K
AIETEUR
Bridging Deed fiasco... Tuesday Edition
Sir Shridath Ramphal should release the - Chris ‘Escrow Letter’ himself Ram
February 04, 2020 - Vol. 13 No. 05
NEWS
Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly
p. 23
Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Price $80
Online readership yesterday 169.344
Investigate Trotman, others in suspicious Stabroek Block deal p. 12
- Global Witness Report
…Minister sought but did not await expert advice Man running from jail sentence, captured under another name From left PM Barbados Mia Mottley, Pres David Granger and Chancellor Yonnette Cummings-Edwards
p. 8
Health Ministry should inspect p. all private 11
hospitals to ensure protocols followed
Barbados PM conferred with honorary national award p.17
- Medical Council
PM Rowley aggressively seeks Suspect nabbed onep. fair share of revenue earned day after stabbing 22 from country’s oil resources twin brother to death p. 7
Suriname poised to bag hundreds of US$millions in signing bonuses …capitalises on Guyana’s oil and gas discoveries
p. 14
Kaieteur News
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Tuesday February 04, 2020
Gold Board's exports in 2019 reached US$112M
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xports from the Guyana Gold Board last year totaled over US$112M with officials insisting that the industry is continuing to make its mark on the economy of Guyana. The statements were made yesterday when the Gold Board opened an office in Port Kaituma, Region One, with the projections of growth. It was disclosed that the move comes as a result of requests from small miners. “This is the third office opened by GGB, in keeping with a commitment to make its services more accessible to small miners in remote areas of Guyana. Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, joined Director of the Board
of the GGB, John Yates; General Manager, Eondrene Thompson; and staffers of the branch for the opening. During his brief remarks, Minister Trotman underscored the value of the new location in facilitating services to small miners and the contribution of small miners to the sector. He also noted that business at the new location will increase revenues to the economy through increased gold declarations over last year's figures of 635,000 declared ounces. “In 2019, revenue from gold exported was US$112 million, which demonstrated once again, the undeniable contribution that mining makes to the economy.” The new office is located
- Port Kaituma office opens
in the building that houses the Guyana Bank For Trade and
Industry (GBTI) at Turn Basin, Port Kaituma. It will provide similar services to those offered in Georgetown including, testing and buying gold. Since Port Kaituma is a hub for small miners plying their trade in Region One, the office will serve as a central access point of services to persons in the mining community and from surrounding areas. The GGB is also continuing to provide services at its locations in Georgetown and Bartica, as well as, through mobile offices in selected areas. “The Ministry of Natural Resources congratulates the Guyana Gold Board for its efforts to expand its services to small miners, in keeping with the overall development of the mining sector in Guyana and the
Minister Raphael Trotman and others at the opening of the Port Kaituma branch yesterday.
APNU+AFC Government's policy to ensure that there is an enabling environment for safe and sustainable mining at the large, medium and small scales.” The Ministry said that since 2015, the Government has welcomed thousands of new miners into the industry, while enhancing efforts to protect the environment, hinterland communities and miners plying their trade. Gold declarations are also at a record high as efforts to stimulate the industry and ensuring greater regulation, are providing positive results.
Tuesday February 04, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Trinidad poised to participate in oil exploitation in marine areas off the Guyana-Suriname basin - PM Dr. Rowley By Kiana Wilburg reporting from Trinidad and Tobago
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rinidad and Tobago is poised to participate in the exploitation of hydrocarbons in marine areas off the Guyana-Suriname basin should its efforts to extend the limits of its Continental Shelf be successful. Making this disclosure yesterday at the opening Ceremony of Trinidad and Tobago's Energy Conference was T&T Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley. The official said that the country's claim is to be presented to the United Nations Commission this year and if successful, would extend the country's maritime jurisdiction seawards to areas in proximity to the oil
rich Guyana-Suriname Basin. The Prime Minister was keen to note that exploration successes for oil and gas, particularly in Guyana, have radically changed the perception as well as interest in the region. Dr. Rowley said that the region, with justification, is now being heralded as the next major oil and gas province. He said that this has generated unprecedented interest by upstream companies in the region. Guyana has been the main recipient of investment in exploration and development by these companies, he added. It is estimated that the discoveries in Guyana hold cumulative recoverable resources of over eight billion barrels of oil equivalent. And spurred on by this Guyana success, Dr. Rowley
Supreme Court clarifies technical difficulties hampering access to electronic database
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he Georgetown Supreme Court h a s b e e n experiencing technical difficulty caused by a temporary interruption in access to its electronic database. In a statement issued yesterday, the Protocol and Communications Office of the Supreme Court explained the Court has been experiencing difficulties since late November 2019. The statement was in response to a Kaieteur News headline “Digital court registry crashes… No backup system available”. The statement claimed that the content and conclusions arrived at in the article are incorrect. “It is unfortunate that the journalist responsible did not seek a comment from the Registrar of the Supreme Court or the Protocol and Communications Unit before going to print.” The statement sought to clarify reports that the Court's digital system had crashed and there were no back system available. The Supreme Court's Information and Technology Department has been continuously engaged in
maintaining and updating its servers to improve and preserve the Court's electronic database and infrastructure, according to the statement. “This does not mean that the Court's digital systems have crashed. Our data entry and current electronic file uploads continue on a daily basis as we work to resolve the issue of access. “The database is also secure and progress has been made with a view to accessing it.” Meanwhile, the Supreme Court noted that it assures all court users that the registry is fully operational. The statement continued that a system has been put in place to facilitate manual access by court users to public records in its custody. “Any person who requires such assistance may submit the case reference numbers and years and any other relevant information to our counter-clerks in the registry. “The Supreme Court wishes to advise that the digital recording and transcription services of the Courts outfitted with digital recording equipment are not affected by this technical difficulty.
Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley noted that there is exploration activity along the length and breadth of the Caribbean and with some success. In this regard, he highlighted that US Corporation, Apache Oil and Gas, recently announced a major oil find off the coast of Suriname. Wi t h a n e s t i m a t e d resource potential of 13.6 billion barrels , the United States Geological Survey ranks the Guyana-Suriname Basin second in the world for prospectivity among the world's unexplored basins and 12th for oil among all the world's basins – explored and unexplored. Outside of Guyana and Suriname, Dr. Rowley said that other Caribbean
countries are seeking to capitalise on the interest shown in the region by the investing energy companies. In this regard, he pointed out that Barbados has granted licences to the Australian multinational conglomerate, BHP to explore off its SouthEast Coast and to the Spanish company Repsol to explore to the Northwest of the island. In the meantime, Tullow and its partners continue to prospect on a huge block to the south of Jamaica on the Pedro Banks, while the Bahamas Petroleum Company is conducting exploration to the SouthWest of Andros Island. He also reminded that Global Petroleum Group has
found some gas close to Grenada's maritime border with Venezuela. Considering the foregoing developments, the Prime Minister was keen to note that Trinidad and Tobago, with its long history in the industry, is well poised to assist the new entrants being Guyana, Grenada, Barbados, Jamaica and the Bahamas, in the development of their petroleum sectors. He said that to date, Trinidad has entered into Memoranda of Co-operation with Guyana, Grenada and Barbados for provision of technical assistance. He also noted that preliminary discussions are in their early stages on the development of Unitization Agreements with Grenada and Barbados for the exploitation of hydrocarbons reservoirs that extend beyond our respective
maritime borders. The Prime Minister said that Trinidad and Tobago by virtue of its location has an opportunity to provide logistical and offshore support to operators in the emerging Caribbean Oil and Gas economies. He said that this will require the expansion of the country's marine infrastructure on its South East Coast. Dr. Rowley said that active consideration is being given to the expansion of the Galeota Port to meet the demand for services that will be generated by exploration in new marine blocks on the South East and East Coasts of Trinidad and Tobago and in offshore oil and gas developments in the Guianas and other Caribbean countries. Dr. Rowley noted that a Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued for the expansion of the Galeota Port and the responses are currently being evaluated.
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Tuesday February 04, 2020
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
Those promises at this time It is certainly a good and comforting vision, one that holds much promise for the positive. Though the promises of elections seasons must be taken with a healthy dose of salt, regardless of the source, there is much to applaud about what the president has now stated on the campaign trail. He is talking about removing from the GPF immigration services, gun licences, and vehicle fitness. Elections seasons are the time for intriguing promises, and in this mother of all elections, no group is desirous of being left behind. But, as with all solemn elections promises and stirring manifestos, from past experience, the salt taken should be of the Epsom variety, so that matters pass through the system rapidly. Guyanese experience warns that during these times, local politicians make more promises than a serial bigamist. It has been the usual case of jilting and the disappearing that follows.If all three planks of what His Excellency placed before the public can be made to happen (and they make for commonsense), by any political group once in office, then it is an overdue step in the right direction. It could bring much relief to the always handicapped and hurting Guyanese public. To put a different way, it is difficult to imagine that wherever such services are moved to could be more onerous, or more plagued with hidden costs and unofficial sanctions, and that which is the widely known and experienced norm in the bailiwick that is the Guyana Police Force. These three routine services handled by the GPF have assumed the settled culture of a favour being done, and for which there is a cost. Supplicant citizens have to come almost with hat in hand and on bended knee, since they are held to ransom. It is helpful and powerful to have wallet open too and readiness to share. There is the extracting of a price for a passport especially one that has to be replaced on the run or under suspicious circumstances, such as deliberate destruction of the document to conceal some criminal development (or one that is intended). As for gun licences, it is a public secret that it is a most lucrative of responsibilities, with seven figure numbers being called. Lots of names, too, of which some are political, while the rest are embedded in the higher levels of the GPF. It seems as though everybody knows someone, who can make that coveted gun licence come complete with ribbon and smiles for a job well done and a grand time had by all. It is way past the time to move these things to more reliable and possibly cleaner bodies on the outside. The exercise of obtaining vehicular fitness can turn out to be the comedy of a litany of faults, each of which has a price tag, and which none has either the patience, the time, or interest to navigate or negotiate. Thus, matters have been reduced to submission of the going price to assure that one’s machine is certified as a going concern for another year. The circumstances are also ripe for this fraud (admittedly low on the scale of corruption and exploitation) to be put to a sudden death. The evidence is available: the whispered, sometimes not so secretive lifestyle, the aggregation of gaudy trophies that simply could not come from the pittance that the police pay. If everyone were to have such inheritances or generous overseas-based families, then this country would have no use for its oil. In fact, the planned political offerings of cash handouts may not find many takers, since the intended recipients are so overloaded with the plunder that flows from the misuse and the mangling, for profit, of duties and tasks handed down by the state to unscrupulous servants. It is time that the GPF has a competent cohort to man what functions as a bona fide Internal Affairs Division. Given the level of wrongdoing, suspected and alleged at various levels, there has to be such a unit. In this season, the musical promises keep coming; maybe somebody will deliver this time around.
ARE PRIVATE HOSPITALS MONITORED? DEAR EDITOR, In 1964, Bookers Sugar Estates Ltd introduced the first Contributory Hospitalisation and Maternity Insurance Scheme (CHMIS) into British Guiana. The insurers were none other than the American Life Insurance Company out of the USA. After some years of successful management, the expanded scheme became selffinanced and included every employee who was paid regularly, that is, down to a weekly basis. In 1969, the government of the day led its Caribbean counterparts in establishing the National Insurance Scheme, which few would realise also catered for unemployment benefits – a provision which was never enacted. Following in 1972 was the promulgation of the Private Hospital Act – at a time when there were few such agencies – Medical Arts, St. Joseph Mercy, Prashad’s, Davis Memorial Hospitals come more readily to mind. Of course, there were the hospitals in the sugar industry, spanning from Skeldon to Uitvlugt Estates along the coast; and that of the Bauxite Company up the Demerara River in what is now Linden. It is uncertain how many, if at all, of the current players in the Health Sector (public or private) are aware of the relatively comprehensive piece of legislation, that is, hopefully, apart from the licensing requirements which applicants were required to fulfill. For example, the applicant had to specify whether it was: “(a) a medical or surgical hospital (b) a medical, surgical and maternity hospital (c) maternity hospital (d) a home for the care and accommodation of convalescent or chronically ill persons (e) a hospital for the care of any specified class of patients suffering from any specified disease, disorder or illness.” Further: “Every licensee shall state the maximum number of patients who may be accommodated in the hospital at any time and may be limited to any particular class or classes of patients.” Licences are intended to be issued annually by the relevant Minister. But who knows this? Of interest are the following two clauses of the Act: “12 (1) Every private hospital shall have at all times two persons designated by the licensee as the superintendent and deputy superintendent thereof, respectively, and the superintendent shall be resident thereat. (2) A superintendent and
a deputy superintendent shall possesssuch qualifications as may be presented, and the licensee of a private hospital may, if so qualified, be designated the superintendent or deputy superintendent thereof.” The above is subject to the approval of the Minister. What is more interesting is the requirement to maintain a register of patients: “13 (1) a)the name, age, sex and usual place of abode of each patient, and the date of his admission to the hospital; b)each patient’s diagnosis and surgical operation, if any; c)the name of the medical practitioner attending each patient; d)the date on which each patient left the hospital and , if transferred to another hospital, the name of the other hospital or, in the event of death of a patient in hospital, the date of his death; and e)such other particulars
as may be prescribed.” What may be most critical is the provision instituted for the inspection of private hospitals. The following extracts may therefore be of interest to delinquent parties: “15 (4) The Minister may designate teams consisting of a medical practitioner and a midwife and such other persons as the Minister may consider necessary which shall be authorised to make an inspection and examination of any private hospital or hospitals or any aspects of the administration, operation of management thereof as may be specified, and which shall make a report thereon to the Minister.” and while the parties are contemplating their responsibilities, it would probably be of greater concern to discover that the Act provides for Regulations with regard to the following, amongst others: “19 (f) prescribing or restricting the type and amount
of surgery, gynaecology or obstetrics that may be performed in any class of private hospitals and the facilities and equipment that shall be provided for such purposes; (g) the admission, treatment, care and discharge of patients and for the control of the admission of any class of patients; (h) the records, books, reports, returns and other documents to be made and kept in respect of private hospitals and the production to, and inspection by, the Minister or any person authorised by him of such records, books, reports, returns and documents; (i) the establishment and operation of periodic medical audits of the work performed in private hospitals; (j) the reports and returns to be submitted to the Minister by private hospitals; or (k) prescribing anything authorised or required to be (Continued on page 5)
Corruption in government is treason DEAR EDITOR, According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary treason is 1. : the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance or to kill or personally injure the sovereign or the sovereign’s family. 2. the betrayal of a trust: TREACHERY. Historically, in common law countries, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife or that of a master by his servant. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a lesser superior was petty treason. Countries around the world abolished petty treason, but I believe corruption by government official is treason. Are parliamentarians servants of the people or are they our bosses? If they work for the people, then corruption in government is high treason. Are the people the Sovereign? Popular sovereignty states that the authority of a state and its government is derived and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives (Rule by the People or democracy), who are the source of all political power. It is a social contract that all democratic societies are built on. Philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau provided the rational for this standard. This is the ideal and
is not practiced in any country. Benjamin Franklin wrote, “In free governments, the rulers are the servants and the people their superiors and sovereigns” Corruption in government is the greatest threat to a nation, because it hurts the populace by depriving them of resources. They betray the people for personal gain and set the tone for the society they lead. Confucius’ political philosophy states, “If the people be led by laws, and uniformity among them be sought by punishments, they will try to escape punishment and have no sense of shame. If they are led by virtue, and uniformity sought among them through the practice of ritual propriety, they will possess a sense of shame and come to you of their own accord”. In other words, if you have honest and virtuous leaders, you will have no need for law enforcement.
