Kaieteur News

Kaieteur News

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KAIETEUR NEWS Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: ADAM HARRIS Tel: 225-8491, 225-8458, 225-8465 Fax: 225-8473 or 226-8210

Guest Editorial

SHOWING LENIENCY! All over Guyana, children are suffering. Many are poor and are left to fend for themselves because their parents do not have the resources to provide for them. Some will go to school without breakfast hoping to get a bite from their more fortunate friends. Others will abandon school and join gangs to engage in illegal activities in order to survive. Indeed the government recognizes that there are the less fortunate in our midst so the government, some years ago, started the school feeding programme. Today that programme has been extended at a cost of millions of dollars to the Education Ministry. Yet many children have lost their childhood innocence due to poverty and hardships. Almost every day, children are in the news; some have been accused of armed robbery, and others have committed murders or other crimes. The cold-blooded murder of 56-year-old Bibi Nesha Shairoon, a Mahaicony businesswoman, by a 14year-old and a much older accomplice a few weeks ago is a case in point. The mother of three was the owner of a small shop at the bottom of her house. Her decomposed body was found lying in a pool of blood in her bedroom with her feet and hands tied together. Her head had been bashed with a frying pan, allegedly by the 14-year-old, who was her neighbor. He is one of several schooldrop-outs who have turned to crime as a means of survival. Governments past and present have come to the aid of abused and troubled children, but even then they seem not to have done enough. In some cases, they did not have enough trained staff to treat the psychological and emotional scars of children. Some state-run child care centres such as the one in which the two brothers, Joshua and Antonio George, died last July 8 when fire gutted the building are understaffed. It is said that children learn what they live and will act according to what they see in society. Many do not have role models and are vulnerable. They can be easily convinced by criminals to join gangs and commit crimes. Children as young as 14 years are arrested and incarcerated for murders, robbery, petty theft and other criminal offences. Children are prone to make mistakes, therefore incarceration, even though seeming appropriate, should be the last option. Yet in no country has there been a substitute for incarceration. Having said that, the government has a responsibility to balance the rights of the child with its overriding objectives of maintaining order in society. There is nothing wrong with the state locking up children for their misconduct but the State has to make sure that they are not placed in the same prison with hard core criminals. They should not be denied an education or forced to work in prison. Rather, they should be given counseling and a second chance. Opportunities are lost whenever children are locked up in penal facilities. They should be placed in rehabilitation centres, counselled and treated for their deviant behaviour. Bureaucracy should not hinder the policies and laws meant to protect children. A nation that takes care of its children is a caring nation. Children are the nation’s most precious jewels and when they are convicted of a crime, they should be shown leniency. They should not be denied their basic rights or treated like adult prisoners. This would be an indictment on all in society.

Sunday December 04, 2016

Kaieteur M@ilbox Send your letters to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com

City Council needs to take revolutionary action Dear Editor; I am writing on a topic that has been a cause for great concern of late. That is, our City Council. I believe that when we broke up the smaller district councils of urban Georgetown, we did not fully appreciate the impact these councils exerted on their respective districts. I refer specifically to the councils of Lodge, Kitty/Subryanville, Newtown Kitty, Campbelville, Bel Air Park, Alexanderville and Agricola. These councils provided complete services for the residents and ensured that the areas were fully preserved. The enlarged Georgetown council did not really absorb the resources of labour, equipment, nor institutional knowledge that the smaller councils owned, neither did the City put specific plans in train for dealing with the newly incorporated areas. As a consequence what resulted was the chaos that we daily witness. Mayor and Councillors seemed to be only concerned with the glory of the job

and the attendant attention and power that ensued therefrom. It might have been better to have developed an overarching type of management system and allow the smaller councils to operate taking their local decisions from time to time as the situation necessitated with the larger council guiding and presenting resources that the smaller ones did not have. Road repairs and road building was one such resource that the larger council possessed. As a matter of fact, the original City Council was far better at road building than the Central Government of the day. To resolve the many issues facing the City we now need to take revolutionary action to put matters right. The Council needs to seek private sources of funding for its many activities. Funding can be obtained from arms of the IDB which have been set up for such purposes. It needs to float municipal bonds and similar securities to pay for its current and long term

needs. However, the City will need to develop its finance section to the level of full accountability and prudence so that private individuals can have the assurance that funds sourced will be well spent and that the Council will place itself in the situation where it will turn a profit on many of its activities. The current container tax, city parking, increased rates and taxes, efficient collection of arrears and debts can mean that the City ought to witness a positive turn around within the next five years. This will mean increased confidence coming from the business and other communities. Perks and other such privileges will have to come under the pruning hook. Certain allowances for officials will have to be foregone. If these things are not done, people will not put any confidence in the Council. I trust that the Council reads the tea leaves well and makes serious attempts for a possible turn- around. Cyril Walker

Sunday December 04, 2016

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Kaieteur M@ilbox

Ways to achieve the entrepreneurial spirit

Terrible service at New Amsterdam Will they be made to wait an- spending so much money on other couple of months to be healthcare then, if this is the hospital looked after? The attendant experience citizens have to go

DEAR EDITOR; I will assume that we all are aware that historically acts undertaken during, immediately after both slavery and indentureship and throughout our colonial experience favored some races. History tells us for example, that while assistance was given to Portuguese and East Indians to establish businesses none was given to ex-slaves and their every effort in this direction was deliberately undermined – sabotaged. There is rarely a young East Indian who does not have some relative/family friend who owns his/her own business. But really, whether the business is owned by parents, relatives or friends is not the point. The point is that early in their lives these youths have been near and seen people at work in their own business. Indian boys and girls have seen their parents or relative for example, struggling with a plot of land, reaping its fruits and selling same at the markets or in the neighborhood. Indeed mostly at week end or after school East Indian boys and girls actively participate in the business. They have in their own homes, experienced hard times, or seen friends of their families suffer loss and a fall in living standards for a period, when either the weather

Apology In yesterday’s edition, it was carried in the Freddie Kissoon column that then Chief Education Officer, Genevieve Whyte –Nedd had not been confirmed in her position during the tenure of Education Minister, Priya Manickchand. In fact, it was Minister Sheik Baksh. We apologize for the mistake.

or insects deplete their crop. And they have experienced or seen families recover at the next time for reaping when conditions are favorable. It is such experiences that foster the entrepreneurial spirit, that spirit that allows one to continue even after failure. Unfortunately the opposite is true for black youths; few blacks have had a similar experience. For Blacks who have not had this experience their likely behavior after one or two failed attempts at business is to give up, show an unwillingness to gut it out. The youth who does not know from experience that things will change. That misfortune and hard times are merely a temporary period in a business cycle, that this too will pass, will turn away from the business at the slightest loss. He/she will be afraid to face further loss and seek the safety of selling his/her labor for fixed wages. Sadly this is the black man in Guyana at this time. Since East Indians and Blacks come to self-employment with different experiences it stands to reason that there would be a need for the adoption of different ap-

proaches for helping these groups’ efforts at self-employment. So, what can be done to help blacks, especially youths to regain the desire for self-employment that their ancestors had? In my two articles published in the Stabroek News on April 23rd and letter of September 1st1992, I dealt fairly comprehensively, with the above issue and I would encourage readers to make an effort to read them. Now I will highlight one of the approaches mentioned in one of the articles and also provide some alternative approaches to helping especially black youths, turn to self-employment. My position has been that experiences that demand people depend on their own creativity and efforts to get themselves out of uncomfortable situations provide adequate settings for one to learn self dependency. For example unto around 1980s an examination of the lives of successful businessmen in the USA would reveal they either came from families that were involved in business or in their youth were involved in organizations like the (Continued on page 6)

DEAR EDITOR, I turned up at the N/A Hospital Dental Clinic, taking time off from my work, to have a filling done only to be told that there was no dental chair, hence, “you will have to check back next month.” This is most horrible since I was waiting to have this operation done for over a month. I was on a waiting list at this clinic. I have heard horror stories about services (and medication) not being available to the general public and here was my first experience of that. I would like to know what is really going on at this hospital. Why isn’t there a chair at the dental clinic? Where is the new one and why was it not installed? What really is being done at the dental clinic in the meantime? Where is the staff? What will be done to those persons whose dates have reached and expired?

who spoke to me and told me to check back next month, behaved too as if I was bothering her from knitting. That’s the nonsense that goes on in these institutions. For too long, these complaints about shabby and poor services of the New Amsterdam Hospital have been made to continue —unabated without cessation. The Dental Clinic must be made to operate in a more efficient manner. If not, the services should be decentralized to the numerous health clinics around the place, so that people won’t have to be waiting months just to do a filling. Why is the government

through? It just does not add up. Something is wrong here. The hospital did not even have the courtesy, like any efficient institution, to telephone its patients, a day or so before, and do the decent and right thing to say not to visit since they don’t have a dental chair to do work (as ridiculous as that sounds). I am expecting responses from left, right and centre. Leon Suseran

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Kaieteur M@ilbox

The CEO of GUYSUCO has an ideological position on divestment

PPP Parliamentarian is appalled at this opinion of the President

DEAR EDITOR; The Government, according to the press, is determining other estate closures, the closure of the entire sugar industry and/or the divestment of the sugar industry, partially or wholly. It is noted that such consideration is being pursued under the watch of the current CEO of GuySuCo and from what he is uttering these days sounds in keeping with his long-held view. It is understood that the CEO in the latter part of his employ in GuySuCo as Finance Director had advocated that certain sections of the industry be closed. And, as the Head of Booker-Tate operations in the Latin America and Caribbean re-

gion, he may have at the least been aware of the systematic decline of Uitvlugt Estate, a few years ago, which would provide the pretext to have it sold off at a low price. It seems now that the CEO is seeking to reach the selling out objective as the industry insiders say he has high level links and enjoys enormous authority in the industry. It is said that the CEO strongly subscribes to the view that the industry should not be owned by the State. If this is so, then the current ‘sale’ proposals may be in keeping with his ideological stance. Closure and divestment are not wise choices. I urge our Government to acquaint itself with the partial

divestment experience of Jamaica which has had untold sad consequences for the people connected to sugar there. As a patriotic Guyanese, I have a strong feeling about the country’s assets going to enrich others, especially foreigners, given our colonial experience. It will do no good not to forget that the current CEO is not new to the industry’s administration. He spent several years there. Indeed, he cannot be blameless or be separated from the travails of sugar. Selling, as being contemplated, will be yet another mistake for the industry and, no doubt, the country. Cohojoh Caesar

Ways to achieve the entrepreneurial... From page 5 Scout Movement.Scouting usually offers an experience that exposes one to fending for oneself, for beating the odds, scouts are taught never to give up, to fight back. I understand that in scouting to win certain badges one would be left in the forest with the barest of necessities. One has to find one’s way out using one’s ingenuity to make a fire, construct a bed and eat off the land. Scouts have to figure out how to cross creeks that separate them from their final destination and they have to do so without swimming across and having no boat provided. Thus a strong scout movement could go a long way in helping to estab-

lish that fighting spirit, which when applied to business I call the entrepreneurial spirit. Burnham through National Service was (consciously or not) providing an environment for the establishing of the said spirit. Pioneers too sometimes experienced living in the jungle for a few days and finding ways for making comfortable beds, locating food etc, using what is in the jungle. Pioneers worked the cotton and black eye pea fields and tended life stock. They experienced hard times when for example there was a bad crop and lived comfortably when the fields yielded bountifully. All of these are important lessons for those wanting to be entrepreneurs. Years ago I had an interest in locating persons who had been pioneers in the GNS. I found that a number of them were small business men and women. Even if this meant selling

clothing on the side walk or beers and aerated drinks from old, discarded refrigerators – they were demonstrating that entrepreneurial spirit. Another approach that offers encouragement is the establishing of a practical business course in our schools, beginning at the upper levels of the primary school. In many Caribbean islands there is the Junior Achievers program. This program is a mixture of theory and practice. Students decide on and make a product and sell same. During the course they are given different designations in their business aping what is in the real world. At a certain period in the course they are attached to established businesses and shadow those persons holding similar positions to theirs in the real world. Claudius Prince Editor’s note: This letter is lengthy and will be continued in a forthcoming issue

DEAR EDITOR; Editor’s note: This is the conclusion of Mr. Gill’s letter carried in our edition on Friday under the caption, “PPP Parliamentarian lives in fear of being mugged” Earlier this month, the President said he would like to see fewer weapons in the hands of private citizens, “It is my personal view that weapons should be used by law enforcement agencies - the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force… The Minister of Public Security and I are reducing the frequency or the ease or controlling the ease with which some people can get weapons.” This policy was confirmed by Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan who said that steps are being taken to re-assess licensed firearm holders to ensure they are still eligible for gun permits. While I agree that a system is necessary to ensure firearm holders are eligible to retain gun permits, another confidential source reveals that some APNU/AFC loyalists are now the beneficiaries of multiple firearms permits. I am appalled that the President is of the opinion or was so advised that some licensed firearm holders loaned their guns to bandits in exchange for some of the proceeds of crime. This is as ludicrous as Granger insinuating that “there are some persons who are committing crimes to show that the Police Force and Government are weak”. Where’s the proof Mr. President? Speculating on things without evidence can be both dangerous and irresponsible, and may cause you to look in the wrong direction for the answers you need. Kaieteur News columnist, Freddie Kissoon in his No-

vember 24 column wrote, “A businessman of La Penitence on June 17, lodged for safe keeping at the Brickdam police station, one .32 Taurus Semi-automatic pistol – number FUH83936, with one magazine and 10 rounds of .32 ammunition and a sidekick holster. The items were entered into the property book with the number PBP, ENT 536. On July 16, the gentleman went to uplift his stuff. The items could not be found and he was told to return. He has done that several times and the items have been declared missing… A senior official in the office of the Prime Minister left the country in May this year and lodged at the Brickdam police station his Taurus .32 semi-automatic gun, number FFY49197 with one magazine with eight .32 rounds of ammunition. He returned to Guyana in June, went to uplift his stuff only to be told to return since they cannot be located. He has journeyed to the Brickdam police station ten times since. The items have been declared missing.” This led the columnist to ask, “How did these guns go missing? Where are they?” You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to conclude that senior ranks of the Guyana Police are involved in the disappearance of these weapons and perhaps many more. In February of 2006, thirty AK-47s along with five pistols vanished from the GDF’s armoury at the base camp. As of October 2010, twenty of these stolen weapons were found in the possession of criminals. Ten are still missing. These are the guns that the President and Minister Ramjattan should be more concerned with, and more determine to recover before taking away firearms from

businessmen, farmers and other law-abiding citizens. Crime is on the increase but this Administration feels they have it under control. The Guyana Parliament plays a crucial role in ensuring that security policies and security practices are transparent and accountable to the wider population. I am a member of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee for the Security Sector. This committee includes Public Security Minister, the Hon. Khemraj Ramjattan as Chairman, and Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, the Hon. Basil Williams; former Minister of Home Affairs, the Hon. Clement Rohee among others. For the entire life of the Eleventh Parliament under the APNU+AFC, this vitally important committee has met just once. A second meeting that should have been held a week ago was rescheduled for January next year. Guyanese live in fear of gun-toting bandits that brazenly rob their victims day and night without mercy, and this is the lack of importance the Minister of Public Security places on scheduling regular meeting of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee for the Security Sector to enable us to find solutions to reduce crime. The Granger Administration has no economic plan to create jobs, stabilize the economy, and reduce inflation. The APNU+AFC mantra of ‘a good life’ is not reaching the masses. This rhetoric falls pretty short of reality and the government seems clueless to find workable solutions. Without jobs, people become desperate and desperate people sometimes do desperate things. Harry Gill, MP (PPP)

Sunday December 04, 2016

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Kaieteur M@ilbox

Burnham would not have approved of the 2017 Budget DEAR EDITOR: What has happened this week in Guyana? Winston Jordan has unveiled a G$250 billion budget aimed at “building a diversified green economy.” But what he has really forgotten is how to protect the existing economy to generate the resources that can feed and fund the diversification process. Instead, he is using the model of taxing and borrowing more to spend more. But the operative question is who is being taxed more, and why? The answer remains the poor and the working class; and the business class is being asked to pay more into the treasury by way of these VAT charges on electricity so that the political fat cats in the Granger Administration can spend more. One of the principal documents within any budget is the Statement on the Central Government Financial Operations. This statement confirms how the Government intends to fulfill its mandate over a year through its financial activities. It basically gives you a summary of the total expected cash inflow into the Treasury vs. total expected cash out-

flow. Any householder can connect with this document, since it reconciles to the same realities of every family –what they earn vs. what they spend. If it is in deficit, it basically means that the Government is spending more than it earns, and irrespective of how respective ministers attempt to window-dress this number, a deficit is a deficit. When there is a deficit, it clearly means that the Government would be borrowing more money in the name of the newborn children of Guyana, or taxing the people more in order to satisfy this increased spending. This is exactly what Jordan has done in 2017. Irrespective of how we twist it and turn it, the people are being taxed more, so that the Granger Administration can spend more. So let us peel this Statement on the Central Government Financial Operations to expose the “nitty gritty” of the three-card con game being played by Guyana’s newly molded executive BS artist. In 2017, the non-financial public sector is expected to record a deficit of $42.6 billion (5.6 per cent of GDP) vs. $30.4 billion (4.3 per cent of GDP) in

2016. This translates into a new need for cash of some $12.2 billion in 2017. So while there will be a decrease in some taxes — such as income tax, because of the increase in the tax threshold — there is a rapid expansion in VAT by almost G$10 billion because of the new, punitive tax on electricity and water, which will affect the poor and the working class the most and will also make many Guyanese businesses more uncompetitive. Then there will be an expansion of the so-called fuel tax (excise tax) by another G$5 billion. The Environmental Levy is back, and is expected to rake in another G$1 billion, and the taxes on the small man in the form of miscellaneous taxes such as penalties on the “horse-cart man” and such people are expected to rake in an additional G$300 million. So this budget is nothing else but “financial murderation” of the small man. He gets hit on the light bills, the water bills, the minibus fares, the licences on all the small shops and draycarts and so on and so on. Why all this financial pressure? So that the new po-

litical fat cats can spend US$500 a night at boutique hotels when they visit overseas, as if they are some African dictator from Zimbabwe? Check the 2017 Budget carefully, there is enough evidence to expose an executive travel budget of some G$1 billion for 2017. It is clear that these greedy politicians do not care if they have to borrow more to feed their gluttonous desires, because the minister clearly outlined that he is prepared to pay some G$1.5 billion more in interest payments for the national debts in 2017 compared to 2016. There is no end to this financial insanity. The growth rate is plummeting, but we are paying more interest on the debt, and we continue to borrow more and more. To what end? Economic bankruptcy? But I question the depth of economic knowledge of President Granger, since even Burnham would not have allowed such a budget to fly. Why is he not seeking more advice from his economic advisor Dr. Clive Thomas? Look, I have challenged Clive on his work on GuySuCo because clearly he is not a businessman or a business strat-

egist, but if there was any job Clive was born for, it is to be an economic Presidential Advisor. He is a very talented economist who is a million times more skilled than the minister in structuring an economy. So why is his mind not being tapped more on the economic front by the President? It was Christopher Ram who skillfully advised us that Dr. Ashni Singh should seriously structure a budget of about G$175 billion in 2013. Ram was correct then. Since then, nothing significant has happened in the Guyanese economy to cause any Minister of Finance to want to bolt on G$75 billion in additional expenditure without a clear roadmap of how we can create rapid economic growth. So it is either the minister is playing politics with the economy, or he is guessing his way through this entire process. Both of these options would result in Guyana

rapidly advancing to a state of economic bankruptcy. Some commentators will say to me “same old PNC”, but I continue to reject that comment. I still think that Carl Greenidge would have been a greater asset to the Granger Administration as the Minister of Finance. He has the experience at conceiving progrowth economic models, as we saw in 1990-1992. So the PNC does have talent in its ranks, just like the PPP. But this PNC talent is being stifled because of human insecurities and petty small men with small minds who continue to put themselves first, instead of Guyana. Unless we change course and personnel at the very top in the Ministry of Finance, the small man must batten down himself for tough times ahead, as the clueless continue to be given the baton to lead on the economic front. SASENARINE SINGH

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‘Complicated Budget’ gives no clear direction for economic growth - PSC By Abena RockcliffeCampbell Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Eddie Boyer, and Executive Member, Ramesh Persaud, spoke recently, at a press conference, about the intricacies of Budget 2017. “It is not a simplified budget. It is not clear, neither is it precise; it leaves you going back wondering what can they possibly mean.” Boyer continued, “We wanted a simplified budget instead, something that the ordinary man can understand when he is the one who is going to carry the brunt of the burden.” The Chairman said that the institution of tax and “stiff penalties” in the budget has left a bitter taste in the mouth of the private sector. Boyer said that major interventions are usually expected from Governments when countries are going through a “slump.” He said that this is what Guyana is experiencing in terms of the reduction of the growth rate— high unemployment, crime; slowdown in business and low outputs from established revenue earners such as rice and sugar.

PSC Chairman, Eddie Boyer

PSC Executive Member, Ramesh Persaud

“Government interventions are expected to rescue the country; I did not see that intervention in the budget.” Persaud echoed Boyer’s sentiments. He congratulated Finance Minister, Winston Jordan on his early Budget but questioned if the early presentation was a product of haste. The PSC member described Budget 2017 as a “give and take budget” but said that the government

“took more than it actually gave.” He expressed delight over incentives to promote a green economy. He said that this will encourage more investments in the areas that offer incentives. He also lauded the exemptions of customs duties and taxes on machinery and equipment to setup charging stations for electric vehicles; Exemptions of customs duties and taxes on greenhouses

and component parts for use in the agricultural sector, the increase in minimum wage and the lowering of excise tax on hybrid and electrical vehicles. Persaud then turned his attention to some of the negatives in Budget 2017. In this regard, the PSC member pointed to the restriction on used tyres and the imposition of an environmental levy of $10 per unit on the importers and local manufacturers of products using non-returnable metal, plastic or glass container of any alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage. He also highlighted the restriction of Mortgage Interest Relief to loans up to $15 million as well as the introduction of a dual tax-rate for companies carrying out both commercial and noncommercial activities. It will contribute to inflation on commercial goods as profits margin will need to be maintained, he added. Of course the imposition of Value Added Tax on water and electricity bill was mentioned as a negative. He said that this will be a burden on the poor as well as entrepreneurs.

Sunday December 04, 2016

2016 Gold production shatters all records - Trotman This year has been a record-breaking one for the Gold Mining Sector which saw gold production soaring to new heights. This, coupled with the opportunities available in the sector, has caused the government to be hopeful that gold production will edge closer to the 700,000ounce margin in 2017. This was according to the Minster of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman – the Feature Speaker at the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI)’s 127th Annual Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony that was held at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston Georgetown, on Thursday last. The Minister lauded the ‘brave’ men and women who have entered into the ‘uncertain’ world of commerce and trade during a time when doing business is ‘tough’. These undertakings, he said, deserve special commendation. The Minister also spoke about the challenges and the opportunities that exist in the extractive sector. He said that Guyana’s extractive industry over its 50 years of self-governance, has given Guyanese additional

Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman reasons to be inspired and hopeful. This, he said, is notwithstanding the feelings of despair and doom that “some amongst us are stoking”. He added that the Extractive Sector represents a significant component of Guyana’s economy. This year, 2016, saw collaborations between the Ministry of Natural Resources and its partner Ministries including the Ministry of Business and other government departments; Private Sector agencies; Civil Society and the citizenry. These entities have all Continued on page 75

Sunday December 04, 2016

Dem boys seh...

Soulja Bai de prince wid a cast net fuh keep way mosquito Prince de Harry been in this country fuh two days already and he nearly had to go to a funeral. De High Commissioner host a reception fuh him in Bel Air and invite almost everybody. People who normally don’t go out tun up because dem want to see de prince. Was a nice crowd. De next thing dem boys hear is somebody falling down. Was Rupert. He faint. Normally when people faint, who deh round does fan dem until dem ketch demself. After wards de people does put dem to sit down. But dem had to rush Rupert to hospital. De man didn’t eat or drink nutten before he go to de function. He had plans to drink de High Commissioner out of house and home and he did plan to eat good. He even had a plastic bag in ee back pocket. De next day dem carry de prince in de bush. Malaria don’t mek joke in dem place suh de people who carry him cover de whole vehicle wid a net and when he come out to walk dem cover him wid a cast net fuh stop mosquito and is Dr Nutten tell dem fuh do that. But dem boys seh he can’t tell Marlan de Cold and others fuh stop de nonsense dem going on wid at de Food and Drug place. Marlan tek over wheh Jagdeo, that scamp, lef off. Jagdeo spiteful. Fuh ten years he instruct de Works Ministry not to ever repair de street wheh de Waterfalls boss man live. And is not dem boys seh suh. Is Walter de Willis let out de story. Under Jagdeo dem contractor repair and pave all dem roads in Republic Park and Nandy Park and lef out de street wheh de boss man living. Last week, Patto dem do de road. Now it smooth like a baby face. Now Marlan Cold want continue de same wicked and spiteful attitude against de Waterfalls boss man and ee grand children. He block de milk wha come in fuh dem children and seh he want see certificate. This is milk wha buy in a retail store –Baby’s R Us—Marlan want certificate. This is nutten but spite. Dem boys hear he spiting de boss man son in law, too, because de boy refuse to give him a sutten on every shipment he bring in. De boss man got a sutten fuh him and hope he got place to keep it. Talk half and get rid of spiteful people. They are dangerous to your health.

