Kaieteur News
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Friday December 28, 2018
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
GUYANA’S FUTURE UP IN THE AIR (Guest Editorial)
W
ith the sudden defeat of the David Grangerled coalition government in the noconfidence motion in Parliament on Friday, December 21, almost every aspect of Guyana society is now in flux. Many are confused and are wondering what the future holds. Others are worried that the situation could descend into chaos and mayhem. It took only one second to unseat the government, which has been in power for only three and a half years, but it would probably take several months or years for it to regain power. The actions of one government Member of Parliament (MP), Charrandass Persaud, has halted the procedures in Parliament, crushed the festive spirit of thousands of people and dampened their hopes for the New Year. It was indeed a difficult Christmas for many of our citizens, who in their wildest dreams could not have foreseen the defeat of the government. But there is usually a silver lining in every dark cloud. Hours after the Granger government lost its slender majority of one seat in the National Assembly, Venezuela’s navy intercepted a ship from Norway which was hired by the U.S oil giant, ExxonMobil, to perform seismic operations on the Stabroek Block in the Essequibo Region. The incident reignited a century-old conflict with Venezuela over its perceived claim of ownership of the oil rich Essequibo County, which makes up about two-thirds of Guyana’s territory. Attempts to solve the border dispute through the “Good Offices” of the United Nations have failed, and are being adjudicated by the International Court of Justice. The incident occurred at a time when there is much uncertainty and anxiety in Guyana, but the people are hoping that the elections which are due in three months’ time would end the uncertainty and restore stability in the country. The victorious party needs a strong mandate to either govern outright or form a coalition government that would not be as vulnerable as the current Granger led-coalition government proved to be. With the defeat of his coalition government, question marks remain over President Granger’s future role, if any, given his illness. But it has been suggested that Mr. Granger will be the Presidental candidate for the coalition in the upcoming elections. The toppling of the government also threatens to profoundly alter the regional security landscape at a time when Venezuela’s decline has exposed vulnerabilities. Many will be looking for assurances from the major political parties as to whether they will maintain the commitments entered into by President Granger. They include the handling of the country’s border dispute with Venezuela, as well as initiatives such as the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago to integrate and develop their energy sectors. Over the years, Guyana has experienced various modes of governance including coalitions and governments with outright majorities. The experience is a reminder of how both modes can easily see governments abruptly toppled. The two major political parties should take note and remember the adage “when your neighbour’s house is on fire wet your own.” In explaining why he voted against the government in the no-confidence motion, the AFC back-bench MP, Charrandass Persaud, said,”If I die now because people may not be happy with what I have done I will die a happy person. I will have a clear conscience.” In the coming elections, the nation must move beyond that tone and enforce its burgeoning tradition of peaceful electoral campaigns and fair elections.
Editor’s Note; If your sent letter was not published and you felt its contents were valid and devoid of libel or personal attacks, please contact us by phone or email.
Time for a broad–based National Government DEAR EDITOR, When will our political leaders and political parties honestly face and address the reality of more than six decades of race and political divisions that have stifled the social and economic development of our people and country, under the dominance of the PPP and PNC over these years, with the winner-take-all system? When will our land be liberated from this scourge of political and racial divisions and conflicts for the national good? The political parties and political leaders must let the past go and look to the future in the national interest, and seek political reconciliation through their own internal and intra-party truth/confession/reflection
in joint sessions. The political leaders and political parties must now put the nation’s interest above self and party interest.There is widespread national concern about the continuation of this situation, which beckons and calls on the leadership of the PNC and the PPP, and their political parties, to meet and confer in good faith to agree on the creation of a constitutionally broad-based government, based on the results of free and fair general elections in 2020 - and also to agree on a programme for national development for the social, economic, and human development. Timely constitutional changes/amendments are required. Immediate discussions by
the political parties on c o n s t i t u t i o n a l reform/amendments to establish a broad-based government should consider: •A Government be constituted by at least twothirds of elected members of the National Assembly to include every political party which obtained 15% of the seats in the National Assembly; •Members of the National Assembly to elect the President and Vice-President by two–thirds majority at the first session of the National Assembly following general elections; • The provision for one Vice President only, and abolish the misnomer of the title of “Prime Minister”; • The number of
Ministries should be no more than 21, set constitutionally; • National budget must secure a two-thirds vote of the National Assembly; •One election for the National Assembly and regional authorities • fixed election day every five years; •Establish a professional, neutral, and politically impartial Public Service by Law; •Appoint a genuinely independent, neutral, and politically impartial Public Service Commission; •The Public Service Commission to also appoint all Permanent Secretaries and all Regional Executive Officers based on merit. With thanks. Joshua Singh
A legitimate question that I must respond to DEAREDITOR, Since the formation of A New and United Guyana (ANUG) was announced, some have enquired 'he been deh (a minister) so longwhatheeverdo?' In the current context, it is a legitimate question, and not to take too much of your time, I will begin from the beginning (1992) and restrict myself to what I consider the main accomplishments of the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security (MLHSSS), of which I was the senior minister (Indra Chandarpal was the junior minister). However, I can assure you and possibly will have to, that I can make a similar presentation for any of the ministriesIled. It cannot be denied that between 1992 and 1997 whenIwastheminister,the most important labour and related legislation in Guyana's postindependence history, which on a daily basis still a ff e c t s t h e l i v e s o f thousands of people, was enactedandimplemented. The Trade Union Recognition Act, which provides for workers to be represented by the union of their choice, was passed in 1997. Since 1953 it had eluded and contributed to the fall of PPP
governments in 1953 and 1963. The Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act, which provided for the first time a national benchmark to which employers must adhere. Since then, thousands of working people have benefitted from severance pay, as have the recently terminated 7,000 sugar workers, whom the courts have now decided must be paid interest on their severance entitlement. The Occupational Health and Safety Act, at the time perhapsthemostmodernin
the Caricom region, provides for safety committees to be established in every enterprise with more than twenty employees. 1993 to 2000 can easily be defined asthegoldeneraof OSH: inspections of workplaces increased by 20% and there was a 72% reduction in the number of reported workplace accidents (industrial accidents reduced from 8,383 in 1993 to 2,370 in 1999).Daysandwageslost were reduced by approximately 85% between1993and2000.
In 1995 the Domestic Violence Act was passed and Help & Shelter is still in the building that allocated to it freeofchargeanditsshelter for abused and trafficked women and their female and pre-pubescent male children is still at the place I provided. The Prevention of Discrimination Act made it unlawful to discriminate on grounds of race, religion, pregnancy, disability, etc. in the workplaceandelsewhere. The Guyana Relief Council was (Continued on page 6)
Pausing during the Division on the No-confidence Motion DEAR EDITOR, I wish to refer to Stabroek News article of Thursday, 27th December, 2018, where Mr. Charrandas Persaud accused me of stopping the vote during the division on the noconfidence motion after he said yes, and wish to state that I did not stop after calling the name of Mr. Charrandas Persaud. I went on to call the name of Mr. Jermaine Figueira, but paused due to the uproar which started as soon as Mr. Charrandas Persaud said yes. This can clearly be seen from video recordings of the division.Mr. Charrandas Persaud may be a lawyer, but Parliamentary Practice may evade him. Parliamentary Practice has taught me that, when there is disruption in the House during a division, the Clerk must stop taking the division. I therefore had no option but to stop and to ensure that the vote of the Member was correctly taken. This is the rule in Parliaments the world over. I am aware that one of the risks of the job of the Clerk is that, when anything is
perceived to have gone wrong, he or she is blamed for supporting one side of the House or the other. For example, in 2011, when I did not accede to the request of the then Opposition to convene a Sitting of the National Assembly to allow for a noconfidence motion to be moved, I was accused of being a supporter of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C). On this occasion, because I paused to ensure that Mr. Charrandas Persaud’s vote was correctly taken, I am accused of being a supporter of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government.I wish to remind Mr. Charrandas Persaud that, as Clerk of the National Assembly, I have always performed the functions of my office professionally, that is, without fear, favour or partiality, and will continue to do so until the end of my tenure. Yours sincerely, S. E. Isaacs Clerk of the National Assembly
Friday December 28, 2018
Using the recent occurrence in parliament as a teaching opportunity DEAR EDITOR, In our political process, members of parliament are not elected by a specific community to be its representative. In our system, parties win a number of votes, and these votes are given worth in terms of allocation of seats to the national assembly. Persons occupying seats in parliament do so therefore, as representatives of the party that places trust in them to represent its agenda. Therefore, to offer oneself and to accept a seat in parliament means that one is signaling commitment to represent the interest of the party one was sent to represent. In this sense, as a party’s representative your vote is not your own. It is true however, that there will be occasions and issues on which the party will release members to vote their ‘conscience.’ Here again, in a sense, one is adhering to the decisions, the lead of the party one has sworn to represent, even as one exercises his/her freedom. Further, parties release members to vote their conscience, usually on narrow specific social issues – should same sex marriages be made legal? Should parents be consulted before a child under the age of 17, is allowed to have an abortion? To claim a right to vote against the party you swore to represent, in its fight to hold on to the most basic pursuit of political parties – power, is at least mischievous. If, and when, one ceases to support the positions of the party that one agreed to represent in parliament, then the decent thing to do is to state one’s discontent to the leadership. If in the end one’s concerns are not given attention to one’s satisfaction, then the appropriate thing to do is to resign from the party that had bestowed on you the privilege to serve. One is then free to seek a home within a party whose philosophy, behaviour is consistent with one’s values, or alternatively, retire from competitive party politics
altogether. This is what civilized behaviour demands. Dissatisfaction cannot and must not be allowed to become a legitimate justification for treachery. The Secretary of Defence in the Republican Government here in the USA, became dissatisfied with the government he represents and the president in particular. After privately airing his dissatisfaction, things reached the point where he recognized the disagreements with his president could not be rectified and camaraderie unlikely to be restored. He therefore submitted his letter of resignation, in which he laid out his dissatisfactions and his decision for leaving the administration. James Mattis’s articulation was forceful, but respectful, and his reasoning logically articulated. This is the essence of proper, civilized behaviour when one disagrees with their political leadership. General Mattis did not wait for an opportunity to embarrass and betray his comrades as a way of dramatizing his dissatisfaction; he knew such behaviour would be unbecoming, wrong. Today, leading politicians of both major parties in the USA are encouraging all Americans to read Mattis’s letter of resignation, and demanding that it be preserved for posterity. For it stands as an outstanding document of how one behaves when, previously close and trusted relationships can no longer be maintained. In the light of this, what is the message that the recent behaviour of a dissatisfied member of parliament, leaving for posterity – for our children? In defence of his actions, Mr Charrandass Persaud tells us that he did what he did at parliament on 21st December 2018, because he was incensed by what Minister Lawrence said to her party supporters and disappointed by Minister Trotman’s response or lack of same, to his (Mr. Persaud’s) expressed concerns. This tendency to blame others for our
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behaviour is not new, and regrettably, is beginning to dominate our culture. The Guyana Chronicle of 30th December 2017 tells us of a young man who was jailed for stealing his boss’s vehicle. In court, in defence of his action, he told the court he had no remorse since the boss owed him money. Similarly, in the Chronicle of 20th June 2018, we read of another young man, in pleading not guilty to a charge of robbery, offered, as justification for his action, the excuse that the virtual complainant had threatened to kill him and had also pointed his finger in his face. Sadly, our children have already learnt (from the likes of this ex-parliamentarian) a terrible truth - that in some circles, blaming others for our behaviour, is acceptable. In this regard, the danger of the e x - p a r l i a m e n t a r i a n ’s behaviour on Friday 21st December, 2018, is that it lends support to those who seek to popularize among the young, this unhealthy tendency of blaming others for their behaviour. Knowing this and recognizing the threat that such a tendency poses to the fibre of our society, as parents, we must use the incident of Friday 21st December, 2018 for teaching our children an important life lesson. Parents could use this incident for teaching children the need to take responsibility for their actions. This is how we must encourage our children to understand this recent behavior at parliament, this is how they must be encouraged to understand life, and take this understanding into consideration before they act. For us to focus merely on the raw political consequence of the ex-member of parliament’s behaviour, will be a missed opportunity. Mr. Persaud’s behaviour gave rise to the need for attention to be given to other equally as important, if not greater concerns threatening our society today. Respectfully, Claudius Prince
THE LION AND THE MOUSE DEAR EDITOR, When I was a little boy growing up, one of the adored bedtime stories that my grandmother often read to me was that of ‘the Lion and the Mouse’. Recent developments in Guyana brought back fresh memories of that story. The mouse remained insignificant and even easy prey in the Lion’s eyes, until the day that a hunter’s net entrapped the Lion. It was the very insignificant mouse who was able to methodically bite a big enough hole in the hunter’s net, which enabled the lion’s escape. In Guyana, many persons, their contributions, hints, tips or inputs are viewed as insignificant, simply because they may not hold fancy titles or are little known of. The usual retort is “who is he/ she?” This is too often the cited
attitude of many lions and lionesses in Guyana. Some hold elevated positions in the corporate world, some in political offices, others in organizations, and even in religious groups. The hierarchies within those circles are suspects of an unpleasant trend, of which anything originating from the standpoint of perceived lesser mortals are almost immediately dismissed. Guyana finds itself at a critical juncture today because of the failure to heed. What took place in our National Assembly on December 21, 2018, was no major surprise to some of us. For months there were warnings and indications of some evolving form of dissent from within. Some individuals were just too busy with their own agendas to take heed to anything. Some were only prepared to hear those who
aren’t considered or perceived ‘mice’, and even if they heard, listening and appropriately responding to ongoing murmurs or direct discussions were either halfheartedly slow or nonexistent. The intelligence capability of the government failed miserably. The attitude and perhaps even some individuals within the current government need to be changed immediately if they are serious about continuity. Much is at stake. The goodwill of government’s local and international support now hangs precariously in the balance because of their exposed vulnerability. The story of the ‘Lion and the mouse’ is a timely reminder to the government that no one is insignificant, nor should anything be taken for granted. Yours faithfully, Orette Cutting
REPRESENTATION
DEAR EDITOR, “From the time the Dead Sea was young” we have all been told that Guyana is a Land of Many Waters and Many Peoples. It is conspicuous to anyone looking at Parliament Members to see an absence of minority ethnic representation, and thus gives a lie to the much touted claim. This is a poor image of the country. I am not one for copying what other countries do, but we know of the term “affirmative action” in support of minority representation. Something of this sort is obviously missing in Guyana. The ‘no confidence motion’ currently being carried out illustrates that Leaders are “a one in a million bunch’ born and not cultivated. Those who step out from the crowd to be counted. It can easily be seen that Guyana is a land of the expected and anything else throws everyone in loop. However there comes a moment of enlightenment. Even at this eleventh hour of dealing with oil extraction,
no vision of this future of unbeknown wealth has emerged to inform the public to see where we all fit in. This now being a blank slate, political parties would endeavour to present their views and plans for a satisfactory future. Power is now in the hands of the people. The primary issue has to be the neutralizing of the Venezuela menace by whatever means necessary. Some people just have to learn the hard way. They can’t feed themselves, but planning to make war while believing their own lie. This is not going to
be done in secrecy as is done with O&G extraction. The meeting of the long East-West prologue will culminate here. Now is the time for political parties to speak on this matter. This is State sponsored terrorism. Send their hungry people back to them, tell Guyanese to get back to Guyana immediately; what could they be eating over there? When those despots pull red herrings over their people there is a price to be paid. Like we say to little children – Leave people things alone! Damn-it. John De Barros
