Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Friday February 08, 2019

Kaieteur News

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Friday February 08, 2019

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

Venezuela’s Crisis Spreads Beyond Its Borders The citizens of Venezuela have become pawns in a global power. The tense standoff in Venezuela between Nicolás Maduro and Juan Guaidó has morphed into something far larger than a contest for power between a failed leader still supported by parts of the army and diehard leftists, and a young legislator propelled to the front by popular demonstrations.

In part because of the Trump administration’s all-in support for regime change, the crisis has become a dangerous global power struggle. That’s the last thing Venezuelans need.

There is no question that President Maduro must go, the sooner the better. Heir to the socialist rule of Hugo Chávez, he has led his oil-rich country into utter ruin. Its currency is useless, basic foods and medicines have disappeared and more than three million people have fled, fomenting refugee crises in Colombia, Brazil and Ecuador.

The only solution is an interim government under Mr. Guaidó, who as the head of the National Assembly has a legitimate claim to the presidency under the Venezuelan Constitution. It would lead to new presidential elections and a flood of emergency aid.

Pope Francis said Tuesday that he was willing to help mediate an end to the conflict if both sides agreed. He said he had received a plea from Mr. Maduro to help start a new dialogue.

“There needs to be the will of both parts,” Francis said.

He suggested beginning with small concessions from both sides, working toward a more formal negotiation.

In hopes of a peaceful resolution, many democratic governments have thrown their support behind Mr. Guaidó.

Twelve Latin American countries, the Organization of American States, Canada and more than a dozen members of the European Union have so far crowded into Mr. Guaidó’s corner alongside the United States, recognizing him as the interim president.

Mr. Maduro’s primary backers are Russia, China, Iran, Cuba and Turkey.These are not entirely alliances of the likeminded. As in any geopolitical struggle, disparate interests are at play, and many include a suspicion or fear of President Trump’s motives and potential means.

For the hard-core conservatives in the Trump administration, Mr. Maduro is the failed standard-bearer of the scourge of socialism in Latin America and the beachhead for Russian, Cuban and Chinese influence. Mr. Trump has repeatedly refused to rule out a military option.

But it is not all about Trump. Venezuela’s problem is more than people being opposed to the Maduro administration. It is about pressure largely from outside the country. Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chavez, was strong.

He was also well-loved by his people to the extent that the country voted for Chavez to enjoy an extended presidency.

Had he not died he would not have been in the predicament that Maduro has found himself.

It is not that the United States was not seeking to topple the Chavez Government. It is not that the United States was not prepared to blacklist Venezuela. But such actions would not have gained traction in the country.

Maduro does not enjoy such a popular support. In fact, the people opposed to him in their numbers are actually reaching out to the United States and its allies.

Sadly, Maduro has distanced himself from so many of his neighbours that his could be a case of Grenada which came under attack because its neighbours supported the invaders. Many countries in the Organization of American States of which Venezuela is a member would not be opposed to see Venezuela invaded.

But what happens in Venezuela is affecting all its neighbours, some more affluent that others. Guyana is one of the lesser affluent ones and it is affected, if only because of the migration of Venezuelans.

(With extracts from New York Times)

Editor’s Note; If your sent letter was not published and you felt its contents were valid and devoid of libel or personal attacks, please contact us by phone or email.

A constitutional conundrum DEAR EDITOR, The Attorney General has filed appeals against the Chief Justice’s ruling in two of the three cases filed in relation to the No-Confidence Motion: the case filed by the AG and the case filed by Christopher Ram. The attorneyat-law for Joseph Harmon has also lodged an appeal. There is no doubt that the lawyers for Compton Reid will also appeal in due course. The Leader of the Opposition will not appeal, as he is not dissatisfied with any material aspect of the Chief Justice’s decisions.

I wish to make it emphatically clear that none of the appeals filed, nor any which may be filed, has, or will have the effect of staying the rulings made by the Honourable Chief Justice. Indeed, I maintain that the Chief Justice merely granted, what in law, is called “declarations”.

For example, her Honour declared that the No-Confidence Motion was validly passed; that Charrandass Persaud’s dual citizenship disqualified him from being elected to sit in Parliament; that notwithstanding that disqualification, his vote remain valid; that 33 votes were sufficient to pass the No-Confidence Motion; that the Cabinet “was resigned” upon the passing of the No-Confidence Motion and that the Government must remain in office, notwithstanding its defeat, and that elections must be held within three months of the date that the No-

Confidence Motion was passed; and that the Government must resign when a new President is sworn-in, consequent upon those elections.

A microscopic examination of those pronouncements made by the Chief Justice will lead to the ineluctable realization that the learned Hearing Judge made no coercive or injunctive orders. In other words, no part of the rulings compelled any act to be done, or prohibited, any act from being done.

Therefore, there is simply nothing to “stay”, nor conserve, nor preserve. The rulings consisted merely of declarations in respect of the status quo in accordance with interpretations placed upon the relevant constitutional p r o v i s i o n s . S i g n i f i c a n t l y, t h e Constitution does not vest in the Judiciary any power, or authority, to stop that three months period for the holding of elections after a successful No-Confidence Motion, from running.

In consequence, there is no Court within the hierarchical judicial structure that can lawfully make any order, which can have the impact of delaying the elections, irrespective of the circumstances.

It is not that the framers of the Constitution failed to address their minds to the eventuality of an extension of time. They certainly did so, as is reflected in Article 106 (7) of the C o n s t i t u t i o n . H o w e v e r, t h e y sagaciously vested that power, not in the

Judiciary, but in the Legislature, to be exercised by virtue of a two-thirds majority vote, should the circumstances warrant such an extension.

In the same mould, GECOM, the body exclusively charged by the Constitution with the holding of elections, has no discretion, and is certainly not empowered to plea a lack of readiness to hold elections, when elections are due. Under the Constitution, elections are due at any time fixed by the President by way of a Proclamation, or in cases otherwise determined by the Constitution, for example, within three months after the passage of a No-Confidence Motion.

When either of these circumstances manifest itself, GECOM must be ready to hold elections. The Constitution offers no alternative. The current state of affairs, which documents the President and his Government’s refusal to comply with the Constitution and the pronouncements of the Chief Justice, coupled with GECOM’s lack of readiness to hold elections when they are constitutionally due, have the conjoint effect of catapulting the nation’s state of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana into the realm of unconstitutionality and an anarchic existence, not witnessed in the Caribbean, perhaps, since the Grenadian “revolution” in 1983.

Mohabir Anil Nandlall, MP Attorney-at-Law

The Council of Legal Education and a flood of Caribbean Lawyers DEAR EDITOR, The advent of the Council of Legal Education (CLE) in the region in 1973 has prompted hundreds of Caribbean nationals, including myself, to read law, because they did not have to travel thousands of miles to London in the bitter cold at fantastic costs. And now after 45 years, the Caribbean-trained lawyers have completely taken over not only the Courts and important legal departments, but a few are heads of government and state.

The Jamaican government first started to offer scholarships to bright young police officers to read law, since they had access to the University of the West Indies and the Norman Manley Law School (NMLC), and later, the Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados governments followed suit. In Guyana, officers of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) took legal training and today there are several officers and former officers who are lawyers and several active politicians read law, because

it was convenient for them to do so in the region, including Robert Corbin and Moses Nagamootoo.

Today, nearly all the judges of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), the highest court of the land are Caribbean-trained, including President Adrian Saunders, a 1977 graduate, and the Chief Justices and Heads of the Judiciary of nearly all the countries in the Englishspeaking countries received their legal training in the region. There are three laws schools, Norman Manley in Jamaica, Hugh Wooding in Tr i n i d a d a n d E u g e n e Dupuch in the Bahamas, and one can only gain entry until he or she obtains a Bachelors of Law Degree (LLB).

The University of Guyana offers LLB degree courses and a few other institutions in the region also. Guyana’s quota is 25 per year, which some feel is inadequate, and as a result there was an attempt for Guyana to have its own law school.

I should point out that before the Republic can achieve this, it must first

obtain approval from the Council of Legal Education (CLE).

Belizean law students have difficulties in securing places at the NMLC, especially those who secured their LLB degree from the University of Guyana.

Belizean UG graduates must pass a qualifying examination before they can gain entry.

I should point out also that even English-trained lawyers cannot be admitted to practice in the region without a CLE certificate.

They can do so after doing a six-month stint at one of the three law schools.The

introduction of legal training in the region is the reason why the Caribbean is flooded with lawyers, and some feel that there are far too many and the governments should focus on other disciplines.

There is need for more agriculturalists, engineers, technical personnel like mechanics, carpenters, etc.

In Guyana, with the possibility of a massive oil boom, there is need for technical training in this area, and it is time that those in authority focus in this direction and not allow foreigners to take full control of the industry.

Oscar Ramjeet

Not again at our educational institutions!

DEAR EDITOR, Recently, named educational institutions were affected by bomb and gun threats, and immediately I call upon all decentminded citizens to condemn this new development in our country. The cyber-crime unit of the Guyana Police Force must work hard to bring the person/s involved to justice. ‘’Education is #1".In the future we may have to look seriously at 24-hrs, automated software-led or human-led cyber surveillance systems for protection.

Yours Co-operatively, Parmanand Ram

Guyanese must be vigilant to guard ruled that the Constitution is our democracy very clear and that she saw DEAR EDITOR, As everyone knows the APNU/AFC government tried to overturn the passage of the motion of no-confidence brought against it by the Opposition Leader, Doctor the Hon. Bharrat Jagdeo. They first unsuccessfully tried to get the Speaker of the National Assembly, Doctor The Hon. Barton Scotland to reverse himself and rule that the motion was not properly passed. With admirable impartiality, the Speaker refused to change his decision.

In a desperate bid to hang on to power at any cost, the Government moved to the Court seeking declarations that the motion was not properly passed because it required a vote of 34 members of the National Assembly. It essentially argued the majority of the 65 members in the Assembly was 34 and not the 33 who voted in favour.

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Kaieteur News

Friday February 08, 2019

The Hon. Chief Justice on February 6, released the transcript of her oral opinion given on January 31. She forcefully rejected the government’s position, at times insinuating the arguments advanced by the government were an insult of the intelligence of most rightthinking persons. The government relied on an obscure case from Vanuatu, which has a completely different constitution from that of Guyana.

With the passage of the motion of no-confidence, the Constitution required the resignation of the President and Cabinet, and the calling of new elections within ninety days, or by March 21st. The government argued that it was not practical for the President and the Cabinet to resign, as it wanted to exhaust all its appeals in the Court of Appeal and the Caribbean Court of Justice. The Chief Justice

Correcting History as a Fitting Tribute is Made to Valerie Rodway DEAR EDITOR, I was pleased to read in the 6th February 2019 issue of the Kaieteur News that the Government of Guyana intends to honour Ms. Valerie Rodway on the centenary of her birth. I think a postage stamp with her image is a fitting tribute to her contribution as a teacher and musician.I must however hasten to add, as the daughter of Vere T Daly, Guyanese Historian (A Short History of the Guyanese People and the Making of Guyana), Author and Writer of the ‘Hymn for Guyana’s Children’, I believe it is my duty to my father, my family and to posterity to correct the misconception given on the website of the Ministry of the Presidency and published in your newspaper that Ms. Rodway penned the words to the song ‘Hymn for Guyana’s Children.’ \In a similar way that she set Martin Carter’s poem to music, Ms Rodway wrote the musical score for ‘Hymn for Guyana’s Children.’ Attributing the words of the song to her therefore, would be diminishing my father’s legacy.

I have written to the Ministry of the Presidency, asking for the correction to be made on its website from which I presume you got your information.

I write to you now as a member of the Fourth Estate, with responsibility for educating the Guyanese people through the publication of both current and historical facts. I hope you will publish my letter in your newspaper.

Olney Daly

no exigencies that would shorten that period.

The government tried to convince the Court to issue an Order that would freeze everything until its appeals are exhausted. The government strenuously argued for such an Order, but the Opposition was forcefully against it. The Court refused to grant such an Order, which means the elections MUST be held by March 31, 2019.There have been reports in the press that GECOM does not see itself for elections until sometime in July 2019. So, GECOM feels it has more powers than the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Hon. Chief Justice? Local Government elections were held about six months ago using the same list. A suspicious person could conclude that there is a conspiracy between GECOM and the government to postpone elections as long as they could. The position adopted by the government and GECOM does not bode well for the future. The Constitution and the voice of the people do not matter to them.

Why is the APNU/AFC government afraid to hold prompt elections? Guyanese must be vigilant to guard our democracy. It is pleasing that the international community appears to be concerned and is watching developments in Guyana. But, we Guyanese have to stand up and be counted. We do not need a Maduro-type government.

Democracy must prevail!

Sincerely, Randy Depoo

These actions are antithetical to democratic principles DEAR EDITOR, I write to counter the numerous and insistent misrepresentations, inadequacies and deliberate confusion surrounding the no-confidence motion, which have seemingly influenced the utterances and posturing of many individuals and organisations, local and foreign, and to express my concern at the steady and determined movement towards destabilization of the state.

Firstly, it is my contention that President David Granger has upheld the dignity and duty of the office of the President, throughout this saga and always, and has violated neither the spirit nor letter of the Constitution by maintaining his government in office.

According to article 92: “A person assuming the office of President in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution shall, unless his or her office becomes vacant under article 178, continue in office until the person elected to the office of the President at the next election held under article 91 assumes office”. Subsequent articles 93 & 94 articulate reasons for his removal from office and these do not include a no-confidence motion.

Article 99 (1) says that “the executive authority of Guyana shall be vested in the President and, subject to the provisions of this Constitution, may be exercised by him or her either directly or through officers subordinate to him or her. Regarding the tenure of the Prime Minister and Ministers of the Government article 104 states that “Article 101(1) and 103(2) shall have effect in relation to any period between a dissolution of parliament and the day on which the next election of members of the Assembly is held pursuant to the provisions of article 61, as if Parliament had not been dissolved.

This would seem to be contradicted by article 103(6) “ The Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by a vote of a majority of all elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence”, or not by article 103(7) “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution

supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election”.

From the foregoing it would seem abundantly clear, and constitutionally correct, for the President and his government to remain in office until a new President is sworn in. In fact any abdication of his presidential duties would be tantamount to dereliction of duty, which would be unthinkable to him and any patriotic Guyanese. The Constitution makes no provision for a titular, ceremonial or nonexecutive President and a caretaker or partial government.

Regarding the holding of elections several issues do not seem to have been adequately addressed. The articles of the constitution that relate to the no-confidence motion make absolutely no reference to the tenure, or dissolution of Parliament and proclamation of a date for elections by the President, National Assembly or the Judiciary.

Article 61 states that “an election of members of the National Assembly under article 60 (2) shall be held on such day within three months after every dissolution of Parliament as the President shall appoint by proclamation…”

The President has neither dissolved parliament nor has he proclaimed a date for elections. The Chief Justice has upheld, and article 103 (7) has made clear, that the National Assembly may also determine a date for the holding of new elections arising from the noconfidence motion as an alternative to the end of March 2019 deadline.

The National Assembly continues to sit, until dissolved, and I am encouraged it may yet do so, particularly since it would appear that MPs may vote, a la Charrandass, their consciences, and against their Party List.

Moreover, GECOM which has a responsibility to advise the President of its readiness for such elections, and may by article 162 (1) cause the postponement for cause, is still to advise the country of a possible timeline for elections.

