Sunday February 04, 2018
Kaieteur M@ilbox The oil company, not the government, must pay for oil spills DEAR EDITOR, Kaieteur News is wrong in its contention that the government is obligated to pay for oil spills caused by ExxonMobil’s operations (see, for example, KN 30-12018 “Contract reveals… Guyana foot bill for litigation brought against ExxonMobil”). The newspaper also has mischaracterised the situation with regards to the payment of litigation fees. One need not be a lawyer to point out KN’s errors here. A simple reading of the Petroleum Agreement is enough. First, on who pays for an oil spill. Under Article 28 (Social Responsibility and Protection of the Environment), sections 28.4, 28.5 and 28.6, taken together, clearly state that any emergency, accident,
or pollution affecting the environment, the Contractor (the company) is obligated to take measures to remedy the failure and the effects thereof. Section 28.6 states that if the company fails to undertake the clean up, and the government undertakes the effort in its stead, the “costs and expenses of such actions must be borne by the Contractor”. A straight interpretation of these sections therefore leads to the conclusion that the company, not the government in any way, foots the bill for remedying an oil spill or any other damage to the environment. That said, the question that immediately follows is: Could the company recoup this cost under cost recovery? A reading of Section 3.3
in Annex C (Costs not Recoverable under the Agreement) may help. There, clause 3.3 (g) states that unrecoverable costs include those “incurred as a result of willful misconduct or gross negligence of the Contractor”. If an oil spill does not qualify under this definition, nothing else will. In sum, the agreement states that the company must pay for damages to the environment and cannot recover the costs for remediation. Let’s next ponder on the contention of the Kaieteur News (parroted by others) that it is wrong for Guyana to “foot bill for litigation brought against ExxonMobil”. The newspaper is referring to a clause in Annex C of the agreement that says, in short, (Continued on page 7)
The ones we pay to protect and serve are harassing us for more money DEAR EDITOR Permit me a space to vent my concern as a young man who just ‘started life’. I am a health professional and an employee of one of the most reputable health entities in Georgetown. I work late hours tending to the needs of the public; due to this, I journey home near midnight. On my way home, there are a few police road blocks. I understand that it is for “public safety” and I condone it. Apparently, due to my petite structure and quiet appearance; I fit into their target group and I am “lucky” to be pulled over at majority of these blocks. I would like to point out a few things: firstly- 95% of the ranks I dealt with, lack basic salutation skills, secondly- one of their id-
iosyncrasies is to speak to you however they see fit, thirdly- after they finish exasperating you, they demand a “lil something”, a “Guinness money”, etc... There was one instance where an ‘officer’ came to my window (after I was told to “pull in the corner”) in a casual dark blue shirt with graffiti and jeans, not producing a badge and in a rude m a n n e r, r e q u e s t i n g m y documents, scraping my clearly transparent windows for tints, checking my lights as if he is the certifying officer conducting a fitness test, then had the audacity to say (after finding nothing out of place): “yuh ga buy two Banks fuh yuh bai”. I have two questions for the Acting Commissioner of Police and the Minister of Social Security: is demanding
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money a part of this exercise? If not; is our police force composed of beggars and hooligans? We are heading down a dangerous road; the ones we pay to protect us, are harassing us for more of our monies. I respect the fact that you took the baton to ensure our safety, but we did not beg you to join the force! Do not hold us accountable for you being ill-treated by your superiors! I urge the relevant authorities to look into this, not only for my benefit, but for that of other Guyanese citizens. Fed Up
Kaieteur M@ilbox Nagamootoo is pretending to ‘defend’ the PPP’s older leaders so as to target his nemesis DEAR EDITOR, I have noted the statements by the Prime Minister Nagamootoo in the Guyana Chronicle with some amusement, where he expresses solidarity and mounts, in his view, a defence of older comrades and leaders of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) – comrades he claims are the ones who former President Bharrat Jagdeo wants to push out of the Party. Does he believe that we are suffering from such short memories? Moses Nagamootoo has always been the chameleon, much to the amusement of some of the older heads of the PPP who have known him all too well…unfortunately. He waxes and wanes, drifts wherever the winds blow and dances to the piper’s call once his objective of personal aggrandisement is met. Nagamootoo believes that we have forgotten how he has vilified the entire PPP and its leaders, calling the PPP “racist,” “fascist”, “fat cats”, to name a few, at sittings in the National Assembly and at other public forums. Now he is pretending to ‘defend’ the older leaders of the PPP as a means to target once again his nemesis, Bharrat Jagdeo. Instead, he should be more concerned about whether his party, the AFC, will survive the 2020 elections and whether it will be able to
attract support to maintain its seats, or any seat for that matter. Surely he recognises that he is the one who will be pushed out; these are his ‘swan song’ months as Prime Minister Nagamootoo’s legacy in Guyana’s history will be one of the ‘whipping boy’ of the APNU to attack the Parliamentary Opposition. Any time an assault has to be made on the PPP, it is Nagamootoo who is sent in by APNU to do its dirty work. It is he who was sent to the estates after the dismissal of 5000 sugar workers to try to convince them that sugar wasn’t dead, and that the government cared. His usefulness to the APNU, however, will grow thin despite his loyal gymnastics. No truer were the words written by our national poet, Martin Carter, that “the mouth is muzzled by the hand that feeds it”. Nevertheless as an older member of the PPP leadership, and, in fact, the most senior female leader, I have no fear of being pushed aside by Jagdeo or anyone else. As a member of successive PPPC administrations, I have constantly and honestly served my government and the nation to the best of my ability.
As a member of the PPPC Parliamentary Opposition, I continue to serve and to carry my responsibilities with dignity and integrity. Yes, I am proud to be a part of the older leaders who have served and continue to loyally serve our party and nation. My work continues to be hectic and challenging, and, I watch with admiration other leaders like Dr. Roger Luncheon, Clinton Collymore, and former Prime Minister Sam Hinds, selflessly contribute their time, energy, experience and love to the Guyanese people from all walks of life who are suffering in these trying APNU/ AFC times. I believe that my role will keep changing as long as I have life; I am morally bound to help to groom and nurture the younger leaders of the party to be courageous, principled and resilient in the struggles of the future to regain our threatened democracy and save our nation from its spiraling decline under the APNU/AFC regime. My sense of duty to the younger leaders is bolstered by the fact that in the 1970s older leaders of the party gave me, a young woman in her twenties, (Continued on page 6 )
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Kaieteur News
Kaieteur M@ilbox
Kaieteur M@ilbox
Guyana presents ExxonMobil with ...
Why has Education Ministry turned its back on N.A Multilateral?
From page 4 at their disposal to maximise the benefits for Guyana. However, we never sought to consult our brilliant Guyanese about the deal. The ordinary man and others like Christopher Ram, our Vice Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, our former Chancellor of the Judiciary, our former Chief Justice, Senior Counsel K.Juman Yassin, or even an ordinary, simple businessman like me and others can pick up the tricky bits in the fine print and bring them to the fore for discussion. Government loves to hire foreign specialists to serve as consultants, but their performance in finalising important arrangements is sometimes highly suspect. A quick example is the construction of the East Bank overpass for which we had to engage a Trinidadian consultant and contractor, which made us look so puerile, petty and incompetent. It appears to me that the Minister responsible for Natural Resources, Honourable Raphael Trotman, the Cabinet and Government as a whole did not scrutinise the ExxonMobil agreement properly. Perhaps they just signed out of desperation to secure what appeared to be a good opportunity. ExxonMobil cannot to be blamed for that; it is the ‘Powers of the Day’ who are responsible. They should have brilliantly involved the Oppo-
sition, especially persons with the experience and institutional knowledge as a former finance minister and president of Guyana Bharrat Jagdeo. They should have involved the Private Sector Commission! The Private Sector Commission is known to have brains within its system. They should have involved the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce! I am not in any way extolling the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and Bharrat Jagdeo for anything else because I know they also made major blunders in their administration. I am referring exclusively here to the negotiation of the ExxonMobil contract. Recently, Honourable Raphael Trotman said that he is not “advised” that Government intends to revisit the agreement. Not revisiting the agreement is a dangerous thing and Guyana may definitely feel the wrath of the ‘Dutch Disease’. I do believe there will be money circulating as a result of the extraction of our oil and natural gas resources. Some people will enjoy a higher standard of living, better quality of schools and education, better welfare services for the nation. But the fact remains that we are liable and culpable for making a bad deal and it may one day cause us to lose our teeth even in the event of major oil spills and lawsuits in the Caribbean against ExxonMobil.
I reiterate that I do not blame ExxonMobil. I blame the Guyanese signatories and the administrators responsible for signing away the rights and wealth of our people. Therefore, Government has a responsibility to conduct diligent studies again and insist on a reasonable contract that will be more beneficial to our peoples and our nation. This time, we should go to the table armed with more knowledge and be better prepared. We should consult our local brilliant minds and try to fix this mess. We must demand that the contract be reviewed and see how we can get, if necessary, a temporary suspension. We may not be as powerful as ExxonMobil, but we must show that we have b….s This time, we must not let them take advantage of our poverty, eagerness, lack of knowledge, lack of groundwork, negotiation skills and preparation. We can even draw on Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) signed in other parts of the world and get the input of experts on these matters. I have serious reservations about Guyana bearing the cost of lawsuits and any fines that might be implemented for anything. The entire exploration and business might not even be worth it. We were doing quite well surviving without all of this. Once again, I wish to remind the current government, which in its own way is trying to do the best it can, and the previous government, that no ‘government of the day’ owns the country. Haji Roshan Khan
DEAR EDITOR, It is with great concern and deep-seated frustration that I pen this letter, to ascertain why Officials at the Ministry of Education including the Minister of Education have turned their backs on the current state of affairs at the New Amsterdam Multilateral School hereinafter referred to as N.A.M.S. This school has often been associated with academic excellence, once ranked third (3rd) in the country based on CXC and CAPE results, and recognised both locally and regionally in the areas of Sports and Threatre Arts. However, the image of this school has been tarnished by the poor quality of leadership. Under current management the following issues have occurred: (1) drastic drop in student population (moving from over 900 students at one point to about 400 students presently), (2) an increase in the number of transfers requested by parents for students to other
schools in the region, (3) a drastic drop in results at the CXC and CAPE examinations. The school has also been embroiled in many scandals involving issues related to pecuniary abnormalities and the recent issue of racism, which caused six teachers to request transfers. These issues have inevitability eroded staff morale and have affected their ability to deliver the curriculum to students who are in their care. Investigation after investigation has been done by Ministry of Education officials. An investigation was even conducted by the Ministry of Social Cohesion. The findings from these investigations have highlighted poor quality of leadership, their inability to work together and how these factors have collectively affected the development of the school. In point of fact, based on findings from a recent investigation, an administrative transfer letter was issued to the DHM (ag) to take up a substantive post in
another school. However, that transfer was countermanded and a directive was issued that the HM and DHM (Ag) continue to work together. This decision has left a corrosive taste in the mouths of many teachers and parents. The decision begs a very important question, if these school officials have failed to work together over the past five years for the continued development of the school, what makes the Education official who reversed this decision think they will be able to do so now?. I am requesting that swift action be taken and that these officials be removed from this school, so that it can once again live up to its motto, “Progress through Cooperation”. It is time for change! In conclusion, I urge Ministry of Education officials to consider the importance of the phrase “No School Left Behind!” Concerned Parent Orlando Fraser
Nagamootoo is pretending to... From page 5 the guidance and opportunities to grow and be elevated in the PPP. Just as in 1997, the party gave its support to young Bharrat Jagdeo to be the successor to Mrs. Janet Jagan after those elections. The PPP/C has no generational conflict, nor has it ever had. It began with youthful leaders in the 1950 and has never been afraid of young people, but instead has embraced them and pushed them up, not out. They only have
to work hard and serve with energy and courage, those that are “spent” – whether old and young – will not make it to the top. Every PPPC government from 1992 to 2015 has been characterised by young Ministers in the late 20s and those who were middle aged who brought experience to the table. Maybe Nagamootoo is reflecting on the generational gap that exists in his government’s administration
where the very male senior citizens of urban upper middle class extraction reign supreme. I do not need any Nagamootoo to defend my survival in the PPP, and, in fact, no one should. One’s inherent political instinct would tell you if you listened that he remains a ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’. Gail Teixeira, M.P., PPP Executive and Central Committee Member
Sunday February 04, 2018
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The unilateral acts of the Town PNCR has lost a dedicated comrade Clerk are tarnishing the entire council /worker in Councillor Junior Garrett DEAR EDITOR, I write this letter to you in my personal capacity as a citizen of Georgetown, a councillor, and in response to the an article carried in today’s Stabroek News (3/2/2018) entitled “City Council moves for judge’s ruling on Bel Air playground to be set aside.” My views are not based on a Council vote and they are entirely mine. News of the town clerk’s continuation of the court action stopping the city council’s attempt to appropriate the Bel Air Park playground has come as a complete surprise to me, there being no consultation or vote by the council on this matter. Certainly, I have noted Minister Bulkan’s missive indicating that the President
and Cabinet are not pleased with the Council’s direction as it pertains to the use of recreational open spaces for housing, and I too wholeheartedly support the President’s directive. I am extremely concerned that the unilateral acts of the Town Clerk are tarnishing the reputation of the entire council, this being particularly troubling since the matter has neither been discussed nor voted on by the full council. To be clear, neither the Town Clerk’s appeal of the Court’s order nor the decision to destroy the park and use it for housing was ever discussed with the full council and sanctioned by the same. I also wish to express not only do I intend to comply with the courts order but do not want
to be cited for contempt of court. Moreover, I am aware that there is a discussion among counsel for the Bel Air Park residents about the possibility of lodging a criminal complaint under the provisions of the state asset recovery act, which defines state assets to include municipal property, and I would like to make it clear to the public that I did not know of and do not approve of the Town clerks actions to appropriate the playground for housing for himself and senior city Hall officials. Thank you for granting me the space to clear the air regarding this particular matter. Lionel Jaikaran Deputy Mayor Municipality of Georgetown
The oil company, not the... from page 5 that the company can recover all costs and expenses of litigation and legal or related services necessary or expedient for the protection of the contract area and in defending or prosecuting lawsuits involving the contract area or any third party claim. I am not sure what is the problem that KN and others have here when (i) all such litigation against third parties is in the interest of protecting the operation and thus Guyana’s own revenue stream from it, and (ii) the proceeds of any successful legal action are to be credited to the accounts of the operation, thereby re-
ducing the company’s claim under cost oil (Annex C, section 3.5d - Credits under the Agreement). In passing, it is worth noting that the company cannot recover the costs of arbitration for any dispute with the government itself or any fines and penalties imposed by the Courts of Law in Guyana. One is left to wonder why the government is so casual in responding to this and other misunderstandings regarding the oil agreement that appear in the newspapers almost daily. Sherwood Lowe
Where are our Human Resource Management leaders? DEAR EDITOR, When I reflect on the constant edifying public interventions of our Guyanese professionals in virtually all fields: Accounting, Auditing, Economics, Engineering, Education, Finance, Health, Law, Religion, Trade, Trade Unionism, Tourism etc, I cannot help wondering why our currently active professionals and leaders in HRM are ‘missing in action’!......and I am convinced that there are a plethora of HRM problems and issues in both the private and public sectors that need ventilation, intervention and corrective action. The latest “PEOPLE MANAGEMENT” publication of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development contains a lead article titled: “Change will keep coming” in which it advises as follows:”As a profession, we are the experts on people, work and change. HRM will find itself increasingly at the forefront of the debate about technology in the workplace and the future of work. We need to think about how to shape jobs to get the best out of people, as well as understand the op-
portunities presented by emerging technologies. We also need to understand how technology is affecting our processes across the employee life cycle and how we use data about people responsibly and critically.” At this juncture, I am reminded of the pioneering work done by our HRM gurus like Dr Bertram Collins, and the indefatigable Harold B. Davis (Snr.). Some older colleagues might recall Mr. Davis’ initiatives like the popular Saturday Mornings’ ‘BREAKFAST SESSIONS’ on various aspects of General and Human Resources Management at the Pegasus Hotel and his establishment of the Guyana Institute of Management (GIM) which helped
with the development of a cadre of HRM professionals who soon became highly respected ‘change agents’ and practitioners within and outside Guyana. Can we not at least try to get together for collaborative development of ourselves and our profession? I know some people might question why I am not personally intervening in these respects; I really wish I could, but that is not feasible, having regard to my nomadic life-style in and out of Guyana and my being in the countryside when at home. I do sincerely and humbly suggest that some relevant action be taken by our better-placed colleagues. Nowrang Persaud
DEAR EDITOR, Almost a week ago, I received a message that read “Good night, Comrade Nestor, Comrade Garrett passed away today”. At first, I was in denial but a second message came from another individual, and his message confirmed my fears. It was Mr. Garrett, “the PNC man from Campbellville Housing Scheme.” Junior Garrett was a true comrade. I met Junior Garrett many years ago, when I became very active in the PNCR youth arm. We campaigned alongside each other in many internal and national elections. Mr. Garrett fits into that group of dedicated party members whose diligent work can easily go unnoticed. Their contributions are not posted on bill boards, nor placards. Garrett’s party work may not have been in the “loud and amplified category” but it certainly was in the important column. He was the kind of activist who worked daily to build the party. Group activism was key. He was a comrade who was present both “in season” and “out of season.” His kind of party work concentrated mainly on stabilizing the foundation of the party and enhancing its structure. His many years of valuable contribution to the PNCR cannot, and must not go unnoticed. His unselfish and relentless support for party work traces back many years. Junior Garrett was a fearless advocate of his party and a worthy, committed and reliable campaigner. He would pull out all the stops to get the mission accomplished. I recall that while campaigning during a National Election Mr. Garrett met me at Congress Place and asked that I commit some time to his area of responsibility. His exact words were “Lurlene, we got to get some
more energy on the ground here”. Without any hesitation, I committed. He made himself available and campaigned passionately. Comrade Garrett aided the exercise with all the resources needed to get the work done. This was a natural for him, as he always made his resources available to the party. Junior Garrett was a true friend of the GYSM (Guyana Youth and Student Movement) and its members. When I served in the leadership of the GYSM there was a group of donors the GYSM could have called upon at any time, for assistance. Mr. Garrett was one of those people. He gave unselfishly to help the GYSM to promote its agenda. His contribution helped to support youth camps, leadership retreats, sporting activities and many fund raising events. This was his way of supporting the party’s youth. Many of us enjoyed his company and were able to see his most funny side. Yes, Mr. Garrett was one of the most hilarious people I have known, his politics was serious but his “other side” was amusingly hilarious. For many of us who knew Junior Garrett there is one thing that we could never forget and that is the way he makes you laugh. The way he makes your frustration and anger dissipate without you even noticing. There was never a dull
moment with Cde. Garrett. He was a spark of laughter for many of us who had to confront the many experiences of losing multiple elections. In those moments his hilarious spin made things lighter. Junior Garret was a PNCR stalwart and a Guyanese Patriot. He served at every opportunity. His role at the Georgetown City Council was important to him; it was a job he took seriously. H is interest and work in the PNCR has left a permanent mark. His love for his party was so deep that he volunteered his premises to hold group meetings. Councilor Garrett was the embodiment of a good person. He was kind and personable. His personality was infectious. I enjoyed his camaraderie; I appreciated his support throughout the years. The PNCR has lost a true political warrior. His contribution and support for my work will remain with me forever. I was grateful to have known Mr. Garrett, his frank views and criticisms were always helpful. He was a genuine person. Sincere condolences to his family, I trust that you take comfort in the fact that Comrade Garrett has made his contribution on earth. I hope that his funny side continues to be a memory that makes you smile. May his soul rest in peace. Lurlene Nestor
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Sunday February 04, 2018
Bel Air land fiasco
Town Clerk acts without Council’s approval– Deputy Mayor Deputy Mayor, Lionel Jaikaran, has warned that Town Clerk Royston King’s pursuit of legal action in the Bel Air playground matter is without the approval of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC). M&CC approached the Court in a bid to have a ruling by Justice Gino Persaud pertaining to a plot of community land located at Bel Air Park, Georgetown, set aside. “News of the Town Clerk’s continuation of the court action stopping the city
council’s attempt to appropriate the Bel Air Park playground has come as a complete surprise to me, there being no consultation or vote by the council on this matter,” Jaikaran explained. The land at the centre of the contention is located along Eping Avenue, Bel Air Park Georgetown and was earmarked as the community playground. According to court documents, the Council had intended to sell or lease reserved community lands to a
private developer. The Council was in negotiations with local housing developer, Terrence Taljit, to transfer to him prime community lands despite a restriction on the transport of the property for use as community purposes only. The plot of land is earmarked by the Council to construct housing for top members of the City Administration. Attorney for the M&CC, Roger Yearwood, filed proceedings requesting that the judgment be set aside and a
stay be granted against the execution of the order. Based on the application made, a hearing is set to take place before Justice Persaud at the High Court on February 12, 2018. It is unclear how much taxpayer funds are being used to pursue the matter in the High Court, which now appears, based on Jaikaran’s observations, to be devoid of council members. Even after the court ruling, officers of the Council moved to clear and fence the open playfield. “I am extremely concerned that the unilateral acts of the Town Clerk are tarnishing the reputation of the entire council, this being particularly troubling since the matter has neither been discussed nor voted on by the full council,” Jaikaran stated. He noted that the decision to ‘destroy the park’ and use it for housing was never discussed and sanctioned by the full Council. According to the Deputy Mayor, there is a discussion among counsel for the Bel Air Park residents about the possibility of lodging a criminal complaint under the provisions of the state asset recov-
Deputy Mayor, Lionel Jaikaran ery act, which defines state assets to include municipal property. “I would like to make it clear to the public that I did not know of and do not approve the Town Clerk’s actions to appropriate the playground for housing for him-
self and senior City Hall officials,” Jaikaran pointed out. Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, has condemned the attempts by the Georgetown Mayor and City Council to convert the Bel Air Park playfield into a space for residential use.
Sunday February 04, 2018
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Carjacker tries to uplift vehicle from police station Police have nabbed a suspected carjacker known as ‘Bourda Rat’, who had repeatedly tried to claim ownership of a stolen car that police had impounded last year.
The suspect was arrested yesterday in Bourda, hours after police issued a release indicating he was wanted for questioning. Police had previously ar-
rested the same man and two others on November 27, 2017, in connection with a robbery in Georgetown. Police had impounded the car in which the suspects
Dem boys seh...
Dat Oil contract will rob many Guyanese of their dreams Everybody’s dream in this world is to have a good life and never become a beggar. In Guyana a good life is having a roof over yuh head, food in you pot and somewhere comfortable to rest yuh head. De odda day plenty people been in de begging line, now dem people seh dem coming out dat line because dem hear dat Guyana got real wealth. Some of dem seh ‘Thank God fuh Exxon’ but dem boys seh ‘Kick Exxon if dem don’t change de lopsided oil contract.’ De contract is de wuss de world ever see. De contract is so one sided and greedy dat nuff people want to know which shithole sign it. Imagine you rent a house to Soulja Bai in Berbice. If he or ee wife Sandra Gyal pelt de Neighbour window, and bruck it up, and de people guh to court. You de landlord got to pay de lawyer fees plus the judgement costs on the window. The tenant walks free. Now tell us which Landlord gun agree to dat, eh? Only Minister Trotman. If there is an oil spill and if it mek a mess of de region, Guyana, yes, you and me have to pay the lawyer fees plus all the cost to fix back the people country. Exxon walks free. Is a smart MOFO sign de contract. Dem boys seh, if yuh think dat one bad, hear dis - Guyana getting a share on every barrel dat Exxon pump up, but even Soulja Bai can’t guh pun de rig as he like to check
how much oil pumping per day. De contract wha de Harvard scholar sign seh if Soulja Bai want fuh guh visit de Rig to inspect the pumping, he have to write Exxon 7 days in advance, begging dem fuh leh he come see how much oil dem bringing up per day. Who ever hear of such a shithole contract in which you gat to tell the man who have to share the pie with you when you coming? Dat reminds dem boys about a man name Paapoo. He use to leff ee pretty, pretty his wife and go in the bush fuh months. Before he lef she tell him dat when he coming out, he must give she one month notice suh she can prepare fuh him. Or Granger own a large mining claim in Puruni, Alphonso approach him and seh Bai leh we wuk de land and we gun share the gold 50–50, half and half… When Alphonso start and Granger seh he want come in fuh check, Alphonso seh you can’t come hay like dat. You got to give me seven days notice, in writing. Everybody knows when you have such a deal, it is to avoid cockiness; and both party got to be on the dredge operation fuh see every pennyweight of the gold dat come up, if not yuh know what is going to happen. Talk half and do the decent thing, Soulja Bai. Change dis thiefin contract!
were travelling, but were unaware that it was a stolen vehicle. “They were charged and subsequently freed after their victims refused to give evidence against them,” police said. Meanwhile, even though he was unable to prove ownership, police said that the suspect known as ‘Bourda Rat’ made several attempts to uplift the car, which was impounded at the Brickdam Po-
lice Station. Yesterday, the owner of the vehicle turned up. Police were able to identify the vehicle as one that was stolen on June 6, 2017 from a Roxanne Burnham resident. ‘Bourda Rat’ was arrested hours later. They are preparing to put him on an identification parade. Later yesterday, a team of detectives seized another car that is suspected to have been stolen, while detaining a taxi
driver who is a suspect in several criminal matters. Police said that the registration appears non-existent; more so, the silver Toyota Premio engine number, A392329 is not stated on the registration.” “The 27-year-old suspect, who is a taxi driver wanted for questioning in relation to several serious crimes, is cooperating with investigators.”