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The no-confidence vote is final Dear Editor, It is quite ironic that over the past years, at least after the 2011 General Elections, a parliamentary majority has always been defined by a vote of 33:32, but not unexpectedly but quite Quixotic, the recent support of the no-confidence motion by a vote of 33:32 is not seen as a majority by the losers of the ‘good life’. The ‘good life’ posse is now in denial. According to lawyer cum mathematician, Nigel Hughes, a majority vote in Guyana’s parliament of 65 members is now deemed to be 34 and not 33. The number of members as determined by the National Assembly is 65. This learned legal luminary should know that the reason why there are 65 members in the National Assembly rather than 66 is because of the need to avoid a tie and so frustrate the functions of this supreme lawmaking body of the land. This is no accident and certainly not co-incidental and Hughes’ vast knowledge of constitutional laws and its interpretation should afford him an accurate analysis and interpretation of Article 106 (6) which unambiguously states that, ‘The Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of ALL elected members of the National Assembly’. The ‘elected members’ totaled 65 and a majority is 33. When the Opposition, on 15th August, 2014 tabled a
‘no-confidence’ brought about by Nagamootoo against the PPP/C Government the majority would have been deemed to be 33 if Parliament was not prorogued by then President Donald Ramotar. No one at the time had argued that if the ‘noconfidence’ was put to the vote that 34 votes would have been needed. Therefore, the pertinent question is: Has this ‘majority’ changed on 21st December 2018? Furthermore, all the Budget cuts after 2011 General Elections should have to now be deemed illegal, the passing of the Budgets after 2015 should all be deemed illegal since all were voted with a majority of 33:32. The Constitution is not about rounding of figures since a member cannot be halved and subjected to the rounding off. The vote of 33:32 is a clear majority and many organizations recognize this fact, hence the reason for electing odd numbers so as not to stymie and obstruct the fulfilment of the functions of such organizations where voting on decisions are inevitable and vital. Some questions need to be answered: What would have been the case if the Government side obtained 33 votes? Would Nigel Hughes have said that they needed 34? Or would the ‘no-confidence’ motion be struck down by the Speaker? Of course the ‘no-confidence’ motion would have
been defeated! All the members on the Government side knew this and commanded their members to the point of threatening them that they should vote ‘no’! The high drama, the liberal use of expletives by the Government MPs, the uncouth and unprofessional behaviour of some supported this. They knew that the 33:32 is all that is needed, but now is time to deny that the false confidence of ‘bring it on’ has now resulted in no confidence. It is heartening to see that the Guyana Bar Association has condemned and totally rejected the ‘unofficial calculation of the no-confidence’ and has called for elections by March. The Association ‘urged Guyanese to ignore Attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes’ calculation that 34 of the 65 votes in the National Assembly are needed’ to pass that Motion. I do believe that Mr Hughes should have been more circumspect about his premature public utterance. The no-confidence vote is final! The Leader of the Opposition, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has led his people out of PNC bondage in just three and a half years. Guyanese are now in sight of the ‘good life’ in 2019 and should not allow traitors like those in the AFC to snatch this away from them! Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf RDC Councilor-Region 6
A legitimate question that I must ... From page 4 registered as an NGO in 1994. Before that it was a stultified department in the ministry. Since its formation, mostly by way of its own fund- raising, it established an emergency shelter that can house 100 persons and helped thousands of persons. The fact that in 2011, the council was awarded our national Medal of Service for the contributions it has made to our society and particularly the poor and powerless, speaks for itself. The Shops Act was amended to radically change when we can shop in Guyana: expanding opening hours to 8pm and enabling shops to open on Sundays and some public holidays, and for the workers to be protected in such establishments. The vision was to modernise and make industrial relations adjudication as independent as possible. At one point, the Department of Labour had only 4 labour officers, but by 1996 it had 14 and labour inspections increased from
about 100 to over 1,000 per year. To round off this vision, when I was about to leave the ministry, I wrote that the following was left to be accomplished, and they are still to be done: Pass the Industrial Tribunal Bill which was at the time being discussed by the social partners. Develop an independent mediation and conciliation service
A minister can only develop a vision, make, drive and monitor policy. So to gain consensus, my first act upon entering the ministry was to organise a national tripartite committee of government, labour and the private sector. If that committee had not existed and the workers in the ministry give of the best, the above would not have been accomplished. Henry B. Jeffrey
Intrigued and excited by the Liberal and Justice Party DEAR EDITOR I am indeed intrigued and excited by the upcoming launch of the Liberal and Justice Party (LJP) in Guyana by Mr. Lenox Shuman.If the recently concluded Local Government Elections (LGE) is anything to go by, the people are fed-up with the APNU+AFC and PPP/C politics of old. They want change. REAL CHANGE; not exchange. This new political party can and will make inroads into both the APNU+AFC and the PPP/C bases, which is a good thing. I wish the LJP good luck and all the best for the future. Yours Faithfully Sean Ori
Friday December 28, 2018
My New Year Resolution for Guyana DEAR EDITOR, Sometimes people do not want to hear the truth for fear of getting their illusion destroyed. According to Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, the German philosopher, poet and cultural critic, “He who has a why to live can endure almost any how”. Strangely that is the current state in which all or most of the residents of Guyana find themselves. There is a heavy degree of hopelessness in the air, and this shows itself differently depending on one’s social economic status. In just a matter of days the beginning of a new year will be upon us. While many are looking forward to a brand new year, others of us reflect on the ones that have passed. Knowing full well that the past cannot be changed, or relived in any sense of the word, nevertheless if I were magically granted a few wishes, I would start with these resolutions for Guyana in 2019. •I wish that they could figure out a way to eliminate the ongoing acceptance of vulgarity in Guyanese society, especially among the Government figures. • I wish the politicians would exercise common sense and work to make themselves worthy of the political position they hold. • That the MPs would always display political class and never pull a Charrandass. • That the government along with the people of Guyana realize now more than ever, that success would only be achieved by coming together, in spite of even the most deeply- held differences. • That we must chide, not hide, those who set about to divide • Starting at home and then abroad, the current government should totally eradicate corruption and fraud. • That no sane-thinking Guyanese should
gloat over the latest no-confidence vote. While they may find it hard to take, the Coalition faces the most critical of Guyanese elections, with a lot at stake. • That the Coalition quickly recuperate, strengthen its base and quicken its pace. • That the people of Guyana are prepared to toil and not depend on wealth from the discovery of oil. • That the APNU/ AFC now understand and it is clear for all to see, they governed as if they had a large majority, even affecting the sugar industry. •That come 2019 the new government whomsoever they may be, will expend adequate time bringing about a reduction in crime. • As for the youth, well to tell the truth, new challenges the government must meet to keep the young ones off the street. Programs must be instituted so that youths can learn that getting an education is the surest way a living to earn. • That the Police Department including the Top Brass would serve and protect the public by delivering a service first class. As humans we tend to lose sight of our goals, a few days or perhaps weeks into the new year, and our direction becomes somewhat derailed. However, with the task that lies ahead, it is important that all Guyanese seek after a better life, one which is productive and fruitful, individually, and to those around us. The issues to be faced are interconnected and interrelated, and as such require a comprehensive and joint approach (working together)—silo approaches are fruitless. So to my fellow Guyanese, all the best as you approach the new year. History is yours for both the making and the taking. Go Boldly Forth. Yvonne Sam
Next year the next chapter of our history begins – my hope that it is on a different page DEAR EDITOR, The country has predictably been set into uproar because of the decision made by Alliance For Change Parliamentarian Charrandass Persaud, to side with the opposition in bringing a no confidence motion against the government of Guyana. There is nothing much to say about the circumstances and motivations behind Mr. Persaud’s position, except that they are not anomalous to the poisoned environment that is our national political arena. Now we are faced with – a year and a half ahead of schedule – the most significant national elections in our post-independence history and all the potential harm they hold for the stability of our country.There is the African proverb that is often quoted in relation to our political system, the one that says, “When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers”. And yes, it is true, that whenever political behemoths clash, it is often the people beneath them that are trampled upon. But elephants do not survive, they cannot survive, without succor from the grass itself. It is always the grass that is essential, that fuels the very conflict that kills it. Our people need to stop being passive, we need to stop acting as if we are mere grass.Of course, I know it is a difficult proposal for people to be expected to change their fundamental concept of how the social contract works. The country we expect and we deserve is not some promised land of plenty that we stumble upon travelling the same path we have travelled for the past sixty years. Citizenship requires a protected space in
which there is sustained and dedicated cultivation and this is where a certain quantum of people come in, those who have expressed an interest in meaningful and lasting peace and stability based not on partisan hegemony, but on the creation of civic structures that are the basis of a society based fundamentally and primarily on inclusiveness and the celebration of our diversity.Those who mean well have so far been too disillusioned to offer sustained inputs, or to come together in any structured way to ensure that their inputs can have a lasting impact. What we have had so far are people who have made their contributions in silos, and seeing no tangible change, retreated. One might as well put random raw ingredients before a child and expect them to make themselves a meal and give up on them when they do not. It is time that a quantum of people with the requisite skills and genuine commitment to this country come together around a fundamental set of core principles – equity, transparency, diversity, rule of law, civic capacity – as well as a concrete plan for the implementation of measures towards those principles. Anything else is a recipe for the continued disaster and dysfunction that we’re plagued by.The current chaos, therefore, is both opportunity for and challenge to those who can contribute to a transformed society to do so, our young people in particular. There is nothing that binds the generations of the future to the sins of the past. Next year the next chapter of our history begins – my hope that it is on a different page. Ruel Johnson
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Friday December 28, 2018
Sir Fenton Ramsahoye, SC, dies
“It is with great sadness that I learnt early this morning of the passing of dear Sir Fenton Ramsahoye, SC,” said the Director of Public Prosecutions. DPP, Ms. Shalimar AliHack, said that he was a great legal legend of Guyana, the Region and the Commonwealth. “He served selflessly throughout the Commonwealth Caribbean Region particularly at the Privy Council and the Caribbean Court of Justice.” “He distinguished himself academically and subsequently in his practise at the Bar especially at the final Courts of Appeal for the Region, The Privy Council and the Caribbean Court of Justice. “While doing so he also served his native country as
its first local Attorney General with distinction. So distinguished was his service that he was knighted by the Head of the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth. “Though we knew he was not well, his passing nevertheless still came as a shock to us because we have always wished for him good health. This may be so because of our close relationship with him and how much we learnt from him. “He appeared for the State of Guyana in many criminal appeals at the Caribbean Court of Justice, the most recent being the case of Mark Royden Williams and James Anthony Hyles popularly referred to as the Lusignan Massacre case. The legal community especially in the Caribbean Commonwealth Region has
lost a human encyclopedia where legal matters are concerned, be it criminal, civil or constitutional, the DPP said. She added that he was a bottomless well when it came to the law which he expounded from his memory, including the history of the law. Despite being well versed in many areas of the law he was always willing to learn about new aspects. I saw this with him with the introduction of modern anti money laundering laws. His writing and eloquence is another aspect to be recognized, commended, remembered and emulated. “He was truly an Icon in the law.” The DPP said that Sir Fenton had a command of the understanding of the law and applied it with diligence, astute finesse and integrity.
The passing of Sir Fenton and the likes of him signal the death of an era of legal personalities which once frequented the rooms and halls of our Courts. “This in itself adds to the grief which we feel at this inevitable occasion.” He must be remembered for his bravery and ability to speak the truth fearlessly. He was from a great Guyanese family who each distinguished themselves in different aspects of scholarship, law, medicine, and engineering. “Our heartfelt sympathies are extended to his dearly beloved bereaved family and his office staff, especially Suzette and Sunil with whom we worked very closely over the years.” Prime Minister Gaston Browne has also expressed the sorrow at the death of Sir
Dead: Sir Fenton Ramsahoye, 89.
Defiant Venezuela claims Exxon’s exploration ship was in its water Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry has insisted that contrary to reports, two ships working for ExxonMobil that were intercepted by that country’s naval authorities, were in that country’s maritime waters- not Guyana’s. The statement of that Spanish-speaking country, reported by Prensa Latina, a new agency, would contrast starkly to what ExxonMobil has been reporting. The exploration vessels, one of which was the Ramform Thetys, a Norwegian-owned seismic vessel, was stopped on December 23 while doing work for ExxonMobil. The incident happened in Guyana waters, it was reported.However, Prensa Latina yesterday also reported that the Venezuela government is also regretting what it considers a “one-sided pronouncement” by CARICOM on the issue of oil exploration vessels, hired by Guyana, that intruded into “Venezuelan jurisdictional waters.” Venezuelan authorities, in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that it does not understand how CARICOM discontinued contact with Caracas to “know the position of the other side on the issue” and thus ensure a well-balanced nature in subsequent statements. Venezuela said it reviewed the events, and has ratified its position to use sovereign rights to deal with events of this nature, while at the same time it expects a more equitable position from CARICOM.CARICOM, on December 24, expressed
The Ramform Thetys seismic vessel was one of the two halted by Venezuelan naval ships in Guyana last week.
“great concern” about the incident and indicated the protocols applied by the Bolivarian National Navy violated Guyana’s sovereign rights and represented a threat to its economic development. ExxonMobil has since said that its drilling operations have not been affected. Venezuela has been rattling its sabers, re-awakening a century-old claim to a large part of Essequibo and ocean waters of Guyana, following announcement of a major oil find offshore. ExxonMobil, the developer, is set to start production in 2020- the first for Guyana. Guyana has filed a case at the United Nations’ International Court of Justice, in The Hague, to have the border claims by that neighbouring country settled once and for all.Venezuela is
Jamaican PM and CARICOM Chairman, Andrew Holness in the throes of a major economic crisis, with food and medicine shortages, leading to clashes between Government authorities and citizens.Hundreds of Venezuelans from the border areas have fled to Guyana.
Fenton Ramsahoye who was made a Knight of the Order of the Nation by the State of Antigua and Barbuda in 2006. “One of our distinguished Knights has fallen, and we in Antigua and Barbuda, join his family, friends and admirers throughout the Caribbean in mourning his passing,” the Prime Minister said. Prime Minister Browne recalled the distinguished legal career of Sir Fenton, who was born in Guyana and served as that country’s Attorney-General in the colonial period before serving as Professor at the Hugh Wooding Law school, and representing Caribbean governments, private individuals and companies before the Privy Council and the Caribbean Court of
Justice.The Prime Minister said, “Sir Fenton will be remembered with respect and admiration by a generation of Caribbean attorneys who benefitted from his knowledge and willingness to share it.”“He was an erudite scholar of the law and defended his clients with unfailing commitment”, the Prime Minister declared.Sir Fenton Ramsahoye was 89. He died at 1 o’clock yesterday at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados.
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Friday December 28, 2018
US based Foundation helps GPHC conduct over 80 corneal transplants
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ore than 80 corneal transplants have been completed at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation [GPHC] in recent times. These surgical operations were completed with support from the United States based George Subraj Family Foundation at no cost to patients. The Foundation is one that was founded several years ago by business mogul and philanthropist, George Subraj, who passed away in November 2016. However, his family has ever since given assurance that Subraj’s philanthropic legacy will be sustained here, his homeland. The collaboration between the GPHC and the Foundation has been allowing for many deserving patients with damaged corneas to regain their sight. The cornea is the eye’s clear, protective outer layer. If the cornea is damaged by disease, infection or an injury, the resulting scars can affect the vision which can manifest by the blockage or distortion of light as it enters the eye. The Subraj Foundation since 2015 has been funding free corneal transplants at the institution by providing free corneal tissues and inviting corneal specialists from the United States to train local surgeons to perform the needed procedure.
