Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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

Public Health Care in Guyana In Guyana, health care is provided by both public and private suppliers. It is coordinated by the Ministry of Health to ensure a uniform health care system across the country. However, public health care is decentralised throughout the country and is administered by the Regional Democratic Councils with ministerial oversight vested in the Ministry of Communities. It is primarily financed by the government, but contributions from donor countries also play a part. There are some 30 hospitals and many health care centres, diagnostic facilities, clinics and dispensaries in the country which offer both public and private care, with the former being free. The public health care system is structured so that its proper functioning depends intimately on a process of referrals. Except for serious emergencies, patients are seen first at the lower levels, and those with problems that cannot be treated at those levels are referred to higher level in the system, but in practice, many patients by-pass the lower levels. While there have been some remarkable improvements in public health care during the last two decades, there are still concerns that our health care system is grossly inadequate in terms of services to the public. Data from the Ministry of Health shows public spending on health care in Guyana has increased significantly between 2005 and 2015. However, compared with other countries in the Caribbean, Guyana ranks high in terms of basic health care services. Basic health services in the rural areas of the country have been improving. There are more doctors and nurses and midwives per 100,000 people who provide basic in-patient and outpatient care with limited diagnostic services, radiological and laboratory services and preventive and curative dental care. The public health sector may not be able to offer certain sophisticated and specialised medical services, due to the lack of the technology and medical specialists in the country.

There are some barriers to needed public health care services; there is long waiting time, shortage of doctors, nurses and medical equipment in some locations, especially in the riverine communities. This has not only placed the health of patients in jeopardy as they seek medical attention, but unfortunately, it has also led to several deaths. Many senior public officials and the wealthy have constantly sought medical attention in the United States, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba. This is because they recognise that Guyana simply lacks a certain level and quality of service. Inadequate infrastructure, inefficient systems, shortage of nurses and trained doctors, sloppy management, lack of drugs and poor customer relations in the hinterland are some of the major problems. Overall, our public health care system is in need of continued improvements as it relates to services. The Minister of Health and by extension the government’s rhetoric that our public health care system is adequate, which may be an exaggeration. However, it is far removed from the days when doctors were so scarce that Guyana reached out to the Philippines and Sri Lanka. Even nurses had to be imported even as our nurses were rushing to greener pastures. Money is still being spent to construct medical facilities where none existed and there is the money to rehabilitate some of the existing ones. A few months ago, there was the complaint about a drug shortage, so critical that one was led to believe that crucial pharmaceuticals were absent. It turned out that people in the system were stealing the drugs as fast as supplies were dispatched. That has slowed. The system is so much better to the point that the health index keeps rising. We must have a proper public health care in order to have a healthy and productive population.

Thursday February 08, 2018

I am being adversely affected by a series of preventable events DEAR EDITOR, I am a concerned citizen residing at 48 Princes and Russell Streets and am being adversely affected by a series of events which commenced on December 27th, 2017. The first thing that happened was the collapse of an overgrown balata tree, on the opposite side of the street, directly in front of my residence. The tree damaged some utility poles with transformers attached. GPL came the following day to retrieve the transformers. Approximately one week after they came for the transformers, they returned, replaced the damaged poles and reinstalled the transformers. However, they did not remove the damaged poles; they are still lying on the ground where they were left by the GPL crew. I am saddened by the fact that our government is endeavouring to restore the beauty of our city, but the necessary cooperation from entities like GPL, is not

forthcoming. I am at a loss trying to figure out why GPL is not cleaning up their mess, especially since they are a 100% government-owned company. Now, I was pleasantly surprised when a City Council crew came with an excavator and begun cleaning up the mess. (I thought that was the end of the unsightly clutter and that things would return to normal), but to my dismay, they threw everything in front of the unoccupied adjacent lot that is never cleaned. On more than one occasion, I reported this situation to a City Councilor; he told me that he brought the matter up at several Council Meetings, but nothing was done. As far as I am aware, the owner of the lot where the garbage is being thrown, has been asked by the City Council to clean up the abandoned lot, but has disregarded the request. I am left to assume

that the reason for this disregard, is due to the fact that the individual moves in the upper echelons of society and believes they can get away with noncompliance to the request. I am convinced that if that individual used to clean the lot and the parapet in front of their property, the City Council crew would not have thrown the debris there. I learnt that the City Council is now embarking on a system whereby they would clean defaulters’ lands on a continuous basis, and if no payment is made by the defaulters, they will take them to court, and sell their land. This property would be the perfect place to begin the implementation of this policy. Approximately three weeks ago, a City Council crew came and removed two or three truck-loads of debris. My hopes were bolstered once more, and I thought, we were finally going to be able to enjoy a clean environment, but once again, my hopes

were dashed. The crew never came back to remove the remaining debris, which is around another three truck-loads. The latest development that has m a d e o u r l i v e s really uncomfortable is that that area has been turned into a garbage incinerator by an individual w ho collects people’s garbage and burns it there. The toxic smoke is adversely affecting the residents of the area. Also, the health of my wife is being severely affected; so much so that her doctor recommends that we should get out from the area. But where we reside is not being rented, it is our property, so there is nowhere else for us to go. I am requesting that the Mayor and City Councilors look into this matter, as soon as possible, because, not only is this situation a health hazard, but also a fire hazard. Arthur Taylor Concerned Citizen

DEAR EDITOR, On page 13 of the Kaieteur News of Wednesday, February 7 appears a paid ad that reads” INVESTORS BEWARE, GOINVEST ELSEWHERE I salute Kaieteur News, Stabroek News and the rest of the Guyana media for the work they have been doing in protecting Guyana’s natural resources. Their direct and indirect exposes and analyses of the 2016 Esso/Hess/CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Agreement are courageous, patriotic and

worthy of any national media. They have exposed the weaknesses of persons like Ministers Greenidge, Jordan and Trotman. The collective errors of judgment will cost Guyana dearly for decades to come if the Contract is not renegotiated. Guyanese therefore have a right to be outraged but under no circumstances do I support an advertisement that discourages investors to our country. The country needs foreign investors bringing capital, technology and expertise, and providing jobs,

revenue and models of good governance practices. Yes, there will be carpetbaggers, as they are everywhere. Our duty is to establish a system for identifying and weeding those out. In fact, specific to the petroleum sector, if Janet Jagan and to a considerably greater extent, Raphael Trotman had ensured that the requirements of the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act and Regulations were applied, many of the concerns about the 2016 Agreement – important constituent parts of which are

still being kept secret – would not even have arisen. We therefore have legitimate reasons to believe that our Government has acted against the national interest. We must however respond in a measured and patriotic manner. The AD in my view has crossed a line. Christopher Ram

This paid advertisement in my view has crossed a line

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: In this instance a pertinent question must be asked: Where does someone’s freedom of expression end?

Was the Chronicle publication deliberate? DEAR EDITOR, Once again the issues of social media use and the flagrant abuse of power by public officials have come to the fore. In an article dated January 31, 2018, the Guyana Chronicle reported, inter alia, that criminal charges were recommended by the Department for Public Prosecutions (DPP) against The Bishops’ High School teacher, Coen Jackson. Within hours of this publication, and following a strongly worded refutation by the DPP, the Chronicle made an “unreserved” retraction of the “erroneous article” and offered its “sincerest” apologies to Mr. Jackson, his attorneys, and the DPP via its online platform.

Besides the obvious legal challenges that may beset the Chronicle stemming from the aforementioned publication, there is perhaps the more pressing issue of ethical misconduct by the Newspaper’s management. Is it mere coincidence that the Guyana Chronicle was the only media outlet which had access to what has since been exposed as misinformation, and that Mr. Ruel Johnson, who first raised the allegations levelled against Mr. Jackson, is a sitting director on the newspaper’s Board? Is it also a chance occurrence that the Chronicle carried an op-ed article penned by Mr. Johnson on December 6, 2017, titled, “On the school system, Predators and

Society’s Good People,” in which he sought to forward what appears to be a malicious campaign against Mr. Jackson? That the newspapers would, over a period of months, allow Mr. Johnson to leverage and prostitute state resources to meet his own narrow ends, without any formal sanctions, represents a serious case of mismanagement and ethical misconduct. Both the management of the entity and Mr. Johnson should be made to give account for their despicable behaviour and misuse of state assets. What is equally troubling is Mr. Johnson’s personal role in this entire affair. When he first reported the allegations

against the teacher on his Facebook page, his claims were several and varied. The public was told that what he had reported was “worse” than the Boston Sex scandal; where there were more than one thousand reported cases of sexual abuse. We were later informed by Mr. Johnson that what happened at The Bishops’ High School was in fact, “the biggest public school sexual predation story in the history of the Caribbean”, and “worse” than the Larry Nassar case. These outlandish claims would no doubt fall short of Mr. Johnson’s literary capacity to produce fictional characters and story lines. (Continued on page 5)

Shouldn’t persons at City Hall be brought to book? DEAR EDITOR, From talking to persons from all walks of life, there seems to be one significant concern shared by many, which is the alarm as to why central government seems not prepared to hold the Georgetown City Council to standards, values and ethics which it holds itself to. It is confusing as to why the central government, which ensures in most cases that their mini s t r i e s , public corporations and other government departments submit themselves to the rules and guidelines of the National Procurement and Tender Administration, just casually turns a blind eye to the Georgetown Municipality. That entity ignores all the rules of tendering and procurement, instead giving contracts to persons close to the m w i l l y n i l l y, a n d

procuring goods from single sources at overinflated prices etc. Then we have the confutation where the central government has a clear green agenda for the country, and the Minister of Communities, writing on his own behalf and on behalf of the Cabinet, to the Mayor, laying out the procedures that the M&CC must follow in respect of green spaces i n G e o r getown, and alarmingly the response was a telling off. He was accused of meddling, while the Council continued in a brutal way the ecological destruction of the green spaces in the city, including the Bel Air Park Playground and the possibility of similar actions on the Farnum Playground. Shouldn’t persons at City Hall be brought to book?

Since the coalition Government came to power in 2015 a policy has been established where public officers are required to take the leave due to them. It is felt that this would encourage the development of a good career system in which the subordinates are allowed to act. At City Hall, however, senior officials are allowed to sit on years of stockpiled leave, refusing to proceed on it because they know that all hell can break loose if they go on leave and an investigation is launched into the alleged corruption, maladministration, nepotism, cronyism, and wasteful spending etc. How could the Council be allowed to veer so far from the Government’s policy on public officers being required to take their leave? Magagula Jackson

Are NDC workers not worthy of the good life?

DEAR EDITOR, The ‘Clean up my country’ campaign initiated by President Granger in 2015 quickly lost its impetus, and it seems as though the workers who remain or were in the system at municipalities and NDCs are completely forgotten. The Govt. was swift to raise the already huge salaries of Ministers and MPs by 50%. Small increments in salary were passed to Public servants in 2016 but did not reach the workers at the NDCs. Last year end, Govt. offered 8% increase for Public servants earning below $100,000 retroactive from January. Sadly, none of the NDCs offered anything retroactive to their workers – very few if any offered any increase in salary for 2018. The 2017 budget saw a massive increase in the price of groceries due to the spread of VAT on goods that did not previously attract the tax. The price of an essential like milk went from $300 to $500 per pound. I understand that we NDC workers are not considered as Public Servants, despite the

fact that central Govt. does give annual subventions to the NDCs. That should entitle them to a say in these NDCs. Editor, an NDC worker earns 40,000 to $45,000 per month - way below the income tax threshold of $60,000. We practically shovel faeces out of every one’s environment working in the most bacteriainfested conditions for any category of worker in this country. Our pockets have been ravaged by the draconian budget, and like everyone else, we have to pay increased prices for groceries too. To think that we have been left out of the 8% retro-

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Thursday February 08, 2018

active increase is justifiable cause for vexation and counter-productive to equality of opportunity for all. The Minister of Communities should ensure that the NDCs pay their workers the 8% increase retroactive for 2017 and 8% increase in salary for this year. What happened to ‘Clean up my country?’ We have to maintain that programme. As it is, we are just pawns in the provision of the good life for others. Are we not worthy of “the good life”? The President should adjudicate on this discrepancy. He is the one who initiated “the good life”. Vishnu Lalaram Distraught Worker