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Govt. should review Budget Over the last few days the 2017 budget has received criticisms from various sections of society and the political divide. Believing that the measures outlined in the budget will be oppressive and offensive to poor people, Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo issued a call yesterday for President David Granger to convene Cabinet and have the budget reviewed. Jagdeo made this comment during a press conference at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition. He said that the budget which was presented in the National Assembly by Minister of Finance Winston Jordan is not the Minister’s budget. He said that the budget is in fact the Executive’s budget and as such the President needs to take responsibility for the measures to be imposed, beginning next year. “It would be unproductive to blame Winston Jordan because Winston Jordan has expressed the collective will of the cabinet.” Further, he said, “Now that the President has listened to the many concerns expressed by society, I am urging him to convene his

– Opposition Leader urges

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo (left) in the company of Ms. Gillian Burton MP during yesterday’s press conference. Cabinet and have another look at this budget. To withdraw it or if that is not feasible or not desirable on his part, to examine the concerns of our society and to remove some of the most offensive and oppressive measures that will devastate the lives of poor people.” Jagdeo said that no President should want such measures to be implemented. He said that his party is prepared, if the process is initiated, to collaborate with the government to share ideas of how the objective of

growing the country can be achieved. This include creating incentives for the private sector and enhancing welfare of ordinary people without implementing draconian measures as described by the opposition leader. To make his case, Jagdeo highlighted a number of measures which he believes need to be reviewed. He addressed first, the greening of the economy. “The President has indicated that the Low Carbon Development

Strategy (LCDS) is too narrow in conception; he wants to broaden it. But I’m sure that he did not intend that measures announced in his budget for the greening of the economy will come out of people’s pocket.” He said that under the Low Carbon Development Strategy during his party’s tenure, the country earned money from the sale of forest carbon. According to Jagdeo when one views the budget, one will notice a number of measures aimed at Continued on page 14

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Sunday December 04, 2016

Skeldon Co-Gen power plant has enough power for holidays

Gobin Harbhajan (c), a Member of the Board of Directors at the Skeldon Energy Inc, with other officials Berbicians can expect a bright Christmas with the assurance of the Skeldon Energy Inc (SEI) which oversees the GUYSUCO CoGeneration Plant at the Skeldon Sugar Factory Estate, East Berbice. During a tour of the plant by media operatives recently, Gobin Harbhajan, a member of the Board of Directors at the Estate, explained that the plant has the capacity to produce some 40 Megawatts of electricity with 10 from the Wartsila Engines and 30—15

each from the two steam powered turbines. Harbhajan disclosed that during the scheduled maintenance period when the factory is not grinding there will be enough power to generate a constant supply of electricity for Berbicians. The two turbines are expected to be off from December 17, 2016 but Harbhajan assured that “the Wartsila engines are capable enough and will be able to supply ten megawatts of power to the national grid”.

He also made reference to reports peddled in some sections of the media that there was an issue with the Co-generation Plant. “We want to make it clear that there is no problem at the co-gen plant; it is 100 per cent operational”. The Wartsila engines are expected to supply enough electricity to keep Berbicians happy for the holidays. He added that the excessive amount of blackout sessions experienced over the past few months were as

A number of the Skeldon estate engines a result of several damaged poles and a transformer coupled with other issues that are not linked to the Co- Gen Plant, he stressed that there was a failure in the distribution network. “You may have a distribution problem but not a generation problem, we will supply to the national grid while GPL distributes.” According to Harbhajan, three utility poles fell at No. 48 Village that had to be replaced. This he noted took

some time for the Guyana Power & Light to rectify. Meanwhile, Manager of the Co-Gen Plant, Outar Ramhit, told the media, “Whenever incidents as such occur it does not affect the ability of the plant to generate electricity but rather prevents them from getting it to the national grid until power is resolved.” The Co-Generation Plant is designed with two power generating facilities, one from the Wartsila engine fuelled by

HFO Oil or diesel and a steam plant fuelled by bagasse. The Skeldon Factory load is being supplied at an average of eight (8) Megawatts with the remainder of power to the national grid. The power together with the energy from the Wartsila Plant meets the grid demands at an average of 13 Megawatts which is approximately 75 percent of the Berbice grid load. Wartsila Site Manager, Eldon Watson, was also present during the tour.

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Prince Harry experiences Guyana’s wonders His Royal Highness Prince Harry visited several tourist sites in Guyana yesterday, among them Surama Lodge, the Iwokrama International Conservation Centre (IICC) and the majestic Kaieteur Falls. Prince Harry received an official welcome from the Surama villagers gathered around the village Totem Pole. He heard about Indigenous village life, and took a short trip to the village Eco Lodge to see how the community is embracing eco-tourism. He then donated books to students of the Surama Primary school and interacted with them, as well. In return, the Prince received tokens from the villagers. At Iwokrama, Prince Harry unveiled a plaque in honour of his visit there. The Prince also visited the caiman pond where he saw ‘Sankar’, the famous caiman. A meeting with rangers also took place with the Prince

to learn about the conservation work carried out at the Iwokrama Reserve, and how steps are being taken to protect this important forest. Before arriving at the reserve, Prince Harry made a brief stop at Fairview Village, where reading materials were donated to the village’s school. Prince Harry embarked on a short trek through the jungle to reach the Kaieteur Falls with local guides who explained the local flora and fauna of the area. Kaieteur is the single largest free-fall waterfall in the world, with a drop of 741 feet, making it nearly five times as high as Niagara Falls in Canada. Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, thanked the Prince for taking time out to share such a special moment with

the people of the villages that he would have visited. Minister Allicock told the Prince that persons living in the villages are fully following the laws of nature. “The livelihood here is to exploit the natural resources without too much (damage). We can use latex and parks to create an industry to earn an income from,” Minister Allicock said. The Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister noted that Guyana has had visitors from all around the world, and the people are happy that they would have got the chance to spend time with His Royal Highness. On Sunday, the Prince will visit the Joshua Children’s House, and meet with First Lady, Sandra Granger, before departing the country. (GINA)

Prince Harry (left) at Kaieteur Falls during his official visit to the interior yesterday.

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PPP introduced freezing Roraima Airways offers flights to boy with cancer in eye of bank accounts

- Finance Minister The move by the coalition Government to revise the Income Tax Act so as to empower the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to garnish funds from bank accounts held by taxpayers has attracted much controversy. Particularly, members of the business community have expressed concerns to the effect that GRA would be able to do garnish or seize funds from citizens’ bank accounts without the permission of the court. They firmly believe that if this is the case, then it is not only absurd but unconstitutional. Opposition Member, Anil Nandlall is one against the measure. The Member of Parliament in a letter to the press said that the new measure is just

another attempt to invade the privacy of persons’ bank accounts. Nandlall said, “No one will ever be comfortable with the tax authorities having power to raid their bank accounts with no reason given. It simply smacks of authoritarianism and interference with property rights which are protected by the constitution. After all, money is property.” He continued, “What is of greater concern is the intention to ‘garnish’ people’s accounts and to seize from there, monies and to apply those monies to liquidate outstanding taxes. In my humble view, this is not only a misuse and abuse of garnishment but it is also draconian. Garnishment is a

Finance Minister, Winston Jordan proceeding whereby a person’s property or credits in the possession or under the control of another, are applied to the former’s debt to a third person.” Nandlall noted that a Bill will eventually have to be tabled in the National Assembly conferring this power upon the GRA. Unless Continued on page 69

Roraima Airways has announced that it will be offering return flights to little Omkar Persaud, who has cancer in his eye, and his mother, Casandra to Cuba for the urgent medical treatment that is needed to save the toddler’s eye sight. The company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Capt. Gerald Gouveia, recently met with the child’s mother and discussed how he planned to assist the family. He also expressed best wishes for successful treatment and a speedy recovery. “I was made aware of the situation only recently and am pleased to contribute to the recovery and improvement of the child’s eyesight and overall good health... It is amazing to know how many Guyanese reached out to help in whatever way they could,” Gouveia said. The toddler ’s mother happily accepted the offer and thanked the company for their timely and much needed assistance. The toddler’s family also expressed gratitude to SHEA, a US-based charity which played a significant role in assisting them. When the organization learnt of little Persaud’s case, it collaborated with Shri Devi Mandir Global Humanitarian Foundation to give him a second chance. Together with the foundation, the organization was able to raise the full

Gerry Gouveia meets with the toddler and his mother. amount needed for the treatment in less than five days via GoFundMe online. Little Persaud is diagnosed with retinoblastoma in the right eye. His left eye has already been removed after being infected with the same disease. Retinoblastoma is a rare malignant tumour of the retina, affecting young children. To save Persaud’s right

eye, urgent treatment is needed including intra ocular and systemic chemotherapy and local cryotherapy. The treatment is not available in Guyana, hence, the two-yearold needs to go to Cuba. A local hospital referred him to a tertiary eye care plus cancer centre in that country for the specialized treatment, as he is on a high risk of not only losing the right eye and becoming blind but also having an intracranial spread.

Govt. should review Budget From page 9 greening the economy. He said that many of these measures will not give up revenue because there are things yet to happen, for example a new water treatment plant or equipment for electric stations for battery operated vehicles to recharge and a reduction in excise tax for hybrid vehicles. Additionally, Jagdeo said that the implementation of an environmental levy of $10 per container. He said that this will result in billions of dollars being collected from ordinary people. “The companies will pass this onto families. So, if you buy a soft drink, you then end up paying for this. So we now, the people of this country will have to pay for this so called greening of the economy.” He said that the levy is now a revenue raising measure on the backs of Guyanese rather than a concept that earned money for Guyana. In going deeper into making his case, Jagdeo focused on the Information C o m m u n i c a t i o n Technology sector. “No ICT s t r a t e g y, no

knowledge based strategy that is based on the closing of the digital divide and creating new local carbon opportunities could be sustained on expensive bandwidth.” He made reference to a Kaieteur News article titled “GTT to reclaim US$6M loss from consumers.” According to Jagdeo it is because of higher taxes that this money will be reclaimed from regular Guyanese. Speaking on the application of 14 per cent Va l u e A d d e d Ta x o n consumers of water and electricity whose bill exceeds $1,500 and $10,000 respectively, he said that this measure will affect small businesses that were not required to sign up for VAT. They will now have a problem claiming a refund on the VAT paid. Minister Jordan had said that based on his study only 20 per cent of GPL consumers would be a ff e c t e d . A c c o r d i n g t o Jagdeo, “Assuming he is correct, is not a big concern even if 20 per cent of our people get affected by VAT

payment and what he is saying to people? That you should not aspire to get anything else in your home?” He said rather than Government moving to green the economy which will have persons pay less for power and allowing persons to have more amenities in the home, the measure being touted in this budget restricts people from buying products to raise their standard of living. “If you are poor, and you have a microwave then you must not use it anymore. Stay below the $10,000 limit.” He said that it is natural for persons to acquire more things which will cause them to burn more electricity, so Jordan’s other argument that the tax is a conservation measure is nonsensical, according to Jagdeo. U l t i m a t e l y, the Opposition Leader said that he sympathises with the Finance Minister and reiterated his call for President Granger to have his government review the budget.

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Budget debates start tomorrow ...

Opposition vows to ‘tear budget 2017’ to pieces By Kiana Wilburg After one week of preparation, the political Opposition says that it is all set and ready to “tear budget 2017 to pieces.” The debates, which will last for a period of five days, kick off tomorrow. Each day, the debate will start at 10am and conclude at 10pm. Monday’s session is expected to facilitate 16 speakers. From the Opposition camp, the speakers slated to make contributions to the debate include former Housing Minister, Irfaan Ali, Joe Hamilton, Zulfikar Mustapha, Sheila Veersammy, Yvonne Pearson, Adrian Anamayah, Gillian Burton-Persaud and Harry Gill. Representing the Government will be Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin; Parliamentarian Michael Carrington, Charrandas Persaud, Valerie Garrido-

Lowe, Richard Allen, Keith Scott, Audwyn Rutherford and Gloria Brancroft. Starting the debate tomorrow will be Irfaan Ali. Speaking with Kaieteur News yesterday, the confident Parliamentarian asserted that the Opposition is prepared to expose the Government on its “hocus pocus budget.” The Parliamentarian said that during his presentation, he will discuss a number of issues such as the projected 2.6 % growth rate for 2016, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), non-performing loans, debt management by the state and the measures regarding Value Added Tax (VAT). Ali said that he intends to “school” the Finance Minister on why his proposed tax measures, especially the move to add 14 percent VAT on water and electricity; two fundamental human rights, clearly doesn’t

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo follow the design of an optimal tax system. Ali recalled that Finance Minister, Winston Jordan in his 2017 budget speech, announced that Value Added Tax (VAT) would be reduced from 16 percent to 14 percent. Jordan also proposed to introduce next year, a VAT of

14 percent on electricity consumption in excess of $10,000 per month. For the avoidance of doubt, he said that the $10,000 limit is not an allowance. Jordan said that VAT will be applied to the full amount once consumption exceeds $10,000. The Finance Minister also proposed to introduce a VAT of 14 percent on water use in excess of $1,500 per month. In this case as well, he stated that the $1,500 limit is not an allowance. Jordan said that it will be applied to the full amount once utilization exceeds $1,500. Ali said that the proposed tax adjustments are so “regressive and highly convoluted, that even Finance Minister, Winston Jordan; himself seems too inept to correctly comprehend how the adjustments will work and have serious ripple effects on the economy.”

He opined that VAT on water will cost the citizenry approximately $110 million, given that approximately 9,000 persons, on average pay $1,500 or more per month on water charges. With respect to electricity, Ali said that this policy will add significant hardship to

the lives of the people. “Not only will production costs skyrocket, inflation will increase significantly, eroding the purchasing power of our currency while distorting consumption pattern. The burden will depend on the elasticity of (continued on page 65)

Man gets 18 years for amputating wife’s hand Abdool Samaroo, a 24year-old labourer who hails from Enterprise, Leguan, Essequibo, was on Friday sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment by Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Suddie High Court after a panel of Jurors found him guilty. Samaroo was charged with the intent to commit murder on October 15, last year. Samaroo’s charge was however later reviewed and he was charged with

wounding Tashmie Mohabir, a/k ‘Tash’. According to reports, Samaroo was imbibing alcohol, at La Bagatelle, Leguan, when he got into an argument with Mohabir having accused her of having an affair with another man. In vexation he whipped out a sharp object and chopped off one of Mohabir’s hands. The medical report stated traumatic amputation of the right hand in close proximity to the wrist.

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The 43rd Anniversary of a plane crash in Kurupung On Monday December 3, 1973, the Guyana Airways Twin Otter aircraft 8R-GCP departed Ogle airstrip about 9:00 a.m. for a flight which was routed, Ogle /Ekereku /Ogle. The crew that morning was Captain Walter Danraj, Copilot Frank Watson and Compton DaSilva as the third crew. On landing at Ekereku, Capt. Danraj called the radio room at Timehri and gave a report which indicated that the weather conditions were marginal in the area. He even gave a route weather report, adding that he encountered strong Northerly winds at 10,000 feet. (This was told to me by the radio operator that day, Mr. Subhan Alli.) The Captain was then informed by Flight Operations that there was a change in his route. He should route his return flight

Ekereku/Kurupung /Ogle, in order to pick up a sick person at Kurupung. The aircraft departed Ekereku for Kurupung, but crashed during the descent into Kurupung. Captain Walter Danraj, Co-pilot Frank Watson, 23, and the sole passenger, a Mr. Benn, perished in the crash. The lone survivor was the third crew, Mr. Compton Da Silva. On the afternoon of Thursday, December 6, Mr. DaSilva and Mr. Benn’s body were extracted from the crash site (one at a time by a special helicopter sourced from Puerto Rico) and flown to Kurupung and then to Ogle by aircraft. The helicopter had the capability of hovering at the high altitude in the mountainous area above the crash site while lowering and raising the rescue bucket. Due to the nature of the

wreckage, it was not practicable to extract Danraj and Watson, because the entire front and mid- section of the fuselage were buried in the rubble. Myself and another Guyana Airways pilot, Cecil Sahoy, spent three days at Kurupung giving weather information and keeping in contact with the G.A.C. radio room at Timehri, during the search and rescue operations. The medical team conducted a preliminary medical examination of the survivor at Kurupung. They completed their work just in time. Shortly after the GDF Islander took off for Ogle with the survivor and the medical team, the rain came down in torrents and it continued to rain the entire night. No other aircraft could have landed at or departed from Kurupung that afternoon.

Myself, Sahoy and the helicopter crew spent the night at that location. Yesterday, Saturday December 3, 2016, marks the 43rd. anniversary of that tragedy. Compton DaSilva had recounted that he and Benn were sitting in the last row of the aircraft cabin. As they were descending into Kurupung in cloudy conditions, he had a momentary flash of trees nearby. When he regained consciousness it was very dark, he was in clouds surrounded by trees and it was raining. As his eyes grew accustomed to the dark, he saw the tail of the Twin Otter a short distance away between the trees, the wings were ripped off and the front end was buried deep in the ground. He heard a groan, but he was too weak to move. After some time the groaning stopped. When it became daylight, he crawled towards the tail of the aircraft. The seats were ripped off due to the force of the impact. Benn was outside the aircraft and he was dead. He located the Jungle Survival Kit some distance behind the tail. This kit is normally kept on a shelf in the Aft Baggage Compartment. In the kit, there were lots of barley sweets and packets of drinking water. He survived on those items until he was rescued. He took out the Flare Gun and the Flares from the kit and waited for the sound of overflying aircraft. Whenever he heard an aircraft overhead he fired a flare. However, it was overcast and the flares were not seen. With just one flare remaining he decided to wait until he can see some blue skies while hearing the

Capt Walter Danraj

Frankie Watson

aircraft overhead. That opportunity came on Wednesday afternoon. Captain Philip Jardim of Guyana Airways flying a GDF Islander saw the flare and pinpointed the spot. When overhead the mountain cliff, he barely spotted Charlie PaPa’s tail through the dense canopy, the lush overgrowth and the thick undergrowth of Guyana’s unforgiving jungle. That was a lucky break, for if the canopy had folded over, which inevitably happens, the aircraft would not have been found. Compton DaSilva lost quite a few of his teeth in that accident and after several months he became completely grey. However he recovered nicely from that traumatic experience and maintained his jovial personality. He continued to work at Guyana Airways for several more years until he passed on. Frankie Watson was my close friend and GAC batch mate at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University from June 1970 to March 1971 as

students in the Professional Pilot Programme. We both joined Guyana Airways in April 1971. Frankie, a talented footballer, was a founder member and the first President of the Pele Football Club. He was also a valuable member of the Embry Riddle Soccer Team and made several competitive tours with the team in the State of Florida during his stay at Embry Riddle. Captain Danraj was a very meticulous pilot who always wore his cap to work except on the day he crashed. His wife said that he forgot his cap that morning. He was pleasant and quite helpful to younger pilots. I remember him holding the position of Secretary of the Airline Pilots Association (ALPAGuyana). His wife, Mabel, returned to Scotland with their three young children after her husband’s death. Mr. Benn was a valued customer of Guyana Airways. May all of their souls continue to rest in peace. (Lloyd H Marshall)

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Deliberate efforts being made to reduce Maternal Mortality By Sharmain Grainger The importance of medical education cannot be overemphasized. In fact it is a crucial feature in any health care setting. Right here in Guyana, specifically at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), there is evidence to support the notion that medical education has been helping to improve the delivery of health care. Maternal mortality has been one of the most troubling challenges that the health sector has been faced with over the years. Many of us simply cannot get over the fact that a woman can carry a baby sometimes to full term with no daunting challenges and never make it out of the delivery room alive, or is barely able to live a few days after, because of some complication. The GPHC, as the country’s main referral health facility, understandably, usually records the majority of such cases when compared to other regional facilities. While officials have time and again highlighted the fact that many pregnant women are rushed to the GPHC only when they would have already developed a complication, thus leaving health officials there with little or no time to intervene, measures have quietly been implemented to better position the GPHC to improve its response. This has manifested with the introduction of an Obstetrics and Gynaecology Residency Programme at the GPHC. Last month the first

batch of students who participated in the programme graduated at the University of Guyana 2016 Convocation ceremony. The graduating class included: Doctors Geremias Rangel, Natasha France, Ademola Biala, Anita Ramlall and Narine Singh, who represent the first locally trained batch of Obstetrics and Gynaecology graduates – a historic achievement for Guyana. According to Director of GPHC’s Institute of Health Science Education, Dr. Madan Rambarran, through the development of the programme, which was first introduced in 2012, there has been a more than 50 percent reduction in maternal mortality at the GPHC. A noticeable reduction in maternal mortality has been substantiated by Dr. Janie Pak, the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Fellow attached to the Global Health WONDOOR Programme. The WONDOOR programme is one provided by the University Hospitals in the United States, to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates through academic enrichment in under-resourced communities, both in the US and internationally. Guyana was targeted for this support in light of findings that “Guyana has the 49th highest Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in the world ranking with 270 per 100,000 live births. Compare this to the rate for the U.S. of 24 per 100,000 live births. WONDOOR has designed and implemented a sustainable and self-

The Baccoo Speaks The road accidents are continuing as though they are a normal part of everyday life. It defies logic that a car would crash into an immovable object although there are no threats on the roadway. Having said that, this is exactly what will happen as a group heads home after a late night. There will be injuries, one very serious to warrant hospitalization. ** Another group of young men, anxious to have money in their pockets although they did not position themselves to make a meaningful contribution to society, will attack an individual who has a large sum of cash. The attack would go awry because assistance

would be in the area. Another person is going to be taken to hospital with gunshot wounds. ** A labourer would fall from a construction outside the city even as there is an attempt to steal electricity. The word is that people are making every effort to acquire some basic necessities without observing the protocols.

First graduating class of residents from the GPHC Obstetrics and Gynaecology Residency Programme. From left: Dr. Geremias Rangel, Dr. Natasha France, Dr. Ademola Biala, Dr. Anita Ramlall, Dr. Narine Singh perpetuating residency programme that will raise the level of care. This four-year programme will help train citizens of Guyana in obstetrics and gynaecology for long-term success.” Dr. Pak has been placed at the GPHC as a representative of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Residency programme which is coordinated by Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew and Dr. Ruth Darkenne. Dr. Pak has been at the GPHC since July 7 of this year and is tasked with helping to facilitate the clinical teaching of Obstetrics and Gynaecology residents. She has committed to lending her support in this regard until June of 2018. However, Dr. Pak has underscored that while maternal mortality is a huge

issue here its prevalence is not unique to Guyana. But according to her, there has been clear evidence that the Residency programme has been making an impact at the GPHC. As she displayed a graph, she pointed out that while there were a total of 15 maternal deaths at the GPHC since the introduction of the Residency programme in 2012, there has been a constant decline, with eight cases being recorded thus far for this year. Because some of these cases are deemed as potentially preventable, strategic efforts are being made to prepare the residents in training to avert such daunting outcomes. The goal of the Residency programme, a situation that is already being attained, is that crucial expertise is always

available at the GPHC to attend to even the most challenging deliveries. It is also expected that the expertise that the residents are gaining will eventually be expanded throughout the country. Part of the process too, Dr. Pak noted, is that it is imperative for physicians and nurses to work hand in hand, otherwise patient care can essentially be compromised. Currently there are currently 22 doctors who are a part of the residency programme. And Dr. Pak made it clear that the training being offered here mirrors that which is offered in the United States. Although all of the resources used for the programme may not match what is obtained in the US, she insisted that the local programme has an identical

curriculum. “The standard of care that we are able to implement here in Guyana with the resources that are available is what we are teaching. Every week we do didactic teaching, every week we do OB simulations, we teach them evidencebased medicine on the most up to date curriculum...” said Dr. Pak, as she pointed out that the local programme essentially benefits from the guidelines from well established organisations such as the American College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. “We use a lot of their clinical guidelines as well as from Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia...all of these big (international) organisations we use their evidence-based guidelines to (continued on page 65)

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== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==

In 1978 I fell in love with Barbados; I still am Barbados is presently celebrating its 50th with my sister, Bajan brother-in-law, Carl year of Independence. I would like to share Straughn (Straughn is as common a Bajan my thoughts on this lovely island. I went to name as Persaud or Kissoon in Guyana) and Barbados for the first time in 1978. It was time my Bajan nieces and nephews. I have sisters to leave Guyana to do my Masters and even if and brothers who have children that are born I wanted to postpone that, Bajans. President Forbes Burnham When my sister drove me away. Gwendoline died, one of my His edict was that I Guyanese nephews had a big should not be employed. I quarrel with one of my Bajan remember being interviewed nephews on the bridge of the several times for a teaching Brickdam Cathedral. My job, but was turned down, Bajan nephew was livid and even though I won the was speaking loudly. President’s Medal and four Everyone within listening top awards on the completion distance was laughing, of my history degree at UG. including my wife, because I did not get a scholarship none of us could understand as yet, though I applied to even one word he was several universities abroad. saying. My parents decided it was I fell in love with Frederick Kissoon best for me if I spend a holiday Barbados in 1978. I still am. with my sister, Janet, in Barbados. Life is one Ask me why and I don’t know. I went to big crazy ride that has perhaps, no meaning. Barbados at a time when Engelbert My favourite sibling was Janet named after Humperdinck was the most popular crooner Mrs. Janet Jagan. I married a woman named in the world. He bought a house in Barbados Janet, whose parents named her after Mrs. and everyone wanted to see it. I asked my Janet Jagan. I never liked Mrs. Jagan and still nephew to show me it, but he couldn’t make believe up to this day she was the purest it, since the supermarket he worked at couldn’t Stalinist mind that ever roamed the territory give him time off. I went back several times to of Guyana. Barbados, but Humperdinck’s house went I went to Barbados and had a lovely time completely out of my mind, though

Humperdinck the singer would never. I love his crooning. I think he is the best crooner, second only to Johnny Mathis. There is something indescribable about this little, incredible, fantastic, beautiful, poetic, serene, delectable island. I once wrote in these columns that my three favourite countries are my own (I wouldn’t leave Guyana; Karl Marx wrote; “the philosophers have interpreted the world, the point is to change it”; I want to change my country), Canada and Barbados. I wouldn’t live in Canada. It is too cold and the architecture is too North American, but it is a superb country. And Barbados of course. There is something about Barbados that’s inviting to you, but you cannot comprehend why you are drawn to it. I can only speak for myself; that is my emotional reaction. I have never tried to figure out why I like this place second to my home out of all the countries on Planet Earth. Could it have been my favourite sister? Is it because she lived and died there and I loved her so much that I have made a Freudian transfer? I don’t know, but I know Barbados is a

lovely place to enjoy and to live in. I do believe at the academic level, there is a plausible argument for Guyana to seek closer relationships with South America than CARICOM. I believe Guyana should have an enduring closeness with Brazil. But never for a moment would I want Guyana to lose its closeness with Barbados. When you spend time in Barbados, the emotions of that neat, little pond in the Caribbean Sea, stays with you forever. You are not going to believe this, but the first time I ever danced with a woman other than my wife was in Barbados to Jimmy Cliff’s song “Reggae Nights.” I made a monkey of myself. In 1978 on my first visit, when I was leaving, my sister gave me a Johnny Mathis album, titled, “Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet.” This remains my favourite album of all times. Whenever I play it, I remember the first time I saw Barbados. I don’t like crowds or else I would have paid a visit for its Golden Jubilee. I would have taken my wife to try dancing with her. Congratulations on your Golden Jubilee, little Barbados.