(Continued on page 6)

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Why the foot-dragging by the Local Govt. Commission?

DEAR EDITOR, It has been since last year November that the former Chancellor and retired Judge submitted to the Local Government Commission, his findings from a much-needed Commission of Inquiry (COI) that he carried out, into the operations of City Hall, and yet hardly anything has been done so far to implement the very worthwhile recommendations of this report.

It would appear as though, for some odd reason, the Local Government Commission (LGC) is struggling to implement these recommendations, and one has to wonder what would be the reason(s).

With the exception of one ineluctable dismissal and a vague undertaking to have the police investigate the possible tort of malfeasance by this individual, the public has not seen or heard of any-

thing else since from this wellaccommodated, well-staffed and well-equipped commission, except for, as the boys would say, ‘some jan jat’ about their salaries and emoluments being withheld by the Communities Ministry, which brings into question the true independence of this constitutional body.

But of utmost worry to the citizenry is as to whether the Chairman and Commissioners are aware of the susceptibility, the chaos and the continued malpractices they are allowing to continue at City Hall as a result of their footdragging.

Do they expect the auditors, the police and SOCU to find incriminating evidence, any flawed records or any other signs of the massive corruption that was gleaned from the COI, when they finally get there? The many

culprits that were found by the COI to be guilty of not working in the best interest of the city, of incompetence, of dereliction of duty, gross misconduct, abuse of office, recklessness, dishonesty, conspiracy, and misappropriation of funds, would be rather foolish not to have doctored and destroyed the implicating evidence all these months that they were not sent on administrative leave, but rather allowed to sit at their desks and carry on business as usual.

These recalcitrant officers of the Georgetown Municipality are all being given a ‘Get out of Jail Free’ card by the Local Government Commission, who are just pussyfooting around, while being an additional financial burden to the taxpayers of Guyana. This is unacceptable.

Sincerely, Amber Valentine

Oil wealth trickling down to the masses is nothing but a pipe dream DEAR EDITOR, Many of my fellow Guyanese think that now that oil is found and would be welled in Guyana, we would be a rich nation. On the other hand, there are many of us who would say, ‘Ask the citizens of Iraq, Libya, Syria, Nigeria, Uganda, Sudan, Venezuela, Brazil and Trinidad, how well the oil trickledown theory is working for them so far’.

The citizens of many of these oil-rich countries have

only the results of a bomb trickledown campaign to show for their oil — in the form of a bomb crater 20 feet wide and 10 feet deep, where their family homes once stood.

In the view of many of us, Guyana’s oil wealth would never trickle down to the masses; that wealth is reserved for those in power, and already rich and wanting to get richer.

Just look at the culture of Guyana and you can tell what

would happen to the proceeds from oil. Oil wealth trickling down to the masses is nothing but a pipe dream. It has never happened in any Third World country, and will never happen here in my beloved land.

This world is an extremely brutal place; I remain pessimistic about Guyana being an exception to the norm, as obtains in Third World countries with copious amounts of natural resources. We wonder, do we in Guyana have the metaphorical “brains and mindset” to keep the potential oil wealth in Guyana? For the time being, the jury is out on this matter!

Yours faithfully, Rooplall Dudhnath

Friday February 08, 2019

There is another Cold War DEAR EDITOR, Lots of folks still have difficulty with the alphabet: what comes first; who follow; how the letters relate to each other.

I thought I would put them out of their misery by lending a much-needed hand, through a lecture on lettering, and in the hope that it clears the fog and enlightens those who prefer to wrestle with the mud in their heads. I will try, but am not so certain of making progress.

A comes first. A is number 1, as in A1. Nothing should be simpler and more comprehensible than that.

To be sure, A has lost some luster; it makes up today with presidential bluster. But let no one be misled: power, purpose, and will are all omnipresent; resources and capabilities, too.

That is the first lesson. And having pledged allegiance, I so salute. Remember, I am not running for anything; not pandit, not president, not parliament.

The second lesson for dunces (never easy) is that B and C follow A. Incidentally, this C is not by the Himalayas.

But both B and C look for signals and take their cues; A is lead vocalist, has top billing, and draws the biggest crowd. Sometimes, but not always, it garners the most applause, too.

All of this should be decipherable, with no need for tea leaves to be read, or surreptitious visits made to a spiritualist.

The third lesson in this alphabetical lecture, is that E is right on the heels of B and C in its adherence to the programmes set by A. Now if anyone is so daft as to require some additional

Can’t the new Council raise the bar on city management?

DEAR EDITOR, Driving along what appears to be the new route for Mashramani 2019, I have encountered the roadways defaced with some crude, oversized, dreadful numbers slovenly painted in a hodge-podge manner on the road surface.

Initially thinking this was the act of some unhinged and deranged person, I was horrified to learn that it was the work of the Georgetown Municipality.

I had to ask myself, does the Council really expect so many vendors? Why waste so much paint and so many man hours?

Why do the numbers have to be so big and obnoxious? Surely, they could have used a road-marking stencil kit with pre-spaced numerals constructed from sturdy reusable Polypropylene boards with 200 mm font-sized numerals.

Must the Georgetown Municipality be allowed to continue to behave in such a vulgar, unprofessional and unprincipled manner until the end of time? Can’t the new Council raise the bar on city management?

My question is - Can we ever truly have a developed capital city when our City Council has a third world mentality?

Sincerely Sean Moniz

assistance, then I gladly do the honors.

Go all way down the line to almost the bottom of the alphabet (I do hope that the narrow can get so far) and single out U. There it is: E joined to U. I refuse to accept that there are issues with any of this. Just look at good neighbour Venezuela, and it is clear who is leading the charge, calling (no firing for now) the shots, and paving the way.

Then take a moment out from kicking tyres and shooting the breeze, and identify who in this alphabet soup are right behind in lockstep and form a single voice. As soups go, this one is rather thin and thus transparent.

Guyanese would say, there are not many obstacles and not much grums (grounds). So there!

And yet, for some unfathomable reason, people persist with so much dotishness.

By the way, that is not Brooklynese.

Here is one classic example: The Cold War is over. Well, that is only partially accurate; or many matters considered, not at all.

That was Cold War I in the antiquities of the early 1990s. Cold War II is up and running (unannounced) in a very palpable manner.

Presences and arrangements and alignments in Syria, Middle Eastern rebalancing - with the powerhouse Saudis leaning this way and that, but no t a l t ogether along the old way. V enezuela is a ballooning hot spot with all kinds of powers taking sides and squaring up; my hope is that this does not build up to the stage of a South American Cuban Missile Crisis.

Local fallout is inevitable. Cumulatively, if all of this jousting and reengineering are not of a growing Cold War reality, then I don’t know what is.

Guyanese might be caught

in two minds as to the pluses of the neighbourhood descending into a flashpoint, especially given increasing external bellicosity.

Further, that decades-old nuclear treaty has now been scrapped by both sides in determined steps reminiscent of the gathering brinksmanship of John Foster Dulles’ time and thereafter.

The footprints are all there; the character and creep (and dominoes) and lengthening shadows (specter, too) of an emerging Cold War II are all ominously present.

Oh, and by the way, any dismissal of colonialism and imperialism as things of the past has to be flushed away with castor oil.

For those in denial, I offer the unrelenting pressure on the supply side of the narcotics business and comprehensive suffocating anti-money laundering regimes.

I submit, as I wrote in a Demerara Waves article last year, that those are the new colonialisms and imperialisms.

Sir Francis Drake never operated under such restraints; and the Chinese did not have the luxury of first refusal, only the bliss of a long opium haze.

Still further, those businesses about increasing and very sensitive cyberattacks (happening in both directions) are for big stakes; those are not board games or covert theorizing, but the struggle for the upper hand, once again, and in a primarily technology-driven world.

Those are not imagined devel o p m e n t s a n d f o r French fries.

To the uninitiated and limited, I tender these exhibits.

They are part of the global apparatus, powered by those letters at the top of the alphabet. I believe that this may help some to appreciate that the world is in another Cold War. May it stay cold.

Sincerely, G.H.K Lall

These actions are ...

From page 5 The Constitution and its processes must be respected by all, and threats to unleash public disorder in pursuit of political ambition must be taken with the seriousness it deserves. One thing is certain, defence of democracy and the rights and prosperity of the citizens of Guyana is not, and has never been the motivations of the architects of the no-confidence motion.

Charandass’ vote was antithetical to democratic principles as is the unbending demand that GECOM rush to elections before all the usual and reasonable safeguards for a credible and free and fair election.

Sincerely, Oscar Dolphin

Kaieteur News

Friday February 08, 2019

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American Airlines tickets and ExxonMobil…

Cost oil must reflect competitiveness – Jagdeo

By Abena RockcliffeCampbell Should there be a change in Government, Guyana would not willingly pay for the charges incurred by ExxonMobil for the use of American Airlines services.

This is as it relates to instances where that airline charges several times the fare of other airlines for the same service.

That is the position of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic Opposition as articulated by its leader, Bharrat Jagdeo. Jagdeo made his party’s position known as he responded to questions yesterday at the weekly press conference held at his Church Street Office.

Jagdeo told the media that “every cent” that the Government of Guyana has to pay, in the cost oil mechanism, must be for services that have been competitively procured.

He said that that is the principle that should be followed by every Government and is definitely the principle that will be held and followed by a People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government.

Jagdeo stressed, “There should not be preferences for individuals or companies.”

The former President acknowledged that there may very well be cases where the principle of competitiveness may have to be set aside.

He said, “There may be occasions where you might not be able to look at competitiveness alone because it may be something of a technical nature, with a specific technology or so. I am talking about if you have to get a company to build an FPSO (Floating Production, Storage and Offloading unit) ; you cannot just give it to anybody because that is a very technical job.”

However, Jagdeo said that the same cannot, by a stretch of an imagination, be applied to airline use.

Jagdeo said that something as basic as air transport “to move people from one destination to another, such

The comparative fare structure of American Airlines and Caribbean Airlines on the same day for a return ticket.

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo services must be competitively procured.”

Last November, US aviation giant, American Airlines, started flights between Guyana and the US, adding the important Miami to Timehri route.

It was widely thought at the time that the coming of flights from one of the biggest airlines in the world would help to bring prices down.

However, the presence of American Airlines has done everything but help to drive prices down.

From all indications, the prices of certain American Airlines tickets are as astronomical as they can get.

And the reason is, American Airlines is targeting mainly employees and others related to the oil exploration operations currently ongoing in Guyana.Guyana as part of its oil profit-sharing arrangement with ExxonMobil for the Stabroek Block is responsible for all oil exploration expenses including those for travel and accommodation.

The travel expenses include the cost of air tickets for the staff of the oil companies.

American Airlines has perhaps the highest ticket prices for travel between Guyana and Miami. In some cases, the cost of a one-way ticket is as much as seven times higher than the cost of tickets to the same destination on other air carriers.For example, a business class round trip flight to Miami via Caribbean Airlines

between February 6 and March 6 cost approximately US$800 on other airlines plying the same route. On American Airlines, the same ticket would cost US$6,059.

Caribbean Airline Economy round trip ticket to the same destination on the same date is US$474. For American Airlines the cost is US$3,179.

The ExxonMobil staff is flown home every 28 days on rotation. Reportedly, American Airlines, which uses an Airbus 319 aircraft with 130 seats, is the main carrier for the oil companies operating in Guyana. Local company Roraima Airways is handling the ground operations on behalf of AA. Last Monday, the price for a one-way economy class ticket from Guyana to Miami from Caribbean Airlines, was US$295. The price for the same ticket from Suriname Airways, on the same route, was US$285. For American Airlines, it was more than double at US$731.

Guyana was handed a pre2015 exploration bill of more than US$800M by ExxonMobil. Later this year, it will be handed another bill for post-oil cost. Those costs include hotel accommodation, air travels, and other miscellaneous expenses.

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Second bomb threat forces UG to cancel classes till Monday

UG’s Turkeyen campus had minimal activities yesterday.

Investigations by the Guyana Police Force [GPF] have found that recent bomb threats made against a number of educational institutions are not only harmless but they are being carried out by individuals who seem bent on disrupting the peace.

But despite this declaration by the Force, the University of Guyana [UG] is not taking the two bomb threats it had in recent days, lightly.

Bomb threats were made against the tertiary institution on two consecutive days this week which forced the institution to announce yesterday that it will postpone its operation until Monday.

The university’s operation was disrupted on Tuesday because of an initial threat. This was followed by another late Wednesday forcing the administration of the institution to cancel its operation for the rest of the week.

On Tuesday after the initial threat, the university in a statement said, “The University of Guyana Turkeyen Campus has been evacuated due to [a] bomb threat that was received at the Alberttown Police Station, Fourth and Albert Streets, Georgetown, at 12:40 h on Tuesday, February 5, 2019.”

“According to Vice-Chancellor Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith, the action was deemed necessary as a precaution, and out of safety concerns for the students and staff members who would use the facility during this time.

“All classes for the rest of the day have been cancelled.

Anyone with information regarding the bomb threat is

encouraged to contact the Safety and Security Officer on 623-9979.”

The university in a statement yesterday said, “All members of the University and all members of the public are advised that the Turkeyen campus will be closed to the public, students and non-essential emergency University personnel for the remainder of this week to enable a comprehensive assessment of the situation following a bomb threat for the second day in succession.”

It continued by revealing that “officers of the Police Force and the Fire Service conducted a thorough search of the campus on Wednesday afternoon. No explosive of any kind or suspicious object was found during this search.”

The statement said that the closure of the campus will enable the Administration, staff and student leaders to review the situation and enhance preventive and responsive measures for such threats.

Given the plans for the extensive scrutiny of the buildings and surrounding areas of the campus, the statement added that “classes and full operations will resume on Monday 11, 2019.”

It is believed that the bomb threat situation is linked to similar threats made at a few city secondary schools, including the privately operated Nations Secondary School, whose Director was recently shot multiple times by an assailant said to be a former student.

Since the threats which

started at the Nations School Police have commenced investigating. In its statement Police said, “Our investigations have revealed so far that students either by themselves or with other persons decided to be mischievous, and endeavored to disrupt the existing peace and calm in society and specifically in the education sector.”

It should be noted, the Police statement added, that the Force through the Commissioner of Police and other dedicated officers, has taken all the necessary actions to date as a responsible organization should in relation to the situation.

To this end, it was noted that the Crime Chief and a team of officers Wednesday evening met with UG Vice Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith, as well as other senior functionaries including the Public Relations Officer, Ms. Paulette Paul, where the prevailing situation was assessed.

“They were advised that the situation arose from misc h i e v o u s students…therefore there is no need for panic or any undue concern,” the Police Force statement added.

Nevertheless, the Force said that it continues to investigate and the arrest and detention of persons is very much imminent. The Force also noted that any further development will be similarly communicated even as it reminded persons to “desist from so disrupting the education sector and by extension the calm society, lest they face arrest and criminal charges.”

There have been lots of calls for young people to be given a greater role in the leadership of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC). But are the young ready to assume a greater leadership role within their parties?

If yesterday’s protests by youth representing the AFC and the APNU are anything to judge by, then these young people are not yet ready for leadership. They need to become more independent in their thinking and not to simply be reflexive in supporting everything that the leadership of their party say and do.

The youth of the AFC and the APNU must not blindly follow their leaders. They should not be lured into believing that house-to houseregistration or a new cycle of registration is necessary for them to be enfranchsised.

Youthful supporters of the APNU and the AFC were part of the protests outside of GECOM yesterday demanding house-to-house registration. They were animated and repeating on old discredited jingle about their vote being counted.

