them improve their overall skill sets. Those are again things that will be targeted at the young people in our society,” he noted. The Prime Minister also spoke of a ‘revolution’ in education. He asserted that it must be accepted that the current education system is not delivering to the public and therefore not making a significant contribution to economic growth of Saint Lucia. Chastanet spoke of the need to re-tool the nation’s teachers as part of the process of change. “When we are seeing some of the more successful countries in the world, the common practice is that everybody is upgrading their teachers, so the idea that a teacher could come right out of high school and do two years of training at Sir Arthur (Lewis Community College) and become a certified teacher is not a high enough standard. We need to raise the standard of our teachers,” he declared. “If you have a bad curriculum but great teachers, I think you can be very successful. But if you have a great curriculum and bad teachers, I don’t think you are going to be successful,” Chastanet said.
CARICOM-Cuba Leaders Condemn EU Tax Haven List ST. JOHN’S, Antigua - CMC – Cuba and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders have criticised the European Union over its latest list of global tax havens that has included four Caribbean countries. Earlier last week EU financial ministers named St Lucia, Grenada, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago among 17 countries worldwide, which they claimed had done little to improve their status as tax havens. Caribbean countries have in the past been very critical of being included on these lists insisting that they have done everything as outlined by various European organisations like the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Following the sixth CARICOM-Cuba summit that ended Friday night, the leaders issued a joint statement expressing “deep concern about the inclusion of CARICOM member states in the lists of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions”. The EU said that the new list was compiled through a three-step process including the
pre-selection of 216 countries worldwide using more than 1600 indicators and that all jurisdictions chosen for screening were formally contacted, to explain the process and invite them to engage with the EU. St Vincent and the Grenadines is listed as a jurisdiction with improved fair taxation while Bermuda and the Cayman Islands are listed as jurisdictions which introduced substance requirement. The EU said that as a first step, a letter will be sent to all jurisdictions on the new list, explaining the decision and what they can do to be de-listed. But in their joint statement, the CARICOM and Cuban leaders called for a change in the EU practise of listing countries as tax havens, saying “this approach …serves to negatively impact the economies of small vulnerable states that have implemented recognised international standards and have demonstrated a commitment to engage in cooperation and dialogue to find solutions that are mutually beneficial”.
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Monday December 11, 2017
Haley - Women accusers should be heard, even if Trump is target WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said yesterday that any woman who has felt violated or mistreated by a man has every right to speak up, even if she is accusing President Donald Trump. “Women who accuse anyone should be heard,” Haley said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “They should be heard, and they should be dealt with.” Washington has been roiled by sexual misconduct scandals, with accusations leading to the resignations last week of three members of Congress. The growing wave of women reporting abuse or misconduct has brought down powerful men, from movie producer Harvey Weinstein to popular television personality Matt Lauer. Haley, discussing that cultural shift, applauded the women who have come forward: “I‘m proud of their strength. I‘m proud of their courage.” Asked how people should assess the accusers of the president, Haley said, it was “the same thing.” More than 10 women have accused Trump of sexual misconduct before he was president. While filming a segment of the television programme “Access Hollywood,” he talked about kissing and groping women. Trump has denied the misconduct allegations, although he apologised for his comments, which he called “locker room” talk. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said last week that sexual harassment allegations against Trump were addressed by the American people when they voted him into office in November 2016. Asked whether Trump’s election settled the matter, Haley said: “That’s for the people to decide. I know that he was elected, but women should always feel comfortable coming forward, and we should all be willing to listen to them.” Tomorrow, voters in the heavily Republican state of Alabama will cast their ballots in a race involving Republican Roy Moore, a former state judge, and Democrat Doug Jones, a former U.S. attorney.