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“Building a Diversified, Green Economy” (Excerpt: Budget 2017) Our Independence celebrations this year represented one of the few bright spots in our economy in 2016. The other that is worthy of note is the outstanding achievement of the mining sector, especially the record-breaking performance of gold production. These aside, the economy felt the drag of dismal output in sugar, rice, forestry and construction, including housing. Suffice it to say at this stage that, as explained by His Excellency President Granger, the current development model can no longer be pursued. Although he was speaking with specific reference to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), his incisive insight holds true for the entire economy. This dated model cannot deliver on our aspirations. We were reminded again by H.E. during his address to the opening of the 11th Parliament that this Government started its mandate with troubling economic and social indicators. We inherited an economy that was built on the proverbial sand, running on proverbial fumes. It is an economy

which, in spite of positive growth performances averaging 4.5 percent in the period 2010-2014, remains undiversified and incapable of withstanding even small shocks. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that we are reaping the whirlwind of downturns in these sectors. It will take more than just traditional policies and approaches to turn them around. What we need is a growth strategy that is broader in scope and more diversified in outlook. We have analysed the current domestic and global context in which we had to prepare this budget. There remains great uncertainty and adversity at the global level. The challenges are many. Indeed, the impact of external pressures cannot be underestimated. But we have resolved to pursue a growth strategy that breaks with the monotonous cycle of a few highs and perennial lows in prices of primary stage commodity production. We have to match the expectations of our people for a better life, but we would not be able to deliver if we stay the current course. To do so would allow adversity and challenges to continue to constrain us from charting a new direction.

This is why we have chosen the theme, “Building a Diversified, Green Economy: Delivering the Good Life to All Guyanese” for Budget 2017. In doing so, we will be employing a number of strategic approaches to achieve our objectives. These include: * Stabilising the macroeconomic and public finances * Preparing for oil and gas production * Encouraging and supporting entrepreneurship especially those that involve new, green technologies and processes * Increasing the focus on innovation so as to increase domestic production and boost exports * Moving towards a Smart Guyana that bridges the digital divide * Reforming business facilitation and expanding economic horizons * Building climateresilient infrastructure for economic expansion and linking the coastland and hinterland; * Lifting the quality of life, (effectively) addressing poverty * Reforming the public and financial sectors.

In short, Budget 2017 is designed to consolidate the gains we have made since our accession to office, improve economic performance, and define a sustainable pathway to the happiness and prosperity of Guyana. BETTER GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT This administration inherited a national crisis of institutional lethargy and ineptitude. All across the public sector we are faced with sluggishness in implementation, poor inter-agency coordination and cooperation, and a deficit of strategic planning and management. We, as a coalition, are perturbed by this situation. It is a daunting indication that much greater effort needs to be invested by people to ensure that public services of the highest quality are delivered to Guyanese people. We intend to tackle this malaise frontally. Through the c o m p r e h e n s i v e institutionalisation of resultsbased management (RBM), we will have each and every sector design, adopt, implement, and continuously monitor and evaluate a comprehensive, inclusive,

transformative, and evidenced-based Strategic Plan. To ensure that our public servants at all levels of government are better equipped to develop and execute our vision and plans, the recently opened Bertram Collins College of the Public Service is equipped to provide a wide range of training programmes in public administration and related fields. Our Government will also further the agenda of Public Sector Reform by utilising the findings of the Commission of Inquiry into the Public Service to arrest the attrition of qualified public servants. This Administration is serious about reforming our public systems to ensure that they deliver the services that the people of Guyana deserve. We are committed to employing the tenets of results-based management and providing the necessary resources to ensure that the use of the appropriate tools and systems throughout the public sector become institutionalised. Strategic planning for this nation is a key priority of the Government. In this regard, we have engaged the Caribbean Development Bank to re-build our capacity

to plan at the national level. The consultants will work with the Chief Planning Officer, an incumbent who is expected to be in place early in 2017. We will alsodevelopamultitude of sector-specific strategic plans for various sectors including social protection, information communication technology (ICT), and housing. Emphasis will be placed on strengthening the capacity of select ministries in public policy analysis and management, and project cycle management, to ensure more effective, resultsoriented governance, planning, and budget implementation. The 2016 Budget had stressed the urgent need for public procurement reform. Having identified a myriad of deficiencies, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) has begun the process of preparing standard operating procedures which will outline turnaround times for each stage of the procurement process. It will facilitate more effective planning on the part of the Ministries, Departments and Regions. All agencies have been tasked with establishing Procurement and Planning units during 2017. (To be continued)

Sunday December 04, 2016

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My column

Parenting and the psychiatrist for those runaways A woman once said to me that there is no mother in her scramble to put food on the table manual to teach parenting. Indeed just about often does not have the kind of time a mother everyone aspires to become a parent, if only should with her child. The result is that the to show the world that they can procreate. child is exposed to outside influences, many Many a young mother gets her showpiece. of them not good at all, especially when the She dresses it up then takes it on the road for child is an adolescent. One social worker was at people to admire. her wit’s end when dealing After a while the novelty with a 14-year-old girl. This wears off and the showpiece girl, according to the police, becomes a burden to some, was picked up for because it can no longer be wandering. By right this lifted and taken about. Of child should have been in course, it takes some years for school, failing which the this to happen, but it does parent should be happen. To add to the prosecuted, but that confusion is the fact that the doesn’t happen in Guyana. burden of raising a child is We do our best to protect often left to one person—the the parent. mother. The father disappears When we do talk to the as soon as he realizes that parent who is invariably there are certain the mother, we hear that commitments. the child began Grandparents try to assist demonstrating “airs” and and many do a very good job when spoken to, opted to because they have had the Adam Harris show that she is old experience with their own. They may not be so harsh with the grandchild enough to take care of her business. And but then again, if the burden is left to the the mother, who by now is confronted grandparent then the situation may be slightly with the fact that her child ‘is a big girl’— and some of them do decide to challenge different. In recent times I have heard more than my the parent, physically – is at a loss to deal fair share of missing children. All too often it with the situation. In my simple view, it boils down to a is the mother who comes into the office with a photograph of the missing child and a request mental issue. We do not realize the extent that the media house beseech the child to of mental illness in the society so we return home. This is generally preceded by assume that everyone is normal, even the the statement that the mother knows of no man who gets up early in the day and abuses his family. Some of us blame reason why the child should run away. An investigation would reveal that the stress, but even that is a form of mental

illness. Growing up can be stressful. Add peer pressure that runs counter to the values instilled in the home, and we can readily see the offshoot. It is here that parents can bring all their skills to the fore. I befriended my children to the point that once there was an activity I took every man jack. I got them to interact with my friends and at the end of the event we caused a talking point back at home. There was another aspect to family life. We ate together and we tried as much as possible to avoid confrontations before the children. We never challenged the authority of each other. I might have been wrong on many occasions, but my wife never confronted me before the children. In the end, I never had to deal with runaways. To this day, I share an excellent relationship with my children. Yet, many parents do not have the skill and it is here that the state should play a major role, but there is not enough money, nor are there enough skilled people to deal with these children. Corporal punishment is fast becoming a thing of the past, because the developed world says that parents should not flog children. That may be a good thing, except that even in the developed world the police exact a

beating on the recalcitrant person or on those they deem to have flouted the authorities. It is no different in Guyana. People catch a bandit and they beat him to within an inch of his life. Beating is the panacea for criminal activity. But that does not happen inside the few places we have developed to look at the child who now needs protection. Yet inside those places there are children who can influence others. At the same time, the councilors are inadequate, so many of us create people who now become lost to society. The University of Guyana offers a programme of social work and there are many pursuing these courses. They are taught a modicum of psychology and very little community development, so they are often unable to appreciate the background from which the errant child comes. It does not help to know that there are adult males waiting to prey on the runaway girl and to add to the situation, there are those who know that there is money to be had in the ‘bush’ for the young girl who could satisfy hungry porkknockers. It is for these reasons that Guyana is now pressing ahead with prosecutions for trafficking in persons, but it is not pressing ahead with the development of people to treat mental illness. Perhaps the very society does not have enough people interested enough to deal with mentally ill people.

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If we are going to build a ‘green’ Guyana then it is imperative that at the community and individual level, we start educating ourselves to think ‘green’. The President has laid out broad guidelines for Guyana’s green development strategy and a template for the ‘greening of Guyana. This however can only become a reality if at the level of the individual citizen life style changes are made. Everyone has a responsibility to reduce their individual carbon footprint, and there are lots of ways to do so. We encourage everyone to think about their lifestyle decisions and find opportunities to reduce their climate impact. If you drive a car make sure that it is tuned up and running efficiently. Replace your air, oil and fuel filters according to schedule and keep your tires properly inflated. You may be surprised, but keeping your tires properly inflated alone, can save up to 700 pounds of CO2 per year. In the household, we should strive to change from the regular incandescent light bulbs to Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs

Kaieteur News

Thinking Green (CFL), however it is apposite to note that LED light bulbs are even more efficient than CFL’s and just as affordable. When buying household appliances ensure that it has an ‘energy efficient’ label. SWITCH –OFF SOMETHINGAND SAVE At a personal level we must take responsibility for our power usage both at home and in the workplace. Screen savers, unplugged cell phone chargers, leaving lights on in rooms that are unoccupied, leaving air conditioners on in unoccupied offices, leaving televisions, radios and other appliances on and unattended they all increase our energy usage. We must learn the benefits of conservation; we must get in the habit of switching things off or unplugging them when they are not in use or when we are leaving the home or office. SOLID WASTE Garbage falls into one of two categories, either

biodegradable or nonbiodegradable. While biodegradable waste will eventually breakdown and become part of the Earth and soil, like food scraps, paper etc. non-biodegradable waste will not breakdown or at least not breakdown for many years. Examples of nonbiodegradables are plastics, Styrofoam, metals, glass, tyres, old appliances, plastic grocery shopping bags, plastic water bottles and other similar materials. Those of us who live in Georgetown know that nonbiodegradable waste has become a public health and environmental concern. All across Guyana nonbiodegradable waste, like plastics and Styrofoam can be seen littering our roadways, clogging our drainage canals and polluting our rivers. It is important for us as a nation to understand what nonbiodegradable waste is, as well as the negative effects that it has on the planet. Non-biodegradable waste

that is properly discarded and taken to a land fill will only accumulate; it will not break down, it will grow, take up space and in some instances pollute the water table and endanger marine animals (especially when non-biodegradable waste is dumped into our rivers, lakes and streams). However there are ways to prevent the accumulation of nonbiodegradable waste. The most common one available to everyone is to recycle and be conscious - to think ‘green’. Another solution is to replace non-biodegradable material with ones specifically designed to be biodegradable. The recent restriction on the use of Styrofoam is a step in the right direction and an example of the type of action that can be taken to protect our environment. Every citizen can play a part in the Greening of Guyana and there are so many easy ways that this can be achieved. Some of the areas that must be considered are: * Solar Energy to power residential and government buildings, and wind power where

Sunday December 04, 2016

applicable to facilitate coastal and hinterland agro- processing. * Recycling of plastics, paper, cardboard, glass bottles and building materials. We must learn to separate our waste, so that we can reuse what is reusable and only dump what cannot be reused. * Replacing old refrigerators and washing machines with new energy efficient ones. It is an established fact that old appliances use more energy. * Power Down- The majority of office power is consumed by machines that are off but still plugged into a live outlet. * Use natural light- Open the blinds and let daylight in whenever possible. Artificial lighting accounts for almost a quarter of office power costs. Don’t leave lights on at night when offices are empty. Turn off the light in rooms that not in use. * Install motion sensor light switches, especially in bathrooms and conference rooms. * Buy remanufactured ink and toner cartridges, they costs about fifteen percent less, also each reused cartridge saves about 2.5 pounds of metal and plastic and about half a gallon of oil,

all of which is wasted in the manufacturing process. * Buy multi-purpose office machines that can do printing, scanning, faxing and copying. So instead of having, three or four machines, you have just one that is capable of doing several tasks. *Fix leaky faucets and supply pipes. * Drive at the speed limit; also combine as many errands as possible in one trip. In a recent address His Excellency the President reminded us that citizens must enjoy the good life in a safe and clean environment. He said, “We will therefore rigidly enforce laws against littering. We will promote the use of bio-degradable packaging materials. The Regional, Municipal and Neighbourhood Councils must ensure that there are adequate, properly managed and safe dumpsites and sewage processing facilities in every region.” A Partnership for National Unity is committed to Guyana’s ‘green’ development strategy and will work to make this nation a better place for this and future generations.

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The lifestyle changes that increase heart disease risk By Dr. Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine Heart diseases are the number one cause of death in Guyana and worldwide. Many of these deaths can be avoidable if we adjust our lifestyle. Today we will discuss the major lifestyle adjustments that you can make and will help to significantly decrease your chances of acquiring a diseased heart. UNHEALTHYDIET When it comes to heart disease risk, you are what you eat. As noted above, a poor diet contributes to elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. A number of major studies provide compelling evidence that diet also affects the likelihood of progressing to full-blown coronary artery disease and having a heart attack. One study, for instance, reported that people who regularly adhere to a Mediterranean-style diet are 50% to 70% less likely to have a heart attack, stroke, or other type of cardiovascular problem or to die from heart disease. This type of diet includes eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, and nuts; using olive oil and other types of unsaturated fats for cooking; eating more fish and poultry and less red meat. Other research shows that consuming more omega-3 fats, found in certain fish, nuts, and other foods, as well as in supplements, may be particularly heart-healthy. Just about everyone can benefit from a heart-healthy diet. Be aware, however, that while some foods, such as soy products and cereals, come with labels identifying them as “heart-healthy,” no one food will prevent or reverse heart disease. SEDENTARYLIFESTYLE On an average only one in three adults will regularly engage in any kind of leisuretime physical activity. The reasons are many, but

certainly the advent of labour-saving devices and the lure of television and the Internet are taking their toll — along with harried lives that leave little time for exercise. Yet it is clear that physical activity is a good investment of time when it comes to protecting your heart. Sedentary living roughly doubles the risk for coronary artery disease, making it as risky as smoking, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. More than 50 years of research shows that the people who are the most physically active are only half as likely to develop coronary artery disease as the most sedentary people. And the benefits accrue in a doseresponse manner: the more physically active you are, the lower your risk for heart disease. What’s more, regular physical activity raises HDL (good cholesterol) cholesterol levels, reduces triglycerides, lowers blood pressure, burns body fat, and lowers blood sugar levels. When combined with weight loss, exercise can also lower LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. It also helps alleviate mental stress, which can be a trigger for heart problems. Following a heart attack, an exercise-based rehabilitation programme can reduce the likelihood of dying from heart disease by onethird. TOBACCO USE AND EXPOSURE Everyone knows that smoking is a major health hazard: it’s the leading preventable cause of death in developed countries like the United States. But some people may be surprised to learn that smoking is not only a cause of cancer, but also one of the most significant risk factors for heart disease. People who smoke are two to four times as likely to die from heart disease as nonsmokers. Passive exposure to other people’s smoke also puts you at risk. A report in 2006 showed that nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work

increased their risk of developing heart disease by 25% to 30%. In all, about one in three smoking-related deaths is from coronary artery disease. But quitting smoking can significantly reduce the risk. Within a year of quitting, smokers can cut their heart disease risk in half. In 15 years, the coronary artery disease risk for a former smoker is very close to that

of a person who never smoked. One possible reason for this decrease in risk is that smoking probably contributes to blood vessel inflammation; removing that irritant should slow the inflammatory process. STRESS Unrelieved stress may damage your arteries and worsen other risk factors for heart disease. Research is

starting to show that stress may affect behaviours and some factors that increase heart disease risk: high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, smoking, physical inactivity and overeating. I would hope that after reading today’s article we can make stronger efforts to address these four lifestyle factors. As we strive for a better life we should be able

Dr. Zulfikar Bux to live long enough to see the fruits of our work. Avoiding these four lifestyle factors will definitely increase our chances of getting there.

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SUNDAY SPECIAL OPPOSITION LEADER SLAMS PATTERSON, GPL OVER CONTRACT AWARD DELAY –SAYS MINISTRY HAS BECOME A CESSPOOL Opposition leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, has described the nine-month delay to award a multibillion project for smart meters and new power lines as unacceptable. The former President on November 24, during a press conference, also urged that the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) be placed under the scrutiny of the recently established Public Procurement Commission (PPC) to ensure that all contracts are above board. ”Under (Minister David) Patterson, that Ministry (of Public Infrastructure) has become a cesspool and that is putting it mildly…There are several (instances)… it is unacceptable.” The Opposition believed that the reason for the delay is that the evaluators are attempting to go through several “iterations” of the bidding process as they don’t like a particular company. Jagdeo was speaking about growing concerns and questions about a major GPL project for US$18M that is being funded by the InterAmerican Development Bank and the European Union. The project is for the procurement and installation of over 25,000 smart meters on the coastlands along with the running of new low and medium voltage transmission lines. The tenders were opened in February, but GPL and the ministry have both been silent on the award with officials only saying that they are being evaluated. A number of local and overseas companies have tendered for that major project. GPL has been under intense scrutiny for this particular contract but the state-owned company has kept largely quiet, saying it is being “evaluated”. GPL’s Chairman, Robert Badal, had said that award would have been made by the end of October. He has since been silent on the issue. INTERPOL ISSUES WANTED BULLETIN FOR HEAD OF US-BASED CHARITY The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) has issued a wanted bulletin for US-based Guyanese, Marcus Brian Bisram, who has been implicated in the murder of a carpenter, Faiyaz Narinedatt. Interpol is the world’s largest police organization with over 190 member countries. Their role is to enable police around the world to work together to make the world a safer place. Bisram returned to the United States of America, shortly after the murder of the carpenter on November 1, last. Bisram, is said to be the mastermind behind the killing. A wanted bulletin was subsequently issued for him here in Guyana. Shortly after, the Interpol issued a wanted bulletin for the suspect. Bisram is 27 years old and his address in Guyana is listed as Lot 115 Section ‘A’ Number 70 Village Corentyne, Berbice; also the US based Bisram is the sixth person to be charged with murder. INCREASED SURVEILLANCE, GROUND PATROLS AFOOT TO CURB CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES – ARMY CHIEF, PRESIDENT Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence

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Force (GDF), Brigadier George Lewis, during the army’s Route March which was conducted to commemorate the force’s 51st anniversary, said that measures are being taken to crackdown on criminal activities across the country. These measures, the Brigadier said, include an increase in aerial surveillance and ground operations. Lewis told troops at the D’Urban Park facility Saturday that the force has increased its operational stance to secure Guyana’s integrity and territory. He added that there is a two-fold increase in border patrols and in surveillance of the EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) with patrols every two weeks. The Brigadier said that the patrols have contributed significantly to reducing criminal activities both at sea and on land. The recently appointed Chief-of-Staff said that the GDF has pledged to provide public safety and security to Guyana. He also spoke about the internal and overseas training ranks have experienced. Meanwhile, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Brigadier David Granger said that the price that must be paid for security and safety is eternal vigilance. The role that the Guyana Defence Force plays in protecting Guyana’s borders must be recognised, President Granger said. He added that Guyana would have been a different place had it not been for the force. ”The GDF is deployed to the four corners of the country. You have a responsibility to protect our country by day or by night, in sunshine or rainfall, in the swamp, in the jungles, in the savannahs, on the beaches,” he said. As such, President Granger emphasised the importance of a mentally and physically fit force and exercises such Exercise Greenheart and the Field Tactical Exercise (FTX) ‘HOMEGUARD’. Noting that Guyana has over 3,000km of borders and 450km of coastline, which fall under the responsibility of army and the coastguard respectively, the Head of State lauded their role in the protection of the country’s patrimony. MONDAY EDITION SLAIN CARPENTER’S FAMILY REJECTS $50M OFFER – “ALL WE WANT IS JUSTICE” With wanted bulletins being issued by both the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and Interpol for Marcus Brian Bisram, the alleged mastermind behind the murder of Berbice carpenter, an individual close to the prime suspect has reportedly offered the victim’s wife a whopping $50 million. The victim’s wife, Pooja Pitam, alleged that the individual informed her that Bisram was willing to pay $20 million to settle the matter. When the woman refused the offer, the individual reportedly returned two days later and raised the sum to $50M. Again, Pitam refused to accept the money

and told the individual that no amount of money can bring her husband back. Not satisfied with the response, the same person allegedly approached another relative of the victim, Abdool Rizan Shareek. ”I chased him out the yard because we want justice and not their money. If his family was to accept that money then the persons who killed him will walk free,” Shareek said. He said that all the relatives want at this point is justice. The Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan was informed of the offer when he visited the victim’s relatives last Saturday. Ramjattan told the family that he will speak to the Director of Public Prosecutions to send a state counsel to prosecute the matter which has been transferred to the Springlands Magistrate’s Court. For the carpenter’s murder, there are seven persons before the court. Narinedatt’s body was found on November 1, on the Number 70 Village, Corentyne, Berbice. MURDER OF BERBICE CARPENTER…PATHOLOGIST SHOWED COPS SUSPICIOUS INJURIES – BUT RANKS CLAIMED VICTIM WAS STRUCK BY VEHICLE WHILE DRUNK Two Berbice-stationed ranks failed to act on a medical expert’s opinion that some of the injuries on carpenter Faiyaz Narinedatt body seemed to indicate that he was beaten. This information was relayed to Kaieteur News recently by sources close to the case, even as two police ranks remain under close arrest for allegedly suppressing evidence in the investigation. Kaieteur News was told that Narinedatt’s body bore multiple injuries, and the patholo-

Sunday December 04, 2016

gist could not give a definitive conclusion as to how he met his demise. The injuries included tyre marks on the victim’s back. But there were also injuries that appeared to have been inflicted with a ‘flat’ object, such as a piece of wood. It was concluded that Ramkissoon was still alive when the injuries, including the tyre marks, were inflicted on him. This information was reportedly relayed to the two ranks who attended the post mortem. ”They were supposed to investigate,” a source said. Instead, one of the policemen reportedly suggested that Narinedatt had left a party while intoxicated and a vehicle had struck him down. The policemen were reportedly unable to explain why the victim was shirtless when he was found on the Number 70 Public Road. His shirt was reportedly found some distance away. Kaieteur News was unable to ascertain whether the ranks who attended the post mortem are the same ranks that were under close arrest. A senior official said information in the hands of investigators suggested that the action of the two ranks “was not in keeping with those of the Guyana Police Force.” Evidence against the two ranks has been turned over to the police’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). ”During the investigation we received certain information, which we think was worth the OPR investigating,” a senior police official had told Kaieteur News. At least four police ranks have been grilled about their role in the alleged cover-up of Narinedatt’s death. The detectives reportedly denied that they (Continued on page 33)