The Foundation has also been providing the needed instruments and consumables. Renowned Eye Surgeon, Dr. Joseph Pasternak, has been one of the key persons affiliated with the Foundation who has been helping to coordinate the surgical procedures here. Dr. Pasternak has been working closely with GPHC’s Head of Ophthalmology, Dr. Shailendra Sugrim to realize the many successful procedures. The Foundation has also been benefiting from other key members including: Tony Subraj [son of George Subraj] and friends Richard B. Mahase and Jay Jainarine who have according to information have several trips planned for the New Year which will see the Foundation members traveling across Guyana to facilitate medical outreaches for the overall health of Guyanese. The members of the Foundation, among whom are Subraj’s wife, Gloria, and daughter, Jasmine, have been helping to ensure that the Foundation realise its main goal to give back to Guyanese, particularly in the area of health care. This has manifested by the Foundations efforts to not only lend support to the GPHC to offer crucial eye care but kidney transplant surgeries too. Speaking directly to the eye care
Dr. Joseph Pasternak examines a patient in the presence [from left], Richard B. Mahase, Tony Subraj, Dr. Shailendra Surgrim and Jay Jainarine. support, Dr. Sugrim said that because of the sustained support from the Foundation the public hospital currently has three local surgeons capable of performing corneal transplants independently. “With this in place, the Foundation was able to send four shipments of corneal tissues so that the local surgeons could have performed sight-saving surgeries for
Guyanese,” said Dr. Sugrim. With this level of support a total of 12 transplant surgeries were performed during the latter half of 2018. This development translated to three transplants being conducted in June, four in August, three in October and another two this month. The surgeries were conducted by Dr. Sugrim and doctors, Celeste Hinds and Jenell Sarju-Kanhai, all
trained ophthalmology surgeons, along with the dedicated team of nurses of the GPHC’s Eye Theatre.According to Dr. Sugrim, with the support from the Foundation a total of 84 corneal transplants have been successfully conducted at the GPHC to date. Prior to 2015, patients would usually have to travel overseas to have these procedures performed.
Jagdeo calls on GECOM to take UNDP’s assistance for elections
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pposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, is eager for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to take up United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) offer to overlook elections here. At a recent press conference, Jagdeo told the media that this offer was long extended to GECOM but the Commission is procrastinating. Jagdeo noted this as he spoke about his party’s concern about the health of the
Chairman of GECOM’s Commission, Justice James Patterson. Jagdeo said, “His illness is a concern of ours. The Commission is critical to the machinery and if the Commission is not meeting, who would run things? We have the CEO (Chief Elections Officer) and others in the Secretariat but you need oversight of the commission and he is not meeting and that must be an issue to be discussed between the two sides (at the meeting between Jagdeo and
President David Granger in January). Jagdeo continued, “But, most people had predicted that when the President chose the gentleman.” However, Jagdeo said that the PPP’s concern is the integrity of the elections. That is when he highlighted UNDP’s offer. Jagdeo said, “There had been an offer by the UNDP to put someone in place.” The Opposition Leader said that a needs assessment was done and a comprehen-
sive report was handed to GECOM. He said, “All GECCOM has to do is to say send the person now. That is all they need to do, but they delay from asking UNDP.” Jagdeo noted that the opportunity was available since before the November 12 Local Government Elections (LGE). “They (GECOM) said they did not need him before local government because National (General and Regional Elections) is far greater. Well, National is upon us.
They should immediately ask the international community for help, said Jagdeo. He continued, “The Chairman does not need to get out of bed for that, he can hold a conference, convene the Commission and ask for help from the international community to oversee the conduct of elections. “ Jagdeo noted that GECOM has over $5B set aside for 2019. The politician was keen to note, “That is quite a bit of money.”
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo
Friday December 28, 2018
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he Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland, has correctly ruled that the no-confidence motion against the government was passed by virtue of the vote which took place on Friday December 21, 2018 in Guyana’s National Assembly. Article 106(6) of the Constitution is very clear on the implications of that motion. Once a motion of no-confidence is passed by a vote of the majority of the elected members of the National Assembly, the Cabinet, including the President, must resign and elections held within three months, subject to such a longer period as may be determined by the National Assembly. In other words, the government falls. There has since been an attempt to suggest that the no-confidence motion was not properly carried because – in the reasoning of Nigel Hughes – thirty four votes, instead of 33 are needed for a majority. Not only is this proposition by the learned member of the Bar, Nigel Hughes, illogical, but it also defies basic common sense. In its ordinary meaning, a
majority vote means one over all its rivals combined. This fact was quoted in the judgment Kilman v Speaker of Parliament of the Republic of Vanuatu, one of the sources which Hughes relies upon. Thus, 33 votes as against 32 constitute a majority in cases in which there are 65 (an odd number) of parliamentarians. It is basic common sense that if there is an odd number of parliamentarians, then one over all others combined constitutes a majority. On the other hand, where there is an even number of parliamentarians, then a majority is half plus one, For example, if there are 65 objects in a can, a majority is 33 – one over all others combined. If, however, there were 64 objects, a majority would be half (32) plus one, which is 33. This is simple mathematics and basic common sense. In the case referenced by learned counsel Hughes, the National Assembly of the Republic Vanuatu had 52 members, including the Speaker who is not precluded from voting. In that instance, there was an even number of persons eligible to vote and, as such, a majority means half
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plus one which would be half of 52 or 26 plus one. In Guyana, the Speaker is not an elected member and therefore, in the context of Article 106, cannot vote since the article speaks only to the elected members. As such, there were 65 possible voting members (an odd number) . 33 votes in that case would qualify as a majority - one over all the others combined. There is a sound reason why the number of parliamentarians in Guyana’s National Assembly is an odd number. It is to prevent the deadlock such as what occurred in Trinidad and Tobago years
ago when there was an 18-18 tie and not even a Speaker could be elected. An odd number allows for the majority to be one greater than all others combined. 33 votes constitute a majority of 65. The motion of no-confidence against the Guyana Government was “fit and prappa”. Having determined that 33 members voted in favour of the no-confidence motion and 32 against, the Speaker of the National Assembly correctly deemed the motion to have been carried. It was not the first time and it will not be the last time in legislative history that a
one-vote majority has unseated a government. In 1979, Prime Minister James Callaghan was forced to resign after the British Parliament voted 311 to 310 (a one vote majority) in favour of a no-confidence motion against his government. The Guyana no-confidence vote has implications for the government. The Cabinet has to resign but the government remains in office until a new one is elected following elections. The Cabinet meeting of December 24, 2018 – images of which were published in the media – should therefore have only been for one pur-
pose: to allow for the formal resignation of the Cabinet in keeping with the provisions of the Constitution. There is no need therefore for any other Cabinet meeting. It stands dissolved. The government must play by the rules. It agreed to abide by the no-confidence motion. It should uphold the Constitution and call elections within three months.
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Friday December 28, 2018
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
Boxing Day lawlessness will never happen in another country At about 2 PM, my lunch guests, including my visiting sister, were on the verandah when a posse of about 30 motorcycle riders, some on ATVs, all without helmets, was passing on the railway Embankment. They created horrible noises and intimidated drivers. They were zigzagging from one side of the road to another. Drivers were really sacred. Not one rider had a helmet on his head. The obvious thing that came to my mind is the sheepish nature of this population. If they passed my home, then I figured they came from the East Coast. Even if they didn’t use the old highway, thus evading the Sparendaam Police Station, then surely, because of the openly menacing nature of the spectacle, someone had to report this to any police station. All of my guests felt that something was wrong with Guyana that on a major public highway, this kind of ugly behaviour could take place on Boxing Day with such sick impunity. Three hours later, around 5 PM, I was taking my cousin who was one of my guests, to her home in Eccles. The
other guests, including my sister, accompanied us. Thank God my wife was not with us. I challenge any reader to imagine in a modern Caribbean country that what I am about to describe could happen.When we reached Houston, that posse that passed my home three hours earlier was creating chaos that never happens in real life. You only see it in a science fiction movie. The gang’s number had now extended. They were all over the one-way eastern lane of the East Bank highway riding in the opposite direction. It meant they were coming in front of the vehicles from the opposite direction on a oneway roadway. The car next to me had a male driver. I don’t know if he was Dr. Mark Bynoe, the head of the Department of Energy. I was teaching at UG when Dr. Bynoe was a staff member there but I don’t think I ever saw him. I don’t think I have ever seen him in person. But I know his wife very well. She was in the car. She said to me, “Hello Freddie, why is the line not moving?” I replied, “What you are seeing is from a science fiction movie.” If Dr. Bynoe was in that
car, given that his wife was caught up in that ugly, terrifying situation and given the status he holds, I hope today, he has a few words with the Police Commissioner. My sister intoned; “This would never happen in Barbados.” My wife’s friend with a little fear in her voice said; “Are they robbing people?” About ten of the riders stopped and parked their bikes on the road impeding the flow of traffic. Two of them urinated right in front of the drivers. I called traffic head office for ten minutes; no answer. I called Brickdam Police Station for ten minutes; no answer. I have the cell number of the traffic chief but when I checked it was not in my phone book. I have the cell number for a personal friend who is a senior traffic rank. His name is Ramnauth. Unfortunately, Ramnauth told me he is stationed in Berbice and would try his best to make contact with senior police officials in Georgetown. The compelling question to ask if you have reached this part of my article is; how did that gang get from the Railway Embankment on East Coast Demerara to Houston on the East Bank without po-
lice interception? Do you know how many streets they had to cross to get to Houston? I cannot complete this column without the mention of a little incident in the mayhem that brought me satisfaction. I admit; it did. There is total traffic insanity. The entire highway is occupied with stalled vehicles and a siren came blazing. It came from an escort car that was clearly a civilian vehicle. I looked back and figured that a minister or some big wig was being escorted and wanted to
pass. Drivers were scrambling and scampering out of the way to let them through. I stayed in my line. They couldn’t pass. I was waiting for the confrontation. We were all caught up in a traffic nightmare without police presence in a tenth rate banana republic and that big wig should not be anointed with imperial status. What I saw on Boxing Day will continue to deter young people from remaining in this country. Foreign and Guyanese expatriates obvi-
Frederick Kissoon ously saw what happened. Obviously those gang members knew Guyana has broken down and they enjoyed what they did.
DEM BOYS SEH
Charranrass like de trained parrot—Yes If you got a parrot in you house and all de years you train it to do one thing, you can’t expect it to do something else. You train you parrot fuh seh yes to everything. “Parrot you want food?” Yes. Parrot, you want mek love? “Yes.” Parrot, you want me kill you mudda***. “Yes.” Fuh three and a half years Soulja Bai been training Charranrass fuh seh one thing—‘Yes.’ ‘Charranrass, you like de bottom house drug bond deal?’ “Yes.” ‘Charranrass, you like de closing down of dem sugar estate? “Yes.” ‘Charranrass, You like Volda wuk only deh fuh PNC supporters?” “Yes.” ‘You like de perks wha de coalition boys and girls getting?’ “Yes”. Dem boys seh everything de man was taught is
yes. Suh when he went to Parliament and dem ask him to seh de opposite to yes, he seh none body ever teach him that word. Suh he seh ‘Yes.” Now dem vex wid him and dem want fuh cause confusion in de country. Dem boys hear dem want to seh 33 is not greater than 32. Before people got to waste time going to court to find out which number is greater, dem boys gun explain it. Dem seh if you got 65 poulourie; Anil eat 33; Basil eat 32. Who eat de majority? A—Anil? B—Basil? Or C—Nigel. And if Nigel don’t know de answer ask C fuh C.N. De argument wha Nigel and some of dem lawyers want to use to bring about a case in de court, is pure jumbie arithmetic. Dem boys remember de
Berbician parents who send dem son to England to study to become a Mathematician. After he graduate de boy return home and start to show off.He tell ee parents one plus one is three. Dem was shocked and dem decide to question him. De boy put dem fuh sit down facing de bedroom wall, tek chalk and start fuh do he gymnastics pun de wall.He spend a whole hour trying to convince ee parents that one plus one equal three. De mudda was vex. She seh, “Alright son. One plus one equals three? Hear this. We got two duck in de backyard and we gun cook dem fuh dinner.You Daady gun eat one and me gun eat de odda one. You gun eat de third one.Talk half and wonder if Nigel and dem rest of lawyers been to that same school in England wha that bright boy been to.
Friday December 28, 2018
Kaieteur News
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Friday December 28, 2018
New Sea Defence Board target strengthened protection in 2019
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n Friday, December 21, 2018, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, newly elected 2018-2020 Sea Defence Board met to discuss the plans, functions and focus for the rehabilitation, protection and preventive works under the Guyana Sea Defence Department. The newly elected members are Mr. John CushRepresentative, Guyana Association of Professional Engineers, Chairman; Mr. Jermaine Braithwaite- Senior Engineer, Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Secretary; Mr. Kevin Samad- Chief Sea and River Defence Officer, Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Member; Mr. Maitland Stewart - Senior District Engineer, Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Member; Ms. Safiya Gafoor Civil Engineer, Private Sector, member; Ms. Heidi Gillette Civil Engineer, Private Sector, member; Ms. Kene Moseley - Project Coordinator, Mangrove Restoration and Management Department, NAREI, member; Ms. Sharifah Razack – Director, Technical Secretariat, Environmental Protection
The new Sea Defence Board Agency, member; Mr. Dave Hicks - Deputy Chief Executive Officer, National Drainage and Irrigation Authority, member; Ms. Denise Hodge - Legal Officer, Ministry of Communities, member; Mr. Doorga Persaud - Advisor on Land and Land Development, Ministry of the Presidency, member; Mr. Omadat Persaud - Manager, Water Management, GUYSUCO, member; Ms.
Nandranie Coonjah Regional Vice Chairperson, RDC, Region No.2, member; Mr. Julius Faerber - Regional Chairman, RDC, Region No.3, member; Ms. Genevieve Allen - Regional Chairperson, RDC, Region No.4, member; Mr. Rion Peters - Regional Vice Chairman, RDC, Region No.5, member; Mr. Dennis Deoroop - Regional Vice Chairman, RDC, Region No. 6, member; Mr. Beni Sankar -
Representative Private Sector Commission, member; Mrs. Anita Wilson-Layne - Project Manager, Civil Defence Commission, member; and appointed member of the Parliamentary Opposition, member. At Friday’s meeting, Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, charged Board members to be gatekeepers of the nation as they serve in
their respective designations for the development and protection of all Guyanese through the management of critical flood protection systems. For 2019, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure endeavours to implement a programme of complementary activities based on established principles of integrated coastal zone management, the ministry explained yesterday. This requires that emphasis be placed on sustaining structurally adequate and functional sea and river defences, while implementing scientific approaches to planning for future interventions in the sector. To ensure that priorities are adequately established, the Ministry has developed its annual programmes in concurrence with the Sea and River Defence Sector Policy and the Sea and River Defence Sector Strategy. The 2019 Programme for Sea and River Defences will focus on strategic interventions in the areas of flood protection infrastructure, monitoring and research, technical capacity development within the Sea and River Defence Division and initiatives toward the further implementation of the sector policy aims. The Board further discussed that Guyana’s flood protection infrastructure system will be further strengthened through the implementation of works contracts for the construction of critical sections of sea and river defences in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six. Designs for new sea defences will be developed in accordance with accepted methods which are adapted to the prevailing conditions along Guyana’s coastline and
river systems. Engineering design parameters for new flood protection structures are typically developed for a corresponding minimum design performance period of 30 years with the necessary allowances to satisfy climate change resilience requirements. Additionally, existing sea walls and revetments will be rehabilitated to enhance performance and achieve extended structural life. Site selection for construction and rehabilitation works will be guided by the results of sea and river defence condition surveys within the various Districts. The Board also wishes to iterate that permission must be granted before individuals or companies begin construction on river reserves. “More so, emphasis will be placed on data management and analysis through the upgrading of the Ministry’s Shore Zone Management GIS database. Public awareness programmes targeting various stakeholder groups will be financed to aid in the dispensing of knowledge on the use of sea defence reserves and care of the flood protection systems in vulnerable communities along Guyana’s coastline.” It is envisaged that the activities programmed for implementation by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure will be j o i n t l y financed and supported through national funding and collaborated arrangements for donor support under the European Development Fund Budget Support Programme and the Sea and River Defence Resilience Project, currently being implemented through a loan agreement between the Government of Guyana and the Caribbean Development Bank.