When will city residents be relieved from this oligarchy? DEAR EDITOR, As a property owner, resident and business owner in our capital city, I would like enquire from the powers that be, when they will relieve the citizens of Georgetown from the oligarchy that exists within the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown.The level of venality, duplicity and mismanagement there, is simply unbelievable and it just keeps getting worse and worse. If there is an entity in the country that need a commission of inquiry it is the Georgetown Municipality. Could you imagine an entity receiving and spending billions of dollars each year and not being audited? It is complete anarchy at City Hall, where senior officials ‘buse out’ the Minister that is responsible for the Council, and ignore court rulings and the wishes of the government. It is a serious affair when officers

undertake major activities without the Council’s knowledge or fiat. And we cannot forget the numerous hair-raising scandals that have occurred over the last two and a half years at City Hall - from the parking meters ignominy to the stun gun fiasco, to the attempted cover-up of the rape of a juvenile, to a firearm going missing, to the granting of permission to a vendor to build a two-storey structure without Council’s knowledge or permission - something that will change the aesthetics of the Stabroek Market without consultation with the National Trust - to the building of model homes on city’s reserves. Could the citizens be told what tangible benefits were derived as a result of all of those many luxury trips abroad? Can the citizens be told why the City Police Training School was allowed to go to rack and ruin, even

though it was totally rehabilitated during the term of the last Council. Could the Citizens be told when the Stabroek Market clock will work again, having received foreign funding a long time ago, and when works will begin on the restoration of City Hall? Just look at the Stabroek Market wharf that collapsed years ago. Rather than fixing it, they hang some lights at the front for window dressing.Council has an administration that refuses to recognize or to engage the vendors’ union; who farms out a part of Farnum Field in Subryanville to a private individual and attempts to sell the Bel Air Park Playfield to a private developer all against the covenants associated with these properties. The greed in this attempt is palpable. Sincerely, Mark Roopan

Was the Chronicle publication ... From page 4 Further, he suggested that there could well be more than one hundred victims of sexual assault and abuse, and that he had in his possession a dossier of thirty “documented cases”, all of which he submitted to the “relevant authorities”. With the passage of time, it was revealed that the only reported case against Mr. Jackson was one made by a young woman with whom he shared a relationship for several years and with whom Mr. Johnson was involved. We were also made to understand that Mr. Jackson and the young lady were friends just months prior and that it wasn’t until meeting

Mr. Johnson that she was convinced that she was a victim of “sexual predation”. Given that Mr. Johnson would seek to conceal these pertinent facts when he first brought this story to our collective attention, casts doubt about the authenticity of his claims and his motives for doing so. Because of his vested interest in what is clearly a personal issue, Mr. Johnson has effectively brought his roles as Cultural Advisor to the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Director of the Guyana Chronicle into disrepute. He can no longer be trusted as an independent and unbiased public commen-

tator in this matter. Indeed, it is precisely because of Mr. Johnson’s erratic and senseless behaviour that private and public organisations have designed codes of conduct and social media policies for those under their employ. Social media outlets like Facebook have the potential to spread scandals, uncorroborated claims, and create PR nightmares, and if the entity isn’t careful, social media can end up hurting its reputation, damaging public trust. Unfortunately, this has been the avoidable outcome of Mr. Johnson’s rants and cunning machinations. Yours truly, Sherry Thomas

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Kaieteur News

Mom of homealone East...

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK;Guyanapassport application. G r a p h i c s design, advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6004212: We create A/works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer-Call: 231-0655; 683-8734. Omar

FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY- $19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-2274754. One (1) female german shepherd dog for sale, one year old: contact #619-9203 All size solar pannel & batteries lowest price guarantee. check us out @ Boodhoo’s General store @ Parika EBE. 1 long base canter, 4 ton GRR series, hydraulic tray lift, price 2.6million and 1 canter driver needed. #609-1040 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL 450 4matic SUV, like brand new, under 20,000 miles. Call: 6741781. Serious inquires only.

20 acres of farm with bearing citrus, coconut & avocado trees. Location: Linden Highway, contact #655-7933 Video games and consoles at affordable price. Repairs to video game system .Call:6722566/265-3231 LAND FOR SALE 1 Bedford model M truck with Land for sale in Caanan winch. 1 portable miller bobcat Gardens 51 x 135 transported. welding plant. #602-9496/ Call: 687-7218 613-0152 Parafaite Harmonie main road Plant-closing down sale: 2.5M 1.4M 2M 3.5M, ten year potting soil, plant pot, flower up 3M Herstelling 3M plant at Garden Centre, Tuschen 5M. Call: 666-2326 Plantation Schoonard WBD #615-2346/627-3443/1500De Groot Uitvlugt- $2.5M 1600 neg. Parafaite Harmonie- main road $2M Parafaite Flat concrete 3 bedroom Harmonie- $1.5M Tel: 697- house, fully grilled. Tuschen $8M. Tel: 669-7393/689-4713 6311

SALON Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. -CosmetologyCourses:$90,000 Nail Technician Course: $35,000. Call: 647-1773/6880009

TAXI SERVICE GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 2257878 (24HRS)

Pups and dog for sale, for more information call: #2670205/670-4228 For Sale: unfinished apartment building close to highway in Diamond 135 x 110. Call: 608-6655. GL super pit-bull van- GTT 2891, Automatic, 2005 year, 2000cc, Double A/C, TV, CD & DVD player. Call: 684-5868

CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE CAR R E N TA L : S U V F O R RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL:6435122/656-0087, ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM

FOR RENT

WANTED

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620

Salesman, good verbal/ excellent attitude, knowledge in stocktaking, computer literate & team player. Keyfood McDoom.

1-1 bedroom apartment, 1- 2 bedroom bottom flat 1 furnished 3 bedroom upper flat. Uitvlugt Housing Scheme. Call: 698-2802, 6933340, 254-1801. 2 & 3 bedroom fully furnished luxury apartments to rent, long & short term. #666-7820, 691-1432 Business place/Store for rent, located at Grove EBD.Contact 684-6331 1 One bedroom apartment, Herstelling New scheme $30,000 per month. Telephone: 641-2311, 627-3882 Fully furnished apartment two & one bedrooms in Providence, apartment at Diamond East Bank Tel: 6721906/216-2299/682-6238 Space for rent at Ashmin’s Building- suitable for salon or office- Call today! 683-7954 3 bedroom apartment at the back of UG, 2 bedroom in Diamond. Tel#680-5944/ 6564211 Vreed-en-hoop junction. Lessons place, church, storage bond, office, other. Call: 603-6400.

Experienced curry cook, counter servers, drivers. Apply Hack’s Halaal, 5 Commerce St. 1 Porter to work on vehicle in the interior 18-25 years old #699-4718 Wanted land in Parafaite Harmonie, Eccles or anywhere on the East Bank or West Coast Tel: 697-6311 Wanted experience hire car taxi driver at Ramada Princess Hotel. Tel: 265-7076. Cell: 6165419 One cook/chef to work in Mahdia. Call: 618-1838 Counter persons, Puri/Rotimakers. Apply @ Shantas 225 Camp St. (1) Manager to work @ Hotel/ Club on Essequibo coast, previous hotel management an asset. Contact: 500-5923, 676-8764/646-3675 Hire car drivers & contract car @ Gems Taxi Service # 2261200, 225-5075, 622-6413 Wanted cashier/sales clerk at Nirva supermarket 49 Sheriff & Craig St C/Ville. Apply in person. Tel#227-5771. American Variety Store 140 Regent & Light, Georgetown. Experience cashier, supervisor and salesgirls. apply in person

Fielder Wagon. Tel: 664-0802 Nissan Pathfinder Jeep 4WD Excellent condition $1.4M negotiable. Call: 609-7766/2258427 One Toyota car- Spacio PPP series, never in hire-silver. #254-0454 CAR RENTAL DOLLY’SCARRENTAL-CALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP RATES,SPECIALOFFERS! . CALL: 690-6494 AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MINI BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPORT & FAMILY OUTINGS, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807

Log Truck drivers. Tel: 664-6062 Vacancy exists for 1 experienced pharmacy technician to work part time @ a reputable pharmacy Georgetown- Call: 227-0630 Driver from Age 22 and above, must have police clearance, for more info, call: 223-0090 Cook/Baker & Excavator operator for interior location. must be experienced. Call: 6182020 Vacancy exists for one female 25 years + over to work at Del Ice Co. Must have Maths+English. Call: 231-1408/642-9191. Experience bartenders and cleaners. Call: 225-8572 between 7 am to 9 am Vacancy exist for 1 Diesel mechanic & welder between the ages of 30-50 yrs. Contact: 623-8078/ 220-2034 Vacancy exist for 1 Office assistant must be computer literate, between the ages of 30-55 yrs. Contact: 623-8078/ 220-2034 Guards needed to work in a community at Providence, mail application, police clearance to PO Box 10908. Hair station & Barber station rental, New market street #6381106. Experienced persons preferable. Cashier (shift work 7am-3pm & 3pm-11pm) Submit application to: Shell Service Station Providence E.B.D or e m a i l : Shellramsburg@gmail.com Kitchen assistant for interior location. Job entails assisting cooks and generally cleaning. Call: 618-2020.

VEHICLE FOR SALE Allion, Primo, Fielder Wagon, Spacio, Bluebird, 212 Carina, NZE, Honda CRV, Toyota IST, RZ & Pit-bull – Call: 650-7501

VACANCY

EDUCATION CXC adults classes (Business & Science subjects) Form 1-5 lessons, Grade 2-6 lessons (slow learners, personal tutor) #690-5008,618-0649 First aid/CPR and home nursing courses. To enroll: St John Association 110 Cowan Street #225-9082 Register your child for after school classes for slow learners in Mathematics, Reading, Phonics, Spelling, etc. Call: 675-4379 LEARN TO DRIVE C. Persaud & N. Outar Driving School formerly Soman & Sons Driving School @ Maraj Building- Call: 644-5166; 6222872; 615-0964; 689-5997 (affordable packages). Ultraviolet Driving School is offering a 6 days driving lesson for $7,500. Come and enjoy it! Call 676-8783.

1- Office clerk, 1- Cashier 5 CXC subjects (Math & English incl) Computer literate (Microsoft word & excel) Telles Steel #231-3265, 2266771, 226-4537 One experienced legal computer clerk. Call: 624-7087/ 226-4283/258-0213/ email: husainsaphier@yahoo.com We l d e r / f a b r i c a t o r, machinist,mechanic,store keeper, female cleaner. Must have technical back ground and 3 years’ experience. Call:233-2475 TOLET One business space, located at 177 Charlotte & Alexander St. Kindly call: 644-3555,6893462, . Serious enquiries only. PROPERTY FOR SALE House and land available @ La Parfaite Harmonie, Providence, Etc. Financing assistance available. Contact Pacific Development: 2236035/ 604-4909

From page 19 relation to the alleged neglect of her son and daughter. She was reportedly brought to the Central Police Station sometime around 11:30 hrs by a health official. "We are looking at it at a criminal standpoint, so we are investigating to get to the bottom of what happened. Based on what our investigations reveal, we will seek advice on the way forward", Alves said. The two children, 7 and 4, were alone at home when the fire began while their mother Tamela Henry was nowhere to be found. A source close to the investigation disclosed that Henry stated that she was out trying to complete her daughter's (Kyle) assignment for school when she left them at home, unattended. However, residents in the area claimed that Tamela is in the habit of leaving her children at home alone for hours. There are reports that the seven-year-old girl was seen wandering the streets in search of her mother at 01:00 hrs not so long ago. On Tuesday night, the property located at Glasgow Housing Scheme caught fire from inside the upper flat while the children were home alone. In a bid to escape, the seven-year-old suffered a broken leg as she saved her younger sibling and herself from the blaze. Reports are that a candle was allegedly left alight in the building and the flames caught on to the wooden floor engulfing the building from within with the children, Kison Henry and Kylie Henry trapped inside. The fire which reportedly began sometime around 21:30 hrs attracted the attention of a neighbour who alerted others. An eyewitness had stated that the children were trapped in the building during the fire since it appeared to be locked from the outside. The seven-year-old is currently in the care of an aunt while the four-year-old is being taken care of by their grandmother. PROPERTY FOR SALE Lot 15 Public Road, #2 Village, W.C.B. 49ft x 10,314ft $20M Negotiable Contact 648-7109/686-4818 3- Storey commercial buliding, land size- 120ft x 60ft, building size- 62ft x 30ft, location- Lot 1486 Plot B, Herstelling East Bank Demerara. Contact: #609-3777/697-4557 Newly built @ Craig E.B.D land size 91x50 feet; house 40x28, 3 rooms, 1 self contained. Call:718-213-6496/617-7691 Property for sale at 97 Sugarcane street S/Rvldt Gardens. Price US 1.5M neg. Tel: 695-1356 & 687-8445 Riumveldt Public Rd (opp Massey) (6) bedroom house on double lot. (2) Apartments with all utilities- parking, fenced. Call: 225-8427/6097766