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(From page 32) had suppressed evidence in the case. Narinedatt’s relatives have claimed that the detectives failed to question any suspects, even after the victim’s family had provided them with information. FOOD AND DRUGS SCANDAL…IMPORTER ACCUSES GOVT. OFFICIAL OF LEAKING CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS A local businessman who is claiming discrimination by a senior Government official is calling for the administration to immediately suspend him. Over the weekend, confidential import documents that were sent to Marlan Cole, Director of the Government Food and Drugs Department, have made their way into the hands of a few private media outlets. ”This is getting unbelievable now. It is totally unacceptable. What more evidence does the administration need that Cole has abused his office in the worst way possible by releasing confidential documents that his department has asked for?” an angry Frank Sanichara said Sunday evening. Sanichara is the Chief Executive Officer of the Sueria Manufacturing Inc., a company that has been battling the government department for over a year now on what that company says is a clear case of discrimination. Foods and Drugs play a critical role in ensuring local importers comply with safety regulations when shipping containers and food related items here. According to Sanichara, on Friday, he sent documents, including some from his Malaysian supplier, to Cole. ”These confidential documents were sent only to him (Cole). He cannot say that it was leaked by anyone else. It is posted on a news website and I saw it for myself and have taken the screenshots of it to prove the documents were posted up. This is not how a Government department that is charged with an important mandate should operate. I am calling on the Health Minister to take immediate action. My competitors now have an opportunity to see with whom I do business.” According to the businessman, the publication of the private documents sends a very worrying signal to investors and business people in Guyana. ”It also poses a serious threat to privacy

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of information. No company would want their competition to see their private information,” a worried Sanichara said. TUESDAY EDITION $250 BUDGET UNVEILED FOR 2017 Within the timeframe of 3 hours and 15 minutes, Finance Minister Winston Jordan on Monday, last, informed the National Assembly, and sections of the nation via live broadcast, of how his Government intends to spend some $250B for the year 2017, so as to achieve “the good life” for all Guyanese. The budget, which is presented on an annual basis, is one of the most important economic instruments of the government. It seeks to ensure that the state has the resources it needs to execute the works planned for the fiscal year, create conditions which stimulate economic growth and clearly indicate the priorities of the government. This is the third budget of the Coalition Government in just over a year and half in office. The Finance Minister noted that the theme for the 2017 budget is; “Building a Diversified, Green Economy: Delivering the Good Life to All Guyanese.” Jordan said that Budget 2017 is designed to consolidate the gains the Government made since its accession to office, improve economic performance, and define a sustainable pathway to the happiness and prosperity of Guyana. The Finance Minister said that the threat of gold prices declining in 2017, combined with rising oil prices and global issues such as derisking and climate change, will pose a major risk to Guyana’s economy that will demand enlightened management. He noted that the nation’s relatively undiversified economy leaves it particularly vulnerable to these external shocks, as well as internal financial distress in its major industries. In response to this fiscal forecast, the Finance Minister said that the Government will continue, therefore, to implement

policies designed to maximize opportunities and minimize the damage that emanate from such risks. It is against that he provided a review of the performance of the economy in 2016 The traditional sectors did not perform well this year. Despite an encouraging recovery in 2015, Jordan said that sugar is projected to decline by 18.7 percent, to reach 188,000 metric tonnes in 2016. Due to continued uncertainty in the rice industry, he said that output is expected to reach 600,000 metric tonnes in 2016, representing a decline of 12.8 percent from the levels achieved in 2015. BUDGET 2017…WATER AND ELECTRICITY BILLS NOW LOADED WITH 14% VAT Citizens who thought that the reduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) would have strengthened their changes of realizing “the good life” promised by the APNU+AFC government, were given a rude awakening on Monday after listening to the presentation of Budget 2017. Dreams were dashed as it was announced that while VAT will be reduced, water and electricity—two essentials—will now attract VAT. A promise to reduce VAT was dangled in front the faces of Guyanese in the lead-up to the 2015 elections. The APNU+AFC had promised that within 100 days after assuming office, it would have

reduced VAT which was implemented under the PPP and has proven a burden to the poor and average man. Over a year and a half later, Finance Minister Winston Jordan announced the arrival of the reduction. VAT has been reduced by 2 percent. But will that be of any benefit to the poor? Many on social media called the fact that VAT was reduced but added to electricity, tantamount to giving with one hand while taking with the other. But it is a little more than that. During his speech, Jordan himself admitted that taxation is a strain. He admitted that the economy is characterized by a tax system that has high and multiple rates and inequality. “As a consequence, smuggling, tax avoidance and tax evasion are rampant.” The Finance Minister even noted that because of “high and multiple taxes,” the existence of legitimate businesses is threatened, while labour productivity suffers from a tax system that acts as a disincentive to greater effort. ”This has led to ever increasing demands for tax concessions, thereby distorting resource allocation while weakening the tax base.” Despite such acknowledgements, Jordan was bold to announce the additional VAT that will be felt by businesses that already complain about the energy cost. It was because of the complaints about already high electricity; the PPP had proposed the Amaila Falls Hydro-electricity project, one that A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is following up. On Monday, Jordan said that his announcements are keeping with APNU+AFC promise made in the Manifesto, and based on recommendations of the Tax Reform Committee and the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC) study. So in addition to the reduction, from 16 percent to 14 percent, He announced an increase in the VAT threshold. “I propose to increase the VAT threshold from $10 million to $15 million. It was found that a significant number of persons were unable to maintain proper records to meet the minimum threshold requirement for VAT registration. As such, this measure will allow the GRA to concentrate on the cohort that makes the bulk of VAT payments, since there will be a smaller tax base and consequently less VAT registrants to administer,” said Jordan. Jordan also proposed the introduction of the 14 percent VAT on electricity consumption in excess of $10,000 per month. He was keen to note that while VAT will not be applied to consumption up to $10,000, it will be applied to the full amount once consumption (Continued on page 34)

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Kaieteur News

(From page 33) exceeds $10,000. Water, an absolutely essential commodity, will also attract VAT. VAT will be attached to water consumption in excess of $1,500 per month. Just like electricity, Jordan explained that the $1,500 limit is not an allowance. While VAT will not be applied to consumption up to $1,500, it will be applied to the full amount once consumption exceeds $1,500. MURDER OF BERBICE CARPENTER…MAGISTRATE REFUSES BAIL FOR ALLEGED COP-BRIBING DUO Attorney Stanley Moore made another bail application – this time written submissions were handed over to the court – on behalf of 45-year-old Sharmilla Inderjali, the mother of Marcus Bisram and 25-year-old Maryanna Lionel, a sister of one of the men charged for the murder of Berbice Carpenter, Faiyaz Narinedatt. But the petition was once again refused by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, who further remanded them to prison after ruling that the court is of the opinion that they will interfere with witnesses. The women, both of Number 70 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, are accused of offering a detective at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, four million dollars in cash for him to suppress evidence against Bisram and another man. Inderjali and Lionel are jointly charged with willfully attempting to pervert the course of justice and have pleaded not guilty. Bisram, a multi-millionaire, is alleged to have procured persons and ordered them to kill Narinedatt. It is alleged that between October 31 and November 1, at Number 70 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, Bisram of Number 70 Village Corentyne, Berbice and the United States of America; Orlando Dickie, 39, of Stevedore Housing Scheme, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown; Radesh Motie, 39, and excavator operator, of 124 Number 78 Village Corentyne, Berbice; Diadath Datt, 1 8 , o f 9 8 N u m b e r 7 1 Vi l l a g e , Corentyne, Berbice; Harripaul Parsram, 49, of 164 Number 71 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, and Niran Yacoob, 37, of 65 Num-

ber 67 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, murdered Narinedatt. Bisram procured Dickie, Motie, Datt, Parsram and Yacoob to murder Narinedatt. While Bisram is still on the run, the others were remanded to jail and will appear in the Springlands Magistrate’s Court on December 8. The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) has issued a wanted bulletin for Bisram. During Monday’s court hearing, which saw statements being served to Attorney Moore, he laid over a copy of written submissions to the Magistrate and Prosecutor Neville Jeffers pointing to several grounds on which his clients should be granted bail. However, Prosecutor Jeffers insisted that the women should remain on remand. He said that the prosecution is ready to proceed with trial. In this regard, he stated that the defence was served with statements a week after the matter was filed. WEDNESDAY EDITION A HIDDEN TAX?… MANUFACTURERS PROTEST PLANS TO EXEMPT ZERO-RATED ITEMS A number of businesses are expressing deep concerns over plans by Government to eliminate all zero-rated items from taxes and make them exempt. On Monday, Finance Minister Winston Jordan, in his budget speech, announced a proposal to expand the list of exempt items and eliminate all zero-rated items, with the exception of those pertaining to exports and manufacturing inputs. In essence, the move will increase manufacturing costs for local companies as they will not be able to claim back the taxes paid on every item or input bought, it was argued Tuesday. Currently, businesses are allowed to claim back those

taxes. ”By changing these products from zero rated to exempt means no tax would be charged, as this is now deemed an exempt supply. Because it becomes an exempt supply rather than a taxable supply (at 0%), companies like us cannot help but pass these charges to customers. The bottom line is that local products will become more expensive,” one businessman explained According to a number of businesses, the matter will be raised in coming days with the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) with the hopes Government cancels its plans. ”This VAT paid now becomes an expense to us and will increase our costs. Our products then become more expensive than imported ones which are not saddled with this cost. If we pass this cost to the consumer, we cannot sell our products, as it becomes more expensive, so we have to absorb, which means less profits. In a way it is a hidden tax on businesses,” one senior executive said Tuesday. The exempt items include things like bread, flour, unprocessed wheat, toilet tissues in rolls, vegetable seeds, paddy, onions, garlic, potatoes and split peas, among other things. VAT ON WATER, ELECTRICITY IS A CONSERVATION MEASURE – FINANCE MINISTER Finance Minister Winston Jordan during a post-Budget press conference on Monday evening explained to the media that the imposed 14 per cent Value Added Tax on electricity and water bills should be seen as a conservation measure. The Finance Minister announced that VAT will be reduced from 16 to 14 per cent as of 2017. However, the new VAT rate will be applied to the electricity and water bills which exceed $10,000 and $1,500 respectively. Jordan said that if persons pay attention to their meters they can ensure that their consumption does not go past the thresholds. He said that on numerous occasions it was indicated that to reduce VAT, government would have to make it up in other areas. Hence, the Minister said that things which were not being paid for, Guyanese would eventually have to pay. ”I remember in many interviews I did, I specifically mentioned that water and electricity

Sunday December 04, 2016

will become fair game under VAT where we have to reduce measures. We made certain that it is not everybody who will be paying this.” Jordan said that most people would not be troubled by the VAT, based on the studies which would have been carried out prior to the decision. He said that the charge on the threshold should encourage persons to monitor their consumption by observing their meters so as to reduce their use. He said that the conservation aspect falls in line with the extensive green agenda which is elaborated in the 2017 budget. Present at the press conference was Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, who said that of the 138,000 customers who subscribe to the Guyana Power and Light, 105,000 residents and 4,800 businesses pay less than $10,000 for electricity. Nagamootoo said, “And that means that 80 per cent of customers pay less than $10,000 a month in electricity. So the 80 per cent would not be affected by VAT.” The Prime Minister said that government is trying to introduce a mechanism that tells Guyanese that electricity is a scarce resource. He said, “While GPL may want to make money, it also has a national responsibility to ensure that people use electricity responsibly. Conservation is not a matter anymore of exhortation.” C’BEAN AIRLINES AIRCRAFT STRIKES OFF TAIL SECTION OF FLY JAMAICA PLANE -FLIGHTS GROUNDED Authorities have launched a probe into an incident that occurred Tuesday morning, in which part of the tail cone of a Fly Jamaica aircraft was struck off by a plane belonging to Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL). The two planes were grounded at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and it is expected that flights to North America – the US and Canada – will in some way be affected during the Christmas peak season. The Fly Jamaica flight had reportedly landed about an hour earlier than the Caribbean Airlines flight. Caribbean Airlines, also in short statement, said that one of its planes, a Boeing 737-800 aircraft operating as BW 527, from JFK International, New York to CJIA, Guyana, was involved in an incident on the ramp. The Trinidadian-owned airline said that all passengers and crew were safely disembarked. ”The aircraft has since been temporarily withdrawn from service and all appropriate inspections and procedures, along with an investigation are in progress.” Caribbean Airlines insisted that it is committed to the safety of its “valued customers and crew”. Fly Jamaica also issued a release later that evening on the incident, it read: ” At approximately 07:20hrs this (Tuesday) morning at Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) in Guyana, Fly Jamaica Airways’ B767300, which was parked at an assigned gate, was struck by the wing tip of a taxiing Caribbean Airlines (CAL) B737-800 aircraft. Fly Jamaica Airways’ B767-300 aircraft has been withdrawn from service, and the airline awaits the findings of the investigation currently being conducted by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). The Directors and staff of Fly Jamaica Airways wish to reassure their customers that they are working assiduously to lessen the inconvenience caused by this incident, and to ensure that all of their passengers are accommodated in the most efficient and (Continued on page 35)

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(From page 34) convenient manner. Fly Jamaica Airways remains committed to offering the safest service between all of their destinations, in the air and on the ground, and the continued safety of their passengers, flight crews and ground staff. THURSDAY EDITION 7,000 GUYANESE LIVING WITH HIV -LESS THAN 200 DIE ANNUALLY FROM RELATED COMPLICATIONS Statistics reveal that there are 7,000 Guyanese living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Of the infected, 5,300 have been linked to a care and treatment facility with approximately 85 percent receiving Antiretroviral Treatment. This is according to information recorded by the National AIDS Programme Secretariat, the HIV/AIDS fighting arm of the Ministry of Public Health. NAPS has been able to deduce, too, that it is estimated that less than 200 persons die annually from AIDS-related illnesses. Guyana has been realizing some major gains in its fight against the once dreaded disease. Among these is the fact that the Mother to Child Transmission rate of HIV currently stands at two percent and the prevalence of the infection in pregnant mothers remains at 1.9 percent. NAPS has revealed too that the trends suggest that there has been a gradual decline in the number of new AIDS cases over the past five years. Further, it has been found that the gender most affected here in Guyana is male, while persons between the ages of 25 and 49 years continue to account for most of the new HIV infections. However, it has been found that in the epidemiological context of Guyana, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of youth between the age of 15 and 24 affected. But Guyana, like the rest of the world, has committed to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. SHAKEUP IN POLICE ‘B’ DIVISION Following a visit to Berbice by National Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan on Saturday, last, and threats of stern action against the police, there has been a shakeup in the hierarchy of the police in the Ancient County. Senior Superintendent Errol Watts, who was on leave, has taken over command of ‘B’ Division (Berbice). Acting Commander Senior Superintendent Kevin Adonis, who has been the Commander of the Police ‘G’ Division for a number of years, has been relegated to Deputy Commander. Acting Deputy Commander Superinten-

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dent Kurleigh Simon has been sent as OC, in charge of Subdivision No.3 (Corentyne), while officer in charge of Subdivision No. 3 Deputy Superintendent Guy Nurse has been transferred to Police Headquarters. This shake-up comes on the heels of the murder of Faiyaz Narinedatt carpenter of No.70 Village Corentyne Berbice. Narinedatt a father of two was murdered between October 31 and November 1, last, at Number 70 Village, Corentyne, Berbice. His body was found on November 1, on the public road in the area. Several persons have been charged and a wanted bulletin has been issued for overseas-based Guyanese Marcus Brian Bisram. TAX ARREARS… PPP AGAINST PROPOSAL FOR GRA TO TAKE MONIES FROM TAXPAYERS’ BANK ACCOUNTS The Opposition has vowed to intensely scrutinize a planned proposal of the administration to “garnish” funds from citizens and businesses if they are in arrears of taxes.

Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, on Wednesday said that Monday’s pronouncement by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, in his budget speech to the National Assembly is causing worry. “That the Income Tax Act will be revised to authorize the GRA (Guyana Revenue Authority) to “garnish” funds from bank accounts held by tax payers who have outstanding tax arrears has caused great anxiety and concerns both to the business community as well as the ordinary citizen,” Nandlall said Wednesday. “You will recall that earlier this year, the Government passed a law that allows the GRA to go into a person’s bank account without notifying that person and without providing any reasons. Now again, we see another attempt to invade the privacy of persons’ bank accounts by this Government.” Nandlall, whose party – the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) – lost the May 2015 general elections after a more than two decades stay in power, said that these signals drive fear in the minds of every single Guyanese. “It also does not inspire the confidence of the business community both locally and internationally. No one will ever be comfortable with the tax authorities having a power to raid their bank accounts with no reason given. It simply smacks of authoritarianism and interference with property rights which are protected by the constitution. After all, money is property.

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“In my humble view, this is not only a misuse and abuse of garnishment but it is also draconian.” What is of greater concern, the former minister said, is the intention to “garnish” people’s accounts and to seize from there, monies and to apply those monies to liquidate outstanding taxes. FRIDAY EDITION TAX CHANGE…GTT TO RECLAIM US$6M LOSS FROM CONSUMERS “Is ole house pon ole house.” That is an adage older folk would use in giving a synopsis of Budget 2017 as seen through the eyes of the Private Sector Commission (PSC). At a press conference on Thursday, the PSC spoke about the “few positives” and the “many negatives” in Budget 2017. One of the many negatives includes the new policy proposal with regards to exempt and zero rated items in the Value Added Tax (VAT) system. During his Budget Speech, Finance Minister Winston Jordan proposed to expand the list of exempt items and eliminate all zero-rated items, with the exception of those pertaining to exports and manufacturing inputs. On Thursday, PSC’s Ramesh Persaud said this will cause a strain on businesses and that strain may, in many cases, be passed on to consumers. Persaud highlighted that under the VAT Act, supplies are classified in three categories: standard supplies, zero rated (Continued on page 36)

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(From page 35) supplies and exempt supplies. Only standard supplies and zero rated supplies are considered to be taxable supplies. Where taxable supplies are made, input VAT can be reclaimed. In such a case, VAT is not a tax on business. Under the new system where most zero rated items have become exempt, input VAT cannot be reclaimed. This will result in the increase in prices of many basic commodities. Persaud said that the government should consider reversing this position as it would be a horrible impact on the poor. He said that this policy will contribute to inflation and will inhibit growth in the economy. Persaud called for clarity to be provided on items removed from the zero rating list such as education and health services. SURUJBALLY STEPS DOWN…OPPOSITION STARTS SEARCH FOR NEW GECOM CHAIRMAN Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, has started the process of searching for a new Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). Long-serving Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally has resigned with his last day being Wednesday, November 30. According to a statement from the office of the Opposition Leader, the consultations which started Wednesday are “in pursuit of the practice of inclusionary-democracy”, and has provided an opportunity for citizens’ participation. This participation, it was explained, was with organizations. The process includes nomination of individuals to be submitted to President David Granger for selection of the new Chairman in keeping with Article 161 (1) (2) of the Constitution of Guyana. On Wednesday, Jagdeo led a delegation of People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Parliamentarians who consulted with representatives of the Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Labour communities at the Parliament Buildings. ”These engagements saw wide-ranging discussions on the importance of a strong and effective GECOM and the submission of names to be considered for the appointment

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of a new Chairman. These organisations also seized the opportunity to discuss other issues directly and indirectly affecting their constituencies, requesting the opposition to make appropriate interventions at various levels, inclusive of representation in the National Assembly,” the statement from the office of the Opposition Leader said Thursday. Dr Surujbally, a veterinarian and newspaper columnist, who headed the elections commission since the early 2000s, has been under pressure this year, after a number of shocking stories came out that hundreds of millions of dollars were spent in highly questionable manner by GECOM. 2012 HOTEL POOL DEATH…MANAGER, EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH MURDER The Manager of the Double Day Hotel in Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, Bhojnauth Bhola, and another individual suspected to be his employee, Leyland Johnson, were on Thursday charged jointly for the 2012 murder of a 20-year-old Mechanic, Sadeek Juman. The charge was read to the duo by Magistrate Rochelle Liverpool at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court in the presence of Juman’s parents and relatives of the two accused. The men were not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated that between Sunday November 18, 2012 and Monday November 19, 2012, they allegedly murdered Juman at the establishment. Attorney-at-law Ganesh Hira, who is representing Bhola, made an application for the disclosure of statements. His application was granted and the duo is scheduled to make another court appearance on December 16. The murder charge would come days after the duo, along with another individual was arrested in connection with the matter. According to media reports, Juman who resided at Blankenburg, West Coast Demerara, was found dead in a pool at the hotel. Reports further stated that Juman had visited the premises the previous day, in the company of friends where it was alleged that an altercation occurred between him and a group of men. A post mortem showed that his death was due to drowning, compounded by blunt

trauma to the head. SATURDAY EDITION NEW CARDIAC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT OPENS AT GPHC – TO ENSURE NO PATIENT IS DENIED CARDIAC CARE In the quest to advance the delivery of cardiac care at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), a new Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) was on Friday commissioned during a simple ceremony. And according to Head of Cardiology and Resident Cardiologist at the Caribbean Heart Institute (CHI), Dr. Mahendra Carpen, “Today, we can boast that no citizen will be denied cardiac care because of their economic limitation and no citizen should have their dignity shaken when confronted with a sick family member.” Dr. Carpen described Friday’s ceremony as a celebration of yet another step in the continuing journey towards excellence in health care particularly in cardiovascular health. PRINCE HARRY BEGINS STATE VISIT TO GUYANA …VISITS PRESIDENT, LAYS WREATHS Prince Harry of Wales arrived at the Eugene F. Correia airport, Friday afternoon to a red carpet welcome. His first engagement in the country saw him paying a courtesy call on President David Granger. Later, he laid a wreath at the National Independence Monument at Brickdam more commonly known as the Independence Arch. The Independence Arch, one of the nation’s most important national symbols was presented to Guyana, by the Demerara Bauxite Company (DEMBA) as an Independence gift, in 1966 to symbolise the end of the colonial era, while ushering in a new phase of Guyana’s history. Prince Harry also visited Camp Ayanganna, the headquarters of the Guyana Defence Force, where he met with officer cadets, serving officers and veterans. He was also taken on a tour of the Base. Then it was on to the Commonwealth War Graves, Georgetown, where he laid a wreath, in honour of those who lost their lives during the two World Wars and the pre-Independence period.

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On Friday night, the Prince attended a reception hosted by the British High Commissioner. Yesterday, His Royal Highness visit ed several tourist sites including the majestic Kaieteur Falls, the Iwokrama International Conservation Centre and the Surama Lodge. SKELETALREMAINS POSITIVELY ID’D AS BABITA SARJOU’S -DNA TESTS BACK FROM OVERSEAS LAB Champa Seonarine can now give her daughter a decent burial. That’s because Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum on Friday received DNA results that confirmed that the skeletal remains that his ranks dug up from a Seaforth Street, Campbellville backyard seven months ago, are those of Babita Sarjou. Blanhum declined to identify the laboratory that had conducted the tests. He had initially told the media that the samples would have been sent to a Trinidad forensic laboratory. Police will now hand the remains over to the slain woman’s relatives. That family member is likely to be Babita’s mother, Champa Seonarine. She had agonized over the length of time it was taking for the results to return. “I just want to bury my child,” she had told Kaieteur News last May. “I want to give her a proper funeral and I want to have a wake for her so that her soul can finally rest in peace,” the woman said. I already know that is my daughter because I identified her clothing and shoes. When they washed the mud from the clothing, I could have identified it.” Babita Sarjou vanished on the Diwali Night of November 4, 2010, after leaving her mother’s home at Timehri, East Bank Demerara. On May 22, six years later, investigators dug up the skeletal remains of a female, believed to be Babita Sarjou, a mother of one, in a three-foot-deep grave. Detectives first unearthed a skull, then several bones, a pair of high-heeled shoes, a brassiere, and bits of clothing from the same spot. Sarjou’s estranged partner, 38-year-old Sharadananda Narine, called “Anand”, and his accomplice, Darel Pronton, are currently before the court for the murder.