Friday December 28, 2018
Kaieteur News
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Dr. Balwant Singh Hospital delivers nine Christmas Day babies
According to the United Nations, approximately 130 million babies are born worldwide in a given year. However there are days of the year when especially close attention is paid to the arrival of these new-borns. Christmas Day is one such day. On Tuesday, this year’s observance of Christmas Day saw nine of these bundles of joy arriving at the Dr. Balwant Singh Hospital. The privately operated hospital was proud to announce the arrival of these newborns.
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Friday December 28, 2018
Cops arrest robbery victims after “funny” story A couple of Mibicuri, Black Bush Polder, who were victims of a break and enter and larceny are not pleased with the manner in which the investigation is being conducted by ranks of the Mibicuri Police Station, CID. Shamwattie Ramdeo, called “Sunita”, who runs her business in Mibicuri, told this publication at her home that she was arrested along with her husband on Christmas Day after they reported a break and enter committed on their home Christmas Eve night. According to Ramdeo, she, her husband and some other family members had left their
home Monday night for the annual Christmas Eve celebrations at Rose Hall Town. When they returned home some time around 21:30 hours they discovered that the door to the lower flat was ajar. “We went Christmas Eve but my teenage son did not go with us; he went with my mother. When we come back home, I had the key with me but I find him in the house, so I asked him how he got in the house and said the door was open. “I did not really take it serious because I said I must have forgotten to close the door
but to my knowledge I closed it. Then when we check around my husband ask me how come I did not remember to close the window which was downstairs so when I was about to close it I notice all the louvers glass missing”. She stated that at that point they realised someone had broken into their home and they subsequently ventured to the upper flat and there her husband discovered the bedroom door broken. “When we go in the room we see all the drawers and clothes and everything tumble
up and on the floor. I had a wallet with money inside; all the money was missing from the wallet but I did not want to touch anything else only the wallet I picked up and checked,” she explained. According to the woman, they immediately retreated to the Mibicuri Police Station and reported the matter but the ranks told them that there were only two police ranks on duty at the station and that “they can’t come; that they will send somebody in the morning”. (Continued on page 31)
Friday December 28, 2018
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Gaskin questions delay in ruling of legal challenge of SARA Act
Ramon Gaskin Social activist, Ramon Gaskin, is questioning the reasons for the delay in the decision of the constitutional motion filed against the State Assets Recovery Act (SARA) Act. According to Gaskin, the decision in case which was filed in 2017 has seen considerable delays. “It is a fixed application so all the legal submissions were filed arguments presented for both sides and now we are awaiting a ruling that was scheduled to happen six month ago. The social activist has since written to the Chief Justice to query the reasons for the delay. “I have written to the Chief Justice and I have copied the letter to both my lawyers that they would approach the bench on the matter,” Gaskin noted adding that the matter is constitutional of importance and should be treated with more urgency. The lawsuit challenges the constitutional validity of
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the State Assets Recovery (SARA) Act assented to, in May 2017. In the Fixed Date Application, Attorney -at- law, Devindra Kissoon, cited 37 challenges to the Act. It is unconstitutional, unlawful and void, he said. It would be recalled that following the May 2015 general elections, the Coalition Government announced that it was establishing the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) to go after properties and resources stolen from the people. However, SARU’s power was not covered by any laws, and the administration then moved to introduce legislation. It was assented to in May, however there have been misgivings about the new laws, with some opining that too much power would be in the hands of the State Assets Recovery Agency. According to the court documents filed, the challenges are centered on a number of key issues, including interfering with the legal professional privilege and the possible violating of a citizen’s right to privacy, by allowing the Director of the State Assets Recovery Agency to access confidential financial information from banks and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) without a court order. Gaskin is arguing that the Act does not give a citizen equal protection before the law and there are no requirement to have reasonable grounds to commence investigations. It is also being argued that the Act violates the doctrine of separation of powers,
since it directs the Court how to act in certain circumstances, and even allows exparte orders to be granted without procedural safeguards to protect citizen’s interests, or without providing that the orders be limited in duration. The ex-parte orders seemed to be a major bone of contention, as it is felt that a citizen would not be in a position to cross-examine an officer about the contents of his
affidavit to show its unreliability or otherwise. Another issue that is being raised, Gaskin said, is that the Act also permits proceedings to be filed and heard in secrecy, in violation of Section 144(9) of the Constitution, which requires all civil court matters to be heard in public. This, in effect, will reverse the burden of proof in criminal proceedings, interfering with a citizen’s right to the
presumption of innocence and his/her right to silence and his constitution right of protection against self-incrimination. Also being challenged is Parliament’s “impermissible” powers of appointment of the staff of the State Assets Recovery Agency; and that of the Minister of Public Security to appoint policemen in violation of Article 212(1) of the Constitution.
Gaskin is also challenging the Act “unlawfully” affords the Director and Staff of SARA absolute immunity for all actions and restricts the amount of damages that can be recovered against them for their conduct. The Act in its present form has been met by huge criticism from various public interest groups, including the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) and the Private Sector Commission.
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Exxon’s Drilling Offshore Guyana Uninterrupted By Irina Slav – Exxon is still drilling offshore Guyana despite a run-in with the Venezuelan navy last weekend, the company said, as quoted by Reuters. Initial reports from earlier this week said the company has suspended exploration activities in the area where the interception occurred. The Venezuelan navy intercepted two exploration vessels commissioned by Exxon who is developing the prolific Stabroek block offshore Guyana. The Venezuelans, however, claimed the vessels had entered Venezuelan territorial waters, which the Guyanese foreign ministry slammed as an “illegal, aggressive and hostile act.” The ministry also said it will report the case to the United Nations. “Exploration and development drilling is continuing in the southeast area of the Stabroek Block,” Exxon said in a statement, although a spokesperson for the company declined to respond to a Reuters question about the two vessels and whether they will continue their exploratory mission. The run-in, which the Venezuelan side said it had already reported to the UN, relates to a
long-running maritime border dispute between Caracas and its tiny eastern neighbour. The dispute had been simmering for decades, but Exxon’s discovery of abundant oil and gas reserves in the Stabroek block heated up the situation. The next nine discoveries only served to intensify Venezuela’s disgruntlement: to date, Exxon estimates Stabroek’s reserves at more than 5 billion barrels of crude oil and natural gas. This makes ten sizeable discoveries in the three years since Exxon won the rights to develop Stabroek, together with its partner Hess Corp. There are another 17 prospects yet to be drilled, which could boost the reserve estimate for Stabroek even further. Commercial production from Stabroek is slated to begin in 2020 at the first production well, Lisa-1, which is expected to pump 120,000 bpd of crude and natural gas. For the supermajor, Guyana is a top priority after all these discoveries and a recent report by Wood Mackenzie says the tiny nation could become the second-largest oil producer in South America, behind only Brazil, surpassing Venezuela.
Friday December 28, 2018
Mining activities cause alarming pollution levels in rivers …EPA head to take affirmative action By Kiana Wilburg It appears that the activities of the mining sector are taking a toll on Guyana’s waterways. As a result the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to take affirmative action against stakeholders in the sector quite soon. This was confirmed recently by EPA Head, Dr. Vincent Adams. During an interview with this newspaper, Dr. Adams said that he has seen “some alarming” video footage which shows the effects of the mining activities on the nation’s rivers. In this regard, he said that the EPA has to step in and take action.
EPA Head, Dr. Vincent Adams The EPA Head said, “Indeed we have been looking at the oil sector and the preparations we have to make for it. But oil is not the only thing we are focusing on. We are looking at the other big sectors like mining. “And I have been reading in the newspapers about what is happening with those rivers. It is really disturbing because the rivers are polluted to the hilt…” Dr. Adams added, “They are highly polluted and the operators, of course, when you talk to them, they say they are within the regulations. But based on the videos I have seen, this is not the case… These people are dredging under river banks and you know what is happening, the rivers are changing direction…This is a major problem…” The EPA Head said that a thorough assessment of the matter will be conducted. UPDATING RULES AND REGILATIONS Dr. Vincent Adams told this newspaper that he intends to take affirmative action to update the entity’s rules and regulations. In fact, the Environmental Engineer said that all laws and regulations will be in order before the petroleum sector gets going. Dr. Adams said, “There is no question when it comes to updating the laws. In fact, I have asked my staff members to get all the information on that for me on what exists today and try to baseline what we have , which includes environmental laws and regulations. “Unfortunately, we can’t stop operations but we have to try and fill in the gaps as we go along and improve where there is need to improve because all operations have to be safe and environmentally sound.” Dr. Adams also explained that he is working towards a list of all permits to see which ones are in compliance and those which are due for renewal. He said that this is part and parcel of the transforma-
tion to take place at the EPA. Carlos de Regules, the founding Director of Mexico’s Agency for Security, Energy and the Environment (ASEA) is also a proponent for the EPA’s laws and regulations being reviewed and updated. Regules also called for Guyana to strengthen the overall capacity at the EPA. He said, “Guyana has a very special and professional team at the Environmental Protection Agency and with new leadership too which is very timely. Its new head, Dr. Vincent Adams, has astounding experience in the oil and gas industry and those are a few perfect elements for success. “I believe that Guyana is already paying some attention to the EPA but greater focus will take Guyana to where it needs to be.” The Mexican advisor added, “The Government should not lose visibility of the EPA because it is a key element of oil and gas success. Yes, you have to get the contracts right, you have to get the bidding rounds right, but you must get safety and environmental protection right… \“And I think they (EPA) are ready for being transformed into a new and innovative institution that incorporates a new mandate for safety.” Regules said that it is also imperative for the EPA to be able to collaborate with the newly created Department of Energy and that they are able to work together to produce an integral regulatory framework where environment and safety concerns are part of the strategic decisions being made for the oil and gas industry. The founding Director said that Guyana’s regulator for the environment will need to have a firm understanding of the oil and gas business as well as the willingness to be robust with operators. He noted that this will come with training and Mexico is ready to help in this regard.
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Man who killed brother in law remanded to jail The Stanleytown, New Amsterdam man who reportedly killed his brother-in-law during a drinking spree has been remanded to jail. Jermaine Barclay, 32, of 54 Stanleytown New Amsterdam, is accused of killing NKomo LaRose, 29, a security guard of 54 Stanleytown, on December 18, 2018. The accused appeared before Magistrate Alex Moore on Monday in a New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court. Barclay who is being represented by Attorney at law Mursalene Bacchus was not required to plead. According to Prosecutor, Inspector Bernard Brown, the two men were imbibing. They subsequently had a misunderstanding which became violent. LaRose’s body was discovered lying in a drain at Lot 41 Stanleytown at about 6:30h on Tuesday. LaRose’s wife, Asha Bailey, is the sister of the accused. She told the media that she had cause to call the police earlier after the men had reportedly armed themselves with a cutlass and knife and had threatened to kill each other.
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Kaieteur News
Jermaine Barclay being taken to prison She subsequently left and went to her grandmother’s home about a quarter mile away. The man subsequently turned up at the house and threatened to kill his sister. Upon his arrival at his grandmother’s home the elderly woman instructed him to leave. It was some time after leaving his grandmother’s
residence that he reportedly committed the act. The man was reportedly killed not too far from his grandmother-in-law’s home. There were bloodstains on the road and it was reported that he was trying to get to the home as his wife was there when he was killed. He has been remanded to jail until January 21, 2019
Man sentenced to life for money changer’s murder Philemon Boodhoo, called “Kevin and Paio”, 22, of No 63 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, who was earlier found guilty of murder has been sentenced to life in prison. He was found guilty of murdering Mohamed Fizal Mahmood Baksh Munir, called ‘Sugar Cake’, a money changer and father of three of No. 63 Village Corentyne, Berbice. The act was committed between December 21 and December 24, 2015 at the No. 63 Beach, Corentyne, Berbice. The sentence was handed down by Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry following the presentation of a probation report. The accused was represented by attorneys Arudranauth Gossai and Mursalene Bacchus, in association with Surihya Sabsook. Attorney-at-law Mandel Moore appeared for the state. The report, presented by
…must serve 50 years
The accused, Philemon Boodhoo Probation and Social Services Officer, Felisha Gordon, stated that Boodhoo attended secondary school but
dropped out subsequently to assist his father in his workshop. He established his own business buying and selling things around the said time he was accused of the crime. He was described as an individual with a mixed personality. Attorney at Law Arudranauth Gossai, in a plea of mitigation, asked the judge to temper justice with mercy. He pointed to the probation report. The age of his client, the time spent in jail, the fact that he hadn’t any previous brushes with the law. He was described as a role model in prison. Boodhoo although maintaining his innocence, said his heart goes out to the family of the decease. Justice Beharry before passing sentence told the accused that she has taken the (Continued on page 30)
Part of human foot found on Corentyne The police are investigating the circumstances in which a part of a right leg of a human being was found at a dumpsite at Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Berbice. The discovery was made around 11:00 hrs on Christmas Day, by a 53-year-old tractor operator attached to the Rose Hall Town Council. The man, who works as a garbage collector reportedly went to the dumpsite at Williamsburg, Corentyne, to dump garbage
when he saw what appeared to be a human right side leg. He immediately reported the matter to the Police who visited the scene immediately. The police found the leg complete with ankle, instep and toes in an advance state of decomposition at the dumpsite. The limb was photographed and checks were made for any other body parts but none was found. The remains were taken to the Bailey Funeral Home.