These young people were essentially calling for houseto-house registration, without which they believe many of them would be left off the list of electors and therefore be ineligible to vote. This is pure hogwash and shows their misunderstanding of the national registration system.

Since 2005, legislation was passed to allow for continuous registration. This was supported by all the political parties in parliament at the time. It means that once you attain the age of 14 years, you

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Friday February 08, 2019

can go and be registered during the cycles of registration.

By virtue of that registration, your name and biographic details are on record and will be issued with a national identification card.

Whenever afterwards you attain the age of eligibility for voting, which is 18 years of age, your name will automatically be extracted from the national registration roll and become part of the list of electors. So there is no need for you to register again to be eligible to vote.

The APNU, the AFC and the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) contested the November 12 local government elections and did not complain about young people being left off the list. The only problem with those elections was the military vote and the blame for the hiccups was laid at the administration of the GDF for not advising GECOM of the transfers of ranks from one base and location to the other. But otherwise there were no major problems with persons being disenfranchised.

Suddenly, the young people with the APNU and the AFC are toeing the line of their leaders that without house-to- house registration, they will be disenfranchised.

This is pure nonsense.

The young people would have been eligible for registration since the age of 14.

Those who have since reached the age of registration will be added automatically to the list of electors.

There is no need for a new registration.

But if per chance their names do not appear on the list of electors, then they can still have their names inserted

during the claims period just before the elections. The protests yesterday which called for registration so that young people can vote were therefore misguided.

Judging from the enthusi-

asm of the protests, it may be too premature to place leadership in the hands of those young people. If based on a false premise, they can blindly follow their leaders, then they really should not be

trusted with leadership responsibility.

Sad as it is, they have not yet demonstrated that they are politically matured to undertake such an important role.

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Friday February 08, 2019

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Guyana: Civilization and death

T

here are some con cerned souls cur rently picketing the Ministry of Health over unnecessary deaths in the public health system. In a dead country that Guyana is, we have to show appreciation for these people.

A placard is the scariest thing in Guyana. People are more afraid to hold a placard in a protest than hide from Godzilla if he is terrorizing Georgetown.

These brave protestors remind me of how dead this country is. I read a letter in yesterday’s Kaieteur News in which the writer says he is a trained Guyanese lawyer living in the UK and went on to state his legal qualities; then cowardice stepped in. After using pungent language to criticize Minister Ramjattan, he sought refuge in anonymity.

This is the kind of dilapidated psyche that has characterized this country the past forty years.

I assume that this UK based lawyer is afraid to identify himself because when he visits Guyana, uniformed men with long guns will arrest him at the airport and bury him alive in Le Repentir. Or maybe he is afraid that Brexiters in the UK may recognize him as a pro EU supporter and try to deport him.

He isn’t afraid though to tongue-lash Ramjattan. Trust Guyanese to be stupid people.

And the stupidities never stop. So there is huge outcry about three unnecessary baby deaths in the public health system. And may I ask when we discovered such atrocities? Only when we knew the babies died two weeks ago.

Not two years, not four years, not ten years but for more than twenty years there have been tragic losses of life in the public health system some of which are even more horrible than those three babies. And where were the voices, the letter-writers and

the picketers?A ten-year-old Charlestown student was kicked in her stomach at school in 2017. She went to the Georgetown Public Hospital, given pain tablets and sent away. She died the next day from internal bleeding. A doctor that was hopelessly incompetent was never charged for manslaughter.

Maybe there was no picket line for this little girl because she was from an unemployed family from a depressed area.

The poor and powerless are still treated with caste contempt even though the “great” Rupert Roopnaraine and Clive Thomas who attempted to overthrow the working class government of Forbes Burnham are now in power.

What is wrong with the collective psyche of this nation? An 18-year-old left Guyana for Suriname through the beach at Springlands and was jailed for 18 months by a Berbice magistrate for illegal departure.

Two days ago a young woman went to Suriname, returned to Guyana on that same beach. She was charged for illegal entry. Please note; illegal entry into her own country. The law says if you

leave Guyana you must return through a legal port of entry.

But couldn’t the police give her a warning. Or did she refuse to give the police what they wanted as with the youth from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure?

They found him with $60,000 in front of a brothel.

He refused to give them his money. So they charged him with possession of three grams of ganja. He spent three nights in the lockups, (Friday, Saturday, Sunday; I thank attorney Patrice Henry for taking the case for me).

What is wrong with the collective psyche of this nation? When deaths were occurring in the public health system, ten years ago, if we had taken to the streets and demanded those incompetent doctors face a judge and jury

maybe those three babies would not have died. Society has not protested the insanities in the public health system that have dominated the reign of the PPP and have continued under the APNU+AFC regime.

And the reason lies deep in our class system. Poor people are indispensible.

They go to Georgetown Public Hospital and the community hospitals, they die; who cares? They don’t have status for society to recognize them.

It is the same with the NIS, the City Engineer, GWI, Central Housing and Planning Authority, GPL, the police etc.

Once you do not have status and wealth, you will not get immediate attention.

In a forthcoming column I will relate a painful experience

Frederick Kissoon of a GWI customer over the West Coast. If I hadn’t intervened, the man and his family would have been without water for days due no fault of his. I have to write on that one.

I do these things hoping the protestors, demonstrators and picketers would come to the rescue of the poor and powerless. But when a nation’s collective psyche no longer exists, what do you expect?

DEM BOYS SEH

Guyana got a TV reporter who does blackmail people People does tek some things fuh joke but when de hammer fall is then dem does holler. Reporters does be people who know everybody story.

Dem does talk name, and dem does spy pun people.

Dem does get news bout people and call dem same people fuh ask dem wha dem want de reporter do.

Dem got a reporter who is an extortionist. Dem boys hearing some story but dem don’t want to believe.

Dem boys know a gyal who seh she get rape. She carry de story to this reporter who approach de man who dem seh do de rape and tell de man that de woman pre-

pare to settle.

De man feel relieved. He decide to offer money. De reporter and de woman tell de man that dem would settle fuh couple million dollars.

De woman go and mek statement how she don’t want de story to continue in de court.

De man pay. De reporter tek nearly half and give de woman de rest. Greed is a bad thing. De money done.

But de man mek a mistake; he didn’t collect a receipt fuh de money he give dem. Now de reporter and de woman decide that dem want more money.

That is wheh de trouble deh. De man don’t have de

money. He never had. He had to borrow.

Now de woman tekking advice from de reporter and threatening de man to withdraw de statements she give if she don’t g e t m o r e money.De man belly griping again. He did spend couple morning in jail on remand. Now he thinking about going back because he don’t wha more he got to do to avoid dem boys in jail, a second time around.

And all because of a TV reporter who dem boys gun name tomorrow.

Talk half and wait fuh nuff more story bout this reporter.

Friday February 08, 2019

Kaieteur News

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APNU supporters picket Linden’s GECOM office ...says no registration no election The demonstration at the GECOM office, Linden yesterday.

S

everal APNU sup porters yesterday took to the streets to picket the Linden GECOM office on Republic Avenue.

Defying the scorching midday sun, the protesters chanted “No registration, no election!

The placard bearing protesters drew attention to the issue of persons, especially youths, who would be denied the opportunity to vote, if new registration is not done.

APNU Party Chairman, Jermaine Figuiera, in an invited comment, said that house-to-house registration is of paramount importance and should be a priority.

“This very exercise is being done in the Capital City by the Government and supporters....We are of the firm conviction that house-tohouse registration should be paramount before this elections.

“It is due every seven years. It was an agreement by the Commission for houseto-house registration to be done, and that had not been done when the seventh year passed... and I believe we’re in the ninth

year.”

Figuiera added that this year’s budget would have catered for house-to-house registration, and that when the motion was tabled in the House, the opposition did not object to the amount of money that was allocated for it.

He further expressed the belief that the present voters’ list is somewhat “tainted,’ as many persons names that are

still on the list have died— some for over ten years.... And on top of that, some persons that are now eligible, their names are not on the list.

Figuiera further emphasized that the budget catered for house-to-house registration, the opposition should respect that, and let GECOM do their job, as there is money allocated to facilitate same.

“It’s only six months, so why deny the youthful popu-

lation, who are the majority of the voting demographic, the opportunity to exercise their franchise?

We are saying that house-to-house registration provides the opportunity for all Guyanese who are of voting age, to be given the opportunity to exercise their franchise!”

Trade unionist, Leslie Gonsalez, said that the issue is more than the no confi-

dence vote, “It is the issue of house to house registration.

We are saying that if you’re talking free and fair elections, there must be house-to-house registration!”

Gonzalez also alluded to the issue of dead persons’ names still being on the list.

He said that if there is no new registration, then room would be left for corruption.

Henry Marks noted, “We

need everybody to get a chance to vote, and in order for that to happen, we need house-to-house!”

Several other youths who participated in the vociferous protest, under the watchful eyes of police ranks, also reiterated the call for house-tohouse registration.

They stressed that by so doing, they will be afforded the opportunity to vote, some of them for the first time.

Friday February 08, 2019

Container of liquor stopped in nick of time

Investigations into an attempt to evade the state of millions in taxes from a shipment of high-end alcohol is continuing.

Officials of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) yesterday continued their investigations at a city wharf into a container filled with undeclared liquor.

GRA’s officials remained tight-lipped yesterday with Commissioner-General Godfrey Statia unavailable for an update.

At the Guyana National Industrial Company (GNIC) wharf, Lombard Street, the container was reportedly on a lock-down with GRA staffers business tallying up the find.

It had been incorrectly reportedly yesterday that the

seizure occurred at the Guyana National Shipping Corporation.

It was not packed in the normal manner that liquor is packed. Rather, it was stashed, a source said.

The seizure reportedly occurred Wednesday.

From all indications, the container which was declared as including other items, was set to leave the GNIC wharf Wednesday when a routine check by a Customs officer unearthed the stash.

The 3,000-plus bottles included Absolut Vodka, Hennessy Cognac and

Johnny Walker Whiskey.

The seizure was valued at some $13M. It is suspected that collusion took place in the transaction.

GRA has been tightening up on smuggling and tax evasion with an ongoing clampdown netting billions of dollars that would have been lost otherwise.

The high-end vodka would likely have been headed for top night spots.

With regards to alcohol and fuel, GRA has introduced a special stamping system which is used to show that taxes have been paid.

Manslaughter convict kills labourer over taunts Released from prison just last November after killing a woman, 33-year-old Paul Charles is now on the run after allegedly stabbing a labourer to death at Foulmouth Village, Essequibo River. The victim, 32-year-old Cedric Williams, is reportedly related to the female that Charles killed some nine years ago.

Police allege that Charles, who is from Foulmouth, Essequibo, killed Williams shortly after midnight yesterday during an argument.

According to reports, Williams, Charles, and Charles’s sister were imbibing ‘High Wine’ at the Foulmouth landing when an argument erupted between Williams and

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Charles over the suspect’s conviction for the death of a woman.

Police said the suspect became annoyed and stabbed Williams in the neck with a knife. He then fled.

Williams was taken to the Bartica Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The fugitive was just 23 when he was charged for murdering Patricia Williams, a female boat operator, whose body was found floating in Essequibo River in late 2009.

The killing was said to be an act of revenge.

He was subsequently convicted for manslaughter and served a ten-year sentence.

Wanted: Paul Charles, as he looked back in 2009

N/A hospital CEO removed from “temporary” position - new mortuary to be built

By Malisa Playter Harry After a series of complaints and protests against the management of the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, a decision was made to sever ties with the current temporary Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Samantha Kennedy.

This decision to remove her was taken following an emergency meeting with health officials from Georgetown and regional officials.

Dr. Kennedy was serving at the institution since October 2018 and it is understood that she was given the opportunity to take control, temporarily.

Director of Region Six health services, Jevaughn Stephens, yesterday confirmed to the media, that she was in a temporary position. However, in previous interviews he had failed to mention that the CEO was temporarily placed at the hospital.

Kaieteur News was told by the Director that Dr. Kennedy was placed to occupy the position until a qualified and experienced person was identified to head the institution.

Chief Executive Officer (ag), Dr. Samantha Kennedy According to PPP/C councilor, Zamal Hussain, who presented the health report to the RDC statutory meeting yesterday, the meeting was held on Wednesday between the Permanent Secretary, Ms. Collins; Director of Health Services, Ms. Shako; a representative from the Ministry of Communities and regional officials where “important decisions were made”.

He added, “They will be having a new CEO of the New Amsterdam Hospital based on the information that I have received from the permanent secretary”.

While he confirmed that he was informed that it was a temporary measure put in place, “the CEO failed immediately”. Hussain added that at the meeting the Permanent Secretary informed the health (Continued on page 14)

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Friday February 08, 2019

Absenting Coalition councillors booted from Region Six RDC Two seats that were occupied by A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) members were yesterday declared vacant by the Regional Chairman, David Armogan, in association with the entire council. The decision was made following their extended absenteeism from the council at statutory meetings for more than six months.

Booted were Councillor Koushal Goberdan, representing the Black Bush Polder, and Councillor Janet Samuels.

Regional Chairman David Armogan told the media after the statutory meeting that the rules clearly stipulate that if a councillor is absent for three consecutive meetings without reasonable excuse then the seats ultimately can be declared vacant, paving the way for new councillors to fill the spot.

Armogan explained that both Samuels and Goberdan over the last six months, were absent consistently without excuse. “We have not heard from them; no excuse from them and so this (yesterday) we had to take a conscious decision at the level of the council to declare their seats vacant so that the coalition can be able to replace them with persons that are willing

to work with the council and who are willing to represent the interest of the people.”

He stressed that it is unfair to have a councillor not showing up for meetings but collecting the monthly stipend. Armogan asserted that the councillor must be present to represent matters that are affecting the residents.

This, he said “are the duties and responsibilities of all councilors.”

The Chairman further explained that the next step moving forward will be to advise the REO Kim Stephens to write GECOM since the councillors were selected from a list of candidates submitted to GECOM by the party.

The GECOM’s CEO will then be informed of the vacancies that currently exist within the RDC. A written correspondence will be sent to the parties involved in the coalition government to inform that the seats have been vacated.

Two councillors from the list of councillors will then be chosen to fill the spots.

Meanwhile, Regional Representative to the Prime Minister Gobin Harbhajan opined that RDC is considered a “mini parliament” and thus “it is sad what happened (yesterday)

The two empty seats yesterday next to Councillor Gobin Harbjhajan where two of the seats from our side were declared vacant.”

He added that there were indications that Councillor Koushal Goberdan had migrated to the USA and had authorized persons to uplift his stipend.

Harbhajan said, “As an RDC Councillor I feel that we need to fill these seats as soon as possible as the opposition side has 19 seats and we have only 11 seats. By losing two

we are left with nine, which is a blow.

I know for sure that the APNU+AFC has lots of capable people in the region who can fill the seats and who will make the commitment to serve their region with high standard. As an APNU+AFC Councillor I urge my fellow councillors to attend all the meetings because we are put

there to serve the people and push the government developments programs and agenda, this region has a large budget and many RDC/ committee meetings counselors been absenting from both sides and it’s very difficult for a few counselors to make decisions when it comes to health, agriculture, education, finance and works committees

all councillors have an obligation to play their part.”

The regional representative related that the Regional Chairman and the REO have sent a strong message, one which he fully supports.

It is his belief that in an effort to see development in the region all councillors must be involved and show interest.