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Caribbean wants more global action to deal with climate change KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC Feature) – If the temperature where you are changes by half a degree Celsius, do you think you would notice? What if the temperature of the world increases by half of one degree Celsius, would it make a difference to the Caribbean? In the face of humaninduced climate change, Caribbean researchers say that a half a degree Celsius change in global temperature could make quite a difference for the region, which is already being severely impacted by the adverse effects of a warming climate. Caribbean nations say — and have convinced the global community — that global temperature rise must be contained to 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than preindustrialisation levels. That is to say, that the world must make every effort to ensure that the average temperature of Earth’s atmosphere does not increase by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than the levels they were before there were machines and tools to help perform tasks en masse. At the Paris climate conference (COP21) in December 2015, 195 countries adopted the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate deal. The agreement, which has since come into effect, sets

out a global action plan to put the world on track to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below two degrees Celsius. In the accord, known commonly as the Paris Agreement, governments agreed to aim at limiting the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius, since this would significantly reduce risks and the impacts of climate change. The Caribbean has long been using the “1.5 to stay alive” mantra in its attempts to convince the global community that if the world’s climate is allowed to rise above that level, the results for the Caribbean will be catastrophic. Among regional academics looking into the potential impact on the Caribbean of temperature rise of various levels is Professor Michael Taylor, director of the Climate Studies Group (CSGM) at the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI). The CSGM plays a leading role in coordinating and producing climate research related to the Caribbean region. Its work has been incorporated into several reports for Caribbean Community (CARICOM) governments, including for reporting purposes to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate

Change (UNFCCC), an international environmental treaty negotiated at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro from in June 1992, then entered into force in March 1994. In a presentation during the Outreach Event on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Role, Activities and Findings held here this week, Taylor said that the Caribbean does not have a lot of time until global temperature reach the 1.5 degree mark. He presented alternative futures, dependent on mitigation strategies at the end of the century, telling

them that of the four future pathways, only one puts the world at below a 1.5-degree rise by the end of the century. A second message, Taylor stressed, is that the current global rate of green house emissions does not put the world on that pathway or near it. However, being optimistic, going with the Paris Agreement, the second best path puts global temperature rise at least about 2.5 degrees by the end of the century. “Hmmm. But we are going for 1.5,” he mused, referring (Continued on page 48)

Professor Michael Taylor

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Kaieteur News

Sunday December 04, 2016

Where is alleged wife-killer ‘Frenchie’? - It’s been four years and counting By Michael Jordan Savitri Arjune stepped out of her home at 382 Herstelling, East Bank Demerara at around six-fifteen that morning of January 27, 2008. She then headed east along Rum Shop Street, deserted at that early hour, with the intention of catching a minibus that would take her to her workplace in Georgetown. What the 34-year-old mother of two didn’t know was that death was literally waiting for her around the corner. Perhaps she was too focused on reaching to work on time to notice the greenand-white bus parked on the East Bank Demerara Public Road. Just as Savitri neared the end of Rum Shop Street, a slim, fair-complexioned, middle-aged man emerged from behind the bus. A knife gleamed in one of his hands. Before the terrified woman could flee, the man grabbed her and plunged his knife repeatedly into her body. One of the wounds pierced her heart. Mortally wounded, Savitri Arjune collapsed on the dusty roadway. Her killer then calmly boarded the parked minibus and drove to Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara, where he abandoned the vehicle. The killer had made no attempts to conceal his identity. He was 54-year-old Charles Chapman, called ‘Frenchie’. He was a former soldier and former seaman who now drove a minibus. He was also the murdered woman’s reputed husband. Their eight-year-relationship had been a turbulent one. Arjune’s relatives

Have you seen this man? A photo of Charles Chapman, alias ‘Frenchie,’ taken four years ago claimed that ‘Frenchie’ was obsessive, and physically abusive, and repeatedly threatened to kill her. In fact, he had nearly carried out his threat just a week before when he slashed her with a knife. All reports indicated that Chapman regularly accused his spouse of being unfaithful and of squandering his money. Chapman had also threatened to kill Savitri’s close family members and torch their home. Both partners had filed several complaints at the Providence Police Station. Chapman was charged at least once for assaulting Arjune, while Arjune was charged for damage to property after she smashed the windscreen of a minibus that Chapman had owned. But the warring couple would always settle the matters out of court. However, matters reportedly came to a head when Savitri announced that she was severing the relationship. That, and suspicions

Savitri Arjune of infidelity, triggered ‘Frenchie’s’ killing frenzy. Most of this was told to me by Savitri’s grieving family. They gave me something else: The number for the killer’s mobile phone. I dialed the number almost as soon as I had returned to the office. It had been about two hours since Savitri Arjune’s murder. Maybe the killer had switched off his phone. Maybe he wouldn’t answer. Maybe— A man answered. “Frenchie?” I asked. “Yes,” the man said. “What happened to you and the woman?” “Ah kill she,” he replied. I gave him a false name and told him that I knew him from the army. This seemed to reassure him and he began spewing out his version of the events that led to Savitri’s death. The man who identified himself as ‘Frenchie’ said that he befriended Arjune in 2000. At the time, he was a

seaman and was making a lot of money. He was residing in Berbice with his wife and family. But ‘Frenchie’ left his wife and began to live with Arjune at Herstelling. According to the alleged killer, he splurged large sums of cash on his lover, but claimed that he eventually discovered that she was unfaithful to him, and was also physically and verbally abusive. ‘Frenchie’ claimed that they broke up in 2004 and he decided to return to his wife’s home. ”Meh wife accept me back and I carry me things to Berbice.” But then ‘Frenchie’ allegedly rekindled his relationship with Arjune after she contacted him. ”Frenchie’ told his wife that he had landed a job on a ship. Instead, he rented a house in Herstelling “and put her (Arjune) in it”. But he told me that her infidelity continued and he also ran into financial trouble to the extent that he was unable to pay his rent and his phone was disconnected. He said that three weeks before the murder, Arjune walked out on him and returned to her mother’s place. ‘Frenchie’ confessed that he had harboured thoughts of killing Arjune and her family. He said he finally “tripped out” when he looked over from his home to the house where Savitri was staying and observed that she was laughing at him. “The family laugh at me and I just trip, and I decide to do it,” he claimed. On that morning of January 27, 2008, ‘Frenchie,’ accompanied by the owner of

the bus he drove, parked the vehicle on the Herstelling road, since he knew that Arjune would pass at that time on her way to work. He was armed with his ‘blade.’ According to ‘Frenchie’, he indicated to the bus owner that he intended to make Arjune “an example.” The fugitive alleged that he eventually spotted the woman approaching and emerged from the vehicle with the intention of merely holding her. But he said that everything changed when his ex-lover began to scream. He stabbed her. “I try to hold she and she start screaming. “When I pull the ‘blade’ he (the owner and conductor) start run. When I give she de juck, (stab) I tell he (the conductor) reverse and I gun put she in and carry she to the hospital.” Instead, ‘Frenchie’ himself jumped in the vehicle and drove away. Afterwards, ‘Frenchie’ said that he informed his wife and other relatives that he had killed Arjune. They reportedly told him “is you life and you done f— it up.” I asked him if he would turn himself in. He said no. “I will not to go to jail and punish. I ain’t going to jail to sit down three, four years (for my case start). I too old fuh that.” The man had admitted to being a killer and of harbouring thoughts of killing others. I decided to try to arrange his capture. After contacting the police and letting them listen in on part of our conversation, I told ‘Frenchie’ that I,

an ex-army man like himself, would provide him with funds to assist him in leaving the country. We arranged to meet at a popular location in the Stabroek area. He warned me that he had grenades on him, just in case he was being double-crossed. Ignoring his bluff, I caught a taxi and headed to the location. Meanwhile, he remained in touch to ensure that I was still coming. I had a photograph of the suspect, so I was sure I would recognise him. Eventually, I reached the location. There was no sign of ‘Frenchie.’ He called back shortly after to say that he had gotten suspicious after seeing a policeman he knew and had cancelled the meeting. Later that day, ‘Frenchie’ also reportedly made several threatening calls to Savitri Arjune’s family. When I tried to contact him again he had switched the phone off. Word is that ‘Frenchie’ has fled to Suriname…or maybe by now, French Guiana. It’s unclear whether the local cops have tried to track him down. Only time will tell whether he will be captured….or if he will kill again. If you have any information about this unusual case, please contact us at our Lot 24 Saffon Street office or by telephone. We can be reached on telephone numbers 2258465, 22-58491, or 22-58458. You need not disclose your identity. You can also contact Michael Jordan at his email address mjdragon @h otmail . com.

Chapman fled in this bus after the attack on Savitri Arjune

Sunday December 04, 2016

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Sunday December 04, 2016

Caribbean wants more global action to deal with climate change From page 45 to the Caribbean’s ideal for the world. Taylor said that should the world take the pathway that is projected to increase global temperature by 2.5 degrees by the end of the century, global temperature will have increased by 1.5 degrees by 2031 — in just 15 years’ time. “And we hit two degrees in 2051 and 2.5 just about 2100,” he told participants, which included policymakers; international and intergovernmental organisations; climate and disaster risk management personnel; business leaders and organisations; civil

society organisations; researchers, youth groups and students, and media professionals. Drawing on lessons learn from journalists during a oneday workshop ahead of the outreach, the professor said, “can you see then why my first headline is ‘We don’t have a lot of time for 1.5 if we are going to continuing on the near Paris Agreement pathway?’” Taylor suggested that another news story might capture such a scenario by saying that “even with action which may keep us close to the Paris agreement ideal, 1.5 occurs much sooner than we

might be thinking”. Another headline, he said, might be, “1.5 doesn’t stop the change”. He showed participants maps of what the Caribbean’s profile looks like from four models when the global temperature rise hits 1.5 degrees. On the maps, blue means the region will get a little wetter; beige means it will remain about the same or get just a little drier; and brown is really dry. With a 1.5-degree increase in temperature in the region, most of the models have a little beige for the Caribbean and one suggests that it will

be quite wetter. But at 1.5 degrees for the world, the Caribbean may be slightly drier or wetter. “Now, you might say that sounds like a good thing compared to other option,” he said, noting that this is the mean for the whole year. “What I haven’t shown you is how this rainfall will be distributed throughout the year. What’s really happening is that we are going to have longer dry spells and when the rain falls, it just really falls. Now, that may not be such a great thing.” Looking at warm spells for the Caribbean, 2016 was particularly significant because this year, more than any other, the region felt these warm spells, Taylor said. “We are used to being hot in the region. We are just not used to being hot five days in a row or even five nights in

a row and that’s what we felt this year.” He said that in addition to comfort, warm spells have significant implications for health. “We are talking about asthmas, etc. and that is saying that even at 1.5, it will be significantly warmer.” In terms of hot and dry spells, these will increase in the region even at 1.5. Taylor said this is important because of its impact on water availability. “And that’s your energy as well,” he said, suggesting another news story might report that “limiting global warming to 1.5 does not stop further significant changes in regional climate with which the region will have to contend”. But, a 1.5-degree rise in temperature is still a better option than a globe that is 2

degrees Celsius warmer than it was in pre-industrialisation levels. Taylor illustrated by returning to his maps, contrasting the changes at 1.5 and 2 degrees. In relation to rainfall, the region will move from blue (wet) to red (dry). “I don’t need to tell you that the models are seeming to coalesce around a drier Caribbean… And the idea is, this is additional change on top of what you have seen before.” In relation to the hot and dry spells, those will continue and see further change in that same direction. A third news story, he suggested, might be that “two degrees will result in further significant changes over 1.5 in regional climate, which takes us to climate we have not experience to date and will likely disrupt lives as we now know it”. Taylor said interim conclusions are that the Caribbean has already seen significant impacts under a 1.5-degree rise in global temperatures. “What I am saying, going for 1.5 versus 2 is not a matter of splitting hairs; it’s a significant difference. Perhaps, there is need for greater global action that goes much further than implied by 1.5,” Taylor said.

Sunday December 04, 2016

Iced Tea’s Hidden Risk Of Painful Kidney Stones

Mark Mulac was once an “avid lover” of iced tea, downing up to six glasses a day of the popular summertime thirst-quencher. “I was a junkie on a bender. I had to have it every day,” said Mulac, a resident of Brookfield, Ill. “Iced tea was very refreshing, cheap to buy and easy to make.” Unfortunately, Mulac was forced to go cold turkey. Iced tea helped to bring on an excruciating bout of kidney stones that led to surgery at Loyola University Hospital in Maywood, Ill. “The pain was so bad that once it felt like I was delivering a child made out of razor blades,” said the 46-yearold Mulac. “I really had no idea that iced tea could lead to that.” Iced tea contains high concentrations of oxalate, one of the key chemicals that lead to the formation of kidney stones, a common disorder of the urinary tract that affects about 10 percent of the population in the United States. ”For many people, iced tea is potentially one of the worst things they can drink,” said Dr. John Milner, instructor, department of urology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Ill. “For people who have a tendency to form kidney stones, it’s definitely one of the worst things you can drink.” Kidney stones are crystals that form in the kidneys or ureters, the small tubes that drain the urine from the kidney to the bladder. Men are four times more likely to develop kidney stones than women, and their risk rises dramatically once they reach their 40s. The most common cause of kidney stones is the failure to drink enough fluids. During the summer, people are generally more dehydrated due to sweating. The dehydration combined with increase iced tea consumption raises the risk of kidney stones, especially in people who are prone to develop them. ”People are told that in the summertime they should drink more fluids,” said Milner, who treated Mulac’s kidney stones. “A lot of people choose to drink more iced tea, thinking it’s a tastier alternative. However, in terms of kidney stones, they’re getting it going and coming. They’re actually doing themselves a disservice.” Much of iced tea’s appeal is due to the belief that it is healthier than other beverages such as soda and beer. ”I stayed away from carbonated drinks for a long time because I thought it was upsetting my stomach and that it wasn’t as good for me, but I guess overdid it with the iced tea,” Mulac said. To quench thirst and to properly hydrate, there is no better alternative than water, Milner said. You might try flavoring it with lemon slices. Lemonade helps to ward off kidney stones. ”Lemons are very high in citrates, which inhibit the growth of kidney stones,” Milner said. “Lemonade, not the powdered variety that uses artificial flavoring, actually slows the development of kidney stones for those who are prone to the development of kidney stones.” Milner also said people concerned about developing kidney stones should cut back on eating foods that also contain high concentrations of oxalates such as spinach, chocolate, rhubarb and nuts. They should easy up on salt, eat meat sparingly, drink several glasses a water a day and don’t avoid foods high in calcium, which reduces the amount of oxalate the body absorbs. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com.

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Baby’s Gender Linked To Mother’s Diet At Conception New research from the UK suggests that a baby’s sex is linked to his or her mother’s diet around the time of conception and the finding may explain why fewer boys are born nowadays in the industrialized world, including the UK and the US. The study is the work of researchers at the Universities of Exeter and Oxford and is published today in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. The researchers found a strong link between the consumption of a high energy diet around the time of con-

ception and giving birth to sons. Over the last four decades the birth rate for boys has been declining steadily in industrialized countries including the UK, the US and Canada. The decline is small but consistent, at around one in 1,000 births a year, said the researchers. For the study, lead author Dr Fiona Mathews of the University of Exeter and colleagues investigated the diets of 740 first time mothers living in the UK who did not know the sex of their unborn child. The mothers to be gave information about their eating

habits before and around conception and during the early months of their pregnancy. The participants were grouped according to their daily calorie intake at around conception and the results compared with the sex of their baby. The results showed that: 56 per cent of the women in the highest energy intake group had sons. *This compared with only 45 per cent of the women in the lowest energy intake group. *Women who had sons not only had higher energy diets but they were also more likely to have eaten a wider range and

higher amount of nutrients such as potassium, calcium, plus vitamins C, E and B12. *There was also a strong association between eating breakfast cereals and having sons. The women were representative of the UK average according to weight, health and lifestyle, and there was no link between the mother’s body mass index (BMI) and smoking and caffeine intake before pregnancy and the sex of the babies. h t t p : / / w w w . medicalnewstoday.com/articles.

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Sunday December 04, 2016

Why Is Broccoli Good For You?

Broccoli has high levels of antioxidants . “Eating steamed broccoli reduces the risk of a heart attack by boosting the body’s ability to fight off cell damage”, The Daily Telegraph reported. New research suggests that a mechanism involving antioxidants found in the Brassicaceae family of vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts) prevents the build-up of free radicals. Excessive production of free radicals can harm cells and even trigger cancers. The paper quotes other researchers who have long believed that antioxidant substances have health benefits. However, many studies have failed to show an effect. The rats which were fed broccoli during this study showed some changes in proteins and heart function compared to those fed only water. However, without knowing if the activation of heartprotective proteins in response to antioxidants would be the same in humans, it would be premature to claim that eating broccoli specifically reduces your chance of a heart attack, as opposed to a healthy eating pattern in general. Subhendu Mukherjee and two colleagues at the Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Connecticut School of Medicine in the US, carried out this research. The study was published in the scientific journal The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. This was a laboratory study conducted in rats which investigated whether eating broccoli could be beneficial to the heart. The researchers suspected this might be the case as broccoli contains high amounts of selenium, an inorganic chemical that is thought to mop up free radicals and glucosinolates (organic compounds derived from sugar and also found in many other green vegetables). Glucosinates are toxic in high doses, but are converted to sulphoraphanes by chewing and these are thought to protect against cancer and heart disease. The researchers fed broccoli (in a slurry made with water) to a group of six rats, while six control animals were fed only water. After 30 days, the hearts of the animals were removed and the blood supply cut off for 30 minutes, followed by two hours where the blood flow was returned. This was intended to be the experimental equivalent of a heart attack. The researchers then performed a variety of tests on the hearts and the heart muscle cells. When compared to the control group, the rats which were fed broccoli showed improved heart muscle function after the experimental heart attack: they had a smaller amount of dead heart muscle and heart muscle cells. These changes were accompanied by changes in several proteins found in the cell nuclei, and other chemicals thought to protect the heart. The researchers report that the experimental heart attack led to the death of heart muscle cells by causing a change in the mitochondria within these cells and the release of a protein that ‘programmes’ the cell for death. Broccoli consumption appeared to reduce the number of heart muscle cells programmed for cell death and also the levels of protein released, which indicated that it was able to generate some kind of “anti-cell death” signal.

Sunday December 04, 2016

Kourtney Kardashian & Scott Disick Back Together: Are They Ready to Get Married?

Why Halle Berry Can’t Stop Smiling: ‘’It Feels Good’’ Listen everyone, while there may be other things that feel good, last night Halle Berry couldn’t stop smiling over how amazing it felt to use her celebrity platform for positive cause. Last night, at the 2nd Annual Revlon Love Is On Million Dollar Challenge at The Glasshouses in New York City, Halle (alongside Revlon CEO Fabian Garcia) awarded Cancer Research Institute one million dollars.

Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick are officially back on!

Two sources confirm to E! News that the couple, who broke up in July 2015 after nine years together, is giving their relationship another try. “They are back together and giving their relationship a try again,” one source re-

veals to us. The insider also reveals that Scott’s behavior played a role in the reconciliation explaining, “Scott’s mellowed out a lot and hasn’t been partying.” This news comes less than a month after the couple was spottedtaking a family trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and another source

adds that the couple “both want to make it work for them and their kids.” So now that Kourtney and Scott are back on, will they finally tie the knot? Take a look at the E! News video above to get the scoop on a possible wedding for the couple and to get more details on their reconciliation! http:/ /www.eonline.com.

Kylie Jenner Was Right: 2016 Really Was the Year of Realizing Stuff

Abraham Lincoln once said, “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” Steve Jobs left us with, “If today were the last day of your life, would you want to do what you are about to do today?” Mahatma Gandhi advised, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” And let’s not forget that a wise woman once said, “I feel like every year has a new energy, and I feel like this year is really about, like, the year of realizing stuff. And everyone around me, we’re all just, like, realizing things.” It’s the quote that has sat upon a thousand crossstitched pillows, served as the centerpiece of many a shelfscape, and adorned so many Pinterest boards. And it’s all thanks to the sage Kylie Jenner, the next Rumi. As our spiritual Svengali sat by a crackling fire and shared her infinite wisdom, the world was enraptured. Every year really does have a new energy! And this really is the year of realizing stuff! It really, really is! There may have been some skeptics when she uttered those famous words back in January—radical thinking always begets naysayers. But as 2016

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Kylie Jenner comes to a close, we can say with utmost certainly that Kylie proved correct once and for all. She realized you don’t have to wear clothes to cook lasagna. While the rest of America has been living by an antiquated societal norm that dictates one needs, like, pants, to prepare food, Kylie Jenner has realized we were all kidding themselves. Why while away that 45minute cook time when you could spend it doing a photo shoot in your brazier? Welcome to enlightenment. These realizations weren’t just confined to Kylie herself—as she said, in her own words, everyone around her would be realizing things in 2016. And realize things ev-

eryone around her did! Hailey Baldwin and Kendall Jenner realized what that emergency button in the elevator is for and also that firefighters are hot. Bella Hadid realized that if you’re going to look at pictures of your ex, you should probably do it in private. Or at least not on a plane full of reporters and people with cameras. Gigi Hadid realized that if you tell people you eat hamburgers, they’ll believe you. What’s better than having to eat burgers to prove to people that you’re normal? Simply telling people that you eat burgers! If you are not yet convinced of 2016’s status as the year of realizing things, know that these epiphanies spread from Kylie’s girl squad, throughout Hollywood! Everyone was realizing things in 2016. Justin Bieber realized that he hates Instagram. Drake realized he’s never going to convince Rihannato love him as much as he loves her. Tom Hiddlestonrealized he would never be James Bond. Brad Pittand Angelina Jolie realized that marriage really isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Cheers to, like, realizing things guys! http:// www.eonline.com.

“To be part of giving a million dollars to an organization that works so hard to raise money because they care so deeply, I can’t think of anything I’d rather do.” the actress shared while on the red carpet. “This is what it’s all about and that’s why I love Revlon.” Revlon kicked off their annual Love Is On Million Dollar Challenge to generate funds for charities dedicated to women’s health issues. The

challenge raised over $6.3 million dollars, “twice as much as they did last year,” Halle explained. “It feels good. It feels good to help people in need. It feels good to use any power that you have, any celebrity that I’ve garnered over my years in the business, it feels good to be able to use that. To use my powers for good. It feels good.” It does indeed! http:// www.eonline.com.

Sunday December 04, 2016

Kaieteur News

Opposition vows to ‘tear budget ... From page 15 demand. However, in either case, overall level of utility will reduce while deadweight loss will increase significantly,” expressed the Parliamentarian. He said that he intends to elaborate further and prove his case in this regard tomorrow. The Opposition Member is also adamant that the ripple effects that will follow because of Jordan’s proposed tax measures on utility bills will lead to reduction in private consumption and ultimately an increase in non-performing loans. Additionally, Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo has made it pellucid that he intends to take the Finance Minister to task on his 2017 budget. He will also refer to those of 2015 and 2016.

“The last two budgets did not have the imp a c t promised on transforming the economy and I intend to take the Finance Minister, Winston Jordan to task in this regard.” Jagdeo said that he had given much consideration t o t h e i m p a c t o f the Government’s first two budgets on the economy. The former Finance Minister has since concluded that those budgets and their measures were simply not enough to have an impact of consequence much less sustain economic growth. The Opposition Leader noted that all budgets should have some amount of impact on the economy. When it comes to the 2015 and 2016 budgets, the point for him is whether both have fulfilled their expectations.

“So in my view, the measures in both budgets were not sufficient to maintain growth in the economy and to keep generating wealth for people. And even where resources were budgeted to have some impact on employment and expansion of public welfare through public infrastructure, it did not, because of the low rate of implementation,” Jagdeo noted. He said that overall, the budgets “were deficient and measures in both were not fully implemented”. Jagdeo in the same breath acknowledged that the budgets had an impact, as all budgets do. “Whether they rise to the potential of making some significant impact or impact of consequence, I would say no.”

Deliberate efforts being made ... From page 25 guide practices here,” related Dr. Pak. One of the big and noticeable things that has materialised as a result of the programme, is the development of protocols to unify and guide clinical decisions at the GPHC. But the programme does not only entail a training aspect as, according to Dr. Pak, research and quality improvement projects have also been incorporated. Sixteen research projects have already been completed, and at a recent Scientific Conference residents were able to present four of these which were recognised as outstanding. Some of the projects that

have been done have taken into consideration whether labour should be induced when a woman turns up at the Maternity Unit when her water bag has already been broken; risk factors for surgical infections, among others. The aim is to develop guidelines as to how issues related to these and a number of others that have been linked to maternal mortality can be addressed in the future. Although positive results are already forthcoming, Dr. Pak noted that the requisite improvements at the GPHC are many. She however noted that it has been recognised that they can only be tackled a few

at a time in order for them to be sustainable. According to Dr. Pak, while it has been found that Guyana exists in a l o w resource setting, there are still a lot of resources, and thus a lot of improvements that are possible to help advance the delivery of medical services. For this reason, the residents have been gaining experience to not only focus attention to individual patients, but to implement systemic changes that can help improve the delivery of care on a w i d e r s c a l e , suggesting that Guyana is on course to further considerably reduce the incidence of maternal mortality.