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Uganda, other nations guard against payment for unsuccessful exploration When it comes to the discovery of oil, nations across the world have experienced a number of challenges; one of them being the bill presented by operators for unsuccessful operations. Fortunately, many nations like Uganda and Indonesia have learnt from the mistakes of their counterparts. In this regard, these nations have ensured that there are strict clauses which specifically state that oil companies are not allowed to recover
…Guyana’s Government could have done same such costs prior to the date of production. It therefore means that the operator must bear the cost of exploration. One can see a glaring example of this in the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) that was signed between the Government of Uganda and British operator, Tullow Oil. That entity is also exploring in Guyana’s deep
waters. In that PSA, the Government categorically states, that the oil operator cannot recover costs incurred before the effective date of the contract. But Guyana’s case is quite different. There is no provision in Guyana’s contract with USA oil giant which safeguards against this. Hence, ExxonMobil was able to ensnare Guyana in
the oil agreement with a US$460M bill. This can be found in Annex C of the contract which speaks to Cost Recovery. The bill is referred to in the PSA as “pre-contract cost.” The pre-contract cost includes contract costs, exploration costs, operating costs, service costs, and general and administrative costs and annual overhead charges. UNSUCCESSFUL EXPLORATION Newcomers to the oil and gas industry are often obsessed with one thing—billions of dollars in revenue. Issues like adequate ringfencing provisions quickly fade into the background of nothingness. More than 80 countries worldwide have not only paid dearly for such a mistake, but the future of their governments and generations to come will be haunted by it. The lessons of these nations were adequately summed up by the World Bank in one of its many reports on the sticky issues of exploration. In one of its documents, Fiscal Systems for Hydrocarbons, the World Bank explains that ringfencing is an industry-specific feature. This refers to the demar-
Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman cation of taxable entities. The World Bank said that while corporate income tax normally applies at company level, in the petroleum sector the taxable entity is often the contract area or the individual project. When ring fencing applies at contract area or project level, income derived from one area/one project cannot be offset against losses from another area/project. Another type of ring fencing separates upstream from downstream operations. Usually, all costs associated with a given block or licence must be recovered from revenue generated
within that block: the block is ring fenced. The World Bank emphasised that the objective of ring fencing is to protect the level of current tax revenue and, to some extent, level the playing field by treating newcomers and existing investors equally. It noted that the disadvantage of ring fencing is that it does not incentivise exploration and investment activities. The Bank stated however, “by allowing costs to cross the fence, the host government may end up subsidising unsuccessful exploration.” (More in this regard can be read by following this link: https: // openknowledge . worldbank . org/bitstream / handle /10986/6746/ 409020PAPER0Fi1C0disclosed0Sept0181. pdf?sequence=1). ExxonMobil has already announced that the Liza one was the discovery well in 2015. Since then, it has successfully drilled Liza 2, 3 and 4 which helped the company to understand the size of the accumulation of oil and gas. It has noted that Phase one of its production will include at least 17 wells. It said that this will help develop part, not all of the Liza field. InAugust 2016, ExxonMobil drilled their “Skipjack” exploration well but no commercial quantities of hydrocarbons were found.
Sunday February 04, 2018
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Sunday February 04, 2018
Had Guyana gotten the lower end of a reasonable contract, we would have been much better off - Nigel Hinds You found out that your backyard has gold. Someone comes along and tells you he can dig up your gold. So you sign a contract with him that stipulates you are only entitled to 10 percent of your own gold. The gold digger finds 10,000 bars of gold, therefore according to the provisions of the contract, you can only get 1,000 bars
of gold while the contractor gets 9000 bars. That illustration was used by Chartered Accountant, Nigel Hinds, as he explained the situation that Guyana has found itself in, following the signing of the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA). The Accountant thinks that the contract is the worst
Guyana could have gotten. He opined that only a visionless individual could have signed such a contract on Guyana’s behalf. However, Hinds said that of all the “insulting” provisions in the agreement, the two percent is about the worst. Because of the magnitude of the find, Hinds articulated that it is almost impossible for
Guyana to end up totally broke unless there is gross mismanagement coupled with the incompetence that was displayed with the signing of the contract. He said, “We would have been much better off with a good contract but we would still do well as is because of the value of the find and the probability that the find will quadruple. But the point is we are not going to be getting what we deserve.” Hinds said that with the discovered wealth, Guyana could have become a country where the citizens enjoy a standard of living comparable with that enjoyed by those living in the first world countries. “We could have become the Kuwait of the Caribbean.” (Continued on page 71)
Chartered Accountant, Nigel Hinds
Sunday February 04, 2018
Kaieteur News
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Sunday February 04, 2018
EDUCATION CORNER
EDUCATION AS FREEDOM by Olato Sam
The University of Guyana should be commended for creating the space to address topics relevant to the development of the country through its Turkeyen and Tain Talks series. A recently concluded forum addressed the theme ‘Education as Freedom, Education Reform and Socio-economic Development in Guyana’ from a number of diverse and highly relevant perspectives. On a more philosophical level, it raised questions regarding how we as a people define education and the role it should serve within our society. It captured the essence of a long-standing debate between the more utilitarian approach to education, whereby education, nation building and human capital are intricately linked concepts, diametrically opposed to the ideas of progressivism, humanism and democratic education. It highlighted the emancipative potential inherent in educational pursuits on both an individual and communal level. It also probed the questions of who should be the individuals in authority to make key education decisions such as defining the content of our education or how education services and resources should be distributed. On a more practical level, I believe that the forum sought to examine the extent of progress we have made in shaping and defining an education system that is
relevant to the Guyana we know in 2018 and beyond. It raises the fundamental questions of, to what extent and in what ways has education served to liberate us as a people from the preexisting oppressive system and who is the Guyanese the education system should be producing? Solid arguments can be made that we have done little to free ourselves from the vestiges of the colonial education structures that we inherited over half a century ago. An analysis of various structural and education delivery dimensions of the system would bear this out. Structurally, for the most part, we have retained the highly elitist and delimiting education system we inherited. We have been successful in significantly increasing access to education at the primary and secondary levels. Quality education has been highly elusive, however, with the number of students mastering the expectations at the various levels progressively decreasing as each cohort moves to the higher levels of the system. A proper analysis would show that as they ascend to the critical secondary level only about thirty percent matriculate, and less than half of those actually access tertiary level education. Such a pyramid does not provide equal opportunities for all students to attain their full potential. It gives credence to the mindset that the school one attends is as much a
determinant of one’s potential success as it was fifty years ago. In addition, our system is rigid and narrow in many ways. It provides few opportunities for second chances or re-entry, all realities that run counter to the concept of education as freedom. Until a few years ago, there was such blind adherence to outdated rules that when pupils who would be above age eleven by grade six were discovered in the system they were skipped a grade or two to ensure they wrote the eleven-plus examination at the ‘right age’— damning them to sure failure. Students who attain the age of sixteen are still forced out of the secondary system regardless of their level of attainment and degree of competence as per similar archaic rules. There is no facility for students to re-enter the system to rewrite one or two subjects they might have failed. There are few secondchance options for adults or dropouts who might not have had the best initial experience and wish to re-enter the system. Which institution in Guyana allows you the freedom to come as you are regardless of qualifications with the intent of building the capacity of the masses for a more productive citizenry? Education as freedom also relates to what it is we learn and how we learn it. Theorists have argued that the content of our education system is the same outmoded irrelevant colonial product.
For the most part, we all learned the same things in our day the same way pupils do today, regardless of the prevailing concepts of relevance, critical and divergent thinking and problem solving. In secondary schools spread across this country all of the students in any given class go through the identical curriculum at the same rate with little accommodation of exceptionality at either end of the continuum. We have had students, in our system, who by grade nine had excelled beyond the CSEC expectations in particular subjects; but who was forced to progress at the same rate of their counterparts. One student was writing his own mathematics equations by sixth form to challenge himself since there was nothing new his teachers could teach him. Both our gifted and students with learning disabilities suffer similar faiths of unfulfilled potential. As it relates to relevance, we must investigate why the reforms aimed at through Community High and Multilateral schools failed. There are key lessons to be learned since the evidence shows that we have reverted to preexisting practices and our children are overwhelmingly opting to specialise in highly Westernized, service oriented pursuits that have little relevance or viability within our local context. We must ask ourselves, how can we create more
balance in the system by improving the quality of the available options? For the most part, the highly academic CSEC route is the only fully developed pathway within the education system in Guyana, despite the value and relevance of technical and vocational education. The reality is that our freedoms are curtailed in many ways both by the limited available options and the rules that govern the system. The majority of our students are pressured into ‘streams’ at age fifteen that ultimately force them to specialize, limiting their study options and potential choices later in life. As an example, the need to declare a major upon entry to the University and the absence of the flexibility to devise special majors that might combine different areas of pursuit can be likened to academic tyranny. The interests and talents of the average sixteen or seventeen year old Guyanese are so varied and complex that we do them a disservice in the way we rigidly structure the menu of available options. At the same time, those who are financially able or fortunate enough, opt to attend external liberal arts institutions that afford them the freedom to wade through those varied talents to find their “true calling’ and fulfill their innate potential. Such is the desirable nature of Education as Freedom. The freedoms alluded to above must be afforded in equal measure to every citizen
of our country and should in no way be determined by economics or other factors. It is therefore incumbent on us, within our respective contexts, to examine and address these issues. This forum has opened the door to question the extent to which the system creates the enabling environment within which a broader cross-section of citizens have the opportunity to contribute to shaping and defining our education structures, thereby ensuring they reflect the full extent of our diverse social and other contemporary realities. The University of Guyana is ideally positioned to lend its voice but must be supported by other stakeholders in answering the question: Who is the Guyanese the education system should produce? If the Ideal Caribbean Person, as defined by CARICOM, is one who among other things: “Demonstrates multiple literacies, independent and critical thinking, questions the beliefs and practices of the past and present and brings this to bear on the innovative application of science and technology and to problem solving; values and displays the creative imagination in its various manifestations and nurtures its development in the economic and entrepreneurial spheres and in all other areas of life”; we are duty bound to ensure that education affords all the freedom to selfactualise.
Sunday February 04, 2018
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Kaieteur News
Balwant Singh Hospital wins major case against Food and Drugs…
Director ordered to register Indian-made drugs; provide list of new medicines In a scathing ruling issued on January 30, 2018, Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, S.C. deemed Food and Drugs Director, Marlan Cole’s refusal to grant registration of several life-saving drugs to Dr. Balwant Singh’s Hospital, arbitrary, capricious and unlawful, making a previous order nisi being granted absolute. Balwant Singh’s Hospital, through attorney Devindra Kissoon, filed an application to quash Cole’s refusal to issue an import licence for 18 lifesaving drugs. The application was also to compel the regulator to reconsider those licence applications and for him to provide a list of all new drugs currently being sold in Guyana along with the names of those persons authorised to sell those drugs. Cole, according to court documents filed by the hospital last August, refused to register the drugs. The director, the court documents said, indicated he would not register any drugs manufactured in India. He had also initially failed to provide the hospital with the requested list of drugs. Cole had also rejected all attempts by the hospital to settle the matter without court intervention. Kissoon, a leading commercial lawyer and founding partner of London House Chambers, argued that Cole’s failure to approve the licences or provide the applicant (the hospital) with the list, created an untenable situation. This is because as a major public health provider, it is unable to import drugs
Attorney-at-law, Devindra Kissoon necessary for the treatment of its patients. Worse yet, by its refusal of a list that may be available for sale by licensed importers, the Food and Drug Analyst endangered the well-being of its patients and the applicant’s business operation. Kissoon argued that the hospital had routinely been provided with lists in the past and issued licences for drugs manufactured in India pursuant to Section 78(2)(k)(v) of the Food and Drug Regulations. Cole argued that the Food and Drug Administration entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) which implemented a new Caribbean Regulatory System in Guyana, and since those drugs for
After one month…
Police silent on whiskey smuggling allegation against colleague Today is exactly one month since detectives completed their investigation into the alleged smuggling of Johnny Walker whiskey by former SWAT Commander, Deputy Superintendent, Motie Dookie, and sent the file off for legal advice. Ranks are now waiting on the file before they proceed with the case. The file was passed to the Crime Chief, Paul Williams, before it was sent to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Legal advisor. It is unclear why the file is taking so long, a source said. He said that similar matters usually take less than a week. Kaieteur News understands that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Police Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) are also conducting investigations
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Motie Dookie into the smuggling of more than 30 cases of whiskey. Yesterday, calls were (Continued on page 16)
Representative of Balwant Singh’s Hospital, Dr Madhu Singh
Overruled: Food and Drugs Director, Marlan Cole
which applications were submitted were not registered with CARPHA, licences could not be issued. Cole also argued that he was concerned about consumer safety and stated that he had provided the hospital with the requested list of drugs. However, in response, Kissoon argued that Cole was deliberately misleading the Court, stating that “list supplied by Mr. Cole is woefully incomplete, in not containing the name of the local suppliers, registration numbers, date of registration, and manufacturer of the registered drugs.” Kissoon argued that without knowing where to buy life-
saving drugs, the hospital’s patients were at risk. He gave the example of Naloxone, an opioid antagonist which is used to save the lives of babies who are born with little or no vitals. Kissoon argued that “to be unable to know where to obtain that drug in Guyana is simply absurd”. He insisted that this information was routinely provided to the hospital in the past. The lawyer argued that the CARPHA MOU did not repeal Section 78(2)(k)(v) of the Act, and had no bearing on the matters before the Court. In fact, the MOU stated
that it was non-binding. Kissoon demonstrated to the court not only that the drugs sought, to be registered manufactured by two of India’s largest and well established pharmaceutical companies (Bharat Serums and VHB Medisciences Limited, and Merck Serono, a multinational company established in 1668 and headquartered in Germany focused on bio pharmaceuticals), but all of the applications contained evidence of safety to human beings and evidence that certification was issued only after documentation was produced about bio availability, bio equivalence and stability. Kissoon argued that “the Applicant is simply applying for registration of drugs that have already been developed and approved in other various countries. Clinical trials of these drugs have already been completed and approved in the development stage, which may take up to 12 to 15 years for development. “The applicant is not trying to register experimental drugs or any drug which has not been approved for human use, nor is there any evidence of this in the defence.” The hospital also alleged that the “respondent continues to arbitrarily and capriciously apply the applicable laws differently to different importers, effectively discriminating against Dr. Balwant Singh’s Hospital.
For example, as evidenced in the attached report published by the Public Procurement Commission in August 2017, the respondent allowed Ansa McAl to import drugs without satisfying the requirements of the applicable laws.” The Chief Justice (ag) sided with Kissoon, making the orders previously granted absolute, deciding that there has been no repeal of Section 78(2)(k)(v) and that the CARPHA MOU could not and does not repeal that regulation. She held that the hospital not only had a legitimate expectation to a licence, but to deny the licence was unlawful. The Court stated that there was no evidence of danger to human life and that the requested lists complete with the requested information must be provided, since the list is a publication within the public’s interest. She stated that Cole acted unlawfully, unreasonably and capriciously, awarded $200,000 in costs, and ordered compliance within 60 days. In recent times, there have been accusations of abuse of authority against Cole by not only medicine importers, but food and drinks suppliers. Kaieteur News was told that the list is “being eagerly awaited” as it would indicate the extent of abuse by the FDA.
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Sunday February 04, 2018
Kaieteur News
The crime wave of 2000s…
Timing was not right for COI- Ex PM Hinds On Mash Day, 2002, five dangerous prisoners escaped the Camp Street jail, killing a prison guard and shooting his female colleague in her face. For the next six years, Guyana was under siege with police stations on the lockdown, and persons terrified to pass Buxton, East Coast Demerara, in the evenings. Policemen were being gunned down ever so often. Police stations were being shot at. Businesses were being robbed at the drop of a hat. There was even the shocking kidnapping of a US Embassy official at the Lusignan golf course area, East Coast Demerara. This seemed pale in comparison to the number of bodies that were piling up. Quite a number of persons are still missing and believed buried in remote places. Eventually, there were whispers. A group of businessmen, worried over the situation, turned to the underworld for help. The gangs were strategically taken out, some turning up in cemeteries and even in car trunks.
In August 2008, the last of two of country’s most wanted gunmen, Rondell ‘Fineman’ Rawlins and Jermaine ‘Skinny’ Charles, met their end after being cornered in the Soesdyke/Linden area by ranks of the Joint Services. Rawlins was accused of orchestrating the Lusignan and Bartica massacres. During this period, even the country’s feared policeman Leon Fraser, a police officer feared by bandits and killers, was killed. Over the years, there have been questions about the role of various political parties, the army and police in what was dubbed as the crime wave. There were talks that officials in the police and army forces turned a deliberate blind eye to the situation. Convicted drug kingpin, Roger ‘Shaheed’ Khan, who had allegedly being recruited by businessmen to take out the gangs, fled to Suriname after running into trouble with the police here. He was later arrested and taken via Trinidad to the US where he is currently serving a prison term on drugs charges. There were accusations that the administration of the
Buxton villagers protesting during the crime wave. That East Coast village was said to be the hotbed for criminal gangs. People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) which was in power over the dark period, washed its hands on Khan
who helped him with to accumulate resources for a job that no one could dare acknowledge.
Over the years, since 2008, there have been calls for the PPP/C administrations to investigate not only the un-
natural deaths but even that of one of its ministers, Sash Sawh, and his two siblings (Continued on page 72)
Police silent on whiskey smuggling allegation against... From page 15 made to the Crime Chief; to Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan and to the Assistant Commissioner of Police, David Ramnarine to find out the exact location of the file but no one answered.Due to the lengthy period of the probe, many are worried that Dookie might walk free— again. During the Deputy Su-
perintendent of Police tenure in the force, several matters were reportedly thrown under the carpet, including one where he created a fake certificate to enter a training programme. At present, the former SWAT Commander is on his annual leave. On December 30, last, Dookie was reportedly travelling in a minibus with its driver when the ve-
hicle was stopped at a roadblock at Whim, Corentyne. Before a search was carried out on the minibus, Dookie reportedly identified himself to ranks and informed them that he had one case of whiskey in the vehicle. He claimed he was taking the whiskey for an Old Year’s Night party in the city. However, the head of the police patrol opted to search
the vehicle and found more than the solitary case Dookie declared. The former SWAT Commander and the driver were immediately placed under arrest. During the investigation, Dookie allegedly told ranks that knew nothing of the alcohol and had only begged the driver for a drop. The driver subsequently admitted ownership of the whiskey.
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Kaieteur News
Venezuela objects to World Court involvement to solve bordercontroversy By Dr. Odeen Ishmael As expected, the Venezuelan government rejected the January 30 decision of the UN secretary general (UNSG) to refer the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), also known as the World Court. When the UNSG announced his proposal in December 2016, the Venezuelan government at first expressed its satisfaction, but within a month it backtracked and insisted on the continuation of the Good Offices process, which had failed to produce any tangible forward momentum for the past quarter of a century. Guyana, since 2014, had informed the USSG of its decision to abandon the Good Offices process and urged the involvement of the ICJ — a proposal now opposed by Venezuela. Therefore, that country’s recent statement on January 31 has not come as a surprise to anyone.
Interestingly, the statement by the UNSG also stated that the two countries could benefit from the continued Good Offices of the United Nations. This conclusion was arrived at even though the UNSG admitted that the Good Offices made no significant progress during 2017 towards arriving at an agreement for the solution of the controversy. Clearly, by interjecting the use of “the continued Good Offices,” he seems to be attempting to appease the Venezuelan government, which wants the continuation of that process. Guyana’s foreign ministry welcomed the UNSG’s decision in a communiqué: “Guyana will not allow factors extraneous to the controversy to influence its referral to the Court, but it will continue the advancement of peaceful relations with Venezuela whose people are the brothers and sisters of Guyanese. In this context, Guyana acknowledges the secretary general’s suggestions for the immediate future.”
On the other hand, Caracas expressed concern over the decision in an official foreign ministry statement, and insisted on the recognition of the Geneva Agreement to resolve the dispute. “It is fitting to wonder the reasons why they recommended the International Court of Justice to two states that do not recognize its jurisdictions, and given that the Geneva Agreement contemplates the political mechanisms for the solution to this territorial controversy,” the ministry stated. But, the Geneva Agreement of 1966 conferred upon the secretary-general the power and responsibility to choose a means of peaceful settlement from amongst those contemplated in Article 33 of the Charter of the United Nations. The Geneva Agreement, signed by the Venezuelan, British and Guyanese governments, also provides that if the means so chosen does not lead to a solution of the controversy, the secretary-general will choose
The Baccoo Speaks These are interesting times. Horrible things are happening somewhere in the region and some of these things are being posted on social media. One shocking development is that one group of locals will attempt the same thing and post it. The response would be brutal, because people are convinced that such things are not natural in Guyana. ** Suddenly a number of cars once stolen from citizens
would be reclaimed. What is clear is that these cars are being used by people as taxis. One has already been detained. This is going to be
the start of a campaign to check vehicles that seek new registration. ** There will be more madness on the roads. A collision between two vehicles will claim another victim. This collision would occur because the driver of one will ignore the fact that the roads are narrow in the area and like a bully, he will proceed as though he owns the roadway.
another means of settlement. In this respect, the last means in Article 33 is judicial settlement, which clearly points to a judicial settlement by the ICJ. Why doesn’t Venezuela want the controversy to be handled by the ICJ? It claims that the 1899 arbitral award that defined the boundary between the two countries is “null and void” but, at the same time, refuses to present its case to show such nullity. The ICJ will surely be an ideal venue to make its argument. Significantly, the Venezuelan government has raised the issue of its noncompliance with the rulings of the ICJ, of which it is not a state-party. Obviously, therefore, it presents the spectre of a refusal to accept the decision of the ICJ if it deems it unfavourable. If this occurs, it would mean that the border controversy will again continue for an indefinite period. However, Venezuela is not too interested in the legal aspects; it hangs on to the idea of a settlement by which it wants Guyana to unilaterally cede nearly two-
thirds of its land territory. Actually, Venezuela’s demand has grown progressively over the years. It requested before the arbitral tribunal all the territory west of the Essequibo River with the exception of an area marked by a line stretching from the mouth of the Moruca River to the junction of the Mazaruni and the Essequibo. The claim also included the Essequibo watershed south of the junction of the Essequibo and the Rupununi rivers. Today, the claim has extended to all territory west of the Essequibo River, including the islands in the river. It has also been expanded to include Guyana’s maritime region rich with oil deposits. And as is widely known, Venezuela seized Guyana’s half of the border Ankoko Island and its armed gunboats brazenly venture into Guyana’s section of the Cuyuni River. It will be interesting to hear the response of the UNSG to the Venezuelan rebuff. At the same time, the member states of the United
Nations are no doubt hoping for a judicial solution. It is possible that their quiet diplomacy can help to propel Venezuela to work along with Guyana towards this direction. Dr Odeen Ishmael, Ambassador Emeritus (retired), historian and author, served as Guyana’s ambassador in the USA (19932003), Venezuela (2003-2011) and Kuwait and Qatar (20112014). Among his books is the trilogy, The Trail of Diplomacy — The GuyanaVenezuela Border Issue. He also currently serves as a Senior Research Fellow of the Washington-based Council on Hemispheric Affairs.