N/A hospital CEO removed from “temporary” position - new mortuary to be built The New Amsterdam Hospital, Region 6

From page 13 committee that somewhere should be located to facilitate a new mortuary. She also asked to include in the 2020 budget “a set of freezers to fill the building to have a new mortuary”.

He asked the RDC to consider the recommendation in their new proposal for the next budget. The councillor added that works are in progress to have the A&E unit separated from the outpatient. He noted that those were among the demands on the picket line

a few days ago.

“I notice when you do picketing you get immediate response because I was surprised to see the number of personnel that came down from Georgetown to ensure that we fix these issues.”

Meanwhile, the Director confirmed to this publication that the mortuary which is still down, will be moved to another location in the said hospital compound since it has become a concern for health officials. It is currently located near the A&E Unit.

Stephens said, “We are searching for a new location because I think the complaint right now is that it is too close to the A&E and waiting area.

It is also close to the kitchen.

We are considering having it at the back but that is another concern since it would be a longer route.”

He also explained that in the meantime while the new mortuary will be built, the current one which is down is being rehabilitated. Some electrical work is still left to be done. Stephens assured that “by Monday it will be up and running”.

Friday February 08, 2019

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CANU officer testifies in trial of women charged with aiding, trafficking cocaine probe (screwdriver) in the presence of Barrow.

The witness told the court that after probing the suitcase she observed a whitish substance on the probe.

She explained to Barrow that a field test will have to be conducted to ascertain if the whitish substance in the suitcase was cocaine.

A field test was then conducted in Barrow’s presence which revealed that the whitish substance was indeed

CHARGED Shellon Barrow and Christine Griffith The trial involving two women who are charged with trafficking and aiding with the trafficking of cocaine, yesterday continued in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

It is alleged that on September 15, 2018 Shellon Barrow, 35, of 35 Victoria Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, had in her possession 1.638 kilograms of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri.

It was further alleged that Christine Griffith, 37, of Pike Street, Kitty, between September 14 and September 15, 2018 at the Sunset Hotel, Georgetown, delivered the suitcase containing the illicit drug to Barrow.

Both women pleaded not guilty to the charge on their first court appearance and have since

been on remand for the offence.

Yesterday, when the matter was called in the courtroom of Senior Magistrate Faith McGusty, a Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) officer went into the witness box where she told the court the role she played in the investigation.

The officer told the court she is stationed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) as the supervisor in charge.

She added that around 00:29 hrs she was performing duties at the airport at the baggage checkin scanner for Fly Jamaica flight OJ262 destined for JFK International.

It was then she saw Barrow approaching the scanner with a suitcase. She instructed her to place her suitcase onto the baggage scanner. While the suitcase was on the scanner, the officer

was looking at the monitor and she observed two square objects inside the suitcase.

The officer added that based on her suspicion she requested further examinations be conducted on the suitcase, hence it was pulled off the scanner.

The officer then took possession of Barrow passport.

The court heard the suitcase was then placed on a search table for examination. During the examination a quantity of clothing, soaps and sanitary napkins were removed from inside the suitcase in Barrow presence.

The empty suitcase was then placed on the scanner for the second time; however, the two square objects were still seen on the monitor.

This observation forced the officer to puncture inside the back wall of the suitcase using a

cocaine. The officer went on to tell the court that after the whitish substance tested positive for cocaine, she showed it to Barrow, then cautioned her in accordance to the judge’s rule. She said that Barrow immediately blurted “ I buy the suitcase from a woman and I pay $3,500.”

She was then arrested and taken into custody, and charged for the offence.

According to information, on the day in question, Barrow

was intercepted while attempting to board a flight with the suspected cocaine concealed in a false wall of her hard cover suitcase.

While in custody, she implicated Griffith telling the CANU officers that she was given the drugs by her. The court heard that there is a video footage from the hotel showing the drop off between Griffith and Barrow.

The matter is being prosecuted by CANU Prosecutor, Konyo Sandiford.

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Kaieteur News

Guyana’s problem is that it aspires to be where Trinidad is tomorrow - Exxon’s Rod Henson tells conference in T&T

By Kiana Wilburg Guyana is on the verge of becoming a significant player in the international oil and gas industry. But it faces a number of challenges as it moves to develop systems and capabilities to handle the quite technical sector.

According to Rod Henson, Country Manager for ExxonMobil’s subsidiary here, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), one of the issues facing the country is that it wants to be where Trinidad is “tomorrow” without considering what it took for the CARICOM sister to get where it is.

Henson made these and other remarks at the recently concluded, Energy Conference and Trade show of Trinidad and Tobago. The

three-day event was held at the Hyatt Hotel and was organized by TT’s Energy Chamber, a not for profit, independent, a-political membership organization representative of the major petrochemical companies there.

At the event, Henson provided an update on ExxonMobil’s operations offshore Guyana. He also boasted to the stakeholders present of the work his company and its contractors are doing in the area of local content.

The Country Manager said, “Lastly, I wanted to touch a little bit on local content. Very proud of what we and our contractors have done in the area of local content. Trinidad has a long and mature oil and gas industry…

Guyana is early in the journey,

very early but moving along.

“The challenge has been that, Guyana looks to Trinidad and it aspires to be where Trinidad is or it aspires to be there tomorrow. Without considering that it has taken Trinidad decades to reach this level…”

Even though Henson is proud of his company’s local content efforts, it has been under scrutiny and even attracted much criticism for what it deems to be “local content.”

It was in June 2018 that ExxonMobil provided the Government of Guyana with a list of companies that it used as part of its local content obligations in the first quarter of 2018.

But the list of “registered companies” is padded with the names of 41 individuals;

Two feared drowned in Hogg Island boat mishap Police were up to late yesterday scouring the Essequibo River for the bodies of two farmers who are feared drowned on Wednesday following a boat mishap near Hogg Island.

The missing men are Ravie Chutie, 50, of Eastern Hogg Island; and Ozard Russell, 56, of Aliki, Essequibo River.

A release stated that the men, along with Chutie’s wife, Janet Robinson, had left the Hogg Island koker and were heading home in a wooden vessel, powered by a 15-horsepower engine, when the mishap occurred.

Prior to the mishap, the two men were reportedly imbibing from a large bottle of ‘brown rum.’

Janet Robinson has told police that they were travelling in the ‘channel area’ in rough water when her spouse, Ravie, fell overboard.

Russell then jumped in to save his friend but both men disappeared below the surface.

The woman claimed that the vessel drifted to the eastern Hogg Island foreshore. She alerted residents who searched the area without locating the missing men.

these include Dennis Charran, Mokesh Daby, Colin Daniels, Colvin Lockhart, Kembleton Clyne, Kurt Branker, Ramesh Seebarran, Ganesh Ajodha, Gary De Jesus, and Stan Gouveia.

It also duplicates the name of Ram and McRae, an accounting firm. It is listed as Ram & Mcrae and three spaces later in the document as Rams and McRae. Speaking with Kaieteur News on the matter, two international local content experts said, “The number of companies used by (Continued on page 28)

Esso’s Country Manager, Rod Henson

Shooting death at Subryanville hotel

Six witnesses remain in murder PI Special Prosecutor, Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd, who was assigned by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), is expected to call six remaining witnesses to testify in the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder of the man who was allegedly shot by the owner of the Subryanville hotel last August.

Forty-five-year-old Erwin Bacchus, of Fifth Avenue, Subryanville, is currently on remand for the offence.

Bacchus was not required to plead to the indictable offence which stated that on August 4, last, he murdered Jason De Florimonte.

The PI into the murder is being heard by Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman in the Providence Magistrates’ Courts.

The PI which was initially

being conducted in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts was transferred to the Providence Magistrates’ Courts after Magistrate Latchman was transferred to that court on January 1, 2019.

The six remaining witnesses are all expected to testify today when the matter is called.

However the Special Prosecutor noted that some of the witnesses are not showing up in court when the matter is called.

The move to assign a Special Prosecutor instead of a Police Prosecutor came after De Florimonte’s relatives complained to the Police Complaints Authority and the Crime Chief about several alleged discrepancies involving the manner in which the case was being handled by

the police.

Bacchus is being represented by Attorneys-at-law, Glenn Hanoman and Nigel Hughes.

The lawyers are contending that their client was trying to defend himself after he was attacked by De Florimonte who was at the time allegedly armed with a knife and a rolling pin.

However, police state that on the day in question, around 01:00 hrs, De Florimonte was seen abusing a female and the handyman went to part them. Soon after, an argument ensued between them.

According to information, an autopsy conducted on 30year-old De Florimonte, of 96 Fifth Avenue Subryanville, revealed that he was shot three times about his body.

Friday February 08, 2019

Kaieteur News

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Friday February 08, 2019

February session of the Berbice criminal court opens ‌67 listed to stand trial

T

he February 2019 Criminal Session of the Berbice Assizes opened on Tuesday with the ceremonial parade in front of the Berbice High Court, Es planad e and Vr y h e i d R o a d N e w Amsterdam, Berbice.

The police contingent from B Division was led by Assistant Superintendent Elton Davidson. Chief Inspector Michael Newland was the parade Inspector.

Led by the Drum Corps the parade marched off from Police headquarters at Coburg Street and Strand and proceeded along Strand New Amsterdam to the High Court.

The salute and inspection was taken by Justice Brassington Reynolds who is presiding in the February Criminal sessions of the Berbice High Court. Justice Fidela Corbin is presiding over the civil court in Berbice.

They were escorted by

Divisional Commander of Police B Division, Assistant Commissioner Paul Langevine.

A number of other senior ranks accompanied the parade on the way.

There are 67 persons listed to stand trial, among them are two females for murder. Seven persons have signaled their intention to plead to the lesser count of manslaughter.

There are 58 males and two females listed to stand trial for murder, four for attempted murder, one for sexual penetration of a minor, one for rape and one for unlawful malicious wounding.

One person is in jail awaiting trial for over five years while two are in the prison awaiting trial for four years. Of those in the prison awaiting trial for murder, ten are between the ages of 17 and 20-years-old.

The first case to be called (continued on page 22)

Friday February 08, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 19

Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

Friday February 08, 2019

'NO REGISTRATION, NO ELECTION' - APNU+AFC pickets GECOM

…but PPP insists on elections by March

APNU+AFC supporters in front of GECOM

A

b o u t 3 0 0 members and supporters of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition took to the streets, yesterday, in a peaceful picketing exercise along Main and High Streets, Georgetown,

to urge the Guyana Elections Commission to do their job.

Many of their placards read “NO REGISTRATION, NO ELECTION'.

The primary motivator for the picketing exercise, as explained by Kenny Valladares, a representative of the AFC youth arm,

Youths for Change (YFC), was to show that people want GECOM to execute its mandate without being bullied by the People's Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C).

Valladares maintained, yesterday, that the group has no demands for the Elections

Commission, because it is not the collective's place to make demands of a Constitutional body; that the body should be allowed to do its job.

Specifically advocated for by the group is time for the Commission to carry out House-to-House registration before General Elections take place, as funds have already been set aside for that purpose, in the 2019 budget.

Valladares said that

young people who are eligible but not yet on the list, should be given their chance to execute their constitutional right to vote.

“To the PPP, we say 'Voters elect politicians.

Politicians don't select voters'”.

He said that the Constitution paves the way for an extension, of the 90day deadline, to be given by a two-thirds vote of the National Assembly. This would require PPP-aligned

MPs to consent to such an extension, giving GECOM time to prepare itself, even if it does not execute House-toHouse registration.

The Commission Chairman, Keith Lowenfield, said the earliest possible date for General Elections would be some time in July.

However, Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, addressing this issue in his press conference yesterday, (continued on page 22)

Friday February 08, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 21

PAGE 22

Kaieteur News

Friday February 08, 2019

'NO REGISTRATION, NO ELECTION' From page 20 said that the PPP will not extend the life of the government. The reason for such refusal, he said, is that the government took 18 days after the passing of the No Confidence Motion to have a meeting with the Opposition, and that this indicates an unwillingness to abide by the dictates of the Constitution.

Representative of the collective's Women's Arm, Cynthia Rutherford, said that the group respects the Chief Justice ruling on the December 21 vote by the National Assembly, but that democracy is underscored by the doctrine of the separation of powers.

It is in this regard that the collective is lending its support to the government, to exhaust the legal options available, right up to the Caribbean Court of Justice. Even with these proceedings, Rutherford said that the group is in preparation mode for elections, and will support whatever arrangement GECOM comes up with.

Participating in the picketing exercise was Georgetown Mayor, Yubraj Narine, and Ministers Simona Broomes, Annette Ferguson, Ronald Bulkan and Khemraj Ramjattan. Ramjattan reiterated his calls for a chance for new voters to be registered, as well as a cleansing of deceased Guyanese from the list.

He further said that persons who have moved from one place of residence to another should also be given a chance to change their address, lest they be made to travel long distances on Election Day, just to cast their vote.

In his press conference yesterday, Jagdeo said that the size of the picketing exercise by coalition members and supporters is not enough to deceive the Guyanese people into allowing the March 19 deadline to be frustrated. He said that the APNU+AFC government is seeking to lead the country in a constitutional crisis. “There is no stopping the clock,� he added.

February session...

From page 18 was that of Wilbert Alphonso, 38, of Rose Hall Town, Corentyne who is on two charges of rape, one for rape of a girl under the age of 16 and another for sexual penetration of a girl under the age of sixteen.

The acts were allegedly committed between July and October 2016. Attorney at law Charlene Artiga is representing Alphonso while attorney at law Mondale Moore is appearing for the state. When the matter was called Alphonso pleaded not guilty.

Friday February 08, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 23

Registration for Pulse Ent.'s Guyana Carnival now open for Orinduik Section registration now open I

“Liza, The Queen" Costume

R

egistration is now open for P u l s e Entertainment's Orinduik Section which was designed by Richard and Anthony. The Orinduik costume is said to be the embodiment of passion, love and strength. Only a deposit of US$150 is required for this unique creation.

To see the array of costumes for the various sections, be sure to head down to their showroom at Fashion Line Boutique on South Road.

Pulse notes that there are affordable packages for everyone! You can also visit their website at: https://www.guyanacarni val592.com/pulse/ for more information or call them on 227-0554.

US$520 Costume: ORINDUIK Section: FRONTLINE BODY ONLY >CROWN >COLLAR >HAND PIECES

Wine of the Week …

The B&G Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

W

hen wine enthusiasts Thomas Barton and Daniel Guestier joined forces to make their own creation, they had a vision: firmly establish the reputation of French wines around the world. And they did so effortlessly

>LEG PIECES Designed by: Richard & Anthony Marketed by:Pulse Entertainment Contact: pulsecarnivalband@gmail.com with the bold and gorgeously full-bodied taste of the B&G Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

In fact, the duo was the first to offer the great French wines under one name. Their pioneering spirit, winemaking expertise, and passion remain in each bottle that is produced. Today, Laurent Prada, B&G's Head Winemaker, and his team work daily in partnership with almost 50 winegrowers in Languedoc, Gascony, and Corsica to offer its followers a collection of highly distinctive

t's definitely that time of the year again, the wait is over!

Guyana Carnival is now open for registration with just a deposit of $150 USD. According to organizers, Hits and Jams, online enrolling as well as in house registration will be available. To register online visit www.guyanacarnival 592.com where you select the “Bands” option to view all costumes and select your choice.