Monday December 11, 2017
Kaieteur News
City open up 11 point lead over United with derby win
Nicolas Otamendi volleyed in the winner for Manchester City to take them 11 points clear of rivals Manchester United. (Rex Features) MANCHESTER (Reuters) - MANCHESTER UNITED 1 MANCHESTER CITY 2 Runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City moved 11 points clear at the top after a 2-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in their derby clash yesterday. The victory means City are the first team to win 14 consecutive English topflight games in the same season. The result ended United’s run of 40 home games unbeaten in all competitions. City’s lead over secondplaced United means the title is now theirs to lose and, while Pep Guardiola’s side did not provide a classic display of their manager’s attractive passing football, they showed they have the grit as well as the class to come through the toughest challenges. Jose Mourinho’s team selection suggested United’s manager was intent on playing expansively, with Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford chosen as wide support to central striker Romelu Lukaku. But United struggled to get any of their forward players involved as City dominated possession. Mourinho’s team were let down by poor passing and struggled to keep the ball. Gabriel Jesus, playing as the lone central striker with Sergio Aguero on the bench, had an early opening but shot tamely straight at United keeper David De Gea, as did Raheem Sterling when he wriggled some space. City’s dominance was rewarded in the 43rd minute although the breakthrough was not a product of clever passing but sloppy defending from United at a set-piece.
Romelu Lukaku failed to clear Kevin De Bruyne’s inswinging corner and the ball fell to David Silva, who was played onside by Ashley Young. The Spaniard gratefully hooked the ball home. Poor defending at the other end allowed United to get level before the break. Marcos Rojo hit a hopeful diagonal cross into the City box but Nicolas Otamendi misjudged a header, Fabian Delph hesitated and Marcus Rashford pounced on the loose ball and drove low past Ederson. At the break, City were forced to replace skipper Vincent Kompany with midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, a switch that meant Brazilian Fernandinho moved back into the defence. United were also forced into a change with Marcus Rojo, who had suffered a head injury, replaced by Swedish centre half Victor
Lindelof. City restored their lead nine minutes into the second half after another piece of poor defending. Silva whipped a free-kick into the box and Lukaku, who had a derby to forget, drove an attempted clearance into the back of team mate Chris Smalling. The ball looped to Otamendi who, making amends for his earlier mistake, showed great athleticism to volley home on the half-turn. Guardiola shored up his back line by bringing on defender Eliaquim Mangala for Jesus and allowing Fernandinho to go back into his usual role in the holding midfield position. City had keeper Ederson to thank for the three points after he produced a superb double save at close range six minutes from the end to keep out efforts from Lukaku and Juan Mata.
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Defiant Thomas, Saunders save Hurricanes from Warrican, defeat – 4th day, 6th round BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, CMC – Devon Thomas hit his third first-class hundred and a career-best knock from Akeem Saunders, defying a destructive spell from left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican, that carried Leeward Islands Hurricanes to within reach of a stunning come-from-behind victory over Barbados Pride in the Regional 4-Day Championship before they settled for a draw. Thomas hit the top score of 103 – his first hundred in two years – and Saunders supported with a resolute 64 – his first ever half-century – that propelled the Hurricanes to 286 for eight – just shy of the target of 312 set earlier on the final day of their sixth-round match at Warner Park. The pair defied the Pride attack for close to two hours either side of tea with a stand of 108 for the fifth wicket after the Hurricanes looked in danger of crumbling on 133 for four. They separated about an hour after tea and the Pride attack, led by Warrican with 689 from 28 overs, made a big push for the win, but the Hurricanes tail-enders chose discretion as the best part of valour to bat in the closing stages. The result meant that Pride – entering the match in fifth position on 48 points – earned 8.8 points, gaining three for the result, two batting points after reaching 265 for seven at the 110-over threshold in their first innings, three bowling points and 0.8 pace bowling points. Hurricanes – starting the match in fourth on 49.6 points – finished with 7.4 points that consisted of three for the result, one batting point, two bowling points and 1.4 pace bowling points. The Pride overnight pair of Kenroy Williams, not out 49, and Kevin Stoute, not out on 32, used the first hour of the day to advance the visitors to 163 for four with an unbroken, fifthwicket stand of 79 before they declared. Openers Montcin Hodge and Chesney Hughes gave the Hurricanes the perfect start, scoring at more than five runs an over to share 57 for the first wicket, but they were both dismissed before lunch. Hodge was caught in the deep off Warrican for 33 and Hughes was lbw to parttime off-spinner Kenroy Williams 17.