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Sunday February 04, 2018
A YEAR OF DEADLY CARJACKINGS It was a sunny Friday, twenty years ago, in February 1998, that 22-year-old taxi driver Davo Narine left home to pay an electricity bill at the Guyana Power and Light’s Main Street, Georgetown office. He told his parents that he was going to make his taxi rounds after paying the bill. But Narine, of 193 Thomas Street, Kitty, never returned home. When he did not show up, his worried family began to search for him but to no avail. The following day, they informed the police and ranks joined the search. After three days, Narine’s car was found aback of the South Dakota Circuit, Timehri, after the family received an anonymous call which informed them that it was there. The car had been stripped of its wheels, music system and battery. Scouring the area, detectives found the wheels and other missing parts from the vehicle. Suspecting that Narine had been kidnapped, detectives tapped the family’s phone in case the kidnappers called to demand a ransom. Meanwhile, detectives, family members and friends continued to search for Narine. The ransom call never came and the police were left
with no leads or evidence to arrest anyone. Refusing to give up hope, relatives kept up the search for months. They were still searching for Narine when another taxi driver was reported missing. BLOOD ON CAR SEATS Kissoon Persaud, 47, disappeared on August 23, 1998 after leaving his Hadfield Street home for the Demico car park where he operated his taxi. His crashed vehicle, with blood on one of the seats, was found at the junction of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway shortly after. A sawn-off shot gun was also found in the car. An intense search involving police, concerned citizens, relatives and even
tracker dogs was launched for the missing man. But Kissoon was not found. Then in September, a woman informed police that a male relative of hers, who was also a taxi driver, had been missing since August 20, 1998. She identified the missing man as 31-year-old Leroy Mentis, called ‘Tony’ or ‘Dougla.’The woman urged detectives to seek assistance from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to solve the mystery and find the other missing taxi drivers. According to the woman, Mentis had left his home at around 09:30 hrs for his base at the Georgetown Hospital
car park on Thomas Street and had not been seen since. It was reported that his car was found abandoned at the back of Friendship Village, East Bank Demerara with the license plates changed. Relatives, friends and police searched for the missing taxi drivers day after day. Police began to wonder whether one gang was behind the disappearance of all three drivers. As investigations continued, police thought that they got a breakthrough in the case when, in mid-September 1998, a taxi driver came to them with a bizarre story. The driver, 20-year-old Haimwant Ramkissoon alleged that he was driving near Linden when a man, who was in a police uniform complete with beret, stopped him and asked to see his documents. Ramkissoon claimed that the ‘policeman’ ordered him out of the car, and he then saw a woman and two men approaching. The driver said that the ‘policeman’ then sprayed something in his eyes that made him drowsy. Ramkissoon said that he was blindfolded and his hands were tied behind his back. He said that his abductors pushed him in a vehicle and drove for about 15 minutes. They then stopped the vehicle and robbed him of his valuables. Shortly after, he said, he was ‘chucked’ up a flight of stairs at which time he heard a male voice pleading to go home.According to Ramkissoon, someone broke a bottle and the voice stopped. He said during the time he was held hostage he heard several voices arguing about cars and about what to do with him. According to Ramkissoon, after three days, the kidnappers, who had kept him blindfolded, drove him to a deserted area and left him there. When he thought it was safe, he took off his blindfold and sought help. Ramkissoon’s damaged car was found at the Ruimveldt Industrial Site.
His police report offered a glimmer of hope to the relatives of the missing taxi drivers. Police conducted searches in the area where Ramkissoon claimed the kidnappers had left him, but found no clues.By then, investigators had begun to question several suspects in the kidnapping. Relatives of the three missing men were offered a bit more hope when a wanted man who was the prime suspect in the kidnappings was apprehended in Suriname. The suspect was a young prisoner, who had escaped from the Camp Street jail while serving a 12-year term for armed robbery and murder. The fugitive, along with two women, was arrested in Suriname for crimes that were committed in the former Dutch colony. SKELETON FOUND The two-month search for Kissoon Persaud ended tragically on October 1, 1998 when his skeleton was found in a sand-pit near the Soesdyke/ Linden Highway. The remains were found at around midday, about 400 yards off the Soesdyke/Linden Highway on the northern side, approximately one and a half miles from the Soesdyke junction. Kissoon’s wife, Lilawatie, who had spent many agonising hours searching for her husband, identified the remains by a gold tooth on the left side of his jaw, a wrist watch which was found partially buried in the sand some distance from the skeleton, his belt and one of his shoes. The woman had also recognised her husband’s shirt which was also nearby, although it was quite faded from exposure to the elements. An autopsy revealed that he had been shot. Kissoon Persaud’s wife had said that the man who was arrested in Suriname confessed to shooting her husband. Soon after, two men were charged with Kissoon Persaud’s murder. Their Preliminary Inquiry (PI) commenced at the Providence Magistrate’s Court. The matter was subsequently dismissed due to lack of evidence against the accused. Meanwhile, police and relatives continued to search for the other missing taxi drivers. BONES NEAR THE SOUTH DAKOTACIRCUIT In January 1999, some
woodcutters were working in the forested area aback of the South Dakota Circuit when they came across some bones. They were not alarmed, but upon taking a closer look, they realised that they were looking at the remains of a human. They quickly called the Timehri Police Station. After months of hopeless searching, the Narines got a call from the police informing them of the discovery. Narine’s father, Bob, went with the police to the scene where he identified the skeleton by some of the teeth. He also identified a checkered shirt, a pair of jeans and a pair of brown footwear near the remains. The father recalled that his son was wearing these same garments the day he disappeared. Police confirmed that Narine had been shot once between the eyes, with the bullet exiting the back of his head. The skeleton was found in the bushes about 200 feet from where Narine’s car was discovered.“He had his ways…He used to do the taxi thing for fun,” Narine’s brother, Sham recalled. “All de time we did searchin’, we never gave up hope that he was alive,” he added.His brother opined that a particular gang was behind the kidnappings and killings. He also believed that the people would kidnap the taxi drivers, kill them, and then use their cars to commit robberies. According to Narine’s father, Bob, investigators went to Suriname to question the prime suspect, who denied knowledge of the murders. The suspect was eventually jailed for 30 years in Suriname over a shooting incident. At the end of his sentence he will be handed over to Guyana’s police. The question the Narines have asked is what was the motive for those brutal killings? No one was ever charged with Davo Narine’s murder. Meanwhile, the body of Leroy Mentis was never found. If you have any information about any other unusual case, please contact Kaieteur News by letter or telephone at our Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown office. Our numbers are 22-58458, 2258465, 22-58482 and 2258491. You need not disclose your identity. You can also contact Michael Jordan at his email address: mjdragon@hotmail.com
Sunday February 04, 2018
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Kaieteur News
==THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN==
Guyana: The presence of fear, the absence of humanity One morning in the last week, as I was walking on the seawall with my dog, policeman Roy Profit, of the TSU office, drove up alongside and began to discuss with me the topic of random traffic stops. A vehicle drove up behind Profit’s, and thinking that he was blocking the pathway, Profit went his way. But the car did not proceed. The driver slowed up and indicated that he wanted to have a discussion. It was not a good time for me and I told him so. He informed me about his problem. He worked for fourteen years at the GRA and was interdicted from duty while the police investigated GRA’s complaint against him. The police found no illegality was committed, but the GRA wrote him a dismissal letter without specific reason(s) for termination. I told him what he was telling me made no sense. Before I went into my car, I cited the case of Nizam Hassan. He was charged for conspiracy to procure money
under false pretence, acquitted, and returned to his public sector job. I gave him my mobile number and asked him to call me later that morning. He did I agreed to investigate his complaint against the GRA and write about his plight. I was pellucid that I will have to name him. He did not want to be identified. I indicated that I cannot make those accusations against the GRA without specifics, because I could be accused of fictionalization. I told him if his story is true, he should go public, because fourteen years of his life just went down the drain. His cry was fear of victimization. That was the end of that. I ended the conversation with that fellow somehow feeling that there are factual dimensions to his story, but he chose to let the file close. I encounter dozens like him each year. People’s lives are ruined through terrible abuse of power in both the private sector and the public sphere,
but the ocean of fear in them drowns their willingness to go public. So they suffer forever in silence. This ubiquitous fear in Guyanese is incomprehensible. It may be a macabre expression of abnormal nature that one may not find in another country. Even in a repressive country like Iran, the youths violently exploded two weeks ago. The existence of this culture of fear is equally matched by a ubiquitous human callousness to suffering that almost may have no parallel elsewhere. Seawall vendors complained to me that the area is in total darkness in the nights because the authorities turned off the lights. I saw the uncivilized site for myself and did an entire column on it. Then a prominent Amerindian gentleman penned a letter in all the dailies about the trepidation he felt when he took his grandchildren there.
He said that he cut short his visit because the darkness provides a huge opportunity for criminals. The Stabroek News also took up the issue. The organization you would think that would have immediately spoken up and condemned this Faustian pit of darkness would have been the tourism officials. Each day, each night one can find foreign visitors to Guyana on that stretch of seawall from the bandstand to the Kitty pump station. It was morally imperative for the tourism officials to condemn the decision of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (the ministry’s cited vandalism as its reason). To date, there isn’t even a whisper from that section about this nonsense. This country does not have a functioning consumer
rights entity. This country does not have an active human rights organization. Not even one lawyer utters even one word about the inhuman court decisions that are made in the magistracy. An 18-year-old girl is jailed for six months for going to Suriname with a speedboat at Springlands. The charge was leaving Guyana illegally. A sixty-five year-old, physically challenged man is denied bail for possession of a few grams of cocaine. An interior resident is remanded for possession of illegal ammunition. If you did not read my column on this unbelievable farce, let me repeat it. He was found with one spent shell. Do you believe that? If you
Frederick Kissoon have a normal mind you wouldn’t. It is simply not possible. It is simply not believable. Yes, one spent shell. This is a country that jails poor people for three years on the charge of possession of a smoking utensil. Let me end with what I asserted in my last Sunday column. You may not like Donald Trump. But he is right. The world has shithole/ shithouse countries. Guyanese live in one of them.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday February 04, 2018
How dare you, Mr. Jagdeo? Watch and learn. Despite all the big talk from Bharrat Jagdeo, he can now sit back, relax, and look on as a super-nationalist, patriotic government deals with the cankerous Guyana-Venezuela border issue. And it is not being done in the manner that he and his highly corrupt, discredited, pre-2015 administration had planned to handle it, not in the least. Jagdeo, now warming the opposition benches and likely to do so for several elections after 2020, had the gall and the bold face to tell this nation that he had seriously considered surrendering parts of Guyana’s land and sea space to Venezuela “just to ease the pressure” on his government and appease the land-hungry Venezuelans. The most hurtful part of this scenario is that not one single Guyanese Head of State or Government, past or present, had ever uttered words to that effect. Never! Just the thought raises the hairs on your neck. Give away land to Venezuela, a country that is 100 times
larger than Guyana? How dare you, Mr. Jagdeo? We do hope that you are paying close attention, or as the young folks are wont to say, ‘watching the ride’, as the matter now heads to the International Court of Justice for a final resolution. Led by a highly patriotic President, H.E. David Granger, the governing Coalition considers it as heresy for anyone, much less a former President of this Republic, to even consider giving up a single blade of grass to Venezuela, and by doing so, encouraging that country to keep up its illegal, spurious, fabricated and downright ornery claim to territory that is ours. Here is what Mr. Jagdeo was quoted as saying back in 2015, and in recent weeks, and he insists on maintaining his highly absurd position. He said: “There were other options that involved a negotiated settlement which did not see any land concessions that the 1899 award would remain intact. You could probably on
the maritime area, give Venezuela a channel out to the sea. So you make a slight concession in the maritime area but ensure that you do not concede any territory that is land-based.” It is alleged that the Venezuelans’ high payments to Jagdeo’s regime for rice (higher than world market prices) had political undertones. Remember that Guyana was originally left out of Venezuela’s Petro Caribe oil deal when it was first introduced to the rest of the Caribbean. But little did he know that Venezuela’s intentions for Guyana were dark, not above board. Love had nothing to do with it, to turn an adroit phrase from Tina Turner.Luckily for Guyana, the Maker intervened and then He blessed the nation with the 2015 general elections that brought us leaders with names like David, Moses and Joseph to rescue the country from the greedy, clutching hands of the Jagdeoites.
The people spoke with their inked fingers and got the PPP out of office. From the very first day after the new Cabinet was selected, its members identified as the first order of ‘Business” the settlement of Venezuela’s spurious claim to Guyana’s territory. Not one person even considered ceding any sea or land space to Venezuela. This Government expressed its position from Day One that this matter had to be adjudicated and resolved at the highest level, the World Court, because of Venezuela’s spite and very bad intentions. Foreign Minister Carl Greenidge could tell us how tense the talks involving UN Mediator Dag Nylander were, even him receiving proposals from various “quarters” for Guyana to find some means of appeasing Ve n e z u e l a . Guyana’s delegation stood firm and insisted that the mediated talks had been a waste of time, resources, energy, money, and an assault on our national sensibilities for decades.
We must also keep remembering that Jagdeo publicly stated (recently) that he has withdrawn his party’s support from the National Border Commission. Again, he provides us with reasons to question his nationalism, his patriotism. Which politician worth his/her salt and good name would choose to abandon his party’s historical contributions and obligations towards ensuring the sanctity and integrity of our territories? But it’s Jagdeo we’re talking about here. A Stabroek News editorial on November 1, 2015, wasted no time taking him to task for even considering ceding Guyanese sea space to Venezuela. The Editor’s quote follows:“It is interesting that Mr Jagdeo did not specify precisely where in the area of the Orinoco the terminal point of the maritime boundary would be in this scenario. The terminus of the land border is Punta Playa, and any maritime boundary, therefore, should take that as its starting point. Since the
former head of state was not forthcoming in this regard, one is left to wonder whether his government was toying with the idea of ceding a strip of territory as well in order to create this “channel”. Venezuela’s agitation for a concessionary strip for the purpo s e s o f w h a t w a s claimed was access to the sea from the Orinoco, goes back at least as far as the 1970s and the days of President Carlos Andrés Pérez, who said that this would settle the issue. Then Prime M i n i s t e r Forbes Burnham was not persuaded. I n f a c t h e c o i ned a term for the consequences it would produce, labelling it the “salami effect,” since, after Venezuela had taken one slice, she would be back for more.” So Mr. Jagdeo, the Coalition will show you how to deal with bullies, and how to separate your personal mendicancy and your penchant for quick fixes from the needs of a nation. Not one blade of grass. Watch and learn.
Sunday February 04, 2018
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Kaieteur News
My column
Going back to the days of horror in Guyana At the turn of the century, Guyana experienced its worst crime wave. Suddenly sleepy villages became the object of police hunts and near incessant gunfire. Many people died; some because they dared to object to the presence of gunmen and some because the law enforcement authorities caught up with them. I remember the jailbreak that started all this. The bands were out on the road; people were celebrating. There I was reporting on the floats and the excitement people were feeling. Cell phones were not as smart as they are today. And I had one of them, a Nokia. It rang. Immediately my mind switched from Mash to jailbreak. I saw the police patrols that found the escape car, but there were no signs of the escapees. That jailbreak made the headlines. It overshadowed the Mash celebration. Fast forward to a day in August. I was in New Amsterdam when I got a call that the police had found Andrew Douglas dead in a car on the East Bank. He had been shot. But before that he posted a video claiming to be a freedom fighter. This video is what has put a spin on some of the comments that have been heard after President David Granger swore in a commissioner to probe the Lindo Creek massacre. Needless to say there were robberies all over the
place, but at the same time people were dying. I remember the story of a young man being killed in Buxton. The next thing I knew is that I was racing to the village because there was a body, burnt and smoking in the village. Someone had exacted vengeance by killing him for killing the young man. Those were cruel times. Those were the times when criminals suddenly gravitated to the so-called Buxton gunmen. Inspector Gadget became a household name. Then one night as he was walking in Ruimveldt, some vigilantes caught up with him and killed him. The society breathed a sigh of relief. There was one man named Monkey Nut. He had just bought a Chinese food in Campbellville and was walking toward Kitty. A group caught up with him and killed him. It was not unusual to hear the sound of gunfire at any hour. And in the wake of the gunfire, to find bodies strewn about. I remember the morning when the police caught up with Kwame Pendleton and another man. They had just left Buxton and had reached Turkeyen. They died in a hail of police bullets. One man escaped. He reportedly hid in a nearby canal until night then walked out. The killings had become the norm; people stayed indoors. It was a bad time for
night life. I was at work one Friday night when a report came that gunmen had shot up the police headquarters at Eve Leary. That was the ultimate. For criminals to attack the highest forum of law and order was to throw down the gauntlet. Indeed policemen were shot out of hand. They were afraid to wear their uniforms. Many travelled to work in civvies and changed into the uniform only to undress to the end of the day. There was the policeman who was doing traffic duty when he was shot dead on Regent Street. A few hours later there was the brutal attack on Lusignan. It was a sleepless Friday night and a harrowing Saturday. The photographs which were uncharacteristically published told of a slaughter. There must be a commission of inquiry into this massacre. There was the Allen Stanford-sponsored cricket match the night the gunmen attacked the police station at Bartica, killing three of the policemen there. Others were to die in that tiny community as gunmen went on a rampage. It turned out that these were the same gunmen who had slaughtered entire families at Lusignan. Perhaps the most frightening episode came when a police party thought that it had cornered some gunmen in Ruimveldt.
That standoff did not end well for the police who were outgunned. To make matters worse, the gunmen stopped their escape to challenge the policemen who could not respond. Then came news of Lindo Creek. But even before Lindo Creek became known to the ordinary Guyanese, they learnt that there was a place in Guyana called Christmas Falls. The gunmen had gone there to hide out. There was a police raid on that hideout and one young man was killed. The police were hot on the trail of the gunmen. Leonard Arokium went to his mining operation at Lindo Creek and found the burnt remains of his son, his brother and others. Nearly all of them were unidentified when they were buried. Nobody knows for sure what happened, so the government wants to find out. The relatives of the dead men want closure. Indeed, the Lindo Creek massacre occurred after the
Lusignan and Buxton massacres. The question, then, is why hold this inquiry first. The answer is that it’s very newness means that the evidence is still fresh. However, other inquiries are promised. I am aware that there are many more questions. One of them is whether the nation wants to have its old wounds reopened. Indeed, I would prefer to forget those dark days, and they were dark. Back then I jogged in the early morning. I remember running up behind a limping man heading north on Mandela Avenue. This individual stopped and bent over, but I jogged past. Sometime later I learnt that the limping man was Jerry Perreira, a notorious bandit who was later found killed in a house in East Bank Berbice, not far from New Amsterdam. He was reportedly shot and killed by Dale Moore, one of the five men who broke out of the Camp Street jail in February 2002. This Perreira once shot Charles Ramson on Sheriff Street.
Adam Harris A. A. The people who are suspected of the Lindo Creek atrocities were not the jailbreak five, but they spawned the group that followed. The Lindo Creek inquiry would therefore, go back a long way, perhaps encapsulating the massacres at Lusignan and at Bartica. Indeed wounds would reopen. Former President and former Prime Minister Sam Hinds says it all goes back to 1997. His testimony would make for interesting reading.
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Sunday February 04, 2018
Venezuela’s aggression has hindered Guyana’s development Venezuela’s claims to over 150,000 km² of Guyana’s land space and a large part of its hydrospace have their origins in its rejection of the 1899 award of the international tribunal as a nullity. The land boundary, subsequent to the award, was surveyed and the details embodied on maps and certified by agreement of January 10, 1905. Guyana has long recognised that Venezuela’s aggression has hindered the development of its five Essequibo regions– Barima-
Waini; Pomeroon-Supenaam; Cuyuni-Mazaruni; PotaroSiparuni and Upper Takutu Upper Essequibo – through lost foreign investments and blocked projects. Guyana had to seek safety beneath the shelter of international law in order to guarantee its territorial security and attract foreign investment in a competitive international environment. Venezuela, under President Raúl Leoni Otero, placed an advertisement in the Times newspaper of London on June 15, 1968 to the effect
that the Essequibo belonged to Venezuela and that it would not recognise economic concessions granted there by the Guyana Government. President Leoni then issued Decreto No. 1.152 of July 9, 1968 purporting to annex a nine-mile wide belt of sea space along Guyana’s entire Essequibo coast and requiring various agencies, including the Defence Ministry, to impose Venezuelan sovereignty over it. Guyana suffered another maritime reversal in July 2000.
President Hugo Rafael Chávez Frias issued a blunt rejection of the agreement between the Government of Guyana and Beal Aerospace Corporation of the United States to establish a satellite launch facility in the Waini, part of Guyana’s territory claimed by Venezuela. His Minister of External Affairs José Vincente Rangel followed this by announcing that Venezuela would begin granting oil concessions in Guyana’s Essequibo region. At the first sign that Guyana was ready to harness its natural resources in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Venezuela unleashed its aggression, which for years, had been restrained by diplomatic protocols. The seizure and subsequent release of the Teknik Perdana, a seismic vessel hired by the United States oil company, Anadarko in October 2013 was Venezuela’s way of reviving the border conflict, which the rest of the world acknowledges, has been settled in 1899, 119 years ago by an international tribunal. That Arbitration Award, which was set up in 1898, clearly established the boundary of what was then British Guiana. During that arbitration process, Guyana was still being ruled by the British, who effectively argued its case and provided evidence to show that the Dutch and not the Spanish had occupied Essequibo as Venezuela was claiming. After months of deliberations, the tribunal awarded Britain ownership of the territory west of the Essequibo River and granted Venezuela about 13,000 square miles of land, which includes part of the Barima district on the right bank of the Ori-noco River and about 5,000 square miles of territory in the upper Cuyuni. At the end of this process, the controversy came to an end but resurfaced again
in 1962. At that time, the Government and people of Venezuela claimed that the 1899 award was null and void, a position that current Head of State, Nicolas Maduro is pushing in his bid to claim ownership of two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass. According to an article written by Dr. Odeen Ishmael, while Venezuela regards the 1899 award null and void, it could not produce any document to prove its claim. This notwithstanding, Venezuela, Great Britain, and British Guiana, in February 1966, signed an agreement at Geneva, Switzerland to establish a bilateral commission to settle this matter. Dr. Ishmael, a veteran Guyanese diplomat, who once served as Ambassador to Venezuela, in his article, stated that since 1966, Venezuela has spread the propaganda that the arbitral award is null and void and by doing so, contradicted the terms of the Geneva Agreement. “More recently, it has been expressing the view that the territorial dispute is inherited from British colonialism, the view is patently false since the land boundary between Guyana and Venezuela was permanently and definitively delimited by the international arbitration on October 3, 1899,” he said. On May 26, 2015, when Guyana was celebrating its 49th independence anniversary, Venezuela issued Decree 1787 which claimed a significant portion of Guyana’s territorial waters. This Decree was subsequently retracted and a new one was issued. The new Decree justifies the actions of the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) in defending the newly created Integrated Defense Maritime Zones and Island, which encompasses most of Guyana’s exclusive economic zone, including the Stabroek Block where explor-
atory works are being conducted by Exxon Mobil, a major oil company from the United States. The new Decree was followed by a military show of aggression on September 22, 2015 when Venezuela’s army deployed over 200 troops with missiles, machine guns and a military boat on Guyana’s frontier between San Martin and Ankoko Island. This military build-up was done on the eve of the 70th General Assembly of the United Nations (UN). The troops retreated as the UN forum got underway. UN Secretary General, Ban KiMoon facilitated a meeting between President Maduro and Guyana’s Head of State, David Granger. This led to some agreements, which included, the return of Venezuela’s Ambassador to Georgetown and Venezuela’s agreeing to accept Guyana’s Ambassador to Caracas. Upon assumption to office in 2015, President David Granger made it clear that Guyana wanted a permanent solution to this matter which has been on-going for over 100 years. He said, “It is a legal problem that has to have a legal solution; it is not a political matter that we can negotiate, I cannot overturn the award of an international tribunal…I am obliged under the constitution to protect the full territorial space of Guyana.” The controversy was placed before the Secretary General of the United Nations, in accordance with the Geneva Agreement of 1966. In December 2016 outgoing UN Secretary General Ban Kimoon which had been ongoing since 1990, would continue for one final year, until the end of 2017, with a strengthened mandate of mediation. He also reached the conclusion that if by the end of that2017, significant progress has not been made towards arriving at a full agreement for the solution of the controversy; he would refer the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as the next means of settlement. On January 30, 2018 President David Granger was officially notified by Secretary General of the United Nations His Excellency Antonio Guterres that the controversy would go to the World Court. Guterres said he had fulfilled the responsibility within the framework set by his predecessor, Mr Ban Ki-moon in December 2016, and had chosen the ICJ as the means to be used for the solution of the controversy.