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CDB predicting economic growth for the region in 2018 BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Caribbean economies are expected to register an average two per cent growth this year following overall growth of less than one per cent in 2017, the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) reported yesterday. CDB director of Economics, Dr. Justin Ram, told the bank’s annual news conference that the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane season resulting in several countries, such as Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Bahamas, St. Kitts-Nevis, Turks and Caicos Islands and the British Virgin islands experiencing varying levels of destruction, had left the region experiencing growth of 0.6 per cent. But he told reporters that all of CDB’s Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs) are expected to contribute to the overall economic growth this year. “This is mainly driven by the return to growth in Trinidad and Tobago and a 2.3 per cent uptick in Jamaica, which accounts for about a fifth of regional GDP (gross domestic product). “The highest growth rates are anticipated for Anguilla and Dominica as they rebuild from the damage caused by the 2017 hurricanes. Antigua and Barbuda and the Turks and Caicos Islands are also expected to have strong growth,” Ram said. Dominica’s economy is expected to grow by 6.4 per cent this year, Ram said as the island recovers from the devastating effects of Hurricane Maria last September. “The highest growth rates are projected for Anguilla and Dominica as they rebuild from the damage caused by the

2017 hurricanes. Antigua and Barbuda, and the Turks and Caicos Islands are also expected to have strong growth,” Ram said, estimating that Dominica suffered negative growth of 6.9 per cent as the island lost 225 per cent of GDP. With regards to the economic situation in Barbados, where last week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) expressed concern at the island’s large fiscal deficit, high debt and low foreign reserves, Ram said the Freundel Stuart administration needed to properly manage its debt. “Secondly the government also needs to examine its other expenditures and particular as it relates to transfer and subsidies which are currently running at around 13 per cent of GDP. “So that means there needs to be some reform particularly of state owned enterprises,” Ram said, adding that the government needs to make the Barbados economy “a lot more competitive and productive. “And so that means dealing with the inefficiencies in the doing business environment,” he said. The IMF had also emphasized that a stronger macroeconomic framework and bolder structural reforms were needed to achieve fiscal and debt sustainability, address the large financing needs, build adequate international reserves, and boost growth. It also recommended that adjustment measures should focus on expenditure, primarily supported by reform of the StateOwned Enterprises (SOEs). “Efforts to contain the

Dr. Justin Ram addressing CDB’s annual news conference yesterday wage bill and reform of government pensions, while improving revenue administration and broadening the tax base, including by reducing exemptions, would also be important,” the Washingtonbased financial institution had said.Ram told regional reporters it was also important for the government to target social interventions and upgrade the island’s infrastructure. “Throughout this process of reform, it is really important that the government focuses social intervention towards those who need it.. And that also means that there needs to be a new training programme to provide labourers with the skills for the new labour market. “The government needs to examine its infrastructure. It needs to put in place a programme that reforms and replaces some of the infrastructure that we have now, particularly as it relates to roads and to sewage.” In his presentation, Ram

said that although a return to growth is encouraging, the Caribbean still lags behind other small developing states where economic growth is at 4.8 per cent average compared to the Caribbean at 0.8 per cent since 2009. Ram said that in order for Caribbean to ensure sustainable, inclusive growth and development, measures to improve resilience are needed and recommended a framework that could help countries build resilience. He said it is built on four pillars: macroeconomic resilience; productivity and competitiveness; human development; and environmental resilience.“Any blueprint for building resilience in the Car-

ibbean must take into account all of the key elements identified in the four pillars. In addition we must ensure that we consider regional integration and gender equality—cross-cutting themes that support and reinforce the four elements. It is important that we build resilience in all four areas, which are interconnected,” said Ram. With respect to specific policy actions, the CDB official noted that at the macroeconomic level, fiscal rules that encourage governments to save should be implemented; and debt-to-GDP limits should be introduced. He also recommended that countries adopt reforms that make it easier to do business, thus setting the environment for private-sector-led growth. He said resilience at the environmental level will mean stricter compliance with stricter building codes, and the development of indemnity insurance markets. ‘“We believe that all of this can be strengthened if there is greater gender equality particularly within the labour market. Regional Cooperation will also reinforce this for example, free movement of labour and capital which could assist with overcoming diseconomies of scale associated with small size,” Ram said. The CDB said that despite the devastation caused by

the hurricanes, it had been able to provide increased levels of assistance to its member countries. CDB director of projects, Daniel Best, said the CDB, the region’s premier financial institution, last year approved US$364 million in loans and grants, an increase of USD58 million over the 2016 figure. He said the funds had paved the way for the implementation of projects that focus on strengthening resilience, building back better and placing the Caribbean further along a path toward sustainable development. “This path will not be without challenges but CDB remains committed to partnering with our BMCs to make extreme poverty in our Region a thing of the past,” said Best. Noting that the plans for 2018, include fast tracking the implementation of rehabilitation and reconstruction projects. He said that key areas of focus for projects in 2018 include the continued advancement of energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives in the BMCs; addressing the issue of youth unemployment; investing in climatesmart agriculture interventions; and continuing support for the creative industries sector through the Cultural and Creative Industries Innovation Fund approved in 2017.

Bandit captured after falling during Angoy’s Avenue home invasion

Opposition rejects Chancellor... From page 3 Constitution.” Unfortunately, Jagdeo said in the letter, he has received no such information from Minister Harmon. “However, I remain ready and willing to submit a nominee for your kind consideration, should such a request be made. In the event that your Excellency is departing from the established convention to which I have referred, I consider the totality of our engagement on this issue to be in satisfaction of the requirements of “meaningful consultation” as contemplated by the letter and spirit of Article 232 of the Constitution.” In the third released letter on the appointment of members of the Integrity Commission, the Opposition Leader disclosed that he was offering no objection to the four persons who were identified by the President for appointment. “I consider the totality of

our engagement on this issue to be in satisfaction of the requirements of “consultation” as contemplated by the letter and spirit of section 3 (4) of the Integrity Commission Act Cap. 19:12, Laws of Guyana.” No notice The Ministry of the President in a separate statement quoted Attorney General Williams who said that it is unfortunate that Jagdeo failed to show up at the meeting, despite the President's decision to grant his request for a month to consider the issues. He noted that the Leader of the Opposition has put the nation's business at a standstill. Minister Williams said that it was minutes before the commencement of the meeting that the Leader of the Opposition sent three letters, which communicated his standing on the three matters. “However, at no time did those letters indicate that the Leader of the Opposition would not be attending the meeting.

“In relation to the appointment of the Teaching Service Commission, he is asking for further time to identify a nominee but he has agreed for the President to go ahead with the appointment with the members of the Integrity Commission. “The question of giving him further time for the TSC will be up to the President and in relation to the appointment of the Chancellor and Chief Justice, we will have to continue to look at that matter,” the Attorney General said. The Minister said that the provision of a name by the Opposition Leader will signal the end of the necessary consultations on the TSC. “The President will then consider the Opposition's nominee, paving the way for the appointment of this Commission.” The Government and the Opposition have been at odds over the appointments of persons to a number of key positions.

Jimmy Mohabir’s home that the trio robbed. A suspect was apprehended by residents in Angoy’s Avenue, East Berbice after he, and his two accomplices executed a robbery on a fellow villager. The men armed with knives barged into the premises of Angoy’s Avenue resident, Jimmy Mohabir, robbing him of a quantity of cash and jewellery. Mohabir, 32, of Ogleton Dam, Angoy’s Avenue was attacked by three men armed with knives. But it was the alert and swift actions of

public spirited persons, that one of the accused was captured and placed in the hands of the police. Mohabir told police that he was robbed of $350,000 cash, three gold chains valued $300,000 and four gold bands valued $400,000. According to police sources, Mohabir was fast asleep Tuesday night at approximately 02:00 hrs when he was awoken by a strange noise inside of his two-storey building. He said that he got up to check on the noise when

he was confronted by the three men whom he confirmed are known characters in his community. It was then that a scuffle erupted between the men and him. This resulted in him sustaining abrasions and lacerations to his face and upper body. The perpetrators attempted to escape through the front door, but one of the men fell on the staircase and was eventually caught by residents. The police are on the hunt for the other suspects.

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Lawsuits allege NYPD cops target Rihanna urges world leaders to fund education initiative Caribbean-owned businesses NEW YORK - CMC – The New York Police Department (NYPD) has been hit with lawsuits alleging that police officers unfairly targeted businesses that cater to Brooklyn’s Caribbean community. Former City Councilman Dr. Kendall Stewart and his son, Omar, have both filed suit against the NYPD, as well as the city, claiming that their lounge, Cafe Omar, has been unfairly targeted by the NYPD. Along with other nightlife business owners, the Stewarts claim that the NYPD routinely tries to shut down their operations and their events. This is especially true, they said, right around the time of the West Indian Day Parade. “It seems like they are targeting all of the West Indian clubs,” Dr. Stewart, a St. Vincent and the Grenadines national, told the New York Daily News. “They victimize you when you do anything. They’ll send a squad in there.” He said for example, the

NYPD shut down a planned event in August 2016 without giving him any reason for the shutdown. Stewart said that the event had been sold out and that he had gone to the police precinct to try to work out a better way of communicating.But when he talked to the police, they told him that he should just refrain from scheduling anything at all around the Labour Day weekend parade. The lawsuit alleges that the “NYPD did not want any crimes in the jurisdiction of the 67th Precinct”. But the NYPD said it has good reasons for coming to the Stewart’s place so often:

There are plenty of noise and overcrowding complaints. “The NYPD responds to locations based on community complaints, including crime complaints and 311 and 911 calls,” NYPD spokesman Lt. John Grimpel said. “As you can see by the history of this establishment, it’s a problematic location.” But the Stewarts believe that it’s racism, not noise complaints, that have the NYPD on their backs. “The defendants did not treat white-owned businesses in the same manner as they treated the Caribbeanowned business,” the lawsuit states.

Germany vows to use UN Security post to sensitise people on climate change ROSEAU, Dominica CMC – Germany says it introduce and pursue the topic of climate change and security, if it elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the period 2019-2020. The United Nations Security Council election will be held in mid-2018 during the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the elections are for five non-permanent seats on the UN Security Council for two-year mandates commencing on 1 January 2019. German’s Ambassador to Dominica, Holger Wilfried Michael, who presented his credentials to President Charles Savarin Wednesday,

Holger Wilfried Michael said the European country is a strong supporter of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) developing re-

silience to the destructive consequences of climate change. “If Germany was elected as a member of the United Nations Security Council for the period 2019-2020, Germany will introduce and pursue the topic of climate change and security in this important body. “Neither Germany nor Dominica can master alone the challenges of globalisations and global developments such as the increase in natural disasters as a result of climate change” the German diplomat said, urging the governments to cooperate on projects that would result in economic growth for the island.

Oil production from Venezuela is at its lowest in decades (UPI) — Crude oil production from Venezuela in January was at its lowest point in more than 10 years and is likely to continue its decline, an industry report found. Secondary sources reporting to economists at the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries said member state Venezuela produced on average 1.7 million barrels of oil per day in December, down from the 2016 average of around 2.1 million barrels of oil. Commodity pricing group S&P Global Platts reported January production from Venezuela declined another 60,000 barrels per day

to reach a low not seen since labour strikes hit the nation’s oil sector in the early 2000s. “Not counting strike-affected months, Venezuela’s production was last this low in June 1988, almost 30 years ago,” the Platts report read. Venezuelan oil production has been on a steady decline and Platts reported it’s expected to continue because of the mounting pressures from civil unrest, a high debt and U.S. sanctions that limit financing for the state oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, or PDVSA.

Daily Nation - Rihanna, the Bajan multiple Grammy award winning superstar songbird with one of the world’s largest social media followings is earning a favourable international reputation for her sound social conscience. It’s her deep interest in the education of children in poor developing states in Africa and other parts of the world. That interest went viral when she travelled recently to Dakar, Senegal’s capital, linked arms with Senegalese President Mack Sall and was warmly greeted by French President Emmanuel Macron and several African heads of state, not to mention thousands of ordinary Senegalese when she entered the large conference centre in the nation’s capital. “The Conference Centre in Dakar erupted with cheers and whistles as the Umbrella hit-maker was announced, with Macron and the singer from Barbados posing arm in arm with Senegalese Mickey Sall,” was the way a major international news agency with a global reach recorded the moment in the African republic. Actually, the occasion was a summit devoted to finding ways and funding innovative projects designed to boost education in the world’s developing countries and both Rihanna and President Macron hosted the important meeting. The girl from Westbury Road in St Michael, the French leader from Paris, Senegal’s President and the head of the World Bank were the summit’s headliners and they helped to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in education aid earmarked for Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Asia and the

French President Emmanuel Macron and singer Rihanna attend the GPE Financing Conference, an Investment in the Future organised by the Global Partnership for Education in Dakar, Senegal. (Reuters) Pacific. “This is a fight we’re never going to stop fighting until every boy and girl has access to education,” said Rihanna who is an ambassador for the Global Partnership for Education which aids projects in almost 70 countries. The Bajan didn’t stop there. She called on the leaders of the world’s industrialised nations, including Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May to extend a financial helping hand to the global initiative. Before the summit, Rihanna had urged Macron to increase his country’s contribution to the Partnership, the singer’s Clara Lionel Foundation and other institutions involved in the global effort to expand access to education and that’s what he did by pledging the equivalent of almost BDS$500 million. It was a sizeable increase over his original pledge. For his part, President Macron who has visited more than a dozen African states in the nine months since his election listed education as the “only single response” to the challenges

and extremism and fundamentalism many African nations were facing. Clearly, Macron decided to put his money where his mouth was. The overall goal is to raise more than US$3.1 billion. Coming from a birthplace which guarantees every child access to a free secondary education and heavily subsidised university education to qualified students, Rihanna who attended Combermere School in Waterford before emigrating to the US to pursue a musical career knew from first-hand experience what education do to make a difference in people’s lives. It explains why it didn’t come as a surprise when Rihanna who won a Grammy at the recent award-show at Madison Square Garden in New York has placed so much emphasis on education in international development. The Bajan has more than 59 million social media followers, a total that’s third behind Selena Gomez who has 133 million followers on Instagram alone and more than 220 million overall. In second place was Jennifer Lopez with more than 70 million.