The fact that globally and locally political leaders depend on police and soldiers to make people obey the law, suggests that they have no moral authority, and depend on coercion. The more corrupt a government, the more they depend on aggressive policing and rule the populace by fear. The poor are most affected by government corruption, because they depend on public schools, public health care and so on. No wonder the public hospital is not up to standard. Guyana has enough resources that everyone can live comfortable. It is the mismanagement of those resources (corruption) that is a major factor in poverty and crime. Fish starts to rot from its head. With Guyana’s new oil wealth, corruption is likely to increase. What will be done to ensure the people prosper? Yours truly, Brian E Plummer
Tell us what preventatives to use for this disease DEAR EDITOR, I have done research and found-out that the canine respiratory coronavirus is part of a kennel cough complex and is spread in kennel-like situations where dogs have high contact with one another or infected surfaces. It is genetically related to the bovine and human coronavirus that cause respiratory infections and the common cold in people. Dogs that catch it have mild symptoms such as cough, sneezing and nasal discharge. I am well aware that the present coronavirus infections to human bodies originated from the country of China. Our Public Health Ministry should tell us, the Guyanese citizens, if this disease came from animals and what preventatives to use. Yours faithfully, Parmanand Ram
Tuesday February 04, 2020
EXXON ON VOTERS’ MINDS DEAR EDITOR, I have been traveling around the country conducting a tracking poll on election-related matters, including on peoples’ trust in GECOM and its Chair, as well as on political figures. I also have been querying voters on popular media personalities and readership of newspapers and columns as well as their interest in news reports and commentaries. I employed interviewers.People are very concerned about the contract signed with, and the oil finds of Exxon. They are following the news reports on Exxon. They are not seeing much benefits from the finds. The ‘Dem Boys Seh’ column is the most popular and most read among all columns of all newspapers. People like to read columns poking fun of (ridiculing) public figures, political issues, politicians, crooked police, energy matters, Exxon, and other matters
in the public domain or impacting their lives. Reports related to Exxon and oil are closely followed by readers. People want to know how they (the country) are being cheated and exploited by the oil companies. The popularity of ‘Dem Boys Seh’ is followed by the Freddie Kissoon column and Peeping Tom. People also look forward to columns of several other writers. They also have their favourite letter writers. Among public figures, First Lady Sandra Granger is polling very high likability ratings and the most popular personality on the government side followed by the President. On the opposition side, the poll finds Bharrat Jagdeo is a rock star. The PPP’s presidential candidate Irfaan Ali has also been gaining appeal. Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram
We must all seek to learn from these examples DEAR EDITOR, For centuries, until the advent of democracy and the victory of civil and human rights, the organisation of society around ethnicity, religion and class had ordained an individual’s position in society and ability to substantially affect their circumstances. The evolution of society, particularly in the western hemisphere, has witnessed the emergence of sports and entertainment, and education, as the principal vehicles of upward mobility for many of the structurally disadvantaged. Every year several hundred underprivileged, but physically gifted, persons from Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean are recruited through the athletic, basketball, football and other popular sporting programmes through scholarships and internships sponsored by universities, clubs and leagues, into the ranks of the economically mobile, and serve as the inspiration and example for others desiring to better their lives. The concept of the modern student-athlete, promoted mainly in the U.S.A, has created opportunities for many with limited educational, employment and entrepreneurial prospects to receive a quality education, as well as sports development training and employment as highly paid professional athletes. Some of these athletes who attained fame and fortune due to their skills and exploits in the sport entertainment arena are sometimes remembered more for the notoriety and extravagance of their lifestyle while others, like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, are remembered and appreciated equally for their activism, philanthropy and service to their communities as for their athletic prowess. Sports enthusiasts and basketball aficionados will forever debate their relative positions in the NBA pan-
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theon, but what can never be refuted is their commitment to assisting others, mostly underprivileged children and youth, through mentorship and the creation of educational opportunities and support to enhance their lives. In addition to his 5 NBA championships, 2 Olympic gold medals and the numerous professional accolades, Kobe Bryant was also the official ambassador for AfterSchool All-Stars (ASAS), an American non-profit organization that provides comprehensive after school programmes to children in several U.S cities, and his Kobe Bryant China Fund contributed to health and education programmes in China. Together with his wife Vanessa, Kobe founded the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation, which goals are “helping young people in need, encouraging the development of physical and social skills through sports and assisting the homeless”. At the time of his death, he was working with Brazilian author Paulo Coelho on a children’s book aimed at inspiring underprivileged children, which has been discontinued. Kobe clearly exemplified the John D. Rockefeller maxim that “every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty”. LeBron James, who followed Kobe to the Los Angeles Lakers and whose accomplishments to date are considered, by most, to have surpassed Kobe’s and possibly Michael Jordan’s, is also an ardent supporter of nonprofit organizations, including ASAS and Children’s Defense Fund, and has his own charity foundation, the LeBron James Family Foundation, which channels support for educational and cultural institutions and scholarships for thousands of children. It has been a little over a week since Kobe’s tragic death, but the example of his
professional career and short, but distinguished life – his discipline, determination, purpose and commitment to hard work and excellence – are qualities which cement his greatness. Former U.S. President said that “the rising tide lifts all the boats”. This is unquestionably true of Kobe’s exemplary life, and that of a few like him, like LeBron James. We must all seek to learn from their examples, and here in our own country and time, President David Arthur Granger who, from the onset of his Presidency, has championed the 5 B’s (buses, bicycles, boats, books, breakfast) programme, pledged the re-introduction of free education at UG, and has underpinned his Decade of Development S t r a t e g y w i t h a programme that will “witness the emergence of a world-class education system” has done more for education in Guyana than any other modern politician, and will cause him to forever be known as the Education President. Sincerely Oscar Dolphin
The impasse must end, followed by immediate arbitration DEAR EDITOR, Response is being made to reported comments made by RUSAL company representative Vladimir Permyakov to the media on Friday, January 31, 2020 after the Department of Labour met with the representatives of the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI). The conflict with RUSAL/ BCGI is not about the blocking of the Berbice River. Since the company now finds it convenient to speak about the Laws of Guyana regarding Guyana’s national waters, we take this opportunity to remind them that the Constitution of Guyana also speaks about the sovereignty of our nation and the Laws of Guyana, which they have been in violation of for over a decade. What is evident from this message is that while RUSAL is not prepared to honour the Laws of Guyana, they are prepared to turn the Government of Guyana against the workers of Guyana. What they are intending to do now is play another government agency against the workers of Guyana, because the unblocking of the River is not the responsibility of the Department of Labour. RUSAL has successfully over the years, by some measure, rendered the Department of Labour ineffective in dealing with them, but they are seeking to have another government department attend to their grievance. The Guyana Bauxite & General Workers’ Union (GB&GWU) calls for arbitration. NOW! Workers are prepared to return to work under these under mentioned conditions, which were communicated to the company and Department of Labour, repeat-
edly:1. The recall of all (288) workers laid off on 23rd and 30th January and this must be without loss of pay or service given that the acts of sending them off, violate Section 12 of the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act; 2. Compensation for the two employees who suffered from electrical shocks while in the course of duty and were left to fend their way to the Kwakwani hospital where they were subsequently admitted and were not paid for the time they were hospitalised and off the job; and 3. Appointment of Arbitration Tribunal to resolve wages and salaries grievance. GB&GWU calls for declaration of an end to the impasse to be followed immediately by arbitration. The Union calls also on the Guyanese community, our trade unions comrades and the media, to rally around bauxite workers in exposing and fighting the injustices meted out to them. The violations of our laws and sov-
ereignty by BCGI should not be facilitated by those who are paid with taxpayers’ money, and who conveniently know the law. Note: after ten years and with no confidence that the Russian-managed company (BCGI) can be trusted by its words, there is now recognition that lawlessness is being facilitated by operatives of this government, which to date has had equal amount of time as its predecessor to address this situation, and has to date failed to do so in entirety. GB&GWU is forced, therefore, to recognise the actions of the frustrated persons to block the river as an act of desperation to bring about social justice, when all legal and procedural avenues have been stymied by inaction, foot-dragging and misrepresentation of advice on best practices. The impasse must end! The Grievance Procedures and the Laws of Guyana must be allowed to work in the interest of all concern. Also, this opportunity is taken to remind Permyakov it is often through extreme vigilance change comes. Changes in the world don’t always (Continued on page 6)
Are private hospitals... From page 4 prescribed by this Act.” There is of course reference to penalties. What the Act did not specifically foresee and which now appears to be an issue in a highly commercialised health environment, is the possibility of complaint by patients about inflated costs of medical treatment, some of which they regard as unnecessary anyhow. This development, in the context of the above, may well be seen as having substantive legal implications. E.B. John
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False promises galore for sugar workers DEAR EDITOR, Sugar workers have been treated as second-class citizens by APNU+AFC. They have been lied to and cheated on the last five years. During that time, David Granger never once acknowledged their plight. Suddenly, it is election time and Granger and APNU+AFC are twisting themselves like a good American pretzel making more false promises to the sugar workers, not only reaffirming their second-class citizens treatment, but now treating them like they are stupid. For five years, they did nothing to give the sugar workers land, which they promised them in 2016. Boom, its election time and David Granger is promising them land again. It is utterly insulting and indecent. We must call a spade a spade. Even as that fake promise is made once again, none of them in APNU+AFC has addressed my prediction - Uitvlugt and Blairmont are not guaranteed survival under any future APNU+AFC government. None of them so far has dared to guarantee that these estates are safe. At its most recent rally, held at Leonora, David Granger promised, if his government was to return to power after March 2, 2020, APNU+AFC would ensure sugar workers who lost their jobs because of the heartless closure of sugar estates will be given land for agriculture purposes. When the Wales Estate was closed in 2016, four years ago, the more than 2,500 sugar workers who had to fight for their severance payments were told the sugar cane cultivation land would be distributed to them, so they could start over. Four years have gone, some of the land has been given to friends of the government, but not an acre has been given to any of the sugar workers who lost their jobs and their livelihood. In 2016, APNU+AFC spent more than $150M preparing 1,000 acres, they said, for rice cultivation, which will hire some of the laid-off sugar workers. They also said they spent $60M to start aquaculture. It is four years, the land has been taken over by weeds, not a grain of rice, or a single fish has been produced. For four years, Granger
Tuesday February 04, 2020
Kaieteur News
never mentioned anything about these poor workers and their families. Suddenly, faced with a massive defeat on March 2, he again makes the same old, empty promise “vote for me and I will give you land”. These sugar workers have lived in poverty the last four years. Granger never made a single step towards them, never mentioned their plight, never sent his ministers to talk with the sugar workers. For four years, reports after reports documented the poverty, the hungry children not being able to go to school, yet no one from the insensitive government ever showed up. Granger and APNU+AFC bragged about buses, bicycles, boats and free breakfast, but these are alien things to the workers and their families - they have never seen any of these things. They were treated as second-class citizens. After breaking their promise to give the land to the sugar workers, betraying them and their families, for four long years, it is election time and, boom, Granger now promises them they will get the land if they vote for him and APNU+AFC. Is there anything less dishonest than this? At the Leonora rally, Mr. Granger pointedly told people, to use his own words, he “preserved” sugar in Guyana. He did not say sorry to the almost 9,000 sugar workers who lost their jobs and the almost 40,000 family members who suddenly found themselves in abject poverty. For four years, Granger ignored sugar workers, placed them in poverty and now demands praise because in his own warped mind he “preserved” the in-
dustry. He closed four estates, fired 9,000 workers, sugar production fell to a low not seen for a hundred years. Yet Granger had the audacity to boast he “preserved” sugar. It is shameful and shameless at the same time. It is dishonest claiming credit for a disaster that impoverished 40,000 people and that imperiled the livelihood of thousands of others. Small shopkeepers are struggling because their little shops are barely active, since customers can no longer support the business. Market vendors have seen their livelihood shocked, because their customers can no longer afford to buy products. The seamstresses and the tailors, the taxi drivers in these communities have seen their businesses collapse like falling dominoes. Not a word of apology, not a word of distress from the man who lorded over his citizens like he was their King. While making his empty promise of land for the laidoff sugar workers, he never uttered a word of what support he will give to these unemployed workers. He never asked how they survived the last four years. He did not care all this time, but he makes another empty promise and fully expects these workers to believe him. But these workers are not fools; they will reject him, like they did in November 2018 at the local government elections. After all, Guyanese do value honesty, decency and integrity and they do not need to be told by anyone that the Granger-led APNU+AFC is the very ugly picture and definition of indecency, dishonesty and absolute lack of integrity. Dr. Leslie Ramsammy
The ambulance had to be given some consideration DEAR EDITOR, We, the citizens, have always been told from time immemorial that emergency vehicles with blaring siren must be given the right of way and easy passage on the roadways. It is presumed this edict is applicable to all citizens of the country, irrespective of their station in life. Yet, a columnist in Kaieteur News’ Sunday, February 2 edition, recounted what was told to him, of an ambulance en route to Georgetown not being given the right of passage, and the refusal of the police outriders to allow the ambulance to pass the entourage.Surely an ambulance had to be given some consideration. Where was the compassion? So, did the outriders break the law in this regard? Shamshun Mohamed
Which party is willing to root for hemp? DEAR EDITOR, In early 2016, with the loss of the Venezuelan market for rice and with sugar on the decline, Dr. Turhane Doerga made a valiant effort to introduce hemp as an alternative crop for Guyanese by forming the Guyana Hemp Society. According to Dr. Doerga, hemp is ten times more profitable than rice and offers a line of manufacturing industries for wealth and job creation, since over 100 products are associated with hemp. President Granger and his Coalition government in their “wait for oil” mode, never lend an ear or entertain the idea of getting hemp as an alternative crop for Rice and Sugar Cane, despite the fact that over 30 Countries around the world were cultivating hemp in contravention of the UN charter that criminalizes hemp as a psychoactive drugs. It is no secret that several researches have been done to show that hemp, despite containing 2 percent THC, is a different plant from Marijuana, and does not produce a high if smoked. Hemp has a high CBD (canobinoid) content. Re-
cently, it was discovered that CDB oil is the newest but expensive painkiller of choice, because of its non-addictive mode of action - adding value to the lucrativeness of hemp cultivation. Despite all the research, the DEA refuses to take hemp off its list of psychoactive drugs. The presence of the DEA in Guyana is suggestive that the government could have been instructed to look the other way on the hemp issue - considering that the president had refused to meet with the Guyana Hemp Society and another high-ranking official, in a lacklustre fashion, had asked members of the hemp society to find out what the Government has to do to allow them to cultivate hemp. Telling the truth could have been conducive to making the Government appear as a puppet. The dynamic of change is now calling for legislation to stop custodial sentencing for possession of small portions of the real deal (Marijuana)- why shouldn’t farmers be allowed to cultivate hemp for commercial benefits? This is 2020, general elections are weeks away, the oil
has begun to flow, but with the lopsided contract we would only be receiving 14.5 percent on our share of the oil until some US$10 billion in capital investment is repaid. At 14.5 percent, there will be nothing to trickle into the rural areas where sugar and rice will remain in crises and the skill of the people is in their hands to grow crops. There is no shortage of examples where people in oilproducing countries remain in abject poverty. Moreover, the burning of fossil fuel is identified as the largest contributor to global warming. As the world seeks to develop clean alternative energy sources, oil prices may decline in the future, reducing our revenues on oil. We need to strengthen our agricultural base by introducing a new profitable crop. Hemp is the answer. The time is right for the people in the agricultural belt and the country as a whole, to call on the contesting parties to commit to introduce hemp as an alternative crop for farmers. Let’s see which party is willing to put hemp on their manifesto! Rudolph Singh
‘CABINET’ DECISIONS DEAR EDITOR, In a display of willful ignorance, David Granger and his Cabinet sat on the 23rd of January, 2020 and decided upon appointments for various state boards. While the ignorance of laws is the new normal here, as noted by the US State Department “the United States is concerned about recent actions by Guyana that may undermine democratic principles, including apparent misapplication of the Guyanese constitution and certain court rulings,” it is the damage being done to the institutions and character of persons who accept these appointments that is the greatest cause for national concern.Upon the passage of the No-confidence motion on the 21st December 2018, Cabinet stood resigned; upon the CCJ ruling of 18th June 2019, Cabinet stood resigned; Upon the expiry of the constitutionally stipulated period of 90 days for an Election, the 19th September 2019, the Granger administration became illegal and Cabinet stood resigned; upon the proclamation of the March 2nd, 2020
Election date, Cabinet stood resigned; upon the proclamation of the dissolution of Parliament on the 10th of January 2020, Cabinet stood resigned, and yet Granger’s Cabinet meets and approves board appointments as if oblivious to their lack of legal status to so do. This ‘cabinet’ decision follows closely on the highlyquestionable decision to approve and award eighty contracts at the end of 2019, and use monies budgeted in 2019 to make payments in 2020 in clear contravention of the laws of Guyana.There is no doubt that the actions of Granger’s Cabinet since 21st December 2018 will all be reversed soon enough. I am sure the CCJ will be eager to affirm their rulings if/when legal challenges are mounted. However, the damage to the
reputation of individuals who are participants will be lasting. The offers of appointment were gazetted on the 1st of February, ironically the same edition that lists APNU/ AFC members of parliament who have failed to submit their declarations to the Integrity Commission. It may be prudent for persons who may not know of their appointment to check this edition expeditiously.In closing, I would advise appointees to weigh the arguments carefully before arriving at any decision; for a person can only lose their integrity once; after that, it is a lifelong struggle to regain credibility and trustworthiness. For those who have been offered appointments, a short, polite refusal would speak volumes. Respectfully, Robin Singh
The impasse must end... From page 5 come from talking to people across the table alone, but change comes in many instances when force was matched equally with force. Workers tried all measure of peaceful conflict resolution and they are being blocked from this by RUSAL, which appears to be seeking benefit from national confrontation. He is reminded of the Russian (Bolshevik) Revolution, which Russians hold in high esteem. And whereas he thinks the company cannot negotiate “with a gun to your head,” the reality is there are times in the world when nothing has been resolved unless people stand on firm ground to make change. Guyana too has a proud history and legacy of struggles and none will take from us what we took hundreds of years to achieve, i.e. human rights and a nation state! Lincoln Lewis, General Secretary GB&GWU
Tuesday February 04, 2020
Kaieteur News
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PM Rowley aggressively seeks fair share of revenue earned from country's oil resources By Kiana Wilburg reporting from Trinidad and Tobago
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rinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley, told attendees at this year's Energy Conference, that since assuming office in 2015, he wasted no time in assuming the principle that the State must have a fair share of the revenues earned from the exploitation of his country's non-renewable hydro-carbon resources. The conference kicked off yesterday and concludes tomorrow. As a first step in this direction, Dr. Rowley reminded attendees of the conference which is hosted by the T&T Energy Chamber at the Hyatt Hotel, that his government introduced across the board, a royalty rate of 12.5%. This was followed by a loss relief restriction to 75% of taxable income and a limit of capital allowances to 20% per annum. Dr. Rowley also noted that his government entered into
dialogue with the major upstream companies, bpTT and Shell Trinidad and Tobago Limited, particularly with what was considered the country's greatest revenue leakage--Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The Prime Minister said, “I am pleased to state that the companies have been receptive to our concerns. On December 14, 2018, the Government executed with bpTT an Agreement for Phase One which dealt with certain legacy issues; extension to its South East Galeota (offshore block) and the life extension of the Atlantic LNG Train One, which provides for a superior LNG pricing arrangement than previously obtained.” Dr. Rowley added, “The ALNG Train 1 extension was put on hold pending the evaluation by the gas supplier, bpTT, of its gas portfolio. In the interim ALNG Train 1 has been operating and subject to a safety inspection in April 2020 will continue in operation until year end, at
which time a decision will be made on the ALNG Train 1 Life Extension. Any such extension would make planned downtime on other trains to be carried out without much disruption in the overall sustained output.” Additionally, Dr. Rowley revealed that the government executed agreements with Shell on gas related issues, commencing with a Heads of Agreement on May 29, 2019 and Definitive Agreements on August 19, 2019 which have provided improved economic and financial benefits to the country. At present, the Government is in active discussions with ALNG shareholders on an initiative that will revolutionise the LNG industry in Trinidad and Tobago. It is proposed to restructure Atlantic LNG by bringing the four LNG Trains under the umbrella of a unified entity. The proposed structure will be a more efficient arrangement for management and operations of the Trains. Government, through its
National Gas Company, currently holds 10% equity in Train 1 and 11% equity in Train Four. It is seeking to attain an increased shar e h o l d i n g a c r o s s t h e p r o posed unitised facility. In tandem with these discussions, Dr. Rowley said that the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries is currently engaged in negotiations with bpTT on outst a n d i n g g a s r e l a t e d i s s u es, inclusive of bpTT's application for the extension of licences. He said it is anticipated that both sets of negotiations will be substantially completed by the end of the first quarter of this year. Further to this, Dr. Rowley confidently stated that the energy sector of Trinidad and Tobago is on a solid foundation, as are the emerging oil driven economies of Guyana and Suriname. The Prime Minister said, “The story is still unfolding as other Caribbean Countries are in the early stages of exploration for oil and gas.
This coupled with the improvement in renewable energy technologies present the region with an opportunity to attain the previously elusive energy security.” D r. R o w l e y n o t e d however, that this will require a shift in the policy, which previously centered on exploitation of Trinidad's abundant renewable energy resources, which he said is an effective tool in
combatting climate change and its deleterious effects on the Caribbean. Given the complexities in the matter, the T&T Prime Minister said there needs to be a collective approach in addressing this matter. “It therefore needs to be placed on the Agenda on Heads of Government of CARICOM States. I am prepared to advocate the same,” the Prime Minister said.