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Boxing night argument ends in Boxing Day chopping death A 25-year-old father of two is now dead following a brazen attack by a fellow villager in Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, Berbice. Dead is Carl McDonald, called “Carly” of High Dam, Angoy’s Avenue. Police are on the hunt for the suspect who committed the act, Samuel Chase, of the said village. Reports are that both the suspect and the deceased were at a Bar BQ in the village when an argument erupted. Chase reportedly charged towards McDonald with a cutlass and slashed him across the torso before dumping his body in the nearby trench. The incident took place in the presence of other persons attending the event. The suspect then escaped and has since gone into hiding. However, police have confirmed that one person is in police custody assisting with investigations. Meanwhile, at the home of the deceased, his mother Loraine McDonald, still visibly shaken and torn apart by the news that her son was murdered, told reporters that her son left home some time around 18:30 hours on Boxing Day to attend the Bar BQ. Half an hour later her nephew went to her breathless and relayed that “Carly get chop and he fall overboard”. She stated that she was still in shock and disbelief that her
son is no more. She added that he had only recently begun working in the interior to help provide for his two children who are eight and six years old. Upon inquiries, the devastated woman explained that there was an argument between her nephew and the suspect Christmas Eve night (Monday). She is still puzzled how her son got involved and was met with death. “Dem had some argument about a girl and he come back Boxing Night with a cutlass so I do not know what played out because l was not on the street.” However, an eyewitness who happens to be a cousin of the deceased, Troy Caesar, 20, disclosed that he was walking along the High Dam when he spotted (the deceased) walking towards him. “But like it had li’l vibes so me and he stand up in a corner. Then suddenly the man come and fire a chop to me but I run back and stand up far away and then I see Carly stand up in the corner and the man run to he and chop he. “But Carly throw a bottle towards he and the man duck and I run to the man and after he see I coming he throw Carly overboard”. Caesar stated that the suspect ran away but he immediately jumped into
Suspect: Samuel Chase the water to save his cousin. “I deh calling out for help but nobody ain’t helping. Is me other cousin come and some other family come out and help me pull he out the trench.” He was still breathing at the time he was fished out and relatives in a bid to save his life, tried to perform CPR but that proved to be unsuccessful. The police were subsequently contacted and his body was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital Mortuary where a post mortem examination was conducted
yesterday. The results revealed that he died as a result of a single wound entered from his chest straight to his abdomen. Additionally, residents told this publication that the suspect is a known troublemaker in the village and would often threaten persons in the area. When the police are contacted, “they do not come”.
Carl McDonald with his two children
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Executive fails to address political ... From page 19 anti-corruption legislation, the political commentator asserted that they don't say much about campaign finance reform. Dr. Hinds said, “Perhaps the last time the president frontally addressed the issue was more than a year ago, when he promised legislation before the next general election. Since then, we have not seen any movement. “So, it's fair to conclude that there is no urgency. This is worrying– it makes the government look bad. These campaign promises which are in the manifesto represent the
ingredients needed for an articulation of the hitherto elusive Government's vision.” The political activist believes that the sloth partly has to do with the contraction of decision-making within the coalition. Dr. Hinds pointed out that everything is decided at Cabinet. “He noted, however, that the Cabinet is made up of ministers who are obviously primarily concerned with management of their individual ministries. Hence, they are less interested and in many regards, less schooled in overall government policy direction,
Hinds stated. With this in mind, Dr. Hinds said that the matter of campaign finance, which does not fall under the purview of any subject ministry, except maybe the Legal Affairs Ministry, does not get the treatment it deserves. The columnist stated, “The sloth also has to do with the absence of a cohesive and intentional legislative agenda. Governments tend to pay little attention to the legislative branch, except when they want to use their majority to hurry something through the legislature.”
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GEA withholds final payment from German company over taxes A German firm contracted by the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) to install solar systems would have got off without paying withholding taxes, except for the watchful eye of the Auditor General’s Office. GEA had contracted the services of Meeco Services Deutschland GmBH, a German-based Company, for the supply and installation of solar photovoltaic systems on 57 Government Buildings. The contract amount was $253M.A grid-connected photovoltaic power system – or grid-connected PV power system – is an electricity generating solar PV power system that is connected to the utility grid. A grid-connected PV system consists of solar panels, one or several inverters, a power conditioning unit and grid connection equipment.Meeco is the same company that had previously undertaken a 43 kilowatt ‘peak’ (kWp) solar rooftop installation on the State House. Auditors pointed out that under section 39 of the In-
come Tax Act Chapter 81:01, the Agency has an obligation to deduct Withholding Tax at the rate of 20% on payments made for the provision of services by non-residents. According to the GEA’s financial report for 2017, the total deduction amounted to $8M.Further, Auditors advised the GEA that the Withholding Tax deducted should be remitted within 30 days following date of payment. According to the Audit Office, it was noted that the contracted amount included the provision of goods and services. Auditors advised in order to compute the applicable Withholding Tax, the Agency should split the components of the contract between goods and services.Auditors had warned that the Agency will have an exposure to Withholding Tax on the service component of the contract sum. The outstanding Withholding Tax may also attract interest and penalties. The GEA had told auditors that they were unaware of this requirement at the time of signing the contract.
At approximately 07:00 hrs yesterday, two poles on the L22 Transmission Line fell due to the inclement weather and unusually high winds. According to the Guyana Power and Light Inc, as a result, customers from Auchlyne to Moleson Creek, Corentyne, Berbice, experienced an interruption in the supply of electricity until 10:35 hrs., when a temporary reconfiguration of the circuits was done.Following the completion of remedial work, a brief service interruption for approximately one hour would have been required to restore the circuits to their
normal configuration, GPL explained.Every effort was made to minimize the duration of the interruption and inconvenience to customers.
High winds cut power to Corentyne
Meeco Services Deutschland GmBH, a German-based company, boasts about its work on State House. GEA took the position that the contract template provided by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board did not include reference to such a deduction from the contract amount. However, GEA heeded the advice of the audit Office and wrote to the company informing them of the Agency’s obligation under Section 39 of the Income Tax Act, Chapter 81:01 of Guyana, to deduct Withholding Tax at a rate of 20% (for nonresident contractors) for services rendered under the contract. GEA is said to be awaiting a response from the contractor. A senior GEA official told Kaieteur News yesterday that the agency has withheld the final payment to the Contractor pending resolution of the taxes.
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Kaieteur News
Saudi King reshuffles Cabinet FOR RENT
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(CNN) - Saudi Arabia’s King Salman ordered a government reshuffle on Thursday, appointing a new foreign minister and refreshing other top posts, after the global fallout over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Foreign Minister Adel alJubeir was demoted to minister of state for foreign affairs, and replaced by a veteran former finance minister, Ibrahim AlAssaf, according to a royal decree. King Salman also named Prince Abdullah bin Bandar, son of Prince Bandar Al Saud, who once served as Saudi ambassador to Washington, the new head of the National Guard and announced the hiring of several security intelligence officials. Al-Jubeir had previously said that Khashoggi’s killing was a “tremendous mistake.” In an interview with Fox News in
October, he said that the Washington Post columnist’s death was the result of a rogue operation, and added that his government would punish those responsible for his “murder.” Turkish investigators, and the Saudi Public Prosecutor’s Office, have said that Khashoggi was killed and dismembered at the Kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul on October 2 by a 15man team of Saudi agents sent from Riyadh. The CIA concluded in November that such a mission could not have been carried out without the authorization of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, heir apparent to the Saudi throne. Thursday’s appointments and cabinet changes come as King Salman and his son, bin Salman, attempt to demonstrate that they are overhauling the Saudi state security apparatus in the wake of Khashoggi’s killing.
‘Nick-Knock’ being hunted for ‘Overdose’ killing on Hadfield Street A male known only as ‘Overdose’ who was last Saturday found lying on Hadfield Street bleeding from a suspected stab wound in the stomach and was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, died shortly after whilst receiving attention. According to the police, a prime suspect who goes by the alias “Nick-Knock” of Stevedore Housing Scheme, is being sought. ”The Guyana Police Force is hereby seeking the assistance of family members or relatives to come forward and identify the victim so as to allow for an autopsy,” the force urged in its statement. The body is presently at the Lyken’s Funeral Home.
Man sentenced to life... From page 26 mitigation plea of his attorney and the probation report. She said, however, that a life was lost. A message must be sent that such acts will not be condoned. She also cited the brutal way in which the man was killed and noted that Boodhoo’s sole intention was to murder the accused. She subsequently sentenced the accused to life in jail and instructed that he must serve 50 years before being eligible for parole. The accused had given a written caution statement, in which he admitted to taking Baksh to the No. 63 Beach and killing him, before taking $600,000 from the deceased. He banked some of the money before leaving for Trinidad. He also gave an unsworn statement from the dock in which he denied killing the deceased. He said that he went to Trinidad to spend the Christmas. While in Trinidad, he was informed by his relatives that the police were looking for him for a murder. He subsequently returned to Guyana and was arrested.
The prosecution’s case was that the accused made arrangements with Baksh about some financial transaction and subsequently took Baksh to the No. 63 Beach where he robbed and killed him. Baksh’s body was discovered in a bushy section of t h e N o . 6 3 Vi l l a g e , Corentyne foreshore, three days after he was reported missing. The prosecution called a number of witnesses including four police officers and the wife of the decease. Government Pathologist Dr. Vivekanand Brijmohan, who had performed a post mortem at the site where the body was found due to its decomposed state, gave the cause of death as shock and haemorrhage due to a fractured skull. The decease showed some emotion as tears flowed down his face after the verdict was passed. Baksh Munir’s wife, two of his daughters and other relatives were in court. They expressed satisfaction at the verdict, but said that cannot bring their loved one back.
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Cops arrest robbery... “Coalition stands strong” - PM Nagamootoo - Govt ready for a challenge
Government minister at the Stabroek area, on Christmas Eve day. Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo has urged citizens not to be fearful, as the government remains strong and intact. “If we have to go back to new elections, we are going to strengthen ourselves so the next time around they cannot touch us by manoeuvres, by compromises and by dividing our people on the basis of race,” he said.
The Prime Minister was at the time addressing questions from citizens on the no-confidence motion brought by the opposition PPP/C on Friday last. He was part of a ministerial “meet and greet” at Stabroek Market Square on Christmas Eve. The Prime Minister added that for every challenge there is an opportunity, and this latest
event is “an opportunity for the people of Guyana to come together, as you have never come together before.” Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, who was also part of the team, urged Guyanese to get ready and be prepared by ensuring they are registered and ready to cast their votes. “Each and every one of us,
we are in campaign mode, each one must teach one, talk to the other, reason with each other. Let our youths understand for the last three years we did not pick up dead bodies off the street. “Comrades, we got to teach them we have to show them how to put the ‘X’ in the box. Ensure that they get their I.D cards,” Minister Lawrence said.
From page 14 She added that she awoke early Christmas morning and was waiting on the police to show up but after waiting for several hours she decided to call the Whim Police Station and they instructed her not to touch anything and not to enter the bedroom. Ramdeo said that a while after the police arrived and took pictures of the scene. They also asked a few questions, they then told her to “pack up back your stuff”, but she stated that she left things as they were. Shortly after, another CID rank showed up and also took pictures and dusted for fingerprints. During his search of the home he reportedly discovered a black plastic bag with cash that was covered with clothing on the floor. She stated that was some money that she had “stashed aside”. She said, “I guess whoever was ransacking the place and searching, when they pulled out the clothes and so on that fell out and that was what the police recovered, so they do what they had to do. “They took a contact number from me and they said they will call.” Ramdeo said, in a matter of minutes the police returned and told them that they were wanted at the station “right now”. The woman explained, “When they took us there they carry my husband inside and they took statements from both of us, they also asked me to take out all my valuables and have someone collect them. They told us we have to remain there until they get a phone call.” The woman and her husband spent the entire Christmas night and the entire Boxing Day locked up while they were
forced to leave their 11 month old baby with a relative. She added that when she gave her statement to the police she told them that she had some money stashed aside that her husband did not know about. That was $400,000, she said. The rest of money totalling over US$1000 was missing. “I kept telling the police that all the money was not put in one place but he kept telling me that I confusing him with what I telling he,” Ramdeo added. She was subsequently released on $20,000 bail yesterday morning while her husband still remains in police in custody. However, Ramdeo is questioning the manner in which the investigation is being conducted. “Myself and husband is not supposed to be locked up: we were the ones that were robbed and they wasting time. They could have been focusing on finding the actual people that did this to us. this is backwardness.” She is asking that the relevant authorities to look into the matter. Additionally, residents in the area were also incensed that the police had locked up the couple since many claimed that they are hard working people. One neighbour said, “These are good people and they arresting them, they are already traumatised from the whole incident and now they have to endure this.” Meanwhile, a senior police relayed that a file was sent to the DPP for advice on the way forward while the husband remains in custody. The senior police source had told Kaieteur News that the “story seemed funny that some money was stolen and some left back”.
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Struggling Windies not among Centurion Pujara leads India to... Sir Viv’s WC favourites GUWAHATI, India, CMC – Legendary former West Indies captain, Sir Vivian Richards, has held out little hope of the Caribbean side winning next year ’s ICC World Cup in England. He identified the hosts along with five-time winners and reigning champions, Australia, as among his favourites but overlooked the struggling Windies. “England has played well [in the past] but always they have fallen short at the last moment. It is a good team always,” Sir Viv told reporters. “Pakistan and India are two teams that can defeat anyone. Australia is another great team. So, I think there are four, five teams that have the potential to win 2019 World Cup.”
Former West Indies captain Sir Viv Richards. West Indies are ranked ninth in the ICC one-day rankings, a position that forced them to play a qualifying tournament last March in order to reach the May 30 to July 14 tournament.
However, they are to improve on their ODI form, winning just three of 11 games this year in bilateral series. More glaringly, West Indies have not won an ODI series in four years. Sir Viv, a member of the World Cup-winning sides of 1975 and 1979, said he was hopeful the Windies would improve their fortunes. “In the limited overs game, it all depends on how you play on that particular day. If it is a bad day, even a bad team can defeat you,” Sir Viv pointed out. “I hope to see the team where it belongs.”Sir Viv starred in the 1975 final with three run outs just months following his international debut, and also headlined the 1979 final with a memorable unbeaten 138.
Friday December 28, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) It may be upsetting to you, Aries, but there's something you need to think about. You should finally get it through your head that the people you often call "brilliant" are only reflections of you. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) What a great day for you! You seem to have the innate listening abilities of a therapist or counselor. Everyone comes to you with their problems or to cry on your shoulder.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) In general, you tend to be critical of the way the government and politicians handle social issues and institutions. Your goal isn't just to criticize, however. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You may have felt as if something has been changing in your family environment over the last few weeks. Today you will find out what's been going on.
GEMINI (May 21–June 20) If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. This is your maxim for the day. What have you done lately to improve the way you live your life?
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You tend to think of yourself as a lone warrior, Sagittarius. Today your efforts over the last few weeks pay off. You've found your place in a group of people.
CANCER(June21–July22) Strength of character will be your partner today, Cancer. You seem to have an aura whose intensity scares some people and attracts others.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) You love the creative process, Capricorn. Even watering your plants or painting a picture will give you a feeling of joy.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) What an extraordinary day for you. The dynamic energy in the air will help you set new personal goals. The positive feedback you get from the people around you could inspire you to make some lifechanging decisions for the good of you and your family.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Aquarius, your lighthearted attitude has given you a reputation as an eternal teenager. But levity is also a sign of a very wise person, a person who knows how to laugh at their wisdom.
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You can start your day without all the usual planning. Be free to discover your day as it unfolds. This might feel like it's against your nature, but it's good for you to enjoy life.
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) What changes have there been in your life since this time last year? Think about the events that have taken place. What have you accomplished? What decisions have you made? How much you have grown as a person?