Resuming from 59 for two after the interval, Nkrumah Bonner and Thomas ushered the Hurricanes past 100 before two more wickets slowed their advance. Bonner was lbw to Warrican for 16, and former Hurricanes leg-spinner and Pride firstinnings bowling hero Hayden Walsh, Jr bowled Jahmar Hamilton for 16. Saunders came out and with Thomas batted through the remainder of the afternoon session to carry the Hurricanes to 186 for four at tea. With a minimum of 31 overs to chase down the remaining 126, Saunders and Thomas continued to score at a steady rate to take the Hurricanes past the 200 mark. Thomas was first to reach his 50 and Saunders soon followed, but was fell to Warrican, trying to push the scoring along, on the stroke of the final drinks break with 71 needed. He batted 102 minutes, faced 101 balls, and struck six fours and two sixes. Thomas duly reached his hundred following the break, but the Hurricanes plans to make the final assault hit a snag, when he was stumped off Warrican with 48 required. He spent 199 minutes at the crease, faced 155 balls, and struck six fours and one six. This opened the game up for the Pride, and they added the scalps of Terrence Warde bowled by Warrican for nine and Hurricanes captain Rahkeem Cornwall caught close to the wicket off the same bowler for 10 before Jeremiah Louis joined Gavin Tonge to bat through the final 20 minutes. Scores: PRIDE 394 (Shayne Moseley 117, Justin Greaves 79 not out, Shamarh Brooks 79, Hayden Walsh Jr 38, Anthony Alleyne 21; Rahkeem Cornwall 51.4-13-1165, Jeremiah Louis 3-80) and 163 for four (Kenroy Williams 49 not out, Kevin Stoute 32 not out, Shamarh Brooks 29, Jonathan Carter 22). HURRICANES 246 (Montcin Hodge 82, Akeem Saunders 31, Devon Thomas 26, Nkrumah Bonner 23, Rahkeem Cornwall 23; Hayden Walsh, Jr 20-2-48-6, Kevin Stoute 458) and 286 for eight (Devon Thomas 103, Akeem Saunders 64, Montcin Hodge 33; Jomel Warrican 28-4-89-6).
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Monday December 11, 2017
Kaieteur News
Robbery attempt stops Guinness Ireland beat Afghanistan in ‘Greatest of the Streets’ semi final final ODI to win series 2-1
Gold is Money, who overcame Bent Street to advance to the final, take time out for a photo. Semi-final action in the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Georgetown Zone, was brought to an abrupt end, following an attempted armed robbery by unknown individuals at the Albouystown Tarmac. Following the conclusion of the first semi-final matchup, the second semifinal fixture between Sparta Boss and Leopold Street was unable to commence, as two assailants attempted to rob a patron of the community, who was wearing several gold chains. Several gunshots were heard as the mammoth crowd dispersed to find safety. The police immediately responded to the incident and took control of the situation which lasted less than a minute. While none of the perpetrators were found, no injury was identified amongst
the spectators and officials. It was then decided by the coordinators Three Peat Promotions, and the Referees, that the second semi-final fixture will be staged tomorrow [Tuesday] at the National Cultural Centre Tarmac from 17:00hrs. Prior to the unpleasant episode, Gold is Money overcame Bent Street in the first semi-final 2-1 on penalty kicks, after normal and extra time ended 1-1, in front of the largest crowd to ever grace the Albouystown facility for the tournament. The mammoth gathering, who braved the rainfall, was treated to an absolute thriller, as Gold is Money held their nerves in the tense penalty shoot-out to clinch their second appearance in the championship matchup. Initially, Randolph Wagner handed Gold is
Money the lead via a third minute conversion. However, Bent Street equalised in the 16th minute, as Travis Lyken found the back of the net. Meanwhile, North East La Penitence will oppose Kingston in the finale of the Guinness Plate Championship, following semi-final wins. North East La Penitence downed GTI Ballers 3-1. Kelvin Moore bagged a hattrick in the 10th, 20th and 25th minutes. On target in the loss was Trevon Calendar in the 16th minute. On the other hand, Kingston humbled Upsetters 6-2. Nigel Denny recorded ‘Guinness Goals’ (GG)-(a goal scored in the final three minutes of the match is counted as two) in the 27th and 29th minute. He was assisted by goals from Colin Clarke and Simon Emanuel in the 20th and 25th minutes respectively. On target in the loss were Orin Yarde and Joash Figueira in the 16th and 21st minutes respectively. Winner of the overall event will walk-away with $500,000 and the championship trophy along with automatic qualification for the National Playoffs. The runner-up, third and fourth placed finishers will receive $250,000, $200,000 and $100,000 respectively. The winner of the Guinness Plate Championship will pocket $60,000. The event is also sponsored by Colours Boutique. Meanwhile, the organizers of the event, Three Peat Promotions, commended the Guyana Police Force (GPF), for their immediate response to dealing with the unsavoury episode.