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Tuesday February 04, 2020
Guyana's 2020 human rights report adopted in Geneva
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n Friday, Guyana's third Universal Periodic Review was adopted at the United Nations Human Rights Council at the United Nations Office in Geneva. Australia, Chile and Pakistan served as a troika c o m p i l i n g t h e recommendations made by all the countries participating in the review and presented their report to the Human Rights Council. “The Vice President of the Council thanked Guyana for its efforts in meeting its International Human Rights obligations and congratulated Guyana on its achievements over the past five years in addressing the human rights and human development of its people,” according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Ambassador Dr. John Ronald Deep Ford, leader of the Guyana delegation, reaffirmed Guyana's deep commitment to protecting and advancing the fundamental human rights and freedoms of all its citizens and thanked the Human Rights Council and the more than 70 countries
Guyana's UPR team taken at the end of the session. (l-r) Foreign Service Officer III, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Geneva Tyndall; Deputy Chief Parliamentary Counsel, Ministry of Legal Affairs, Joann Bond; Ambassador of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana to United Nations Office, His Excellency Dr. Ronald Deep Ford; Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Guyana, Geneva, Nashanta Benn that demonstrated their interest in Guyana through their statements and recommendations. During the review, Ambassador Ford emphasized the government's efforts to build a green, sustainable economy and society within the framework of the Green State Development Strategy
(GSDS)– Vision 2040 and the direct contribution of the GSDS towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He also highlighted Guyana's efforts to promote gender equality and equity through the National Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Policy (NGESIP) and related programmes; to
eliminate discrimination by reviewing and updating the National Stigma and Discrimination Policy (NGSIP) and broadening the
scope of non-discrimination legislation; to fulfilling the rights of all Guyanese citizens to an adequate standard of living including education, health care and housing. The Government's strategy to address corruption and combat domestic and gender-based violence was also outlined. Seventy-seven member states engaged the delegation during the interactive segment of the review. “Many interventions c o m m e n d e d t h e improvements in the social and economic well-being of the Guyanese people and notable achievements such as strengthened legislation, policies and programmes on discrimination, corruption, domestic violence and child labour; the enhancement of legal protection for women, and vulnerable groups including children and persons with disabilities;
expansion of climate change mitigation and adaptation measures and the drafting of legislation to address environmental and other vulnerabilities that are often associated with the development of a petroleum sector.” According to the Foreign Ministry, Guyana was also recognised for attention paid to the rights of indigenous peoples, promoting green growth, improved gender relations, governance, poverty reduction, rural development, climate change, advancing security sector reform and for progress achieved on increasing access to water and sanitation education, health and housing. “ D e l e g a t i o n s encouraged the Government of Guyana to consolidate and complement these advances by legislative action in several areas, including with respect to gender based (continued on page 13)
Man running from jail sentence captured under another name
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23-year-old shopkeeper was yesterday sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment for an armed robbery. The man and four others were found guilty of the offence in 2018; while the other defendants were jailed the shopkeeper was sentenced in absentia. The man told the court that when he found out that the other defendants in the matter were sentenced, he went into the interior to work and never came back to Georgetown. It was highlighted that by the prosecutor that a wanted bulletin was issued for Shadrack King, of 552 Kaneville, Grove East Bank Demerara. However, when King was arrested by the police on Sunday last, he was found under the name Mark King. The police arrested King for allegedly stabbing a man in December 2019. The defendant appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, when he pleaded guilty to the wounding charge, which alleges that on December 7, 2019, at Mowasi Landing, Essequibo Magisterial District, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Stevie Morrison with intent to maim disable, disfigure or cause grievous bodily harm. According to the facts of
Jailed: Shadrack King the charge, on the day in question, about 22:00hrs King was at Mowasie Landing imbibing alcohol when he approached the virtual complainant with a broken bottle and the virtual complainant then armed himself with a cutlass and raised it at the defendant. The court heard that King ran away and later returned armed with a ice-pick which he used to inflict several stab wounds on Morrison before making good his escape. Morrison went to Mahdia Police Station where he made a report. Morrison was later taken to the Mahdia Hospital where he was treated for small puncture wounds and scratches. King, who was in hiding, was arrested by plainclothes police on Sunday when they visited the
shop which he operates in Mahdia. King then said, “Everything that police just say is wrong…I was drinking and after I confronted my girlfriend, Teresa, about being involved with another man that was at the bar, he [Morrison] pick up story and jump in and start telling me how I'm a p**** watcher.” “He chop me first your worship…a long chop to on my left hand and I pull out my ice-pick and defend myself.” King added that after the incident, his father came out and wrapped his arm with a jersey and Morrison went to the station and made a report. The prosecutor then reported that the defendant was sentenced to serve 18 months in 2014 for an armed robbery charge and 12 months in 2018 for a similar charge. “It was five of us and when I heard them man get sentence, I didn't go back to court. I go in the bush and I never came back.” After the defendant's explanation Chief Magistrate McLennan entered a not guilty plea based on his explanation before she sentenced him to spend 12 months for the armed robbery charge. King is expected to make his next court appearance for the wounding charge on February 7, 2020.
Tuesday February 04, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Workers have to stay on the right side of the law
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n 1986, Rabbi Edward Washington, the head of a local cult, known as the House of Israel was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment for the beating to death of the husband of a member of his cult. He appealed the decision and his sentence was increased. He eventually got sick in jail and was sent back to the United States, his homeland, where he died. Rabbi Washington, whose birth name was David Hill, had led picketing exercises against certain fast food restaurants in an effort to force the owners to sell to certain persons. He was arrested and charged with extortion. He jumped bail and fled to Guyana in 1971. If Guyana had the type of laws that the Cleveland had in 1969, a great many persons would have found themselves facing civil suits before the courts. But civil law is still undeveloped in Guyana and people can get away with all manner of things. Regardless, however the deficiencies in our civil law, it is a criminal offence to block a public thoroughfare. And a river is a public thoroughfare which the police are obligated to keep clear so that persons and vessels can traverse freely. It also is an offence to
encourage persons to block a waterway used for transportation. But do not tell that to the government. They are conveniently feigning ignorance of the law and are allowing persons to openly defy the law when it comes to the blockage of rivers. Right now, there is a dispute between RUSAL and the union representing its workers and there has been open support by one union official for the actions which have been taken by some workers to block the river. If that had happened in the United States, not only would the police have cleared the river of any impediment to riverine traffic but those responsible would have been sued by those affected by the blockage. Criminal charges would have been laid and civil action would have been taken. No union has any right to encourage any of its workers to violate the laws of the country. Regardless, of how bad an employer is, unions and workers have to stay on the right side of the law. The traditional weapon of unions has been the strike weapon, not blocking public thoroughfares. If all the workers walked off the job and if other workers show support, it can cripple production and force the
employer either back to the negotiating table or to make concessions to the union. The government should be sounding a serious warning to the union that they have no right to block the river and interfere with the business or innocent persons who have nothing to do with the dispute. Union cannot fight a wrong with a wrong. They are seeking justice by committing an injustice. Workers cannot confront an injustice with another injustice. They cannot seek remedies for a wrong done to them by breaking the law. The government, as was the case before, seems unbothered by this fact and seems more concerned with asking the union why the Labour Department was not informed of the termination of workers. The Chief Labour Officer is only required to be informed if circumstances develop which can lead to termination. The employer, in this instance, is given time to inform the Labour Department. But what if the measure which causes the termination is sudden? How can the employer be reasonably expected to give advance notice or just about a month. In any event, the Chief Labour Office is only required to be informed in
Dem boys seh...
Two political parties fighting fuh a dead man
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f anybody think when dem dead dem gon get off from de election campaign dem got to think again. Death ain’t gon save you from de political rally. Don’t feel you missing de campaign if you dead now. De coalition bringing de campaign to you funeral. In fact, bright and early tomorrow a coalition campaigner name Annette heading to Le Repentir to hold a rally. De main person who gon be de target gon be some man name Raymond but who everybody know as James. De whole thing begin when Annette decide to mek a speech at a man name James funeral. She wait till de man dead to change he name to Raymond. She seh
how de man was a big comrade and a supporter of de coalition. But dem boys suddenly find out dat two political parties fighting over de poor man. Romel see wha Annette do; he hear she seh how de man was a supporter of she party. Dat is when he claim how de man was a staunch supporter of Jagdeo party. Well de man certainly can’t vote in any elections pon dis earth so dem boys want to know why two big political parties got to fight over de man support. Dem boys seh when two people fighting over a dead then things really bad. Dem seh dem wouldn’t be surprised if somebody tun up wid de man name and
vote in de elections. People already seeing de trend. People got more than one name and dem using de name when it suit dem. A man join wid some people to commit a robbery. When he see he friends get ketch and dem end up in front de magistrate and get jail, he run in de bush. Dat is when he change he name. He get in anodda story and he use de next name. But dem police ain’t stupid. Dem hold he after he jook up anodda man. Now he gone to jail wid he old name and he awaiting sentence under he new name. He wouldn’t come out of jail till after de elections suh he can’t use dem two names; he gon got to find a new one.
the eventuality of redundancy. What is facing the workers at RUSAL is not redundancy but layoffs due to problems with production, first caused by what the company claims was problems with fuel supplies and secondly by the actions of workers in blocking the river. Layoffs are not termination. Layoffs are common in developed
countries wherever there needs to be cutbacks on production or there is a decline in sales. Layoffs are cessation of work without there being any termination of the contract of employment. Termination on the other hand refers to the ending of the contract of employment. In the case of first batch of workers, it would appear that they were laid off. They were not
terminated. But it is not clear whether the second action constitutes termination because it seems as if the company is threatening to shut shop. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Kaieteur News
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Tuesday February 04, 2020
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
Lenox Shuman told me GECOM has not removed him I
was greeted at the gate by the campaign manager, Ms. Cole. The first thing she asked was, “Where is the dog?” When I met Shuman in his office, last year, I took my dog and Ms. Cole asked me for her which I politely declined. I explained that with that torrid weather, which we are having, I didn't
want her for so long in the sun. After showing me where to park, this lady with a deep British accent and an equally deep sense of humour ushered me up the stairs. I was greeted by a lovely Amerindian woman with a winning smile (I hope that smile brings Shuman votes) who left the room so I could
dialogue with Shuman. The time was 2PM yesterday. Neatly dressed with a casual ambience, in American politics, the media would refer to the goodlooks of Shuman. Shuman is quietly spoken for a man who wants to play a huge part in Guyana's constitutional future. The first point was his
disgust at the nasty conspiracies that are being hatched against him. He said to me; “Freddie, I came back to Guyana for the love of country, renounced my Canadian citizenship and this is what is happening to me?” I intercepted; “Come on maan, don't be naïve. You had to know this would have happened. You must have known what Guyana is like?” to which he replied, “Yes I know, but I never thought it would be so dirty, so terrible, so poisonous.” Shuman is covered with b o t h r a g e a n d disappointment at Bibi Shadick representing the PPP in GECOM and Vincent Alexander on behalf of the PNC. He said they both told the media that he was removed as presidential candidate for his party – the Liberty and Justice Party from the list. Shuman said nothing could be further from the truth. He moved towards the edge of the sofa, his voice rising, his eyes piercing and said, “Freddie GECOM has not removed me as presidential candidate. I am the presidential candidate; I have not received any information from GECOM that I have been removed.” He went on to explain that his party's delegation met with Justice Singh, the Chairperson of GECOM who indicated to him GECOM has not removed
him. He said Justice Singh told him that GECOM is merely writing for information. I asked him pointedly whether he has relinquished his citizenship. He boldly responded with a monosyllabic answer – yes. It was time to probe Shuman's mind to see if it contained analytical stretch. After telling him that I find Bibi Shadick to be one of the most unacceptable persons I ever met and the most unacceptable politician I ever known in Guyana, I enquired, “So why you think Shadick and Alexander did that to you?” He said, “They know I am a threat.” He continued, “Freddie, the LJP will win seats, Amerindians will not vote for the PPP and the Coalition.” I then revealed what I know. I conveyed to him information, which I have from reliable sources that four recent polls – two by the PPP and two by the PNC – revealed that both leviathans are not over the 50 percent mark and it is worrying both of them. I indicated the surveys were done by professional people who are not aligned to any organisation in Guyana and they were done by people who reside overseas. It makes sense for the PPP and PNC to have these professional surveys because it gives them a factual picture on what obtains on the ground. With that kind of information, it
Frederick Kissoon aids them in their campaigns. I left Shuman wishing him well and my parting advice was that more nastiness will come and he should just ignore it and continue with his campaign. I suspect that both ANUG and Change Guyana may be aware of these recent surveys and this explains why the rejection of merging because each feels that they will win seats to create a minority government. Was Shuman specifically targeted by both PNC and PPP? Here is my take on the current standing of the two goliaths. The key to winning a minority government or a parliamentary majority lies with the Amerindian vote. The PPP is going to get their traditional Indian ballots with a percentage of mixed race and Amerindians. The identical picture exists in the PNC except you have to change Indian ballots to African votes. The key to reaching 49 percent or fiftyone percent for both the PPP and PNC is for Amerindians and the youth vote to come over in overwhelming numbers. I don't see that happening. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Tuesday February 04, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
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Tuesday February 04, 2020
Investigate Trotman, others in suspicious …Minister sought but did not await Stabroek Block deal expert advice - Global Witness Report A
damning report called, “Signed A w a y , ” unambiguously states that Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, may have disregarded certain crucial pieces of advice. The advice could have led to Guyana having a way better deal than the one in place with American Oil giant, ExxonMobil and its partners, Hess Corporation and CNOOC/NEXEN. The report was prepared and released yesterday morning by international Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Global Witness. In light of this, and other glaring anomalies, the international anti-corruption body says, an immediate investigation is needed into the role Trotman and others played in securing a deal that leaves the country cheated out of US$55 billion. According to Global Witness, the negotiations and subsequent signing of the ExxonMobil-Guyana deal was done quickly. From evidence it saw,
Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman negotiations began April 4 or April 5, 2016 at the Exxon headquarters outside Houston, Texas. Twelve weeks later, on June 27, the deal was done – signed away by Trotman, Exxon's Vice President Erik Oswald, and representatives from CNOOC and Hess. Further to this, Global Witness said it has been able to determine the roles played by three Guyanese officials during the Stabroek
negotiations, although it is likely additional officials were involved. These three were Trotman and the officials who visited Exxon on April 4 and April 5, 2016: Christopher Lynch and Newell Dennison, both with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). According to Global Witness, Minister Trotman was legally responsible for assessing and approving or rejecting Guyana's oil licences. Global Witness said that in August 2019, it had asked Trotman about his involvement in the 2016 Stabroek negotiations, to which he responded, was marginal. Global Witness said there is some evidence to back up this denial. Between April 28 and April 30, 2016 – after negotiations had begun – Global Witness said that Trotman and other officials met with Exxon at the company's Texas headquarters.
The international NGO said that the trip was a glamorous affair. The transparency body said, “Trotman flew first class, slept in pricey hotels, ate at Joule – Exxon's exclusive Wolfgang Puck restaurant – and was chauffeured around in limousines. “Exxon paid for it all. During this trip, it appears that the Minister and his colleagues did not negotiate a new Stabroek licence.” Interviewed by Global Witness in July 2019, Trotman stated first that he did not visit Exxon during
the Stabroek negotiations, then said he would need to check his notes. T h e M i n i s t e r subsequently sent Global Witness a memo summarising his late April 2016 trip, prepared by the visiting officials. The memo shows Trotman did visit Exxon's headquarters while a new deal was being discussed, but makes no mention of negotiations during the trip. Instead, Trotman's allexpense paid visit to Exxon's Texas headquarters was spent listening to technical presentations and visiting a
facility where drilling samples were kept. “What was most striking,” the visiting officials wrote, “was the very strong smell of oil that filled the room, and which the geologist present indicated was a strong indicator of large deposits of oil on the Liza 1 well.” Global Witness said it is not suggesting that Trotman's Texas trip violates US or Guyanese anticorruption laws. However, given the Minister's legal responsibility for negotiating Exxon's oil (continued on page 23)
File on Leopold Street Christmas Day killing almost complete
Dead: Latoya Haywood
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olice Prosecutor Neville Jeffers yesterday told the court that the file on the death of Latoya Haywood is almost complete. Twentythree year-old Sheleza Ellis is on remand for the murder in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan. According to the prosecutor, they are awaiting the Post Mortem Examination (PME) report of the deceased to know the cause of death. Following this being submitted to the prosecution the file will be completed and ready for the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) to commence. Attorney-at-law Siand Dhurjon, who is representing the accused, asked that on the next occasion that the matter is called, full disclosure of evidence in the case should be made to the defence. He also asked that a motorcar which was
impounded by the police at the Brickdam Police Station to be returned to Ellis's boyfriend, Alfie Garraway. The lawyer stated that Garraway is the owner of the car. However, it was not registered in his name. To this, the magistrate stated that his request may be granted on the next occasion that the matter will be called. Ellis who hails from Charlotte Street, Georgetown will return to court on February 13, 2020. She was not required to plead to the indictable offence which stated that on January 23, 2020, at Georgetown, Haywood, called 'Toya' succumbed to the wounds she received on Christmas Day.. Kaieteur News had reported that Haywood of 57 Leopold and Cross Streets, Georgetown, succumbed to her injuries at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) one month after being stabbed. The victim, a 29-year-old
Remanded: Sheleza Ellis mother of two, was nursing injuries after receiving a stab wound in the region of the heart, on Christmas Day last. Reports indicated that the incident took place around 07:30hrs on the day in question. The victim, who was in company of her family members, had attended a Christmas Eve party in Leopold Street. It is alleged that Latoya was engaged in a conversation with Garraway and this sparked a heated argument between the accused and her partner. In attempts to calm the woman down Garraway reportedly placed Ellis in a car and tried to leave. Family members of the victim had told this publication that as the car was leaving, they allegedly saw someone push out their hand through the vehicle window and stabbed Latoya.
Kaieteur News
Tuesday February 04, 2020
Extension sought to continue investigation into suspected cattle thief's execution
I
nvestigators on the Corentyne have opted to seek an extension from the Director of Public Prosecutions to continue their investigation into the execution-style killing of suspected cattle rustler Parmanand Lakram called "Bachan" of Number 68 Village, Berbice. Police sources have clarified and confirmed that there are three main suspects in custody for the murder while there are several others "detained for questioning". The three main suspects who have since admitted their role in the crime are still accusing each other of firing the shots and killing Lakram. Meanwhile, as the relatives of Lakram continue to grieve for his untimely death, several persons including police sources, have disclosed that Lakram "for a while now" has been carrying out "cattle rustling". He is accused of stealing unbranded cattle and branding them as his own. On many occasions Lakram was confronted by cattle owners who were the owners of some of the unbranded animals. One businessman from the area told Kaieteur News that "they destroyed people livelihood; people who reared with birds, goat and sheep. He and other friends were involved in cattle rustling. Ask about him around the village and you will hear".