From page 36 pressure again,” he told reporters. “This wicket is deteriorating a lot more than probably what we thought it would.” Having gone to stumps at 215-2 on day one, India’s batsmen enjoyed another dominant day, with an obdurate Pujara scoring his second century of the series and skipper Virat Kohli adding 82 in a steady 170-run partnership. Rohit Sharma, back in the side after missing the second test in Perth through injury,
also contributed an unbeaten 63 before Kohli declared following Ravindra Jadeja’s caught-behind dismissal for four. India’s cause was given a huge help by their opponents’ sloppy fielding, with Australia grassing two catches under a blazing sun to reprieve Rohit and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant (39). The tourists’ batsmen had little trouble dealing with spinner Nathan Lyon, who had to wait until after tea to grab his first wicket when he trapped
Caribbean’s first CIK-FIA championship set for... From page 38 reverse of Qualifying, Race 3 on the fastest lap recorded by each driver in the earlier two races. The grid for the Final, which will be of at least 15 kilometres, will be based on points scored in the Qualifying Heats. Of eight pointsscoring opportunities each weekend – six Qualifying Heats and two Finals – drivers will count their best seven scores toward their
year-end totals. Ahead of the opening round, all registered competitors will also benefit from a two-day Driver Education Programme, which is being led by FIA-accredited Regional Training Providers from the United Arab Emirates.There will be a significant emphasis on driving standards and techniques, with a number of classroom and on-track coaching sessions scheduled.
Ajinkya Rahane plum in front for 34. Earlier, pace spearhead Mitchell Starc denied Kohli a second century of the series when he had him caught ramping to third man before Pat Cummins bowled Pujara for 106, after the watchful batsman registered his 17th test ton.Pujara, who scored a match-winning 123 in the series-opener in Adelaide, was removed by a virtually unplayable delivery that kept low and nipped back off the seam to clip off-stump. “I don’t think it’s easier to bat now,” he said. “So from tomorrow onwards, I think it will get difficult to bat and our bowlers have been bowling well.” Scores: Australia 8 for no loss (Harris 5*, Finch 3*) trail India 7 for 443 dec (Pujara 106, Kohli 82, Agarwal 76, Rohit 63*, Cummins 3-72) by 435 runs.
Matarkai SC Annual... From page 40 expressed gratitude for the support. Rodrigues also informed that fans can purchase any amount of bar-be- que on game nights and stand a chance to be among three winners for an airplane ticket along with 30 lbs free weight, while one player from the tournament will also receive a ticket compliment of Reliance Flight Service family, Greg Trucking Service, Mr. Clarence Hinds and Gailann Kellman.
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Friday December 28, 2018
Jaguar’s played consistent cricket in 2018 By Sean Devers
Win 4th consecutive FC title as 4 Guyanese play Test Cricket
G
uyana Jaguars began the year as leaders in 201718 Regional First Class season and won their three remaining games to capture their fourth consecutive title by beating Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago and drawing with Barbados in January before finishing the year by winning the first two games in 2018-19 season in December to extend their unbeaten streak to 12 matches. S h i m r o n H e t m y e r, Devendra Bishoo, Kemo Paul and Chanderpaul Hemraj all played Test Cricket in 2018 while Vishaul Singh played for the ‘A’ team during that period. Veerasammy Permaul (in April) and Sherfane Rutherford (in December) made their T20 debuts in 2018 although Permaul bowled just three balls on his T20I debut against Pakistan before he pulled up with a twisted left-ankle. Anthony Bramble led a West Indies B team which included Rutherford to the Global T20 tournament in Canada, while Ronsford Beaton played for the West Indies ‘B’ in the October Super50. Hetmyer ($588,000), Paul ($70,000) and Rutherford ($258,000) were in December, bought by the IPL and will play in the 2019 Edition of the tournament. Jaguars began the year by beating Jamaica in Jamaica from January 4-6 by two wickets after three-wicket hauls each from Kemo Paul and Bajan Raymon Reifer helped dismiss Jamaica for
Clinton Pestano was the Man-of-the Match against Volcanoes
Vishaul Singh followed his 74 in St Lucia with 90 in Antigua. 106. Ve t e r a n S h i v Chanderpaul (50) and Chanderpaul Hemraj (47) lead Jaguars to 183 before left arm spinner Gudakesh Motie (4-39) and Paul (2-34) bowled well as Jamaica fell for 212 in their second innings. Hemraj (40) and Paul (21) carried Jaguars to 1368. Jaguars and Barbados played to a draw in the next round as 90 from Hemraj, 56 from Johnson, 33 from Reifer and 32 from Shepherd rallied Guyana to 297. Shepherd (5-40) and Paul (2-41) shared seven wickets as Barbados fell for 199. T a g e n a r i n e Chanderpaul’s unbeaten 100, 73 from Bramble and 43 from Singh allowed Guyana to declare on 263-3 before the Bajans reached 204-4 when play ended. Guyana Jaguars ended the season as the only unbeaten team to join
Barbados (1977-1980) and Jamaica (2008-2012) as the only teams to win the Regional First-Class tournament for four consecutive seasons when they beat T&T’s Red Force by an innings and 81 runs on the final day of this season’s CWI Regional Four-Day competition at Providence on January 21, 2018. J a s o n M o h a m m e d ’s seventh First-Class century in the second innings could not prevent Red Force from the massive defeat as Guyana batted just once and declared at 540-9. Left-arm spinner Ve e r a s a m m y P e r m a u l finished with 50 wicket in what was a truly dominating season for the South American Franchise. Guyana’s victory was set up by the left-handed Reifer who joined Roger Harper (twice), Carl Hooper and Narsingh Deonarine as the only Guyanese to score a century and claim a fivewicket haul in the same
Four-times Defending Champions Guyana Jaguars after winning the 2018 First Class season.
game. Reifer’s unbeaten 108 also saw the Jaguars breaking the 47-year-old record of Guyana’s highest total (537) against T&T. The Jaguars have lost just three matches in their last 42 games; to Barbados and Leewards twice. Bramble finished as the wicketkeeper with the most dismissals (45) and scored 613 runs including an unbeaten 196 and four fifties, while Paul finished with the most wickets (42) by a pacer in addition to scoring a hundred in the first match against Jamaica and finishing with a shot-filled 53 in the last game. Bramble’s 196, was four short of what would have been only the second ever double century in Regional First-Class Cricket. Grenadian Junior Murray’s 218 in 1997 against Guyana on home soil is the only Keeper with a ‘double’ in Regional Cricket. Vishaul Singh, rested for the last game, scored two
hundreds and an unbeaten 97 in St Kitts. Singh, Paul, Reifer, Shiv Chanderpaul, Johnson, Bramble and Tagenarine Chanderpaul scored hundreds, while Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Hemraj featured in two century opening partnerships. Ironically, Hemraj, who has not been able to convert any of his five fifties this season into hundreds, was Jaguars’ leading run-scorer with 623 runs. All of the Guyanese bowlers took at least 15 wickets, including Keon Joseph and Romario Shepherd who played just five matches each. Johnson finished with 575 runs with 165 and three half-centuries and only Jamaican Tamar Lambert has more consecutive titles as Captain with five. In December, Jaguars beat Windwards in St Lucia and Leewards in Antigua to finish at the top of the table at the break for Christmas.
In St Lucia Vishaul Singh (75) and Shepherd (44) saw Guyana to 224 before Clinton Pestano captured 446 and Permaul 3-13 did damage as Volcanoes fell for 187. O p e n e r Ta g e n a r i n e Chanderpaul scored a marathon unbeaten 84 from 334 balls, Pestano batting as night watchman made 69, while Johnson scored 51 as Jaguars declared on 310-4. Permaul had 3-56 while there two wickets each for Shepherd, Barnwell and Pestano as Guyana won by 125 runs. Jaguars finished off the season by defeating Hurricanes in Antigua by nine wickets. Shepherd 4-36 and Motie 3-23 helped to dismiss the host for 182 before Singh (90) and Barnwell (46) led Guyana to 289. Permaul with 5-57 and Motie 3-11 conspired to dismiss the Leewards for 138-9 after Guyanese Rajendra Chandrika could not bat due to a broken finger. Guyana reached 32-1 with Johnson (15) and Trevon Griffith (13) at the c r e a s e a f t e r Ta g e Chanderpaul (1) fell to Sheno Berridge. While Singh top-scored with 90 and took his aggregate to 168 runs from two games and Johnson and Pestano got fifties after Chanderpaul made 84 in St Lucia, none of Guyana’s batsman converted their good starts to a three-figure score. Manager Rayan Griffith said he would like to see a bit more improvement mentally, being more aware and batting more intelligently.
Veerasammy Permaul bowls to another five wicket haul in Antigua.
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 28, 2018
Samuel Ince-Carvalhal following in Grandad’s Footsteps Carvalhal (right) in action against Shomari Wilshire.
Samuel Ince-Carvalhal with his grandfather, Coach Carl Ince. By Sean Devers Fifteen-year-old Samuel Ince-Carvalhal has set his feet firmly on the path to follow in the footsteps of his Grandfather and National Squash Coach Carl Ince as he aims to realise his dreams of becoming a fully qualified International Squash Coach. S a m u e l s ’s recent achievement of gaining Level 2 Coaching certification has spurred him on to begin the arduous task of preparing himself for the next level which is level 3 certification. Undoubtedly, this will be a lengthy journey as the level 3 qualification is advanced and requires grading from a panel of level 4 coaches for certification. This means that Samuel will have to travel to the United Kingdom to complete
The Squash Court under construction. this course but his training is underway for him to achieve this over the next couple of years. Ranked number 2 in Guyana and 3rd in the Caribbean in his age category, Samuel migrated from the UK
4 years ago and lived his first year in Guyana on his grandfather’s farm at Loo Creek on the Linden Highway where Squash Camps are held for members of the various Guyana Squash teams. A third Court, with a glass front is
presently under construction. A great start to his squash development was having easy access to his own Squash Courts and the availability of an elite Coach at hand but this optimum situa-
UDFA GT Beer semi-finals on tonight in Linden - Net Rockers versus Winners Connection, Eagles United against champions Botafago Tonight the semifinals of this year’s Upper Demerara Football Association’s GT Beer football championship are on at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground when Haynes and Lewis Winners Connection face Net Rockers at 19.00hrs and Botafago clash with Eagles United from 21.00hrs. In the final group matches played on Boxing Night, Eagles United quali-
fied with a higher goal difference over Capital GFC when they outscored Hi Stars 6-3. That result compared with the 3-0 by Capital FC over Hi Stars gave the Eagles side a higher number of goals scored after they and Capital FC played to a 0-0 draw in their group of three play. So by virtue of that Eagles now face Botafago in the second game from 21:00hrs. Botafago defeated Topp XX
2-1 in their game also on Boxing Night to make it to the final four as Donovan Francis got both goals for them and Keon Hall netted the other for Topp XX.And their game against Haynes and Lewis Winners Connection in the first game tonight is one that will be keenly contested. Winners Connection having won this tournament before will have the experience against the number two ranked club Net Rockers who have shown good from in this tournament and were unbeaten in the last league championship. So how the Winners Connection will fare is left to be seen.Eagles with guest player Sheldron Holder who got the hat-trick in that 6-3 win and a double from Colywn Drakes, while the other was by Randolph Lewis would be pleased with their scoring
ability but their defending has left hopes that they can be beaten. James Trotman who got the first goal and the other two by Tony Adams showed the way to get the ball into the back of the net against this Eagles side. But Botafago have a good forward line with the Jamal Haynes and Donovan Francis leading their charge. Net Rockers have shown great form since the league where they played unbeaten and now can make the move to get this prestigious title with a win over the former champions Winners Connection. But it all boils down to who wants it more and tonight we will be known when these two matches are played under floodlights at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.
tion had to change when academic requirements forced a move to Georgetown. Now he only gets to stay with his Grandparents during holidays and some weekends but tries to make the most of his limited time there. He has already put his coaching skills to good use as he helps with the Junior Programme at the Georgetown Club on Saturday Mornings. He is also co-organiser of squash camps held at Coach Ince’s residence and assists during coaching sessions. His first student is his younger sibling Solomon, who has decided to give the sport a more serious try next year. “I am pleased with the character building that Samuel’s volunteering and
coaching brings and I am proud of my grandson’s achievement and development,” said Coach Ince. Having the National Coach as his Grandad comes with many positives but it also comes with high expectations from others; something Samuel is very aware of. “I am very grateful to have such an experienced and competent Coach and even greater grand dad behind me and the pressure of high expectations from others is worth it,” said the young Samuel. Going into 2019 with a determined spirit for playing and coaching, Samuel is hoping to accelerate his development over the next six months to raise his ranking at Junior CASA which will be hosted by Trinidad in July.
Centurion Pujara leads India to strong position in Melbourne MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Cheteshwar Pujara’s century formed the backbone of a dominant Indian batting display before Australia’s openers survived a few nervous overs as the home side reached eight without loss at the end of a scorching day two in the third test yesterday. Marcus Harris was five not out, with Aaron Finch on three as Australia started their response to India’s 443 for seven total, with the home bowlers made to toil until half an hour before stumps on a grudging Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) wicket. In a brief and fiery spell, paceman Jasprit Bumrah struck Harris on the helmet with a short ball but the rookie opener rose to his feet quickly and resumed after lengthy at-
tention by medical staff. With the four-test series locked at 1-1, much will depend on how the MCG’s maligned drop-in wicket performs for an Australian batting order still finding their feet. But the home side’s hopes of taking a lead into the final test in Sydney would seem slender. Although they failed to make a breakthrough, India’s bowlers will head into day three hopeful of making some early inroads after they beat the bat with a slew of deliveries, but Finch feels all three possible results remain on the table. “We’ve very confident we can bat really big, bat well and put India under (Continued on page 34)
Friday December 28, 2018
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Kaieteur News
GFF/Stag Super 16 Semis on today at Buxton Ground
Western Tigers, Buxton, Den Amstel and Fruta Conquerors to collide
Ronaldo Fredericks (right), Shemar Fraser and Jamar Harrigon – Buxton United FC. By Franklin Wilson Sixteen teams have now been whittled down to four and by the end of tonight the finalists of the 2018/2019 Guyana Football Federation/ Stag Super 16 championship would be known. It’s semi finals day at the Buxton Ground on the East Coast of Demerara. Earning the right to play are Boxing Night victors Den Amstel coming up against Fruta Conquerors in tonight’s main event; the curtain raiser pits the Christmas Night winners, Buxton United against Western Tigers. There were routine wins for Den Amstel and Fruta Conquerors against Victoria Kings and Milrerock, respectively. Den Amstel brushed aside Victoria Kings 2-0, Kester Jacobs netting both goals either side of play, in the 31st and 82nd minutes. Conquerors, aiming to end the season on a high with the double after being crowned GFF Elite League Champions, made light work of Milerock with a thumping 4-1 result, Eon Alleyne and Nicholas Mc Arthur scoring a brace each. Alleyne hit the back of the nets in just the 2nd minute from the penalty spot and then again in the 11th minute. Mc Arthur got his goals in the 33rd and 90th minutes. Milerock’s consolation goal came off the boot of Delon McAllister in the 66th minute. But the place to be was the Golden Grove Ground on Christmas night when onetime Kashif and Shanghai Champions Buxton United felled the defending champions, Guyana Defence Force 3-2 and Western Tigers hung on for a 1-0 win over Ann’s Grove United. The name of 16 year-old Annandale Secondary School Captain and Buxton
United Midfielder Jamar Harrigon will linger in the memories of the Guyana Defence Force players, management team and fans for at least the next year. Perhaps the GDF will be seeking to recruit Harrigon since he was the player that dealt them heartache on Christmas Night at the Golden Grove Ground when he artistically scored the winning goal, eight (8) minutes after coming on to send his team past the Army in the final minute of added on time, 90+5. It was just not a goal being scored but the manner in which it was accomplished that will be etched in the memoirs of all at the venue for some time to come. The score was tied at 2-2 with mere seconds to go in the match that was headed for extra time. But young Harrigon had other ideas, he received a pass that was floated nicely and by divine intervention he decide to try a bicycle kick from the top of the box on the right side. His looping strike sailed over the head of the GDF goalie Delon Adams whilst dipping into the back of the nets even as Adams tried to parry it away.