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Sunday December 04, 2016

Kaieteur News

TV Host Basil Bradshaw celebrates 21 years By Isanella Patoir Television personality, Basil Bradshaw, is popularly known for his show “Wake up Guyana”, aired on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00 hours and lasts for one hour. On December 8, 2016, he will be celebrating 21 years on air. The show covers current issues in the society, and airs on Hoyte Blackman Television (HBTV), Channel 9. Bradshaw said that with the previous administration it proved to be a bit difficult and the show was not much appreciated. Its main target audience are housewives; also there is also an audience that would view the show from their workplace. Bradshaw said, “There is

a major adult following. However, young people also find interest in the show”. He also said that he features Guyanese artistes and 90% of the time there is local music being played on the show. There is a call-in segment, where persons have the opportunity to voice their concerns. “I always make it clear to the callers that there should be no slandering of other persons. There have so far been very disciplined call-in sessions. I commend my callers on their level of maturity.” One main feature of the show highlights the headline stories of the Kaieteur News. Bradshaw addresses humanitarian issues, and the show also aids in raising funds for persons with

medical needs. It would also feature special persons from time to time. There was President David Granger, before and after his appointment as President of the Republic of Guyana. Others guests included police officers, sports personalities and overseas visitors. Bradshaw spent 14 years as a radio broadcaster at Guyana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC). He began in 1981when he was just 18 years old. His High School teacher at the Bladen Hall Secondary School signed him up for the job as she reportedly saw the potential in him to become a successful broadcaster. The then 18-year-old broadcast apprentice embarked on a new journey following his early success as a national junior and senior sprint champion. As it turned out, he was destined to live his life in the public domain. His attraction for sports gained him national recognition when he established an 11.0 record in the Under-17 100 metres category of the schools’ athletics championships. The mark was set aside when the age group was

changed from Under-17 to Under-16. Bradshaw did not know at the time that he was setting himself up for a rewarding career in the broadcasting arena. For 21 years this very talented TV broadcaster has entertained and informed the Guyanese people about the current issues that surround society. To commemorate this huge achievement Bradshaw will be hosting a show called, “Show of Struggle”, on December 9, 2016 at the National Cultural Centre (NCC). This will coincide with his birth anniversary. He prided himself with having the accomplishment of being the longest standing talk-show in Guyana. The concept of “Show of Struggle”, according to Bradshaw is to showcase the struggles the programme would have gone through for the past 21 years. “Show of Struggle” will also be featuring a number of prominent local Guyanese artistes namely, the Soca King, Jumo Primo, Charmaine Blackman, the Yoruba Singers Band Leader, legendary Eze Rockcliffe, Sean Bhola, GMoney, Kwesi Ace and

Basil Bradshaw

Calvin Burnette, Young Bill Rogers, Roger Bowen, Devon Denny, Abigail James Nelson, Jovinski, Gavin Mendosa, among others. Bradshaw said, “These are artistes that the show would have promoted over the years, so they will be coming out to celebrate.” The MCs for the programme would be broadcast legends, Margaret Lawrence and Ron Robinson. The producer of the show is Bonny Alves. Guyana’s number one female comedian, Odessa Primus, will also be showcasing her talent. Dance Fanatics and Kreative Arts, two of Guyana’s very talented dance studios, will also be performing at the event. Tickets for “Show of Struggle” are available at the National Cultural Centre, HBTV Channel 9, also from the multi-talented individual himself, Basil Bradshaw,

Bonny Alves and Charmaine Blackman. The show is said to commence at 8:00pm. Bradshaw said, “I certainly enjoy what I do— marketing, producing and hosting”. He said that, “It wasn’t easy to have made 21 years, especially under the PPP who tried numerous times to get the programme off the air”. The main challenge that Bradshaw had faced so far would be lack of sponsorship. He noted that, “Persons would make promises to come on board but would eventually fall through for some reason or the other”. However there are very dedicated advertisers to the programme and have stuck with him throughout the years. One main hurdle that Bradshaw had overcome, according to him is, “I think that I managed mostly to stand up to political suppression and that is the most important of all.”

Sunday December 04, 2016

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Kaieteur News

IRREVERSIBLE PULPITIS

By Dr. Neromini Fagu Last week we spoke about reversible pulpitis and what to expect if you are diagnosed with the condition. I will continue this week with irreversible pulpitis. In severe cases the pulp becomes irreparably damaged and it is unable to recover even if the

stimulus has been removed. The time it takes to reach this state is not an exact science, and for some people it may be rather quickly while for others there may be more of a delay in the advancement to an irreversible situation. Once there is severe inflammation the pulp may become swollen to the point that

blood supply to the area is severely restricted or even cut off. This will cause the tooth to eventually die. The greater the number of times that pulp is subjected to injuries, the higher the probability of irreversible pulpal damage. Causes of Irreversible Pulpitis Tooth Decay–Decay that extends deep into dentine may cause the pulp to become severely injured or even damaged. The process of removing the decay, or the presence of the decay itself, can

STANDARDS IN FOCUS

CHRISTMAS TIPS – request your warranties/guarantees when shopping For many consumers, the deciding factors for purchasing this Christmas will be based on low or affordable prices, brands or seemingly good quality, or prior knowledge of the products. Although these parameters are important to consider, it is imperative that you know just who will accept responsibility if the item purchased develops early defects. Many retailers sell imported products with warranties/guarantees that are valid only in the country where the item was manufactured. A warranty is a promise by the manufacturers that they will accept responsibility for defects and liability for repairing or replacing an item sold which is not of merchantable quality. A guarantee is an assurance that the goods or service is of a specified quality and durability. Warranties /guarantees must contain the following information: * Name and address of the guarantor, * The duration of the warranty (6 months, 1 year, etc.),

* What exactly the warranty covers (whether the whole product or part), and * The warranty performance (whether the item would be repaired, replaced or cost will be refunded). When making purchase decisions, it is important that consumers pay attention to the warranty or guarantee, the business is offering, especially if they are purchasing items such as electrical appliances, computers, furniture, generators, motor vehicles, cellular phones, etc. In other words, if the business establishment that you would like to make a purchase from does not provide warranty/guarantee on any of the above items or items similar in nature, be sure to find another business that does. Because warranty agreements may vary, purchase decisions can only be good if warranty options are looked at in detail before the decision to buy is made. Sometimes consumers do not pay attention to such factors, but most of the times they regret such decisions after the purchases were made.

If not immediately, they regret later when the item becomes defective and they experience difficulties when seeking redress. Consumers, you must be sure about your decision before you purchase any item. As a matter of fact, it is important that you know the exact warranty conditions the seller is offering you and this should be granted to you in writing. As you make your purchases, ensure that warranties/guarantees are not given to you verbally and that they clearly cover the item purchased. Consumers must also take time to read the fine print and seek clarification before it is too late. Your warranty document and receipt are valuable with seeking redress at the Guyana National Bureau of Standards, the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission or similar agencies, at the end of the shopping season. Be sure to keep these documents safely. For further information, please contact the GNBS on Tel: 219-0066 or 219-0069 or visit www.gnbsgy.org or add us on facebook.com/ gnbsgy

be causes of pulpal inflammation. Accidental Trauma–Accidents or blows to the mouth may cause movement of the nerve within the socket or disruption of blood supply to the tooth resulting in pulpitis. Iatrogenic Causes – These are injuries to the tooth resulting from a dental procedure, such as a filling that is close to the pulp, crown preparations close to the pulp, or instances where the tooth was exposed to excessive heat during certain procedures. Chronic tooth clenching and grinding - This habit can expose teeth to extreme forces causing the wear of tooth structure and exposure of the pulp. Symptoms of Irreversible Pulpitis The main symptom of irreversible pulpitis is pain. It may include: · Pain to hot or cold that may or may not linger · Spontaneous pain, especially pain that wakes you up at night · Pain with chewing · Pain that is generally sharp and acute, and sometimes described as shooting or piercing · Pain arising after a relatively recent filling, on a tooth with more than one fillings, or fillings that are close

to the pulp. The pain can extend to neighbouring teeth, or it can involve the jaw and up into the ear and temple. Bending over or lying down may cause the pain to worsen. Diagnosis of Irreversible Pulpitis Clinical Examination– Signs of a deep cavity extending into the pulp, fracture lines, swellings, sinus tracts or secondary caries. Radiograph–X-rays may indicate a deep cavity or caries under a filling. There may or may not be radiolucency around the root of the tooth and there may be widening of the periodontal ligament space. Percussion–The tooth may be tender when touched or gently tapped due to increased pulpal pressure within the tooth. Thermal Test–The application of a cold stimulus will cause pain that may linger on after the stimulus has been removed. Treatment for Irreversible Pulpitis Endodontic Therapy–In order to save the tooth, the main treatment for irreversible pulpitis is a root canal. In some cases antibiotics may also be prescribed to help clear up any infection. Extraction–It may not al-

Dr. Neromini Fagu ways be possible to save a tooth diagnosed with irreversible pulpitis. Sometimes the tooth may be severely broken down and a root canal may not be a viable option. In this case, the only other treatment is extraction. Prevention of Irreversible Pulpitis The best way to prevent irreversible pulpitis is to prevent pulpitis from occurring in the first place. Practising good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing your teeth, and going to the dentist for regular checkups, will help to prevent most dental problems. For more information contact OMNI DENTAL at 295 Quamina Street, Georgetown Tel: 227-0025, Parika Tel: 260-3133 or send emails to nerominifagu@hotmail.com.

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Brian Moe @ 642-3543: Computer Technician, FB: Brian.Moe.165; Home and office visits at your comfort!!

Harmony Inn: furnished apartments and rooms, ideal for overseas visitors from $6,000 per night. Call: 6680306/ 218-1400/ 694-7817

2 Bedrooms apartment for rent, recently renovated. Call: 641-3318 4 Bedroom apartment fully furnished in Industry, 2 full bathroom -$1200USD. Call: 684-7853/619-2388 Self-contained rooms in Prashad Nagar. Tel: 227-2993 KITTY APARTMENTS: UNFURNISHED, GRILLED, 2-BR, NEW, GRANITE, SECURE $70,00 MONTH, NO AGENTS CALL: 9724532 KITTY APARTMENTS: FURNISHED, GRILLED, 2BR, NEW, GRANITE, SECURE $120,000 MONTH, NO AGENTS CALL: 6724532 Available from 16-12-31: 1-2 bedrooms apartment @ 529 Section ‘B’ Block ‘X’ Diamond, E.B.D. Call: 2164200 after 6:00pm & 689-1518 DRESSMAKING Evening wear, working uniforms and more professionally done. Call: 626-2629/ 676-6312

FOR SALE/RENT American Pool Table. Call: 277-0578

CAR RENTAL

LEARN TO DRIVE C. Persaud & N. Outar Driving School formerly Soman & Sons Driving School @ Maraj BuildingCall: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997 (affordable packages).

Sunday December 04, 2016

Kaieteur News

PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS& SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 , EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM

CAR RENTAL DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM

WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP REATES,SPECIAL OFFER FOR THE SUMMER. CALL: 690-6494

AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MIN BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPOTR & FAMILY OUTING, CHEAPESTRATE . Call: 698-7807

Cat 928F loader, 3406 Cat Engine, 3116 Cat Engine, 3208 Cat Engine. Contact #650-0402 1 Large double door freezer 40cubic ft, owner migrating. Call: 696-2957 One complete sawmill situated at Yarrowkabra Industrial site, Soesdyke, Linden Highway. Call: 6441190/ 609-8041 Muscovy Ducklings and ducks (Live & Pluck)). Call: 602-7203 Great Deals on video games & all gaming consoles. PC, phone games, applications & repairs – Call: 672-2566; 2653231 2 CBR bikes 600 RR 2014 and 2009 (year model), 1 raptor 2012 (year model), bike 700R. Call: 677-7970/660-1269 1 Big music set, owner leaving country. Call: 690-5225 DAF Truck with 2x Dump tray, Massey Ferguson, bobcat loader. Call:689-1250/ 678-8698/516-312-9525 Spare for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, motors, etc. Call:225-9032;647-2943;604-5198 Clean garden earth and builders waste, delivery to spots also excavating, grading and leveling done. Call: 616-0617/663-3285 HP Desktop computer $40,000, cooler -$80,000, cordless phone- $5,000, glass case -$12,000. Call: 668-9021 (all items used for 3 months only) Sale on foxtail palms, silver palms, red palms, Christmas trees, hibiscus, etc. Call:6875631/216-2199 Evergreen Plantshop. Mixed Pitbull with German Shepherd puppies, 5 weeks old $30,000 each Call: 2690711/666-7895

WANTED Experienced cahiers, curry cooks, cleaners. Apply @ Hack’s Halaal with written application, 5 Commerce Street. Couple to work on farm @ Yarrowkabra, ages 35-45yrs, must be experienced in farming. Call: 642-9191/ 2311408 8am-2pm

Bluebird for sale 2011 model, dark interior, reverse camera $2.7M negotiable, preorder any vehicle Call: 655-3400 2009 NOAH & VOXY $2.6M IN ‘G’ SERIES, 3 TON OPEN BACK CANTER -$3.6M. CALL: 617-2891

Experienced female shop worker, domestic and handyman for the interior. Call: 231-0363

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: SIENTA -$2.3M, RAUM $2.3M, RACTIS -$2.3M, FIELDER -$2.6M, NEVER R E G I S T E R VEHICLE.CALL: 617-2891

Experienced domestic worker must know to cook for G/ town location. Call: 231-0363

One Freightliner truck and trailer. Call: 615-0887

Roti/Puri maker, male & female. Apply at Shanta’s , 225 Camp Street.

Honda Civic (04) stick shift from Singapore. Rims, deck. In immaculate condition $1.150M negotiable- call: 618-4257

Two female to work shift system. Call: 231-6293 FULL TIME WAITER/ WAITRESS AT AAGMAN RESTAURANT, SHERIFF STREET. EXPERIENCED PREFERRED.CALL:219-0158 One salesgirl and one kitchen assistant to work in restaurant in Mahdia. Call: 684-1718 General domestic to cook, clean, wash & Iron. Call: 699-2067 Receptionist, bartenders, handyman. Apply in person @ 12 Henry Street, Werk-enRust. Call: 223-6284 Security officers wanted, 8 hours & 12 hours shifts, remuneration $3,000 daily, base on qualifications. TIN/ ID/NIS needed. Call: 2316052/40 Handyman to work 3 days per week. Call: 641-3687/226-9337. Security checker, must have a motorcycle. Call: 641-3687/ 226-933 1 Porter to work in shop in the Interior. Call: 678-0565 Job opportunity in Jamaica: Auto Technician with at least 5yrs experience & computer Literate. Whatsapp 1876-8197371 Canter driver to sell bottle water on the West Coast Demerara - $5,000 daily. Call:684-8231 Live in waitress to work in a bar- Call: 604-6606;692-4646

1 Toyota Allion PVV series: TV Camera, HID, lights, alarm & remote start $2.2M negotiable Call: 649-0956 Red Toyota Beigo, lady driven excellent condition, low mileage, price negotiable. Call: 628-0723/ 668-2407/ 660-6774 1 –CF DAF twin steer in excellent working condition. Call: 649-8449/ 615-6683/ 2285655 Almera Nissan Car- 1295 CC Engine, mileage 116, 400km $775,000 negotiable, very good working condition. Call: 616-1598

PROPERTY FOR SALE Transported property @ Grove and Diamond $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461 Two buildings on lot at180 Charolotte Street Bourda (W30XL120). (Price negotiable). Call:624-7341/ 227-6817/226-5183 Vreed-en-Hoop -$27M, La Parfaite Harmonie -$4.5M & $18M, Second Bridge Herstelling -$4M, Parika $45M. (Terms Available). Call: 604-6724/ 673-6300 House & land for sale at Good Hope Public Road, East Bank Essequibo. Call: 689-0785, 660-2504, 671-5095

Sewing machine, one 12" wood plane, 1 miter saw. Call: 661-9880 HEALTH Herbal Nectar Treatment for diabetics, hypertension and most internal sickness, sexual enhancers for men. Call: 651-8351

VEHICLE FOR SALE

Property @ Anna Catherina. Call: 661-9880 HEALTH Learn how you can benefit from iridology Mon, Dec 5th - Contact Hazel’s Herbal Store: 226-9136

1-2 Storey wooden and concrete property @ Flour Mill, EBD. Call: 611-2751 Continue on page 69

Sunday December 04, 2016

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Kaieteur News

CONSUMER CONCERNS

There is room for cooperation on solar energy By PAT DIAL Within the last few weeks there have been much stirring in the media about the “Green Economy”. The term “Green Economy” includes many concepts and courses of action but in this article we shall focus on the “Green Economy” meaning substituting renewable solar energy for energy generated by fossil fuels. Ancient Man understood the importance of the Sun to the existence and survival of Life on Earth and to the provision of heat and energy. Indian, Egyptian and Chinese Civilizations were far more conscious of the importance

of the sun than modern Man who takes the sun for granted. Ancient Indian Civilization, for example, believed that the Sun was God manifesting Himself in that form and called it “Surya Deva” or “God manifesting as the Sun”. This reverence for the Sun still continues today in most forms of the Hindu Religion. In Parliament, in the recent Budget presentation, the Minister of Finance spoke of the use of solar energy to provide various Interior communities with electricity. He also spoke of Government buildings and road lamps being powered with solar energy. It may be useful to

be reminded that solar energy to power equipment and lights was known and used in Guyana many years ago when the Government of India presented Guyana with traffic lights powered by solar energy and these lights have been working remarkably well over the years with local maintenance. The Private Sector has gone much further than Government in the practical use of solar energy and the leader in this field has been Demerara Bank. It is not surprising that Demerara Bank should be the leader since its Chairman, Dr. Yesu Persaud is the most outstanding figure in

Woman loses leg following Herstelling accident The mangled remains of the bus at the accident scene.

Up to press time yesterday, doctors at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) were working on the leg of a 50year-old woman, which was almost severed during an accident early yesterday at Herstelling, East Bank Demerara (EBD). The woman has been identified as Shelly Thompson of Timehri, EBD. The accident occurred around 07:30 hrs on the EBD Public Road, in the vicinity of Rum Shop Street also known as Chinese corner.

According to information received, a minibus, BTT 8079, was heading to Georgetown when it tried to pass another bus which had stopped in front of a Chinese restaurant to put off passengers. It was during this process that the vehicle ended up in front of the truck, bearing registration number GVV 6306. There are reports that because of the short distance between the two vehicles, the truck could not slow down and ended up hitting the bus

into a metal utility pole in the middle of the public road. When this newspaper arrived at the scene yesterday, both vehicles had already been taken to the Providence Police Station. Eyewitnesses said that passengers from the bus had to be pulled through the windows because of the damage. The injured persons were rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre from where Thompson was transferred to the GPHC. Both drivers are in police custody assisting with information.

PPP introduced freezing of... From page 14 the Bill meets the litmus test of constitutionality, fairness and due process, the Opposition Member said it will be vehemently opposed by the PPP in the National Assembly. Finance Minister Winston Jordan, explaining the proposed tax measure, emphasized that the measure is intended to assist in improving compliance with demands issued by the GRA for outstanding payments. The economist stressed, too, that the provision of garnishment is one which already exists in the Value Added Tax Act that was

promulgated by the People’s Progressive Party. He said that while GRA already has this power under the VAT Act, what Government is simply doing is providing similar arrangements under the Income Tax Act. The Finance Minister said that contrary to the confusion, tales and fears being spread and invoked by some, there is no move to have the new garnishment provision being used in an arbitrary manner or “willy-nilly” fashion by the GRA. The judicial system is not being removed from the process, he added. (KIANA WILBURG )

practical business management in the Caribbean but is also a visionary. When it was decided to build Demerara Bank’s new headquarters in Camp Street, Georgetown Dr. Yesu Persaud and his very able Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Pravinchandra Dave, had the building designed with the use of solar energy in mind. The special type of glass they used on the building required the use of less power for airconditioning which reduced their electricity bill. This new building was opened just about a year ago by President Granger who challenged the management of the Bank to power the Bank completely with solar energy. Over the year, Dr. Yesu Persaud, Mr. Pravinchandra Dave and their dedicated team of employees worked assiduously to have their headquarters fully powered with solar energy. In this pioneering work they were highly successful and President Granger again opened the now fully solarpowered building. President Granger who had been calling for renewable energy for Guyana since he assumed office as President expressed his happiness that the Bank was a beacon in the adoption of renewable energy. He said he saw Guyana as being a leader in the Caribbean in terms of generating renewable energy. A 125KW Solar Off-Grid system was installed at the Bank providing enough energy for the needs of the entire building of 25,000 sq. feet. The project is the largest of its kind in Guyana’s history and is the only commercial building in Guyana totally powered by renewable energy. Dr. Yesu Persaud, Mr. Dave and their Board and

employees have enthusiastically dedicated their historic achievement to Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary. Mr. Dave disclosed that the entire system cost $28 million and this would allow the Company to save significantly on electricity bills than if it were connected to the National Grid. Dr. Persaud, when Chairman of Demerara Distillers Ltd, as well as Chairman of the Bank, has been calling for respect of the Environment and the promotion of green and clean energy. He disclosed that the Bank would be sharing its surplus, and as part of this plan they would be donating light-emitting diode (LED) lights to institutions in need, such as orphanages. As a further and very important spinoff, the Bank would be offering consultancy services to individuals and businesses which are desirous of using solar energy. The Bank would also be offering credit at competitive rates of interest to individuals and businesses for the purchase and installation of solar and wind equipment. With these initiatives, Dr. Persaud and his staff would be ensuring that the experience and expert knowledge gained from the installation of full solar would be perpetuated in Guyana and that green renewable energy would spread countrywide. Government, as Finance Minister Jordan, has pointed out in a recent Budget presentation, would be introducing solar energy to some Interior communities and to Government buildings. There is thus much room for Government-Private Sector cooperation on this Demerara Bank initiative.

From page 68

VACANCY Vacancy for salesgirls, hair & nail station rental @ New Market Street. Call: 667-7409 Cook/baker for the Interior location, applicants must be experienced. Call: 618-2020 Giftland Mall: External , Security, Internal Security . $ 447 per Hour. Contact: 2227334 – 63 One Supervisor for Xenon Hotel in Charity. Contact 2235273/4 One sales representative needed. Please contact: 2258205 One experienced computer legal clerk. Call: 624-7087/ 258-0213/ email: husainsaphier@yahoo.com 1-3 Days domestic, age 2532. Call: 223-3430 Cooks, kitchen assistant, waiters, waitresses, handy boy, bond clerk. Send email to chungsoffice@gmail.com Pump attendant – Call: 6803863, housekeeper –Call: 6240033, customer/sales assistant. Call: 624-0033

TO LET Fully furnished vacation home with all amenities Call during working hours 227-1218 Two bedrooms house, tiled kitchen, bathroom, parking, overhead tank. Call Joy: 6499059/ 621-1088 Apartment in Eccles 2 bedrooms, furnished & unfurnished short & long term-$60,000 per month-Call: 225-3234 Comfortable 2 bedrooms apartment for vocation rental. Web: Airbnb Georgetown, FB: Prestige Property Vocational Rental. Call: 592-678-6690/687-3365

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Food and Drugs head gets personal…

Businessman asked to produce certificate for milk bought for his babies Discrimination and abuse of office by a senior government official continue with a businessman claiming that he is now being refused permission to bring in even food for his babies. According to businessman, Frank Sanichara, he recently wrote the Director of Government Analyst-Food and Drugs Department (GA-FDD) seeking permission to import 100 cases of Similac infant formula for his children who are due in Guyana for the holidays. According to Sanichara, the product is not available for sale in Guyana. He would normally purchase the formula in wholesale clubs and pharmacies in the US. These outlets do not issue free sale certificates. Rather, they would issue receipts. The toddlers are expected to arrive in the country next week, Sanichara said in his letter. Last week, Sanichara said he called the department and was bluntly told by an official that he would need to submit a free sale certificate if he wants to be allowed permission to bring in the formula. “Well, it is clear now that I am being targeted personally. This is on top of the discriminatory practices that Mr. Cole has brought against me and my businesses and against other importers who are being singled out.” According to Sanichara, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sueria Manufacturing Inc., the formula was approved for use

Businessman, Frank Sanichara

UNDER FIRE: Food and Drugs Head, Marlan Cole

by the New York hospital where his two sons (twins) were recently born. His eldest child, a daughter, had been using the formula also. “Mr. Cole is now demanding that I produce a free sale certificate for the milk that my babies drink. Where will I find it? These are small purchases. Is he saying that US citizens living here cannot even bring in milk?” Sanichara’s woes with Cole and GA-FDD had started over a year now with a number of other drinks and food importers complaining bitterly that their shipments have been held up consistently while a few competing businesses are being given a free rein. “I want to restate that we are not against the regulations. We have been and intend to always abide with the law. We have been submitting free sale certificates as is being required. But Cole and his

department have been constantly changing the requirements.” In these instances, Cole and his department are refusing to even put any of their objections, as to why the shipments are being held up, in writing. The businessman said that in some instances, his company was asked for the supplier to change the format of the certificates that were submitted to the GA-FDD. “How do you get a supplier to change the free sale certificate? The US has some of the most rigid inspections for food safety in the world. Again, we are not asking for special treatment; just a level playing field. “Mr. Cole and Food and Drugs are aware that there are items being sold locally that are falsely labelled and now because we speak up, we are being targeted. How can you refuse baby formula being brought in for personal use?”