Paul Stirling plays a shot on his way to a superb 101 against Afghanistan in the final ODI yesterday. (Getty Images) BBC Sport - Paul Stirling’s century steered Ireland to a 2-1 series defeat of Afghanistan with a fivewicket win in the final one-day international in Sharjah. George Dockrell (4-28) and Barry McCarthy (3-32)
helped the Irish dismiss Aghanistan for just 177. Ireland cruised to the target in 38 overs with opener Stirling hitting 101 from 97 balls and Andrew Balbirnie adding a valuable 35. Afghanistan won the
opener before Ireland levelled the series. Javed Ahmadi and Noor Ali Zadran put on an opening partnership of 34 before the wickets began to tumble in the decider. Spinner Dockrell and McCarthy, who took his first five-wicket haul in Thursday’s win, did most of the damage as Afghanistan failed to set a competitive target. Ireland captain William Porterfield fell for just nine before a 62-run partnership between Stirling and Balbirnie laid the foundations for victory. Stirling followed up a fine 82 on Thursday with another impressive knock before he was dismissed by Rashid Khan. Gary Wilson (11) and Kevin O’Brien (10 not out) ensured they would be no collapse as Ireland eased to their target of 178. Scores: Afghanistan 177 (48.2 ov): Zurmatai 44, Khan 44; Dockrell 4-28, McCarthy 3-32; Ireland 180-5 (45.2 ov): Stirling 101, Balbirnie 35; Khan 2-17, Nabi 2-28. Result: Ireland won by five wickets.
Lomachenko stops Rigondeaux to win match of Olympic greats NEW YORK (AP) — Vasyl Lomachenko doesn’t just beat fighters. He makes them quit. Even Guillermo Rigondeaux, who had never even lost a fight as a pro. ‘’I guess I should change my name now to NoMaschenko,’’ Lomachenko said. Lomachenko won their bout Saturday night when Rigondeaux’s corner stopped the fight after six rounds because the boxer was complaining of pain in his left hand. Lomachenko was easily winning boxing’s first pro match between two-time Olympic gold medalists when Rigondeaux and his trainers jointly called for the match to be stopped. Promoter Dino Duva said Rigondeaux first felt pain in the second round and hurt it more significantly in the third. Duva said doctors believed the hand could be broken and were sending the 2000 and 2004 Olympic gold medalist from Cuba to the hospital for X-rays. Duva said the injury came from a punch though Rigondeaux certainly didn’t hit Lomachenko with many of them. ‘’Where did he hurt his hand, in the dressing room?’’ promoter Bob Arum said. Lomachenko (10-1, 8 KOs) earned his seventh straight victory by stoppage and defended his WBO 130-pound title. And for the fourth straight time, his match ended with his opponent quitting. Rigondeaux lost for the first time in his 18 pro fights and was loudly booed afterward by a crowd that was supporting both fighters early in the match. But it was quickly apparent that the 2008 and 2012 gold medalist was too much for the 37-year-old Rigondeaux, the 122-pound champion who was moving up two weight classes for the historic match.
“I adjusted to his style, low blows and all,’’ Lomachenko said. Long one of boxing’s best defensive fighters, even Rigondeaux couldn’t find a way to defend himself against Lomachenko’s onslaught. “It just amazes me what this guy does to an opponent,’’ Duva said. ‘’He just frustrates his opponent so bad you don’t even know what to do.’’ Lomachenko started cautiously but by the third round he had begun finding his way through Rigondeaux’s defense. He was leading 59-54 on two judges’ cards and 60-53 on the other, and a fighter who does as little offensively as Rigondeaux was unlikely to make that up even if he could’ve continued. ‘’I’m going to come back and fight against anybody because there are no excuses,’’ Rigondeaux said through a translator. Rigondeaux would have liked the fight at a lower weight but the height difference may have been a bigger problem. Giving up three inches to the 5-foot-7 Lomachenko, he frequently was caught when he tried to lunge forward for shots and couldn’t slip Lomachenko’s accurate punches, and when he kept trying to duck lower and lower Lomachenko even hit him on top of the head. It was tense in the fifth round, when Rigondeaux was warned for hitting on the break and they jawed at each other after the bell sounded to end the round. But Lomachenko came back and scored with some solid shots in the sixth, and it became a bigger round for him when Rigondeaux had a point deducted for holding. Moments later, it was over.