T h i s automatically leads to the creation of your own account. You can also visit their office located at 206 Lance Gibbs Street, Queenstown where you can have a glimpse of the costumes offered, then make your deposit. The deadline for registration ends on March 15, 2019.

Revellers will enjoy the benefits of an all inclusive, international standard road experience.

Registered patrons will receive a

modern varietal wines thanks to the use of innovative vinification techniques.

TASTE AND PAIRING Sourced from the Languedoc region where the sunny Mediterranean climate produces rich and fruity wines, the B&G Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has ripe black fruit aromas (blackcurrant, blackberry) with flattering toasty and spicy notes when agitated.

It also round and smooth on the palate

costume, goodie bag, lunch, free premium drinks and security all day while masquerading through the streets to some of the most versatile and renowned Deejays.

Guyana Carnival is slated for May 17th 27th, 2019 where there will be a combination of boat rides, breakfast parties, cooler fetes, j'ouverts, day tours and a grand Independence Day costume parade set for May 26th. with velvety tannins that are sure to give you moments of ultimate satisfaction with every sip. There is even a long fruity aftertaste with notes of vanilla and licorice to look forward to. It is excellent for pairing with red meats, pasta, spicy dishes, and cheese.

The B&G Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon can be found at the Wine Vault located at the Marriott Hotel for $6800 VAT inclusive.

You can also find it at the Hibiscus Restaurant, Nice Restaurant and Bar, Palm Court and other leading hotels and bars.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 24

17

Friday February 08, 2019

a c o S b i Car w o r r o

to vie for spot in

m o t h c r a Mon S

eventeen talented local artistes will be competing tomorrow night in the semifinal leg of the Carib Soca Monarch scheduled to be held in Linden. Three contestants will be eliminated at that round. On February 16, the 14 finalists will head to the National Park and will be

1. ERNESTA 'NESTA' NELSON BEATING PALM (ON SHE BAM BAM)

joined by reigning monarch Brandon Harding to compete for the coveted title. The 2019 monarch will walk away with $1.5M, a trophy and bragging rights for the rest of the year.

In the meantime, get familiar with the faces of the fabulous 17 set to compete in the competition.

1

5

3 2 4

2. EUCLID SAMUELS ARROWHEAD STAND TALL 3. JUMO 'RUBBER WAIST' PRIMO – TRIBUTE

7

6

8

4. KEMPTON 'MAGA DAN' RICHARDS & KENTON 'KR' RICHARDS – JAM 5. MELISSA 'MS FINESSE' PESTANO - I DON'T WATCH FACE 6. MELISSA 'VANILLA ROBERTS - ONE VOICE

9

10

11

12

7. ALISHA 'SASHA MELODY' HAMID – JAMMIN 8 CLIFTON 'PASSION' ADOLPHUS - MISS JOUVERT 9. COLLIS 'REAL PROOF' MC DONALD - PUSH BACK

15

13

10. COLWIN 'LIL COLWIN' BLAIR - FULL ACCESS

14

11. ONASSIS 'RYAN T' CROCKER - WAAN FEEL THE VIBES 12. OSBERT 'VINTAGE' CAIN SOCA KING 13. QUINCY BOYCE - COME TO BADDA BUMPA

16. SHERWIN 'NATURAL ONE' ROSE - CAT & DOG

14. RODERICK 'STATIC' ALLICOCK - ALL OUT

17. STEPHEN RAMPHAL - THE VIBE

15. SHAIMA 'SEXY BERRY' MUNA - NA TIRED YET

17

16

Kaieteur News

Steven Ramphal: A rising star in Guyana's Chutney/Soca Industry S

WHATZ

teven Ramphal is a young man with a passion for music and photography. He lives on the East Coast of Demerara and is considered to be one of the most energetic performers in the local Chutney/Soca industry.

He started singing at age seven for which he took training from his uncle and then moved to the main stage at age 19 where he front-lined for one of the most popular bands in Guyana, the Shakti Strings International Band. Ramphal was also signed to the band recording studio as well.

The rising star even recorded his first hit single "Gyul Please Go" which received raving reviews locally and regionally and also topped the charts in Guyana. Ramphal has since recoded multiple singles which are highly recognized in the chutney industry in Guyana.

But in 2017, Ramphal placed his music aside and picked up his long awaited dream of being a photographer. He is also recognized for his talent in this area.

For two years, Ramphal has been out of the industry but its 2019 and he is back with a bang.

Ramphal is has returned to the industry with two massive singles all recorded in the Shakti Strings International Studio. One is a Soca track called "Soca in meh vein" and a chutney track called "Rang ke bhare".

Both are set for release this month.

During his interview with Kaieteur Entertainment, the young performer clearly stated that this is only the beginning and he has lots more in store for the chutney/soca and soca industry. Stay tuned!

HOTTT this weekend!!!

704 Sports Bar presents Build Your Bucket every Wednesday and Friday At the 704 Sports Bar, there will always be an opportunity to evolve your choices. And every Wednesday and Friday, party-goers will get a chance to build their bucket. This interesting concept allows you to pick any combination of six beers to Build Your Bucket (BYB) and get it at a special price.

This offer is available from 5pm to 7pm!

See you there.

Aura Bar and Lounge at Pegasus Hotel pres. club night Saturdays Every Saturday, the Management at Aura will be providing an ambiance filled with quality service, delicious food and great music. Every Saturday should be a party to remember and the Aura is determined to give you that experience. The Lounge will be open from 8pm. Music will be provided

by Guyana's most popular DJs. For reservations, you can make contact with management on : 225-2853 or 600-6912.

It's Heineken Fridays at 704 Sports Bar If you are a die-hard fan of the Heineken brand then 704 Sports Bar is where you need to be this and every Friday.

According to management, fans can get six Heinekens for just $2800 between 7pm and 9pm. Be sure to take advantage of this offer guys!

Escape the after work traffic today at Palm Court As the Great Caribbean Singer, Father Fox says, "Who does go to work on a Thursday or even a Friday?" Well, unfortunately, most of us do! But that shouldn't stop you from "ducking" every once in a while when the pressure seems too much and you desire to have a little fun.

Every Friday, one of Guyana's number one entertainment spots, Palm Court will be offering a light celebration called "Escape the after work traffic.

The event gets started from 4:00pm to 7:00pm so see you there.

704 to host Rooftop Romance on February 14 This Valentine's night, show that special person just how much you love them. Make it a night to remember with great music, food and a romantic ambience under the stars at the 704 Sky-Lounge. Their event called Rooftop Romance will surely make you fall in love all over again with a candlelit Valentine's dinner overlooking the

beautiful garden city. You will be able to indulge in a three course dinner accompanied by a complimentary glass of white or red wine. Dinner will be served from 7pm. Tickets costs $15,000 per couple and are available at the 704 Sports Bar or call 658-4455, 223-5273-4, 225-0220 to reserve your table now.

PAGE 25

Entertainment POLICE

E P Barbados' Sweet Soca Monarch Lil Rick to headline Stag Stage 7 THE

Friday February 08, 2019

- The Ultimate J'ouvert Experience

S

tag Stage 7 is going to be nothing short of an extraordinary J'ouvert experience, as organizers of the event, Ansa McAL, have billed Barbados' Sweet Soca Monarch, Lil Rick. This exhilarating performer will be accompanied by some of our most talented local performers. They include: Brandon Harding, Kwasi Ace, and Big Red backed by the Heat Wave Band, among others.

Last year, the experience was invigorating, electrifying, and simply amazing. This year, you can expect to be taken to new heights.

The event is one which promises to bring more water, more colourful powder, more

704 T

he legenda ry Destiny's Child famously said, “Ladies it ain't easy being independent.�

And at 704, the management and staff understand just how hard the ladies work to take care of themselves hence the reason this unique establishment is inviting all ladies to head on over to the 704 bar to indulge in their simply tantalizing Destresser

paint, more smashing hits for the beloved waistline pelters and of course, and stag beer all night long come February 22. It is going to be a wicked, wet and wild link up at the National Park Tarmac, Thomas Lands, Georgetown.

Tickets are only available through promotions at various bars and supermarkets around the country. Continue to check the Face book page: Stag beer Guyana for more details. You can also visit different bars around the city, drink a stag and if you're lucky, someone just might appear before you with a ticket to attend the event.

Sports Bar to host the ultimate De-stresser weekend for the ladies

PAGE 26

Kaieteur News

Friday February 08, 2019

Coalition supporters picket against GECOM’s E’bo., office …demand house-to-house registrations Supporters of A Partnership for National Unity [APNU] and the People’s Alliance for Change [AFC], joined forces yesterday as they picketed the Guyana Elections Commissions [GECOM] on the Essequibo Coast. The protest commenced about noon yesterday, and lasted for about one hour in front of the GECOM Anna Regina building. Some fifty protesters came out in support yesterday, demanding that house to house registrations be done before the coming elections.

Supporters marched in their party colors with placards that read; “The present list no good, need new voters list; no election until new house to house registration; the youths need to vote.”

According to member of the Alliance for Change, Mr. Nate Ram, the voters’ list must first be cleansed and house to house registration must then be done.

Nate Ram who also contributed to organizing the protest added, “The vot-

Picketers in front of the GECOM office, Anna Regina yesterday ers’ list must be cleansed so that young people can be registered and their names placed on the list.

With their names on the list, they can cast their votes on election day.”

He also pointed out that there are a number of young people who would have reached the voting age, but their names are not on the list. One youngster who was at the protest yes-

terday told this publication, “I’m here to register because I am 19 but not registered, and I have to be

registered by the house to house registration or they will be no elections.”

Nate Ram expressed un-

certainty when asked whether the protest actions will continue until their demands are met.

Ogle/Great Diamond road link draft for release - road link will have four access points – MoPI hints The draft designs for the East Bank to East Coast Demerara road link network, will be acquired by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and released before the end of February.

This is according to the Technical Services Manager within the ministry, Nigel Erskine.

Erskine explained what can be expected after the draft design of the project is presented.

“Coming out of the feasibility study, the consultant has proposed that the main alignment will be four lanes from Diamond to Ogle and we will have four connectors that would connect the East Bank Demerara road to the new alignment.

So, we will have a connection at Great Diamond, we will have a connection a t M o c h a , at Eccles, Haags-Bosch and one at Aubrey Barker,” Erskine said.

He added that acquisition of the designs would accelerate the bidding process which will result in works commencing in the early part of the third quarter of 2019.

It was re-emphasised that the project was conceptualised to alleviate

Technical Services Manager, Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Nigel Erskine traffic congestion on the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara. Also, it will serve as an alternative bypass from Georgetown for persons traversing between these two areas.

Essentially, this project will be realised before the end of 2019.

“Once we would have received the draft design report in February, one month after we would have conducted our analysis, the consultant will be able to submit the final report.

We are looking to begin with the bidding process which will take about three months, and by mid-2019, we are hoping to have a contractor on the ground to begin the construction works,” Erskine added.

In 2016, the government signed off on an $11Billion loan (US$55M) from the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of India for the construction of a 20km bypass road from Ogle on the East Coast of Demerara to Great Diamond on the East Bank Demerara.

Friday February 08, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 27

National awardee Mr. Isahak Basir laid to rest.

Essequibo’s historian and former parliamentarian, Mr. Isahak Basir, was laid to rest on Wednesday. He died on Friday aged 84.

Hundreds of former friends and acquaintances turned out in support of the grieving family.

Mr. Basir who was described by many as a ‘son of the soil,’ was quite famous for his wealth of knowledge, particularly in Essequibo’s history and political science.

His funeral was attended by key political dignitaries from both the Government and Opposition. From the Government side was Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo who is performing the duties of President; Minister of State Joseph Harmon; and Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Annette Ferguson.

From the opposition side were former Presidents Donald Ramotar and Samuel Hinds, and former Ministers of Government.

Andrieko Basir who reflected on the former life of h i s f a t h e r, s a i d , “ N o amount of words can describe the personality of my father.”

He added , “He has

touched the lives of many.

When I think of how he has touched the lives of so many, the first word that comes to mind is admiration. He sourced and solicited scholarships for top performers from the Essequibo Coast, Pomeroon and Charity, to advance their studies in Russia, Cuba, China, Germany and many other countries that offer scholarships to Guyanese. He wanted to see Guyana develop… My dad worked until his last.”

Mr. Basir was born on September 18, 1935 in Jacklow, Pomeroon. After marrying, Sabra Karim, they moved to Boeraserie, West Coast Demerara where he worked at the Uitvlugt Distillery in the early 1960s as an Assistant Distiller.

Another son, Andrieko, who presently lives abroad, said that he will ‘be back to advance and take up the mantle of his father.

“I will be back to advance the call for social justice in Guyana; and to work with the government of the day and the people of Guyana, to make this country a model for the Caribbean and the world.

“I make this oath as I stand before you, my

humble friends, mother and siblings.” Basir leaves behind his wife, Sabra Basir, their eight children, 17 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo described Mr. Isahak Basir as a universal man. Though his political career began with the PPP, he was always willing to share his ideas with the Government of the day, he said.

Calling to mind Basir’s act of heroism in the Parliament Chambers in 1991, Nagamootoo said, “I’ve witnessed Basir’s bravery in parliament when he threw a glass at the speaker, when he lifted the mace, the symbol of authority and he handed it to Dr. Jagan, because without the mace there can be no parliamentary sitting.

“If Jagan wasn’t allowed to speak then there shall be no parliament.

That is what Basir was trying to tell the nation.”

Region Two Chairman, Mr. Devenand Ramdatt, recommended that a museum in Mr. Basir’s name be set up within the region, in honor of his contributions towards unveiling remarkable events in Essequibian history.

[Romario Blair]

“Government representatives present at the funeral yesterday [from left to right]; Minister of State, Joseph Harmon; Performing the duties of President, Moses Nagamootoo; and Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson.”

PAGE 28

Kaieteur News

Friday February 08, 2019

Guyana’s problem is that it aspires ...

From page 16 ExxonMobil is immaterial. The crux of the matter is ‘the value of the investment’ made by ExxonMobil.

In this regard, they said that Guyana’s Parliamentarians should call on the company to give a detailed breakdown of how many companies benefitted from US$1M, US$500,000, $100,000 and under US$50,000.

“With that breakdown, you will be able to see if the country is getting chicken feed or real investment. With meaningful investment, the sectors that support the operations of the company would be able to see real expansion and development,” one of the Local Content experts explained.

DOESN’T QUALIFY International Local Content Expert, Rene Tissot, had told Kaieteur News that “ads in newspapers and catering and hotel services are low-

hanging fruit…”

Tissot said it is important for Governments to understand the difference between local content and spending that benefits the local economy.

“If an oil company wants to do advertising for jobs or advertise something about its local branch in Guyana, then it has to utilize the media in that country. You don’t expect them to put the advertisements in the New York Times.”

Also, there are some services such as those provided by hotels and restaurants that they just don’t have a choice but to use.

“This is money that they would have spent anyway and it benefits the local economy. But please, this is not local content.”

Tissot added, “Local Content on the other hand, goes much deeper than this. The heart of Local Content speaks

to the development of local skills, the transfer and use of technology, the expansion of local manpower and the growth of local manufacturing.

“Local Content looks at the ‘value’ of the investment into these areas to such a degree that it is lasting. Local Content promotes industrialization…”

The Local Content Expert said, “The depth of the investment and/or the value of the investment are crucial when referring to something as local content.”

The International Advisor also said that a list with restaurants, hotels and media houses would be best described as “shallow in terms of value creation.”

He said, “I would be disappointed to look back 15 years from now and see that local content in Guyana refers to ads in newspapers, and catering services.”