Sunday February 04, 2018
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Kaieteur News
Tips to help you quit smoking By Dr Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine Unfortunately there are about one billion smokers worldwide. According to statistics, half of them will die as a result of their tobacco smoking. Tobacco smoking is responsible for seven million deaths worldwide every year. The tobacco found in cigarettes is a drug that is highly addictive and often hooks users; often for life, however shortened it is. Today we will discuss some ways you can help yourself or others to combat this addictive condition. WHATARE THE BENEFITS OF QUITTING SMOKING? Quitting smoking can lower your chances of getting or dying from heart disease, lung disease, kidney failure, infection, or cancer. It can also lower your chances of getting osteoporosis, a condition that makes your bones weak. Plus, quitting smoking can help your skin look younger and reduce the chances that you will have problems with sex. Quitting smoking will improve your health no matter how old you are, and no matter how long or how much you have smoked.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I WANT TO QUIT SMOKING? The letters in the word “START” can help you remember the steps to take: S = Set a quit date. T = Tell family, friends, and the people around you that you plan to quit. A = Anticipate or plan ahead for the tough times you’ll face while quitting. R = Remove cigarettes and other tobacco products from your home, car, and work. T = Talk to your doctor about getting help to quit. HOW CAN MY DOCTOR HELP? Your doctor can give you advice on the best way to quit. He or she can also put you in touch with counselors or other people you can call for support. Plus, your doctor or nurse can give you medicines to: % Reduce your craving for cigarettes % Reduce the unpleasant symptoms that happen when you stop smoking (called “withdrawal symptoms”). WHATARE THE SYMPTOMS OF WITHDRAWAL? The symptoms include: % Trouble sleeping % Being irritable, anxious or restless
%Getting frustrated or angry %Having trouble thinking clearly Some people who stop smoking become temporarily depressed. Some people need treatment for depression, such as counseling or antidepressant medicines. Depressed people might: % No longer enjoy or care about doing the things they used to like to do % Feel sad, down, hopeless, nervous, or cranky most of the day, almost every day % Lose or gain weight % Sleep too much or too little% Feel tired or like they have no energy % Feel guilty or like they are worth nothing % Forget things or feel confused % Move and speak more slowly than usual % Act restless or have trouble staying still % Think about death or suicide ARE THERE MEDICINES TO HELP STOP SMOKING? Yes, there are medicines that help to calm your cravings and decrease your chances of smoking. Nicotine replacement therapy eases
withdrawal and reduces your body’s craving for nicotine, the main drug found in cigarettes. There are different forms of nicotine replacement, including skin patches, lozenges, gum, nasal sprays, and “puffers” or inhalers. Many can be bought without a prescription, while others might require one. There is also a class of antidepressant medication that helps ease your cravings. It’s best to talk to your doctor about which option is right for you. HOW DOES COUNSELING WORK? Counseling can happen during formal office visits or just over the phone. A counselor can help you: % Figure out what triggers your smoking and what to do instead % Overcome cravings % Figure out what went wrong when you tried to quit before WHATABOUT E-CIGARETTES? Sometimes people wonder if using electronic cigarettes, or “e-cigarettes,”
might help them quit smoking. Using e-cigarettes is also called “vaping.” It is not recommend taking ecigarettes in place of medicines and counseling. That’s because e-cigarettes still contain nicotine as well as other substances that might be harmful. It’s not clear as yet how they can affect a person’s health in the long term.WILL I GAIN WEIGHT IF I QUIT? Yes, you might gain a few pounds. But quitting smoking will have a much more positive effect on your health than weighing a few pounds more. Plus, you can help prevent some weight gain by being more active and eating less. WHAT ELSE CAN I DO TO IMPROVE MY CHANCES OF QUITTING? You can: % Start exercising. % Stay away from smokers and places that you associate with smoking. If people close to you smoke, ask them to quit with you. % Keep gum, hard candy,
Dr. Zulfikar Bux or something to put in your mouth handy. If you get a craving for a cigarette, try one of these instead. % Don’t give up, even if you start smoking again. It takes most people a few tries before they succeed. WHAT IF I AM PREGNANT AND I SMOKE? If you are pregnant, it’s really important for the health of your baby that you quit. Ask your doctor what options you have, and what is safest for your baby. There are two ways to quit smoking; you can die from smoking or START today.
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SUNDAY SPECIAL ExxonMobil hands Guyana US$460M bill covering pre-discovery operations Guyana is now hurrying to put measures in place to monitor and assess cost recovery claims. However, it has already tied itself to the repayment of US $460,237,918M. This is according to the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) that Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman signed with ExxonMobil. Annex C of the contract speaks to Cost Recovery. The list of items to be included in this aspect is vast. One of the many expenses that Guyana will have to stand is what is referred to as “precontract cost.” The pre-contract cost is referred to in the contract as the “cost incurred by contractor with petroleum cooperation carried out pursuant to the 1999 Petroleum Agreement.” The PSA said that this sum shall be “included” in the pre-contract cost. The PSA states that the pre-contract cost “shall include four hundred and sixty million, two hundred and thirty seven hundred thousand and nine hundred and eighteen United States Dollars (USS 460,237,918) in respect of all such costs incurred under the 1999 Petroleum Agreement prior to the year ended 2015, “and (2) such cost as incurred under the 1999 Petroleum between January 1, 2016 and effective date which shall be provided to the Minister on or before October 3, 2016 and such number agreed on or before April 30, 2017. For purposes of this paragraph, the term pre-contract cost includes contract costs, exploration costs, operating costs, service costs, and general and administrative costs and annual overhead charge as
Kaieteur News
those terms are defined in the 1999 Petroleum agreement.” According to ExxonMobil’s website, even though the agreement was signed since 1999, the company only initiated oil and gas exploration activities in Guyana in 2008, collecting and evaluating substantial 3D seismic data that led to the company safely drilling its first exploration well in 2015. Wikipedia states, “Oil exploration is an expensive, high-risk operation. Offshore and remote area exploration is generally only undertaken by very large corporations or national governments. Typical shallow shelf oil wells (e.g. North Sea) cost US$10 – 30 million, while deep water wells can cost up to US$100 million plus. Hundreds of smaller companies search for onshore hydrocarbon deposits worldwide, with some wells costing as little as US$100,000.” The PSA signed by Trotman also ensures that Guyana stands the cost of even the interest added to loans taken by ExxonMobil for the purpose of the operation. Sugar talks lead to bitter internal fallout in PPP Komal Chand prepared to back workers over party affiliation President of the Guyana Agriculture and General Workers Union (GAWU), Komal Chand, said Saturday that he will continue to place the needs of workers above political considerations. Chand, a Member of Parliament for the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP), has come under criticisms for leading the union in a meeting with Government on January 19, last, to discuss the way forward for over 7000 workers who were cut from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). ”I have always stood with
the workers. GAWU is a mass organization. We are not affiliated with the PPP as we were in the mid-70s. I have always stood very firm with the workers. My loyalty first is with the workers,” Chand told Kaieteur News. President David Granger, and members of his Cabinet, met with GAWU and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) at the Ministry of the Presidency to discuss the future of the sugar industry. A Government release stated that after more than two hours of discussions, the parties were able to find common ground and the Unions agreed to fully cooperate with the Government to find a solution, which can benefit all stakeholders. Chand stated that the meeting was based on a request from the membership which wanted to get certain matters clarified, including the payment of severance. At a press conference Saturday, Opposition Leader and General Secretary of the PPP, Bharrat Jagdeo, expressed personal issues with the statement in the press release of the parties working on common grounds. He said that the Government scored public relations points from the meeting and questioned the common grounds which were agreed upon between the two parties. ”The unions came away with nothing and the Government came out with a wonderful statement. We met, big photo [opportunity] around the world; they agreed with the union to work on a common ground for the future. What is this future?” Jagdeo questioned. The Opposition Leader’s criticisms followed an article published in the Guyana Times that called for Chand’s removal as president of
GAWU. The Times newspaper is owned by Jagdeo’s best friend, Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop and has over the years been labeled as a mouthpiece of the PPP. Several political analysts believe that the meeting has angered the leadership of the PPP and attempts are being made to have Chand removed as the union’s president. GRA drops hammer on questionable vehicle auctions-yanks licences of several private Customs warehouses Frauds at the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) over the years have been many with all kinds of schemes discovered. As a result, the state would have lost, over time, billions of dollars in revenues, especially from import duties. From under-invoicing to imports being listed under the wrong codes to reduce the quantity of taxes due, GRA have been uncovering them, one by one. In the wake of this, staff-
Sunday February 04, 2018
ers would have been sent home. In fact, GRA has admitted around 100 staffers sent home in the last 18 months alone under new management led by Commissioner-General, Godfrey Statia. The complaints ranged from collusion with businessmen to absenteeism. One type of fraud from within its ranks that GRA had been battling is a major scheme involving ‘Want- OfEntry’ vehicles and other imports. These are items brought in and left on the wharves because of various reasons. However, GRA has been discovering cases where staffers were colluding with businesses and others to sell those vehicles below values, netting the state little revenues. In some cases, persons wanting high-end vehicles that attract millions of dollars in duties and taxes, would conspire with GRA staffers. The vehicles are brought
in and deliberately left on the wharves for a while until GRA announces an auction. At the auction, the businessman would bid for the vehicle and normally wins, because that bid would invariably be the highest. However, that is where the trick is, officials explained. The amount that was placed as a bid during those auctions is not what is eventually recorded in the books of GRA. A lower amount is entered and nobody is the wiser. The GRA staffers would normally get a kickback and the businessman walks away paying a pittance for the vehicle. In other cases, persons are alerted to high-value goods left uncleared on the wharves and same thing happens. GRA would have auctioned scores of vehicles and other items it has been seizing or left on the wharves over time. The value of those taxes and duties if correctly collected would amount to tens of millions of dollars for the state. MONDAY The Oil and Gas Sector…Joint ministerial committee formed to address cost recovery – Trotman A joint ministerial committee has been established to examine matters related to cost recovery. This was recently revealed by Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman. He was at the time, responding to questions from this newspaper regarding the agency that would be mandated to examine cost recovery claims by ExxonMobil, when training is expected to commence regarding auditing skills and whether government would be (Continued on page 33)
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From page 32 contracting the help of international experts for this new field. It was at this point that the Minister revealed that there is a joint ministerial committee comprising officials from the Ministries of Finance and Natural Resources. He said that one of the co-chairs for the committee is Finance Ministry Budget Director Sonya Roopnauth. ”They are looking at the fiscal and revenue side of things and they are meeting quite often.” The Minister also noted that the Guyana Revenue Authority and the Bureau of Statistics are involved, along with financial agencies such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Trotman also noted that a team from the World Bank is expected to be here soon. He added, “I know training has started and workshops are being held. All systems are in place for production to be monitored when it commences in 2020.” The Guyana Revenue Authority has commenced the review of cost recovery claims by USA oil giant, ExxonMobil. This was recently confirmed by GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia. Statia explained that based on the contractual arrangements, ExxonMobil is allowed to recover 75 percent of its costs in a given year. He explained that expenses which are not recovered for that year are carried forward to the following year. Statia said, “So what you need to do is audit those costs …It is important to do a proper audit because a failure to do so can have implications for the government’s cut of the pie. The higher the expenses, the smaller the take could be, so the audits need to be effective. But we have
started the review of the costs incurred thus far by ExxonMobil. The audit of the claims by ExxonMobil started last year. Cops pursuing prime suspect in Monica Reece investigation – person of interest being monitored, ordered to inform police of overseas travels The detectives seemed to have everything: key witnesses, and a popular individual who they were so certain is the killer, that he had to tell them whenever he travelled overseas. But yet the investigation into the heinous Good Friday murder of 19-year-old Monica Reece appears to have stalled once again. Questions are now being asked as to, Why this is so? ”There is an individual that is being pursued and that is why the investigation was reopened,” a source told Kaieteur News, while quashing any suggestions that the case may have been compromised. It was in July 2016, that former Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum revealed that police had reopened their investigations into the April 1993, Monica Reece murder. On August 26, 2016, Acting Commissioner of Police David Ramnarine dropped another bombshell. At a press conference, Ramnarine stated that “an unprofessional course of action took place at the time when the investigation was ongoing.” The first review (of the case) revealed that an unprofessional course of action was taken in that year, and that period, when that matter was under investigation.” However, the acting Top Cop had refused to be drawn into identifying the culprits. The investigation was placed in the hands of the
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much vaunted Major Crimes Unit, whose ranks had solved several cold cases, including the killing of Babita Sarjou. Hit-and-run driver leaves girl, four, with memory loss After spending excruciating weeks in the Georgetown Public Hospital, a four year old, who was struck down last year by a heartless hit-and run driver, is happy to be home. But things are not quite right just yet with little Vanessa Rampersaud. Vanessa, of Coverden, East Bank Demerara was crossing the public road at Success, East Coast Demerara with her father on the evening of November 17 last, after attending a friend’s birthday party, when a speeding car without lights struck her down. The driver did not stop. She was rushed to a private health institution and subsequently transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital after doctors discovered that the child had a fractured skull and spine, broken collar bone, brain haemorrhage and reportedly broken ribs. She spent several days in the Intensive Care Unit before being transferred to the hospital’s Paediatric Ward. The child was verbally unresponsive for quite a few
Raphael Trotman
weeks, before finally speaking a few words to her parents. She was discharged from the Hospital in the latter part of December last, following much tears and prayers. Her father, Yougnauth Jadunauth told Kaieteur News Sunday, with excitement in his voice, that he is unable to express just how happy he is that his daughter is alive and is still recovering. He said she is playing with her siblings as normal but fails to remember certain things and has to be taught, or in this case, reminded. TUESDAY Contract reveals… Guyana to foot bill for
litigation brought against ExxonMobil Should ExxonMobil be taken before the courts in Guyana or even before a regional or international court for any reason that has direct relations to the company’s operations in Guyana, the cost incurred for all legal fees or judgment handed down will be paid by Guyana. This is stipulated in the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) that Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman signed with ExxonMobil Vice President, Erik Oswald. Under Annex C of the contract, there is a vast area that deals with cost recovery.
This is the range of items the cost for which will be recovered by ExxonMobil before Guyana can see profits. Annex C has a subheading “Legal expenses.” This states that all legal expenses incurred by ExxonMobil for any matter in direct relation to operations in Guyana shall be included in cost recovery. The PSA specifies, “All costs and expenses of litigation and legal or related series necessary or expedient for the procuring, perfecting, retention and protection of the contract area and in defending or prosecuting lawsuits involving the contract area or any third party claim arising out of the activities under the agreement or sums paid in respect to legal services necessary or expedient for the protection of the interest of the parties are recoverable. Where legal services are rendered in such matters by salaried or regularly retained lawyers of the contractor or an affiliated company of the parties comprising contractor, such compensation will be included instead under subsection 3, 1 (B) or 3.1(D) above as application” Subsection 3, 1(B) speaks to labour and associated labour costs and 3, 1 (D) (Continued on page 34)
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From page 33 speaks to third party contracts. If there is an oil spill and ExxonMobil is sued, Guyana will pay the price. This annex in the contract harmonizes with what environmentalists have been saying about the provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). It was earlier reported that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) accepted an EIA from the oil giant that is weak compared to that given to some other countries. The impact of an oil spill could be major for Guyana and its neighbours. GAWU defies Jagdeo… Union vows to continue sugar talks with Govt. The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) on Monday stated that it will continue to engage the coalition government on issues of employment facing workers in the sugar industry which is reeling from the closure of estates. GAWU came in for severe criticism on Saturday from General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, for meeting a Government delegation led by President David Granger. The National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) also attended the meeting on January 19 at the Ministry of the Presidency. ”It is dismaying that our union is singled out for this sort of criticism, recognizing that several organisations are engaging the state on matters of concern. Why is a different yardstick being applied to GAWU?” the union questioned.
FREED: Abiola Jacobs
Kaieteur News
Jagdeo took GAWU and its leader, Komal Chand, to task, since in his opinion the government won big on the public relations front. Jagdeo stated that nothing was achieved, although a statement on the meeting concluded that common ground was achieved between the union and the government. ”It seems maybe Mr Jagdeo misunderstood the conclusion of the meeting, as both GAWU and NAACIE undertook to work with the government in reaching common ground. We did not advise that common ground was reached,” the union noted. Chand, who is also a PPP Member of Parliament, clapped back at Jagdeo, telling Kaieteur News that he will stand with the more than 5000 workers affected by the estate closure, over party politics. GAWU, despite its leadership being aligned to the PPP, seemingly backed Chand. The union believes that it should use every arena and leave no stone unturned to further the struggle of the sugar workers. ”Engagement with the government is one such plank. In fact, GAWU is no stranger to engaging Government on workers’ matters. In our years of association with the sugar industry, the GAWU has engaged every Head of State from the late President L.F.S. Burnham,” GAWU stated. Freed after 4 years, accused in Agricola housewife murder rejoices Abiola Jacobs looked dazed. She hurried out of the prisoner’s dock when the jury returned a unanimous not
guilty verdict. Jacobs called Abby, 27, of Evan Phillips Park, Agricola, East Bank Demerara, had been on trial before Justice James Bovell-Drakes for the January 31, 2014 murder of 55year-old Agricola housewife Donna Taylor, who was her former mother-in-law. According to reports, Jacobs had shared a relationship with the woman’s son, Bertram Taylor Jr. Donna Taylor’s bound body was found at the back of her Lot 16-17 Public Road Agricola, East Bank Demerara home. She was found with her hands bound behind her back, a slit throat, and a piece of cloth wrapped around her neck. The mother of four was said to have been attacked in her bed and slain after she was dragged to her backyard. The other occupant of the rented upper flat at the time, Samantha Sabat, was subsequently found lying unconscious in the front yard. The British-based Sabat was a guest of the Taylors. She reportedly escaped by removing the panes from her bedroom window and jumping to the ground from the top flat of the two-storey structure. Monday, at around 16:00hrs the jury returned with its verdict after a few hours of deliberation. State Counsel Mandel Moore gave oral notice of the state’s intention to appeal. But Justice James BovellDrakes refused to accept the notice of appeal stating that it has to be done in the proper manner. Also appearing for the state was Prosecutor Lisa Cave. Jacobs was represented by Attorney-at-Law Adrian Thompson. After the judge informed Jacobs that she was freed, the former murder accused slipped on a pair of sunglasses and blew a kiss at the jurors before rejoicing with her family and friends who were waiting for her on the court corridors. Jacobs, who was attired in all black, with a pair of highheeled shoes was almost hit by a motorcycle as she made her way across South Road, Georgetown. The young woman began dancing with her relatives who hugged and kissed her. WEDNESDAY UN mediation fails… Guyana heads to Int’l Court to settle Venezuela border controversy In what is being seen as a huge victory for Guyana, and after another year of failed border settlement talks between this country and neighbouring Venezuela by the United Nations, there is
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Minister of Natural Resources, Rapheal Trotman and ExxonMobil Vice President, Eric Oswald history, the political mud- statement, he, like other heartening news. Guyana is now heading to slinging begun between Gov- Guyanese, “recognises that the International Court of ernment and the Opposition. the Granger-led Government Justice (ICJ) for a final resoThere is now the sparring only raises this issue when it lution on the border contro- about who orchestrated the is cornered on its incompeversy. mayhem that left hundreds tence and corruption in ofThe outcome would be dead and many others unac- fice.” what Guyana has been insist- counted for. ”I have noticed the moves On Tuesday, Opposition by the state-owned Guyana ing for…a settlement once and for all for a huge swath of Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, called Chronicle to dub the Commismineral-rich Essequibo that on the COI to focus on the sion as the ‘Jagdeo-era killVenezuela has been claiming ‘political operatives’ of that ings CoI’.”However, I am of era, as well as the role the the view that a more apt defor the last century. The decision was widely People’s National Congress scription would be a ‘Comanticipated since earlier this allegedly played in lending mission into the PNC-inmonth with both the Govern- support to some of the crimi- spired killings of the 2000s’. ment of Guyana and the nals during this period of vioI have also noticed MinUnited Nations on Tuesday lence. ister Harmon’s comments He suggested that a “cred- about several inquiries, as issuing separate statements. Guyana’s push to have ibly constituted Commission opposed to a comprehensive the matter settled finally in the of Inquiry, staffed by interna- CoI into the crime wave. I beICJ would come after Venezu- tional jurists, will expose the lieve that no inquiry will be ela suspended a lucrative oil- intellectual authors behind complete unless there is a for-rice deal with this coun- the crime wave of the 2000s, comprehensive review of including the political opera- what took place and who the try in 2015. That date would be sig- tives who were involved.” operatives were, particularly According to Jagdeo’s nificant as the Coalition Gov(Continued on page 35) ernment took office in May 2015, immediately facing the loss of the rice market and learning that a huge quantity of oil had been discovered in the Stabroek offshore block by ExxonMobil. Venezuela immediately published maps too claiming the offshore areas where the oil was found. In late 2015, President David Granger appealed to the United Nations for a peaceful resolution, signaling this country’s intentions to have the matter handled by the respected ICJ. Welcoming the decision of the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday disclosed that the matter has been referred to the ICJ. Jagdeo says…Crime wave COI will expose political operatives, intellectual authors– calls period “era of PNC-inspired killings” With hours remaining for the swearing in of a Commission of Inquiry into one of the MURDERED:Donna Taylor bloodiest periods in Guyana’s
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From page 34the political operatives.” According to the Opposition Leader, if what Minister Harmon has said is to be taken at face value – “this is about issues of fact and for the Commission to determine what happened, when it happened, who was involved and, therefore, what action needs to be taken.” – then there are many questions that have to be answered. ExxonMobil/Guyana oil contract spells disaster for Guyana–Ramon Gaskin Political commentator Ramon Gaskin said Tuesday evening that there are glaring loopholes in the contract Guyana Government signed with USA oil giant ExxonMobil and its affiliates. To a modestly sized audience at the National Library, Gaskin concluded that the “terribly flawed” contract spells nothing but disaster for this nation. Among the many faults, Gaskin was quick to point out that the APNU+AFC Government had a golden opportu-
Venezuelan Foreign Ministers Jorge Arreaza
nity to correct a grave wrong that was committed by the PPP Administration in 1999. During the PPP’s time, ExxonMobil was given 600 blocks. This is ten times more than what the law stipulates. The nation’s rules and regulations also specify that at every request for a renewal, the company is expected to relinquish half of the oil blocks it started with. But the PPP made an adjustment to the contract, thereby allowing the company to hold on to the 600 oil blocks. In the new agreement that was signed last year under the Granger administration with ExxonMobil, Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman failed to address or redress the aforementioned problem. Gaskin is also of the opinion that the government in missing such an opportunity has allowed ExxonMobil and its affiliates to have control of some of the main oil producing blocks offshore Guyana.