Shot dead: Parmanand Lakram called 'Bachan' Police had told this publication that based on the investigation, Lakram and two other workers had ventured into the Number 67 Village backdam to untie unbranded cattle and load them into his modified minibus. Thereafter, the said cattle, which reportedly belonged to other cattle farmers, would be branded by him as if he owned the cattle. This, an investigator said, "was a regular thing for him". However, some men who are allegedly connected to other cattle farmers concocted a plan to "get rid of him" as a way of stopping him from committing his illegal activities. He was put under surveillance and trailed by the men using Lakram's motorcycle, which he always leaves parked with
the key in the ignition near his residence in 68 Village. The suspects caught up with Lakram in the back-dam; he identified one by shouting his name, then multiple bullets were pumped into his body seconds after. Lakram collapsed on the left rear-end wheel of his minibus. The men escaped and abandoned the motorcycle a short distance away where a ranch house was located. Lakram's two workmen who were keeping safe in the vegetation eventually ran out, only to find him blood soaked with gunshot wounds about his body, dead. A 9 mm pistol was used to execute the suspected cattle thief, police said. Seven spent shells were recovered from the scene. Investigations are in progress.
Guyana's 2020 human rights report... From page 8 violence and abolishing the death penalty.” The Guyana delegation also underscored the commitment of the state to fulfilling all of its international obligations but stressed the legal necessity to engage in consultative processes especially on account of the great interest and import of the issues for all Guyanese. The UPR is a unique process which involves a review of the compliance of all UN Member States with international human rights agreements. “The UPR allowed Guyana to engage, constructively, with other states to assess its progress in relation to fundamental rights and freedoms. The
outcome of the review will be reflected in a Final Report of the Working Group, which will also list the recommendations received by Guyana and those which it has undertaken to implement before the next review.” The National Report submitted by Guyana and on which the review was premised was drafted by the Office of the Prime Minister, in collaboration with technical experts from relevant government ministries, statutory bodies and civil society. At the final session where Guyana's report was adopted, Ambassador Ford indicated that the recommendations that Guyana received will be transmitted to Georgetown
where all relevant Ministries and constituencies will be consulted. “Guyana's positions on the recommendations will then be communicated to the June session of the Human Rights Council. Ambassador Ford assured the Human Right's Council of Guyana's commitment to the UPR accountability process and of Guyana's continuing efforts to meet its Human Rights obligations to its people. He acknowledged the assistance of many multilateral and bilateral partners who contributed to Guyana's social, economic and environmental development and indicated that Guyana would continue to count on their partnership and support.”
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Kaieteur News
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Tuesday February 04, 2020
Suriname poised to bag hundreds of US$millions in signing bonuses …capitalises on Guyana's oil and gas discoveries By Kemol King reporting from Trinidad and Tobago
Map showing Staatsolie Study Area and other Suriname Blocks (Staatsolie)
T
he State-owned oil company and regulator of Suriname's oil industry, Staatsolie, is set to reap vast benefits when it starts selling stakes in a large area of its shallow waters, by year end. The value of those waters to oil and gas companies around the world has been buttressed by ExxonMobil's discoveries in Guyana's Stabroek Block. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Staatsolie, Rudolf Elias, elaborated on this during Spotlight on Energy yesterday. Spotlight on Energy is an annual energy conference held in Trinidad & Tobago, hosted by the country's Energy Chamber. The Dutch-speaking nation struck oil last month in Block 58, thanks to Apache and Total. The Block, Elias said, is bigger than Trinidad and Tobago. Revealing a map of Block 58 and other surrounding blocks during
Staatsolie Managing Director & CEO, Rudolf Elias the conference, Elias elicited chuckles from the audience at the location of the block, as it is the closest block to ExxonMobil's 16 material discoveries in the lucrative Stabroek Block. Staatsolie is in extremely interesting times, the Director said. Capitalising even further on its opportunities, the company has been studying a large shallow water acreage offshore Suriname, for which it has amassed a wealth of data.
On its website, the Staterun oil company explained how its work in the near shore areas, though not yielding material discoveries, have already done enough to confirm the “potential” of oil in the coastal area. Kaieteur News has reported on how data amassed about certain areas could increase the value of the acreage. It is for the same reason that Guyana has been urged by industry experts to ensure it publishes data on relinquished blocks as soon
as possible. In Suriname's case, the Staatsolie CEO said that the acreage has already become a very attractive destination. Hence, the company will be looking to farm down the
stakes. He added that the company will not sell out entirely, but that it will look to form joint ventures with interested parties. “We want to put it on the
market somewhere in the second half of 2020,” he said. Called the 'Staatsolie Study Area', the large acreage has the potential to (continued on page 22)
Regional Communications Strategy being developed to combat misinformation on Coronavirus
H
ealth Ministers and officials of the Caribbean have agreed to draft an aggressive communications strategy to combat misinformation on the Novel Coronavirus. The Council for Human and Social Development (Health) held an Emergency Meeting via video conference, yesterday. It was chaired by Minister of Health, Wellness and the Environment, Antigua and Barbuda Hon Molwyn Joseph. Secretary General of the Caribbean Community, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, joined the meeting from the CARICOM Headquarters in Georgetown Guyana. The Ministers and officials were given updates in relation to a regional response and guidelines for action on the Novel Coronavirus (nCoV 19) by representatives from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the
Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) as well as the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO). They also received a
presentation from the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) regarding the measures they have implemented to minimise the transmission of the disease. The Ministers and officials agreed that the c o m p r e h e n s i v e Communications Strategy
w o u l d a d d r e s s m isinformation about the virus as well as provide citizens with correct information on how the situation is being addressed. The strategy will target various audiences and include information about the ways in which the vir us can be prevented, transmitted and controlled. I t w a s a l s o recommended at the meeting that the region agree to a coordinated, standard approach for handling of entry to air and sea ports. Issues such as the roles and functions of personnel at the ports, transporting of samples for testing, dialogue with airlines and cruise lines, and action to be taken before, during and after an outbreak were all discussed. The Me mber States have agreed that they will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves internationally and are on standby to meet again as required.
Tuesday February 04, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Guyanese urged to position themselves to benefit from the oil and gas sector …as hundreds undergo orientation for PetroEd training
O
ne thousand Guyanese will soon begin elearning training in oil and gas, an initiative sponsored by the Ministry of Education in partnership with PetroEd. Yesterday, successful participants were treated to an orientation exercise at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre for the PetroEd Elearning Training in Oil and Gas Programme. That exercise is being offered to Guyanese through the Ministry of Education and the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET). Minister of Education, Dr. Nicolette Henry, during her keynote address, said that the oil and gas industry is no longer a dream. It is an unfathomable reality that Guyana is experiencing that
is set to change all aspects of our nation, taking it to greater heights. She said that according to the Sustainable Development scenario put forward by the International Energy Agency (IEA), oil and gas are set to continue playing a vital role in meeting the world's energy needs, accounting for nearly half of the primary energy mix in 2040. Minister Henry told the participants that they must fully understand that the Oil and Gas projects offer massive potential in Guyana, not just in terms of production, but in the wide variety of employment opportunities, it creates for Guyanese. “That's why your successful application is so important. It opens
opportunities for you to activate all levels of this eminent growth personally as well as professionally” Minister Henry advised. M o r e o v e r, M i n i s t e r Henry noted that the commencement of this training signifies the commitment to access and develop the skills of Guyanese so that they can function in all the capacities required for the successful execution of Guyana's oil and gas industry. Director of the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET), Mr. Floyd Scott, said that the CTVET is pleased at the responses it received from both the formal and informal sectors to ensure that a wide crosssection of the population benefits from the courses. He said that the training which the participants will benefit from will give them a better understanding of the oil and gas industry and how they fit in the value chain without having to change career paths.
Some of the participants who attended the orientation exercise Further, Mr. Scott noted that the benefit which will be derived from these courses will in no doubt translate into a safety culture, not only in the workplace but also in the communities and the country at large. All successful applicants were urged to approach the training with diligence and the required level of
seriousness. “As pioneers, you will set the stage for others to benefit as your successful completion determines the continuation and expansion of the programme,” Mr. Scott explained. According to the Director of the Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe, this is an exciting time to be a
Guyanese. He told the participants that it is important for them to be positioning themselves for the socio-economic take-off Guyana is about to experience. He congratulated the Ministry of Education and the CTVET in realising this initiative as Guyana (continued on page 19)
Kaieteur News
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Tuesday February 04, 2020
RUSAL suspends operations, informs Labour …GRA blocks attempt Ministry 326 workers sent home to ship out equipment
R
USAL, the Russian-owned bauxite company, announced that they have sacked more than 300 Guyanese, bringing the total to a whopping 614 workers left without a job. The company has also pulled its expatriate employees and suspended local operations in the Berbice River. The company in a statement issued yesterday, cited “industrial unrest, including arson and other destruction of corporate property, and blocking of the river” as the main factors for the suspension. “Written notices of termination have been sent to 326 employees. As the unrest impacting the Company's operations continues, RUSAL believes the opportunities for doing further business in Guyana
are now severely limited,” the company said in their statement. The rash move, however, did not sit well with the Social Protection Ministers Amna Ally and Keith Scott, along with the Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle who met with the Russian heads, yesterday. The meeting reportedly lasted for more than two hours but ended in a stalemate with the company offering no solutions and announcing that operations have been suspended. Another meeting is scheduled for Friday between the Chief Labour Officer and RUSAL heads. The company had initially laid off of 142 workers due to claims of a shortage of fuel. In retaliation, the workers blocked the Berbice River to hinder the flow of traffic to and from the Company's
RUSAL representative Vladimir Permyakov (left), Social Protection Minister Amna Ally (Centre), Minister Keith Scott (second right) and Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle (Right) at the meeting mining operations at Kurubuka Mines. RUSAL claimed that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) had refused to grant duty free concessions on importing their fuel but this allegation was quickly refused by the GRA head, Godfrey Statia, who disclosed that they had granted the concessions. “There was no intention of them having reconciliation or for us to come to any
consensus because they find a way of justifying everything that is posed to them,” Minister Amna Ally told the media after the meeting. According to her, RUSAL “does not care about the workers. They just care about themselves.” Minister Keith Scott, during the meeting, lambasted the RUSAL officials for their move to terminate the services of the workers without informing the department or the Guyana
Bauxite and General Workers Union. “You come here this morning and say that over 300 workers gone home but there's no notice to the departments.” To t h i s , R U S A L ' s representative, Vladimir Permyakov, explained that the 'situation was an emergency'. That answer was not accepted by the Ministers who argued that the requisite notice should have been given before the terminations. Minister Scott demanded that the sacked workers be rehired with immediate effect but this demand fell on deaf ears. No respect for Guyana's Laws The Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union once again expressed that RUSAL has no regard for Guyana's laws as in seen in the move to sack the workers without informing them or the Labour Ministry. The union, in a statement, said that “management is deliberately escalating its contempt for the Government
of Guyana, the Laws of Guyana, the institutions and workers/citizens of Guyana.” “If this disrespect for Guyana and Guyanese is not addressed in a forthright manner, we are in for serious challenges. Unlike Venezuela who from afar is making claim to our territory, the Russians (RUSAL) who have been welcomed here to do business have decided they are going to do it their way not ours. We have welcomed them into our home and they are seeking to trample us.” Attempts blocked Kaieteur News was informed that RUSAL had attempted to ship out some of their equipment last week, but the move was blocked by the Guyana Revenue Authority. According to reports received, equipment was seen leaving on a pontoon from the Kurubuka Mines area headed to East Canje. But GRA's Commissioner General Godfrey Statia explained that a blanket order was enforced, which hampered the company's attempt.
Tuesday February 04, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Barbados PM conferred with honorary national award
P
rime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, has been appointed as an Honorary Member of the Order of Roraima. The Barbados PM was decorated with the insignia by President David Granger during a simple investiture ceremony held at the Ministry of Presidency, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown yesterday. The presentation was made in presence of several dignitaries and State officials including Chancellor of the Judiciary and chairperson of the Advisory Council for the Orders, Justice Yonette Cummings- Edwards. In her remarks, Justice Cummings-Edwards noted that the Constitution of the Orders of Guyana provides for the award to be made to any distinguished citizen of another country who has rendered valuable services to Guyana or whom for any other reason the State wishes to honour. She said that the PM
Mottley who is an Attorneyat-Law, QC MP, Barbados's eighth Prime Minister and the first female to shatter the glass ceiling and hold that office—is most deserving of the award. “You most deservedly join the ranks of illustrious Guyanese and other Caribbean citizens who have been bestowed with the honour of a National Award, more particularly, the Order of Roraima. “This year is the Golden Jubilee. It is significant that this dear land of Guyana pays special honour to a distinguished citizen of CARICOM who has rendered outstanding and valuable services to the Caribbean region. “The Caribbean is richer for your service. The credentials of Prime Minister Mia Mottley show an impressive list of achievement and a number of first,” the Chancellor added. In bestowing the second highest national award upon Prime Minister Mottley, President David Granger
said that she exemplified dedication to duty and to service to the region. President Granger said Guyana is honoured on the auspicious observance of the 50th anniversary of it becoming a Republic, to induct the Barbadian Prime Minister into the élite corps of Officers of the Orders of Guyana. Throughout the ceremony, Prime Minister Mottley was lauded for her sterling contribution to her country and the wider Caribbean. PM Mottley was hailed as a visionary in the education sector and in youth development. She served as Attorney General, as Deputy Prime Minister and the first female to hold that position. She was also the first female Opposition Leader and Party Leader. She holds the distinction of being one of the youngest Barbadians to be assigned a ministerial portfolio as Minister of Education and Member of Parliament. Prime Minister Mottley
From Left: Prime Minister Barbados Mia Mottley, President David Granger and Chancellor of the Judiciary Yonnette Cumming –Edwards following the simple ceremony at Ministry of the Presidency yesterday is currently the Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM.
She is passionate about regional integration. Prime Minister Mottley
has strongly represented the economic interest of the Caribbean.
Kaieteur News
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Hundreds access free eye-clinic
Tuesday February 04, 2020
A section of the crowd at the Skeldon Line Path location
A medical staffer assisting a patient
T
he George Subraj Foundation in collaboration with the Georgetown Public Hospital has hosted a series of eye-clinics throughout the country, giving Guyanese the opportunity to access free eye-testing and receive free eyewear. Richard B. Mahase, former Guyanese Journalist and PRO for the foundation, is also one of the coordinators for the eye clinics. Friday was the Skeldon, Line Path, Corentyne leg of the medical outreach with hundreds of persons showing up to access the free service.
George Subraj, founder of the NGO, passed away in 2016. He was born in Guyana but lived and started the foundation in New York. Since his passing, members of the foundation have continued to execute the philanthropic work he started. According to Mahase, Skeldon, Line Path was their 10th eye clinic outreach. They visited with a team from GPHC and conducted several tests including cataract, glaucoma, and visual. They also distributed sunglasses and reading glasses. He added that the most
common issue detected was distance reading and sunlight. H e e x p r e s s e d appreciation on behalf of the foundation to those who utilised their services. Mahase mentioned that those who were assisted have given great response. He expressed to them that because of the free service, they saved thousands of dollars. There were one Optometrist, three nurses and other medical assistants at the location Friday to tend to over 300 persons. The outreach continues throughout the country.
Six homeless in Rose Hall Town fire
Six persons are now homeless after their two-storey wooden building went up in flames on Saturday afternoon at Mora Street, Rose Hall Town. Kaieteur News understands that the inferno started in the upper flat
of the building while the occupants were at home. The entire building was destroyed during the blaze which started just around 17:30 hrs. The occupants are currently seeking refuge at a neighbours' residence.
Kaieteur News
Tuesday February 04, 2020
PAGE 19
Over 1,000 Aishalton residents gain access to potable water A section of the audience at the commissioning of the Aishalton Water Supply system
A
ccess to potable water has become a reality for some 1,125 residents of the village of Aishalton in Region Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) with the completion of a new water supply system at a cost of more than $25M. In the village, located in the Deep South of the Rupununi Savannah, approximately four hours
from the town of Lethem, the new water supply system was commissioned on Sunday, by Minister of Indigenous Peoples' Affairs Sydney Allicock who said that the good life cannot be achieved without good water. He urged the residents to use the access to potable water as a foundation for their future, particularly for agricultural purposes, so that
The new well which was drilled by GWI
ERC CONDEMNS BEHAVIOUR OF POLITICAL SUPPORTERS ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL The Ethnic Relations Commission, (ERC), condemns the unacceptable conduct of purported supporters of contesting political parties over the past few days, which have resulted in heated confrontations in different parts of the country, such as at Wismar and Non Pareil. The Commission is calling on political leaders to urge their supporters to immediately stop and reject any inclination by their supporters to taunt, confront and intimidate others of opposing sides. The ERC is engaging political leaders on
those developments and its proposed Code of Conduct as well. The ERC said that under the Laws of Guyana, campaigning by political parties during the elections period is allowed, but wants citizens and supporters to reject outright all attempts at provocation, and instead concentrate on issues being put forward by the candidates. The ERC will continue to monitor the political campaigns with vigilance and play its role in promoting harmony, good relations and peace in our society.