Monday December 11, 2017
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Kaieteur News
Highlights of Saturday’s NBA games Rain, Ramdin earn Red Force draw with Scorpions – 4th day, 6th round
(The Sports Xchange) Highlights of National Basketball Association games on Saturday: Heat 101, Nets 89 Goran Dragic scored 20 points as the Miami Heat beat the Brooklyn Nets 101-89 in the Global Games in Mexico City on Saturday. Tyler Johnson also scored 20 points for the Heat to follow up his season-high 25point showing in Wednesday’s loss at San Antonio. He helped Miami stay close by scoring 18 of his points before halftime. James Johnson added 17 while Justise Winslow contributed a season-high 15 points and hit a career-best four 3-pointers as Miami shot 46.7 percent from the field. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led the Nets with 18 points and Spencer Dinwiddie contributed 15 and nine assists but it was not enough as Brooklyn dropped its sixth straight game against Miami and appeared fatigued by Mexico City’s over 7,000-foot altitude. Clippers 113, Wizards 112 Lou Williams scored 35 points, including a long threepointer with just over a second remaining, as Los Angeles ended a three-game losing streak with a victory over Washington. Otto Porter Jr scored 27 points and Bradley Beal scored 25, but that total did not count what appeared to be Bradley Beal’s gamewinner as time expired. The game ended in controversial fashion as Beal looked as if he scored the winning basket on a baseline jump shot, but it came just after the buzzer sounded. Referees ruled the clock started too soon and replayed the Wizards’ final possession. Rockets 124, Blazers 117 James Harden scored 48 points as Houston rallied from a 14-point deficit after three quarters for a victory over Portland. Chris Paul added 26 points and seven assists for the Rockets, who extended their win streak to nine games and have won 15 of their last 16 outings. Damian Lillard scored 35 points and CJ McCollum had 28 for the Trail Blazers, who lost four the fourth straight game — all at home. Lakers 110, Hornets 99 Jordan Clarkson scored 22 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, and Los Angeles won its second straight to open a four-game road trip with a victory over Charlotte. The Lakers took charge midway through the fourth quarter of a game that had 19
Dwayne Wade shoot under 76ers forward Robert Covington. (Ken Blaze, USA Today Sports) lead changes and nine ties. They led by as many as 15 in the last five minutes. The Lakers opened the trip with a win at Philadelphia on Thursday. Brandon Ingram added 18 points for the Lakers as part of a balanced attack. The Lakers also got 15 points from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, 13 points from Brook Lopez, 12 points and 14 rebounds from Kyle Kuzma and 12 points from Julius Randle. Hawks 117, Magic 110 Kent Bazemore had two steals and slams and two free throws in the final 30 seconds to help the Atlanta secure a win over Orlando. Bazemore finished with 19 points, 17 of them in the second half, as Atlanta avenged Wednesday’s overtime loss to Orlando and snap a two-game losing streak. Orlando has dropped two straight. Atlanta was led by Ersan Ilyasova, who was 9-for-9 from the field and scored a season-high 26 points. Cavaliers 105, 76ers 98 LeBron James scored or assisted on the Cavaliers’ final 22 points en route to another triple-double in Cleveland’s win. James finished with 30 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists in 39 minutes for his 58th career triple-double during the regular season and third this year. Jeff Green, Kyle Korver, and Dwyane Wade all scored 13 points off Cleveland’s bench. Jae Crowder scored 12 points, including a dagger three-pointer from James with 40.9 seconds left for a 104-98 lead. Bulls 104, Knicks 102 Nikola Mirotic scored 19 points and Kris Dunn scored 17, including a pair of free throws with 2.9 seconds remaining, as Chicago beat New York.