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The Chartered Accountant was also critical of the fact that the Government is yet to release the Bridging Deed. While the Government has released the petroleum contract it has with ExxonMobil, the Bridging Deed was one of the key documents it failed to make public. The purpose of the Deed is to replace the 1999 Agreement and the 1999 Petroleum Prospecting Licence. Gaskin reminded that former President Janet Jagan signed the 1999 Agreement in violation of the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act (the Act) to the extent that the company (Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited) was granted approximately 600 blocks instead of the 60 blocks permitted by law. The Chartered Accountant said that the 1999 Agreement and Prospecting Licence appears to have been contained in a single package and included in it is a full description of the blocks and a map of the area allotted to the oil company. However, the 2016 Agreement merely states that a Petroleum Prospecting Licence was granted for an initial period of four years. With the Bridging Deed not being published, Gaskin said that the Government is operating in contradiction of the nation’s petroleum laws. THURSDAY Venezuela rejects referral of border controversy to Int’l Court-insists on political negotiations Neighbouring Venezuela has backpedaled on its recognition of the United Nations’ authority to determine the next step on territorial controversy with Guyana. Wednesday, in a strong
statement, Venezuela, which has been slapped with sanctions by a number of countries because of ongoing turmoil and human rights abuses, made it clear that it prefers political dialogue than going to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is the principal judicial organ of the UN. A statement read by Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Jorge Arreaza, disclosed that his Government has ratified the Geneva Agreement, signed in 1966, which “recognized” the sovereignty of Venezuela over the Essequibo and declared the Arbitral Award issued in 1899 in Paris as “null and void”. ”That is the treaty that governs the territorial controversy,” said the Venezuelan Foreign Minister, who demanded that sovereignty be respected, according to reports in the media from that country. ”The Government of Venezuela, faithful to its historical tradition and in accordance with the Bolivarian Diplomacy of Peace, reiterates its willingness to defend the territorial integrity of our homeland and maintain political negotiation based on the Geneva Agreement,” the foreign minister said. Venezuela said that its statement was in response to correspondence it had received from the Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, who has agreed for the matter to be settled once and for all at the ICJ. In late 2015, the new Coalition Government, acting on a number of incidents which highlighted a seeming threatening posture of Venezuela, took the matter to the UN. Outgoing Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, committed to have the matter looked at.
In February last year, new Secretary General Guterres appointed Norwegian ambassador, Dag Nylander, as his personal representative to mediate on the territorial controversy. Both Guyana and Venezuela agreed that they would attempt, until the end of 2017, to reach a resolution, failure of which the matter would be sent to the ICJ. It will be recalled that Venezuela’s aggressions took a more strident tone in 2015 when the new government under President David Granger took office, and when it was announced that Guyana has found oil offshore. Venezuela immediately laid claim to the waters where the oil was found. The country also suspended an oil-forrice deal with Guyana. There are thousands of Guyanese living in Venezuela with daily protests and food shortages facing that country. However, there has been a growing cross-border trade in oil and food items. Despite IMF’s advice…Trotman says Petroleum Commission will still meddle in revenue collection Even though the International Monetary Fund (IMF) suggests otherwise, it appears that the government is still going to maintain that the Petroleum Commission be given fiscal powers. This was recently confirmed by Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman. He was at the time, responding to questions from Kaieteur News. This publication asked the Minister to confirm if all revenue powers in the petroleum sector would go to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) or if it would remain split between that entity and the imminent Commission. Trotman said, “There are some grey areas…like the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) collects all fees which are paid, licensing fees etc. The intention is for the (Petroleum) Commission to collect licensing fees. Revenues which are earned from petroleum will be handled by GRA. So that matter will be better defined… The commission will collect fees and penalties charges.” The Petroleum Commission Bill which is before the National Assembly will pave the way for the establishment of a regulatory body for the oil and gas sector. The Bill sets out various functions and duties of the Commission, one of which includes revenue collection and other fiscal powers. According to the Bill, the Commission shall: ascertain
the cost oil or gas due to operators; participate in the measurement of petroleum to allow for estimation and assessment of royalty and profit oil or gas due to the State and be responsible for the approval of the exercise; provide the necessary information to the relevant authority for the collection of taxes and fees from petroleum operations; be responsible for the collection and recovery of all rents, fees, royalties, penalties, levies, tolls and any other charges payable under the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act and any other revenues of the Commission; and advise the Minister of Natural Resources in the negotiation of petroleum agreements and in the granting, amendment, renewing, extending, and revocation of licenses. But the International Monetary Fund is opposed to this idea. It is of the view that the Commission should only stick to being a sector regulator and not meddle in revenue collection matters. The Fund said that the GRA should be dealing with such matters. The IMF said that the Government also agrees that the tax entity should be the only revenue-collecting agency for the oil and gas sector. The IMF said if the intention is to have the GRA as the single revenue collection agency for the petroleum sector, the Bill should be amended. FRIDAY Trees on 10-acre plot earmarked for ExxonMobil begin to die– Approval for lease still to be granted The thick vegetation that once occupied the 10-acre plot of land that has been earmarked for oil giant, ExxonMobil, is starting to diminish. Since last year, ExxonMobil “expressed interest” to Ogle Airport Inc. (OAI) for the lease of 10 acres of land at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport. OAI has told Kaieteur (Continued on page 36)
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From page 35 News that it is still in discussion with ExxonMobil for the lease of the land. However, this newspaper understands that the deal had already been made and that the holdup is with Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission. The Commission has the mandate, under the master lease agreement, to approve every sublease to be made by OAI. The Commission is however uncomfortable with OAI leasing land for longer periods of time than the master lease prescribes—25 years. As a result, all leasing of land has been stalled; even the leases that OAI granted to Jags Aviation and Hopkinson Mining are still to be approved by the Commission. OAI said that the Lands and Survey Commission is looking to renew the master lease before it can approve the new leases of 50 years. Despite OAI not being able to grant finalised leases, ExxonMobil seems to have otherwise been assured that it can move forward as efforts are already underway to utilise the land. Suddenly, the trees are beginning to die. While this newspaper has been told that ExxonMobil wanted to erect living quarters, a training school, a helipad, along with its headquarters, OAI recently told Kaieteur News that ExxonMobil is only interested in erecting its headquarters on the 10-acre land. Asked why a company would need 10 acres of land upon which it will build its headquarters when it said that its onshore staff will be minimal, OAI said that foreigners have a different way of doing things. One of OAI’s original investors, Michael Correia, said, “We may see 10 acres as a lot but it is not really.” He said ExxonMobil will use a few acres of land for parking alone. “Then those people will want to have proper landscaping and so on. So you have to consider all of that.” He said that ExxonMobil plans to employ Guyanese for the construction of the headquarters. GRDB defendants served with over 2,000 statements The Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) matter continued Thursday in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman. When the matter was called, Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) Prosecutor, Patrice Henry served the defendants with 2,000 copies of statements. The two officials charged are former General Manager
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of the Guyana Rice Board Development Board, Jagnarine Singh, and former Deputy General of GRDB and People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Member, Madanlall Ramraj. It is alleged that between 2011 and 2012, at Lot 16-17 Cowan Street, Kingstown, they omitted to enter, or to make true entries of over $4.2M into the company’s ledger, knowing that it was contrary to standard operation procedures. Other charges state that during the same timeframe, the two officials are alleged to have fraudulently taken $5.1M or applied the money for their own use and benefit or any use and purpose, other than that of the GRDB. The prosecutor told the court that the investigation into the matter was completed and that he would be serving both defendants with statements. He had to be assisted with getting the reams of statements into the courtroom since there were several parcels. The defence lawyer, Glen Hanoman, upon seeing the reams of statements said “the prosecutor’s intention is for this trial to go on until 2020.” SATURDAY Vegetation on land ear-
marked for Exxon discoloured from natural causes - OAI “I am not sure what the concern is, but if the concern is that the trees have been sprayed, be assured that they haven’t.” This was the response given by one of the main investors in Ogle Airport Inc. (OAI), Michael Correia, when asked about the trees that have suddenly begun to die on the 10-acre plot of land earmarked for ExxonMobil. OAI is the private sector company that controls the Eugene F. Correia International Airport. The company has been in negotiations with ExxonMobil for the subleasing of 10 acres of prime land at the airport. OAI claims that it is still in discussion with ExxonMobil and is yet to sign any documents. However, ExxonMobil claims that it has signed, “An agreement with Ogle Airport Inc. expressing mutual interest in potentially sub-leasing approximately 10 acres of land for an extended period”. What is very clear, however, is that the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission has not given OAI the go-ahead to sublease the land to ExxonMobil. Nevertheless, the thick
vegetation that once covered the 10-acre plot that was earmarked for ExxonMobil has started to diminish. A large portion of the area is no longer green. On Friday, Correia said that there has been no attempt, as yet, to get rid of the “overgrown vegetation.” He said that the vegetation seems to have become discoloured from natural causes. Also, Correia said that he has requested that OAI’s inhouse environmental officer investigate the matter and report the cases to him. He posited that in any case, the vegetation will eventually have to be removed for development. Whatever the reasons for the discolouration of the vegetation, it is only occurring on the land earmarked for the oil giant. Since last year ExxonMobil “expressed interest,” in land at Ogle. Suspected carjacker nabbed with woman’s stolen vehicle -showed cops ‘valid’ registration when stopped Police appear to be slowly gaining the upper hand against the perpetrators of recent carjackings. The most recent success occurred Friday, after police were able to link a man who was implicated in a number of
recent carjackings to one which occurred last year. The victim, a 66-year-old woman, was about to drive into her yard at Irving Street, Queenstown, on November 4, 2017, when three men held her at gunpoint. The bandits then drove off with the woman’s Toyota Allion. “Today (yesterday) the woman positively identified her stolen vehicle, which was impounded recently at an ‘A’
Town Clerk Royston king
Division Station,” police said. “Her registration matched that of the engine and chassis numbers, with the only exception being the (vehicle’s) colour, which was changed.” “The said vehicle was found in possession of a male who claimed ownership and even produced a valid registration, but police had their suspicions and impounded the vehicle, pending further investigations.”
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One cigarette a day ‘increases heart disease and stroke risk’ Smokers need to quit cigarettes rather than cut back on them to significantly lower their risk of heart disease and stroke, a large BMJ study suggests. People who smoked even one cigarette a day were still about 50% more likely to develop heart disease and 30% more likely to have a stroke than people who had never smoked, researchers said. They said it showed there was no safe level of smoking for such diseases. But an expert said people who cut down were more likely to stop. § Why young people are now less likely to smoke § Quit smoking campaign backs e-cigs § ‘One smoke leads to daily habit for most’ ‘Stop completely’ Cardiovascular disease, not cancer, is the greatest mortality risk for smoking, causing about 48% of smoking-related premature deaths. While the percentage of adults in the UK who smoked had been falling, the propor-
tion of people who smoked one to five cigarettes a day had been rising steadily, researchers said. Their analysis of 141 studies, published in the BMJ, indicates a 20-a-day habit would cause seven heart attacks or strokes in a group of 100 middle-aged people. But if they drastically cut back to one a day it would still cause three heart attacks, the research suggests. The researchers said men who smoked one cigarette a day had about a 48% higher risk of developing coronary heart disease and were 25% more likely to have a stroke than those who had never smoked. For women, it was higher - 57% for heart disease and 31% for stroke. Prof Allan Hackshaw at the UCL Cancer Institute at University College London, who led the study, told the BBC: “There’s been a trend in quite a few countries for heavy smokers to cut down, thinking that’s perfectly fine, which is the case for things
like cancer. “But for these two common disorders, which they’re probably more likely to get than cancer, it’s not the case. They’ve got to stop completely.” The researchers said it might be expected that smoking fewer cigarettes would reduce harm in a proportionate way as had been shown in some studies with lung cancer.However, they found that men who smoked one cigarette per day had 46% of the excess risk of heart disease and 41% for stroke com-
Why stress makes you fat We all know what makes us fat: eating more in calories than we burn off in energy. But though this is true, it doesn’t answer the more interesting question - why do we overeat in the first place? Why do I sometimes feel compelled to eat that bit of cake or bar of chocolate although I know I am going to regret it a few minutes later? Is it just greed - or is something else going on? Although self-control is important, there is mounting evidence that stress plays a significant part in weight gain. Chronic stress disrupts our sleep and our blood sugar levels. This leads to increased hunger and comfort eating. And that then leads to further disrupted sleep, even higher levels of stress and even more disrupted blood sugars. In time, this can lead not only to unhealthy levels of body fat, but also to type2 diabetes. To see what can happen, Dr Giles Yeo, a member of the Trust Me, I’m a Doctor team, decided, with the help of scientists from Leeds University, to put himself through a par-
ticularly stressful day. The Leeds scientists started by asking Giles to do something called the Maastricht Stress Test. They put him in front of a computer and made him rapidly subtract a number, 17, from another number, 2,043. He kept making mistakes, which for someone like Giles is particularly stressful. Then they got him to put his hand in a bath of ice-cold water and hold it there. Before and after these tests, the Leeds team measured Giles’s blood sugar levels. Our blood sugar levels rise when we eat and, in a healthy person like Giles, they
quickly return to normal. But what the Leeds team found was that on the day when Giles was being deliberately stressed, his blood sugar levels took three hours to return to normal - some six times longer than on a previous, stress-free day. The reason this happens is that when you are stressed, your body goes into “fight or flight” mode. Your body thinks it is under attack and releases glucose into your blood to provide energy for your muscles. But if you don’t need that energy to run away from danger, then your pancreas will pump out insulin to bring those blood sugar levels back down again. These rising levels of insulin and falling blood sugars will make you hungry which is why you crave sugary carbs when you are stressed. http:// www.bbc.com/news/health42788280.
pared with those who smoked 20 cigarettes per day. For women it was 31% of the excess risk of heart disease and 34% for stroke. Prof Hackshaw said the increased risks of cardiovascular illness were over the course of a lifetime but damage could be done in just a few years of smoking. But he said the good news was that those who quit smoking could also quickly reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease. Cutting down not ‘use-
less’ Paul Aveyard, professor of behavioural medicine at the University of Oxford, said the “well conducted” study confirmed what epidemiologists had suspected - that light smoking created a “substantial risk for heart disease and stroke”. But he said it was wrong to conclude cutting down smoking was useless. “Those who try to cut down with the aid of nicotine, whether from nicotine replacement treatment or an e-
cigarette, are more likely to stop eventually and thus really reduce their risks from smoking,” he said. Martin Dockrell, tobacco lead at Public Health England, said: “This study adds to the growing body of evidence which tells us that cutting down to just one cigarette a day still leaves a substantial risk of heart attack and stroke. The best and safest thing you can do is to quit completely for good.” Deborah Arnott, chief executive of health charity ASH, said: “It’s addiction to nicotine that keeps people smoking but it’s the tar in cigarette smoke that does the serious damage. “Vaping is much less harmful, but only if you quit smoking altogether.” Simon Clark, director of the smokers’ group Forest, said discouraging people from cutting down smoking could be “counterproductive”.http:// www.bbc.com/news/health42802191.
Tens of millions of prescription drugs on the black market Criminal gangs have smuggled tens of millions of prescription-only drugs out of the UK’s protected supply chain, a BBC File on 4 programme has discovered. They tricked or bribed pharmacists and drug wholesalers to access almost 160 million tablets with a street value of up to £200m over a three-year period. Misuse of these anxiety and insomnia drugs is a serious public health concern, the medicines regulator says. The Home Office says it is working with partners to help those addicted. “Tough enforcement is a fundamental part of the strategy and we are taking coordinated action to tackle illegal drug use alongside other criminal activity,” an official added. Diazepam, Nitrazepam, Temazepam, Zolpidem and Zoplicone: § These drugs should be sold only by those licensed and regulated to do so, within the legitimate supply chain § They can be addictive if taken for a few weeks § Withdrawal symptoms, including anxiety, panic attacks, nausea and palpitations, often last up to six weeks and sometimes longer § Other possible adverse effects from prolonged use are memory loss and confusion, low mood and insomnia § Some patients feel drowsy during the daytime and, especially for older
people, this may put them at greater risk of having a fall and injury. In some cases, the criminals used fake documents to pose as genuine dealers. But in others pharmacists were approached directly and offered payment to order and supply the drugs. § Prescription drug pregabalin linked to death rise § NHS prescription drugs being sold illegally by patientsAn investigation by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) resulted in 41 arrests including five pharmacists, who have been suspended from practice Twelve wholesale dealer licences have also been handed in or terminated. An intelligence report seen by the BBC describes an illicit distribution network centred in the north west of England, running through the Potteries, to the Midlands and on to London.It says there are further investigations linked to organised crime groups in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Just three of the websites the gangs set up to sell the drugs had sales of £55m over a 12-15-month period. And, the MHRA report says: “One of the internet operations sold 15,000 packs of Zopiclone a day, indicating a daily net profit of £505,950.” The MHRA says it recov-
ered more than two million tablets in one raid alone. And Police Scotland found 750,000 pills in the back of a van. CRIMINAL PROFIT MHRA enforcement head Alastair Jeffrey said: “A typical example would be a wholesaler dealer or a pharmacist ordering vast amounts of these particular types of medicines on behalf of the criminal who would then sell them generally on the internet. “They have a sales team, a distribution team - this is a huge business and there is a massive amount of criminal profit to be made. “We have responsibility for regulating the supply chain, and it is our absolute priority to make sure that supply chain is secure.” Mr Jeffrey said some of the people who had bought medicines from the websites “are just general members of the public, holding down good jobs, getting on with their lives who have unfortunately fallen into this type of drug use”. “We are talking about thousands and thousands of people potentially that need some assistance,” he added. Last week, it was announced Public Health England would undertake an independent inquiry into the scale and harms caused by addiction to prescription medicines. http:// www.bbc.com/news/health42810148.
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Jessica Biel Praises “Super Hot Dad” Justin Timberlake in Heartfelt Birthday Post Justin Timberlake can’t stop the birthday feeling! While there are just a few days to go until his Pepsi Super Bowl halftime performance, the “Suit and Tie” singer is turning 37 and receiving a whole lot of love. “Hey, it’s my birthday y’all. Getting that birthday cut. I feel like [DJ] Khaled right now. New song alert. Man of the Woods. Major Key,” he joked in a new Instagram video. “I’m really feeling myself right now on my birthday. Thank you for the birthday wishes. I love you. Thank you!” In between his haircut from celebrity hairstylist Christine Nelli, Justin also received one sweet message from his wife Jessica Biel. On Wednesday afternoon, the actress posted a photo with her man that included a heartfelt caption sure to cause some awwwws. A picture says a thousand
words. And thank goodness because there aren’t enough to express ALL the aspects of my love and respect for you,” she wrote. “Here’s to a spectacular year ahead. I’m so proud of all you’ve accomplished and all that is ahead for you. Plus you’re a super hot dad. A ninja dad. A kiddie teeth
brushing, Jedi sleep mind tricking, intimidating dad voice disciplining SUPER HOT DAD. I love you, you hot dad.. I’m here, right by your side, OG fan girl #1. Happy birthday, my beloved. Now go crush it this weekend at SB LII.” The post received more than 350,000 likes in two hours
and even a special comment from Jessica’s 7th Heaven costar Beverley Mitchell. “Just the best!” she wrote. “Happy happy birthday @JustinTimberlake! Can’t wait to see you kill it this weekend!” It’s about to be a big birthday week for Justin who will release his new album Man of the Woodsthis Friday. And while fans have enjoyed his new music including “Filthy” and “Say Something” with Chris Stapleton, some critics are still confused by the name of the album. Let the man explain himself. “By the way, the album is named after my son,” Justin shared in his latest Instagram video. “His name means of the woods so stop telling me I’m making a country album.” Happy birthday, J.T. http:// www.eonline.com/news/ 910777/jessica-biel-praisessuper-hot-dad-justintimberlake-in-heartfelt-birthday-post.
Dwayne Johnson Wants to “Break Out the Tequila” Over Emily Blunt’s Jungle Cruise Casting Dwayne Johnson is “so excited” to have Emily Blunt join the Jungle Cruise cast. The actor took to social media on We d n e s d a y to welcome Blunt to the movie. “Welcome the talented, beautiful and bad ass Emily Blunt to JUNGLE CRUISE,” he captioned a video post. He then joked that President Barack Obama just “confirmed to me the most critical deal points in her contract, so we’re gonna get along juuuuust great.” One of those deal points being that she has to laugh at all of Johnson’s “cheesy ass jokes.” The caption continues, “Break out the tequila. All aboard. The adventure cruise of a lifetime. #BluntJohnson #Disney #JungleCruise.” In the video, Johnson shares that after reading the script for the first time, Blunt was his first choice
to join him in the movie. Johnson, who is a producer on the movie, has been giving updates on the Disney film in recent days, sharing a photo of himself and the film’s director together over the weekend. “The magic is brewing,” Johnson told his social media followers. “Very productive 4 hour meeting with my Spanish filmmaker, Jaume Collet-Serra. We’ve been working on this project for over a year now and I’m very pleased and impressed with his vision, tone, edge, humor and love. Excited to make this one for you guys ‘round the world. Our honor and privilege to b r i n g t o l i f e , D i s n e y ’s JUNGLE CRUISE. Making this one is a childhood dream of mine, so it’s hard to put in words what it all means. Grateful SOB. Let’s get to work. Shooting begins this May...#AllAboard #Disney #JungleCruise.”www.eonline.com
Katherine Heigl, Suits’ Biggest Fan,Joins the Season 8 Cast How will Suits fill the void left by Meghan Markle and Patrick J. Adams? With Katherine Heigl. The Grey’s Anatomyveteran is joining the USA legal drama for season eight. The second half of season seven has still yet to air. Heigl will play Samathan Wheeler, a new partner at Pearson Specter Litt. Look for her to challenge the status quo and either become the firm’s “greatest ally…or most powerful enemy,” USA said in a press release. “Joining Suits was the perfect organic way to not only collaborate with an EP I admire deeply, but to also become part of a show and cast that I am an immense fan of,” Heigl said in a statement about the Aaron Korsh-created drama. “I have watched Suits from the very beginning and feel incredibly lucky to be the newest member of the Pearson Specter Litt family.” Dulé Hill is also a new series regular opposite Gabriel Macht, Sarah Rafferty and Rick Hoffman. Season eight begins production in Toronto in April. “On behalf of the entire Suits team, I am extraordinarily excited to welcome Katherine Heigl into our family—I have always been a big fan of her work and was delighted to discover she was an avid Suits fan herself,” Korsh said in a statement. “I cannot wait to have her come
play with our entire cast and crew. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Harvey, Louis, Donna and Alex as the mysterious Samantha Wheeler is a direct threat to their status quo. One thing is for sure—Samantha’s wit, charm, loyalty, strength and vulnerability will all be put to the test as she muscles her way into the firm currently known as Pearson Specter Litt.” Hegel, who won an Emmy for Grey’s Anatomy, previously starred in the shortlived Doubt on CBS and NBC’s State of Affairs. Adams and Markle will leave the series at the end of season seven. Markle’s exit has been widely known, she’s now engaged to Prince Harry.www.eonline.com
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USAID-funded programme to increase opportunities for youth Guyana is to benefit from a Community, Family and Youth Resilience (CFYR) programme which aims at supporting family networks, communities, service providers and Government agencies to implement successful approaches that reduce violence and increase opportunities for youth. Creative Association International has received funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for the implementation of the CFYR in target communities in Guyana and two other Caribbean territories. The timeline for the project is July 2016 September 2020. According to information on the project obtained from https:// www.creativeassociatesinternational.com/, despite its beautiful beaches and relatively high levels of development, the Caribbean is situated at an ideal transit stop for traffickers moving drugs and weapons from northern South America to the U.S. and Europe. It said that while drug transit has abated in recent years, crime and violence has persisted. High youth unemployment and a lack of psychosocial support resources for youth have exacerbated the problem and contributed to a cycle of violence. The Community, Family and Youth Resilience programme will identify and work with families and their youth who are empirically at the highest risk of becoming involved in crime and violence. This programme will assesses youth risk through the Youth Service Eligibility Tool (YSET), which measures risk across nine factors at a family, peer and individual level. “Youth will be matched with interventions based on their level of risk and these interventions will seek to increase protective factors or “resilience”. These initiatives include civic activities to build social and leadership skills, workshops to increase youth workforce readiness, community activities that promote positive
youth-police contact, and campaigns to challenge those gender norms which contribute to an environment permissive of violence,” according to the website. The programme will also reach youth at higher levels of risk—those who are leaving the juvenile justice system—with targeted support to improve their chances of reintegration. Based on evidence and proven success in Central America, including the USAIDfunded ProponteMas programme, the Community, Families and Youth Resilience programme aims to reduce rates of juvenile detention and build community safety and cohesion in the areas where it operates. Creative Associates International is implementing the programme in partnership with international and local organisations with expertise in evidence-based approaches to building the capacity of g o v e r n m e n t s , communities, and local service providers to deliver prevention services to at-risk youth. These groups include the Pan A m e r i c a n D e v e l o p m e n t Foundation, the University of Southern California and Youth Build International. Recently, Creative Associates International said it will apply part of the funding towards and Annual Programme Statement (APS) and is now requesting Concept Papers from eligible entities to deliver these programmes. Persons may submit Concept Papers for a single component or multiple components. Component 1: Community Cohesion Training and mentoring is required for community residents and Community Enhancement Committees (CECs) to strengthen their ability to improve both inclusiveness and cohesiveness in the community. Component 2: Positive Connectivity to School This is seeking to support CECs to work with administrators of the schools attended
by most of the children from target communities to implement Positive Behaviour Intervention and Support (PBIS) systems. Component 3: Entrepreneurship This component is seeking to support the specific CFYR community target population in developing entrepreneurs and does not expect any organization to provide vocational training. Concept Papers should focus on developing soft skills and business/marketing plans for potential entrepreneurs guiding them to effectively develop, organize, secure funds/ credit and financing and manage a business venture. Component 4: Improved Parenting This component will focus on working with CECs to facilitate the building of nurturing parent skills, effective parental monitoring, use of positive discipline and adoption measures that build confidence and responsible behaviour in/by children. It will also identify means to support fathers’ involvement in parenting. Programmes should be designed to be delivered in multiple settings, including community facilities. Component 5: Victims of Violence and Trauma Supported
Woman beats man, ends up in jail In a case of domestic violence, a woman who beat up her lover on a regular basis has been jailed for 10 months on a charge of unlawful wounding. Jem Rosmund Cadogan, 49, of Lot 18 Adelphi Village, East Canje Berbice is a mother of three. She is well known to the authorities and is a court regular. She was accused of wounding George David called “John Quain”, 62, of Lot 3 Goed Bananen Land , East Canje Berbice. The incident was committed on December 16, last, at Goed Bananen Land, East Canje Berbice. It was noted that it was not the first time that
E’bo power outages fuel related - GPL
The rented generators at the Anna Regina Power Plant, Region Two. The Guyana Power and Light (GPL) in a statement, yesterday, is claiming that Essequibo’s recent power outages are due mainly to fuel related issues. The stateowned company noted that these interruptions, referred to as ‘trips,’ lasted for no more than 15 minutes. The GPL statement was in response to a report on Friday
in Kaieteur News in which a photo was captioned, “Three new Caterpillar generators at Anna Regina Power Plant.” The generators were believed to have been the new sets procured by the company for Region Two. The power company, however, noted that the generators shown in the photo were not the new sets,
but rather rental sets. GPL further noted that the three new 1.78 megawatts generators acquired by the company have not been put into operation as yet. GPL said that last year, the entire Essequibo Coast was converted from 50 hertz to 60 hertz. This necessitated the rental of the four Caterpillar sets, which provide sufficient
This will seek to identify ways of supporting community healing and to build on existing opportunities to strengthen and promote healing within the target communities. It should concentrate on strengthening informal social networks to provide support to the most vulnerable—including women and young people—along with leadership development to advocate for rights, ongoing support and care. Component 6: Substance Abuse Awareness Concept papers for this component should demonstrate the capacity to strengthen the CECs ability to develop and implement social and behaviour change programmes that address substance abuse. The main objectives are to develop key educational messaging that would appeal to the target audience about the effects of substance abuse; create confidential accessible support mechanisms within the communities to assist children and youth with coping skills and assist with building a sense of community responsibility that will help residents see their role in preventing substance abuse in their communities.