Kaieteur News

Friday February 08, 2019

Jagdeo tells public officials not to enforce decision to raise tender threshold Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, is calling on public officials not to honour the instructions of the circular issued Monday, February 4, 2019, by Chairman of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, which listed higher threshold for tenders.

The circular from the board Chairman, Mark Bender, disclosed that there are “New Thresholds for Restrictive Tendering and Request for Quotations Methods of Procurement”.

The new charges disclosed that the thresholds for goods and services moved from $3M to $10M, while the limit for contracts for construction moved from $10M to $20M and the threshold for Request for Quotations method of procurement moved from $1.5M to $3M. Jagdeo said that the circular, sent out to Permanent Secretaries, Agencies, Corporation Heads and Regional Administrations, is not valid, since it was sent out under the purview of a caretaker government.

He said that there is a protocol set out by the Public Procurement Act, for the raising of the tender threshold.

First of all, he explained that the Act allows the National Board to raise the threshold pending the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC).

Given that the Commission is

Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo already in existence, he said that only one aspect of the Public Procurement Commission Act (Section 54 [1]) speaks explicitly about the raising of the threshold.

It states, “The Cabinet shall have the right to review all procurements, the value of which exceeds fifteen million Guyana dollars. The Cabinet shall conduct its review on the basis of a streamlined tender evaluation report to be adopted by the [National Board].

“The Cabinet and, upon its establishment, the Public Procurement Commission, shall review annually the Cabinet’s threshold for review of procurements, with the objective of increasing that threshold over time so as to promote the goal of progressively phasing out Cabinet involvement and decen-

tralizing the procurement process.”Jagdeo said that the Cabinet and the Public Procurement Commission should annually review the thresholds, not the minister.

He stated, “There is no Cabinet. The Cabinet was resigned [when the No Confidence Motion was carried], so that leaves only the Public Procurement Commission, and that that Commission has not met on this matter. So [Minister of Finance, Winston] Jordan acted illegally when he acted on the advice of the board that he controls, which, in itself, is complicit with tons of wrongdoings.

[Those wrongdoings] will be revealed later.”

The leader of the Opposition said he noticed that even the Chairman did not sign on the circular, and called on the Public Procurement Commission to look into the matter immediately.

The PPP, Jagdeo said, will write the PPC and will probably write the police too, on this matter. “And Jordan will have a lot to answer for, in the future, because of this illegal act. Anyone who complies with this illegality will have to answer for that too.”

He further warned that officials who abide by the new terms set out in the circular cannot claim that they didn’t know in the future, because the PPP is now making its position on this matter explicitly clear.

Crime Chief has another year on the job -produces birth certificate Reports circulating that Crime Chief, Lyndon Alves, was supposed to retire at the end of January are not true.

Rather, it is not until next year that the Deputy Commissioner is set to attain the age of 55.

With increased attention now on upward mobility because the police force has tightened on the retirement age, the issue of Alves seemed to have been gaining traction.

According to a document purporting to come from the police force, “Seniority List of Senior Superintendents”, the Deputy Commissioner of Law Enforcement was born on January 30, 1964.

He was said to have enlisted on February 4, 1982 and placed in charge of police operations on January 1, 2011.

Yesterday Alves expressed surprise. He said that there is nothing to prove as he had nothing to hide.Kaieteur News yesterday saw records of his identification card which indicated that Lyndon Lancelot Alves was born January 30, 1965.

Copies of his birth

Not time to retire: Deputy Commissioner of Police, Lyndon Alves certificates indicated, too, that he was born January 30, 1965. As such, he would be serving until his retirement next year January.

Alves was one of four

specialist Deputy Commissioners appointed last year as part of the restructuring of the Guyana Police Force, by the Coalition Government.

PAGE 29

Repairs to Puruni Road to start in coming weeks- MPI

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI) has disclosed that a contract has been signed for the rehabilitation of the key mining road.

Works are expected to start in the coming weeks.

According to the MPI notice to miners, passengers and residents of Puruni and neighbouring communities. A contract has been signed for the rehabilitation and construction of the Itabali to Puruni Road and actual works shall commence within the upcoming weeks. ”While the responsibility for this road falls specifically under the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Ministry of Public Infrastructure has recognized the urgency of repair and assures that all efforts are being made by the Ministry to advance the efforts of the GGMC to have this road rehabilitated.”

The Ministry reiterated “its commitment” in lending its assistance to working with the GGMC in having this route addressed as a matter of priority. “The Ministry further expresses its apologies for the constant delays and the difficulties experienced by the communities. The Ministry reiterates its commitment to the mining community and residents that it will continue to work with the GGMC to resolve the situation and to

The conditions on the Puruni road

provide updates as the work progress.”

In recent weeks, miners and residents have been complaining bitterly of the road conditions. The complaints have been an annual

feature now in the rainy season.

Authorities, on the other hand, have complained that truckers and others have not been helping the situation much by overweight vehicles.

PAGE 30

Friday February 08, 2019

Kaieteur News

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Installations, Repairs and parts for AC, Fridge, Washing machine, Stove etc call Nick 627-3206, 630-1600

Shermar’s Trucking ServiceTransport to any part of Guyana 24 hours #619-1490/ 699-8490/225-9666 HEALTH HERBAL REMEDIES: Diabetes, Hypertension, Infertility, Menstrual disorders, Enlarged prostate, Kidney,Gall stones & Arthritis etc. Call Sparman #676-5924 EDUCATION Care for elderly/care for children First Aid and CPR programmes: 227-4881/2323878 Support worker/ caregiver programme train to work as inhome caregiver in Canada. #227-4881/232-3878

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TAXI SERVICE

Mini excavator $8,800 per hour, also Bobcat service available. Tel#623-0290

Prime Business Spot, opposite Gafoors in Parika.

Contact# 650-0402/603-1402

REPAIRS AT LOW COST: FRIDGES, AIR CONDITIONERS, WASHING MACHINE, FREEZER, SALE OF AC’S. TEL#629-4946,225-4822 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezer-Call: 610-5846 or 661-8158

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Commerical Building- Camp St area, commerical spaces available at Enmore Mall ECD. Call Richard# 609-7675/6741705 /233-2614

House for sale, Eccles Housing Scheme. 7 bedrooms, 3 toilets and bathrooms enclosed. $28.5M. Call 642-0391/ 001447587233657 House & Apartment Building on Duncan St, Land size 53x133. Price $80M Neg. Call Llewellyn & Llewellyn Real Estate. #672-1920 Large 3 bedrooms classic house in solid condition- all amenties, huge yard, security. Price negotiable, Versailles WBD. Call: 6603415/609-7766 6 bedrooms house on transported double-lot, all amentities, private yard/ parking.

Located in Georgetown. Call: 6603415,609-7766 2 Storey Building, Charlotte St, Near M.O.P. Land size 45x120. $70M Neg. Call Llewellyn & Llewellyn Real Estate #672-1920 Property for sale, James St, Albouystown. #682-8236 Transport property for sale, BB Eccles EBD. Tel# 6160499/616-9490 2 Storey Building @ Prime location in Georgetown. Ideal for business & residence. 89 Robb Street, Bourda. #44-208737-1598/ 225-8427/264-1130

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Red Doom Canal #2 $4.8M, Negotiable. Call: 644-8396 FOR RENT One bedroom bottom flat South Riumveldt Park. Joan #218-1376

Friday February 08, 2019

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Kaieteur News

Limited water supply among challenges faced by Region Ten health workers - Health official assures remedial measures being implemented The unavailability of potable water is paramount among the concerns facing Community Health Workers [CHW] in Region Ten. But according to Senior Health Visitor [ag], Ms. Karen King, measures are being put in place to address this.

According to King, the Region is committed to addressing this especially daunting concern, urgently.

Stressing the importance of water, the health official said, “You cannot do much without water. You must have water when we speak about hygiene...We need water to wash our hands as we are also dealing with body fluids.”

“We are dealing with babies and we need to wash our hands after each child because we just can’t use hand sanitizer because not everyone is ok with that,” said King. She took into consideration that several of the region’s health posts and centres are situated in far flung communities.

King said that currently health centres at Christainburg and Amelia’s

Ward have been facing the water shortage challenge for over a month.

But the challenges are not limited to water alone.

King said that some of the facilities do not have lighting and this is another concern that has been raised by a number of CHWs. She said that because of the lighting situation these facilities are not readily equipped with vaccine storage. In recognition of this dilemma, King said that efforts are being made to aggressively explore ways to have it addressed.

She, however, noted that with all three counties being a part of Region 10, the existing challenges can be significant when it comes to reaching all of the affected facilities in a timely manner.

King noted that for the facilities that are encountering lighting difficulties it would result in them being unable to properly store vaccines.

Giving an insight into the geographic challenges of the region, King said that “it requires personnel travelling

out one day to uplift the vaccines, then taking it back into their areas in order to facilitate the vaccination process.” This, she noted, will result in patients at times being inconvenienced since accessing the vaccines would be challenging at times because of the inability to store the vaccines.

“It means that these Community Health Workers [are hard-pressed] to travel out to collect the vaccines, then taking it back into their areas to vaccinate the children but we are working quite feverishly [to address this]. I must say that our RHO [Regional Health Officer] is working quite feverishly to acquire cold storage so that these vaccines can be properly stored,” King said.

Even as the health official gave assurance that efforts are being put in place to address the concerns, she reiterated that because of the locations there is likely to be continued concerns raised before a permanent solution is realised.

She, nevertheless, praised

School of Nations’ Director travels abroad to seek medical attention School of Nations’ Director, Dr. Brian O’Toole, commended the Woodlands Hospital and its staff for the excellent care they would have taken while tending his injuries. He further expressed sincere gratitude to the Guyana Police Force. The Director is scheduled to be undergoing further surgery to rectify the shattered bone and damaged artery in his left arm. Woodlands Hospital did not fully remedy Dr. O’Toole’s condition so he is required to travel to the USA. He opted to be accompanied by his son. Dr. O’Toole thanked the police for all their efforts to date; he further commended them on the incredible job that they do, thanklessly and unknowingly to the public daily. Dr. O’Toole recalled recent activities and highlighted the power and very real dangers of social media and its integral role in today’s society.

“People of my generation were never faced with such challenges but we must now struggle to appreciate the dangers this form of communication, once wrongly used, faces for our children and youth.”

Almost two years ago Nations would have worked on a moral leadership program that seeks to shed light on some of the challenges facing our youths; depression, isolation, anger, feelings of helplessness and drugs, the list goes on.

Dr. O’Toole further said that Nations will be more than delighted to open this programme to youths apart from those that attend the school. Interested persons should contact the Nations office. Sessions are held on Saturday. The Ministry of Education warns the general public that its attention has been drawn to a report of persons visiting homes purporting to be investigating the recent threats made

against schools. The group of ‘con’ men is pretending to be ranks attached to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Guyana Police Force.

The public is hereby urged to handle such visits should this occur, with extreme caution and are advised to not allow these persons into your yard or property at any time, make immediate contact with the nearest police station.

the efforts of RHO, Dr. Pansy Armstrong, who she said has been working very hard to improve conditions for both health workers and patients visiting heath facilities within Region Ten. She noted that RHO Armstrong, because of her understanding and experience, has been bringing about a number of positive changes that are expected to boost the health sector within Region Ten. This laudable development, she assured, will serve to eradicate the health challenges in the region in the near future.

Senior Health Visitor [ag], Ms. Karen King

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Kaieteur News

Friday February 08, 2019

Friday February 08, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 33

PAGE 34

Kaieteur News

Several teams advance to next round...

From page 36 according to a Board release, would also be banned from BCB tournaments in 2019 after they gave a walkover to D’Edward Sports Club in their opening match.

Results in matches played: 1. D’Edward Cricket Club defeated Bath Sports Club by 5 wickets in the second round to advance to the final three. Bath Sports Club 117 all out in 16.4 Overs. Andrew Dennis 33, C. Anandram 20, K. Armogan 14. Keith Fraser 2 for 20, K. Moore 4 for 28.

D’Edward Cricket Club 118 for 5 in 15.2 Overs. A. Khan 23, Heralall Bridgelall 25 and J. Heeralall 38. C. Anandram 3 for 26.

2. Bush Lot Rising Star defeated Achievers Cricket Club by 6 wickets. Achievers Cricket Club 87 for 6 in 16.4 Overs. Shamal Angel 24,

A. Matabeek Collis Noble 18, Kris Ramnarine 4 for 18. Bush Lot Rising Star 88 for 4 in 11 Overs. Kris Ramnarine 18, Mark Burrowes 16, Rolston Lindo 22.

Gerald Moonsammy 2 for 12.

3. Bush Lot United defeated Paradise Cricket Club by 53 runs. Bush Lot United 169 for 7 in 16.4 Overs.

A. Matabeek 100 (8x4,5x6), T. Miller 4 for 21, O. Bharrat 2 for 15. Paradise Cricket Club

116 all out in 13.4 Overs. D. Phillips 36, T. Chapman 22. N. Persaud 4 for 32, T. Dhrand 3 for 16.

4. Cotton Tree Cricket Club defeated Shieldstown Cricket Club by 130 runs. Cotton Tree Cricket Club 208 all out in 16.4 Overs. A. Shiwtahal 99, M. Singh 18. T. Jairam 4 for 32.

Sheildstown Cricket Club 78 all out in 9 Overs. Y. Singh 14, F. Gafoor 3 for 18. D. Harrynarine 2 for 26.

5. At Cotton Tree - Cotton Tree Cricket Club defeated No. 5 Cricket Club by 3 runs to advance to the final three.

Cotton Tree Cricket Club 137 for 8 in 16.4 Overs. D. Harrynarine 32, Nick Ramsaroop 59, G. Johnson 2 for 22, A. Bailey 2 for 30. No. 5 Cricket Club 134 for 7 in 16.4 Overs. Carlton Nurse 43, M. Schultz 30, G. Johnson 35. R. Gafoor 2 for 21. A. Shiwtahal 2 for 32.

Friday February 08, 2019 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) If you can't feed your artistic tendencies in the work you do, today is a good day to create a better balance and make your days more satisfying.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) What meticulousness, You may feel a sudden, urgent need to take a close look at your financial situation, wardrobe, cupboards, or car.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You may be courting your lover today, Gemini. Whether you're in a relationship or starting one, you're in the mood to seduce your partner with a touch of sophistication.

CANCER(June21–July22) You will get the most satisfaction today through your activities with others. So you should take the initiative and propose something you and your friends could do together.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Today you will be like a goodluck charm to your family and friends. It's up to you to motivate people to get going and have fun together. Show them your enthusiasm for life.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) If you can't feed your artistic tendencies in the work you do, today is a good day to create a better balance and make your days more satisfying. Art isn't just for artists.All you have to do is take the initiative to create something and you will see just how good it feels.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Regardless of your gender, why not show a bit more virility in your relationships and actions? If you're dominated by your emotions, the day could be extremely trying for you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Today you may feel a lot more energetic after a tiring past few days. When you're feeling good, everything's fine.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) It may be difficult to get people to listen to you at the moment, Sagittarius. The people around you may even be annoyed at hearing all of your new ideas.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) You may not have been taking very good care of yourself lately, Capricorn. The planetary aspects are encouraging you to be a little more disciplined in your lifestyle.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) What would happen if you decided to take care of yourself today? This is what the planets are trying to tell you.