Brazil’s expected rise in ethanol demand to be met by corn-based fuel

SAO PAULO (Reuters) An expected increase in ethanol demand in Brazil, boosted by the country’s economic recovery and a new programme to raise biofuel use, will initially be met by fuel produced from corn, an industry official told Reuters yesterday. Ricardo Tomczyk, who heads Brazil’s newly created National Union for Corn Ethanol (UNEM), said the product has a key advantage over cane-based ethanol: Production capacity can be added quickly. “There are no cane fields available in Brazil currently. A company would take some

Ricardo Tomczyk four years to form a new cane field ready for production,” Tomczyk said, adding that in the case of corn-based ethanol, it would be a matter of building the plant, which

would take around a year and a half.Ethanol sales are rising in Brazil as its price advantage over gasoline increases. Hydrous ethanol sales, the type used as a substitute for gasoline in flex fuel cars, were 33 percent higher in November compared to the same month a year earlier. Another factor fuelling ethanol demand is the RenovaBio, a federal programme to increase biofuels use. Government officials are currently fine-tuning regulations, which will set emissions reduction targets for fuel distributors that will be met by increasing trading volumes of ethanol.

Kaieteur News

Thursday February 08, 2018

Le gisla tor s de ba te alle gations Legisla gislator tors deba bate alleg of intercepting communications of Barbadian citizens

Freundel Stuart

Owen Arthur,

Chris Sinckler

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - CMC – Former prime minister Owen Arthur has brushed aside allegations that between 2000-9 personal telephones in Barbados and Internet communications were intercepted by the government. Speaking in Parliament on the Telecommunications (Amendment) Bill 2017, Owen, who served as prime minister from 1994 to 2008, said his Barbados Labour Party (BLP) administration had never sanctioned any illegal wiretapping during the period. “This is a serious matter, but I can state categorically that no Cabinet I presided over in my 14 years in office sanctioned the tapping of any person’s telephones,” Arthur told legislators. Earlier, Finance Minister Chris Sinckler, who sought to make it clear that he was not accusing the Arthur-led administration of authorizing or knowing about the wiretapping, said “ that sometime between 2000 and 2009 personal telephones in Barbados and Internet communications … were intercepted under the last Government”. Sinckler, who said there was an affidavit supporting his claim, added “I fear that the people who were sitting behind such a clandestine and wicked and dastardly attempt to bastardize the rights of Barbadians in Barbados, criminal attempts, are waiting in the wings to gather unto themselves the power to continue with their nefarious activities when the election is called. “I always felt my phone was tapped when I was talking to the then Leader of the Opposition and President of the Democratic Labour Party [David Thompson],” he said, adding that the phones and computer communications of many others were intercepted. “There are files with those conversations being kept somewhere in somebody’s house. Those intercepted conversations and Internet email.

When these matters are dispensed, a full and complete investigation ought to be done to find out who it is that was empowering certain people to tap phones in Barbados”. Sinckler said there were unnamed persons, who he said had illegally recorded phone calls and Internet transmissions of public officials and private individuals during the tenure of the last BLP government, were waiting “in the wings” for the call of elections to continue their “dastardly” acts. Arthur told legislators that that as far as he was aware, the Royal Barbados Police Force from time to time undertook matters of public security and he urged his parliamentary colleagues to examine the Police Act to see who would have been empowered to give police authority to carry out any activity. “Under Section 8 of the Police Act, the Commissioner of Police is only answerable to the Governor General, not to any political leader, so any matter of this nature is between the Police Commissioner and the Governor General in office at the time. It is a policing matter, not a parliamentary one. “Anyone who claims that phones were tapped for matters other than national security must bring proof. Bring the evidence because such statements have implications for the entire Cabinet,” said Arthur. Opposition legislator, Santia Bradshaw, said the ruling party had 10 years in office in which to investigate such claims and was now raising the matter on the eve of elections. But, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart said his administration was moving to table legislation permitting law enforcement authorities to tap into private phones and Internet communications of Barbadians to halt illegal activity or catch lawbreakers. He told legislators, nonetheless that he wanted to as-

sure citizens that their privacy would be protected and that such interceptions would be only permitted only when authorities were convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that criminal activity was afoot. Stuart said that the focus would be “to ensure that every mechanism is put in place to ensure that if there is going to be interception of the communications of any one in Barbados that interception is lawful and for a good reason. “Every law-abiding citizen of Barbados should be able to conduct his or her communications without any fear that anything said on a telecommunications medium is being recorded anywhere and can be used against him in any perverse and unlawful way. “Every single citizen has a vested interest in this [legal communications interception] because we all want to assume that when we are communicating on our telephones or communicating by any other means by using modern technology that our communications are protected from unlawful interception”. But Prime Minister Stuart, who is expected to name a date for the general elections here later this year, said “I don’t live in Cloud Cuckoo land. “I live in the real world of time and space and people and I know that given the sophistication of the criminal element not only here in Barbados …that if we are to keep ahead of the criminal element, or at least keep abreast of them, there has to be interception of some kind”.

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Environmentalist Silva taps Brazil’s anger at corruption in presidential bid BRASILIA (Reuters) - Unprecedented graft probes have scorched Brazil’s political landscape and created the opening for a clean outsider to win the presidential election this October, environmentalist and candidate to the highest office Marina Silva said in an interview yesterday.Though she has been in politics for 30 years and spent most of that time with the once-mighty Workers’ Party, Silva has denounced Brazil’s traditional parties for leaning on vast kickback schemes to keep office. She started her own party from scratch four years ago. “I am not ashamed to be a politician. I am a political person, but completely outside the criminal structures that took over Brazilian politics,” Silva told Reuters at the headquarters of her Sustainability Network party, or REDE.Silva is counting on public outrage at Brazil’s political class to help propel her to the presidency. The former senator has made two prior presidential bids, winning about 20 percent of votes in 2010 and 2014. Neither was sufficient to enable her to reach a second round run-off. Silva’s chances will be much improved this time around if the potential frontrunner, the still popular former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, is barred from running due to a corruption conviction. The two candidates are not related.Absent Lula, a recent Datafolha opinion poll indicated that right-wing candidate Jair Bolsonaro would

Environmentalist and presidential candidate Marina Silva win the first-round vote and Silva would come second. Silva would likely triumph in a second-round runoff, the poll suggested. That poll showed 35 percent of Lula’s supporters would vote for no one if he cannot run, while Silva would draw 15 percent of his voters, the most of any candidate in the poll. EYEINGALLIANCES The 59-year-old Silva was born into poverty, the daughter of rubber tappers in the Amazon rainforest. She learnt to read at age 16 after overcoming childhood malaria and mercury poisoning.

U.N. Chief plans major disarmament push but U.S. skeptical GENEVA (Reuters - Exclusive) - U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is to launch a major push for disarmament talks covering everything from nuclear and cyber war to small arms, braving certain U.S. resistance to such bold initiatives, officials and experts told Reuters. Guterres aims to forestall a new nuclear arms race and get the big powers back into negotiations after two decades of stalemate, according to a Geneva-based expert familiar with the plans, who requested anonymity. The expert said Guterres also wants to end “state-led paralysis” in talks on cyberwarfare and robotics by getting the private sector involved, and to start talks on use of explosives in urban areas and curbing access to conventional weapons, the biggest killer. Chances of success are uncertain at best. But with nuclear tensions rising, Guterres may be uniquely placed to oil the wheels of negotiations given a 2009 U.N. Security Council pledge to “create the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons”.“If Guterres is clever he can use that to say: ‘Okay what have you done in the past 10 years?’” said Marc Finaud, an expert at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.But a U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that nuclear disarmament was an “aspirational goal” only, and it was hard to conceive of it in the near term. “We don’t believe that it’s time for bold initiatives,

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres particularly in the area of nuclear weapons,” the official said, adding Guterres should also tread carefully in new technologies such as killer robots, known as “autonomous” weapons.“I worry that the Secretary-General may be trying to treat the symptoms and not the root causes of why countries arm and rearm.”The U.S. Nuclear Posture Review, published on Friday, aims to improve deterrence, ensuring Russia, China, North Korea and Iran cannot mistake the U.S. willingness to defend itself, the official added. The U.S. official said the problem was political will and the fact Russia - with whom tensions have risen over issues ranging from Russian involvement in Ukraine’s conflict to alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election campaign - was not a willing or trusted negotiating partner. “We have to let them (Russia) know that we are dealing with them from a po-

sition of strength. Over the last eight years there’s been a perception of weakness. We want to disabuse them of that notion.” OUTSIDE THE BOX Guterres’ strategy, to be spearheaded by his disarmament chief Izumi Nakamitsu, seeks to revive talks across the spectrum despite deepening U.S.-Russian mistrust and heightened tensions on the divided Korean peninsula.“The path to peace through disarmament does not lie waiting for the right security situation to materialize, while countries increase their military budgets and stockpiles year after year,” she said in a speech last October.“We should not shy away from bolder thinking.” The U.S. official said the negotiating forum was “littered” with stalled initiatives aiming to think outside the box.They include China and Russia’s thrust for a treaty on weapons in space and Russia’s hope for a treaty to stop Islamist militants obtaining weapons of mass destruction.Nakamitsu is expected to invite key officials, including diplomats from the United Nations’ five veto-wielding powers, including Washington and Moscow, to a retreat near New York later this month for discussions. Guterres hopes to unveil his initiative in Geneva at the end of February, when foreign ministers, including Sergei Lavrov of Russia, are expected at the U.N. Human Rights Council and the Conference on Disarmament, before a full launch in April.

Thursday February 08, 2018

Kaieteur News

Venezuela sets presidential vote for April 22 after talks crumble CARACAS (Reuters) Venezuela yesterday set a presidential election for April 22 after mediation talks between the leftist government and an opposition coalition collapsed, setting the stage for the likely re-election of President Nicolas Maduro. Venezuela’s ruling socialists had previously said a vote would be held before the end of April, with Maduro running despite his widespread unpopularity and a crushing economic crisis in the oil-rich nation. During talks in recent weeks in the Dominican Republic, the opposition lobbied for the vote to be held in June to give it time to choose a candidate, as its top two leaders are barred from running. But talks between the bitter foes crumbled yesterday.

The opposition said the government would not budge on issues including freedom for jailed opposition activists or humanitarian aid for hungry and ill Venezuelans. The government, meanwhile, accused opposition leaders of taking orders from Washington to abort the talks. Maduro, a 55-year old former bus driver and union leader who has been president since 2013, appeared on Wednesday evening in front of a cheering crowd, who sang his campaign jingle, “Everyone with Maduro!” “Victory is ours!” said Maduro in the televised broadcast, during which he danced and embraced supporters. Minutes later, the progovernment electoral board appeared on state television

to announce the vote would be held on April 22. There was no immediate comment from the opposition. Maduro’s foes, who staged massive protests last year in an attempt to force early elections, now face a quandary about how - and if they should participate in the vote. Opponents say the government is rigging the election in advance by barring Maduro’s strongest rivals opposition politicians Leopoldo Lopez and Henrique Capriles - and failing to reform a compliant election board. Some activists believe it is foolish to participate in what they consider a sham election. Others feel they have to keep up pressure by voting, while for some emigration is the preferred option.