Guyanese urged to position themselves to benefit from the oil and gas sector From page 15 continues to seek ways to build capacity. Dr. Bynoe said that it is important that Guyanese are prepared for the transformation that the oil and gas discoveries will bring and to ensure that a greater proportion of Guyanese contribute to the local content. He said that the Department of Energy will continue to work with all serious-minded and committed parties to ensure the successful, efficient and long-term development of Guyana's oil and gas resources for all Guyanese. Senior Education Officer, Department of
Industry and Innovation, Ms. Valencia Wren, representing the Minister of Public Telecomm unications, Mrs. Catherine Hughes, said that initiatives such as these are important as Guyana prepares for the first take-off of oil and gas. She said that with over 175 ICT hubs that her Ministry has set up, the PetroEd initiative will be able to be taken advantage of even by persons in the hinterland communities. She told the participants that the courses they will be benefiting from will unearth skills which they never knew they possessed.
they may never be without food. Minister Allicock also took the opportunity to assure the residents that the water system does not have a political brand, but belongs to the entire community. Therefore, he said the residents should use the system to unify the community. He highlighted that the government is committed to doing its best to bring a good quality of life to all Guyanese, even as he urged the Aishalton residents to ensure that their water supply system is properly protected. Managing Director of GWI, Dr. Richard Van WestCharles, said that Government together with GWI in 2019, invested more than $700M in the hinterland regions in the area of water supply. The company, he noted, has paid heed to President David Granger's mandate of addressing inequities between the hinterland and the coastland. Since assuming office in 2015, the government has been able to provide more than 80,000 residents across Guyana with first time access to potable water. Dr. Van West-Charles said that all efforts are being made to ensure that water borne diseases are a thing of the past for hinterland residents. He turned attention to the fact that there has been a paradigm shift in the way water is provided to residents of the hinterland. It is no longer being provided to only a section of a village
where only the schools and health facilities may have access, but is now even being delivered directly to the homes of residents. Further, he highlighted that GWI has also been examining infrastructure in Region Nine schools and there have been instances where non-functioning sanitary blocks were discovered. The company in collaboration with the Ministry of Communities and the Regional Administration is moving to remedy the situation. In Region Nine, GWI is ensuring that each village has service men who are responsible for maintaining the water supply system and Aishalton has two such persons. The Board of Directors and Management of GWI in 2019 approved for these servicemen to now be on the payroll of the company rather than receive a stipend. These servicemen, who will receive additional training in the maintenance of solar panels, will report to their respective Toshaos and Village Councils. According to the Managing Director, the servicemen play a critical role in ensuring the sustainability of the water supply in their respective villages and will among other things, be responsible for checking for leaks. He thanked the residents, Toshao and Councillors for the support and collaboration in the execution of the project even as he assured that GWI is working to ensure that the residents have 24 hours
access to potable water. Regional Executive Officer, Mr. Carl Parker, pointed out that since 2015, the Regional Administration has expended $1.9B to develop Region Nine. He assured that they are committed to the further development of the region. Toshao of Aishalton, Mr. Michael Thomas, expressed gratitude to GWI for the execution of the project which has improved the lives of residents. On behalf of the residents across the subdistrict, he also thanked the Government of Guyana and the Brazilian army for the wells drilled. Other residents also expressed gratitude to GWI for the new water supply system. One such resident is Ms. Stephanie Sears-Felix who said that water is the main source of survival and over the years, the residents would suffer when the hand dug wells went dry. She noted that the new system will see the community having an abundance of water which will benefit everyone. Further, she pointed out that while in the past residents had to walk long distances to fetch water, they can now access it in their homes and can even drink that water. The system was completed by in-house staff o f G u y a n a Wa t e r Incorporated (GWI) in close collaboration with the Aishalton Village Council and funded by the Government of Guyana and GWI. It comprises a new 108meter deep well, a (continued on page 20)
Kaieteur News
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Tuesday February 04, 2020
Handyman sentenced to 30 years in jail for murder of Hamson's General Store owner
F
loyd Rammit, who was charged with the April 2015 murder of Farouk Ghanie, the proprietor of Hamson's General Store, was yesterday handed a 30-year jail sentence after he entered a guilty plea. Accompanied by his lawyer, Maxwell McKay, the 31-year-old man appeared before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the High Court in Georgetown. Senior State Prosecutor Tuanna Hardy, along with State Prosecutors, Tiffini Lyken and Nafeeza Baig, presented an indictment against Rammit which alleged that he murdered the man during a robbery. Prosecutor Hardy told the court that Rammit, formerly of Kaneville, East Bank Demerara, was employed by the businessman to care for his dogs. She said that Rammit lived at the businessman's Nandy Park, East Coast Demerara residence, but occupied a separate apartment. According to the prosecution, on the day in
MURDERED: Farouk Ghanie question Rammit, along with Kemo Evans, went into the businessman's home. Ghanie was later found in his home with a stab wound to the region of his heart. The prosecutor told the court that after the killing, Rammit fled to the interior and was only captured three months later; he took police to the home of Evans. A few months after Rammit was arrested and charged, police issued a wanted bulletin for Evans
MURDER ACCUSED: Kemo Evans who has so far indicated that he wants the matter to go to trial. Kaieteur News had previously reported that on April 15, 2015, the 56-yearold businessman also known as 'Brother', left his home and went to his place of business on Regent Street. Georgetown. Ghanie returned home around 18:00hrs on the said day. Around 20:00hrs, Rammit and Evans were reportedly seen
in the man's home. A while later, the men were reportedly seen by eyewitnesses, hurriedly leaving the man's home. The very next day, neighbours found Ghanie's body. There were wounds to his left side chest and cheek. The police were called in and discovered that the businessman's firearm, cell phone and other items were missing. During a plea in mitigation, lawyer for
Rammit, Maxwell McKay, told the court that his client is a well behaved prisoner. While incarcerated, McKay revealed that his client learned to read and write. In his address to the court, Rammit turned to the dead man's daughter and said, “I am sorry for the loss.” Ghanie's daughter during a victim impact statement said that Rammit referred to her father as “Daddy.” She said that Rammit was like family to them and her father said that he was a “good guy”. Fighting to hold back tears, the woman asked, “Why did you have to kill him? You could have gotten anything you want; he (Rammit) ate the same food we ate. What did you gain?” She said that as a result of his selfish actions, her sib l i n g s a r e n o w l e f t without a father; and her children without their grandfather. Prosecutor Hardy pressed for a sentence that will deter like-minded persons from committing similar offences. She said that Rammit was like a
“trustee” to the businessman and “they used to go out together.” Not only has a family lost their loved one, but society had lost a prominent businessman, Prosecutor Hardy submitted. Justice Kissoon in arriving at an appropriate sentence had to weigh the mitigating and aggravating circumstances. The judge considered his early guilty plea, and the fact that he threw himself at the mercy of the court. The Judge also pointed out that it was revealed that Rammit was a first time offender and a man of good character. Notwithstanding these, the judge also had to consider the prevalence of these sort of offences in society; the fact that a knife was used to inflict the fatal injury as well as the level of premeditation and planning. The Judge also took into consideration that it was a crime for gain and the fact that Rammit fled the jurisdiction, only to be apprehended months later.
Essequibo women embark on business development training
M
ore than 40 women from the Essequibo Coast have commenced a business development training exercise organised by We Lead Caribbean and The NICO Consulting Inc. The two-month programme is designed to address the needs of female entrepreneurs in various product development areas including business planning,
strategic management, marketing, communications and logistics. We Lead Caribbean Chief Executive Officer, Abbigale Loncke, said the workshops being held at the Oasis Hotel on the Essequibo Coast, provides much needed training for women entrepreneurs on a more individualized basis. She said that the workshop is a natural follow
Over 1,000 Aishalton residents gain access to potable water From page 19 distribution network, photovoltaic system and 95 service connections. The network is also being provided with water from the 80-meter deep well drilled by the Brazilian army in late 2018. The District Hospital and N u r s e r y, P r i m a r y a n d Secondary Schools are also benefitting from the system. Prior to 2019, most residents accessed water from hand dug wells. Some used rainwater. However, harsh conditions were faced in the dry season when the production from these hand
dug wells started to deplete. This is the sixth water s u p p l y s y s t e m commissioned by GWI in Region Nine within the last three months. The Kaicumbay, Yupukari, Moco Moco, Sand Creek and St. Ignatius Water supply systems were commissioned in November and December 2019. GWI said it is well underway to achieving Sustainable development goal number 6, which speaks to water for all by 2030. The company remains confident that it will achieve that goal in Guyana five years earlier, by 2025.
on from the three annual successful empowering women's conferences, which attracted participation from across Guyana. “Coming from Essequibo, I am always looking at opportunities to give back to the community that was my home for much of my formative years,
especially to empower women and youth. “I know how important it is to have an organization that supports you and advocates for your development. “We Lead Caribbean is very proud of this initiative and we are very happy for the support of ExxonMobil, The
NICO Consulting Inc. and the Essequibo Chamber of Commerce and Industry as we pool our efforts on this initiative.“ Loncke noted that the thirst for knowledge was indeed apparent as the programme, initially organised as a training programme for women,
opened its doors to involve a few male participants as well. For the duration of the training, interaction and mentorship opportunities will take centre stage during the various presentations, classroom type sessions and practical assignments. However, in a twist that (continued on page 22)
More than forty women from the Essequibo Coast have commenced a business development training exercise
Tuesday February 04, 2020
Kaieteur News
PAGE 21
Health Ministry should inspect all private - Medical hospitals to ensure protocols followed Council A
damning report in 2014 by the Medical Council of Guyana on the death of a patient has recommended that the Government continuously assess the private hospitals and other health facilities. It is unclear what level of monitoring would have been occurring by regulators up that time. What is clear is that the then Chair of the Medical Council of Guyana, Dr. Vivienne Mitchell, appeared not pleased with the status quo.She called on the Ministry to act. The regulator urged in the report: “The Standards Unit at the Ministry of Health needs to send teams of assessors to all health facilities to inspect processes and adherence to protocols.” The recommendation was one of five that she outlined. It would raise deep concerns what would have transpired before 2014. The report was a shocking one that has been leaked with the family of Edward Subryan, 74, calling for justice. On February 1, 2014, Subryan, a grandfather, died at the hospital after a simple colonoscopy went horribly wrong. A colonoscopy is an exam used to detect changes or abnormalities in the large intestine (colon) and rectum. During a colonoscopy, a long, flexible tube
(colonoscope) is inserted into the rectum. A tiny video camera at the tip of the tube allows the doctor to view the inside of the entire colon. During the examination, Subryan's colon was perforated, and it was not repaired properly. With improper care and complications, the man died days later. The family, seeking answers, complained to the Medical Council. According to the report on the probe done by Dr. Mitchell, a private hospital in the city, and the two doctors were responsible for the man's death. They were ordered to settle the matter with the family of the victim. However, since 2014, the family of Subryan has not been able to hear whether actions have been taken as a result of the damning report. Dr. Mitchell reviewed several documents, including from the city hospital, the Post Mortem report, the Death Certificate, and responses from three doctors-- two of them are general surgeons who are reportedly no longer at the hospital. Subryan was admitted to the private hospital on January 21, 2014 with upper gastrointestinal bleed. “ A f t e r 11 d a y s o f investigations, procedures and treatment, he died with an abdomen full of pus and
Former Chair of the Medical Council, Dr. Vivienne Mitchell chest full of blood and clots,” the report said. According to the report, Subryan, on admission to the private admission, showed a number of things, including gastric ulcers, but no active bleeding. The next day, during a colonoscopy, the patient's colon was “inadvertently” perforated. Despite a repair, there was early clinical evidence of sepsis. Over the next few days, the man's condition deteriorated with s u g g e s t i o n s o f “overwhelming sepsis”. “Post mortem performed the following day found one liter of blood and clots in the left thoracic cavity. His abdominal cavity was found to be filled with pus. His stomach had fecal material.”
The cause of death was given as peritonitis, acute pancreatitis, duodenal ulcer and COPD. In her opinion, Dr. Mitchell was harsh. She said that the doctors should have been able to diagnose or at least suspect what the man was suffering from. This would have influenced the clinical management. Shockingly, there was no documentation by the two doctors, and the hospital by extension, of adequate history taking which must include past medical history, social history and review of systems. Further, there was no documented physical examination of all his systems. “This is a breach of a basic standard of care taught at the undergraduate level.” Of major concern was the fact that none of the doctors recognised that there was a critically ill patient who required aggressive intervention and management in the Intensive Care Unit. Subryan was not given enough oxygen despite the likely need and he “was never returned to theater for a possible life-saving peritoneal lavage.” In her damning conclusions, Dr. Mitchell found that the two senior doctors “provided substandard care with respect to their inadequate history taking, incomplete
Died: Edward Subryan, 74
diagnoses, scant documentation, failure to recognise a critically ill patient, and failure to provide effective available life-saving interventions.” The Chair of the Medical Council was emphatic: “These senior doctors did not meet the standard expected of a doctor.” Disciplinary actions were recommended for the two doctors. The administrator of the private hospital has been asked for a comment on the case over the weekend but there has been no response. The Medical Council also has been told about the matter and asked for a comment. However, up to late yesterday afternoon, there has not been a response. The Medical Council of Guyana is a regulatory body formed to enhance and
monitor the functioning of the medical fraternity in Guyana. In recent days, there have been a slew of allegations against a number of private hospitals, with doctors being accused of carrying out needless operations and c h a rg i n g h u n d r e d s o f thousands of dollars for them. One businessman is accusing the hospital of keeping his sister in and leaving them with a $1.3M bill. The Ministry of Health has also been silent since the concerns were raised a few weeks ago. If you know of anyone who has a story to tell and has the evidence that he or she or a family member has suffered at a private hospital, please let us know by calling 225-8491 or email us at kaieteurnews@yahoo.com.
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Tuesday February 04, 2020
Kaieteur News
Suspect nabbed one day after stabbing twin brother to death
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Soesdyke bar, but left for home at around 02:30 hrs. During the journey, Winford Jacob, the suspect, and his twin got into an argument over Winford’s constant abuse of his sibling’s sisterin-law. A fight ensued, during which Winford allegedly attacked his brother with a bottle. In retaliation, the suspect, who had a knife, allegedly stabbed his brother to the right armpit and upper chest. He then fled towards the Soesdyke-Linden Highway. The mortally wounded brother was later found lying facedown on the southern parapet of the Soesdyke Public Road. He was taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Suriname poised to bag... From page 14 be split into several blocks. It is located in proximity to certain hotspots identified by Elias, including the Stabroek Block, Apache's Block 58, and a large source rock Suriname believes it has identified. The country could rake in hundreds of millions of dollars in signing bonuses for the shallow water block(s). It has already started to do so for its Blocks since ExxonMobil's continued de-risking of the Guyana-Suriname basin. For instance, Total agreed to pay Apache US$100M for a 50 percent stake in Block 58. That amounts to more than five times the paltry US$18M Guyana took from ExxonMobil for the 6.6 million
acre Stabroek Block. Suriname's opportunities don't end there. Elias revealed that Apache has identified more than 50 drillable prospects in Block 58. Other oil companies are also preparing to drill in other Suriname Blocks. American oil major, Kosmos Energy, is preparing to drill in the Block immediately North of Apache's recent discovery. The British company, Tullow Oil, is set to start drilling by year end in a remote offshore Block, further out at sea. Petronas, a Malaysian oil company, is courting partners so that it could try its luck in Suriname too. All this Elias revealed, stating “We have a very exciting year ahead of us.”
Essequibo women embark...
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After being on the run for 24 hours, 44-year-old Kennedy Jacob was nabbed by police. He was said to have stabbed his twin brother to death during a drunken argument. Kaieteur News had reported that police are investigating the murder of a 44-yearold labourer whose motionless body was discovered lying on the Soesdyke Public Road on Saturday. Police identified the slain man as Winford Jacob, of Bonking Sand Road, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara and Blueberry Hill, Linden. The suspect, said to be Kennedy Jacob, also 44, is from Blueberry Hill, Linden. Police said that the two brothers and the victim’s wife had been drinking at a
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From page 20 has been welcomed enthusiastically by the participants, the programme will also offer the opportunity for the participants to make a business pitch to a panel for a chance to win grant funding to advance their business. This novel aspect of the training programme was instituted not only to assess whether the knowledge imparted during the various sessions were indeed absorbed, but also to provide a means for their implementation on an actual business endeavour. Further, with the support of its partners, the workshop will offer training and mentorship opportunities to these participants at no cost to them, including assessments of their products and their competition and how to pitch business ideas. The project is also supported by The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, the Georgetown VACANCY Nail Technician. Contact# 223-5273/223-5274
Oilfield Partners. “This worthy training goes to the heart of one of the pillars of ExxonMobil's community partnership programme – fostering women's economic empowerment,” said Deedra Moe, senior director of public and government affairs at ExxonMobil Guyana. “As research shows, when women are empowered, so are their children and their communities.” Part of the driving force behind the effort, Michelle A. Nicholas, CEO of The NICO Consulting Inc., said she was enthusiastic about the opportunity to fulfill one of her passions – supporting and giving back to women in Guyana. “This is truly the type of effort with which I identify; a chance to give of my knowledge and training to better the efforts of women in Guyana,” Nicholas said. “This training programme presents a rounded and robust curriculum that will definitely impact positively on the participants' ability to manage their business endeavours, successfully.”