generation compatible with the converted network. Kaieteur News was informed that the new generators are currently being assembled, and will be commissioned with the new power plant at the end of the second quarter in 2018. This effort is in keeping with GPL’s developmental agenda for the Essequibo Coast.
Codogan was before the court for wounding the victim or other residents. She appeared before Magistrate Renita Singh in the Reliance Magistrate’s Court where she was found guilty. According to Prosecutor Winston Poliah, the two are known to each other and would live together from time to time. He said that when they are not living together, they would visit one another on a regular basis. They would consume alcohol together or with friends as often as possible. The prosecution noted that there would be a steady fight between the two, but they would be
back together in a short while. On the day in question, there was one such encounter. The matter was reported and Cadogan was arrested and charge. Cadogan was jailed for six months in 2014 on an unlawful wounding charge on David. She had also burnt his clothes. She was also on an attempted murder change which was committed in 2014 on David Hoyte, called ‘Tate’ a pensioner. She was also jailed for that crime. In November 2017, whilst in a drunken state, she was accused of burning her one bedroom cottage down.
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Sunday February 04, 2018
Disappearance of Kuru Kuru farmer…
Murdered Mocha resident was found submerged in trench at Tucville Cops still to send burnt human - trial hears
remains for DNA testing Investigators are still to send samples of what is believed to be human bones, teeth and hair for DNA testing, following the disappearance of 63-year-old farmer, Bisundial Vasquez. The remains were discovered on a farm at Silicone Green, Kuru Kuru, on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway seven months ago. The remains were to be sent for DNA testing in June, last to confirm whether the remains, which were found on the farm, are that of Vasquez. He was taking care of the said farm when he went missing. Kaieteur News was informed that the remains which were discovered is still at the lab along with the samples taken from Vasquez’s relative. It is unclear why the samples have not been sent off as yet since the Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, had said last year that Guyana is benefiting from free DNA testing from neighbouring Brazil. The father of four went missing after an alleged break-in at the farm in May, last. The owner of the farm had suggested to the police that the elderly man might have taken the stolen
MISSING: Bisundial Vasquez items which included a boat engine and fled. However, after the man did not show up or try to make contact with his children, they made a missing person report and subsequently went to the farm to search for him or any clues that would lead to them finding their father. On their first visit, Vasquez’s daughter, Hema Mattan, said that they found her father’s slippers, a shovel and bag next to a creek, a short distance from the shack in which the farmer was living.
Kaieteur News was informed that on their second visit to the farm, they were accompanied by ranks from Timehri Police Station. It was during this visit that ranks searched a burnt heap next to the creek and discovered the human remains. They also discovered a marijuana farm about 10 miles from where the human remains were found. It is suspected that the murder is linked to the marijuana farm, but this is yet to be confirmed. Reports are that the caretaker would usually bathe at the creek. If indeed the remains are that of Vasquez, it would mean that the 63-year-old man was killed while on the camp and his killer(s) used the jute bag to take the body to the creek where they burnt it. Reshma Bisundial, another daughter of the caretaker, said that her father had made contact with her early in March, when he informed her that he was heading to work. The elderly man would usually spend about three months at the farm before returning to his Friendship, East Bank Demerara home to spend about a week with his family.
MURDER ACCUSED: Nabadingi Gobin called Dangles Ryan Clementson, the Mocha, East Bank Demerara resident who was shot on July 24, 2015 at Turning Point, Tucville, East Bank Demerara was discovered partially submerged in a nearby trench. This is according to Police Lance Corporal Detective Colwyn Major, who was called to testify last week when the trial of Nabadingi Gobin and Edward Skeete commenced before Justice Navindra Singh and a 12member mixed jury. Gobin, also known as “Dangles”, and Skeete, called “Pretty Boy” are indicted for the murder of Clementson who succumbed at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to his injuries about a week after the shooting. Testifying at the High Court in Georgetown, Lance Corporal Major said that on July 24, 2015 he was performing duties at the East La Penitence Police Station when he received information about a shooting at Turning Point, Tucville, Georgetown.
MURDER ACCUSED: Edward Skeete called Pretty Boy As a result, the policeman recalled that he and a party of policemen proceeded to the location in force vehicle PNN 8760. According to the police witness, he contacted Clementson whose lower body was partially submerged in a trench next to a bridge in the area. The policemen recalled that Clementson was groaning as if he were in pain. Lance Corporal Major told the court that publicspirited citizens helped him remove the man from the trench. He said that he observed what appeared to be a gunshot wound on Clementson’s upper right thigh. He said that Clementson was placed in the force vehicle and transported to the (GPHC). “During the journey to the hospital Clementson did not sustain any further injuries neither was the vehicle involved in any accidents,” Lance Corporal Major added.
MURDERED: Ryan Clementson Lance Corporal Major said that on their way to the hospital, he questioned Clementson about who had shot him and the victim mentioned a name and related certain things to him which caused him to contact Ayodelle Solomon, whom he met at the GPHC. According to the detective, while conversing with Solomon he noticed what appeared to be a gunshot wound on his right shoulder. Lance Corporal Major added that he then returned to the crime scene where he was unsuccessful in finding anything of evidential value. He said that he also questioned several persons in the area but received no useful information. During cross examination by attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes, the detective was asked to clarify what sort of wound he saw on Clementson’s chest. The police witness insisted that it appeared to be a gunshot wound since he familiar with such injuries. When further questioned, Lance Corporal Major agreed with counsel that there was a circular open wound on Clementson from which blood was oozing. He told counsel that the area from which Clementson was retrieved was dark and that the trench was infested with bushes. This trial continues on Tuesday when the court will commence a Voir Dire. Representing Skeete is attorney-at-law, Nigel Hughes. Attorneys-at-law, Mark Waldron and Keoma Griffith are appearing for Gobin. State Counsel Tiffini Lyken, State Counsel Abigail Gibbs and State Counsel Narissa Leander are appearing for the prosecution.
Sunday February 04, 2018
STANDARDS IN FOCUS
Accuracy of weighing and measuring devices vital for trade Consumers rely on a system of measurement that ensures accurate quantities of goods are provided to them. Likewise, businesses, especially retailers of goods, need to know that they are not incurring losses due to the use of inaccurate or defective weighing and measuring devices. The 1981 Weights & Measures Act gives the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) the mandate to verify all devices used in trade. The GNBS examines these devices to determine their fitness for use and conducts tests to ensure their accuracy. The accuracy of measurements in commerce, for example, a kilogram of potatoes or chicken determined by a scale in the market or your local shop is ultimately traceable to physical standards used by the GNBS, which are traceable to International Standards. This traceability allows for accurate and reliable measurements on the local and international markets, and provides for consistency of measurements worldwide. Consumers can therefore have confidence in the accuracy of the local systems of weights and measures. Devices verified by the GNBS include all scales, masses, measures, storage tanks, flow meters, measuring rules, electricity meters
and petrol pumps. These devices are used at shops, markets, supermarkets, in the rice and sugar industries, fisheries, manufacturing companies, hospitals, health centres, airlines, shipping companies, post offices, petrol stations and bulk terminals. All importers and users of weighing and measuring devices are obligated to ensure that their devices are verified by the GNBS as required by the Weights and Measures Act. For 2017, more than 30,000 weighing and measuring devices were verified countrywide by the GNBS. Verification of these devices for the first half of 2018 has already commenced. The mobile stamping of devices beginning tomorrow and vendors and shopkeepers and other users of weighing and measuring devices are urged to submit their devices for verification. Devices can also be submitted for verification at the GNBS Head Office, Sophia and Sub-offices in New Amsterdam, Anna Regina, Vreed en Hoop and Lethem, the nearest Weights and Measures Office. For further information, please contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0069, 219-0066 or view the mobile stamping schedule by searching the following link: http://www.gnbsgy.org/events/
Minister must give Exxon 7 days... From page 3 adjustment to the contract, thereby allowing the company to hold on to the 600 oil blocks. In the new agreement that was signed last year under the Granger Administration with ExxonMobil, Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman failed to address or redress the aforementioned problem. Gaskin is also of the opinion that the Government in missing such an opportunity has allowed ExxonMobil and its affiliates to have control of some of the main oil producing blocks offshore Guyana. Gaskin was also critical of the fact that the Government is yet to release the Bridging Deed. While the Government has released the petroleum contract it has with ExxonMobil, the Bridging Deed was one of the key documents it failed to make public. The purpose of the Deed is to replace the 1999 Agreement and the 1999 Petroleum Prospecting Licence. Gaskin reminded that former President Janet Jagan signed the 1999 Agreement in violation of the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act (the Act) to the extent that the company (Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited) was granted approximately 600 blocks instead of the 60 blocks permitted by law. He said that the 1999 Agreement and Prospecting Licence appears to have been contained in a single package and included in it is a full description of the blocks and a map of the area allotted to the oil company. However, the 2016 Agreement merely states that a Petroleum Prospecting Licence was granted for an initial period of four years. With the Bridging Deed not being published, Gaskin said that the Government is operating in contradiction of the nation's petroleum laws. Section 16(2) of the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act states: “The Minister, shall, as soon as may be practicable after a licence has been granted, cause notice of that fact to be published in the Gazette stating the name of the licensee and the situation of the land in respect of which the licence has been granted.” With such behaviour, Gaskin argued that the Government has lost all moral ground to
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criticize anyone about secrecy. The commentator was also critical of the loud praise the administration gave itself for having increased the royalty from one to two percent. He noted that there are several African oil and gas agreements which show that there are more favourable royalty terms for the country. Gaskin stressed that the contract and its provisions are essentially generous to the contractor. The issue of the US$18M signing bonus did not escape Gaskin's radar. The political commentator noted that the Constitution is pellucid about where monies belonging to the state are to go—The Treasury. Gaskin also questioned the bonus received as he said that, “the number sounds funny to me…” He noted that in the end the contractor got itself a sweetheart deal. In this regard, he pointed to the issue of cost recovery which was raised by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its most recent report on Guyana's future and the coming of oil. The IMF said when there is a cost recovery limit and the minimum government share of the profit is greater than zero, a royalty is obviously embedded on the agreement it would have with the oil operator. The Fund explained that in Guyana's case, the cost recovery limit as set out in the contract is 75 percent. This means that on the annual earnings from the production oil, the contractor is allowed to recover 75 percent of his expenses. This means that there is 25 percent of the profit remaining to split evenly between the operator and the host country. The Fund said that the Government is ultimately guaranteed to receive a minimum of 12.5 percent of the total production. When the two percent royalty rate is added, Government gets 14.5 percent of the production. Gaskin was quick to note that there are countries with more favourable provisions than this. Given the aforementioned and other factors, the Chartered Accountant said that the contract is reflective of a terrible deal and one that is illegal given the instances in which it is in conflict with the laws of Guyana.
Berbice man gets 15 years for 2015 killing Leone La Rose, called “Buju Banton”, 24, of Williamsburg, Corentyne, has been sentenced to 15 years in jail by Justice Sandil Kissoon in The Berbice High Court, New Amsterdam Berbice. La Rose, who was on a charge of murder, pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. The man was on trial for the murder of Sean Ricardo Pestano, 59, on March 22, 2015. Pestano was reportedly killed following an altercation between him and the accused who claimed Pestano insulted him about his mother. State Prosecutor Attorney-atl a w, Tu a n n a Hardy presented the state’s case. According to information, the men were celebrating with Pestano who was only released from prison a few days earlier. Pestano had served a three-year sentence on a narcotics charge. After the men got into the argument, La Rose left and went home and returned with a cutlass. He first broadsided Pestano who fell. The man then inflicted chops on Pestano left leg around the knee area causing parts of knee cap to fall out. The suspect then fled the scene. Pestano was subsequently picked up and rushed to the Port Mourant
DECEASED: Sean Pestano
SENTENCED: Leone La Rose
Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. La Rose had told investigators that it was not the first time that he was before the court. Information revealed that he was reportedly charged with a number of misdemeanours including wounding. La Rose had also told authorities that he was a patient of the National Psychiatric Hospital at Fort Canje. During the Preliminary
Inquiry it was ordered that La Rose undergo psychiatric evaluation. A post mortem examination was conducted on the body of Pestano at the Port Mourant Hospital by Government Pathologist Dr. Vivikanand Bridgemohan. It revealed that he died from shock and haemorrhage due to incise wounds on the left leg and thigh. Time served will be deducted.
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Sunday February 04, 2018
CONSUMER CONCERNS
Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy) can be eradicated By PAT DIAL The last Sunday of January was commemorated
worldwide as World Leprosy Day. Leprosy was a disease known from very ancient times and was much feared.
In the Judeo-Christian Tradition it was regarded as a curse from God and this resulted in those affected by
the disease being ostracized from society and to generally suffer inhuman treatment. In the Middle Ages, that is from about 1100 AD to about 1400 AD, sufferers had to go about with clappers and bells to alert others of their presence. At this time also, asylums, that is, places where the poor and leprosy sufferers could be housed were established all over Europe by the Catholic Church. In these asylums there was always a priest or monk who was devoted to helping lepers. These men of God administered whatever medicines they had and fed them. In addition to the belief that the disease was a curse from God, there grew up a large number of superstitions around the disease. Among these were that the disease was highly infectious, that it was incurable and that it was hereditary. This body of superstitions resulted in irrational prejudices. For example, in choosing a marriage partner, the marriage would never take place if it was rumoured that an ancestor of either of the parties was infected with the
disease. Over the millenia, many treatments had been put forward, some of them grotesque. For example, in ancient Egypt, it was believed that smearing the skin with the blood of children or a virgin was a cure. Strangely, this belief continued until the 18th century. In Roman times, it was believed that snake venom was a cure. In the 19th century, British doctors and scientists went to India and began researching into Indian medicine. In the ancient Ayurvedic writings, they found that Chaulmoogra oil was described as an effective treatment. After doing their experiments, they found that Chaulmoogra was indeed effective in many cases. In 1854 it was adopted in Western medicine and for a century until the 1940’s it was the main treatment. In the 1940’s sulphur drugs replaced it. In the 1960’s and 1970’s a combination of Clofazimine, Rifampicin and Dapsone became the main treatment. So far, no conclusive cure has been discovered. Though no final cure has been discovered, modern
treatments have generally stabilised the disease and if treated early enough, a cure may be possible. Since Dr Gerhardt Hansen, the Norwegian scientist, discovered in 1873 the germ which causes leprosy, the myths and superstitions surrounding the disease have been dying away. Today, for example, no one believes that the disease was a curse from God. Since the terms “leper” and “leprosy” are burdened with so many negative undertones, the term ‘Hansen’s Disease’ has replaced them. In Guyana, the Colonial Administration extended the same levels of basic treatment as obtained in Britain. A special leprosy hospital was established at Mahaica and for decades the legendary Dr Rose served as medical superintendent. For some years now, the Mahaica Hospital had been closed and the clinic transferred to the Palms in Brickdam, Georgetown with Dr Heather Morris-Wilson as Director, In addition to treating sufferers from the disease, the Clinic has the responsibility for educating the public on various aspects of the disease and intensified their efforts on World Leprosy Day. In their Education Programme, they use both print and electronic media as well as visiting the schools and speaking with the children and teachers. The schools and other members of the public are instructed how to identify the first symptoms of the disease. Dr Morris-Wilson describes the first symptoms: “The first clinical signs that indicate leprosy is a noticeable rash on the skin when there is loss of feeling or sensation. The rash can develop on any part of the body. In addition to skin rashes, there could also be a tingling sensation in the hands and feet and a burning sensation of the skin because the disease affects nerves.” If the condition is allowed to go on without timely treatment, one’s body becomes weaker, the hands and feet may be paralysed and one may begin to go blind. Since leprosy tends to be more prevalent among those who live in poor housing and generally insanitary conditions with polluted water supply, people who live in such conditions should try to relocate, but in any case, they must try to clean their homes and surroundings. The Clinic recorded 67 cases of leprosy last year. Many countries have completely eradicated the disease and with persistent effort, Guyana could well achieve this desirable goal.
Sunday February 04, 2018
SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK;Guyanapassport application. G r a p h i c s design, advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6004212: We create A/works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer-Call: 231-0655; 683-8734. Omar Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Drawing of house plan, or if you need estimates, call: 2160671/622-0267/692-8464 Need a land surveyor, we do surveys for: Boundaries, Leases, engineering, cadastral, topo etc. Call: 6622677
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY- $19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-2274754. A 140 Toyota Corona manual black wheel drive, carburetor 3A engine. Good working condition. Price negotiable. #677-9077 or 651-6425 All size solar pannel & batteries lowest price guarantee. check us out @ Boodhoo’s General store @ Parika EBE. 1 long base canter, 4 ton GRR series, hydraulic tray lift, price 2.6million and 1 canter driver needed. #609-1040 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL 450 4matic SUV, like brand new, under 20,000 miles. Call: 6741781. Serious inquires only. 20 acres of farm with bearing citrus, coconut & avocado trees. Location: Linden Highway, contact #655-7933 One residential houselot (East Bank) Brand new air condition unit, brand new rattan 4 piece set $3.6M. Tel: 656-0701/6117223
Video games and consoles at affordable price. Repairs to video game system .Call:6722566/265-3231 1 Bedford model M truck with winch. 1 portable miller bobcat welding plant. #602-9496/ 6130152 Plant-closing down sale: potting soil, plant pot, flower LAND FOR SALE plant at Garden Centre, Prime land to build that dream Plantation Schoonard WBD home. Not far from Princess, #615-2346/627-3443/1500New Thriving, Massy, HJ 1600 water world $13M neg- Call: Toyota Carina 170. Price 669-8397 $450,000 negotiable. Tel: 259Parafaite Harmonie main road 3174/612-3365 2.5M 1.4M 2M 3.5M, ten year up 3M Herstelling 3M Flat concrete 3 bedroom Tuschen 5M. Call: 666-2326 house, fully grilled. Tuschen $8M. Tel: 669-7393/689-4713 100ft x 50ft transported land, Hopetown village, West Coast Pups and dog for sale, for Berbice $1.4M Contact: 680- more information call: #2671009 0205/670-4228 De Groot Uitvlugt- $2.5M neg. Parafaite Harmonie- main road $2M Parafaite Harmonie- $1.5M Tel: 6976311 Land at Tuschen Housing Scheme, near school, 3 minutes away from main road. Call: 261-2988 Uivlugt (100ft x 50ft) $3M Parafaite Harmonie $1.5M Herstelling $2M Farm $3M Eccles $7M. Tel# 651-1969/ 656-0701
SALON Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. -CosmetologyCourses: $90,000 Nail Technician Course: $35,000. Call: 647-1773/688-0009
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FOR RENT
WANTED
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620
Salesman, good verbal/ excellent attitude, knowledge in stocktaking, computer literate & team player. Keyfood McDoom.