According to Sanichara, in addition to free sale certificates attesting to the safety of his imports, he has also been submitting analysts’ certificates. Over a week ago, Sanichara joined a number of other importers to picket the Ministry of the Presidency and Ministry of Public Health, Brickdam, demanding Cole’s removal and a level playing field. They claim that their containers are being unfairly held up and the department finds different excuses to frustrate them and demand all kinds of documents. It has been costing the importers millions of dollars in losses. The Ministry of the Presidency immediately ordered an investigation. A few days after the probe was ordered, confidential import documents of Sueria that were only sent to the department and to Cole, were leaked to media outlets. GA-FDD has significant powers in ensuring the safety of food products entering Guyana. Sanichara has reportedly met with a team from the Ministry of Public Health, including Minister George Norton. Cole has reportedly been asked to explain himself. The Health Minister had distanced himself from the discrimination and abuse claims by the importers, saying that his administration does not condone such behaviour. Cole was sent home earlier this year over an alleged incident but later returned to the job.

2016 Gold production shatters all.... From page 8 collaborated to ensure the extractive industry buttresses its sister industries including rice, sugar and manufacturing. Trotman said that it was in the not too distant past that these industries would have taken this stance to make significant contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in years when gold struggled at US$300 and US$400 an ounce. The Minister said that whilst some may find reason to decry the performance of the economy, this story is not new to Guyana. In fact, “it is the same play, same actors all arrayed in different scenes”. Trotman said that such are the vagaries of managing an economy in difficult global circumstances which have a domino effect on Guyana resulting in shocks and

tremors. The Minister implored the attendees to “look beyond the horizon” while adding that there are many opportunities in the extractive industry sector that should not go a begging. “Guyana’s extractive sector has been a boon to its economic development and though its vast potential is far from being realised already it contributes to the total wealth of the country as it meets the requirements of National Low Carbon Green Development” Record-breaking production “We have seen gold production figures continually rising in 2016 and contrary to a misguided belief that it is only the two large companies Troy Resources and the Guyana Goldfields that are solely responsible for this record, small and medium

scale miners make up almost two-thirds of the production,” Trotman said. According to previous reports, a total of 550,000 ounces was projected for this year and Guyana has already surpassed this target. The Minister said that he is pleased to announce that Guyana has broken its records for annual production by a significant margin. As of November 30, gold production and declarations reached 6 0 0 , 0 0 0 ounces. “In putting this into context, it means that even in the days of higher prices and the presence of Omai Goldmines, gold never reached 500,000 ounces which was the highest ever recorded production in 2013.” These figures, he said, also attest to the fact that gold

is an important earner in the Guyanese economy and as such, the Government will continue to support the sector by providing operational concessions to miners and supporting infrastructural works whilst streamlining operations and systems to ensure higher declaration. “The challenges, however, remain: be it the loss of life; the loss of limb. Illegal mining and issues of great disrepute which continue to plague the industry and dim the light of its tremendous success,” Trotman said that in the coming year, and years ahead, the Ministry plans to do much more to ensure compliance and enhance practices to contribute to the wellbeing of the thousands of men and women who depend on the mining industry as a means of a livelihood.

A businessman who has been battling Food and Drugs over his importations says he is now being targeted and refused permission to bring in milk for his babies. Sueria has the distribution rights to several popular products, including Shakura Energy Drinks. The shipments that have been held up by Food and Drugs are several consignments of products including Shakura Energy Drink. In the case of Sueria, Sanichara is a businessman who returned home to invest and has plugged hundreds of millions of dollars in the manufacturing of sweets and importation of juices.

The juice importation business is a highly competitive one with a number of large companies involved. Several complaints have been filed with various ministers over the alleged discriminations. “I have had a successful meeting with the Health Minister and now I am awaiting the findings of the investigation to bring closure and hope that the discriminations stop.”

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South Africa’s Zuma asks court to set aside influence-peddling report Reuters - South African President Jacob Zuma has asked the High Court to set aside a report by an anti-corruption watchdog that called for a judicial inquiry into alleged influence-peddling in his government, the president’s office said yesterday. While stopping short of conclusive findings, the report by the Public Protector watchdog has increased political pressure on Zuma by calling for an investigation into whether he, some cabinet members and some state companies acted improperly. Political analysts say Zuma’s scandalridden leadership has been weakened further by the allegations in the report. They have rattled financial markets and spurred efforts by some in Zuma’s own party and in the opposition to unseat the president. The president’s spokesman, Bongani

Ngqulunga, said Zuma had lodged an application on Friday “for a review of the report”. Zuma — who has previously described the report as “unfair” in parliament — wants the court to send the report back to the watchdog for further investigations and says its author had no right to call for a judicial inquiry, court papers showed. The watchdog’s report, released on Nov. 2, focussed on allegations that businessman brothers Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta had influenced the appointment of ministers. Zuma and the Gupta brothers have denied the accusations. The report — which Zuma had sought to block through the courts before it was released to the public — called for a judicial inquiry be set up by the president and for a judge to be appointed by the chief justice within 30 days of its release.

Accused mannequin thief begs for jail sentence

Alfred Junior, a steel pan player, was placed on $40,000 bail after he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Madan Kissoon to face a charge that he stole one dress valued $2,500 and one mannequin worth $1,200 from a boutique owned by Chinese Nationals. This occurred on November 24 at Lombard Street Georgetown. City Police Prosecutor

Colin Douglas told the court that on the day in question around 8:25 am, Police on patrol were called to the Chinese boutique and upon arrival they saw Alfred Junior standing a short distance away from the said store with the items. The store owners pointed him out to the Police and he was arrested and charged. Alfred pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him by Magistrate Madan

Man flown to city with gunshot wound to abdomen A Mabaruma, North West District man is in a critical condition after sustaining a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The incident reportedly occurred in a community near the Venezuela border. The victim, identified as Michael Agard, was flown to the city yesterday afternoon. The circumstances that led to the shooting are unclear. ‘F’ Division (Interior Locations) has once again recorded a high incidence of dispute related murders. Late last month, Selima Norton, 45, called Shelly’ of New Providence Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, and Kurt Reynolds, 37, of Silverballi Street, Meadow Brook Gardens, stabbed each other to death at Ekereku Hill top. A few days later, a 31-year-old man stabbed his father to death at Aranaputa, North Rupununi, and a 17-year-old murdered a farmer at Barima, North West District.

Kissoon at a sitting of the Night Court in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Junior told the court, “Your honour I was walking and I saw the mannequin and a pretty red dress in the sun so I decided to pick it up and walk down the street. When I do decide to carry it back to the store, the Police came and arrested me.’’ Based on his explanation the court entered a not guilty plea. City Police Prosecutor Colin Douglas objected to bail citing that the defendant is a repeat offender and if granted bail he will not return to the Court for the trial. When the man heard that he was placed on $40,000 bail he told the Magistrate, “Boss man I am begging for a smaller bail; me ain’t get nobody to come and pay that high amount. Try with me nah man; things really rough.” The Magistrate told the man that he will consider reducing the bail on his next court appearance. Upon hearing this, the man once again made another plea with the Magistrate. This time he stated, “Well sentence meh for a two months nah. I gone go and spend the time instead of paying the money because things rough. I rather go and spend some time in jail. Send me nah; I am begging you to sentence me.” The man while being escorted out of the court once again asked that he be sentenced to prison because he is guilty of committing the offence. “I don’t know why the Magistrate change my plea from guilty to not guilty. I already pleaded guilty so sentence me to jail because I don’t have any money.” The 48-year-old will make his next court appearance on December 5.

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Kaieteur News

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China lodges protest after Trump call with Taiwan president

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen speaks on the phone with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump at her office in Taipei, Taiwan, in this handout photo made available yesterday. Taiwan Presidential Office/Handout via REUTERS Reuters - China lodged a diplomatic protest yesterday after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump spoke by phone with President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan, but blamed the self-ruled island Beijing claims as its own for the “petty” move. The 10-minute telephone call with Taiwan’s leadership was the first by a U.S. president-elect or president since President Jimmy Carter switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 1979, acknowledging Taiwan as part of “one China”. China’s Foreign Ministry

said it had lodged “stern representations” with what it called the “relevant U.S. side”, urging the careful handling of the Taiwan issue to avoid any unnecessary disturbances in ties. “The one China principle is the political basis of the China-U.S. relationship,” it said. The wording implied the protest had gone to the Trump camp, but the ministry provided no explanation. Speaking earlier, hours after Friday’s telephone call, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi pointedly blamed Taiwan for the exchange, rather than Trump, a billionaire businessman with little foreign policy experience. “This is just the Taiwan side engaging in a petty action, and cannot change the ‘one China’ structure already formed by the international community,” Wang said at an academic forum in Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry quoted him as saying. “I believe that it won’t change the longstanding ‘one China’ policy of the

United States government.” In comments at the same forum, Wang noted how quickly President Xi Jinping and Trump had spoken by telephone after Trump’s victory, and that Trump had praised China as a great country. Wang said that exchange had sent “a very positive signal about the future development of Sino-U.S. relations”, according to the ministry’s website. Taiwan was not mentioned in that call, according to an official Chinese transcript. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office also called the conversation a “petty” move by Taiwan that does not change the island’s status as part of China. Beijing is resolute in opposing independence for Taiwan, it added. Trump said on Twitter that Tsai had initiated the call he had with the Taiwan president. “The President of Taiwan CALLED ME today to wish me congratulations on winning the Presidency. Thank you!” he said.

Sunday December 04, 2016

Upward trajectory of gold... From page 8 collaborated to ensure the extractive industry buttresses its sister industries including rice, sugar and manufacturing. Trotman said that it was in the not too distant past that these industries would have taken this stance to make significant contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in years when gold struggled at US$300 and US$400 an ounce. The Minister said that whilst some may find reason to decry the performance of the economy, this story is not new to Guyana. In fact, “it is the same play, same actors all arrayed in different scenes”. Trotman said that such are the vagaries of managing an economy in difficult global circumstances which have a domino effect on Guyana resulting in shocks and tremors. The Minister implored the attendees to “look beyond the horizon” while adding that there are many opportunities in the extractive industry sector that should not go a begging. “Guyana’s extractive sec-

tor has been a boon to its economic development and though its vast potential is far from being realised already it contributes to the total wealth of the country as it meets the requirements of National Low Carbon Green Development” Record-breaking production “We have seen gold production figures continually rising in 2016 and contrary to a misguided belief that it is only the two large companies Troy Resources and the Guyana Goldfields that are solely responsible for this record, small and medium scale miners make up almost two-thirds of the production,” Trotman said. According to previous reports, a total of 550,000 ounces was projected for this year and Guyana has already surpassed this target. The Minister said that he is pleased to announce that Guyana has broken its records for annual production by a significant margin. As of November 30, gold production and declarations reached 6 0 0 , 0 0 0 ounces. “In putting this into

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context, it means that even in the days of higher prices and the presence of Omai Goldmines, gold never reached 500,000 ounces which was the highest ever recorded production in 2013.” These figures, he said, also attest to the fact that gold is an important earner in the Guyanese economy and as such, the Government will continue to support the sector by providing operational concessions to miners and supporting infrastructural works whilst streamlining operations and systems to ensure higher declaration. “The challenges, however, remain: be it the loss of life; the loss of limb. Illegal mining and issues of great disrepute which continue to plague the industry and dim the light of its tremendous success,” Trotman said that in the coming year, and years ahead, the Ministry plans to do much more to ensure compliance and enhance practices to contribute to the wellbeing of the thousands of men and women who depend on the mining industry as a means of a livelihood.

Legislation for self-government for Tobago to be presented later this month PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - CMC – Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley says the legislation to accord selfgovernment to Tobago is to be presented to Parliament later this month. Rowley said that the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) bill to amend the Constitution is expected to be presented in the Parliament on December 16 and is expected to provide more autonomy for Tobago. The legislation was prepared after dis c u s s i o n s were held by a team led by Chief Secretary Orville London and included former chief secretary Hochoy Charles. One of the controversial provisions in the bill is the creation of a People’s House in the THA. The legislation also provides for the creation of the new House allowing for the Chamber to be made up of the elected assemblym e n a n d t h e P e o p l e ’s House, which will be appointed by the ruling party in the THA.

Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley Former head of the public service, Reginald Dumas, said he was very concerned about that matter as the People’s House is to be appointed by the ruling party in the THA. Rowley said the date for the THA election is to be announced by President Anthony Carmona and that will be done with the required

consultations with the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. The assembly was dissolved in October. Rowley said the polls must be held by the first week of February next year. In the 2013 THA elections, the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) won all 12 seats. Prior to the polls, the PNM condemned what it termed “the cynical and vulgar manner” in which the then coalition People’s Partnership government of then prime minister Kamla Persad Bissessar is dealing with the issue of self-government for the sister isle. Persad Bissessar said then that debate on the new legislation would have started 10 days after it was introduced to the parliament. She said the legislation, which would have required the support of the PNM in the Trinidad and Tobago parliament, would amend the Constitution to enhance the legislative and executive powers of the THA with a view to promoting internal self-government for the sister isle.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday December 04, 2016

Sunday December 04, 2016

Kaieteur News

PAGE 77

IAAF overwhelmingly passes sweeping reforms A sweeping reform package that changes how the scandal-hit governing body of world athletics operates was overwhelmingly passed at a special Congress yesterday. “This is a very important moment in the history of our sport,” IAAF President Sebastian Coe said after Congress members voted 182 to 10 in favor of the reforms. ”This is a ringing endorsement of our commitment to do things differently,” Coe told a news conference. “We now have structures, frameworks and foundations that will create a safety net.” The “Time for Change” proposals, the centerpiece of Coe’s agenda for moving the sport forward from its tainted past, established new independent anti-doping, integrity and disciplinary func-

tions along with a greater voice for athletes in the organization and more gender balance. The reforms also place more governance power in the hands of the IAAF Executive Board. Previously, much of that authority rested with since disgraced former president Lamine Diack, who along with his son Papa Massata Diack is currently under investigation by French authorities on corruption and money-laundering charges involving millions of euros. ”It’s bad enough that any of this happened, but it cannot happen for a second time, not on our watch, not anyone else’s watch,” Coe said. The Briton, who became IAAF President in 2015, said before the vote that the

changes will restore trust in athletics and return confidence to clean athletes. ”Our partnerships and revenue streams are directly under threat if we do not act promptly and decisively,” he wrote in introducing the proposals. “I hope the public perceptions of our sport is helped by what they have seen today, but that is not primarily why we did it. We did it because we were in need of change,” Coe said. INTEGRITY UNIT Portions of the restructuring will become effective in 2017, including the launching of an integrity unit and a disciplinary panel, with others changes set for 2019. No major athletics country voted against the proposals although Jamaica, the world’s dominant sprint power, sur-

Sunday December 04. 2016 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You may need to lend an ear to an old friend. Your home may be in an uproar and you are best to stay out of the line of fire if at all possible. Your outgoing, aggressive nature will attract someone you've been eager to meet. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You're in the mood to spend time with your lover. Although upsetting, changes in your domestic situation will be favorable. Avoid letting children and friends borrow. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your confidence is growing and advancement is apparent. Insincere gestures of friendliness may be misleading. Do yourself a favor and leave your plastic at home. Work at home if at all possible.

vite friends over rather than spending money on lavish entertainment. LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Entertainment could be pleasing if it is of an energetic nature. Deception is likely. Don't be afraid to pursue unfamiliar grounds. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Your ability to get the job done will result in added responsibility and possible promotion. You can make it up to them later. Self-deception is likely. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You may have difficulties finishing projects you start. Lay your cards on the table regarding your personal direction. Take the whole family and make it an enjoyable outing.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Deception is apparent. Changes in your home are apparent, and you must be willing to bend if you don't want to find yourself alone.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Take care of yourself or you can expect to suffer from minor illness. Opportunities will develop through those you encounter while attending organizational events. Don't be too critical.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Put your time and energy into travel, philosophy, and soulsearching. Not everything you hear will be legitimate. You can persuade even the toughest opponents to think your way.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Organizations may cost you more than you can afford. Eliminate situations that are no longer to your advantage. Put some energy into getting back into shape. Listen to reason.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You may jump from the frying pan into the fire if you make a move today. You will be appreciated for the competence you exhibit and for taking on responsibilities. In-

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Don't let your partner goad you into wearing your heart on your sleeve. Opportunities to get together with friends will be enlightening and entertaining.

prisingly did not vote. Saudi Arabia and a handful of African and Asian nations were notable among those casting “no” votes. Concerns were expressed about the increase in gender equity and area representation as well why the vote was publicly recorded. ”Transparency sits at the heart of everything we have been talking about,” Coe said of the open vote. If the reforms had not been voted in, it would have been the final nail in athletics’ coffin, British world marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe had said on Twitter before the vote. An independent World AntiDoping Agency (WAD) investigation last year said “corruption was embedded” at the IAAF under Diack who, it added, ran a clique that covered up organized doping and blackmailed athletes while senior officials looked the other way. The investigation also exposed state-sponsored Russian doping, leading the IAAF to ban the Russian athletics federation and its athletes from participating in this year’s Rio Olympics. Another report by Canadian professor Richard McLean on Friday is expected to reveal more damming details on the organization and doping in Russia. The IAAF also confirmed a three-year agreement with Japanese sportswear giant Asics Corp to take over from Adidas as an official sponsor of the ruling body. Adidas, which had signed an 11-year sponsorship contract with the IAAF that was set to run

until 2019, said on Friday it was ending the deal three years early. The special congress concluded a four-day meeting of track and field officials during which the IAAF decided to continue its ban on Russian athletics. Task force head Rune Andersen said progress had been made, but issues still needed clarifying, including how IAAF and RUSADA (Russian Anti-

Doping) will be able to carry out testing without interference. The governing body also celebrated the selection of nine- times Olympic champion Usain Bolt, who is retiring after 2017, as its male athlete of the year for a sixth time and chose Ethiopian 10,000 meters world record holder Almaz Ayana as the top female athlete. (Reuters)

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Kaieteur News

Fans unite for stadium memorial

A coffin of a victim of the Chapecoense plane crash being carried into the stadium by the Brazilian military. Thousands of fans have g a t h e r e d a t B r a z i l ’s Chapecoense stadium to pay tribute to those killed when the football team’s plane crashed. Bodies of the victims arrived at the stadium in a procession through Chapeco after arriving from Colombia. Seventy-one people died in Monday’s crash outside Medellin where the team was due to play. Six survived. The cause of the crash is unclear. But a recording suggests the plane was out of fuel moments before the crash. Brazilian President Michel Te m e r a t t e n d e d t h e ceremony at the stadium. He watched silently but did not address the crowd. A black sash was hung on the stadium’s outer wall. Giant screens transmitted the speeches to those watching outside in the pouring rain. Inside, young supporters carried the team’s flag out on

to the pitch, alongside the national flags of Brazil and Colombia. The mayor of Chapeco, Luciano Buligon, started his speech by comparing the rain to God’s tears. He was dressed in a shirt of Colombian side Atletico Nacional, the team Chapecoense had been travelling to play, and who held a memorial for the victims in their own stadium on Wednesday. The victims’ families circled the pitch. Posters of the deceased players were held in the air, and an announcer repeated each o n e ’s n a m e o v e r t h e loudspeaker. ”The feeling is horrible, to watch and know, that my son is going to enter here in a coffin,” said Ilaide Padilha, the mother of goalkeeper Marcos Danilo Padilha, before the event. Mrs Padilha told the Brazilian press earlier in the week that she felt like she had lost one son but gained

thousands, owing to the outpouring of support across the nation. The victims include 64 Brazilians, five Bolivians, a Ve n e z u e l a n a n d a Paraguayan. Nineteen of the dead were players with Chapecoense. Many more were support staff and journalists covering the team. A minute’s silence will be held before every football match this weekend. F o o t b a l l ’s w o r l d governing body Fifa, whose head Gianni Infantino is attending the service in Chapeco, requested that all players wear black armbands in remembrance. The team has been described as having “a fairy story with a tragic ending”. It only won promotion to Brazil’s top division in 2014, but was on its way to the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana final in Medellin when the plane went down. (BBCsport)

Sunday December 04, 2016

Sports Minister hails Bolt following IAAF honour Kingston, Jamaica, CMC – Sports Minister Olivia Grange has praised sprint star Usain Bolt’s capture of an unprecedented sixth IAAF Athlete-of-theYear award. The sprinter won the award on Friday night in Monaco at the IAAF Awards, to follow up similar successes in 2008 and 2009, and between 2011 and 2013 when he nabbed all three honours. Grange said Bolt was “most deserving” of the

award and continued to be an inspiration to all. “Usain continues to set records on and off the track,” Grange said. ”He has now won the IAAF male athlete of the year title for a record six times – a most deserving award after his record setting performances at the Olympics in Rio. Congratulations Usain! We are proud of and continue to be inspired by you.” Bolt was rewarded for his

exploits at the Rio Games in Brazil earlier this year when he won three gold medals for a third straight Olympiad. Significantly, he successfully defended his 100 metres title in a time of 9.81 seconds and completed the double when he clocked 19.78 to capture the 200 metres. The third gold and ninth of his career came when he anchored the men’s sprint relay team to victory. Bolt plans to retire next year.

‘Old Beef’ Humphrey Inter Primary Schools’ Football

All Saints claim championship trophy T’jon Reid registered a brace to lead All Saints Primary School to a 2-0 victory over St Aloysius to lift the title when the finals of the ‘Old Beef’ Humphrey Inter Primary Schools’ Football Competition concluded at the All Saints Scott Church Ground. Earlier in the tournament, All Saints strengthened its position with a 5-0 drubbing over St Therese, on the back of a Nicquan Samuel double with support from Reid, Civian Arokium and Jared Dainty, who all registered one goal apiece. Reid also netted a hattrick for his team, with a lone contribution from Nicquan Samuels, to defeat Fort Ordnance 4-0. The game between St Aloysius and Fort Ordnance ended 1-0 in favour of the former team after a Shamar Taylor strike

while the final game saw St Aloysius gaining a walk over from St Therese Primary. Four teams, All Saints Primary, St Therese Primary, St Aloysius Primary and Fort O r d n a n c e P r i m a r y, participated in the tournament which was only opened to schools in the New Amsterdam/Canje area. The matches were played on a round-robin basis with All Saints enforcing its dominance, carting off the honours without conceding a goal. At the presentation ceremony just after the final whistle, All Saints Primary collected the ‘Old Beef’ Humphrey trophy and 15 gold medals while runners up, St Aloysius Primary received a trophy and 15 s i l v e r m e d a l s . Reid returned to collect the

Most Valuable Player award as well as the award for the most Prolific Goal Scorer while the Best Goal Keeper award went to Ashley Grimmond of St Aloysius Primary. These players received trophies compliments of the Humphrey family. The late ‘Beef’ Humphrey was an ardent sports fan and several of his children represented the Ancient County as well as Guyana in football and lawn tennis. The tournament is a yearly feature in commemoration of his death and is coordinated by former national player Neil ‘Grizzly’ Humphrey with assistance from former national players, Kenrick Bowry and Randy ‘Blades’ Sears in collaboration with the Hearts of Oak Football Club.

Kaieteur News

Sunday December 04, 2016

PAGE 79

3rd Annual Smalta Girls Schools Football Tournament

Shihan Abdool Nazim Yassim St. Stephen’s unbeaten elevated to ‘Hanshi’/’Sokeship’

after three rounds

With the Organisers of this year’s 3rd Annual Smalta Girls Schools F o o t b a l l To u r n a m e n t deciding to play today’s round of matches yesterday, defending champion St. Stephen’s and St. Pius were the only teams to register wins in both of their encounters yesterday, at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue. On a day that saw a total of 41 goals being scored, St. Stephen’s opened with a win against St. Margaret’s via a walkover, before beating Tucville 3-0, while St. Pius edged South Ruimveldt 3-2, before returning to inflict a crushing 7-0 triumph over St. Gabriel’s. Action in the competition is set to resume next Saturday at the same venue. The tournament which is also being supported by the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Education ends December 17. The day’s full results are seen below: Game-1: St. Stephen’s vs St. Margaret’s - St. Stephen’s won via walkover. Game-2: Tucville-3 vs Redeemer-2 - Tucville scorers, Own Goal-9th and 26th, Sheriah Headley-27th. Redeemer Scorers - Kelisha Patterson-14th, Rayana Peters-31st. Game-3: West Ruimveldt-6 vs Smith Memorial-1 - West Scorers, Gabriella McGarrell-6th, 9th, 19th, 25th and 28th, Priscilla Edwards-10th.