Ahead of Olympics face-off, Pence vows new North Korea sanctions SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence vowed tough new sanctions against North Korea and called it the world’s most tyrannical regime yesterday, two days before he is due to attend the winter Olympics, along with two of the North’s most senior officials. Speaking in Tokyo on his way to South Korea, which is hosting the Games over the next three weeks, Pence said he would soon announce the stepped-up sanctions in an effort to pressure the North to abandon its nuclear and missile programs. The Games, being staged 80 km (50 miles) from the heavily militarized border between the Koreas, is set for an awkward political encounter, with Pence as well as the North Korean leader’s younger sister attending tomorrow’s opening ceremony. South Korea wants to use the event to re-engage with North Korea and open the way for talks to resolve one of the world’s most dangerous crises, in which U.S. President Donald Trump and Pyongyang have swapped nuclear threats. “I‘m announcing today the United States of America will soon unveil the toughest and most aggressive round of economic sanctions on North Korea ever,” Pence said after meeting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. “We will continue to isolate North Korea until it abandons its nuclear and ballistic missile program once and for

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence speaking in Tokyo, Japan, yesterday. REUTERS/ Kiyoshi Ota/Pool all.” Washington has been leading a global campaign to force North Korea to give up development of nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States and has taken a tougher line recently than its allies in Seoul, exposing tensions that South Korean President Moon Jae-in could struggle to conceal at the Olympics. Pence has voiced scepticism that the North Korea will use the Games for crude propaganda. As his guest at the opening ceremony, he is taking the father of Otto Warmbier, an American student who died last year after being imprisoned in North Korea for 17 months. Sitting in the same stadium as VIP guests will be Kim Yo Jong, 28-year-old sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and Kim Yong Nam, North Korea’s nominal

head of state.Japan’s Abe, whose nation has been within range of North Korean missiles for decades, will also attend the ceremony. Kim Yo Jong would be the first member of the Kim family to cross the border to the South. She is a propaganda official and was blacklisted last year by the U.S. Treasury Department over alleged human rights abuses and censorship. “It shows the North’s resolve to defuse tension on the Korean peninsula,” Blue House spokesman Kim Euikyeom told a news briefing. Pence has not ruled out the prospect of meeting North Korean officials during the Games, but President Trump, whose daughter and adviser Ivanka will attend the Olympic closing ceremony, has cast doubt on the value of U.S. talks with Pyongyang any time soon. “We will not allow North Korea to hide behind the Olympic banner the reality that they enslave their people and threaten the wider region,” Pence said. The White House has also cautioned against reading too much into remarks Pence made en route to Japan.Analysts said that while Seoul appeared keen to set up a U.S.-North Korea meeting, the chances of this happening did not look high. The United States has said repeatedly that any future talks with North Korea must have the aim of North Korea’s denuclearization, something Pyongyang has rejected.

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U.S. closer to decision on sanctioning Venezuela oil: Tillerson KINGSTON (Reuters) The United States is closer to deciding whether to impose sanctions on Venezuelan oil, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said yesterday, at the end of a five-nation tour of Latin America where he discussed the move with regional leaders. Tillerson said Canada, Mexico and the United States had agreed at a trilateral meeting last week to study what could be done to mitigate the impact of such a move. Tillerson said he had briefed President Donald Trump about the development. “He said ‘I know you haven’t been in favor of that

in the past,’ and I said ‘well, I think things have changed.’ So we’re going to take it to him and let him make the decision,” Tillerson said during a flight to Jamaica, his final stop on the tour. “We are going to put together a very small, very focused working group to see what we can do to mitigate a decision like that if we do take it. Obviously it will be the president who decides,” said Tillerson, who was chief executive of Exxon Mobil Corp before joining the government. In Buenos Aires last week, Tillerson said the United States was consider-

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (R) and Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness address the media in a joint news conference in Kingston, Jamaica. REUTERS/Gilbert Bellamy ing restricting imports of Venezuelan crude oil and exports

of U.S. refined products to Venezuela to put pressure on

socialist Maduro over his restrictions on political oppo-

sition. Restrictions on Venezuela’s all-important oil industry would represent an escalation of financial pressure on the OPEC member, which is gripped by severe shortages of food and medicine. Sanctions have so far focused on individual members of Maduro’s government and a ban on buying new Venezuelan debt. Venezuela’s crude oil sales to the United States in 2017 were the lowest since 1991, according to Thomson Reuters trade flows data. CARIBBEAN AID Tillerson said any action taken against Venezuelan oil would affect Caribbean countries, many of which have long enjoyed subsidized fuel from the South American nation. U.S. Gulf Coast refiners would also be affected, Tillerson said.Reuters reported last year that Mexico was looking at the possibility of replacing Venezuela’s Petrocaribe program that provided cheap loans for oil to Caribbean nations - and has helped Maduro retain diplomatic support in the region. During Venezuela’s ongoing economic meltdown, volumes shipped under Petrocaribe have dwindled, but some Caribbean nations remain grateful for the years of aid and vote in favor of Venezuela in regional diplomatic bodies. “We had a very comprehensive discussion on ways to promote increased energy independence, not just for Jamaica but throughout the Caribbean,” Tillerson said at a later press conference with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness. “We stand ready to assist Jamaica and other partners in the Caribbean to explore and develop the resources they have, but also to share the abundance of resources that North America enjoys.” Tillerson said the United States intended to take all actions possible to persuade Maduro to return the country to full constitutional order. “As to any future steps that the U.S. might take regarding sanctioning oil or products, to put more pressure on the Maduro regime, we are going to take into full consideration the impacts on regional countries.”

Thursday February 08, 2018

Kaieteur News

Tottenham ease past Newport Scorpions... into FA Cup fifth round LONDON (Reuters) Tottenham Hotspur cruised into the FA Cup fifth round by dispatching fourth-tier Newport County 2-0 in a replay with a largely secondstring side yesterday. Tottenham, who had needed a late Harry Kane goal to force a 1-1 draw in the first game, were never troubled at Wembley, progressing thanks to an own goal from Dan Butler before Erik Lamela doubled the lead.There was no place in the Tottenham lineup for top scorer Kane, who was missing along with a host of other first-team players, as Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino rang the changes with one eye on Saturday’s Premier League derby against Arsenal. The hosts were in cruise control after 26 minutes, how-

On 34 minutes, Erik Lamela doubled the home side’s advantage with his first goal for the club since September 2016. (Graham Chadwick/Daily Mail) ever, when Moussa Sissoko’s drilled cross deflected cruelly off Butler’s heel and wrongfooted keeper Joe Day on its way into the Newport net. The lead was doubled eight minutes later when

Lamela scored his first Tottenham goal since September, 2016, the Argentine showing quick feet before slipping his finish through the legs of Day having been played in by Son Heung-min.

From page 34 a six in a 32-ball innings.USA were immediately in trouble in their run chase, slumping to 25 for three in the 13th over after Lamont struck twice in successive deliveries.Sohal, who faced 111 deliveries and counted six fours and a six, then anchored an 83-run fourth wicket stand with Khaleel whose knock required 75 deliveries and contained just two fours.But the partnership was a sluggish one using up 137 deliveries and when it was broken, USA were drifting at 108 for four in the 36th over. Scores: SCORPIONS 254 for eight off 50 overs (Nikita Miller 52 not out, Andre McCarthy 38, Odean Smith 30, Fabian Allen 28; Elmore Hutchinson 3-40, Nisarg Patel 2-44).USA CRICKET 156 off 49.1 overs (Sunny Sohal 67, Ibraheem Khaleel 37; Chris Lamont 2-20, Andre Russell 2-20).

Flying... Thursday February 08, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Take the time to consider your physical and mental health today, Aries. Given your hard-driving nature, these are areas that may be neglected. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) It's the perfect day to do some planning, Taurus. Take the time on a regular basis to think about the things you want to do and accomplish. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Today is a good day to think about your ambitions, Gemini. Considering what you really want out of life can be instrumental in setting goals and making dreams come true. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You might be feeling a bit more hesitant than usual when it comes to making decisions, Cancer. Even if someone accuses you of being distrustful LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You may feel that you have to defend your motives today, Leo, and this can really put you off, especially if you can't see a reason for it. Try not to take it personally. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Is there a person in your life who keeps coming to mind again and again, Virgo? If so, it might be time to get together. Whether there's something that needs to be worked out or you simply miss him or her

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Your usual outgoing and often radical nature may be far more conservative today, Libra. This can be a result of the day's planetary influences, and if used well, this mood can prove most beneficial. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Focus on yourself today, Scorpio. Yours is often an extremely giving nature. You can be compassionate to a fault, in that too much of your energy goes to helping solve others’ problems. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Today is an excellent day to set some new goals, Sagittarius. When was the last time you did this? CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Another person will probably bring you much comfort today, Capricorn. It could be someone you know well, but chances are it will be someone you’d least expect to be there for you. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Aquarius, you may find yourself feeling more aggressive than normal today. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) It would be wise to spend some time thinking about your finances today, Pisces. Do you have a realistic budget, or does yours exclude such things as entertainment, gifts, and occasional splurges?

From page 35 Later that day, there will be a race beginning at 14:00hrs from Georgetown to Belfield and back to the capital city for the finish. The race is sponsored by the Burnham Foundation and supervised by the Flying Stars Cycling Club. Transportation will be provided for those desirous.

GAWA... From page 35 athlete.Local competitions were held in March while there was also a GOA Development Tournament hat took place at the Giftland Mall in June. Nurse was happy to inform that Masters competition has made a grand return to the landscape and they and they are hoping that this aspect of the sport can be used as motivation to attract other athletes. The association intends to utilise the platforms that would be available at numerous fitness drives around the nation to help create awareness of the sport and its benefits towards the health and wellbeing of athletes. A Pan American Weightlifting Seminar was also hosted in March, 2017 where Dr. Kyle Pearce of the USA was the Facilitator. Both Messer’s Tucker and Nurse are optimistic that 2018 would be a fruitful year for the association. Meanwhile, the annual General Meeting is slated for the Guyana Olympic Headquarters on February 24, next. (Franklin Wilson)

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Volcanoes beat Hampshire by six wickets – Group A BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Windward Islands Volcanoes beat Hampshire CCC by six wickets, in the 18th match of the Regional Super50 at Kensington Oval here yesterday. Scores: HAMPSHIRE 210 off 48.2 overs (James Adams 83, Lewis McManus 28, Bradley Taylor 24, Asher Hart 21; Shane Shillingford 4-32, Kesrick Williams 2-39, Kavem Hodge 2-42).VOLCANOES 204 for four off 36.2 overs (Kirk Edwards 71 not out, Andre Fletcher 53; Fidel Edwards 3-52).

Hope’s hundred... From page 32 a 58-ball knock, striking two fours and a six in a 31-run stand with Vikash Mohan (7). But once Mohan was caught at deep backward square in the 19th over hooking at Carlos Brathwaite, Marooners lost their last six wickets for just 14 runs. Scores: PRIDE 254 for nine off 50 overs (Shai Hope 102, Roston Chase 72; Ryan Hinds 2-22). MAROONERS 71 off 32.2 overs (Ryan Hinds 32; Chemar Holder 3-31, Sulieman Benn 2-0, Ashley Nurse 2-7).

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Serena ‘ready to go’ says Fed Cup captain Rinaldi (Reuters) - Serena Williams will be “ready to go” when she returns to action this week in the United States’ Fed Cup first round tie against the Netherlands, captain Kathy Rinaldi said yesterday. Williams has not played a WTA tournament since she won the Australian Open title last year and skipped this year’s opening grand slam due to concerns about her fitness four months after giving birth to her first child. Rinaldi said she expects Williams, who was named in the U.S. squad that will compete on an indoor hard court in Asheville, North Carolina, to make a smooth transition in her return to competitive tennis. “Serena’s just coming back. She played an exhibition in (December) and it’s incredible,” Rinaldi told a news conference at the U.S. Cellular Center in Asheville. “It’s a quick turnaround

after having her first child. She’s very professional and she has a lot of pride for playing for her country. She’ll be ready to go.” Williams, 36, has played once since winning an Openera record 23rd grand slam singles title in Melbourne last year, losing to Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko in an exhibition match in Abu Dhabi last December. For Williams, this weekend will mark the first time she has competed in a Fed Cup tie since April 2015. She owns a 13-0 singles record and 3-1 doubles record in Fed Cup competition.She heads a team made up of older sister Venus, world number 17 CoCo Vandeweghe and world number 62 Lauren Davis. The United States beat Belarus last year for a record-extending 18th Fed Cup title, their first in 17 years. The Netherlands squad is comprised of world number 108 Richel Hogenkamp,

Arantxa Rus (124), Lesley Kerkhove (165) and Demi Schuurs, who is ranked 32nd in doubles. Netherlands captain Paul Haarhuis said his squad would have to pull off what he felt might be “the biggest upset in U.S. tennis history” to win. “If you look at Serena, how often does she lose to someone that’s not ranked in the Top 10 or Top 20 or outside the Top 100?” said Haarhuis. “The odds are not good, but we do believe that it’s possible.” “We’re the underdog by far, that won’t change if they bring in five new players, we’re still the underdog, but we still have to believe that it can be possible.” Play begins on Saturday with two singles matches and will continue on Sunday with two reverse singles matches and the doubles match. The winner advances to the April 21-22 semi-finals.