1-1 bedroom apartment, 1- 2 bedroom bottom flat 1 furnished 3 bedroom upper flat. Uitvlugt Housing Scheme. Call: 698-2802, 6933340, 254-1801. 2 & 3 bedroom fully furnished luxury apartments to rent, long & short term. #666-7820, 6911432 Business place/Store for rent, located at Grove EBD.Contact 684-6331 Parafaite Harmonie house for rent 4 bedrooms 1 living room, dining room also. 2 full bath, parking available. contact: #685-7064 1 bedroom apartment for rent in Diamond (17th street) contact: #615-7209 1 One bedroom apartment, Herstelling New scheme $30,000 per month. Telephone: 641-2311, 627-3882 Fully furnished apartment two & one bedrooms in Providence, apartment at Diamond East Bank Tel: 6721906/216-2299/682-6238 PROPERTY FOR SALE Lot 15 Public Road, #2 Village, W.C.B. 49ft x 10,314ft $20M Negotiable Contact 648-7109/686-4818 3- Storey commercial buliding, land size- 120ft x 60ft, building size- 62ft x 30ft, location- Lot 1486 Plot B, Herstelling East Bank Demerara. Contact: #609-3777/697-4557 Newly built @ Craig E.B.D land size 91x50 feet; house 40x28, 3 rooms, 1 self contained. Call: 718-213-6496/ 617-7691 House and land available @ La Parfaite Harmonie, Providence, Etc. Financing assistance available. Contact Pacific Development: 2236035/ 604-4909 Diamond E.B.D 2 storey concrete, 6 bedrooms, master room. Hot/cold, secured parking, etc. Ready to move in, price negotiable. Call: 6934890 New building with two apartment downstairs for sale.10 minutes from Georgetown .Call:675-1510/ 613-7964 One top and bottom three bedroom house at Block 12 Non-Pariel, ECD. Tel: 6924881, 229-6236
Experienced curry cook, counter servers, drivers. Apply Hack’s Halaal, 5 Commerce St. 1 Porter to work on vehicle in the interior 18-25 years old #699-4718 Wanted land in Parafaite Harmonie, Eccles or anywhere on the East Bank or West Coast Tel: 697-6311 Wanted experience hire car taxi driver at Ramada Princess Hotel. Tel: 265-7076. Cell: 6165419 We are interested in buying large quantities of used zinc # 687-6072 Urgently need one houselot to buy in Eccles and Herstelling. Tel: 611-7223/ 6560701 Needed bartender/cocktail mixer & waitress, preferably from W.C.D or W.B.D. Tel: 6829457 Counter persons, Puri/Rotimakers. Apply @ Shantas 225 Camp St. (1) Manager to work @ Hotel/ Club on Essequibo coast, previous hotel management an asset. Contact: 500-5923, 676-8764/646-3675 WANTED FULLTIME/ PART TIME: MALE KITCHEN ASSISTANT TO WORK AT AAGMAN RESTAURANT, SHERIFF STREET CALL: 219-0158/219-0161 WANTED SECURITY GUARD TO WORK AT AAGMAN RESTAURANT, SHERIFF STREET. REFERENCES REQUIRED. CALL: 219-0158/219-0161
VACANCY 1 female from Georgetown, age 18-25 to work from 3-9 pm. Apply to Tea shop @ 193 Charlotte & Wellington Streets. Contact: 226-2320 Vacancy exists for 1 experienced pharmacy technician to work part time @ a reputable pharmacy Georgetown- Call: 227-0630 Needed porter boys at Stretch your dollar store/good salary, Robb Street #223-5897 Driver from Age 22 and above, must have police clearance, for more info, call: 223-0090 Cook/Baker & Excavator operator for interior location. must be experienced. Call: 618-2020 1 Domestic/Cook. Contact: 617-5700, weekly salary $25,000 Cook/Baker & Excavator operator for interior location. must be experienced. Call: 6182020 Vacancy exists for one female 25 years + over to work at Del Ice Co. Must have Maths+English. Call: 2311408/642-9191. 1 Secretary must have strong written and computer skills, send resume info @ ladywendyshow.com, sales person needed too.
Vacancy exist for 1 Office assistant must be computer literate, between the ages of 30-55 yrs. Contact: 623-8078/ 220-2034 Guards needed to work in a community at Providence, mail application, police clearance to PO Box 10908.
Hire car drivers & contract car @ Gems Taxi Service # 2261200, 225-5075, 622-6413 CAR RENTAL DOLLY’SCARRENTAL-CALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM
GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 2257878 (24HRS) TOLET One business space, located at 177 Charlotte & Alexander St. Kindly call: 644-3555,6893462, . Serious enquiries only. Rooms in Albertown. Call: 2253234
F150 late model GSS series no problem lifted suspension for $2.4 million on best offer, excellent condition. Contact:695-7676/676-3612 Allion, Primo, Fielder Wagon, Spacio, Bluebird, 212 Carina, NZE, Honda CRV, Toyota IST, RZ & Pit-bull – Call: 650-7501 Fielder Wagon. Tel: 664-0802 Nissan Pathfinder Jeep 4WD Excellent condition $1.4M negotiable. Call: 609-7766/2258427 2009 Toyota Premio, low mileage, owner leaving country;price negotiable, contact: 669-2518/645-4085 Unregistered Axela 2011 dark interior, fully loaded, Nissan pickup extra cab. Call: 6175536 LEARN TO DRIVE Ultraviolet Driving School is offering a 6 days driving lesson for $7,500. Come and enjoy it! Call 602-2583 C. Persaud & N. Outar Driving School formerly Soman & Sons Driving School @ Maraj Building- Call: 644-5166; 6222872; 615-0964; 689-5997 (affordable packages).
Vacancy exist for 1 Diesel mechanic & welder between the ages of 30-50 yrs. Contact: 623-8078/ 220-2034
Experienced Jet + Marack men for land dredge #672-3359
TAXI SERVICE
VEHICLE FOR SALE
PROGRESSIVE CAR R E N TA L : S U V F O R RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL:6435122/656-0087, ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP RATES,SPECIAL OFFERS! . CALL: 690-6494
EDUCATION CXC adults classes (Business & Science subjects) Form 1-5 lessons, Grade 2-6 lessons (slow learners, personal tutor) #690-5008,618-0649 Register your child for after school classes for slow learners in Mathematics, Reading, Phonics, Spelling, etc. Call: 675-4379 CAR RENTAL AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MINI BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPORT & FAMILY OUTINGS, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807
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Sunday February 04, 2018
Miss Earth Guyana re-launched under new... From page 20 international stage, will also see efforts being made to give keen attention to climate change, the low carbon development strategy and different aspects of how humans can help to improve the environ-
ment and by extension, help to “make Guyana a greener, greater country,” Dr. Gooding underscored. She disclosed too that this segment, which is being solely sponsored by Demerara Bakery, is intended to ensure that
“the pageant is not just a beauty pageant; we don't want to only focus on the girls' physical attributes...we want some of the projects that the girls do to contribute in a significant way to their final score.”
As part of the segment too, the girls will be eligible for eco-tours and be integrally involved in mangrove restoration and education activities. “This will be a complete package, so this pageant is not just about the beauty aspect,” said Dr. Gooding. Serving as the Managing Executive for the Miss Earth Guyana Organisation is Dr. Omesh Balmacoon, who pointed out that the girls will ultimately be vying for a pageant which attracts contestants from over 100 countries. He highlighted that the 16year-old event is one that raises awareness about the environment and health, and essentially gives the delegates the opportunity to become advocates for the environment. Dr. Balmacoon was thrust into the management realm of the Miss Earth Guyana organisation because of his executive involvement in Guyana Premier, an organisation through which the pageant franchise was attained. According to Dr. Balmacoon, already a few girls have started to apply to participate in the pageant. Eligible delegates will be drawn from a pool of girls between the ages of 18 and 25 who are single, have no children, are Guyanese by birth and are 5' 6” [167.64cm] in height. Suitable applicants have up until February 22 to apply by visiting the Miss Earth Guyana website, www.missearthguyana.com
or by visiting the entity's 15 Ketley and Drysdale Streets, Charlestown Georgetown office... or by contacting members of the management committee on telephone numbers: 612-0247, 653-0436, 697-5127. They can also visit the official pageant Facebook page under the handle of Miss Earth Guyana and on Twitter and Instagram @missearthgy. The application process will attract a US$300 fee, which will allow delegates to benefit from planned eco-tours and other activities during the run-up to pageant night, according to Events Coordinator, Myron Stephens. While the delegates will be required to secure their own evening gowns and costume for coronation, set for April 28, 2018, Dr. Lalltoo said that the organisation will be providing the delegates with swimsuits. Miss Earth Guyana has never before benefited from a full blown national pageant, as such the management team has devised a plan that will help the whole of Guyana to become well acquainted with the event. Moreover, this is likely to see pageant activities touching each region. This will be realised, not only through auditions, but, according to Dr. Lalltoo, “we want to keep preliminary events across Guyana in places like Bartica, Leguan, Berbice and Linden.” Another interesting aspect of the pageant, accord-
ing to its management team, will see the delegates being sashed with their names rather than that of a sponsor. This move is designed to ensure that they are able to represent themselves as ambassadors for a worthy cause. In order to build the confidence of competing delegates, Dr. Lalltoo said that “We will be working along with local beauty consultancies such as Provotique Image and Beauty Pageant Consultanc, owned by our very own Ruqayyah Boyer and Nikita Barker. We will also be teaming up with Melissa Payne. These are the girls who will be on the frontline to do training and development and modelling, and other essentials to prepare our delegates for the international stage.” And those in the winning spotlight will not have to worry about being rewarded for their efforts. “We can confirm a prize package of $1 million in cash and prizes for Miss Earth Guyana and her court - Miss Earth Guyana Water; Miss Earth Guyana Air and Miss Earth Guyana Fire. This is definitely as transparent as it gets, we want to give each Guyanese girl that equal opportunity to participate,” informed Dr. Lalltoo. He added, “We want to ensure that the girl that we are sending to the international pageant is ideal and at the end of the international competition she will be able to bring back the crown to Guyana.” The last Miss Earth Guyana pageant was held in 2010 when Soyini Fraser was crowned as queen, but a representative was sent up for the international pageant as recent as 2014. It was local belle, Stacy Ramcharran, who took the crown back then, but after the franchise was lost one year later, it was not possible to choose another girl. As such she remains the reigning Miss Earth Guyana; that is until the grand coronation of Miss Earth Guyana 2018. The Miss Earth Guyana pageant is the local precursor pageant for the international Miss Earth Pageant which is among the top three in the world. It has reached such a point in popularity that over 100 countries are scheduled to take part this year. One of the main reasons why it has gotten this far is because it focuses primarily on raising awareness about the environment and the planet through its "Beauties For A Cause" segment. Proceeds of the highly anticipated Miss Earth Guyana Pageant are expected to go towards helping to sustain the work of the Giving Hope Foundation which also has as its mission to help arrest the incidence of suicide.
Sunday February 04, 2018
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Pigeons, sewage cause havoc at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court
Once again, the sewage is overflowing at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts despite the $160M spent to rehabilitate the building a few years ago. The sewage tank which is located in close proximity to the prisoners’ lock-ups continued to overflow posing a health hazard to scores of persons traversing the court daily. Last Friday, the sewage which began to overflow with an unbearable scent, flooded the main entrance to Courts One, Two, Eight and Nine and also the collection office, which is situated on the lower flat of the two-storey courthouse. Many persons including police officers,
prisoners, and reporters stationed at the court have raised concerns about the situation which has become intolerable. Not only do persons who have matters in the courts and the prisoners have to endure the overflowing sewage, they also have to deal with dozens of pigeons that live in the ceiling of the courthouse. A pregnant woman who was at the court last Friday stated, “Just imagine I came to accompany my son who has a matter in court and I had to leave before the matter was called because of the unbearable scent. “I would not advise any pregnant person to go at that court if they don’t have matters
there because the condition is terrible. Is bare s#*t and p#*s you smelling when you reach at the court. “What’s worse is that you can’t even sit on the benches because half of them are covered in faeces and if you sit on the bench too long, the pigeons will s#*t on you.” Another court visitor who was standing on the stairway when the sewage began to overflow stated, “Every time you come here, this place getting more and more bad. They gun fix this situation when one of them pigeons s#*t on one of them Magistrate or when they accidently walk in the sewage. All the money the government spent on
rebuilding this court and it can’t be maintained. Imagine them children have to come here and see s#*t floating around this place.” The pigeons on the other hand cause havoc for persons sitting, standing or even making their way to the courtrooms. While persons sit on the benches outside the courtrooms waiting for their matters to be called, they are sure to walk into the courtroom with pigeon droplets on their clothing or on their head especially if they are visiting the courts for the first time or not paying attention. While many reporters and photographers stand on the steps to get a glimpse of the (Continued on page 73)
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Sunday February 04, 2018
Kaieteur News
Ogle pays Govt. US$6 per acre but rents to operators for over US$6000 “Ogle Airport Inc (OAI) is making a kill using a state asset—441 acres of land. This is a state asset that they have been handed to operate. But how can they be allowed to charge us a rate 1000 times more that what they are paying to the government?” That is the concern of an aviation operative who spoke to Kaieteur News on the grounds of anonymity. Ogle is now paying the Government of Guyana US$6 per acre a year, but demands US$6098 from the subleases in years 2016 and 2017. From this year, subleases will have to pay US$6104 per acre, until 2020. OAI has already signalled intention to further raise the fee to US$7,405 per acre. This will take effect from 2021 to 2023. Operators are complaining about the fee and are calling it “advantage.” Aviation operators have been complaining about several issues at Eugene F. Correia International Airport. Kaieteur News understands that several letters have been written to Ministers of the present and past government. The fee issue was highlighted in a letter sent to Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson. However, the issue is yet to be addressed. When some of the issues affecting large
OAI original investor, Michael Correia and small operators and the Eugene F. Correia International Airport were put to officials of OAI, they said that they asked Minister Patterson to set up an airport review committee but he never did. The issues remain unaddressed. OAI is a private company that operates the Eugene F Correia International Airport. It was given a lease for 25 years in 2001.
No vote on Top cop - A great disappointment, says PM
Trinidad Express - The House of Representatives Friday took action to deal with the “fiasco” surrounding the appointment of a Commissioner of Police and two deputy commissioners.The House, meeting at Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain, unanimously agreed to defer debate on the President’s notification on the nomi-
nees for these three top positions and to establish a Special Select Committee to examine the process employed by the Police Service Commission (PSA) in arriving at the nominees. Accounting firm KPMG and the PSC will be summoned to appear before the Special Select Committee, which has been mandated to report back to the House by March 31.
Sunday February 04, 2018
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Timing was not right... Carib bean IDB Go ver nor s Caribbean Gov ernor nors to meet in J amaica Jamaica KINGSTON, Jamaica CMC – Caribbean governors of the Washington-based Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) meet here later this month with a focus on helping the Caribbean embrace strategically, the reality of the digital revolution. The seventh annual Caribbean Governors’ Meeting from February 26-27, will be held under the theme “Jump Caribbean” and the IDB said it wants the region to tap technology and to apply innovative methods as a means to solve problems, improve productivity, generate employment and advance development. IDB Governors are expected from the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Suriname, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno, other senior IDB officials and Dr William Warren Smith, the President
of the Caribbean Development Bank are also expected to attend the two-day meeting of the governors. Global business leader Sir Richard Branson and Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the former president of the Republic of Estonia, will also participate in the high-level meeting to provide insight on how the Caribbean can take advantage of the opportunities for accelerating growth, building resilience to natural disasters, developing policies to improve productivity, and creating vibrant sustainable economies through the digital and technological revolu-
tions. “At the upcoming meeting, the Caribbean has the opportunity to seize the moment, to ignite the changes needed to create a better and brighter future,” said Therese Turner-Jones, general manager for the IDB’s Caribbean Country Department, “As the leading development partner in the region, the IDB looks forward to fresh ideas and innovative perspectives that take full advantage of the digital and technological revolution. This is key to improving lives of the people of the region,” added Turner-Jones.
Had Guyana gotten the lower ... From page 12 Hinds said that royalty is the best way to secure the wealth. “They cannot fudge the royalty. Well I shouldn’t say they cannot fudge it because these oil companies are masters of the game. But it is hard to fudge royalty because it is off the top. If we could have just gotten a five percent royalty at minimum, we would have been much better off.” Hinds said that in his research, he came across the average royalty rate ranging from five to 15, “even if you put us at lowest, five percent, we would have been better off.” Hinds said that with a higher royalty, even with all the other horrible provisions in the contract, Guyana would have gotten a better share. He noted that there is an intention to produce approximately 120,000 barrels of oil per day. Hinds said that the current market price for oil is US$65 per barrel. He said that if the projected production figure (120,000 barrels per day) is multiplied by the intended price for barrel which is US$65 and is further multiplied by 360 days per year (giving five days) then the yearly revenue will be about US$2.8B. Guyana’s two percent share of that will be US$56M. “Now if the royalty was five percent, which is the minimum we should have ever accepted, our share on royalty
From page 16 who were executed at their East Coast Demerara home by gunmen. In fact, one former PPP/C senior minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, was accused of facilitating the purchase of cell phone listening spy equipment for use by Khan. Another former Home Affairs Minister, Ronald Gajraj, was accused of being in contact with the so-called ‘Phantom’ squad which was taking out the gunmen, some of whom had labelled themselves freedom fighters. The Coalition Government, headed by former army chief, David Granger, had vowed to find answers in the circumstances of body count. Two and half years after entering office, a Commission of Inquiry was launched last week into 2008 killing of eight miners in what is known as the Lindo Creek massacre, where eight miners were murdered and their remains burnt. Former judge, Donald Trotman, has been named at the Commissioner. This administration said that there will be other inquiries to determine what exactly transpired and who played what role. Samuel Hinds, is a former Prime Minister of the PPP/C, and for a short while the President of Guyana, in the period leading up the 1997 general elections. The former PM, one of the most powerful man in the PPP/ C administration, in a strongly worded Letter to the Editor last week (see link https:// www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2018/02/02/a-subterraneankilling-wave-that-flowedfrom-rejection-of-ppp-cs1997-elections-victory/), believed that for any inquiry to make sense, it would have had to take into account the 1997 general elections, which was
won by the PPP/C . Hinds is convinced that there were clearly some deep anger that was born since that manifested itself over the years. Asked why the PPP/C did not see it fit despite numerous calls to hold an inquiry, the former PM believed that the time was not right. “I think it was a matter of timing and whether we were ready for it. It was always a question that was hanging up there.” Admitting that the matter was discussed by his government at some levels, Hinds was quick to note that during the 2000 period, Guyana was faced with one thing after another. “You did not have a period of ease where there could have been reflections.” Maybe between 20092012. In the 2004-2005 period, the East Coast was troubled by major floods which wiped out almost half of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. He pointed to the 2006 elections crisis where there was a rush over the timing of polls.Then the PPP/C faced the questionable assassination of its Agriculture Minister, Sash Sawh, his sister, Phulmattie Persaud, brother, Rajpat Rai Sawh, and security guard, Curtis Robertson, on April 22, 2006. The attack took place at Sawh’s home in LBI on the East Coast of Demerara. According to Hinds, there was real fear in Guyana. In fact, Hinds even wore a bullet proof vest with an “oversized” shirt-jack. “I did wear my bullet proof vest, as PM, 24 hours straight, with an oversized shirt-jack. I must tell you, I was very much afraid.” Hinds believed, also, that the wounds of the people
were also too raw during the period. What Guyana needs, Hinds insists, is a resolution and reconciliation of the situation. The official, a former engineer at the Linden bauxite operations, believes that Guyana should move to a place where citizens can look at each other and say “mistakes” were made. Because of the absence of that reconciliation, Guyana has suffered a lot. The “political rivalry” is costing the country’s potential of growth and development. “We are not getting what we should get.” “I am particularly disappointed by the approach of our President to the CoI. One cannot help but feel that we are on a process where issues would be cherry-picked?” Hinds, like the PPP leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, has issues with the importance of Lindo Creek versus the others. “We are starting on the last events of this period. One would expect if we are really intent on resolution and reconciliation, to have a CoI that goes between 1998 and 2008, to see how things developed and how people reacted.” Hinds said that had the opportunities arisen, during the PPP/C reign, a good model would have been with the participation of the then Opposition; nominees from different stakeholders with international persons sitting as commissioners. The former PM noted that it would have been difficult to find a Guyanese not affected by the 2000 crime wave events. “I am very disappointed by the approach of our President, and disturbed and apprehensive where it is going.” (To be continued)
Pigeons, sewage cause havoc at... Using the WorldAtlas.com oil data table, dated January 11, 2018; Hinds modified their ranking, by including Guyana’s oil reserve on a per capita basis, for comparison against the World’s Top Twenty Countries with the Largest Proven Oil Reserves: alone would have been US$140M. That is transformative; this one year money can carry GuySuCo for 28 months. It can do so many things and this is just limited to the find so far.” Hinds noted that ExxonMobil has made six discoveries offshore Guyana and associated recoverable reserves are now up to 3.2 billion barrels. He said, “Imagine if that find quadruples, look how much Guyana will
lose.” Hinds said that the top oil producing countries in the world are generally the richest countries. He created a chart that considered the find and the country’s population and said that puts Guyana among the top oil rich countries in the world. “Guyana falls at eight so we can see ourselves as one of the countries that should have the highest standard of living by post 2020.”
From page 11 prisoners when they arrive and to take photos, that is not always the best idea. One reporter added, “I went and look for a house. And I didn’t eat any breakfast. So when I reach back in town, I bought pholourie and the bird s#*t inside the bag. They also s#*t in my hair. This is not the first time. It’s like every other day them bird does s#*t on me. “Another time, they s#*t in my bag of channa but I didn’t notice it at first. Is when I was about to put the spoon in my mouth, I notice something strange on my hand and on the channa bag.”
Another woman who gave her name as Stacy said that while she accompanied her son to the court last Friday, for a matter, she was seated on a bench outside of Court Six with her daughter. While there, she felt something wet on her forehead. The woman added “After I felt a wet substance on my face, I wiped it and that is when I realised that a pigeon mess on me. When I looked up in the ceiling, I saw about a dozen pigeons on the beams in the ceiling.” Last May, the sewage tank overflowed, flooding the main entrance. The prisoners had to use the stairway to enter and exit the different courtrooms.
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Tur key sa ys Assad urk says must g o ‘a go ‘att some point’ Istanbul (AFP) - Turkey yesterday said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should leave office “at some point” in the future but denied there was any kind of contact between Ankara and Damascus over ending the seven-year civil war. Ankara has been a prime foe of Assad throughout the conflict but has occasionally softened its rhetoric in the last months as Turkey strengthened cooperation with the regime’s main ally Russia. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesperson, Ibrahim Kalin, told journalists in Istanbul that Assad was not the leader to unite Syria and had lost legitimacy. But Kalin said there needed to be a “political transition in Syria”, leading to a new constitution and elections. “It is not going to be easy but that’s the ultimate goal to reach and at some point Assad will have to go,” he added. “Where exactly, at what point precisely (Assad leaves), is something that will be answered as we go on, obviously,” he said. He was speaking after Russia on Tuesday hosted a peace congress on Syria, with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Erdogan expressing “satisfaction”, according to the Kremlin. Kalin, who is also regarded as Erdogan’s top foreign policy advisor, also indicated that Turkey believed Russia’s priority was ensuring Syria did not become a failed state, rather than con-
Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad has clung onto office since the war started seven years ago (AFP Photo/George OURFALIAN) cern about Assad himself. He said the Russian position has been “not so much protecting Assad personally but protecting the state institutions, state apparatus and the Syrian army and the regime elements”. He said: “They want to make sure that the state doesn’t collapse completely in Syria.” Turkey’s position on Assad has been under ever greater scrutiny since Ankara on January 20 began a crossborder operation with Syrian allied rebel forces against Kurdish militia based in the town of Afrin. The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu has called for Ankara to make contact with the Damascus regime as the best way of ensuring Syria’s territorial integrity. But Kalin denied any contact with Damascus “at
any level”. “There is no communication, no relationship, direct (or) indirect. Nothing with the Syrian regime, at any level. I can say that categorically and very clearly,” he said. He also rejected the notion that there had been any agreement with Russia allowing the Afrin operation to go ahead in exchange for a deal over the rebel-held neighbouring region of Idlib. “There’s no deal with Russia ‘you give Idlib and take Afrin’... they are two separate operations,” he said. Kalin indicated that Turkey’s position on Syria was less well aligned with the other major ally of the Damascus regime, Iran. “Iran supports the regime but we don’t, and they want to keep Assad the person and we don’t,” said Kalin, noting that Tehran had “clear leverage” over the Damascus regime.
German spy chief alleges North Korea uses Berlin embassy for procurement BERLIN (Reuters) - North Korea has been using its embassy in Berlin to procure parts for its missile programme, the head of Germany’s BfV domestic intelligence agency told a German broadcaster. No one at the North Korean embassy in Berlin was immediately available to comment on the allegation. In a programme to be aired on NDR television tomorrow, BfV head Hans-Georg Maassen said: “We determined that procurement activities have been carried out from there that are, in our view, done with a view to the missile programme and sometimes also for the nuclear programme.” He said it was often so-called dual use goods, which can be used for both civil and military purposes. Comments released by NDR ahead of the broadcast showed Maassen said German authorities prevented such activities when they found them but he added: “We can’t guarantee that we can detect and prevent this in all cases.”He said it was necessary to presume that parts for North Korea’s launch programme “were acquired via other markets or under-
Hans-Georg Maassen ground buyers had acquired them in Germany”. North Korea has defied years of multilateral and bilateral sanctions with a weapons programme aimed at developing nucleartipped missiles capable of hitting the United States.