The goal prompted an eruption of mass celebrations amongst the players and supporters but it was heartache on the opposite end. Western Tigers booked their date with Buxton through Kelsey Benjamin’s 45th minute strike even as Ann’s Grove enjoyed most of the possession. The West Ruimveldt based Tigers can count their lucky stars for shining on them while the losing side would be asking, what more could they have done to win having been the dominant team. Ann’s Grove were reduced to 10-men when Antonio Jackson got his second yellow on the stroke of full time, his first was 10 minutes earlier. Buxton United, a team with an average age of 21, looked a fit unit and played very well to match and on occasions, even outplay the Army in the first 45 minutes when they also ran away 2-0 leaders. On 23 minutes, the deadlock was broken when Ronaldo Fredericks received a long pass from goalkeeper and Captain Jason Cromwell whose shot found Fredericks
in the GDF box. Given the hardness of the Golden Grove surface and the low cut grass the ball was bouncing quite a bit. It was that bounce that caught the GDF defence and goalkeeper with their judgment off but Fredericks calculated and timed his jump to perfection to head the ball over the advancing Adams into the back of the open nets to hand Buxton the advantage. Twenty minutes later, as the exchanges ebbed and flowed back and forth, it was the East Demerara based side who were setting up the foundation for the demise of the defending champions. Buxton forward, Paul Kingston whose quickness was causing all kinds of challenges for the Army’s backfour all game, conjured up another such move in the 43rd minute when he produced an enterprising run which took him into the box with a Soldier in hot pursuit.
Kelsey Benjamin – Western Tigers FC
Eon Alleyne - Fruta Conquerors FC
Nicholas McArthur Fruta Conquerors FC
Western Tigers’ Curtez Kellman (#17) seeks to gets past Steve Francis of Ann’s Grove in their clash. Despite being off balance given the speed he was going at, Kingston still had the presence of mind and strength to keep in front of the defender who kicked him off his feet in a bid to gain possession of the ball; that ill-advised move drew the sound of the Referee’s whistle as he also pointed to the penalty spot in one motion; a sight benefitting teams and fans love to behold. Shemar Fraser was given the task of taking the kick and the left footer made no mistake in slotting the ball past Adams who interestingly, went to the right side but stood flatfooted rather than attempting to dive to stop the ball; Buxton 2 GDF 0. As was expected after the break, the former champions came out with all cannons firing on the windy night seeking to pull things back from what was a challenging hurdle to conqueror; they {GDF} were in similar battles before and mustered the resolve to reverse the situation in a positive manner but this one was going to be insurmountable, eventually. The boys in green did not help their cause when Shawn Arthur drew a straight red card in the 58th minute, handing Buxton the advantage of having 11 players to their 10. But playing a man less seemed to energise the Sol-
diers who did not relent as they continued to pile on the pressure on Buxton which for some reason did not display the same energy they exhibited in the opening stanza of the battle. Consistent pressure eventually resulted in Buxton cracking in the 60th minute when they scored against themselves, David Wilson being the guilty player, placing the ball past Cromwell to gift the GDF their opening goal. Suddenly, 10 Soldiers were looking like an Army. Buxton created a few more chances to restore their two goal advantage but squandered them. Likewise, their opponent did the same. But with four minutes to full time, Delroy Fraser pulled one out of the bag to knot the score at 2-2. The momentum was certainly with the GDF but Buxton kept hanging on as they timed the exterminating goal, a bicycle kick from Harrigon who came into the fray in the 87th minute for Tyrone Harper. It was a classical change by Coach Herbert McPherson, maybe the final gift left in Natty Dread Santa’s bag on the night. Semi final action tonight kicks off at 18:00hrs and fans can anticipate another blockbuster double header.
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 28, 2018
Caribbean’s first CIK-FIA 2019 Ramnaresh Sarwan U-17 Cricket Tourney bowls off as BCB championship set for Barbados - Seven locals to compete starts early preparation The Berbice Cricket Board last Monday started its 30th and final tournament when it hosted the first round of the 2019 Ramnaresh Sarwan Under-17 Inter-Club Cricket Tournament. The Berbice Cricket Board would be using the Tournament to select its team for the 2019 Inter-County Under-17 Championship. A total of seventeen teams are involved in the tournament which is being played on a Round Robin basis with the top teams advancing to the quarterfinals. BCB President Hilbert Foster stated that the tournament was the 2nd of its kind for 2018 as the first one was won by Rose Hall Town Bakewell ‘A’ who defeated Albion Community Centre in the Final. The BCB after the fifth round on Friday 28th December, 2018 would name a 26 man squad for trials. Scores from the matches played are: a) At Mt Sinai Ground: Tucber Park Cricket Club defeated Mt Sinai Cricket Club by 231 runs. Tucber Park 273 all out in 49.4 Overs, T. Ceasar 83, Zeymul Ramsammy 46. R. McKennon 2 for 20. Mt Sinai 143 all out in 16.3 Overs. Abdul Ramsammy 5 for 6, Nicquan Samuels 2 for 11. b) At Bush Lot Ground: Achievers Cricket Club defeated Blairmont Community Centre ‘A’ by four wickets. Blairmont Com Centre ‘A’ 120 all out in 18.1 Overs. Marvin Prashad 36, Farouk Subhan 34. Collis Noble 2 for 27 and Renata Liverpool 2 for 6. Achievers 123 for 6 in 16 Overs. Collis Noble 75 not out. Marvin Prashad 2 for 13, Ryan France 2 for 23.
c) At Bush Lot Ground: Achievers Cricket Club defeated D’Edward Cricket Club by 9 wickets. D’Edward 73 all out in 20Overs. Anthony France 20, Jayden Samuels 3 for 13, Collis Noble 4 for 19. Achievers 74 for 1 in 10.4 Overs. Darius Joseph 22, Odel Miller 17 not out. d) At D’Edward Ground: Achievers Cricket Club defeated Blairmont Community Centre ‘B’ by 184 runs. Achievers 208 all out in 26.3 Overs. Collis Noble 74, Odel Miller 45, D. Arthur 32, Ayinde Rogers 26. Andy Tagerie 3 for 36, Levar Whyte 2 for 41, Gavin Marvin 3 for 36. e) At Port Mourant Ground: Albion Community Centre ‘A’ defeated Port Mourant Cricket Club by nine wickets. Port Mourant 122 all out in 40-Overs. Rampertab Rampersaud 65, Ray Persaud 15, Damien Cecil 3 for 21, Sarwan Chaitnarine 2 for 26, I. Shazam 2 for 21. Albion Com Centre ‘A’ 123 for 1. R. Karim 51 not out, S. Chaitnarine 36 not nout. f) At Rose Hall Canje Ground: Tucber Park Cricket Club defeated Kendall’s Union Cricket Club by ten wickets. Kendall’s Union 31 all out, Gevon Schultz 4 for 11, R. Reteimah 2 for 7, Zeymul Ramsammy 2 for 10, D. Dharamdat 2 for 2. g) At Tamarind Root Ground: Rose Hall Town Bakewell ‘A’ defeated Rose Hall Town Bakewell ‘B’ by 6 wickets. RHT Bakewell ‘B’ 90 all out in 33 Overs. Reyad Rahaman 17, S. Blake 14, Christopher Deroop 17, Matthew Pottaya 3 for 11, Jonathan Rampersaud 3 for
31, Mahendra Gopilall 2 for 11. RHT Bakewell ‘A’ 95 for 4 in 12 Overs. Lucas Arthur 45 not out, Jonathan Rampersaud 32, Shamzan Khan 2 for 25. h) At Hampshire Ground: Rose Hall Town Bakewell ‘A’ defeated Port Mourant Cricket Club by 231 runs. RHT Bakwell ‘A’ 306 for 8 in 50-Overs. Vikash Subramanie 46, Jonathan Rampersaud 47, Mahendra Gopilall 88, Lucas Arthur 61. M. Ramaldo 2 for 63, T. Sheando 2 for 42. Port Mourant Cricket Club 75 all out in 40 Overs. Rampertab Ramnauth 27, R. Persaud 22. Jonathan Rampersaud 3 for 10, Jeremy Sandia 3 for 11 and Lucas Arthur 2 for 1. i) At Hampshire Ground: Rose Hall Town Bakewell ‘A’ crushed Albion Community Centre by 210 runs. RHT Bakewell ‘A’ 268 all out in 48 Overs. Vikash Subramanie 36, Jai Tika 111 not out, Jeremy Sandia 66. A. Budhoo 4 for 53. Albion Community Centre ‘B’ 57 all out in 18.5 overs. Damian Cecil 15, Dwayne Williams 2 for 5, Jeremy Sandia 3 for 11, Matthew Pottaya 4 for 2. j) At Albion Ground: Albion Community Centre ‘A’ cruised past RHT Bakewell ‘B’ by nine wickets. RTH Bakewell ‘B’ 84 all out in 34 Overs. Devindra Balkaran 20, Shivnarine Ramnarine 19, Shazam Khan 18. Surendra Ramcharitar 5 for 7 including a hat-trick and Gourav Ramesh 3 for 19. Albion Community Centre ‘A’ 85 for 1 in 18.3 Overs. H. Gurdyal 32 not out, R. Karim 32. Shivnarine Ramnarine 1 for 4.
Hemraj, Refier back for Jaguars for B’dos game - Paul (injured), Bishoo (in USA) The four time champions, Guyana Jaguars, heads out from Wednesday 2nd January, 2019 to continue on round three of the 2018/2019 CWI PCL 4-Day tournament with the aim of conquering their fifth consecutive title. In Round three the team will face the Barbados Pride at Kensington Oval, Barbados. The thirteen member squad is as follow: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Leon Johnson, Vishaul Singh,
& Hetmyer (rest) unavailable
Raymon Reifer, Christopher Barnwell, Sherfane Rutherford, Anthony Bramble, Romario Shepherd, Veerasammy Permaul, Clinton Pestano, Gudakesh Motie, and Keon Joseph. The team is led by Manager/ Assistant Coach, Rayon Griffith while Esuan Crandon stands as the team Coach. Physiotherapist, Neil Barry Jr. will also accompany the team as they embark. Trevon Griffith, Tevin
Imlach and Akshaya Persaud are out in this round. Keemo Paul injured his finger during the last match in Bangladesh, while Devendra Bishoo was still in the USA at the time of selection and Shimron Hetmyer has requested to be rested. The Guyana Cricket Board wishes the team good luck as they are already back in training after the Christmas holiday.
Seven of Guyana’s best young racers have been named as representatives for the Inaugural International Karting Commission (CIKFIA) Caribbean Junior Karting Academy Trophy which has been tentatively set for the third week in January 2019. The seven are Jeremy Ten Pow, Paige Mendonca, Nathan Rahaman, Elan Rahaman, Rayden Persaud, Zachary Persaud and Faraud Mohamed. Ten-Pow, Mendonca and Nathan Rahaman are known contenders in the GT Motorsports Championship where they compete in the Sunburst 60cc Kids Cup. Elan, Rayden and Faraud compete the 125cc (X30) Junior class, while Zachary Persaud entered through the Easy Cup Rookie but joined the 125cc (X30) Senior class for the third round of the GT Motorsports Calendar. According to a release from the hosts of the champi-
onship, the Barbados Motoring Federation (BMF), the event was open to racers aged 11 to 15 selected by their home country’s motorsport governing bodies and will be sponsored by Bushy Park Circuit Inc. (BPCI), Chefette, Sol and Terra Caribbean. The Trophy will take the format off the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy, the first step in the process to single-seater racing where Guyanese Calvin Ming competes. BMF president Andrew Mallalieu, who has been the driving force behind this new regional initiative, said: “When FIA president Todt visited Barbados last year, we included our ideas for a Caribbean Junior Karting series in the presentation to update him on the progress of motorsport in the region. He was enthusiastic about our plans and urged us to prepare a formal cluster application for FIA Grant funding to support the launch
of the series. The original plan has been modified during that process, but we are truly grateful for the support we have received to finally make this a reality.” Drivers will use Vortexengined Exprit OK-Junior karts, as used in the CIK-FIA Academy Trophy in Europe this year, but now running on control Sol fuel and mandated allocations of MG tyres. The championship will be run over three weekends in January, February and March at Bushy Park, Barbados, using four different circuit configurations and will include drivers from several other Caribbean territories. Each race weekend will follow the same format, including two rounds of the series, the second run in the reverse direction to the first. For each round, there will be two 30-minute Free Practice sessions followed by a 15-minute Qualifying Practice, then three Qualifying Heats: the grid for Race 1 will be based on the order after Qualifying, Race 2 on the (Continued on page 32)
BCB/Ivan Madray Memorial 100 Balls Cricket Tournament
Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets edge Tucber Park Cricket Club to reach Finals - To clash with Young Warriors Cricket Club next Sunday The strong Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets First Division Team under the leadership of Shawn Pereira on Sunday, qualified for their sixth consecutive finals in 2018. They defeated Tucber Park Cricket Club by five wickets at Albion Ground to join arch rivals Young Warriors Cricket Club in the finals of the Berbice Cricket Board Ivan Madray 100 Balls First Division Tournament. Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets won the toss and elected to field first after the start of play was delayed due to overnight rain. Tucber Park Cricket Club opening pair of M. Mickle and Steve Deonarine added 13 for the first wicket before Mickle was caught off the bowling of left arm spinner Keith Simpson for 09. Steady bowling from the Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets Team led by the experienced Eon Hooper never allowed the Tucber Park batting to score freely. A brief cameo of 22 from National allrounder Romario Shepherd assisted his team to reach 100 for 9 at the end of
their 100 Balls. Hakeem Hinds 18, Steve Deonarine 12 were the only other batsmen to reach double figures as Eon Hooper 2 for 20 and Junior Sinclair 3 for 9 bowled well. Simpson, Kevin Sinclair and Clinton Pestano took a wicket each. Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets lost the ultra aggressive Kevin Sinclair off the first ball of their reply, caught at mid off, off Devon Clements. Junior Sinclair was then trapped LBW by Clements at 4 for 2 in the 3rd Over. The dismissal of Vidal Crandon, run out for 02 in the 6th Over left Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets struggling at 20 for 3 but the promising Kevlon Anderson and experienced Jason Sinclair added 60 for the 4th wicket before Sinclair was run rout for a well played 28 which included three boundaries. The equation came down to 21 from 16 balls but Clinton Pestano and Anderson took nineteen from eight balls in the 15th Over bowled by National Under-17 medium pacer Leon Swammy. Pestano took a single from the
first ball of the final bowler before Anderson was bowled by Romario Shepherd with the score tied. Former National Player Eon Hooper then pushed the next delivery to mid off for a quick single to win the match. Pestano was left unbeaten on 15. Clements ended on 2 for 12 while Romario Shepherd took 1 for 19 from 2.4 Overs. Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets would now play Young Warriors Cricket Club in the Final on Sunday at the Port Mourant Ground. The Tournament is being sponsored by the Madray and Chintamani families in Memory of the Legendary Berbice Cricketer Ivan Madray, who played two tests of the West Indies in 1958. Madray was the third of nineteen Berbicians to play Test Cricket and is one of seven members of the historic Port Mourant Cricket Club to play at the highest level. Madray’s nephew Chandradat Chintamani will be present at the final and to assist in the presentation of prizes.