Merchant collars Lions in drawn tour match KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The forgotten Jamie Merchant claimed a fivewicket haul as a Jamaica XI held England Lions to a draw in their three-day warm-up match at Sabina Park here yesterday. Resuming the final day on 80 for three in their second innings, Lions were dismissed for 230, with Joe Clarke topscoring with 87. Ben Foakes chipped in with 37 while Dan Lawrence got 35 but off-spinner Merchant put the brakes on the innings with five for 35 from his 10.4 overs. Lions started well, with Lawence, unbeaten on 16 overnight, extending his fourth-wicket stand with Clarke to 56 before becoming the second of West Indies fast bowler R e y n a r d Leveridge’s two wickets. However, Clarke then combined with Foakes to put on a further 76 for the fifth wicket, as Lions prospered. The 21-year-old Clarke, starting the day on 12, struck 14 boundaries in an entertaining knock which required only 115 balls in three hours, while Foakes faced 62 deliveries and counted four fours. Merchant, who played the last of his five first class matches four years ago, eventually broke the stand, having Foakes caught at the wicket and the dismissal set in motion the Lions collapse as they lost their last six wickets for just 39 runs.

Thursday February 08, 2018

Kaieteur News

Off-spinner Jamie Merchant … claimed a five-wicket haul. Set an improbable target of 258 for victory, the Jamaica XI were given a 42run, opening stand by Trevon Griffith (20) and Kennar Lewis (19) before three wickets fell for seven runs in the space of 12 balls.Tentatively placed on 49 for three, captain Paul Palmer, who made an unbeaten 21 in nearly two hours, posted 44 for the third wicket with Fudadin (29) and 38 in an unbroken fourth wicket stand with first innings century-maker Aldaine Thomas (24 not out), to prevent any further collapse. Pacer Paul Coughlin (2-19) and left-arm spinner Jack Leach (2-31) ended with two wickets apiece. Lions will now travel to the

north of the island where they face West Indies A in the opening four-day “Test” starting Sunday at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Complex. Scores: LIONS 263 for eight decl. (Keaton Jennings 129 not out, Alex Davies 53; Reynard Leveridge 2-23, Damion Jacobs 2-63, Jamie Merchant 2-69) and 230 (Joe Clarke 87, Ben Foakes 37, Dan Lawrence 35; Jamie Merchant 5-35, Reynard Leveridge 2-38, Damion Jacobs 2-39). JAMAICA XI 236 (Aldaine Thomas 109, Gordon Bryan 29, Kennar Lewis 22; Jamie Porter 3-24, Toby Roland-Jones 3-37) and and 131 for four (Assad Fudadin 29, Aldaine Thomas 24 not out; Paul Coughlin 2-19, Jack Leach 2-31).

Blister buster - Runners contest global, multi-marathon endurance race (Reuters) - From the freezing tundra of Antarctica to the sweltering shores of Miami beach, contestants reached the finish line of a gruelling international marathon event this week which saw them complete seven marathons on seven continents within seven days. The World Marathon Challenge had 52 athletes - 35 men and 12 women - from across the globe complete marathons in Novo, Antarctica; Cape Town, South Africa; Perth, Australia; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Lisbon, Portugal; Cartagena, Colombia and Miami in the United

States. Competitors had to run a total of 183 miles (294 km) and travel approximately 24,000 miles by aircraft in between races. The event began on Jan. 30, with the final finisher crossing the final line 6 days, 11 hours and 34 minutes after the first starting gun rang out. Irish teacher Gary Thornton won all seven of the races in the men’s category, while American runner Becca Pizzi triumphed in all the races in the women’s category, becoming the first person to win in the event more than once, having also taken

the women’s top spot in 2016. “It was way tougher than I had thought. It was brilliant. The different courses had all different aspects to them, but it was all a mind game, it’s all just about getting through the different stages of the races,” Thornton said, after crossing the finish line at the final race in Miami. Thornton finished with an average time of 3:12:19, across the seven events, while Pizzi earned an average time of 4:04:41. The event, which was first held in 2015, costs entrants 36,000 euro (31,616.01 pounds) to enter.

Former USA gymnastics coach under investigation - Michigan sheriff (Reuters) - A former coach of the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team, John Geddert, was under investigation, a sheriff in Michigan said yesterday, coming on the heels of a sexual abuse scandal surrounding a team doctor with whom the coach had worked. The Eaton County Sheriff’s Office said people had made complaints against John Geddert, without providing details. Geddert was not immediately available for comment. Former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar has been given two prison sentences in Michigan of 40 to 125 years and 40 to 175 years for molesting young female gymnasts. He is also serving a 60year federal term for child pornography convictions. In January, USA Gymnas-

tics suspended Geddert, who worked with Nassar. The coach was criticized for creating a hostile environment by several victims during Nassar’s sentencing hearings. Geddert ran a Lansingarea gymnastics centre called Twistars, where athletes said Nassar molested them in a back room. During sentencing hearings for Nassar, nearly 200 victims told the courts about his decades of abuse.Former gymnast Annie Labrie, a Nassar victim from Twistars who testified in court, told Reuters that Geddert pushed athletes beyond their breaking points. “He’s screaming at us and telling us we were worthless,” she said. Bailey Lorencen, who said that Nassar abused her

when she was a middleschool gymnast, said in court last week, “John Geddert - you have what’s coming to you. I do not understand how anyone could still want to train there. This is your fault and you are also accountable.” The case against Nassar has sparked investigations into how U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) officials, USA Gymnastics, the sport’s governing body, and Michigan State University, where Nassar also worked, failed to investigate complaints about him. The USA Gymnastics board has resigned in the fallout from the Nassar scandal and the president of Michigan State University resigned after facing criticism for not doing enough to stop the abuse by the doctor.

Troy Deeney: Watford captain avoids formal action for middle-finger gesture BBC Sport - Watford’s Troy Deeney will not face any formal action after his middlefinger gesture in Monday’s win over Chelsea. Footage of Deeney’s goal celebration was referred to a panel of three former match officials by the Football Association. However, they were not unanimous over whether it was a red card offence so no disciplinary action will be taken. The FA will issue a written warning to Deeney, 29, who said his actions were a response to “transfer speculation”. “I’ve kept quiet because I realise talking gets me in trouble” he added. “That was a case of letting everyone know I saw everything and I am still here.” Deeney had faced a ban of up to four matches after receiving two red cards already this season. The Watford captain accepted a violent conduct charge and a three-match suspension after clashing with Stoke’s Joe Allen in October. The striker was then given a four-game ban having lost an appeal against the red card he received for a challenge on Huddersfield’s Collin Quaner in December. The FA gave Dele Alli a one-match sus-

Troy Deeney has been sent off once this season and accepted a separate violent conduct charge. (EPA) pension and a £3,800 fine for making a middlefinger gesture earlier this season. The Tottenham midfielder claimed his gesture was aimed at England team-mate Kyle Walker and not at match officials.

Thursday February 08, 2018

Kick It Out alarmed by rising discrimination in English football (Reuters) - English football experienced a 59 percent increase in incidents of racist, homophobic and other discriminatory abuse in the first half of the 2017-18 season, British anti-discriminatory body Kick It Out said yesterday.The organisation said it had received 300 reports relating to 282 incidents of abuse by the end of 2017, up from 177 incidents in the same period last season. There was a 75 percent increase in incidents in professional football, a 14 percent rise in the amateur game

and a 63 percent increase on social media. About 49 percent of the 131 incidents reported in professional football took place in the Premier League. Racism was the most common form of discrimination across English football, accounting for 54 percent of incidents, with homophobia, biphobia and transphobia making up 22 percent. Kick It Out chair Herman Ouseley acknowledged that the football authorities have improved procedures to identify discrimination but said

the statistics should “act as a wake-up call to everyone in the sport”. “Ultimately, tackling discrimination must be a collective effort,” he said in a statement. “The leaders across all sections of society and football, as well as the broader public and football supporters themselves, need to take action, report discrimination and help us eradicate hatred.” Ouseley said the rise in discrimination in football came against a “backdrop of rising hatred in our society”.

Wizards top Pacers, Pistons beat Blazers LOS ANGELS, United States (AFP) — The Washington Wizards are playing like contenders again as they took advantage of an out-ofsync Indiana Pacers team to pull off a 111-102 win as eight players scored in double figures. All-star guard Bradley Beal scored 21 points and Kelly Oubre had 15 for the Wizards, who earned their season-best fifth consecutive victory on Monday. “I thought everybody chipped in and played well,” Washington coach Scott Brooks said. The Wizards are on a roll and they are beating good teams without all-star guard John Wall. Since Wall went down with an injured left knee, Washington has won all their games. The latest victory also gave the Wizards their fourth in a row over the Pacers. “John is such a key and valuable piece to our team,” Beal said. “He draws so much attention at what he brings to both ends of the floor, that’s kind of irreplaceable. “It’s definitely a huge hit to us having him out, but we’ve been having some success. We’ve figured it out a little bit.” Besides having eight players in double figures, three Wizards grabbed at least seven rebounds. Tomas Satoransky and

Tim Frazier each finished with six assists for Washington, who outscored Indiana 30-11 in transition and had a 43-35 rebounding edge. While the Wizards were flying high, the Pacers weren’t themselves as they had their six-game home winning streak halted. With all-star guard Victor Oladipo out with an illness and point guard Darren Collison out with a bad left knee, the Pacers never mustered a serious challenge. Bojan Bogdanovic scored a season-high 29 points for the Pacers as he tried to spur a fourth-quarter rally. Joe Young added 17. “Vic is our go-to guy,” said Bogdanovic. “We knew it was going to be tough without both. “They play heavy minutes. We got two less players in the rotation. I think they didn’t win this game. We lost this game with too many turnovers and too many easy points.” Elsewhere, Andre Drummond had 17 points and 17 rebounds, and the Detroit Pistons earned their fourth straight win with a 111-91 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Detroit has won three in a row since trading for Blake Griffin last week. Griffin led Detroit in scoring Monday, but he had ample help on offence.

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Kaieteur News

The victory moved the Pistons back to .500 and even with Philadelphia for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Griffin finished with 21 points and nine rebounds. He shot well from beyond the arc too, making a trio of threepointers. Anthony Tolliver added 15 points for Detroit and Reggie Bullock and Langston Galloway added 13 points each. “I didn’t really think we moved the ball that much at the start of the game, but then we really got it going,” said coach Stan Van Gundy. “The best part is that you look at how many guys got involved. Once you start moving the ball, it gets contagious.” Damian Lillard scored 20 points and C.J. McCollum added 14 for the Blazers, who were defeated again after losing a heartbreaker at the buzzer to the Boston Celtics on Sunday. “They had one action — dribble handoff out of the corner — and they kept getting down to the centre of our defence,” Portland’s Lillard said. “Once guys get confident and get to making shots, it’s hard to stop.” In Miami, Mario Hezonja finished with 20 points and Jonathan Simmons made a key dunk with 91 seconds left in the fourth as the Orlando Magic defeated the Miami Heat 111-109.

Russia: Allegations of Olympics cyber attacks are unfounded MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia’s foreign ministry said yesterday any allegations that Russian hackers have attacked infrastructure connected to the Pyeongchang Olympic Games are unfounded. “We know that Western media are planning pseudo-investigations on the theme of ‘Russian fingerprints’ in hacking attacks on information resources related to the hosting of the Winter Olympic Games in the Republic of Korea. Of course, no evidence will be presented to the world,” the ministry said in a statement. Cybersecurity researchers said in January they had found early indications that Russiabased hackers may be planning attacks against anti-doping and Olympic organisations in retaliation for Russia’s exclusion from the Pyeongchang Games.

Romanian Nastase’s ITF ban reduced on appeal (Reuters) - Ilie Nastase, the 71-year-old former world number one and ex-Romania Fed Cup captain, has had his ban from International Tennis Federation (ITF) team competitions reduced on appeal. He was banned from acting in an official capacity at ITF team competitions until Dec. 31, 2020, and from attending them until Dec. 31, 2018, after multiple breaches of conduct rules at a Romania-Britain Fed Cup tie in Constanta last April. The ITF found Nastase guilty of making a “highly inappropriate and racially insensitive” comment about Serena Williams’ then unborn child and of making “advances of a sexual nature” toward Britain’s team captain Anne

Keothavong. He was also found guilty of directing “abusive and threatening comments” at Keothavong, British player Johanna Konta, match officials and a member of the press. Nastase was eventually booted out of the Fed Cup tie after swearing at the referee, Konta and Keothavong. He was later replaced as Romania captain. Nastase appealed against his sanctions and the ITF announced yesterday that it had reduced the bans by eight months each. Nastase can now attend ITF team events from April 23 this year and work at them from April 23, 2020. However, his initial

$10,000 fine has been doubled to $20,000. Nastase can still be involved in men’s Association of Tennis Professionals and Women’s Tennis Association events as they lie outside of the ITF’s jurisdiction. Nastase was heard speaking in Romanian to one of his team members about Williams’ baby during the draw for his country’s Fed Cup tie against Britain.“Let’s see what color it has. Chocolate with milk?” the former French Open and U.S. Open champion was quoted as saying by multiple media outlets. Nastase also put his arm around Keothavong at a news conference ahead of the tie and asked for her hotel room number.