North Georgetown’s Alicia James (red uniform) scores in their clash against West Ruimveldt which ended in a 1-1 stalemate. Smith Memorial scorers, Aaliyah Beverney-14th. G a m e - 4 : N o r t h Georgetown-3 vs Winfer Gardens-0 - Alicia James6th, 10th and 15th. Game-5: St. Gabriel’s-0 vs St. Agnes-5 - Amana McPherson-3rd, 19th and 20th, Shequeena Smith-5th, D i v i n e Wi l l i a m s - 2 8 t h . Game-6: F.E. Pollard-1 vs Enterprise-2 - Enterprise scorers, Emmaria Mercier12th, Tanya Mohabir-14th. F. E . P o l l a r d s c o r e r , Cedranessa Benn-13th. Game-7: Stella Maris vs St. Angela’s - St. Angela’s won v i a w a l k o v e r . Game-8: St. Pius-3 vs South Ruimveldt-2 - St. Pius scorers, Karen Jupiter-19th and 31st, Kerry Boyce-3rd. South scorer, Raven Jacobs9th and 25th. 2ND ROUND Game-1: Redeemer vs

St. Margaret’s - Redeemer won via walkover. Game-2: F.E. Pollard vs Stella Maris - F.E Pollard won via walkover. Game-3: St. Stephen’s-3 vs Tucville-0 - Kezia Parkinson-14th and 22nd, Odelli Straughn-26th. Game-4: North Georgetown-1 vs West Ruimveldt-1 - North scorer, Alicia James-20th. West scorer, Gabriella McGarrell24th. Game-5: St. Angela’s-0 vs Enterprise-0. Game-6: St. Pius-7 vs St. Gabriel’s-0 - Kerry Boyce7th, 21st and 28th, Donna Lowe-10th, 22nd and 25th, Karen Jupiter-2nd. Game-7: Smith M e m o r i a l v s Wi n f e r Gardens - No Contest. Game-8: St. Agnes-0 vs South Ruimveldt-1 - Own Goal-21st.

Sunshine Girls crumble as England level series Manchester, England, CMC – Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls failed to sustain the momentum from their opening win and crashed to a 63-50 defeat to England, as the hosts leveled the three-match series at 1-1 here on Friday. The Caribbean girls trailed from early in the contest at Belle Vue and England made no mistakes this time around, ensuring they kept their wits about them down the stretch to seal a c o n v i n c i n g v i c t o r y. Jamaica led 4-2 after five minutes but goal attack Kadeen Corbin netted twice to level the scores, and goal

shoot Jo Harten produced a burst to send the hosts clear at 12-7. Jamaica failed to find a response and trailed 7-17 at the end of the first q u a r t e r . In the second quarter, the trio of Eboni BeckfordChambers, Beth Cobden and Ama Agbeze strangled Jamaica with strong defensive pressure, an effort that saw England lead 27-15 with six minutes remaining. Both teams then traded shots down the stretch, sharing the ten goals scored, as England posted a 32-20 advantage at the half-time whistle. In the third quarter, the hosts once again got the

better of the visitors, outscoring them 15-12, to lead 47-32 heading into the final stanza of the contest. I m p o r t a n t l y, E n g l a n d limited their mistakes when it mattered most and with Player-of-the-Game Agbeze keeping Jamaica’s main threat in Jhaniele Fowler-Reid subdued, the victory was virtually assured long before the final w h i s t l e . Jamaica, who won the opening game at the Copper Box in London last Tuesday, will face England today in the final game at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.

Shihan Abdool Nazim Yassim has been elevated to Ku-Dan (9th Dan Black Belt) with the title ‘Hanshi’ (Grandmaster) of the SHINKAI-RYU system of martial arts, a scheme that was invented almost 12 years ago. Yassim, Founder and Director of the Guyana International Kyo-KushinKai Martial Arts Academy formerly The Little Diamond Martial Arts Academy has inked his name in the history books following the Guyana AllStyles Martial Arts Federation promotion which was held at the New Thriving Restaurant. He was given the ‘Sokeship’ (Founder) title and his elevation came in light of him serving in the martial arts world for over 25 years, and almost 10 years as a 7th Dan Black Belt Shihan, both in Guyana and Suriname. Yassim now has Black Belt ranks in a number of martial arts systems; 3rd Dan Black Belt in Karatedo; 4th Dan Black Belt ‘Junior Master’ Shinkaido Personal Combat System; 7th Dan Black Belt ‘Shihan’ Kyo-Kushin-Kai; and 9th Dan Black Belt ‘Hanshi’ Shin-Kai-Ryu. At the accreditation ceremony, Yassim also promoted Nowieldath Khedoe of Suriname to the

Shihan Abdool Nazim Yassim accepts his title 7th Dan Black Belt and gave him an ‘A’ Level Coaching Certificate. Locally, Yassim is the authorised representative of the Universal Martial Arts Association (UMAA), the Kyo-Kushin-Kai Schools of Karate Union Worldwide (KSKUW) and the World

Martial Arts Brotherhood Federation (WMAABF). In the company of his wife, Black Belt students and relatives, he promised to continue his work in the martial arts field and is now looking forward to the 10th Dan level in the next 25 years.

Blairmont claim West Berbice Kiddy Cricket Title Blairmont Primary defeated Belladrum Primary to win the West Berbice leg of the Guyana Cricket Board Scotiabank Kiddy Progression One cricket title recently at Bush Lot ground. Batting first, Belladrum made 92-9 with Colin Noble scoring 20. Blairmont responded with 114-3. Jahein Elgin scored 37 and Davrha Dyal 22.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday December 04, 2016

Letter to the Sports Editor

Rubis Bel Air/Trophy Stall one-day, two-innings U-13

Is the Administration of Local Football Steadfastly Losing its way?

GCC overcome Enmore, Ogle take first innings from Enterprise

Unapologetically and unreservedly, I have posed the aforementioned question by way of the above caption. Since, to the best of my knowledge the ideals of c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y, parliamentary procedures, democracy and total development are being significantly compromised, in relation: infusion of dictatorial policies, autocracy, under development and noncompliance with inherent administrative policies. Editor, since retiring f r o m t h e d a i l y administration of football, in 2010 within the GFA, both at the club and association level, it pains me deeply to read of an upsurge in the “prostitution” of the sport, entirely for financial gains by an extremely “Elite” few. While the ultimate aim of development is swept under the carpet and so too is the: “Annual Calendar of Activities by each Affiliate”. Suffice it to say, that thereafter the GFF, as the national governing body, upon receiving the relevant submissions, compiles a chart with the domestic activities in the respective Associations. Wi t h v a r i o u s competitions featuring, it provides the impetus for the GFF to plan its own season. Meanwhile, submission by each affiliate/association automatically caters for the inclusion of private promotional group (s) to be included by way of contractual obligations, i.e. Annual Mayors CupNovember; Annual Kashif & Shangnai KO- December / January 1st Finals. As time progressed Fruta Conquerors/NAMILCO KO was included with W D FA / A N S A - M c A L Sweet 16 KO; BFA and EDFA. For a few years, there was also English Fustal Round Robin KO. What was enjoyable for me during that time an executive was compiling fixtures for various competitions within the GFA, with no affiliated club (s) being burdened by playing in two separate competitions, in 24-hours. In so doing along with the compilation of fixtures, rules, competition’ reports, outlining domestic activity, were all part of the association’s requirements which had to be submitted to the GFF in a timely manner. Is this inherent policy

from a previous administration now something of the past? Since a repeated failure would have automatically led to associations being disqualified from having the GFF to pay its monthly office rent, utility bills and an Office Staff. Is this still applicable today? What of loss of membership as an affiliate, albeit being relegated to an “associate, devoid of voting rights”? A few weeks ago, I was accused of being paid by both Kashif Muhammad and Aubrey ‘Shangai’ Major to pen a letter with the caption, “Supportive of the 4 Elite Clubs call for arbitration.” The caller was a journalist of international repute who despite his utterance will nevertheless continue to have my respect. A timely reminder however, my pen isn’t for hire, unlike many others today that plies the trade of journalism. While not being a journalist, I write as a layman for public edification. The very journalist had previously complimented me for being prophetic when I penned a letter under the caption, “Former GFF President, Christopher Matthias will not last out his elected term”. It is this same journalist who was in the forefront both in the electronic and print media, extolling the goodly virtues of two (2) presidential hopefuls ahead of both being elected. But thereafter, would have been complaining bitterly about non-accessibility after being elected. Was dishonouring of financial remunerations the issue? As recent as last week, two separate conversations with different individuals alluded to, “A common consensus existing among numerous veteran footballers, Lester Sealey is responsible for the state of local football t o d a y ” . E d i t o r, w h e n conceitedness and ignorance can be displayed as a national award. Then I can fully agree with the upper class of this country, not to have their offspring (s) participating in football, providing its being administered by these very misfits. How many of them can address any forum of third form students from any of t h e n a t i o n ’s t o p f o u r secondary schools, about the basic components of the

sport? How many of them have pursued coaching, upon retiring with success as an English FA: B License Coach? In the area of administration, can many of the talkers organize a PeeWee (Under-12) Competition? With an incident occurring since 1999, my conscience is clear as for the stand I took to save the image of the sport. Should I attempt to revisit the unfortunate scenario, having already done this year’s ago, it would have serious political implications and dire consequences. Fast forward to 17 years later, I am out of the sport along with numerous others. Can anyone in their right frame of mind, compare the “litany of woes, which continues to plague local football” hold me accountable for continued under-development? Can I be held accountable as a “layman” for a private promoter who coordinated three (3) tournaments, within six (6) months entirely for financial gains, while the governing body turns a “blind eye” without seeking to impose the relevant “levy fees”? Sadly, clubs and associations representation is lacking i.e. travelling in excess of 65 miles to play a match, devoid of paid transportation and providence of meals, unheard of in the previous 25 years of the Annual Kashif and Shangai KO. Rather than sitting by idly at GFC indulging in useless chatter. The entire lot of individuals until a day like today can’t organise themselves efficiently, to formulate an August body namely: Georgetown Masters’ Association that has been ongoing for over a decade. However, what I can duly inform them of is to form a Steering Committee, and thereafter put the relevant paperwork in place for national recognition and acceptance. Should they be willing to go this route, I can provide my administrative expertise for a nominal fee. Would this bunch of footballers petition the GFF to conduct an investigation into “acts of sexual molestation on former footballers locally”, as what is taking place in England presently? Respectfully Yours, Lester Sealey

Zachary Jodah (right) and Sanjay Persaud Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) defeated Enmore by 89 runs when the Rubis Bel Air/Trophy Stall one-day, two-innings U-13 cricket competition continued yesterday. Batting first at the Bourda, GCC scored 119-1 off their allocation of 25 overs. Zachary Jodah and Sanjay Persaud put on 109 for the second-wicket after Raul Singh was dismissed for one in the fourth over. Jodah hit one four in his unbeaten 49 while Persaud made 43 not out. Enmore were sent packing for 35 in 14.2 overs in reply. Ariel Persaud and Menehik Halley picked up 3-5 each while Dominic Andrews had 3-11. Leading by 74, GCC made 70-4 off their allotted 15 overs batting a second

time. Raul Singh got 25 and Andrews 12. Set 154 for victory, Enmore were bowled out for 65 in 19 overs. Alex Harrichand made 20 and Shiv Singh 12; Andrews snared 3-9, Jodah 3-11, Yohance Angoy 2-11 and Ariel Persaud 2-13. At Ogle on the East Coast of Demerara, the home grabbed first innings points from Enterprise after bad light stopped play. Enterprise managed 120-9 in 25 overs, taking first strike. Rafeek Azeez made 26 and Suraj Dookram assisted with 20. Medium pacer Marcus Fenty bagged 5-8 and Daniel Gulab 2-3. In reply Ogle reached 154-8 in 2 5 o v e r s . Devanand Khemraj struck 32 while Rudranauth Kissoon who added 50 for

the fourth-wicket stand with Romeo Deonarain who cracked 29; Deonarain made 14. Navendra Singh claimed 2-6 and Dherendra Lall 213. Trailing by 34 runs, Enterprise were 21-3 when bad light stopped play. In the opening fixtures played recently, host Ogle got first innings from Lusignan. Batting first, Ogle managed 119 all out in 20.3 overs. Devanand Khemraj made 53 while extras contributed 33. Krishan Surdyal had 3-18 and Roberto Thomas 2-13. Lusignan were limited to 91-9 in 25 overs in reply. Romel Daturdeen and Vankatseh Armogan made 18 and 16 respectively. Mark Sukhai claimed 3-9 and Rudranauth Kissoon 314.

GBA raises over 500,000 on day 1 of 100 mile walk The Guyana Boxing Association raked in just over half a million dollars yesterday when the threeday one hundred mile walk continued. Starting at Rosignol President Steve Ninvalle and vice president Maurice Rajkumar switched modes operandi used on day one and resorted to using cell phones to request pledges. By afternoon the duo had conquered Region Five and acquired just over five hundred thousand. The walk started on Friday at N u m b e r 4 3 Vi l l a g e Corentyne and was organised to raise two million dollars to send a team of boxers, referees and coaches to the Caribbean Development Tournament in

Ninvalle (right) and Rajkumar brave the midday sun on the East Berbice Public Road.

Barbados. The event will conclude

today outside the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Sunday December 04, 2016

Kaieteur News

PAGE 81

Sports in Guyana is a living hell By Frederick Kissoon This country has four daily newspapers each of which has a sports section. Guyana has also a National Sports Commission and an Olympic Association. To date, there has been no reaction from any sporting quarters as to the treatment a national boxing champion received from a patrol of the Guyana Police Force and the Commander of A Division, Clifton Hicken. If sportsmen and sportswomen who have risen to national levels could be treated this way then the analyst can safely conclude that the world of sport performers in Guyana is a dirty, low-down, low-level existence that no one cares about thus the police can treat them the way they want to. But wait a minute! There is class dimension to this mistreatment. Before we go to a sociological indictment of Guyanese society, let me describe the horrors a young boxing champion faced at the hands of the police. After training, National Junior Flyweight Champion, Richard Subratee was jogging home in the morning, two Fridays ago. A police patrol picked him up in Charlestown (please keep in mind where he was picked up; Charlestown). He identified himself. He told them in days’ time he will be in Barbados to represent his country in a Caribbean tournament. They explained it was a routine matter; he would be part of an identification parade and soon would be free to leave. Subratee figured he had no problem with that. He entered the vehicle. The patrol on its way to the supposed place of the identification parade picked up ten other youths from Charlestown and Albouystown.

Subratee was taken to the Brickdam lock-ups on Friday morning and spent the entire day there until the night when, he was shipped off to the holding cell of the P ras had Nagar P olice Outpost. Designed for four persons, the cell had to accommodate Subratee and six others. S u b r a t e e ’s B o x i n g Coach visited the Brickdam Station the morning but was told he will be at an identification parade then let go. The Coach felt assured. Ti m e p a s s e d a n d t h e identification parade died a natural death. It never came into being. Subratee’s mother then sought the help of the office of the Prime Minister. A high level functionary called Commander Hicken but Hicken’s reply was that the police should be allowed to do their job. Boxing official, Steve Ninvalle on Saturday midday contacted Hicken. The Commander agreed to release the boxer but midday turned into night. On Saturday night, Subratee was released without an apology, explanation or compensation. Hicken is still on the job, the members of the patrol are still on the job. This is Guyana for you. This is the Guyana Police Force for you. This is the Guyanese world of sports for you. No one voiced a commentary on what happened to a national boxer. What about the class dimension I wrote about above. Would the police pick up a youth walking in Subryanville? The answer is no. Would the police pick up a youth walking in Lamaha Gardens? The answer is no. This brings us to K. Juman Yassin. Boxing is an Olympics sport. Mr. Yassin to date has made no inquiry about the mistreatment of Subratee. Mr. Yassin later this month,

will be contesting the presidency of the Guyana Olympic Association. If he wins, by the time he contests again, he would have chalked up 30 years at the helm of the association. But even if we fault Yassin for his drive for permanency, what about his Pavlovian supporters? Those associations that meekly vote for him and not for Guyana’s progress; But I

guess by now we know how fickle is the mind and soul and heart of a nation named Guyana. I always thank my lucky star I was never made into a lawyer. I would have received millions of days in jail for contempt because law and the courts are nonfunctional. I am glad I am not a sportsman in Guyana. I may have received millions of libel suits. Mr. Yassin

continues to run for office. Cricket is in turmoil. Football was in so much tempestuous waters it is a scientific miracle that it did not drown. Now the cycling federation just had a coup. An Interim Management Committee is now the administration. The only sport untouched in Guyana is the Chinese Checkers Federation of which I am the permanent President.

Clifton Hicken

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Kaieteur News

Sunday December 04, 2016

Noble House Seafood Cricket

Ovid-Richardson’s 121 and Jaigobin’s 7-93 highlight ¼ Finals By Sean Devers

Richardson pulls Randy Lindore during his 121 while David Dick who made 98 and put on 210 for the first wicket with Ovid-Richardson, is at the non striker’s end at GDF yesterday (Sean Devers photo)

Played under a cloudless sky at four venues, the quarter finals of the Georgetown Cricket Association’s (GCA) Noble House Seafoods two-day second division tournament bowled off yesterday with GNIC’s Quincy OvidRichardson’s 121 and 7-93 by Police leg-spinner Vishaul Jaigobin highlighting the first day action. Playing at the GDF ground, Ovid-Richardson and David Dick (98) give GNIC a solid 210-run foundation before Joshua Persaud’s (41) knock rallied the Woolford Avenue unit to 325-9 declared. Left-arm spinner Denis Legay (5-36) and Leon Andrews (3-63) took the bulk of the wickets for GDF were precariously placed on 22-7 by the close. The Soldiers were shot down by off-spinner Gajanand Suknanan (3 wkts), Rawle Meril (2) and former Test spinner Clyde Butts (1) and need another 153 runs to avoid the followon. At Everest, the host only needing a draw against DCC to qualify for the semis reached 386-7 by the close after they were surprisingly asked to bat in scorching heat. The left-handed Khemraj Ramdeen fell three short of his century when he tried to hook at U-19 pacer Sherfane Rutherford and was taken at short midwicket after reaching the boundary nine times. Ramdeen put together 93 for the fourth wicket with Dwayne Adams, who smashed nine fours and two sixes in his 58, after openers Shaeed Mohamed (22) and Akshaya Persaud (41) shared in a 64-run opening partnership and West Indies U-19 selectee Baskar Yadram 63 (10x4) and Ramdeen added 75 for the third wicket. Kamesh

Yadram chipped in with 42. Denis Squires (2-76) and Skipper Linden Lyght (3-51) did the damage for DCC who put down at least seven catches yesterday as they spent the entire day in the field. At MYO, the hosts were staring defeat in the face after being asked to follow-on after Transport Sports Club (TSC) made 266 in their only innings so far. Charwayne McPherson (37) and the left-handed Singh added 77 for the second wicket before Devaughn Nandan slammed a brutal 92 (7x4 7x6). Shafick Ishmile (4-39) and T. Arjune (2-29) bowled well for MYO who crumbled for 51 despite 19 from Richard Latiff, who hit three boundaries. Keon Morris (5-36) and veteran off-spinner Kevin Ross (3-7) did the damage to give TSC a 215 lead. Following-on, MYO needing another 165 to avoid an innings defeat, were 53-6 from 15.2 overs; Chien Gittens hit 22 (3x4 1x6), Joshua Wilson has 511 so far. At Eve Leary, Police asked Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) to bat, Joseph Cupidore (6) and Marcus Watkins took the score to 33 before both batsmen fell on that score in consecutive overs bowled by Steven Harris and Jaigobin respectively. Carmichael (78) and 17y e a r- o l d r i g h t - h a n d e r Clarence Baird (35) who joined forces at 45-2 took the score to 151 before Baird departed. Carlie Collins (30) also contributed to the Thomas Lands team’s cause. Jaigobin had 7-93 while Harris took 2-43 for the Cops who were 61-1 by the close after Shaquille Mosley had removed Regional Rodrigues for 15. Kevin Tendel remained unbeaten on 20. The action is scheduled to resume at 10:30hrs today.

Kaieteur News

Sunday December 04, 2016

Sport associations must challenge The Establishment

K.A Juman Yassin (left) and Ivor O’Brien

By Edison Jefford Sports associations affiliated to the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) must be brave enough to challenge The Establishment whenever the Olympic body holds its Elections, because failure to do such could be an indictment against the organisations responsible for the administration of sports in Guyana. I expressed some amount of doubt surrounding the hosting of the GOA Elections because it was scheduled for this weekend, but I was told that it will now be held on December 21; the mere fact that the GOA did not formally inform the media of its election date and any changes points to the covert nature of its operations. It does not only mark the general secrecy of the Olympic body’s functions, but also establishes a feature of K.A Juman Yassin’s 20plus years Presidency where information was not forthcoming as it ought to be on various aspects of its management. For instance, we do not, and have never known, how much the International Olympic Committee (IOC) grant to GOA is; how much has been spent to-date on the construction of its Headquarters at Turkeyen and who are the athletes that benefitted from the IOC Elite Athletes Programme. These are just three issues that the media has never been fed clear information

on. That the media has to investigate these without the Olympic body first attempting to disseminate the details does not augur well for the transparency of the organisation. These are the characteristics of The Establishment, the old boys’ network that is so unashamed of its performance that it is seeking re-election after 20 odd years at the helm. Sport associations are the only institutions in a position to c h a l l e n g e T h e Establishment. The campaign for Yassin in his re-election bid has started with the philanthropy and benevolence of GOA to associations heightening in the last quarter of this year. In addition, another member of the old boys’ network and Yassin’s underling, Ivor O’Brien lobbied for the return of Yassin in another section of the print media. That was expected since O’Brien’s global recognition was a direct result of an extensive sojourn at the GOA as well. O’Brien reportedly served during the tenure of Sir Lionel Luckhoo in the 70s, only stepping aside in the New Millennium, which made him one of the longest serving GOA Officials in its history, and placed him, like Yassin, in contention for international positions. But realistically O’Brien will be challenged outside of his international establishment to name domestic programmes that

succeeded to develop sports. I gave an example weeks ago of how the Olympic body failed Kadecia Baird, who beat Bahamas’ Shaunae Miller in 2012 at the World Junior Championships, but did not go on to international success at the senior level as Miller did because of lack of support. Miller is now an Olympic Gold Medallist and Wo r l d C h a m p i o n s h i p s Silver Medallist. O’Brien is lobbying for the return of an Establishment that consistently failed athletes and sports in Guyana. It is bordering on immorality for one to be parading international recognitions when the domestic situation that produced that individual remains in shambles. But that has been the nature of many sport associations here: the individual aggrandizement takes precedence over the development of the sport and

the athlete. In that context, O’Brien’s support for Ya s s i n , h o w e v e r inflammatory it might have been, is understood. But at the end of the day, those sport associations eligible to vote have a choice to make. That decision is rooted in whether associations continue with the current underdeveloped status-quo or whether they will choose a new path after challenging The Establishment. Following the elections we will know how serious associations are in moving sports forward in Guyana. Some prominent association heads remain in doubt. One of them plainly said “no one is putting their hands up Edison”, meaning that no one is seeking to challenge Yassin for the post. Another informed that Yassin has his quota of association that will support him. If associations need encouragement, they just have to look at what happened in the United States recently where an unlikely candidate, Donald Trump upset the seasoned campaigners and United Kingdom where Theresa May became Prime Minister after Brexit forced David Cameron to resign earlier this year. The point is revolutions succeed. Sport associations affiliated to the GOA must be encouraged by that fact and show the courage at the ballot with their two votes to change the existing pitiable culture to one that will give our talented athletes hope.

PAGE 83

Conquerors sail past Monedderlust; Victoria Kings edge Buxton United

Eon Alleyne

When play in the Guyana Football Federation / STAG Elite League season 2 continued on Friday evening last at the Tucville ground in the City, home team Fruta conquerors romped to a comfortable 4-0 win over Berbice’ Monedderlust while in a clash of the East Demerara sides, Victoria Kings edged Buxton United 2-1. Monedderlust was able to limit the Conquerors side to a single goal in the first 45 minute but could not stop the second onslaught that going to come their way. Conquerors took the lead in just the 4th minute of play as both sides were still settling down. Leon Richardson wrested the early advantage for the home team and it was all they had needed to seal full points. Eon Alleyne in the 46th, Kwame La FGleur (65th) and Jermine Junor in the 83rd minute completed a solid display for the Fruta

side. Victoria Kings, in their debut season at this level, turned back the challenge of their more seasoned neighbours who are in their second season. Buxton United would have gone into the match with the psychological advantage but that was to no avail as the Kings relished the challenge to the extent that they took the fight to Buxton and nailed them early. With only 8 minutes on the clock, the Kings through a Seon Robinson strike stunned their opponents and from all appearances, they never recovered. Calvin De Souza’s 72nd minute goal further solidified Victoria Kings’ hold on the match and despite Buxton pulling back a consolation goal in the 81st minute through Devon Dennis’ efforts, the Kings were all smiles at the sound of the final whistle as they recorded their first win at this level.

t r o Sp 3rd Annual Smalta Girls Schools Football Tournament

St. Stephen’s unbeaten after three rounds

Part of the action between St. Angela’s (white uniforms) and Enterprise yesterday.

Rubis Bel Air/Trophy Stall one-day, two-innings U-13

GCC overcome Enmore, Ogle take first innings from Enterprise

Rafeek Azeez

Rudranauth Kissoon

Dominic Roberts (left), Arian Persaud (center) and Menehik Halley

Sport associations Conquerors sail past must challenge Monedderlust; Victoria The Establishment Kings edge Buxton United Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210