Sunday February 04, 2018
Kaieteur News
UK promises to crack down on assets of corrupt oligarch - The Times LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will use new powers to seize the assets of foreign criminals and corrupt politicians, The Times newspaper reported yesterday quoting the security minister. Investors from Russia, China and the Middle East have poured billions into London, buying everything from luxury properties to entire companies, but the provenance of some of those funds has been questioned by transparency campaigners. It is unclear how much money is laundered through Britain, but the National Crime Agency has said calculations of between 36 billion pounds ($50.83 billion) and 90 billion pounds ($127.08 billion) are “a significant underestimate”. Security minister Ben Wallace told The Times that the government would use powers regarding unexplained wealth to freeze and recover property if individuals cannot explain how they acquired assets over 50,000 pounds ($70,000). “When we get to you we will come for you, for your assets and we will make the environment that you live in difficult,” Wallace said. Last year, British media reported on a “Laundromat” inquiry into an alleged Russianled money laundering scheme, in which $22.3
Ben Wallace billion passed through Moldova using Russian shell companies and fictitious loans from offshore companies based in Britain in 20112014. Wallace said the government was determined to stop such behaviour. “What we know from the Laundromat exposé is that certainly there have been links to the [Russian] state,” he was quoted as saying. “The government’s view is that we know what they are up to and we are not going to let it happen anymore.”
Trump says Republican memo vindicates him in Russia probe
PALM BEACH, Fla (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said yesterday that a controversial memo attacking federal law enforcement written by congressional Republicans vindicates him in the investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Trump’s fervent embrace of the memo raised again the prospect that he may use it as justification to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, who is conducting the investigation, or Deputy Attorney Rod Rosenstein, who oversees Mueller. Tweeting from his resort in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said the memo “totally vindicates” him but added “the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on. Their (sic) was no Collusion and there was no Obstruction.” He called the investigation “an American disgrace.”The White House told Reuters on Friday there would be no changes at the Justice Department as a result of the memo’s conclusions. The memo, written by Republicans on the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee chaired by Devin Nunes, argues the federal investigation of potential collusion between Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russia was a product of political bias against Trump at the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Justice Department. Trump approved the release of the formerly classified memo without redactions, despite objections from the FBI in a move that deepens tension between the White House and senior law enforcement that has existed since Trump first took office. Democrats contend the four-page memo mischaracterizes highly sensitive classified information and was intended to undermine the Mueller criminal probe that was launched in May 2017 as an outgrowth an earlier FBI investigation.
President Donald Trump Jerrold Nadler, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement that Trump’s decision to allow the release of the memo was “part of a coordinated propaganda effort to discredit, disable and defeat the Russia investigation.” Some Republicans also were critical of the memo’s release. John Kasich, the governor of Ohio and a former rival of Trump’s for the presidential nomination, released a statement yesterday calling it “a disservice to our country.” Asked by reporters on Friday whether the memo made him more likely to fire Rosenstein or whether he had confidence in him, Trump replied, “You figure it out.” Dismissing Rosenstein or Mueller would trigger a political firestorm much like the sacking of FBI Director James Comey by Trump last year.
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Sunday February 04, 2018
James’ hat-trick leadsHerstelling... From page 81 Linden Soesdyke Highway (LSH) based side contesting their first tournament on the East Bank had needled Timehri in their debut match one week ago and were confident of taking down another of the seasoned teams but James would have none of that. They kept Raiders at bay for almost the entire half but finally cracked when James dribbled two defenders before banging the ball into the back of the nets in the 31st minute to break the deadlock. Swan continued to be a tough proposition for the Raiders in the second half but it was James whose magic doubled the advantage for his team in the 46th minute and tripled same in the 58th minute. Swan were able to pull one back in the 61st minute but lost the battle, 3-1.
The third match of the day saw Kuru Kururu Warriors, the other Highway based side that lost in their first two matches to Grove and Swan respectively rebounding to record their first points when they needled Timehri Panthers which had won their first match of the league against Soesdyke. The first half was a goalless affair and it took a penalty in the second half to separate the two sides. Kevon Scott who was brought down in the area was the player to drill the shot past Ronaldo Blair in goal for the Panthers who muffed numerous chances during the match. Friendship also eased into the point’s zone with a comfortable win over Soesdyke Falcons, 4-1. Marlon Dey opened the scoring for Friendship in the 11th
minute but that advantage was cancelled out in the 20th minute through a goal from Tyrone Burnette for Soesdyke. Three unanswered goals from Alvin Heralall (49), Dey again in the 64th and Jaime France in the 68th minutes confirmed Friendship’s 4-1 win which has taken them to the eight position in the 12team league, just ahead of the Warriors; five teams are on 3points with Samatta Point on 4 in fourth place. Yesterday’s opening clash between Grove Hi Tech, the current leaders and Samatta Point/Kaneville ended 1-1 with Samatta Point creating the most opportunities. Ray Richards netted for Samatta Point, while hi Tech’s Captain Devon Padmore converted for his team. Another epic day of action is anticipated today.
Sunday February 04 , 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Dare to be different, Aries. It can be so easy to fall into a drill. Sleeping at the same time, eating at the same time, wearing the same style, and going about work the same way day after day. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) If your lifestyle is considerably different than that of others, resist feeling self-conscience about it today, Taurus. Try to remember that you chose the life you have for specific reasons.l. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) An enhanced feeling of determination could motivate you today, Gemini. Finish the things that aren't complete and make some plans for this evening. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Feeling the effects of today's energies, Cancer? Take heart if this is the case, because the end of the tunnel isn't as far away as it seems. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Consider making some plans for a vacation or short getaway, Leo. Looking forward to something fun can make even the toughest of days far easier to handle. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Don't judge someone if he or she has a different lifestyle than what you consider to be OK, Virgo. You probably lean toward the traditional
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LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Friends seeking advice or a shoulder to cry on could be plentiful today, Libra. You're one of best people to give them the support and care they need. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Make some plans for this evening, such as getting together with friends or taking in an event that really intrigues you. Until then, go about your tasks bit by bit. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Working within boundaries and restrictions could really get to you today, Sagittarius.Exercise patience and diligence as needed today. . CAPRI (Dec.22–Jan.19) Therefore, it might be a good idea to start out the day pacing yourself and concentrating on whatever tasks are the most pressing. Don't worry if you have to leave some for later. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Don't discount your ability to be extremely resourceful if you need to be, Aquarius. If you don’t have everything you need or all of the required information, take time to think. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) While it's true that some days can seem to drag on, the busier you are the faster time will pass. Get down to finishing any work still before you and then make plans for tonight.
Former player and national TT coach Clement Harper dies in the USA Clement Demonfort Harper, a decorated former player and national table tennis coach passed away at the age of 85 years last week in USA. Harper was born in the ancient county of Berbice but lived most of his life in the City of Georgetown where he worked at Swan Laundry & Dry Cleaners in Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, as a Manager. He was married to Mignan Harper nee Kirton for almost half a century (49 years 11 months).The former Guyanese table tennis talisman passed away on Monday at the Beth Israel Hospital, Brooklyn, New York, USA, peacefully. Harper had migrated to the USA in 1982 and lived a productive life until his demise, according to the friends and relatives of the father of two women and grandfather of four young women, who are all based in the USA.Harper had vast experience as a table tennis coach including being responsible for the Guyanese contingent to the AAA games in China, 1973. He was responsible for
Eagles... From page 81 we know the opponent we’re going against,” said Pederson. “It’s about what we do. How our players handle this week and eliminate distractions and eliminate the noise and how well they prepare and get themselves ready to go.” The Eagles will certainly be flying high in the confidence department after rolling through the playoffs with a dominant defence that has allowed a total of 17 points in two games. Despite their defensive success, the Eagles’ secondary will have their work cut out for it against the Patriots’ deep passing game
Unbeaten... From page 80 Chanderpaul Hemraj, Shiv Chanderpaul, Ricardo Adams, Sherfane Rutherford, Anthony Bramble, Raymond Reifer, Kemo Paul, Davindra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Ramaal Lewis, Romario Shepherd and Clinton Pestano. Hurricanes: Keiran Powell (Capt), Devon Thomas, Keacy Carty, Montcin Hodge, Terrance Ward, Jahmar Hamilton, Rakeem Cornwall, Jeremiah Louis, Mervin Matthew, Sheno Berridge, Akeal Hosein, Marlon Samuels, Justin Athaneze and Kevin Cooper.
the development of former national players Mike Baptitse (also national coach), Horace Benjamin, Garth Isaacs, Bruce Edwards, Louis Armstrong, Mike Christophe and several others. On the female side, he helped developed Denise Osman, Doreen Chowah, Barbara DeAbreau, and several others. Funeral service of the late Clement Harper will be held at the New Hope Family Worship Centre at Livonia Avenue, Brooklyn, New York on Tuesday February 6th from 15:00hrs to 18:00hrs. The burial will take place the following day Pinelawn Memo-
Clement Harper rial Park, Farmingdale, New York.
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From page 75 last start -$200,000 L & Lower $150,0000 There will be bonuses for any horse that win all three of their races in the Triple Crown event with a maximum bonus payout amounting to $500,000. According to the organisers of the event, horses will not be promoted nor demoted for any events in their classes as to give the opportunity to win the bonus and to be hailed the “Triple Crown” champion in their class. The three-leg championship will be competed under the rules of the Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee. According to the organisers, a deposit of 50% of the total entry fee must be submitted on or before February 11th with the balance to be paid in full on or before the race day. In order to win the “Triple Crown” bonus, a deposit of $5,000 for each of the three races must be paid on or before February 11th.
Magnum “Mash Cup” futsal competition launched Over $800,000 in cash prizes on offer The inaugural Magnum ‘Mash Cup” futsal tournament sponsored by Ansa Mcal Trading Company was launched at the Windjammer International Restaurant and Bar. The competition, which kicked off yesterday at National Gymnasium, features a total of 32 teams vying for the top prize of $400,000. Twentyfour of the 32 teams will be in action on the opening night which will account for 12 anticipated showdowns. This futsal competition is projected to be action packed with participation from the best street teams based in Georgetown, Linden, West Demerara, East Coast and Berbice with eight days of competition over the next two and a half weeks. Among the notable teams slated to compete are Gold is Money, Sparta Boss, Back Circle, Future Stars, Bent Street, Leopold Street, Albouystown-A, Tigerbay, New Market Street, Broad Street, North East La Penitence, Channel-9 Warriors, Tucville, California Square, Showstoppers, MBK AllStars, NK Ballers, Swag Entertainment, Ol Skool Ballers, Mocha, Buxton Diamond, YMCA and Ansa All-Stars. The runners-up of the tournament will receive $200,000, third place $150,000 and fourth $50,000. Brand Manager of Magnum, Edison Jefford, noted
Sunday February 04, 2018
Kaieteur News
that in keeping with Guyana’s Mashramani period, the “Mash Cup” will be a bacchanal tournament of sorts with entertainment that has never been seen at the local futsal arena. Determine Immortal Sound along with DJ “Father Moey” will provide the game days’ entertainment.
Rogers forms Boxing Gym in Santa Rosa Moruca Pocket Rockets Boxing Coach Orland Rogers was recently appointed Hinterland Boxing Coach by Sports Minister Dr George Norton and is already making his presence felt in the Amerindian Community by opening a Boxing Gym in Region One in Santa Rosa Moruca. “This is the newly formed Boxing Gym out of Region one and the name of the Gym is Moruca Power Right Boxing Gym which has over 75 members,” informed Rogers. According to Rogers, an Executive body was recently formed with Arnold James being elected as President, while his Vice-President is Cynthia Thomas. The Secretary is Rohanni Henry and the Treasure is Robin DeSouza. “We have four committee members and the manager/ coach is Mr Joslyn Abraham, while the Patron is Ingrid Harris. I must thank the head Master of Santa Rosa Secondary school Mr Glenn for allowing us the use of the school’s compound until the community centre is upgraded,” Rogers said. The Gym has nine females and more than 65 Males who are ready to fight and Rogers thanked Minister, Dr George Norton for appointing him to Coach and open Boxing Gyms in the Hinterland because it was his dream to do this. “This is the third Gym in the hinterland so far after my tour to Region Nine I will be in Region Seven to open another two Gyms and let things start going with boxing there then I will look at Region Eight,” disclosed Rogers. He said he is planning the open two more Gyms before heading to Port Kaituma then back to Mabaruma then to Kwakwani and also Supernaam.
Launch party - Members of the launch party for the 1st Magnum “Mash Cup” Futsal Championship pose for a photo during the launch at Windjammer. Amongst the reps are NSC representative Brian Smith (3rd from left), Legacy spokesperson Esan Griffith (4th from left) and Magnum Brand Coordinator Edison Jefford (3rd from right). gional Super50 Festival at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. Replying to the 188-8 off 50 overs made by the USA, Hetmyer launched a merciless attack on the hapless bowlers hitting eight fours and seven sixes from just 64 balls. Hetmyer, who turned 21 last Boxing Day, added 118 with his 31-year-old skipper, Johnson, whose unbeaten 50 lasted 63 balls and was decorated with four fours and six as the Jaguars reached 192-2 in 32.1 overs. Excellent bowling from left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul (2-29 from 10), legspinner Davendra Bishoo (115 from 10), Kemo Paul (2-32 from 8) and debutant pacer Clinton Pestano (1-19 from 7) had left the USA on 99-7 after 31.1 overs. But the Jaguars’ continued inability to polish off the tail after blowing away the top order, untidy bowling from Reifer (in his second spell) and Sherfane Rutherford (042 from 7 overs), 30 extras including 21 wides and an 89run eighth wicket stand in 18.5 overs from Elmore
Hutchinson (45) and Mrunal Patel with an unbeaten on 43, lifted USA hopes. Reifer’s two early wickets after Paul had struck first with the day’s second ball, had left the score on 10-3, but the Bajan finished with 2-43 due
an expensive second spell, while Rutherford was also expensive. The USA were anchored by a flamboyant 51 from 83 balls with five fours and a six by 31-year-old from West Indies Test batsman Xavier
Marshall who shared in a 50-run stand with Timil Patel (16) for the fourth wicket, while the eighth wicket pair capitalised on ragged ‘death’ bowling against the weakest team in the tournament.
Coach Rogers and the Executive of Moruca Power Right Boxing Gym in Region 1
Regional Super50 Festival 2 Hetmyer (103), Johnson (50*) fire as Jaguars roar to 8-wkt win over USA A belligerent 103 from Shimron Hetmyer and an unbeaten 50 from Skipper Leon Johnson powered Guyana Jaguars to an emphatic eightwicket win over the USA in their second match in the Re-
Shimron Hetmyer smashes Rafiq for a thunderous boundary during his Regional 50-over ton.
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We look back on the past week in relation to the main events that took place locally in the sports arena. Adrian Fernandes tops field in GMRSC’s Season opening Endurance Meet The Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMRSC) first meet of the season, the Endurance contest which was sponsored by Mohamed’s Enterprise, Special Auto, Ansa Mcal and B.M. Soat, raced off at the South Dakota Circuit with four classes being contested in the 1500cc, 1501-1600cc, 16012000cc and the unlimited class featuring cars over 2000cc. The overall winner of the event was Adrian Fernandes, who also won the 15011600cc class, with a total of 83 laps with a best lap time of 1minute 25seconds.President of the GMRSC, Rameez Mohamed, who geared up in his Starlet for the Endurance Meet, recorded a lap record of 1minute 19 seconds as he finished 1st in the 16012000cc class. Roshan Ali with a total of 76 laps from the two-hour race was top of the pack in the 01500cc class, while Romeo Singh rounded off the unofficial results with 57 laps.Being the first meet of the year, the event was very subscribed with a total of 19 racers competing and in the grueling Timehri heat; only 10 of those 19 speedsters finished the race.
Despite disappointment, GBA Head finds positives from Dubai meeting While Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) President Steve Ninvalle was disappointed that the Caribbean’s proposal was rejected by the new executive of the International Boxing Association
(AIBA) at their recent meeting in Dubai, Ninvalle disclosed that there were positives for Boxing in the Caribbean coming out the meeting. Ninvalle, who last year became first Caribbean Administrator to be appointed to the AIBA’s Executive Committee Bureau, explained the aims of the proposal and why the AIBA executive body wanted it to be resubmitted. 1: To ask ABIA to facilitate the start of the construction of a Boxing Academy in the Caribbean. 2: Support financially, the four major tournaments in the Caribbean; the Caribbean Championships, the Caribbean Schoolboys & Juniors Tournament, the OECS Championships and the Creole games. The OECS and Caribbean Games was based on them opening up the OECS and Creole games to participation to all Caribbean Territories 3: Ask for assistance for the Islands ravaged by Hurricanes last year 4: Ask for Gear for the four Championships…gloves….head Guards on so on According to Ninvalle it was disclosed that the financial position was not at its best so some of the proposals that were included could not be given consideration at this time. “We put forward a proposal for the year of the Caribbean which is 2018…remember the year of the Caribbean was declared under the past President Dr Woo. We have put forward a proposal as it relates to the year of the Caribbean and the Executive Committee has asked that we re-submit that proposal under a guide line. We, as the CARICOM Nations in AIBA will have to sit and decide just how we go
about that. It’s not something that one person can decide on. I have already informed the Caribbean Countries of the decision of the executive committee,” Ninvalle informed. But all was not gloom and doom in Dubai for the Caribbean as Ninvalle explains. “Our threat of bankruptcy has been put on hold because of the fact that the new Administration was able to negotiate with some of the people AIBA has owed and that is a big positive and we have been given new lease on financial life,” informed Ninvalle. Another positive for the Caribbean was that AIBA was also able to amend its constitution and a lot the power that was vested in the President is now being shared by the President and the executives committee. “So what this has done …the amendment of those clauses to our constitution gives the executive committee a little more power, the President can’t make some of the decisions that he would have made before. I think this is a good thing that all the powers have not actually vested in the President to hire and appoint…the President can’t appoint now without ratification from the executive committee on many other things,” revealed Ninvalle.Guyana and Jamaica, with its association President Stephen Jones, were the only CARICOM members who were represented at this Meeting in Dubai out of 109 nations that were there. Local Boxers are presently in training for the Central American Qualifiers which will be held in Mexico in March and for the Commonwealth Games in Australia’s Gold Coast early in April.
Adrian Fernandes the overall winner and his motorcar.
Corona Beer backs Petra’s 3rd Annual Futsal Tournament Local football promoting organisation, Petra, is at it again with yet another event following the launch of their Corona Beer sponsored, 3rd Annual Futsal tournament which has attracted twentyfour teams. All the action is set to unfold at the National Gymnasium from February 24 with a total prize purse of over $2million at stake. During the launch which was held at the Top Brandz Head Office, Broad Street, it was noted that the winners of the competition will receive $600,000, runners-up $300,000 and third place $150,000. The tournament will be contested using the roundrobin knock-out format with groups of four engaging each other. The top two teams from each group along with the best four third place finishers will advance to the knockout round. Meanwhile, as an added incentive for teams in the group stage, the top finishers will get an additional $40,000, second place $30,000, third place $20,000 and fourth place $10,000. In addition, the tournament is giving away one motorbike each to the MVP of the tournament and a lucky patron. The tournament, which is expected to culminate with a grand final on March 31st, will feature Alpha Warriors, Pro Kleaners Campbellville, Show Stoppers, Mocha, Agricola, Plaisance, Sparta Boss, Old School Ballers, Leopold Street, Albouystown, Kingstown, North East La Penitence, Back Circle, West Front Road, North Ruimveldt, Tiger Bay, Broad Street, Chan-
New AIBA president Gafur Rakhimov (left) and GBA President Steve Ninvalle at the AIBA meeting in Dubai.
Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Committee to stage first “Triple Crown”C/ships Racing fans and turfites will be licking their lips as Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Committee prepares for its first Triple Crown horse racing championships which will see over $20million in cash prizes up for grabs in the three-day event.The “Triple Crown” championship, which is the first of its kind to grace the shores of Guyana, will be competed on three separate race days at two different venues. The first race day is slated for February 18th at the Rising Sun Turf Club followed by the second race day at March 4th at the same Arima Park, West Coast Berbice, racetrack. The third and final showdown will be on Easter Sunday at the Port Mourant Turf Club in Corentyne Berbice. Both meets at the Rising Sun Turf Club will have the
following 1st place cash prizes in the respective classes: -C-Class and Lower - $1 million -F class and Lower/EClass Non-earners/Last Start - $400,000 -3-year-old Guyana Bred $350,000 -H1 and Lower - $300,000 -J/K & Lower - $240,000 -K Class Non earner last start -$230,000 -L & Lower - $200,0000 (Note: Cash prizes will be awarded from first to fifth places) Meanwhile, the final leg in Corentyne will have the slightly bigger 1st prize purses which are as follows: -C-Class and Lower - $1.2 million -F class and Lower/EClass Non-earners/Last Start - $500,000 -3-year-old Guyana Bred $400,000 -H1 and Lower - $350,000 -J/K & Lower - $240,000 -K Class Non earner (Continued on page 74)
Top Brandz Sales Manager Rishi Persaud (left) hands over the trophy to Petra representative Jacklyn Boodie in athe Presence of Petra co-director Troy Mendonca (left) and Corona Brand Manager Marvin Wray (extreme right).
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Regional Super50 Festival
Unbeaten teams go head to head under lights today Jaguars face-off with Hurricanes By Sean Devers in Antigua In association with Vnet Communications, Bounty Farm, Noble House Seafoods & Playter’s Enterprise This evening from 14:00hrs the only two unbeaten teams in Zone ‘B’ of the Regional Super50 Festival clash under lights in a Day/ Night encounter at the Coolidge ground which was once the home of the Standford T20 Tournament. Guyana Jaguars, with wins over English County side Kent and the USA, face off with the Leewards Hurricanes, who had victories over USA and Jamaica Scorpions. Today the South American Franchise will know that this game against the Scorpions is a step up in weightclass and should provide their toughest challenge yet. The home team will fancy their chances against a team that has won four consecutive First-Class titles but won the last of their 10 Regional 50-over tiles 13 years ago when Shiv Chanderpaul led them to the KFC Cup at Bourda. The Leewards won their first of seven titles when Sir Vivian Richards led them to the 1978 title but has not tasted Championship success since sharing the 2010 title with Barbados when a moment of madness from Tino Best gifted them a Tie in Jamaica. However, this is a differ-
ent era and teams are now allowed to select players from outside of their Countries. The Leewards overseas players have made the biggest impact to their team this season with Trinidadian left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein picking up a five wicket haul in the first game and Jamaican Marlon Samuels scoring a century in their second game. Rakeem Cornwall’s 132 in their win over USA make the Scorpions the only team with two centurions, while their win over Jamaica, one of the pre-tournament favourites would leave them brimming with confidence. While Shimron Hetmyer became the 12th Guyanese to score a Regional 50-over ton with his destructive 103 in the last game, the openers have not managed to build a solid foundation in the two matches, while bowling at the backend of an innings is a cause for concern as it was in the Four-Day tournament. The Jaguars had some injury scares with Romario Shepherd (who missed the last match) and Shiv Chanderpaul who retired hurt on eight against the USA, both suffering from minor niggles. However, everyone is fit for today clash which will be the last for Bajan Raymon Reifer, who leaves for Windies ‘A’ team duties and will be replaced by Chris Barnwell who is expected to arrive here today.
Veersammy Permaul
Shimron Hetmyer
This Jaguars’ team is littered with young aggressive batsmen like Hetmyer, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Sherfane Rutherford, Kemo Paul, Anthony Bramble and Clinton Pestano, while Chanderpaul, the oldest player in the tournament and 30-year-old Skipper Leon Johnson, both with fifties so far, gives the batting balance. Test all-rounder Reifer bats with a level head in addition to bowling quality left-arm Seam. The track at Coolidge seems slow with some turn for the spinners and thought the ground is a small one, Hurricanes’ spinners Cornwall, Samuels, Hosein and Justin Athaneze bowled well against a batting line with included Gayle and Russell in their last game and could be a worry for the Jaguars line-up which has seven left-handers in it. Jeremiah Louis, Mervin
Matthew and Sheno Berridge could provide pace option for the Scorpions who will depend on Samuels, Cornwall, Keiran Powell, Devon Thomas and Montcin Hodge with the bat. Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo and left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul should relish the pitch if not the size of the ground and should trouble the Scorpions batsmen, while the pacers, especially Rutherford and Pestano should know that it could be a risk over using the short ball on this surface and on a ground which smaller than Warner Park in St Kitts. Some of the Jaguars players including Johnson and Manager Rayon Griffith attended the second half of Leewards/Jamaica on Friday night. Jaguars: Leon Johnson (Capt), Shimron Hetymer (Continued on page 73)