Khan, Nabi star as Afghanistan win series SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — Rising star Rashid Khan led Afghanistan to a 17-run victory over Zimbabwe in the second T20 international at Sharjah Tuesday to wrap up a 2-0 win in the two-match series. Mohammad Nabi topscored with a 26-ball 45 as Afghanistan finished on 1589 from their 20 overs, despite losing six wickets for 18 runs, with Zimbabwe falling short on 141-5.Nabi had also struck 40 in the opening match, which saw Afghanistan win

by five wickets on Monday. Zimbabwe were always behind the rate once 16-yearold spinner Mujeeb Zadran — who played a starring role in Afghanistan’s run to the Under-19 World Cup semi-finals — took two early wickets to finish with 2-21 in just his second T20 International. Leg-spinner Khan, 19, was signed by Sunrisers Hyderabad for $1.41 million in last month’s Indian Premier League auction and finished with 2-23.Afghan Captain Asghar Stanikzai held his

trump card up his sleeve on Tuesday, not introducing Rashid until the 13th over, and the youngster claimed the crucial wicket of Sikandar Raza for a 26-ball 40 as the Zimbabwe all-rounder was trapped lbw by a googly. The Africans’ last hope was Ryan Burl, but he holed out for 30 off Khan.The two teams will play a five-match One-Day International series starting on February 9, with Afghanistan set to take on India in their maiden Test match at Bangalore in June.

Knicks retain top spot as Forbes’ most valuable NBA team (Reuters) - The New York Knicks are the NBA’s most valuable team for a third consecutive year, according to an annual list published by Forbes yesterday that showed each team in the league is worth at least $1 billion for the first time. The Knicks have been shut out of the playoffs since 2013 but their value rose to $3.6 billion, up 9 percent from a year ago, due to renovations to Madison Square Garden which produced new revenue opportunities from sponsorships and seating.The Los Angeles Lakers ($3.3 billion), reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors ($3.1 billion), Chicago Bulls ($2.6 billion) and Boston Celtics ($2.5 billion) rounded out the top five, Forbes said in a statement.According to Forbes, the average NBA franchise is now worth a record $1.65 billion, up 22 percent over last year, and more than triple the figure of five years ago. It marks the first time that

Kristaps Porzingis (6) of the New York Knicks drives to the basket against the Detroit Pistons during the game on November 16, 2016 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. (Nathaniel S. Butler, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP.) each of the NBA’s 30 teams are worth at least $1 billion, due in part to a $24 billion TV deal with ESPN and TNT that began during the 2016-17 season and bolstered the average franchise’s earnings by 68 percent.Forbes said the

Cleveland Cavaliers, ranked 15th on the list with a value of $1.3 billion, were the only franchise to lose money on an operating basis due to its significant payroll and luxury tax bill.For the complete list visit (Forbes.com/nba).

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Thursday February 08, 2018

Kaieteur News

Hope’s hundred and Holder’s burst flattens Marooners LUCAS STREET, Barbados, CMC – Stylish righthander Shai Hope stroked his fourth List A hundred as titleholders Barbados Pride continued their dominant march through the Regional Super50 with 183-run trouncing of Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners here yesterday. Entering the contest at the Windward Sports Club unbeaten in Group A and with three wins on the bounce, Pride put themselves in a strong position when they gathered 254 for nine off their 50 overs, despite not being at their best. Hope top-scored with 102 and fellow Test teammate, Roston Chase, hammered 72, but the remainder of the powerful lineup struggled and Carlos Brathwaite, with an unbeaten 21, was the only other player to pass 20.

Former Windies allrounder Ryan Hinds was superb with his left-arm spin, conceding a mere 22 runs from a 10-over spell that yielded two wickets. In reply, Marooners’ weak batting once against proved their demise as they collapsed for a paltry 71 in the 33rd over. Hinds stood out with 32 but was the only one to pass 10 and just one of two in double figures. Teenaged Chemar Holder rocked the innings with three for 31 while left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn (2-0) and offspinner Ashley Nurse (2-7) claimed two wickets apiece. Sent in, Pride started poorly losing both openers cheaply and then Jonathan Carter, to be 43 for three in the 16th over. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite’s failures contin-

ued when he tugged fast bowler Jermaine Levy to midon for two at the end of the third over, and opening partner Kevin Stoute edged Hinds behind to depart for eight in the 10th over. When Carter was caught at the wicket off seamer Ojay Shields, Pride were declining swiftly and in need of a stand. It came in the form of an enterprising 151-run fourth wicket partnership between Hope and Chase, as the Windies pair took the attack to the Marooners bowlers. Hope struck eight fours and three sixes and faced 135 balls while Chase was even more aggressive, smashing four fours and sixes in a 66ball innings. With the pair entrenched, Pride were eyeing a total well in excess of 280 but Hinds broke the stand when he had Chase caught at cover in the

39th over, leading to a slide where three wickets tumbled for 30 runs. Hope fell in the 47th over, holing out to long on off offspinner Jameel Stuart. Marooners’ run chase started disastrously as Chemar Holder struck twice to send them reeling to 26 for four in the 12th over. Oraine Williams (2) nicked a push at Windies seamer Kemar Roach behind with the score on seven in the third over and with no addition to the total, Kjorn Ottley pulled pacer Jason Holder to Carlos Brathwaite at square leg to fall for four in the next over. Chemar Holder then removed Yannic Ottley (4) and Kyle Corbin (10) both to catches at the wicket by Hope, to leave the innings in strife. Hinds temporarily propped up the innings in (Continued on page 29)

Stroke-maker Shai Hope pulls during his hundred against Marooners on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)

RHTYSC Cricket Development Programme

Shemaine Campbelle urges King SL U-12 Cricketers to be disciplined and committed The Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, MS Cricket Development Committee under the leadership of Cricket Manager Ravindranauth Kissoonlall on Friday last launched their 2018 Programmes with a special three hours programme with over 40 players of the Rose Hall Town King Solomon Logistics Under-12 Team. The programme was hosted in the compound of the Rose Hall Town Primary School where the team is based and was conducted b y We s t I n d i e s F e m a l e Cricketers Shemaine Campbelle, Erva Giddings and National Player Sheneeta Grimmond. Kissoonlall and Vice President Mark Papannah were also part of the Programme which would be conducted twice a month as the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club strives to identify promising players for the future. Similar programmes would also be hosted at four Secondary Schools for the Poonai Pharmacy Under-13 Team in what Club Officials described as a massive outreach programme to maintain the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club status as a producer of outstanding young cricketers. Campbell and Giddings who are the official Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club Ambassadors for the programme were present for the entire duration of the three hours sessions which included two six-overs cricket matches involving both males

and females, basic cricket coaching and an inspiration pep talk session. The experienced Campbelle, who has represented the West Indies at both the ODI and 20/20 levels in an inspiring speech to the attentive youths, urged them to develop a culture of discipline, hard work, commitment and to be respectful to those in authority. Campbelle used her own Career as an example as one where success could only be achieved by working hard. Failures and Disappointments, she stated, should be used as an avenue to better ones self. National Junior and Senior Player Sheneeta Grimmond spoke on the Importance of Staying in School to obtain an educational background. The young cricketers were also informed of the benefits of being a Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club member and plans for the future. Cricket Manager, Ravindranauth Kissoonlall stated that the Club is seeking to select a minimum of twenty four makes and twelve females for a regular coaching programme. He stated that several promising players like Daniella Hicks, Tyrese Seschan, Josiah Arthur and Javi Hubbard have been identified and they would be involved in regular coaching and educational sessions with senior Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club cricketers and Officials. Cricket matches would also be arranged with other schools in the area while at least two Inter-Primary School Tournaments involving schools in the Lower Corentyne area

West Indies Female Cricketers Erva Giddings and Shemaine Campbelle (at left) pose with the Rose Hall Town King Solomon Logistics Female Under-12Team.

Shemaine Campbelle speaking to the attentive cricketers. would be arranged. The Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club have selected Campbelle, Grimmond, Eon Hooper,

Shawn Pereira, Clinton Pestano and Kevlon Anderson as the senior cricketers who would work along with the Under-12 players twice

per week. Parents who may be interested in having their children joining the Rose Hall Tow King Solomon Logistics Un-

der-12 Team can call 337 4562 for more information. Membership is FREE but the child must be attending school and be disciplined.

Thursday February 08, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Regional Super50 Festival

Jaguars aiming to extend unbeaten run tonight Stuart replaces Griffith as Manager By Sean Devers in Antigua In association with Vnet Communications, Bounty Farm, Noble House Seafoods & Playter’s Enterprise Guyanese form the second largest population here in Antigua with Jamaicans a close third and this evening’s Day/Night game in the Regional Super50 Festival could see both teams will have ‘home team’ status with the Jaguars fans expected to be the biggest contingent at the venue that once hosted the Standford T20 tournament. This game will be the first match in the Antigua Zone to have live TV coverage from ESPN Caribbean and will be broadcast live on ABS Radio, while fans can watch the live streaming on cricketwestindies.org. Guyana Jaguars go into this encounter against Jamaica Scorpions as the only unbeaten side heading into the half-way stage of Group ‘B’ with 13 points from three wins. The action starts at 14:00hrs. Scorpions are on five points after losing to Kent

and Leewards Hurricanes. Their only win is against the USA, who have lost all three of their games so far. The Hurricanes beat USA and Jamaica and lost to the Jaguars and are on second with 9 points, while Kent, who lost to the Jaguars but rebounded to beat Hurricanes and Scorpions, are third with 8 points. Jamaica will be without their two best batsmen. Jermaine Blackwood left here on Monday for Jamaica to represent the Windies ‘A’ team in the ‘Three-Test’ series against England Lions, while Chris Gayle has been given special permission by CWI to leave his team ahead of the others for the World Cup Qualifiers which commence on March 4 in Zimbabwe.The Jaguars have lost Bajan Raymon Reifer and Manager/ Assistant Coach Rayon Griffith due to ‘A’ team duties. Griffith has been appointed Manager/Assistant Coach for the ‘A’ team and has been replaced by former West Indies pacer Colin Stuart in that role for the Jaguars. The31-year-old Chris Barnwell, who has 594 runs

with three fifties and an Average of 19.16 and 24 wickets at an economy rate of 5.26 from 36 matches in this format, replaces Reifer. This evening, Shimron Hetmyer who has 169 runs including a brutal 103 against the USA and a pugnacious 47 against the Hurricanes will be depended on for more quick runs before he and Devendra Bishoo leave after the sixth round for the WC Qualification. Chanderpaul Hemraj has looked promising, while Shiv Chanderpaul started with a responsible 66 against Kent on a seaming track. Leon Johnson is leading from the front and after failing to score in the first round he made a fifty in the next match before being run out one short of a maiden century to help Jaguars beat Hurricanes in the last match. He will want to continue his fine form for his team and to enhance his chances of regaining his West Indies spot. Anthony Bramble, unlucky not to have gained ‘A’ team selection, along with Sherfane Rutherford have played important cameos, while Barnwell needs to be his