Tuesday February 04, 2020
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Kaieteur News
Sir Shridath Ramphal should release the ‘Escrow Letter’ himself - Chris Ram A
Bridging Deed fiasco... ttorney-at-Law Christopher Ram says that Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sir Shridath Ramphal should, upon his own initiative, release the ‘Escrow letter’ he held for Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, and the oil companies holding stakes in the Stabroek licence. ExxonMobil has a 45 percent stake in the Stabroek licence, for which it is the lead operator. Hess holds a 30 percent stake, while CNOOC holds the remaining 25 percent stake. Kaieteur News only re-
cently acquired a copy of the Deed. It is purposed to renew the oil contract which had reached its legal limit, and should have seen the large acreage relinquished in 2016. The legality of the Deed is in question, and the letter could help find some of the answers. The letter is a document mentioned in the Stabroek Block Bridging Deed that was only recently leaked to the media. The Deed lays out a bridging process, in which the letter and the ‘escrow agent’ are heavily involved. While several supporting
documents are attached to the Deed, the escrow letter is not. However, Sir Shridath Ramphal is mentioned as the ‘escrow agent’ tasked with holding the letter and other documents during the bridging process. “It is unclear whether Sir Shridath Ramphal performed any other functions in connection with the Bridging Deed or the Petroleum Agreement and how he was compensated. But if he was paid by the Government of Guyana, it is hoped that in the cause of transparency, particulars of that arrangement will be
Investigate Trotman, others in suspicious ... From page 12 licence at the time he visited the company's headquarters, Exxon's apparent generosity does raise questions about the company's compliance with its Gifts and Entertainment Policy. Exxon's Gifts and Entertainment Policy states, in part, that: “gifts and entertainment are permissible when the gifts and entertainment serve legitimate business purposes, are not intended to improperly influence the recipient, are consistent with the applicable social norms and are in conformity with applicable laws, regulations, corporate policies, corporate guidelines, and corporate procedures. “Employees should also consider factors such as the potential to improperly influence pending business decisions and whether the level of gift or entertainment is appropriate for the position of the person receiving and providing it, and the opportunity for reciprocity. Transparency and the exercise of good judgment are basic expectations.” Asked in July 2019 whether he felt uncomfortable having Exxon pay for such a luxurious trip, Trotman told Global Witness that he did not because other Guyanese officials were with him. A December 2019 request by Global Witness for further comment went unanswered. In addition to this, Global Witness asked Exxon in December 2019 whether paying the expenses of a minister who would later sign its Stabroek licence complied with its Guidelines. It also asked who approved these expenses and if a rationale for their approval could be supplied. Exxon only responded that it was “committed to the highest standards of business conduct.” Further to this, Global Witness said it has seen a list of
Guyana's negotiation terms that were authored by Trotman and dated just before he signed the Stabroek licence in 2016. The NGO said that these terms demonstrate that as of late June 2016, the Minister was failing to ask for a sufficiently good deal. Global Witness pointed out that Trotman's key terms included a two percent royalty on all of the oil produced while noting that there was no push for an increase in the 50 percent production share contained in the 1999 licence. In total, Global Witness said that the Minister's position was that Guyana should obtain a 52 percent share of Stabroek revenues, far below the IMF's suggested 65 to 85 percent. Trotman's terms also included that Guyana should receive an US$18 million signature bonus and US$2.1 million in annual fees, including US$800,000 for environmental and social protections. For a deal ultimately worth nearly US$325 billion, Global Witness said these terms were paltry. Significantly, the Global Witness pointed out that Trotman had reason to know that his Stabroek negotiation terms were weak. On Friday June 24, 2016 prior to signing the deal, he sent the terms to an oil industry expert for review. Working quickly, the expert responded on Monday June 27. In a brief, the expert told Trotman that Guyana needed far more information about the value of Stabroek and what a fair deal would be. Around the same time, Trotman requested advice from a second oil expert. According to the expert, he also told Trotman that the government needed more information about the economics of Stabroek before signing. He even suggested where
Guyana could get money to hire advisors. The Global Witness said that both sets of recommendations were apparently dismissed. Further to this, the Global Witness noted that on June 27, only one business day after Trotman sent his request to the first expert and the same day the expert replied, the Minister signed Exxon's licence. Global Witness said that the final deal largely mirrored the same generous fiscal terms Trotman had offered earlier in June, although the company had reduced its annual environmental and social obligations from US$800,000 to US$300,000. Considering the foregoing, the Global Witness strongly advocated for the Guyana government to renegotiate Exxon's Stabroek oil licence. It said that the government should seek a share of revenue that equates with international standards, increasing Exxon's financial obligations such as royalty and income tax payments. Prior to negotiations, it said that the government should commission an independent evaluation to determine what the country deserves from the licence, although it believes a minimum equitable share of oil revenue for Guyana would be 69 percent. Further to this, it said that the Guyana government should investigate the process by which the Stabroek licence was negotiated. It said this should include a review of whether an apparent conflict of interest prevented Raphael Trotman from fully negotiating in the best interests of the country. And finally on this matter, it said that the US State Department should support Guyana by encouraging Exxon to renegotiate with the country.
shared with the Guyanese public,” Ram wrote in a recent Stabroek News column. Pressure is mounting on the government to make full disclosur e s a b o u t e v e r y occurrence and document, which constituted the negotiation process as well as the signing process , leading to the renewal of an expired agreement for ExxonMobil, Hess and CNOOC to operate the Stabroek Block. A Global Witness report now urges the Government to probe the circumstances surrounding the signing, especially Trotman’s role in the process. The ‘Escrow Letter’, according to the Deed, “means the escrow letter dated the same date as this Deed from the Escrow Agent to the Parties setting out the terms of the escrow ar-
Foreign Affairs Advisor, Sir Shridath Ramphal rangement, whereby the Escrow Agent agrees to hold the Documents on behalf of the Parties subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions”. Other terms are listed in the Deed without a definition, save to say that they have been defined in the mysteri-
ous Escrow Letter. Those include ‘completion date’, ‘Contractor Parties’ Confirmation Notice’, ‘Escrow Termination Date’, and ‘Minister’s Confirmation Notice’. The lack of definitions for these terms leaves blind spots that can only be clarified by the escrow letter.
Democrats condemn Trump at trial as threat to American democracy WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Even with acquittal seemingly assured, the Democrats prosecuting President Donald Trump in his impeachment trial made a forceful appeal for conviction yesterday, calling him a man with no moral compass who must be removed to protect American democracy. Congressman Adam Schiff wrapped up closing arguments for the seven U.S. House of Representatives lawmakers who prosecuted Trump in the historic proceedings after the Republican president’s lawyers in their own arguments called the case against him politically motivated, reckless and baseless. “We have proven Donald Trump guilty. Now do impartial justice and convict him,” Schiff, assailing Trump in unusually personal terms, told the assembled senators. “He has betrayed our national security and he will do so again. He has compromised our elections and he will do so again. You will not change him. You cannot constrain him,” Schiff said. “If you find the courage to stand up to him, to speak the awful truth to his rank falsehood, your place will be among the Davids who took on Goliath if only you will say, ‘Enough.’” The Senate impeachment drama neared its conclusion a day before the president is slated to give his annual State of the Union speech to Congress and on the same day that voters in Iowa cast ballots in the first contest in the state-by-state process of
choosing the Democratic nominee to challenge Trump in the Nov. 3 election. Tomorrow, the 100-member, Republican-controlled Senate is due to vote on whether to remove Trump from office. The Senate seems certain to acquit him. A twothirds majority is required to remove a president. None of the 53 Senate Republicans has called for conviction. The Democratic-led House impeached Trump on Dec. 18 on charges of abuse of power for asking Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden and obstruction of Congress for blocking testimony and documents sought by lawmakers in their investigation. Trump has called the impeachment effort an attempted coup by Democrats. In his arguments, Trump personal lawyer Jay Sekulow urged senators to “stand firm” against what the defense team called an illegitimate impeachment drive. “This was the first totally partisan presidential impeachment in our nation’s history. And it should be our last,” Sekulow said. “What the House Democrats have done to this nation, to the Constitution, to the office of the president, to the president himself and to this body (the Senate) is outrageous. They have cheapened the awesome power of impeachment.” Senator Joe Manchin, a Democratic moderate, said he has not decided on whether to vote to acquit Trump and sees “no path” to the required two-thirds majority. But Manchin predicted that a bipartisan majority in the Sen-
ate would vote to censure Trump for his actions, a lesser rebuke. “Removing this president at this time would not only further divide our deeply divided nation but also further poison our already toxic political atmosphere,” Manchin said. Schiff said America’s founders intended impeachment - the power given to Congress under the U.S. Constitution to remove a president for committing “high crimes and misdemeanors” to be used rarely. But he said it must be used to remove a president who “would sell out his country for a political favor,” undermine the integrity of elections and invite foreign interference in American affairs. “For a man like Donald J. Trump,” Schiff said. “He has not changed. He will not change. He has made that clear himself without selfawareness or hesitation,” Schiff added. “A man without character or ethical compass will never find his way.” ‘THEANSWER IS ELECTIONS’ Sekulow said neither of the charges brought against Trump represent an impeachable offense, and accused Democrats of seeking to negate the 2016 election won by Trump and to subvert the will of the American people. “The answer is elections, not impeachment,” Sekulow said. “The president has done nothing wrong,” White House Counsel Pat Cipollone added. “We can, together, end the era of impeachment.”
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday February 04, 2020
Tuesday February 04, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday February 04, 2020
GDF 2nd Lieutenant Jermaine Slater is new GABA President
G
uyana Defence Force (GDF) 2nd Lieutenant and former National player Jermaine Slater has been chosen as President of basketball in Georgetown for the next two years after his slate was elected unopposed at last Sunday’s, Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) Annual General Meeting which took place at Palm Court. Jermaine Benjamin was elected Vice President, Travis Burnett (Treasurer) and Sports Journalist Rawle Toney, Public Relations Officer (PRO). The other executives are Khalil Cave (Secretary) and Lloyd Bart, Assistant Secretary/Treasurer. Plaisance Guardians, Kobras, Pacesetters, Ravens, Sonics, Vikings, University of Guyana
(UG) Trojans and Eagles were the clubs present at Sunday’s AGM. Not present at the time of voting were Bounty Colts and Nets. Slater told the gathering of club officials and basketball enthusiasts after being elected that the young executives, made up of active club members have the drive, passion and are all lovers of the game. The new President stated that basketball plays an important part of his life and his goal is to see the sport develop, especially in communities outside of the capital that falls within his jurisdiction of management. He pointed out that growing the sport at the community level is critical, noting that the successful forming of the Kobras Club last year is tes-
New President of the GABF, GDF 2nd Lieutenant Jermaine Slater (3rd left) and his executive body following the association’s elections. tament that grassroots love for the game is still very much alive. Slater thanked former
Tuesday February 04, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) If your lifestyle is considerably different than that of others, resist feeling self-conscience about it today, Aries. Try to remember that you chose the life you have for specific reasons.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Getting through today shouldn't pose too big a problem for you, Libra. You may feel a huge second wind that can give you the drive and determination to see your chores and projects through.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) An enhanced feeling of determination could motivate you today, Taurus. Finish the things that aren't complete and make some plans for this evening. Don't hesitate to take on something that feels complicated or big.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Working within boundaries and restrictions could really get to you today, Scorpio. Yours is an independent spirit and your best achievements are often born of doing things your own way.
GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Feeling the effects of today's energies, Gemini? Take heart if this is the case, because the end of the tunnel isn't as far away as it seems. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Consider making some plans for a vacation or short getaway, Cancer. Looking forward to something fun can make even the toughest of days far easier to handle.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Chances are that you'll feel upbeat and positive today, Sagittarius. Consider sharing this energy with those around you who are feeling less than content. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Don't discount your ability to be extremely resourceful if you need to be, Capricorn. If you don’t have everything you need or all of the required information, take time to think.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Don't judge someone if he or she has a different lifestyle than what you consider to be OK, Leo.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Try not to let today's blues get you down, Aquarius. While it's true that some days can seem to drag on, the busier you are the faster time will pass.
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Friends seeking advice or a shoulder to cry on could be plentiful today, Virgo. You're one of best people to give them the support and care they need.
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Dare to be different, Pisces. It can be so easy to fall into a drill. Sleeping at the same time, eating at the same time, wearing the same style.
President Adrian Hooper for the outstanding work done during his tenure, and asked that he continue to work
closely with the current executive, sharing his institutional knowledge of the sport, since he served two terms.
Hooper whose term came to an end last year, opined that the formation of new clubs and having multiple leagues played throughout the year as his administration’s achievements during his time in office.The old executive also handed over close to $100,000 to the new body in their account. Meanwhile, President of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF), Michael Singh, congratulated the new body on their election and encouraged them to work hard to achieve their objective as the largest member of the federation.
Gayadin, George and Prashad... From page 33 Paton George performed superbly scoring 70/19, to lead away from 2nd place former Club President Brian Hackett (72/22) - returning to the winners Circle after some time. Coming close on their heels was last May’s winner of the Flight – Troy Cadogan – who produced a great 73/26. He was followed by Maurice Solomon (75/26), Eureka Giddings (78/28) and Eion Blue (81/28). Returning to the club after many years’ absence was Harry Persaud, a major contributor to the club in past years and now a prominent member of the rice production community in Wales. Minister of Communities, the honorable Ronald Bulkan participated in the day’s play, giving honour to the life members and witnessing a great back-9 score from his son George. Past Club President Jerome Khan also ensured that he came to offer honour and congratulations to the life members. For more information on the Lusignan Golf Club or if you are interested in learning to play the game, kindly contact 668-7419 or the Club at 220-5660, or visit our Facebook page lusignangolfclub.
Tuesday February 04, 2020
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Kaieteur News
BCB 2020 Cricket Developmental Outreach Programme BCB assists clubs with $400,000 worth of balls
The President of the Berbice Cricket Board, Hilbert Foster on Thursday last, handed over $400,000 worth of red cricket balls to clubs and sub-associations to officially launch the board’s cricket development outreach programme for 2020. Under the programme, the vibrant cricket board assists clubs in the Ancient County with a wide range of items including gears, stumps, scorebooks, trophies among others in an effort to get them to fulfill their mandates. Since the election of the current administration in February 2018, over ninety clubs has benefitted from over $6M worth of cricket balls, cricket gears, rain coats, bicycles, stumps, scorebooks, trophies, medals, uniforms, sponsorship, school bags, educational materials, food hampers among others. For 2020, however, Foster stated the BCB would only assist its thirteen permanent members, three sub-associations and club who have jun-
ior teams, playing in BCB organised tournaments. The ninety clubs received cricket balls at the cost of over $2M but things would be done differently in 2020. Clubs who have no interest in youth development would not benefit any longer as the BCB cannot continue to invest in clubs, whose entire membership are over the age of 30 years. The BCB hopes to get involved in youth development if they want to benefit. The BCB in 2020 would be hosting cricket tournaments at the Under 13, Under 15, Under 17, Under 19, Under 21, Under 23 levels and clubs who participate in at least three of them would be on the list to benefit. Two boxes of red balls valued at $22,000 was given to Blairmont, Paradise, Achievers/West Berbice, Bush Lot United, Edinburgh, Tucber Park, Rose Hall Canje, East Bank Blazer, RHTYSC, Albion, Port Mourant, No73/ Scottsburg. Those clubs are partici-
BCB President Hilbert Foster poses with representatives of the clubs after presenting them with balls. pating in the ongoing Lewison General Store Under15 tournament. Permanent members of the BCB- Mental Hospital, Mt. Sinai, UCCA, Guymine, Young Warriors, BRCA and Police all received one box of balls. Foster disclosed that the balls were donated by a Berbice medical
doctor, who resides overseas and who was very impressed by the high standard of work been done in Berbice Cricket. The President, who over the last two years has spearheaded a massive marketing drive that has raised over $30M in cash and kind, urged
representatives of the clubs to appreciate the hard work of his executives. Berbice he stated is unmatched in it’s achievements despite not receiving a single cent of assistance from either the GCB or CWI since 2008. The BCB recently clinched a $500,000 tro-
phy sponsorship with the Trophy Stall, while a similar package worth $400,000 would be unveiled shortly with a business entity for meals at cricket finals, while a sponsorship for office stationery would also be launched shortly.
Exciting final Group stage GFF donated lights presented to Bartica community to be contested tonight
Action promises to be exciting tonight as teams look to strengthen their position to make the latter stages of the tournament. All roads will lead to the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue this evening, when the final group stage round in the Magnum Tonic Wine Mashramani Cup Futsal Championship commences with eight matches. Island All-Stars and Kingston battle at 19:00hrs in the opening clash, while Belfield Warriors oppose Stabroek Ballers at 19:30hrs and Showstoppers engage Avocado Ballers from 20:00hrs.In the fourth affair, Sparta Boss face-off with Bad-a-Yard at 20:30hrs, while Future Stars tackle Alexander Village at 21:00hrs and Broad Street lock horns with Sophia from 21:30hrs. In the final two encounters, Gold is Money face off with Albouystown from 22:00hrs and Bent Street
oppose North East La Penitence at 22:30hrs. Esan Griffith, tournament coordinator and Co-Director of San Sports said, “Tonight will be judgment day for several teams as they vie for the remaining berths to the elimination section. The tournament has certainly provided unpredictable results, with several newcomers challenging and beating their established counterparts. This provides a breath of fresh air to the event and clearly highlights that
The President of the Bartica Football Association (BFA), Mr. Alden Marslowe, handed over eight 1500-watts flood lights to His Worship, Mayor Gifford Marshall, on behalf of the GFF President, Wayne Forde. The presentation was made at the Bartica Community Centre Ground yesterday in the presence of Director of Sports, Christopher Jones, and other BFA and Municipality officials.Mayor Marshall expressed his gratitude for the timely donation and reassured the BFA President of his council’s commitment and support for the development of football throughout the Region. Forde, for his part, said this donation speaks of the strength of partnership to advance foot-
ball development: “This is yet another example of the tremendous impact meaningful collaboration could have on football development. I wish to use this opportunity to thank the Bartica Community, the Mayor and the Regional Chairman for their support in making the GFF Super 16 Cup fixture, which was played on December 21, 2019 successful. Our intention is to lift the profile of the BFA in this year’s Super 16 Cup, launch the 2020 Super 16 Cup at Bartica and playing the opening fixture at the Community Ground.” The lights will be added to those recently installed by the Council to improve the lighting quality at the Bartica Community Ground, which is the premier facility in the Region.
skill level amongst the respective teams is diminishing. Another wonderful night of action is expected which will continue the trend of the competition since its inception.”Winner of the event will pocket $600,000 and the championship trophy, while the second place side will collect $400,000 and the respective accolade. On the other hand, the third and fourth place unit will receive $200,000 and $100,000 respectively and the corresponding trophy.
Fixtures Day-5-Tuesday Feb-4th Kingston vs Island All-Stars-19:00hrs Belfield Warriors vs Stabroek Ballers-19:30hrs Showstoppers vs Avocado Ballers-20:00hrs Sparta Boss vs Bad-a-Yard-20:30hrs Future Stars vs Alex Village-21:00hrs Broad St vs Sophia-21:30hrs Gold is Money vs Albouystown-22:00hrs Bent St vs North East La Penitence-22:30hrs
Deputy Mayor Of Bartica Arita Embleton Shovels The Base Of The Newly-Installed Lights In the Presence Of Sports Director Christopher Jones And Other BFA and Municipality Officials.