You need to relax, to let yourself be taken care of, and close your eyes and dream.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) This is an intense phase of interior modification, both physically and psychologically. Don't hesitate to padlock your refrigerator and avoid your favorite stores

Friday February 08, 2019

Former Twin-Tower and Nat. Captain Charles Pollard appointed Assistant Coach...

From page 37 fielding ineligible players against Guyana resulting in the match being awarded to Guyana by a 3-0 margin.

The 26-man Guyana-based Golden Jaguars squad will preparations intensify for the upcoming Concacaf Nations League match against Belize on March 23, 2019 here in Guyana.

Guyana-Based Senior Men’s Training Squad: Name Position Club Sese Norville Goalkeeper Milerock Lloyd Matthews Goalkeeper Grove Hi-Tec Ryan Hunte Goalkeeper Den Amstel Sherwin Skeete Defender Fruta Conquerors Rondel Hutson Defender Den Amstel Kevin Dundas Defender Den Amstel Kevin Layne Defender Guyana Defence Force Quincy Adams Defender Fruta Conquerors Solomon Austin Defender Fruta Conquerors William Europe Defender Western Tigers Deshawn Joseph Defender Netrockers Colin Nelson Midfielder Western Tigers Daniel Wilson Midfielder Western Tigers Anthony Benfield Midfielder Fruta Conquerors Clive Nobrega Midfielder Eagles United Vurlon Mills Midfielder Fruta Conquerors Leo-orin Lovell Midfielder Den Amstel Jamal Perreira Forward Den Amstel Pernel SchultzForward Western Tigers Jamal Harvey Forward Den Amstel Trayon Bobb Forward Uitvlugt Kelsey Benjamin Forward Guyana Defence Force Gregory Richardson Forward Fruta Conquerors Dellon Lanferman Forward Den Amstel Delroy Fraser Forward Guyana Defence Force Sherwyn Ceasar Forward Guyana Defence Force

EBFA mourns the loss of former Exco...

From page 39 stated. “Clive in his own quiet style of administration at the club level was the go getter for Grove and its rise in the sport as he not only invested his time but his money towards the development of every team at the club; he was like a father to the youths who loved him also.”

Matthews would have been at the helm of the club in their victorious runs in the inter association year end competitions (2015 – 2017) and their memorable wins over Linden’s Milerock in the Kashif and Shanghai eliminators.

His work with the club and association would forever be remembered especially in his community where he was the face of the game.

The late Clive Matthews would be laid to rest next Wednesday following a home going service at the AME Zion Church at Grove, East Bank Demerara. The EBFA in association with the Guyana Football Federation would be hosting a wake at the Grove Playfield on Monday night. More details to follow.

Sincere condolences are extended to the children, mother, brothers, sisters, other family members and members of the Grove Hi Tech FC from the President and members of the EBFA.

Friday February 08, 2019

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Kaieteur News

Gayle returns, Pooran set for debut but no Russell St John’s, Antigua, CMC – Veteran opener Chris Gayle has made a return to the oneday squad for the first time in seven months after being named yesterday in a 14-man West Indies squad for the first two One-Day Internationals of the five-match series against England starting later this month.

The 39-year-old is joined by opening partner Evin Lewis who has also been included following a similar length of absence, while uncapped attacking lefthander Nicholas Pooran is set to make his debut after finally getting the attention of selectors for the 50-overs format.

Off-spinner Ashley Nurse is the fourth change to the squad that toured Bangladesh last December, returning to the lineup after recovering from injury.

Chandrapaul Hemaj, who scored 12 runs in two innings against Bangladesh, has been dropped along with fellow batsmen Kieran Powell and Sunil Ambris, with allrounder Carlos Brathwaite also left out.

Veteran right-hander Marlon Samuels has been omitted due to injury. The series is the penultimate one before the ICC 50-overs

Nicolas Pooran © WICB Media/ Brooks LaTouche Photography Ltd World Cup starting in May and chief selector Courtney Browne said it would provide an ideal gauge of the squad’s preparation.

“As we continue our Cricket World Cup preparations, the upcoming series against the top ranked ODI side is a great opportunity for us to gauge where we are as a team,” Browne said.

“This allows us to identify any areas that need addressing relating to selection and also helps the coaching staff to fine tune their game strategy. “We welcome the return of Chris Gayle who missed the last

Evin Lewis © WICB Media/Randy Brooks of Brooks LaTouche Photography two series and Ashley Nurse from injury.

We are pleased to introduce Nicholas Pooran to the ODI cricket for the first time.

He is clearly a young player with undoubted talent and we believe he can add value to our middle order.”

Gayle and Lewis featured in the three-match home series against Bangladesh last July but missed the tours of India and Bangladesh in the latter part of the year. Both have continued to play in

various Twenty20 leagues, however.

Pooran, meanwhile, forced his way into the squad with prolific scoring in the Super50 last October when he averaged nearly 49 for Trinidad and Tobago Red Force. He has also scored heavily in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League to follow up his decent form against India and Bangladesh last year.

All-rounder Roston Chase, meanwhile, has been retained despite gathering

Chris Gayle just 49 runs in three innings against Bangladesh last December. There is no room for explosive all-rounder Andre Russell who missed the tours of India and Bangladesh but is currently plying his trade in the Bangladesh Premier League, while off-spinner Sunil Narine remains on the sidelines after playing his last ODI over two years ago.

West Indies take on India in the first two ODIs at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown on February 20

and 22.

SQUAD – Jason Holder (captain), Fabian Allen, Devendra Bishoo, Darren Bravo, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Evin Lewis, Ashley Nurse, Keemo Paul, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Kemar Roach, Oshane Thomas.

In: Jason Holder, Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Ashley Nurse, Nicholas Pooran.

Out: Marlon Samuels, Roston Chase, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Carlos Brathwaite, Kieran Powell, Sunil Ambris.

BCB launch Dr. Puran Singh National Players Incentive Scheme Berbice Junior and Female cricketers who are selected in Guyana Cricket Teams would benefit for the second successive year from a stipend from the Berbice Cricket Board, (BCB). A release from the BCB says the body has received $200,000 from Barbados based Guyanese Dr. Puran Singh who is the brother of another BCB sponsor, Dr. Tulsi Dyal Singh.

The donation would be used to establish the Dr. Puran Singh National Players Incentive Scheme.

BCB President Hilbert Foster who brokered the deal with Dr. Singh, disclosed that all Berbice Under-15, 17, 19 and Female players would receive $10,000 from the Scheme.

In the event that more than twenty Berbicians are selected, the Board would stand the costs. The Foster led administration introduced the Scheme last year as part of its ongoing effort to strengthen Berbice cricket.

He stated that the major objectives of the Scheme are to assist players financially, to encourage them to excel at the National level and to make sure that every

Niveera Ramnauth, Uma Matadin and Leon Swammy, among others are all expected to vie strongly for places on national teams.

Foster noted that the scheme is just one of numerous developmental programmes that would be organised in 2019. Among the others would be countywide Coaching Programme, Coaching Clinics for (batters, fast bowlers, wicket keepers and spinners), Award Ceremony, Educational Posters, Cricket Academy, Social Skills Seminar, First Aid Clinic, Scorers Clinic, Captaincy Seminar and Training of Pre-Level One Cricket Coaches.

Additionally, the Board would also be hosting over 30 tournaments at the Under-

BCB President Hilbert Foster (left) receives the sponsorship from Dr. Puran Singh.

Berbician is given the opportunity to fulfill his/her full potential.

Last year, the BCB was able to obtain funding from Memorex Industries and J.R. Engineering Ltd, for the programme, while using over $150,000 of its own fund.

Among the players benefitting in 2018 were

Jonathan Rampersaud, Mahendra Gopilall, Jeremy Sandia, Nigel Deodat, Seon Glasgow, Shemaine Campbelle, Erva Giddings, Tremayne Smartt, Sheneeta Grimmond, Shabiki Gajnabi and Lafona Gilgeous.

The BCB President stated that they are confident that the Ancient County would

continue its proud tradition of producing national players of the highest quality. Players the likes of Grimmond, Giddings, Gajnabi, Smartt, Melanie Henry, Campbelle, Kevlon Anderson, Junior Sinclair, Kevin Umroa, Seon Glasgow, Isaiah Thorne, Rampersaud Rampertab, Nigel Deodat, Alex Algoo,

13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, Second Division, Intermediate, Female, Primary School, Internal Zone and First Division levels.

Dr. Puran Singh in brief remarks stated that he was delighted to be associated with Berbice cricket as he was pleased with the progress being made in the county. He expressed confidence that the players would continue to keep the Berbice Flag flying high.

Dr. Singh also noted that he would continue to support Berbice cricket once proper leadership is in place.

The President and Executive Committee of the BCB is expressing gratitude to Dr. Puran Singh for his support and is looking forward to a long term relationship.

PAGE 36

Yusuf steers Fisherman to 43-run victory. Wins for HS Masters and SVC Grill Masters Opener Unnis Yusuf struck a fluent 93 to guide Fisherman Masters to a 43run victory over Wellman Masters while HS Masters and SVC Grill Masters were also in the winners’ lane when the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc./Regal Stationery and Computer Centre 20-over tournament continued on Sunday last at Malteenoes Sports Club.

Yusuf added 74 for the opening stand with Troy Ramsaywack to get Fisherman Masters, who batted first, off to a bright start before Ramsaywack was dismissed for 30 (4x6).

Yusuf top scored with 94 (2x4 11x6) while Zameer Hassan and Ramo Malone chipped in with 19 and 14 respectively as Fisherman Masters posted 193 all out in 19 overs.

Ramesh Deonarine picked up 3-22, Latchman

Friday February 08, 2019

Kaieteur News

Unnis Yusuf Kallicharran 2-4 and Sheldon Perch 2-37. Wellman Masters were restricted to 150-8 in reply. Denish Vickanand (2x4 2x6) and Wayne Jones (1x4 3x6) made 34 each.

Deonairne scored 30 while Nandram Samlall and Lloyd Ruplall made 13 each.

Danny Thomas had 2-18, Pooran Singh 2-20 and Yusuf 2-25.

HS Masters overcame Success Masters by one wicket. Success Masters managed 167 all out in 20 overs, taking first strike.

Seekumar Budram who scored a century in the previous round led with 80 which came off 38 balls as Jairam (only name) grabbed 429.

HS Masters responded with 168-9 in 19.3 overs.

Michael Ifill made 40 off 17 balls while Troy Lewis scored 38; Mark Fung took 2-19.

In the Open category, SVC Allstars thumped Goodhope Hustlers by 9 wickets.

Goodhope Hustlers were skittled for 28 in 6.3 overs, batting first. David Lukenauth captured 4-10 and Richard Latif 2-12.

SVC Grill Masters replied with 29-1 in 2.2 overs with Roy Jafferally scoring 20 not out and Balram Samaroo nine not out.

Zeelandia, Good Success and Sans Souci triumph Zeelandia, Good Success and Sans Souci registered victories when the Farmers Cup T20 tournament commenced on Sunday last in Wakenaam. Host Zeelandia defeated Maria’s Pleasure by 66 runs.

Zeelandia batted first and posted 201 all out. R. Jadookool struck 68 while Ajay Ghansam made 38 as Leorayan Ramlakhan claimed 3-40 and Marsh Singh 2-35. Maria’s Pleasure were bowled out for 135 in 18.1 overs in reply. Singh scored 30 and Leonard Lewis 18. Ryan Atkinson grabbed 4-22 and M. Jadookool 3-31.

At the Wakenaam Community Centre ground, Good Success overcame G Square Cavaliers by three wickets. G Square Cavaliers

took first strike and managed 97-8 with Andy Dindyal scoring 26 and Satnarine Sahadeo 16; Nazeer Mohamed and Bhumeshwar Ramkissoon took two wickets each.

Good Success replied with 101-7 in 14 overs. Imran Khan scored 35; Lokram Narine and Sahadeo picked up two wickets apiece.

Sans Souci beat Noitgedacht by 101 runs. Sans Souci made 181 all out in 20 overs, taking first knock.

Cleon Venture hit a top score of 38 (3x4 3x6) while Jaggernauth Manbodh struck 27 (3x4 1x6), Oyono Sampson made 16 and Kamal Khan and Heera Sukram 15 each.

Neil Ramalho claimed 3-24. Noitgedacht were sent packing for 80 in 10.5 overs in response. Matthew Cheong made 23 as Devon Rambarran snared 3-0, Seon Venture 3-9 and Khan 2-19.

Dottin hurts Pakistan with all-round heroics Dubai, United Arab Emirates, CMC – Player-ofthe-Match Deandra Dottin narrowly missed out on a second One-Day International hundred as West Indies clobbered Pakistan by 146 runs in a onesided opener of the threematch ICC Championship series here yesterday.

Opting to bat first at the Dubai International Cricket St a d i u m , t h e Wi n d i e s overcame a stumble at the start to post 216 for five off their allotted 50 overs, with the right-handed Dottin stroking 96 off 139 deliveries.

Captain Stafanie Taylor, returning to the squad after opting out of the preceding Tw e n t y 2 0 Internationals in Karachi, scored 58 while Shemaine Campbelle chipped in with an unbeaten 26.

Seamer Kainat Imtiaz led the hosts’ attack with three for 49 from her nine overs.

In reply, Pakistan never challenged as Dottin returned with her sharp medium pace to take three for 14 while leg-spinner Afy Fletcher grabbed three for 17, to send the innings tumbling to 70 all out in the 30th over.

Nahida Khan top-scored with 23 before retiring hurt at 46 for one in the 17th over and her departure saw Pakistan collapse quickly, with number 11 Aiman Anwer also unable to bat because of injury.

Dottin had earlier taken centre stage with her 19th one-day fifty as she and Taylor set up the innings nicely for the visitors.

Left-handed opener Kycia Knight laboured 18 balls at the crease without scoring before

she was bowled by veteran off-spinner Sana Mir in the sixth over with 12 runs on the board.

But Dottin and Taylor combined in a 143-run second wicket stand which clinically took the game away from the hosts.

While Dottin punched eight fours and two sixes, Taylor counted four fours in a 97-ball knock before she perished in the 40th over, becoming the first of Kainat’s three victims.

Dottin followed in the 4 6 t h o v e r, a g o n i s i n g l y short of three figures but Campbelle struck two fours in a breezy 30-ball knock to keep the innings

ticking at the end. Fast bowler Shamilia Connell then struck early in the second over to give West Indies the upper hand, when she had Sidra Ameen caught at the wicket without scoring.

Nahida propped up the innings in a 44-run, second wicket stand with captain Javeria Khan (21) before she was stretchered off after taking a blow to the helmet from Dottin.

Pakistan were further set back when Dottin knocked over Umaima Sohail first ball and the innings never recovered as wickets fell steadily. The second match of the series is tomorrow at the same venue.

Friday February 08, 2019

PAGE 37

Kaieteur News

West Indies Championship 2018-2019

Scorpions sting Jaguars to reach 320-8; Green 59*, King 51 scored fifties; Rutherford has 3-52

By Sean Devers Watched by a small turn out on a rain affected opening day of the sixth round CWI Regional First-Class encounter at Providence yesterday Jamaica Scorpions were in the ascendency against four time defending Champions Guyana Jaguars.

The Scorpions hunting a third consecutive win were well placed on 320-8 as they batted out the entire first day with 24-year-old Brandon King hitting eight fours and a six from 96 balls and 105 minutes of batting for his 51; his eighth half century and third for the season.