The UCCA Inter-Primary schools cricket competition

Massiah Primary steamrolls competitors to win zone two The Upper Corentyne Cricket Association (UCCA) Inter- Primary School 10 overs softball cricket competition continued on Friday with matches in Zone two at the No.71 ground. The competition is sponsored by Davendra Ramgoolam and R and R Auto Rental Services. The teams have been divided into three zones/ clusters with each cluster playing on a separate Friday with 10 Schools listed to play. Three schools namely Massiah (No.71), No 68 and No 59 Primaries participated with New Market Primary failing show. In the first match between Massiah and No. 68 Primaries, saw Massiah being asked to bat first and hammering 131-1 in their 10 overs, after losing their first wicket in the first over without a run on the board. The onslaught was led by Tomesh Hemraj 74 not

out (8x4, 5x6) and Lakeraj Ramlakhan 57 not out (3x4, 5x6). No 68 in reply were skittled out for 20. The top bowlers for Massiah were Sanjay Tilluckram and Tamesh Singh with two wickets each. In the final, Massiah were asked to take first strike by No. 59 and raced to 108 -2 off their allotment of overs. Top scores were Salim Khan 69 (7x4, 4x6), Ramlakhan made 21 not out (3x4), and Lutesh Singh 14(2x4, 1x6). No 59 in reply were bundled out for 38. Bowling for Massiah Primary Salim Khan, Matel Kattow and Oudit Omapersaud took two wickets each. Massiah Primary thus winning the group has joined Skeldon Primary to the grand final so far. At the end of the day’s competition all the players were presented with exercise books, led pencils and pens. The school

received reading materials. All compliments of Hilbert Foster CEO of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club MS. The competition will continue tomorrow with matches in group three and will see No. 56, No. 51 and No. 48 Primaries in action. At the end of the competition the winning team will receive a $15,000 girt voucher, while the runner up will collect $10,000. These will go to the players to purchase stationary and school supplies. The winning and runner up trophies will go to the respective schools. The competition is being coordinated by chairman of the UCCA Competitions committee, former national wicketkeeper batsman Sydney Jackman. The other members of the committee are former Berbice player Chatterpaul Lionel and Narendranauth Balram. (Samuel Whyte)

Shimron Hetmyer

Andre Russell

Colin Stuart

aggressive self as he is in Guyana’s domestic cricket. Apart from Chanderpaul and to a lesser extent, Johnson, all of the Jaguars batsmen are capable of destroying bowling attacks and will relish batting on the small ground this evening. The fast bowling could be centred on Kemo Paul, who had a five-wicket haul in the last game, Rutherford, Romario Shepherd and Barnwell, while Bishoo and Veerasammy Permaul could take care of the spin department on a track which could offer bounce in very windy conditions caused by the tradewinds passing through

the Eastern Caribbean. Without Gayle, the Hurricanes will bank on Chadwick Walton, Steven Taylor, Rovman Powell, Andrew McCarty, Brandon King, Andre Russell and Nikita Miller for runs. Left-arm spinner Christopher Lamont, who has an economy rate of less than 3, could again open the bowling with Russell, who seems not back to his best with the ball. Odean Smith and Powell could provide pace options, while the experienced Miller and off-spinner Peat Salmon are the other spinners in the Scorpion Squad.

The Jaguars practiced at Coolidge yesterday and Stuart, in his first role as Manager said there are no injury concerns. “Everyone is fit and ready to go and I am enjoying this new role. I am comfortable with the players and the team is playing very good cricket at this time and we are confident of reaching the playoffs,” said the 44-year-old Stuart who took 20 wickets for the West Indies in a six-Test career that spanned from December 2000 to November 2001. Stuart, now a Match Referee, also played five ODIs for the West Indies.

The first round of the Enmore Community Centre Cricket Club and D&E Tent Rental 10/10 Cricket competition was completed last weekend with Enmore CCCC defeating Beehive SC, Paradise SC got the better of Starthavon SC and LBI CC winning against Lusignan East. Better Hope CC and Golden Achievers advanced to round two by virtue of a walk-over against Good Hope SC and Fairfield CC respectively. At the Enmore Community Centre ground, Paradise SC scored 90 batting first with G. Douglas scoring 32. In reply Strathavon SC fell short of their target by seven runs despite Sewchand Budhu scoring 71 (5x4, 7x6). J. Persaud took 2-16 for Paradise SC. In the second game at this venue, home team Enmore CCCC defeated Beehive SC by 10 wickets and with five overs to spare. Beehive SC batted first and scored 70 for 8 off 10 overs. Rudolph Singh took 4-4 and Christopher Surat 2-16. ECCCC

knocked off the target in five overs with Imran Hassan scoring 52 not out. At Ogle Community Centre Ground, LBI CC defeated Lusignan East by nine wickets. Lusignan were bowled out for 60. Fourteen year-old Mohindra Singh took 4-1off two overs and Yeuraj Khemraj 2-7. LBI CC made light work of their target in eight overs with E. Sharma and E. Khan scoring 25 and 23 respectively. . The quarterfinals will be played on Sunday at the Enmore Community Centre Ground with Match #1(9:00 AM) –Enterprise A vs LBI CC, Match #2 (11:00 AM) – Better Hope CC vs Ogle CC, Match

Wins for Enmore, ECCCC, Paradise SC and LBI CC

Mohindra Singh #3 (1:00 PM) –Golden Achievers vs Paradise SC, Match #4 (3:00PM) - Enmore CCCC vs Lusignan A.

Alexis Sanchez: Manchester United forward accepts deal for tax fraud BBC Sport - Manchester United striker Alexis Sanchez has accepted a 16-month suspended jail sentence for tax fraud in return for avoiding a trial. The ex-Barcelona player faced going to trial in Spain over unpaid taxes amounting

to around 1m euro (£886,000). The unpaid taxes derive from image rights deals in 2012 and 2013.When Sanchez, 29, was first accused in 2016, his agent said the Chile forward had “fully obeyed” laws and his image rights income “has been declared”.

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Magnum “Mash Cup” futsal tournament continues tonight Swag Entertainment win big,showstoppers halt Sophia on night two The second night’s play in the Magnum “Mash Cup” futsal tournament got underway on Tuesday evening at the National Gymnasium with nine schedule matches. Out of the eight competed matches, Linden based Swag Entertainment notched up their second win of the tournament in as many matches with a commanding 5-1 demolition job of Albouystown A in the second game of the night. Shane Luckie netted a hat-trick to lead Swag to victory. The first match provided an entertaining 2-2 draw between Kingstown and Buxton Diamond. Game three produced seven goals; Showstoppers denied Sophia their first victory after edging past them 43 during round robin action. On the score sheet for the star studded winners were Trayon Bobb who netted a double in the 6th and 10th minutes, along with

Dexroy Adams and Delon Lanferman. Akeem Jaikissoon (12th and 19th) and Dwayne Lowe (7th minute) scored for the losers. In other results, Back Circle needled MBK all-stars 1-0, Albouystown B represented their community after the A lost earlier in the night and got past Broad Street 20.Meanwhile, Nk Ballers settled with Leopold Street for a 2-2 draw, while Old Skool Ballers edged New Market Street 2-1. Future Stars didn’t have any work to do and were awarded a walkover victory against Champion Boys. And in the final game of the night, North East La Penitence drew 1-1 with Alexander Village. Over $800,000 in prize monies and trophies are up for grabs in the tournament which is being held in collaboration with Legacy Entertainment. The winning team will receive $400,000 + Trophy, run-

ner-up $200,000 + Trophy, third place $100,000 + Trophy and fourth place $50,000. More round robin group matches continue tonight at the same venue. Tonight’s fixtures are as follows: FEB 8, 2018 (DAY THREE) Ol Skool Ballers Vs Rugby Team Albouystown-B Vs MBK All Stars Silver Bullets Vs Buxton Diamond Tiger Bay Vs Alexander Village Swag Ent Vs YMCA All Stars North East Vs Hustlers Nk Ballers Vs Mocha Channel 9 Vs Champion Boys Future Stars Vs Ansa Mcal Sparta Boss Vs Kingston Back Circle Vs Broad Street Gold Is Money Vs New Market St Leopold Street Vs California Square Bent Street Vs Albouystown A (Calvin Chapman)

Scorpions crush USA to snare first win ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Jamaica Scorpions easily brushed aside USA Cricket by 98 runs here Tuesday night, to break out of their slump with their first win of the Regional Super50. Without a victory in their first two encounters, Scorpions capitalised on perhaps the weakest side in Group B to claim their first major points. Batting first in the day/ night affair at the Coolidge Cricket Ground, Scorpions raised a competitive 254 for eight off their 50 overs, with captain Nikita Miller top-scoring with 52 not out off 41 balls. Andre McCarthy struck 38, Odean Smith got an unbeaten 30, while Fabian Allen chipped in with 28. In reply, opener Sunny Sohal gathered 67 and captain Ibraheem Khaleel, 37, but the remainder of the USA’s batting flopped to leave Scorpions with a relatively straightforward result. Left-arm spinners Chris Lamont (2-20) and Nikita Miller (2-27), along with seamers Andre Russell (2-20) and Odean Smith (2-39), all finished with two wickets each. Opting for first knock, Scorpions had an uncertain start, slipping to 85 for four in the 22nd over, after losing key wickets. Chadwick Walton produced a cameo, lashing 25 from from 18 balls with three

Thursday February 08, 2018

Kaieteur News

Continental Group of Companies partners with Lusignan Golf Club for June 2 tourney By Zaheer Mohamed The Lusignan Golf Club has gained the support of Continental Group of Companies for the staging of a tournament set for June 2. The company under its Torginol Paints announced the partnership yesterday at its Industrial Site, Ruimveldt location where Production manager Fenton Persaud presented the sponsorship cheque to Vice President of the Lusignan Golf Club Paton George. Speaking at the ceremony newly-elected President of the Lusignan Golf Club, Aleem Hussain expressed gratitude to the entity for their support and said fans can expect an action packed tournament. Hussain stated that major changes are slated for the golf

course with four major tournaments in the making. “Former West Indies test batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul will be hosting a celebrity invitational tournament which is good news, additionally the Lusignan Open is coming back as well as the President’s Cup,” he posited. Hussain stated that the LGC has undergone tremendous changes and they are in the process of installing a swimming pool at the facility. He said that Torginol has always been supporting the club and this tournament will be special. “This year will be the grandest year in golf where fans and players will enjoy alike. We expect our membership to triple over the next few

months and we will provide an opportunity for everyone to learn the game,” he added. Public Relations Officer of the LGC Guy Griffith indicated that golf will become a reality for everyone whereas schools and the University will be involved so anyone who wishes to try their hand at the sport can do so, adding that lessons and equipment will be provided free of cost. Production Manager of Torginol Paints Inc., Fenton Persaud stated that the company is happy to be part of the tournament and pledged their continued support, while Company Secretary of Continental Group of Companies, M.S. Ally indicated that they will also assist to develop the facility at LGC.

GFF/Pele Alumini Frank Watson U-15 League – EBFA - Seven matches slated for this weekend Further consolidation of positions will be foremost in the minds of the players and coaches when competition in the East Bank Football Association (EBFA) leg of the GFF/ Pele Alumini Frank Watson U15 Intra Association League continues this weekend at the Grove Playfield with match day six and seven. Agricola Red Triangle (9 points) enjoying a one point advantage over Grove Hi Tech and also with a game in

hand is set to face Diamond Upsetters (3 points) in Saturday’s second of three matches at 11:00hrs. Grove will play the feature game from 12:30hrs against Diamond United which is lying at the bottom of the 12-team table and still to register a point.Saturday’s opening match will bring together Friendship All Stars and Timehri Panthers from 09:30hrs, both sides are on 3 points with the latter ahead

on goal difference.On Sunday, four more matches would be contested, Mocha Champs (4 points) will lock horns with Samatta Point/Kaneville (7 points) from 09:30hrs to be followed by Herstelling Raiders (6 points) against Soesdyke Falcons (0 points) at 11:00hrs; Friendship match skills with Kuru Kururu Warriors (3 points) from 12:30hrs with the main attraction between Swan FC (3 points) and Timehri Panthers.

Match Day 6 Saturday February 10, 2018 Friendship vs Timehri Agricola vs Diamond Upsetters Grove vs Diamond United Match Day 7 Sunday February 11, 2018 Mocha vs Samatta Point/KV Herstelling vs Soesdyke Friendship vs Kuru Kururu Swan FC vs Timehri

09:30hrs 11:00hrs 12:30hrs 09:30hrs 11:00hrs 12:30hrs 14:00hrs

Andre McCarthy … struck a fluent 38. fours and a six, in putting on 34 for the first wicket with Steven Taylor (22), before falling to pace Elmore Hutchinson (3-40). Taylor then combined with West Indies all-rounder Rovman Powell (20) to add 41 for the second wicket before the innings stuttered as Scorpions lost three quick wickets for 10 runs. Two crucial partnerships then kept Scorpions afloat. Firstly, McCarthy put on 62 for the fifth wicket with Allen, striking six fours and a six in a breezy 48-ball knock. Allen was equally brisk, striking three fours and a six

off 35 balls but he and McCarthy fell in successive deliveries to left-arm spinner Nisarg Patel (2-44), and when Peal Salmon perished for three and Andre Russell, 17, Scorpions were tottering on 169 for eight in the 40th over. Miller came to his side’s rescue, however, stroking a career-best knock to engineer a vital 85-run ninth wicket stand with Smith, to put Scorpions in a position of strength. The right-handed Miller faced 41 balls and counted four fours and a six while Smith clobbered a four and (Continued on page 29)

Three Diamond United players keeps close watch of this Agricola player on Sunday last at the Grove Playfield.