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Friday December 28, 2018
BCB/RHTYSC Busta Champion of Champions 40-Over Knock-out Tournament
Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets clinch another Title
T
he Berbice Cricket Board on Sunday last completed its 23rd Cricket Tournament for 2018 when it successfully hosted the RHTYSC/Busta Champion of Champions final at the Cumberland Ground in Canje. Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets continued the dominance of cricket in Berbice by winning their fifth successive First Division Title and the Club’s 12th major tournament for the year by defeating the home team Young Warriors Cricket Club by 51 runs. Playing in front of a sizeable crowd, Rose Hall Town Gismos & Gadgets won the toss and elected to take first strike despite some preparation moisture on the pitch. They were soon in deep trouble at 01 for two wickets in the third over as they lost Junior Sinclair LBW to left a r m s p i n n e r Tr e v l o n Stanislaus in the first over and his older brother Jason Sinclair bowled by left arm medium Devindra Ramoutar for naught as well. Kevin Sinclair (37) and National allrounder Clinton Pestano (30) then added 50 for the 3rd wicket in 16 Overs as scoring on the sluggish pitch was difficult. Sinclair then threw his wicket away as his team slipped to 51 for 3. Vidal Crandon 22, Eon Hooper 15, Kevlon Anderson 20 then added crucial runs as Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets were bowled out of 132 in 35.3 Overs. Bowling for Young Warriors Cricket Club, offspinner Ishwar Singh took three wickets for two runs from 2.3 overs, left arm spinner Trevlon Stanislaus 2 for 22, while Devindra Ramoutar, Suresh Dhanai and Linden Austin took a wicket apiece. At the lunch interval, Young Warriors Cricket Club were confident of over hauling the target of 132 but the powerful Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets bowling attack had other plans. Young Warriors Cricket Club started like a house on fire as National Under-19 player Alex Algoo tore into offspinner Eon Hooper, hitting 22 runs from the first over of the innings. Algoo and fellow opener Ishwar Singh raced to 51 without loss in the sixth
The winning RHTGG Team.
Shawn Pereira collects winning trophy from Albert Budhoo of Busta.
overs as Young Warriors looked to finish the game early. Pestano, bowling full and fast, trapped Singh LBW for 22 in the 6th over before rocking back the stumps of Ricardo Ramdihal for naught to leave the home team on 56 for 2. Pestano then knocked the life out of Young Warriors Cricket Club by dismissing Linden Austin 00, Vishal Mohabir 00, Trevlon Stanislaus 00 and Amir Khan 00 to bowl out Young Warriors Cricket Club for 81 in just 14.1 Overs. The last man S. Satar was run out for 00 as Berbice Under-19 left arm spinner Keith Simpson supported the fiery Pestano with 2 wickets for 20 runs from 5-Overs. Eight of the strong Young Warriors batting line up failed to trouble the scorers. BCB President Hilbert Foster hailed the 15th Edition of the Busta Champion of Champions as a resounding success and stated that every Berbician in the county should be very proud of the progress made over the last ten months. The dynamic President who has worked beyond the call of duty to transform Berbice Cricket, expressed gratitude to the Management of the Guyana Beverage Company for their continued investment into Berbice Cricket. Special mention was made of Robert Selman, Raymond Govindan, Albert Budhoo and Mr. Arjune. Both captains, Shawn Pereira and Seon Hetmyer expressed gratitude to the Berbice Cricket Board and Busta for hosting the Tournament which was completed within one month. The winning Rose Hall Town Gismos & Gadgets team took home $100,000 and the Busta Trophy, while Young Warriors Cricket Club received $50,000 and trophy. Clinton Pestano was
named Man of the Final and was awarded financially along with a trophy.
Kaieteur News
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Friday December 28, 2018
Review of CGI’s Male domestic cricket in 2018
Franchise league integral to Jaguars success By Sean Devers he Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and its incorporated arm Cricket Guyana INC (CGI) is criticized for several things including their lack of democratic elections, the lack of focus on Female cricket, the lack of a meaningful relationship with the Demerara, Berbice Board and the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) and contracting U-15 players. But regardless if you support the GCB or not it clear that their Franchise League and their Academy programme is working as is evident with the consistent performances of the Jaguars in Regional cricket. Credit must go the its Secretary Anand Sanasie (who seems key in all the decisions made) along Head Coach Esuan Crandon and his assistant and Manager Rayon Griffith of the Jaguars for the systems and training programmes implemented for the elite pool of senior players. Coaches Michael ‘Hyles’ Franco and Clive Grimmond should also be commended for the work they are doing with the Academy players who are on the fringe of national selection and who are paid a monthly salary to focus on their fitness and skill with training sessions most mornings of each week. In addition to their skill sets and unity as a team astutely led by Leon Johnson, they are the fittest team in Regional cricket mainly due to the Academy programme which is the only such programme in the Region. After the 50-over Franchise was held in preparation for the Regional
T
Bhaskar Yadram
Leon Johnson
Renaldo Ali-Mohammed
Super50 in which Guyana reached the semi-finals, the annual three-day Franchise (inaugurated in 2015 to widen the pool for the selectors) was planned ahead of the First-Class season but was cancelled due to adverse weather and unavailability of venues. Jaguars 50 Overs Franchise League was scheduled to start on September 14 but the first two rounds were washed out with the first round beginning on September 17. East Banks’ Renaldo AliMohammed, followed-up his 102 against Lower Corentyne with 108 against West Demerara in the final round and was the only batsman with two centuries in the league which concluded on September 27 with Essequibo emerging champions. Essequibo had, in the sixth round exerted their dominance in the league, when they defeated defending champions, Georgetown by 97 runs, to take an unassailable lead with one round remaining. This win proved vital, as West Berbice stunned Essequibo in the final round; beating the leaders by 115 runs. But Essequibo still took the Championship Trophy &
$200,000 by virtue of registering the most points in the league. At Bush Lot, Essequibo had won this year’s title in the previous round since they began their final match against West Berbice six points ahead of second placed Georgetown, who could only get a maximum of five points from their final game against Lower Corentyne at Bourda. The new Champions opted to field and West Berbice, who broke Essequibo’s undefeated run, rattled up 278-5 in their 50 overs with Gudakesh Motie (84*), Javid Karim (74), Andrew Dutchin (39 not out) and Leon Andrews (33) leading the Region-five Franchise to their highest total of the 2018 season. Mark Williams (2-45) and Akinie Adams (2-33) were the main wicket-takers for Essequibo who fell for 163 in 38.4 overs despite an unbeaten 53 from Anthony Adams, 36 from wicketkeeper Kemol Savory and 27 from Kevin Boodie. Kevin Jawahir had 4-40 while Kevin Sinclair and Motie had identical figures of 2-28 to give the home team an emphatic victory. And although Leon Johnson’s 111 led GT to victory at Bourda,
Essequibo, the defending three-day champions, were officially crowned 50-over Champions in a reversal of l a s t y e a r ’s f i n a l a t Providence when GT beat E’bo. Johnson, the League’s leading scorer with 336 runs scored an unbeaten 111 and stabilised the innings when the game could have gone either way as a result of Anderson’s masterful 116 with nine fours and three sixes off 113 balls. But Johnson astute captaincy and decent death bowling ensured Georgetown prevailed by 26 runs on a flat pitch. Essequibo’s Ricardo Adams had the tournament’s only hat-trick, while his unrelated name sake Anthony Adams was among the top wicket takers. Anthony is a bit unlucky that fellow left-arm spinners Veerasammy Permaul and Gudakesh Motie (both getting wickets for Guyana) are in his way. Essequibo, the defending three-day Champions from 2017, won the double and their wicket-keeper batsman Kemol Savory and AliMohammed were selected as replacement players when Chanderpaul Hemraj and Sherfane Rutherford were picked for Windies duties
Kevlon Anderson
Anthony Adams.
but did not play any games in the Regional Super50. The other male tournaments held by the GCB in 2018, Berbice retained their title when they defeated Demerara by 35 runs in the final, played on February 25 at Bourda in the D a v e We s t I n d i a n Imports/GCB U-15 50 Overs Inter County Competition. In a match reduced to 25 overs, due to rain, Berbice were bowled out for 88 before dismissing Demerara for 53. The GCB Under-17 Inter County 50 Overs Round Robin Competition began on March 7 and ended on March 11 and Demerara took championship honors with 24.4 followed by Berbice with 18.1 points, Essequibo 8.9 and the Select Under-15 on 0.6 of a point. Demerara played unbeaten throughout the tournament, defeating Essequibo, Berbice and the Select Under-15 teams. GCB/Hand in Hand Under-19 Inter County Three Day Tournament commenced on April 10 with Demerara beating the Select U-17 by an innings and 56 runs. D e m e r a r a ’s s k i p p e r Bhaskar Yadram scored an unbeaten and record
breaking triple century of 301; surpassing the previous highest score at this level of 193 against Essequibo in 2004 by then Demerara captain Johnson. Berbice then defeated Essequibo by nine wickets in two days, while the last day of the game at Everest was washed out in the match between Essequibo and the Under17 Select X1 with Essequibo having to settle for first innings points. In the other match at Lusignan, the second days’ play was also washed out due to a soggy outfield but Berbice fought back to defeat Demerara, who had taken a 28-run first innings lead, by eight wickets. B e r b i c e t o o k championship honours in the GCB/Hand in Hand U-19 Inter County 50-over Competition after defeating the Select Under-17 team by four wickets in the final at Providence, on May 4. The Select Under-17 batted first and made 133 all out in 42.5 overs with Seon Glasgow (51) and Andre Seepersaud (46) batted well as Keith Simpson 4-33 and Kevlon Anderson 2-19 did the damage for Berbice who reached 137-6 with Javed Karim 38 and Kevin Sinclair 28 leading the way. Nigel Deodat took 3-23.
Matarkai SC Annual floodlights football commences
Talons FC Dixon Benjamin (R) and Kenwin Beharry.
The third edition of Matarkai Sports Committee in collaboration with New image Barber Shop and Platinum General Store floodlights football tournament got underway on Wednesday with three exciting matches which saw Razor FC, Citrus Grove Young Gunners FC and Ta l o n s F C r e c o r d i n g victories at Oronoque Tarmac, Port Kaituma. W a t c h e d b y approximately 1000 vociferous fans, Razor FC
defeated Future Stars FC 2-0 as the flamboyant Kevin Thomas nailed the first within 12 minutes of play, while the versatile Andy McLennon buried the 2nd in the 27th minutes of the second half. Citrus Grove Young Gunners FC defeated Platinum FC 2-1 in their match up. Leroy Domingo put Citrus Grove Young Gunners ahead from the penalty spot within three minutes of play before Ornaldo Cupido found the
equaliser one minute later. H o w e v e r, C o r n e l l S t . Romain netted in the 15th minute which proved to be the decider as Citrus Grove Young Gunners defended well in the second half. In the final game of the night, Talons FC overcame New Image Barber Shop FC 2-0. Dixon Benjamin opened the scoring for Talons FC with a beautiful banana volley in the 6th minute, while the skillful Kenwin Beharry stretched the lead two minutes later. The
competition continued last night with defending champs Blazers 7 playing Wolf PAC. Meanwhile, Brian’s Boutique has joined the list of sponsors on board so far. T h e e n t i t y ’s S a l e s Representative Jenelle Thomas handed over a cheque to MSC PRO Sherlon Rodrigues recently. Thomas said such a tournament can only help to enhance the skill level of the players and as such they are happy to be a part of it. Rodrigues (Continued on page 34)
Kaieteur News
Friday December 28, 2018
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Atkinson Brothers Football
Atkinson Brothers (Senior & U-17), Rising Sons-Vipers (U-15) and Silver Sand (Female) are 2018 champs
Annalisa Vincent - Silver Sand FC The curtains came down on the 8th Annual Atkinson Brothers Floodlight Football Competition on Boxing Night last at the Kumaka Recreation Ground, Moruca with Sliver Sand Female team retaining their title after turning back the challenge of their counterparts from Atkinson Brothers. Annalisa Vincent was once again the star for the
six-time champions scoring all three goals in the 3-0 triumph to follow up her double in their semi final win over Kairie Flames 2-1. Atkinson Brothers had earned their spot in the final after coming from behind to defeat Universal Jags by a similar margin in their semi. Raising Sons copped the Under-15 title via a penalty shootout (2-1) over
Kamawatta following a 1-1 stalemate in regulation time. Under-17 Best Goalkeeper Henry Phillips Jnr. who also stood between the uprights, pulled off two brilliant saves to wrest the U17 championship from Jungle Boys. Phillips was also brilliant for the senior team standing between the uprights. In the final, Atkinson
Under-15 Champions, Raising Sons F.C-Vipers Brothers took the lead on account of a Dason Marques long range shot but Jungle Boys soon equalised. It took kicks from the penalty mark to decide the champs, Atkinson Brothers prevailing 2-1. In a veterans match, Kumaka took care of business against Huridiah, Floyd La Rose scoring both goals. And, in the senior male final, Marzo Mark Harris aka ‘Killa’ fired in the golden shot of the match in the 8th minute and that was all that was needed for Atkinson Brothers to defeat Jungle Boys to claim their second title in eight (8) years.
In advancing to the final, Jungle Boys upset West Rockers 3-2 on kicks from the penalty mark 3-2 after a 0-0 regulation time score line, while Atkinson Brothers got past needled Rincon United, thanks to Captain Brendon Phillips’ 23rd minute strike. The organisers, Atkinson Brothers have expressed gratitude to all who have contributed towards the success of this year ’s competitions including the many sponsors and is looking forward to continuous support in 2019. They {Atkinson Brothers} further stated that they are committed to promoting
Senior champs, Atkinson Brothers FC youth football development and helping youths in reaching the next level, locally and internationally.
Bravo brace helps Stars secure first points
Atkinson Brothers F.C Senior Captain, Brendon Phillips receives the winning trophy and cash from Chairperson, Ms. Ingrid Chappelle.
SYDNEY, Australia, CMC – All-rounder Dwayne Bravo snatched two wickets as Melbourne Stars beat Sydney Sixers by five wickets, to notch their first win of the Big Bash here today. Entering the contest at the Sydney Cricket Ground in search of their first points, Stars held Sixers to 130 for nine and then chased down the modest target with 31 balls to spare. Sent in, Sixers struggled from the outset and needed a patient unbeaten 41 off 37 balls from Jordan Silk, to get up to their eventual total. They were tottering on 70 for six in the 12th over before Silk put on 33 for the
seventh wicket with Sean Abbott who made 22 from 16 balls, to see his side past the 100run mark. Bravo, who has not been at his best in his previous two outings, grabbed two for 28 from his four overs of medium pace. In reply, Stars lost Ben Dunk for four in the first over with as many runs scored but fellow opener Peter Handscomb smashed 70 from 35 balls to rescue the run chase. He belted nine fours and three sixes, posting 87 for the second wicket with Nick Larkin who made 20. When three wickets fell for 19 runs, Bravo arrived to help shepherd Stars over the line, ending unbeaten on nine.
t r o Sp GFF/Stag Super 16 Semis on today at Buxton Ground
Western Tigers, Buxton, Den Amstel and Fruta Conquerors to collide Caribbean’s first CIK-FIA championship set for Barbados Buxton United players and a few fans swarmed Jamar Harrigon to celebrate his winning goal against the GDF on Christmas Night at the Golden Grove Ground.
Nathan Rahaman (71), Jeremy Ten Pow (61) and Paige Mendonca (15) will help bring championship honours to Guyana in the Inaugural CIK-FIA Caribbean Junior Karting Academy Trophy.
- Seven locals to compete Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.