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NBA roundup: Pistons top Nuggets in OT Andre Drummond had 21 points, 17 rebounds and four assists, Reggie Jackson supplied 20 points and six assists off the bench, and the host Detroit Pistons snapped a five-game losing streak by surprising the Denver Nuggets with a 128-123 win in overtime. Bruce Brown contributed 19 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and Svi Mykhailiuk and Tony Snell scored 13 points apiece for Detroit. Drummond recorded the 400th double-double of his career. Nikola Jokic carried Denver with 39 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. Will Barton had 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists, and Monte Morris scored 19. Detroit’s Derrick Rose left in the first half with a groin injury and did not return to the game. He finished with two points, ending his streak of 20-point games at 14. Milwaukee Bucks 129 Phoenix Suns 108 Giannis Antetokounmpo missed a triple-double by one assist for the fifth time this season, contributing 30 points, 19 rebounds and nine assists to Milwaukee’s vic-
Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson (1) high fives guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (19) during overtime against the Denver Nuggets at Little Caesars Arena. (Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports) tory over visiting Phoenix. Brook Lopez blocked a career-high nine shots to complement 17 points, and Khris Middleton went for 25 points, helping the Bucks — beaten at home by Denver on Friday — win for the 10th time in their last 11 games. Devin Booker scored more than 30 points for the seventh
time in his last 10 games, pouring in a game-high 32 to pace the Suns, who lost their second straight. Toronto Raptors 129 Chicago Bulls 102 Rookie Terence Davis scored a career-best 31 points on 12-for-15 shooting, and Toronto defeated the visiting Chicago to equal the
Kansas City to honor Chiefs with parade, rally tomorrow
Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) drives with the ball as New Orleans Pelicans guard Josh Hart (3) defends during the second quarter at Toyota Center. (Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)
franchise record with 11 straight wins. Pascal Siakam added 17 points and nine rebounds despite not playing in the fourth quarter for the Raptors, who also won 11 straight in 2016 and 2018. Thaddeus Young had 21 points and seven rebounds for Chicago before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Zach LaVine added 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Bulls, who have lost three in a row. Houston Rockets 117 New Orleans Pelicans 109
James Harden finished an assist shy of a 40-point tripledouble, and Houston held on in a back-and-forth contest with visiting New Orleans. Harden finished with 40 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, drilling 7 of 15 3-point attempts to keep the Rockets afloat while Russell Westbrook, Eric Gordon and Austin Rivers shot a combined 2 of 15 from deep. Harden sandwiched a pair of driving layups around two free throws in the fourth quarter
to extend the Houston lead to 110-103 and keep the Pelicans at bay. New Orleans finished with a 63-43 advantage on the glass but was undone by 23 turnovers that Houston converted into 29 points. Five Pelicans posted double-digit rebounds: Brandon Ingram (12), Derrick Favors and Lonzo Ball (11 each), and Zion Williamson and Josh Hart (10 apiece). There were 14 ties and 10 lead changes. Neither team held a double-digit advantage.
Shimron Hetmyer, Evin Lewis fail fitness tests, miss out on Sri Lanka ODIs
Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes celebrates with the Vince Lombardi trophy after winning the Super Bowl LIV. (REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton) The Chiefs will be honored for their Super Bowl LIV victory with a parade tomorrow, officials in Kansas City, Mo., announced. The Chiefs Kingdom Champions Parade will begin at 12:30 p.m. ET, and festivities will conclude with a rally at Union Station beginning about two hours later.Schools throughout the Kansas City metro area began canceling classes for the day to allow students to attend.“For the first time in 50 years, our Kansas City Chiefs are bringing home the Vince Lombardi trophy, and we’re all excited to celebrate with our players and fans,” Kansas City
Mayor Quinton Lucas said in a news release. He added via Twitter that he wanted to see “ALL of #ChiefsKingdom there.” A rally for the Kansas City Royals, following their 2015 World Series title, drew an estimated 800,000 to the site of Wednesday’s planned Chiefs gathering. The Chiefs rallied in the fourth quarter of Sunday night’s game to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 31-20. It was their first Super Bowl win — and appearance — since Super Bowl IV in 1970. (Field Level Media)
ESPNcricinfo - Shimron Hetmyer and Evin Lewis have been left out of West Indies’ ODI squad for their upcoming tour of Sri Lanka after failing fitness tests. Lewis was the leading run-scorer in the side’s series against Ireland last month, with 208 runs in three innings, but both he and Hetmyer failed to “attain the new minimum standard fitness requirements in recent fitness assessments,” according to a Cricket West Indies (CWI) release. Darren Bravo, the experienced top-order batsman, has won a recall following an impressive domestic season in which he made 481 runs at an average of 96.20 in the Super50 Cup, while allrounder Rovman Powell also makes the cut following an impressive run of his own: in the same competition, he scored 412 runs at an imperious strike rate of 160.93 for Jamaica. Fabian Allen, who missed the India series with a knee
injury, also finds a place in the squad, which will depart for a pre-series camp in Colombo on Saturday. “Evin Lewis and Shimron Hetmyer missed out due to the fact that they came up short in the fitness test,” said Roger Harper, CWI’s lead selector. “They will be missed. “Lewis was the team’s best batsman in the recent series against Ireland where he batted with great composure and proved the bedrock for the team’s series win. Hetmyer appeared to be getting his act together and was an integral part of the team’s batting group. “I look forward to the team building on its recent performances against Afghanistan and India in the subcontinent and against Ireland at home playing consistent, smart cricket to win the series. Sri Lanka are a very good team in their own conditions. I do not expect it to be easy but our team has shown that it is very capable.”
West Indies squad to play Sri Lanka: Fabian Allen, Sunil Ambris, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Jason Holder, Shai Hope (wk), Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Keemo Paul, Kieron Pollard (captain), Nicolas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh Jr. MATCH SCHEDULE February 17 – warm-up at P Sara Oval February 20 – warm-up vs SLC President’s XI – CMCG, Katunayake February 22 – 1st ODI at Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo February 26 – 2nd ODI at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium, Hambantota March 1 – 3rd ODI at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy March 4 – 1st T20I at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy Match 6 – 2nd T20I at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
Tuesday February 04, 2020
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Indian and Pakistani players go about their business, game faces on, blinkers in place ESPNcricinfo Potchefstroom’s Sports Village. It was Australia’s base when they won the 2003 World Cup. That’s where the Spain football team was based when they won the 2010 World Cup. It’s the residence of choice for elite South African athletes who wish to train away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The facilities are state-of-the-art and the buffets are caloriecounted. It’s also where India and Pakistan are camped at the moment, ahead of their Under-19 World Cup semi-final. The two teams met in the 2018 semi-final as well, in New Zealand, where Pakistan’s players didn’t miss a single chance to spend time with Rahul Dravid, India’s then coach, and pick his brains. This time, though, feels different. While “it’s just another game” and “we don’t focus on the opponent” ring out from every corner, it does seem like the two sets of players are on edge. Take Yashasvi Jaiswal, India’s left-hand opener. When asked where he thinks the game will be decided, the usually chatty Jaiswal says, “I don’t want to tell you that.” For Haider Ali, the Pakistan opening batsman who Ian Bishop has called “the next Babar Azam”, a simple question about what’s been most attractive about India’s playing style so far draws a similarly guarded response:
“I’ll tell you after the game. How can I tell you right now?” A senior team support staffer, sensing the stress, asks Haider to answer the question if he can. “India’s top order,” he says in his second take. The mood is completely different where the two other semi-finalists, staying at the same hotel, are concerned. The Bangladesh players are to be seen by the swimming pool, waving to the New Zealand boys who are passing by. At the table-tennis room, one group of Bangladesh boys wait patiently for the New Zealanders to finish their game before they get a go. The India and Pakistan teams have no time for such frivolity. After their training session, Rohail Nazir, the Pakistan captain, and batsman Arish Ali Khan were lounging near the pool, telling this correspondent about their day-trip to Sun City. They were cracking jokes about their other team-mates, being the teenaged boys they are. Laughter rang out, fist-bumps were exchanged, but in a matter of a second, things changed. In the distance were the Indian trio of Shubhang Hegde, Siddhesh Veer and Ravi Bishnoi, carrying their laundry baskets from the lobby to their rooms. Nazir and Arish stopped talking,
The Pakistani and Indian players get ready for a training session. (ICC via Getty) waiting for them to pass, before resuming the conversation. But the flow of the chat never really got back, and we went our separate paths soon. Nazir had revealed that, earlier in the day, he had tried to chat with some of the India boys at breakfast. While he was sandwiched between two India boys in the queue for the food, he said he had looked and smiled at some of them. But, according to him, he received nothing in return. Is it fair to read too much into this? Perhaps not, but it had affected Nazir for sure. Later, as the sun began to set, at the north end of the swimming pool stood a few Indian players talking to each other, on the south end were
the Pakistan players. In between, the great divide. Closer to dinner time, the Pakistan players congregated near the reception - which is very tiny, by the way - to head out to honour an invitation from a local resident, while members of the Indian team sat in the sofas. Both sets stared intently at the TV screen that was showing the Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City game. One Pakistan player asked another, “Yeh kaun se teams hain [which teams are these)? It was, maybe, simpler to stare at the TV screen than to allow your eyes to wander around the lobby. It’s a well-established fact that the Indians prefer to
tread on the side of caution while choosing their words, especially during a world event. No other side is under as much of the spotlight as they are, after all. They were stoic most of the way, resembling men on a mission, focusing on the goal of defending their World Cup crown. For them, the Pakistan game is simply a stepping stone towards the ultimate objective, and that was evident in the way went about their day, blinkers on, not letting anything distract them. Such non-interactions will keep taking place till the teams walk out for Tuesday’s toss, but one hopes that goes away once the contest ends.
Results are one thing, rivalries are another, but there are few sights in world cricket that warm the cockles of our hearts more than Indian and Pakistan players smiling together, talking to each other in a mix of Hindi and Urdu, shutting out all the noise outside. There’s one final session of training remaining for both teams, but more crucially, there’s one final night to spend within close quarters. Whether all of these are tactics or nerves - from both sides - is difficult to say, but it’s clear that neither team is ready to remove their gameface masks. As semi-final time comes closer, the pot continues to simmer.
Wellman Masters overcome Regal Masters in GSCL Inc T20 final Wellman Masters defeated Regal Masters by one run to win final of the Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL) Inc T20 competition which was contested on Sunday last at Everest Cricket Club. Batting first, Wellman Masters lost Hardat Heeranandan run out for five and Troy Lewis caught off Tyrone Sanasie for eight to leave the score at 33-2. Rawl Reid made a quickfire 18 with three sixes, while Ramdeen was taken off Saheed Mohamed for 22. Following their departure, Regal Masters’ bowlers restrict the scoring somewhat, but useful contributions from Wayne Jones (18), Lloyd Ruplall (12), Greg De Franca (10), Nandram Samlall (10) and Seeraj Bhimsain (10) saw Wellman Masters to 134-9. Ricky Persaud captured 3-17 and Mahendra Hardyal 2-45. In reply, Regal Masters lost Unnis Yusuf run out for
one and Rudolph Baker for 11 to be reduced to 20-2. Troy Lewis then removed David Harper (10) and Eric Thomas (00), while Mahase Chunilall was caught off Reid for 20, leaving their team in some trouble at 50-5. However, Saheed Mohamed and Eon Abel resurrected the chase with levelheaded batting as they added 46 for the sixth wicket. Abel was caught off Imtiaz Mohamed for 33 with one four and three sixes before Tyrone Sanasie departed for 12. With Regal Masters needing 14 from two overs, Hardyal struck two sweetly timed boundaries through cover before Mohamed was run out for 22 with two fours. Wayne Jones was entrusted to bowl the last over with four needed; he leaked two from five balls before uprooting the stumps of Lynden Lyght (00) with the last ball as Regal Masters finished on 133-
The victorious Wellman Masters team. 9. Hardyal remained unbeaten on 11 as Lewis claimed 2-27. Earlier, Wellman Masters beat Fisherman Masters by six
wickets in the lone semi final. Fisherman Masters took first strike and made 95 all out in 15.3 overs. D. Thomas made
37 as Lakeram Singh bagged 4-21 and Sheldon Perch 2-7. Wellman Masters responded with 96-4 in 16.3
overs. Suresh Ramdeen made 23; De Franca scored 22, Lewis and Reid 15 each. Thomas took 2-8.
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Tuesday February 04, 2020
BCB 2020 Premium Asphalt and T/R Construction 20/20 Cricket Season Tourney launched as sponsorship pour in
The Berbice Cricket Board on Friday last, launched another cricket tournament as it strives to fulfill its President commitment to host at least twenty in 2020 at all levels. The BCB has secured sponsorship from the Management of Premium Asphalt and T/R Construction of No1 Road, Corentyne to host an internal zone 2020 knockout tournament for twenty teams in the Lower/ Central Corentyne area. Foster, stated that the BCB intends to host at least two tournaments in each Sub-Associations for teams in the Zones. This would enable clubs to play among themselves and have an opportunity to win a tournament, while promoting the game of cricket at the grass root and inter-village level. One of the highlights of Berbice Cricket over the last two years has
been the return of crowds to cricket matches and Foster said, that the main reason was the large number of matches been played. The teams that would participate in the tournament are: No1 Road, Courtland, Fyrish, Fyrish Road, Chesney, Kilcoy, Jai Hind, Albion Open, Belvedere United, Tamarind Root, Rose Hall Tigers, Port Mourant, Tain Block 4, Whim Kildonan, Kennard Memorial and Ramnarine Memorial. Powerhouses Rose Hall Town Bakewell and Albion have been debarred from the tournaments as an encouragement to the other teams. Matches would start at 1:00PM, while captains who fail to be at the venue at 12.45PM, would forfeit their rights to the toss. All players shall be granted half hour after the scheduled start of play.
Mr. Therbhuwan Jagdeo hands over sponsorship cheque to Leslie Solomon, Chairman of the BCB Competition Committee. Teams have to submit at least fifteen players and players would only be allowed to represent one club in the calendar year unless permission is obtained from the BCB. Only
Chiefs QB Mahomes named Super Bowl MVP after win over 49ers MIAMI (Reuters) - If Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes still had any doubters going into the Super Bowl, he silenced them on Sunday. Mahomes was named the Most Valuable Player of the Super Bowl after leading Kansas City to a 31-20 win over the San Francisco 49ers, running in one touchdown and passing for two more to rally the Chiefs from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit. His performance saw him become the youngest player to have won both the NFL and Super Bowl MVP awards. “You have to leave it all on the line when you’re in the Super Bowl,” Mahomes said at a post-game media conference. “Just to be here it’s surreal, finding a way to win in the end.” Mahomes scored the first touchdown of the game with a one-yard rush and threw for 104 yards by the end of the first half.The game was not always smooth sailing, however.Mahomes threw interceptions in back-to-back possessions in the third quarter, the first of which led to a rushing touchdown by the Niners to extend their lead going into the fourth. “They have an amazing defense. One of the best defenses I’ve went up against in my career so far,” said Mahomes. “We weren’t executing at a high level.” Mahomes said even when things were going wrong his team mates were backing him.
players living in the sub-zone are allowed to play unless they have a record of playing for their respective clubs. Foster and Chairman of the BCB Competition Committee, Leslie Solomon, at the launching at the Area H Ground, urged the club to invest in youth development if Berbice Cricket is to develop. Each team shall have to play one Under 19 player in their final eleven. Foster cautioned the teams that the BCB would
only assist those who have a junior team. Solomon spoke at length, about the importance of team discipline as the BCB intends to take a hard stance on indiscipline. Solomon also urged the teams to look around their villages and to get youths involved in playing the game. Foster expressed gratitude to the Management of Premium Asphalt and T/R Construction for joining the long list of BCB sponsors and
reassured them that the tournament would be well organised and promoted. Mr. Tevindra Jagdeo, the sponsor, stated that he and his brother was very pleased with the remarkable work of the Berbice Cricket Board and as such decided to come forward. He expressed confidence that tournament would be successful and would achieve its objective of promoting cricket at the grassroot venue.
Fizul Bacchus confirmed as GCB President
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes speaks at a press conference after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports) “Obviously the third quarter didn’t go the way I wanted it to,” Mahomes told reporters. “But the guys believed in me (and) gave me confidence and kept fighting.” Wide receiver Tyreek Hill said the 24-year-old quarterback deserved credit for boosting morale even as they trailed by 10. “We were down 20-10 and he was telling us to believe in the fourth quarter,” said Hill. “He brought the guys together and you saw what happened, man. We pulled it off.” The win caps a stellar year by Mahomes, who rolled into Miami with a more-than 65% completion percentage for the regular season, along the way
dazzling fans and even his own team mates. “It’s magic Mahomes, it’s Showtime Mahomes,” tight end Travis Kelce told reporters. “He’s going to be himself no matter what the scenario is, and you know what? I love him. “He willed this team back into the game.” But despite all the praise and accolades, Mahomes remained modest.“There are several guys that could be the face of the NFL,” he added. “With the NFL and how good play is, the quarterback play, guys can come in year-in and year-out and go out there and play great football.“I just try to be the best Patrick Mahomes I can be.”
Acting President of the GCB, Fizul Bacchus was on Sunday, 26th January, 2020 last, given the green light by delegates at the GCB AGM to continue serving the GCB as its substantive president. Mr. Bacchus acted in this position for almost two years. It should be noted that Mr. Bacchus is also the president of the Essequibo Cricket Board. The full list Elected officers of the Board are: President - Mr. Fizul Bacchus Vice President - Mr. Dru Bahadur Vice President - Mr. David Black Secretary - Mr. Anand Sanasie Asst. Secretary - Mr. Anil Persaud Treasurer - Mr. Anand Kalladeen Asst. Treasurer - Mr. Rahaman ‘Buddy’ Khan Marketing Manager - Mr. Lalta Gainda PRO - Mr. Andy Ramnarine Competitions Committee Chairman - Mr. Colin Europe The Trustees are: Mr. Lalta ‘Rishi’ Digamber Ms. Tamika Johnson The Auditors are: PKF,
Anand Sanasie, Fizul Bacchus Barcellos, Narine & Co. The positions of chairmen of the selection panels were filled at an Executive meeting held immediately after the AGM. The Chairman of the Senior Selection Panel is Mr. Rayon Griffith and the junior panel is to be chaired by Mr. Nazimul Drepaul. Mr. Bacchus indicated that an executive meeting to appoint committees will be held shortly.Secretary, Anand Sanasie, probably the most experienced person in Cricket Administration, locally, in an invited comment indicated that the GCB has a lot of work ahead especially as it relates to attracting sponsorship. In this regard, he further indicated that a vibrant Marketing and fund-raising commit-
tee must be put in place immediately. He welcomed the new executives and posited that they must be prepared to expend personal resources to forge ahead as ‘the path would not be easy’. The Guyana Cricket Board is clearly the most successful territorial Board in the region through fantastic onfield performances over the past five years from both senior and junior cricketers. The GCB has been doing a tremendous job of promoting the game by organizing league cricket and in building practice facilities at Parika and Everest Cricket ground with plans to build two per year across the country where Cricket is popular or has been played.
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GCB/Dave West Indian Imports and Exports U-15 Inter County Tourney launched
Y
esterday at the Guyana Cricket Board office on regent Road the 2020 GCB/ Dave West Indian Imports and Exports Under-15 Inter County Tournament was launched. The tournament is scheduled to commence on Sunday February 16 and will comprise Berbice, Demerara, Essequibo and a President’s X1 participating in the preliminary rounds in the format of One Day 50 Overs. Saturday February 22 has been reserved for the final and is scheduled to be contested by the two teams acquiring the highest points at the end of the preliminary rounds. The launch was witnessed by the GCB’s Territorial Development Officer Colin Stuart, who chaired the proceedings. Stuart indicated that the GCB was once again pleased
David Narine (with jacket) is flanked by GCB Secretary Anand Sanasie, Acting GCB President Faziul Bacchus and GCB TDO Colin Stuart to his right and players from GT and West Demerara at yesterday’s launching of the David West Indian Imports U-15 inter-County. to be collaborating with Dave West Indian Imports and Exports in hosting the 2020 Inter County Under-15 Tournament. He alluded to the fact, that, Dave West Indian’s sponsorship of the GCB Under-15 Inter County Tournament now spanned over 5
years and had significantly helped the GCB and its affiliate boards in developing and promoting national U-15 players. Stuart said that while there are a number of considerations for selection, the GCB continues to use player performance in the GCB/Dave
West Indian Under-15 Inter County Tournament, as the main criteria for selection to our U15 national team. The keen contest exhibited between and amongst the players involved is a testimony to the competitive nature of the Inter County Tournament.