Lauri Markkanen and David Nwaba each scored 15 points for Chicago, which also got 11 points from Robin Lopez and 10 from Bobby Portis. Kristaps Porzingis led New York with 23 points to go along with 14 from Courtney Lee. Bucks 117, Jazz 100 Giannis Antetokounmpo flirted with a triple-double, scoring 37 points with 13 rebounds and seven assists in Milwaukee’s win over Utah. Antetokounmpo, Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton put together another big night offensively, combining for 77 points on 28-of-49 shooting while the Bucks shot 54.3 percent overall. The Jazz set a franchise record for three-pointers when they hit 18 against the Bucks two weeks ago but were 8-for-23 from beyond the arc and shot just 43.4 percent overall. Spurs 104, Suns 101 LaMarcus Aldridge scored 20 points and Bryn Forbes hit a three-pointer with 21.5 seconds left as shorthanded San Antonio posted a win over Phoenix. Trailing by 19 points in the third quarter, the Suns got back into the game with a 269 run and took their first lead of the game at 100-99 on a Marquese Chriss runaway slam with 1:19 left. But after Josh Jackson made one of two free throws to extend the lead to two, Patty Mills found Forbes alone in front of the Spurs bench for his first made threepointerin six tries to give San Antonio the lead for good. Thunder 102, Grizzlies 101 (OT) Russell Westbrook completed another tripledouble just in time to give Oklahoma City a muchneeded road victory in overtime, against free-falling Memphis.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Rain and defiant batting led by their captain Denesh Ramdin came to the rescue of Trinidad & To b a g o R e d F o r c e a n d earned them a draw with Jamaica Scorpions in the Regional 4-Day Championship yesterday. Ramdin was unbeaten on 52 and shared a crucial fifth-wicket stand with Tion Webster that carried the Red Force to 162 for six when rain stopped play about six minutes after tea on the final day of their sixth-round match at Sabina Park. Red Force – starting the day still 271 in arrears – were reeling on 62 for four, but Webster came to the crease and shared 58 with Ramdin to stem the fall of wickets before he was stumped off leg-spinner Damion Jacobs for 30. Ramdin was also involved in another defiant stand with veteran Imran Khan that had yielded 40 when the rain came and saved the Red Force from defeat. The result meant that Scorpions – starting the match in third on 55 points – gained 12.6 points. This included three for the result, the maximum five batting points, after
reaching 432 for five at the 110-over threshold in their first innings, in addition to three bowling points and 1.6 pace bowling points. Red Force – entering the match second on 61.8 points – earned 5.8 points. They collected three for the result, as well as one batting point, one bowling point and 0.8 pace bowling points. Starting the day on 21 for one, Red Force suffered an almost immediate setback, when Reynard Leveridge bowled Yannic Cariah for a duck in the second over without addition to the overnight total. For the next 40 minutes, Ewart Nicholson came to the crease and defied the Scorpions’ attack with lefthanded opener Jeremy Solozano before he was caught close to the wicket off Odean Smith for 17. Solozano continued the fight for another 10 overs before he fell for 23, giving part-time off-spinner John Campbell a return catch. For a shade over an hour, Ramdin and Webster held the Scorpions bowlers at bay, but two wickets in the space of seven balls left Red Force woozy. Webster was dismissed and Leveridge bowled
Roshon Primus for one, leaving Red Force 123 for six, but Khan arrived and with Ramdin further frustrated the Scorpions for close to an hour and a half either side of tea before the weather brought play to a halt. In the next round, the final match before the long C h r i s t m a s / N e w Ye a r ’s holiday break, Red Force host Barbados Pride in a renewal of their fierce rivalry at the Brian Lara Cricket Ground in Trinidad a n d Wi n d w a r d I s l a n d s Vo l c a n o e s welcome Scorpions to the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St. Lucia for a day/night affair. Scores: RED FORCE 243 (Jeremy Solozano 62, Ewart Nicholson 50, Amir Jangoo 39, Tion Webster 29; John Campbell 4-40, Derval Green 4-45) and 163 for six (Denesh Ramdin 52 not out, Tion We b s t e r 3 0 , J e re m y Solozano 23; Reynard Leveridge 3-23). S C O R P I O N S 535 (John Campbell 156, Paul Palmer 136, Brandon King 63, Odean Smith 54, Aldaine Thomas 49, Derval Green 25; Daniel St. Clair 4-67, Imran Khan 3-180, Khary Pierre 2-83).
First ever ‘Tie’ in Regional First-Class... From page 31 The Jamaican Umpire Christopher Taylor further stalled when he tried to verify the score from the Match Referee and third Umpire on ‘Walkie Talkies’ that seemed to be malfunctioning and Bramble, with not the calmest head in the world, was made to wait longer. When the action eventually resumed a confused looking Bramble, who batted Jaguars to the brink of victory with some entertaining shots, neither went forward or back and played no shot and the ball cannoned into his pad. A raucous appeal went up and so did Taylor’s finger to spark contrasting emotions. Shillingford and his team erupted in celebrations as if they had won the World Cup, while a depressed looking Bramble stayed a long time at the crease after the decision not believing what had happened a few moments ago before, looking a sorry sight, despondently made his back to the pavilion. When play began, Singh, with two centuries and two half-centuries this season, soon reached his 12th fifty at this level but just when the little left hander, who only has less runs than Devon Smith’s 612, was eying another not out, he was LBW to Shillingford at 118-5. Singh faced 95 balls in his 56 which was decorated with eight well struck boundaries and his demise triggered a dramatic collapse as Shillingford went to work and almost got his team over the line. Sherfane Rutherford (2) was removed by Johnson at 126-6, Kemo Paul (3) ran himself out at 138-7 and Veerasammy Permaul (5) and
Gudakesh Motie (0) were sent packing with the score on 158. Bramble was fast running out of partners and with only last man Keon Joseph to come, the panic button was activated. Ironically, it was Bramble who was dismissed as the Volcanoes, who floored three catches late on the third afternoon, handled the situation better than their Guyanese counterparts as the pressure mounted in the dying stages of what turned to be a very competitive game. Meanwhile, Jaguars head Coach Esuan Crandon said his side did not play well in this game adding that the batting was way below expectations. “Volcanoes bowlers utilized the conditions a little better than us. Our batsmen didn’t display enough fight and determination. Our bowlers did a fantastic job in the first innings by restricting them for 117 but we didn’t bowl that well in the second innings, allowing them to score over two hundred runs,” said Crandon. Speaking of the mood in the Jaguars camp after the games was tied Crandon informed that everyone were disappointed with the result because they felt that Jaguars should have won from their overnight position. “Nevertheless we are happy that we didn’t lose the game and was able to gain some crucial points which still give us a big lead going into the next match,” concluded Crandon. The next match for the Jaguars is a day/ night contest against the Leewards Hurricanes from Thursday at Providence.
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Monday December 11, 2017
Kaieteur News
Windies up against it Chase Academy former students after batting collapses supports Nedd & Persaud among 5 Guyanese picked for U-19 World Cup
Kieran Powell practices what he didn’t do play with the bat close to the pad - as he got a thin inside edge through to the wicketkeeper ©Getty Images HAMILTON, New Zealand, CMC – West Indies’ batting crumbled meekly on day two of the second Test against New Zealand here yesterday, leaving the Caribbean side needing a Herculean effort to stay alive in the contest at Seddon Park. Replying to the hosts’ 373, the Windies started badly and never really recovered, finishing the day on 215 for eight in their first innings – still 158 runs adrift of the lead. Not for the first time in recent history, opener Kraigg Brathwaite was the only shining light, leading by example in his first match as skipper with a top-score of 66. Wi c k e t k e e p e r S h a n e Dowrich made a dashing 35, Shimron Hetmyer got 28 while debutant Raymon Reifer was propped up the innings deep in the final session with an unbeaten 22. But opener Kieran Powell failed to score, Shai Hope and Roston Chase were left still looking for a significant score in the series while rookie Sunil Ambris trod on his stumps for the second time in three innings, to continue his bizarre start to his Test career. New Zealand’s bowlers were steady without ever being spectacular, with the seam quartet of Tim Southee (2-34), Colin de Grandhomme (2-40), Trent Boult (2-67) and Neil Wagner (2-73) each picking up two wickets.