Another Bronze at the ACACA No.3 for Narayan & Priyanna Ramdhani
Narayan Ramdhani and his doubles partner Alex Stewart.
A
nother exceptional tournament for Guyanese Badminton champions Narayan and Priyanna Ramdhani at the 2019/2020 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Badm i n t o n To u r n a m e n t No.3 held at the Kings University in Edmonton Alberta Canada Sunday 19th January 2020. This is the 3rd part of the Alberta ACAC Series. Narayan Ramdhani playing for the Kings University won the (Bronze) Third Place in the Men Doubles, while Priyanna Ramdhani playing for Olds College won two
(Bronze) Third Places in Women Singles and Women Doubles. Both players are maintaining their position in the top 3 in the series and are expected to perform at their best at the upcoming Provincial Championships in another two weeks in Edmonton where they will have to chance to make it to Nationals. Last Series, Narayan was the overall Champion and got Bronze at Nationals. The Results of the ACAC No.3 are as Follows: WOMEN SINGLES (Priyanna Ramdhani): Round 1: gained a bye
Priyanna Ramdhani and her doubles partner Laynce Donaldson after the action. Quarter-Finals: defeated Kaitlyn Gee (Nait): 21-8, 21-4 Semi-Finals: lost to Eyota Kwan (Nait): 21-14, 21-7 Third Place: defeated Cecillia Wolski (Kings): 21-17, 21-9 Women Doubles (Priyanna Ramdhani & Laynce Donaldson): Round 1: gained a Bye Quarter-Finals: defeated Krisha Mejica & Cecilla Wolski (Kings): 18-21, 23-21, 21-18 Semi-Finals: lost to Johnna Rymes & Takeisha Wang (Concordia): 21-7, 2110 Third Place: defeated
Samantha Hsu & Ivy Ung (Nait): 21-17, 21-18 MEN DOUBLES (Narayan Ramdhani & Alex Stewart) Round 1: gained a bye Quarter-Finals: defeated Rylan Head & Beau Stevenson (Olds): 21-9, 21-15 Semi-Finals: lost to John Li & Smit Patel (Nait): 21-14, 21-12 Third Place: defeated Noah Jeffrey & Troy Morgan (Olds): 21-18, 21-17 Meanwhile, on the local front, the GUMDAC Open Doubles tournament will be held at the National Gymnasium on the weekend of February 14-17.
The Secretary of the GCB, Mr. Anand Sanasie was high in praise of Dave Narine and his company for continuing to support the GCB youth development initiative, in particular the GCB/Dave West Indian Imports and Exports Under-15 Inter County Tournament. Sanasie made reference to the numerous products that are provided by Dave West Indian Imports and Exports and called on individuals in the Guyanese society to support the business venture. Sanasie postulated, that the invaluable contribution of the sponsorship to youth development in cricket, citing exceptional performances over the years of Dave West Indian’s sponsorship by Guyana at the Under-15 level in the annual CWI Regional Under-15 Tournament. Sanasie also made mention of the three Guyanese players, Mavendra Dindyal, Rampertab Ramnauth and Isai Thorne that represented the West Indies U-15 Team on the 2019 tour of England.
Dave Narine, the proud sponsor of the GCB/Dave West Indian expressed his elation with sponsoring the GCB Under-15 Inter County Tournament. He indicated that he has an unwavering interest for youth empowerment, and that he has always been keen on sponsoring the youths. Narine said he was honoured to see youths of today becoming the stars of tomorrow and more so because through the Dave West Indian sponsorship, youth cricketers’ names are being transformed from the unknown, to being nationally, regionally and internationally recognized. Narine also indicted, that he is proud that the Guyana Under-15 team continues to excel at the Regional level and commended the GCB for their outstanding work to cricket development and in so doing, expressed an interest in providing additional support to the GCB, even outside of the Under-15 age group intervention.
Johnson grabs Men’s U21 singles title; Van Lange is B Class winner Elishaba Johnson turned in yet another outstanding performance to win the Men’s U21 singles title, while Jonathan Van Lange copped gold in the B Class open when the curtains came down on the Guyana Table Tennis Association National championship on Sunday night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. In one of the most exciting contest of the evening, Johnson defeated Jonathan Van Lange by four sets to two in the men’s U21 singles. Van Lange bounced back to win the B Class open title by beating Johnson 4-2 in another thrilling contest. Kyle Chung won the C Class open with a 3-2 victory over Troy Mc Rae, while Christopher Franklin carted off the Men’s singles title; he defeated Shemar Britton 11-6, 11-6, 10-12, 11-7 and 11-7 in the final. Natalie Cummings grabbed gold in the women’s round robin category. She overcame Thuraia Thomas 3-0, Crystal Melville 3-0 and Jasmine Billingy 3-0. Thomas placed second after beating Melville 3-1 and Billingy 3-0, while Melville placed third with a 2-1 win over Billingy. (Zaheer Mohamed)
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Tuesday February 04, 2020
Kaieteur News
DCB Inter-Association 50 overs U-15 cricket East Coast and GT off to winning starts East Coast and Georgetown were off to winning starts yesterday in the opening round of the Demerara Cricket Board’s Inter-Association 50 overs U15 tournament with the City side beating West Demerara by 42 runs at Everest and East Coast defeating East Bank by nine wickets at Lusignan. At Everest, Romeo Deonarain (49) and Ryan Latif (49) put together 81 for the first innings but only John Persaud (19) of the other batsmen reached double figures as defending champions Georgetown reached 177-9 when their 50 overs expired. The Singh brothers; 12year-old medium pacer Nehemiah (3-25) and 14-yearold leg spinner Jerimiah (3-31) bowled well for West Demerara who replied with 135-3 as they batted out all their 50 overs. Sachin Balgobin (38) and Rezekie Renee (18) added 77 for the first wicket but only Nithyanand Matura, who finished unbeaten on 32 with a single boundary, reached double figures. Two of the three batsmen were run out, while Latif dismissed Renee When West Demerara began their chase, the righthanded Balgobin and the lefthanded Renee gave their team a solid start with Balgobin being the dominant partner as they played an array of beautiful shots.The 50 was posted in the 16th over off 92 balls with both batsmen looking well set as the 14-year-old Balgobin looking technically sound, but with the score on 77 in the 30th over disaster struck as the well-entrenched Balgobin was run out for 38 after facing 93 balls and hitting five boundaries. Nithyanand Matura joined Renee who was soon removed by Latif who faced 89 balls for his 18 to leave the score at 88-2, while Alex Parag was run out for four at 97-3 before Matura and Jermain Singh unbeaten on eight, batted out the rest of the overs. Earlier, a small crowd which included several parents watch in steaming heat as the lads from the West side
asked Georgetown to bat on a slow track and fairly fast outfield.The left-handed Deonarine and his right handed partner Latif provided Georgetown with a solid foundation with Latif being the more aggressive of the two. While the 14-year-old Latif was not afraid to take on the bowlers, the 13-year-old offered excellent support and found the gaps with sweetly timed shots.Together the pair saw the 50 posted with Latif dominating the partnership. But with the stand worth 81 and Latif one away from a maiden Inter-Association fifty he was run out after facing 73 balls and reaching the boundary eight times as the breakthrough came in the 22nd over.Jerimiah Singh got rid of Shiloh Adams for a duck, the big hitting Gabriel Rookum (1) and Skipper Stephon Sankar for a duck as Georgetown lost three wickets for nine runs to slip to 106-4.Deonarine pulled a short ball for four behind square and was batting sensible with crisp looking cover drives when he tried to pull a short ball from Matura and failed to keep the ball on the ground to give his wicket away.His 49 lasted 108 balls and included three fours and his demise left his team on 124-5.Nehemiah Singh, bowling medium pace, then picked up from where his brother left off and picked up two quick wickets before John Persaud who threw his bat around lustily in his 19, ensured the home team reached a challenging total. At Lusignan, East Coast demolished East Bank by nine wickets before lunch after they made 44-1 in 14 overs in reply to East Banks’ 43 all out in 29 overs with extras 14. Alex Dattadin, Seepersaud and Sohail Gangaram had identical figures of 2-1 for the winners.Joshua Alves with an unbeaten 23 and Nicolas Seepersaud nine not out saw the host home. Georgetown face East Coast at Lusignan, while West Demerara battle East Bank at Everest in the second round which is scheduled for tomorrow. (Sean Devers)
STSC day of sports set for Saturday South Turkeyen Sports Committee and Belfield Sports Club will be hosting a day of sports on Saturday at GNS Sports Complex starting at 09:00hrs.Among the teams set to participate are Queen’s College, Marian Academy, Chase Academy and the Business School. The teams will battle for supremacy in Tapeball cricket, softball and 5-a-side and 11-a-side small goal football competitions. Organiser Johnny Barnwell has expressed gratitude to Nana Narine and Henry Chase for their support.
Siblings Jeremiah (left) and Naemiah Singh took 3 wickets for West Demerara at Everest yesterday.
Ryan Latif (left) and Romeo Deonarain put on 81 for the first wicket for Georgetown as both batsmen fell one short of fifties at Everest yesterday.
6th Kares Caribbean Fitness Challenge Kellon Reid preparing for anticipated explosive showdown; aspires for podium finish
Kellon Reid captured at the 2019 Kares Caribbean Fitness Challenge.
A
nother Linden athlete, Kellon Reid is aiming high and that is, finishing on the podium come this Sun day when the 6th Kares Crossfit and Lotus Hardware Caribbean Fitness Challenge comes off at the National Park Tarmac. This year’s competition, the biggest ever in terms of cash prizes, is anticipated to also attract the largest crowd ever as the sport continues to grow and catch on in Guyana. Reid, who like his training colleague, Omisi Williams has had a bit of overseas exposure in their still budding CrossFit careers, is hoping to upset the big guns this time around. ”Preparation for this competition is going real good for me. I and my fellow addict, Omisi had to make several trips to Georgetown to get and keep in shape and we’ve managed to put in a lot of work.”
There is no short cut to getting good results and Reid who said that he has been in the sport for four years now is confident of doing well. ”I actually see myself on the podium this time around due to the fact that this is the hardest I’ve ever trained. When it comes to the overseas guys, well I know they are some of the best around the Caribbean and they will bring their A game so it will be a showdown. Nevertheless I’m remaining focused.” The top five athletes in both male and female categories would receive cash prizes as follows; $500,000, $400,000, $300,000, $200,000 and $100,000. Tickets for the event are on sale at KaresCrossfit - Queenstown, Genesis Fitness Gym - Durban Street, and Fitness Express Sheriff Street at $1000 each, children Under 10 would be admitted free of charge. (Franklin Wilson)
Kaieteur News
Tuesday February 04, 2020
PAGE 33
Gayadin, George and Prashad Flight champions in exciting 2nd Joe Solomon Golf Classic Mike Gayadin, Paton George and Patrick Prashad delivered superb performances on Saturday last at the Lusignan Golf Club to emerge as their Flight champions in another refreshing Joe Solomon classic tournament. Kudos to Patrick Prashad, who in the first Joe Solomon Classic of Monday, May 27, 2019, was winner of his Flight, while Ian Gouveia and Troy Cadogan were winners of the other two Flights. Joseph Stanislaus Solomon, born in 1930 at Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice, is a Guyanese and West Indian cricketing icon contemporary with Sir Gary Sobers and Frank Worrell, Rohan Kanhai and Basil Butcher - who in 27 Test matches for the West Indies from 1958 to 1965, amassed a record 1326 runs, mainly from number six and seven in the batting line-up. Joe, who also played first-class cricket for Guyana from 1956 to 1969, is the only player in first-class cricket history to score three centuries in their first three innings for then British Guiana – doing so in the 1956/57 series. (Batting in
three successive first-class test matches at Bourda, in October 1956 he scored 114 not out on his first class debut for Guyana vs Jamaica, next he scored 108 for Guyana vs Barbados, then he went on to score his third successive first class century for Guyana vs Pakistan.) Joe, after 1969 served invariably as a Selector on the selection panel for the We s t I n d i e s t e a m , a s Chairman of the Guyana Cricket Board and as coach of a local cricket team in Guyana. In addition, he has been (along with his brother Maurice) a member and supporter of the Lusignan Golf Club for over 30 years, and is now an honorary life member of the Lusignan Golf Club. While this tournament was the first of its kind in recognition of the contribution of life members of the Lusignan Golf Club – Doreen DeCaires, Hemraj Kissoon, Maurice Solomon, Robert Hanoman and only Esau Shamshudin and Dharamdeo Sawh were not present - it was particularly significant for honoring life member Joe Solomon.
In picture, in the back row from left: Captain Chatterpaul Deo, George Bulkan, Paton George, Brian Hackett, Ramesh Sunich, Maurice Solomon, Max Persaud, Patrick Prashad, and President Aleem Hussain. In front row, from left: Mike Gayadin, Joe Solomon, Mike Mangal, Doreen DeCaires, and Harry Persaud. On hand to present an exquisitely beautiful crystal trophy to his longtime cricketing idol Joe Solomon - whom he was now meeting in person for the first time, thanks to the LGC and Aleem Hussain - was Ramesh Sunich, owner of Trophy Stall. So significant was the occasion to Ramesh, that in addition to donating the trophy, he brought his entire family – his lovely wife Devi wife and their children – to share in the delightful moment at the LGC. Ramesh indicated, “I was invited several times [to come to the LGC] but after
seeing the condition of the course and recent developments in the sport, I am now ready to join.” The pressing invitation of Club President Aleem Hussain, as well as his observation of the significant developments taking place at the Club over the past two years, sparked his interest and enthusiasm which were fired even more when he visited the Club and saw first-hand this day, what he had only been hearing about. Trophy Stall has over 2 decades been supportive of golfing and the Lusignan Golf Club as well as several sports disciplines and
organizations in Guyana, providing top quality trophies and being regular sponsors of major events. The day’s performance was with the usual keen rivalry amongst the members of each Flight, but it was veteran Mike Gayadin’s cool Best Gross of 77, giving him a tournament Best Net of 65 that excelled. In that 10-18 Flight, which usually sees the keenest competition, Mike led the group comfortably, followed by 2nd place winner George Bulkan (69/15) who won off a tie with sharp Rakesh Harry (69/14). Following these were Rabindranauth
Persaud (70/16), Mahindranauth Tewari (72/13), Dr Joaan Deo (72/15), Aasrodeen Shaw ((73/13), Deoram Dinanauth (73/16), and William Walker (75/11). Parmanand ‘Max’ Persaud from this group won the Longest Drive prize for a drive of approximately 320 yds.In the 0-9 group, former Captain Patrick Prashad, who is probably the most consistent golfer in the Winners Row, delivered 71/9 to beat Mike Mangal (71/8) in a tie for 1st place. The nearest follower was President Aleem Hussain – 75/9.In the 19-36 group, (Continued on page 26)
P&P Insurance Brokers’ Annual Pistol competition fires off GSSF 2020 calendar The Guyana Sport Shooting Foundation commenced shooting activities with a January Practice Session and thereafter its first Match for 2020 on Saturday 1st February, 2020, when they hosted the 5th Annual P&P Insurance Brokers & Consultants sponsored Pistol Match at the GDF Yarrowkabra Range. The event saw local shooters testing their skills. Opening remarks were made by Match Director, Mrs. Vidushi PersaudMcKinnon who then introduced Range Master, Mr. Dallas Thomas, who in turn reminded participants of the safety rules and the Match was declared open by Match Director Mrs. Persaud-McKinnon. The four stage match consisted of sanctioned S.C.S.A. stages, namely Accelerator, Roundabout, Pendulum and Smoke &
Prize Winners and Participants of the 2020 P&P sponsored GSSF’s Steel Challenge Match. (Photo: Renita & Jeff) Hope. With safety and efficiency in mind, shooters were placed into two squads, thereby shooting two separate stages s i m u l t a n e o u s l y. T h e competition requirements were as simple as the scoring: the shooter would assume his/her position in a 3 feet square shooting box
with hands above their shoulders, upon the beep of the electronic timer, he/she would then draw their firearm and shoot at the targets, the timer stops when the shooter hits the stop plate. The Stats Officer for this match was Dr. Pravesh Harry, who released the results as follows:
Limited Division 1st – Ryan McKinnon (69.35 seconds) 2nd – John Phang (83.33 seconds) 3rd – Pravesh Harry (83.43 seconds) Production Division Winners: Production Division 1st – Rajiv Latchana
(82.23 seconds) 2nd – Andrew Phang (92.16 seconds) 3rd – Michael Blake (109.02 seconds) The Board of Directors wishes to commend the Match Director, Range Master, Stats Officer, Range Officers and the shooters for ensuring an efficient event.
Special thanks also to the Guyana Defence Force, Chief of Staff Brigadier Patrick West, Col. Skeete of the GDF, Commissioner of Police Mr. Leslie James, the ranks of TSU and the Guyana Police Force, the Media and GSSF members for their support in promoting practical shooting locally. Sincere thanks were extended to CEO, Messrs. Bishwa and Vikash Panday of P&P Insurance Brokers and Consultants Ltd.For more information on the G.S.S.F. and Complete Results on the match, please visit our w e b s i t e www.GuyanaSportShooting .comThe GSSF, an affiliate of the Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA), will continue to host this action-packed shooting sport for local pistol shooters by organising such matches on a regular basis.
Shimron Hetmyer, Evin Lewis fail fitness tests, miss out on Sri Lanka ODIs
rt o p S Rovman Powell
Shimron Hetmyer has faced the axe.
Evin Lewis plays a sweep Š AFP
GFF donated lights Johnson grabs Men’s presented to U21 singles title; Van Bartica community Lange is B Class
winner
Bartica FA President Alden Marslowe (right) hands over 1500 watt lights to Mayor Gifford - Marshall.
Natalie Cummings
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Elishaba Johnson
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Jonathan Van Lange
Another Bronze at the ACACA No.3 for Narayan & Priyanna Ramdhani Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8452, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.