West Indies had earlier endured frustration as New Zealand converted their overnight 286 for seven into a competitive first innings. They did well to remove the overnight pair of Tom Blundell (28) and Neil Wagner (1) cheaply for the addition of just 26 runs but were then held up by a lastwicket stand of 61 between Boult and Southee. Boult played with gay abandon in a 27-ball knock that included five fours and two sixes and Southee joined with a four and a pair of sixes, in an entertaining 39-ball innings. Seamer Kemar Roach finally ended the innings 45 minutes before lunch when he took a low caught and bowled chance to his right, to remove Southee. Speedster Shannon Gabriel finished with four 119 and Roach, three for 58, while Miguel Cummins ended with two for 57. Left with a tricky period to navigate, the Windies’ misery increased when Powell sparred at the sixth ball of the innings from Southee and was caught at the wicket with five runs on the board. On 24 for one at lunch, We s t I n d i e s b e n e f i t t e d from two small partnerships afterwards, Brathwaite adding 41 for the second wicket with Hetmyer and a further 44 for the third wicket with Hope who made 15. Only 55 minutes play were possible in the
second session because of rain, in which time Hetmyer showed flashes of his usual aggression before playing too early at one from Boult and watching as the leftarmer pulled off a brilliant one-handed return catch diving to his left. The 20-year-old lefthander struck four fours and a six – a top-edged hook to fine leg off Boult. When the rains arrived, the Windies were 87 for two with Brathwaite and Hope together, and when they returned 20 minutes after the scheduled tea interval, the slump ensued. Hope, unbeaten on 14 at the rain break, added just one before falling 10 minutes following the resumption, edging Southee to Ross Taylor at first slip. It all then went downhill quickly for West Indies as five wickets tumbled for 70 runs. Chase was bowled for 12 driving down the wrong line at de Grandhomme and Ambris (2), in only his second Test, astonishingly stepped on his wicket again attempting to turn a delivery into the on-side off the back foot. Brathwaite, dropped on 1 4 b y To m L a t h a m o ff Boult, struck nine fours and a six in 116 balls at the crease before finally succumbing to a brilliant catch at short cover by Southee, driving uppishingly at de Grandhomme. Tottering on 135 for six, Dowrich arrived to stroke seven fours in an up tempo 45-ball innings, adding 34 with Reifer. He eventually paid for his aggression, topedging a pull to be caught and bowled by Wagner. Reifer anchored the lower order, putting on 35 with Roach (17) before seeing out the day in partnership with Cummins (10 not out). Scores: NEW ZEALAND 373 (Jeet Raval 84, Colin de Grandhomme 58, Kane Williamson 43, Trent Boult 37 not out, Tim Southee 31, Tom Blundell 28, Mitchell Santner 24; Shannon Gabriel 4-119, Kemar Roach 3-58, Miguel Cummins 2-57). WEST INDIES 215 for eight (Kraigg Brathwaite 66, Shane Dowrich 35, Shimron Hetmyer 28, Raymon Reifer 22 not out; Tim Southee 234, Colin de Grandhomme 240, Trent Boult 2-67, Neil Wagner 2-73).
Owner of Chase Academy Henry Chase is flanked by former students Joshua Persaud (left) and Ashmead Nedd who were selected for the Windies U-19 side for next year’s World Cup. (Sean Devers photo) Owner of Chase Academy Henry Chase made a donation of cricketing items to leftarm spinner Ashmead Nedd and batsman congratulated Joshua Persaud on Saturday at the Providence Stadium. Both teenagers are former students of Educational Institution and among five Guyanese selected for the West Indies team that will play in next year’s Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand.
Chase said he was inspired by the Motorcade send-off afforded to the lone St Lucian in the squad and was motivated do something to help his former Students who have made their family, School, Communities and the entire Nation proud. Chase also congratulated Bhaskar Yadram, Renaldo Ail-Mohammed and Renaldo Perez, the other players from Guyana.
LGC/FGN UK donate nets for local cricket clubs
Anil Persaud (2nd from right) and representatives of various clubs display the nets. London Guyanese Cricketers (LGC) and the Federation of Guyanese Nationals (FGN) UK have presented a number of cricket practice nets to several clubs in Guyana. The presentation took place recently at Enmore Cricket Club ground where clubs on the East Coast of Demerara, Good Success of Wakenaam and Chesney in Berbice received their nets which will be used to facilitate practice sessions.
Anil Persaud of Enmore expressed gratitude to the London based organizations and said the nets will be of tremendous benefit to the clubs since both senior and junior players’ practice simultaneously. He added that nets will help to ensure the safety of players especially the younger ones who are usually involve in coaching sessions around the boundary area. Persaud urged the clubs to make full use of the nets.