Jermaine Blackwood made 44 from 65 balls (6x4), Kenroy Williams got 33 (6x4) from 60 balls before 30-year-old Derval Green smashed five fours and two sixes from 62 balls in his third First-Class fifty; an unbeaten 59.

Green has so far shared in an unbroken 90-run ninth wicket partnership with Dennis Bulli who has 30 from 66 balls with two fours.

Sherfane Rutherford (3-52) Gudakesh Motie (2-70) and

the tournament’s leading wicket-taker Veerasammy Permaul (2-52 ) were the main wicket-takers for the Jaguars looking to rebound from the successive defeats.

Jaguars won the toss and asked the Scorpions to bat in overcast conditions on a slow track with a tinge of green and Oraine Williams (10) pushed forward to a ball that left him off the seam and was taken at first slip by Leon Johnson as Romario Shepherd made the breakthrough at 13-1.

A short sharp shower halted the action at 10:28hrs and when play resumed after a 20-minute delay, Jamaica’s leading run scorer Chadwick Walton stroked Raymon Reifer to the cover boundary before King hit Motie down the ground for a boundary.

King, playing his 23rd First-Class match hit Motie delightfully through extra cover for four before using his feet to stroke the left arm spinner imperiously past midoff for a second boundary in the over.

Walton, the only Scorpions’ batsman with 400

runs and a century this season, was beaten by one that bounced from Permaul and Test Umpire Joel Wilson made a rare error when he adjudged Walton caught at slip after the ball had missed the bat on its way onto the pad.

An early Lunch was taken at 11:00hrs when another shower chased the players off the field with the score on 482 and play resumed after the interval in bright sunshine Blackwood hit Permaul for four to get off the mark and post the 50 in the 19th over.

Blackwood and King both played their shots with Blackwood punching Permaul to the cover boundary disdainfully and King pulling Shepherd for a bullet-like boundary forward of square to reach his halfcentury from 88 balls, 94 minutes and decorated with eight fours and a six.

But with the score on 94 King was bowled by Rutherford who replaced Kemo Paul (due to Windies duties) in the team. Guyanese Assad Fudadin, from Rose

The tournament’s leading wicket-taker Veerasammy Permaul has 2-52 to take his tally to 31.

Hall Town in Berbice, with his flowing Beard and long locks, arrived at the crease in a no nonsense mood.

The left-hander got off the mark with a majestic square driven boundary off fellow Berbician Shepherd before his second boundary in the over brought up the 100 in the 32nd over. He then

Toussaint steers Demerara to victory; Berbice overcome Select U-19 Opener Lashana Toussaint hit an unbeaten 40 to guide Demerara to a sixwicket victory over Essequibo while Berbice defeated the Select U19 Team by 9 wickets via the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern method when the Guyana Cricket Board Senior Female Inter County T20 tournament commenced yesterday at the Everest Cricket Club.

Following their insertion in hazy conditions, Essequibo were reduced to 72 with Kaysia Schultz and Haseena Mohamed removing openers C. Belfield (00) and Divine Ross (03). Mohamed then uprooted the stumps of Kumarie Persaud (00) before Annalesia D’Aguiar and Estell Lewis added 22 for the fourth wicket.

Lewis struck two fours before she was bowled by Keisha Fraser for 10 while D’Aguiar added a further 20 with Lisa Charles. D’Aguiar struck two fours in a top score of 18 while Charles reached the boundary thrice in scoring 17, but after they both fell to Akaze Thompson; Demerara restricted the scoring as Essequibo reached 77-8. Schultz had 2-6 while

Annalesia D’Aguiar picked up two wickets for Essequibo.

Mohamed took 2-13.

Demerara encountered some nervous moments in overhauling the total; D’Aguiar removed opener Fraser (01) and Thompson (06), while leg spinner Vinita Balkishun had Heema Singh (07) smartly caught by Kumarie Persaud at mid-off, with the score at 35-3.

However Toussaint remained calm and thumped four fours and one six as she added 41 for the fourth-wicket with Schultz (06) who was run out with her team two short

of victory. D’Aguiar claimed 2-11; Demerara ended on 784 in 13 overs.

The Select U19 batted first and lost Mandy Mangru lbw to Sheneta Grimmond (05) before Shabika Gajnabi was caught off Plaffiana Millington after hitting two fours in scoring 14. The Berbicians applied the brakes on the scoring with their consistency and picked up the wickets of Cherry Ann Fraser (04), Casey Charles ((01) and Sarah Amin (03) before the rain sent the

players off the field with the score on 56-5 in 17.4 overs.

Africa Gentle was not out on 26 (3x4) in a top score of 26, Millington claimed 2-13.

Due to interruption, the Select U19 innings was halted and Berbice were set a revised target of 16 in five overs.

They finished on 16-1 in 3.3 overs. Grimmond (04) was the lone wicket to fall while Melanie Henry and Sherica Campbelle were not out on 5 and 2, respectively. Cherry Ann Fraser had 1-9.

(Zaheer Mohamed)

spanked Rutherford for four, his first three scoring shots were boundaries as he and Blackwood’s fourth wicket stand was taking shape.

But with the score on 132, Fudadin (23) tried to clear midoff for his sixth four but was brilliantly taken by Shepherd, the tallest man on the field, as he ran back and dived full length.

Blackwood edge Rutherford to Chris Barnwell at second slip with the score on 144-5 before Paul Palmer (29) and Rovman Powell (17) featured in another little partnership before Powell drove Permaul uppishley and was taken at extra-cover by Rutherford with the score on 172-6.

Palmer and Williams offered more resistance and together they carried the Scorpions to 196-6 by Tea. After the break Williams and the left-handed Palmer continued to frustrate the Jaguars attack missing Paul and Clinton Pestano who was rested, with positive batting and aggressive running between the wickets. The pair added 56 before Palmer edged to Anthony Bramble as Motie got one to turn at 228-7.

Williams provided Bramble with 26th dismissal of the season when he edged Motie two run later. But that was to be the last success for the day for the home team as Green and Bulli took the

attack to the bowlers with Green dumping part time spinner Leon Johnson for two consecutive sixes and a four in an expensive over before he pugnaciously pulled Shepherd to the mid-wicket boundary to post his fifty from 48 balls, 65 minutes with four fours and two sixes.

By the close the pair was still together as the tail wagged and with Jerome Taylor, who has a Test Century to his name still to come, the Jamaicans were large and in charge in Guyana’s backyard.

Today is the second day and play is scheduled to commence at 10:00hrs.

Jamaica Scorpions 320-8 (Derval Green 59 not out, Brandon King 51, Jermaine Blackwood 44, Kenroy Williams 33; Sherfane Rutherford 3-52.

Summarised scores elsewhere; At Kensington Oval: Red Force batted all day.

Trinidad & Tobago Red Force 316-8 (Lendl Simmons 138, Jason Mohammed 121; Marquino Mindley 3-56) vs Barbados Pride.

At Windsor Park: Hurricanes batted all day.

Leeward Islands Hurricanes 229 for five (Montcin Hodge 61, Keacy Carty 54, Kieran Powell 29; Ray Jordan 3-45) vs Windward Islands Volcanoes.

‘Gold is Money’ seeking...

From page 38 Square-0 vs Capital Strikers-0.

Game-6: Silver Bullets-1 vs Sophia-3. Sophia Scorers Dwayne McLennon-4th, Simeon Moore-16th, Shemroy Arthur-18th. Silver Bullets Scorer Colwyn Drakes-14th.

Game-7: Back Circle-1 vs BV-B-0. Selwyn Williams-10th.

Game-8: Sparta Boss-0 vs Gaza Squad-0.

Game-9: Bent Street-0 vs Melanie-0.

PAGE 38

Friday February 08, 2019

Kaieteur News

FIBA Americas Qualifiers Space Gym and GFF partnership - Golden Jaguars getting in shape Hercules releases 23-player shortlist sealed As plans by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) continue to ensure that the Golden Jaguars are in the best possible shape for their date with destiny against Belize on March 23 next, Space Gym has stepped on board to ensure the players are pumped-up for the battle.

Manager of Space Gym Lucas Matos has disclosed that his gym is more than elated to be providing a platform for the National Football team to excel in its quest to ensure that Guyana is successful in qualifying for the Concacaf Gold Cup which would be the first time in its history.

“We ate Space Gym are very excited to assist in making the Golden Jaguars as sharp as can be for this all important match. We are well aware of the impact a victory would have on the sport and our young people here in Guyana and as a responsible corporate entity, we did not hesitate to partner with the GFF for this venture.”

The crucial fourth and final round match of the Concacaf Nations League (CNL) campaign for Guyana is being touted as a date with destiny; the Government of Guyana, the Corporate Community and the fans all have an important role to play

for March 23 date with Belize

Tremel King. by providing the added energy that is needed within their respective spheres to propel this team to victory and make the nation proud.

The 23-man squad and coaches would commence gym work twice weekly from next week.

Meanwhile, Matos said his gym is also very proud of one of its Trainers, Tremel King who on Sunday last captured 1st place in the 93kg class and the Best Overall Lifter Trophy at the 2019

Guyana Amateur Power Lifting Federation Novice Championships held at Saints Stanislaus College.

“We are always encouraging of our members and trainers who compete in various disciplines including the weights sports. Tremel has also done well on the body building stage and has now backed that up on the powerlifting platform. We will continue to do our part in preparing and encouraging our athletes to be the best.”

Space Gym Manager Lucas Matos (2nd right) pose with GFF Technical Director Ian Greenwood (right), Head of Coaches Education Wilson Toldeo (left) and Golden Jaguar, Anthony Benfield.

for national tryouts

Less than two weeks remain before Guyana’s Senior Men’s Basketball team wing out to Colombia where they will play in the FIBA Americas Pool ‘B’ qualifiers to seek one of the two spots available in the group for the 2021 Biennial tournament.

And, in a correspondence from Head Coach Junior Hercules who guided Guyana to its maiden Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championship last June in Suriname, the squad for the trials that bounces off tomorrow and Sunday from 19:00hrs to 21:00hrs each night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) has been released.A total of 23 players have been named to try out for the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) team, grouped Colombia (Host),

Bolivia and Paraguay for the qualifiers that will be played from February 22nd to 24th in the city of Tunja. The squad includes both local and overseas based players but predominantly members of the squad that won the CBC championship with the exception of Felix Hamilton, Devon Devonish and the injured Ray Victor.

The full squad reads: Stanton Rose – USA, Kevon Wiggins USA, Anthony Moe – USA, Rawle Marshal – USA, Harold Adams – Linden, Orlon Glasgow – Linden, Shaine Webster – Linden, Travis Burnette – Georgetown, Timothy Thompson – Georgetown, Travis Belgrave – Georgetown, Sean Doman – USA, Jamal Gilkes – Kwakwani, Dave Causway –

Stanton Rose is likely to named Captain for the FIBA Americas qualifiers.

Kwakwani, Carlos Edwards – Georgetown, Yannick Tappin - Linden, Tyrone Hamid – Georgetown, Kevon Emanuel – Berbice, Akeem Crandon – Georgetown, Dominic Vincente – Georgetown, Adrian Webster – Linden, Leanard Primo – Kwakwani, Delroy James – USA, Carlos Edward – Georgetown.

Milo Schools Football

First round of group matches kick off tomorrow The seventh Milo Schools’ football tournament, being played under the theme, “Stop Gender based violence”, with the support of the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), gets underway tomorrow with three matches scheduled for the Ministry of Education (MOE) ground on Carifesta Avenue from 12:00hrs.

The tournament will continue with its roundround/knockout format and the opening match of the event which features 24 teams this year will see President’s College matching skills with Marian Academy followed by The Bishops’ High against North Ruimveldt Multilateral at 13:45hrs with the marquee matchup being a

Queen’s College versus St. Stanislaus College fixture at 15:30hrs.

Last year, Sir Leon Lessons dethroned three-time consecutive champions Chase Academic Foundation after Zion Gray led them to victory against Buxton Secondary in the final.

All three teams - Chase Academic Foundation, Sir Leon Lessons and Buxton have been omitted from this year’s tournament by the organisers.

The group round-robin play will be contested amongst six groups of four teams. The groupings are as follows.

GROUP A - Annandale Secondary, South Ruimveldt Secondary, Canje Secondary,

St. Joseph’s High.

GROUP B - The Bishops’ High School, Queen’s College, St. Stanislaus College, North Ruimveldt Multilateral.

GROUP C C h r i s t i a n b u rg/Wi s m a r Secondary, Friendship Secondary, Ann’s Grove Secondary, St John’s College.

GROUP D - Uitvlugt Secondary, St Cuthbert’s Mission, Golden Grove Secondary, Cummings Lodge.

GROUP E - Lodge Secondary School, President’s College, Marian Academy, St. Mary’s Secondary.

GROUP F - Vergenoegen Secondary, Charlestown Secondary, Tucville Secondary, Tutorial High.

BCB/Perry Gossai Memorial 100 Ball Tourney

Several teams advance to next round; Blairmont disqualified; A. Matabeek would clash in the grand final. slams a hundred TheIntopfirsttwo round play, Bush Lot United Play in the first ever Perry Gossai Memorial Second Division 100 Ball Tournament organised by the Berbice Cricket Board with sponsorship from Attorney-at-Law Arun Gossai and the Gossai family in memory of popular West Berbice Attorney Perry Gossai has commenced.

The 11-team competition has seen teams advancing to the third round where they would play each other in a round-robin format.

defeated Paradise Cricket Club, Cotton Tee got past Shieldstown and Bush Lot Rising Star beat Achievers.

Blairmont Community Centre was disqualified from the tournament after the Competitions Committee of the Berbice Cricket Board found them guilty of playing two first division players in their match against No. 5 Hopetown. Blairmont, (Continued on page 32)

Sir Leon Lessons’ Zion Gray controlling the ball on the during his hat-trick performance in the final last year against Buxton

Friday February 08, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 39

Former Twin-Tower and Nat. Captain Charles Pollard appointed Assistant Coach - Head Coach Michael Johnson arrives today; 26-man squad shortlisted

Michael Johnson GFF Senior Head Coach, eyeing Gold Cup qualification.

Former National Captain Charles Pollard, who had formed a memorable defensive duo with fellow National Howard Lowe known as the ‘Twin Towers’, has been appointed as Assistant Coach of the Golden Jaguars.

Pollard who has been working with the team which is presently in training for the historic March 23rd date against Belize in the Caribbean Nations League, commented on the 26-man squad that was shortlisted from the initial 35 called, said the shortlisted squad is solid while noting, “Players being able to perform at a high level under instruction” was among the criteria used for selection.

The team will be engaged in an eight-week weekly training programme before the final squad is announced to engage Belize. Pollard said that the time should be good to enable the team to be in shape for final selection: “In the next eight weeks, it will give everyone a level playing field and an equal chance to make the final 23.

Fitness, developing their football IQ, awareness and tactical soundness will be the focus.”

For his part, Pollard was happy to be back in the national setup and contribute to the football development in Guyana: “I’m excited to

work with the team; it’s a very good group of guys. I will share all the knowledge that I’ve got. They are very excited to be part of the programme so I’m looking forward to a good eightweek preparation and, at the end of the preparation, the best guys will be selected.”

Meanwhile, Head Coach Michael Johnson is expected to arrive in Guyana today for an initial nine-day visit to participate in the national team’s training, and plan for the match against Belize.

While here, he is also scheduled to view the GFF Elite League Playoff scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, the GFF-Pele Alumni “Frank Watson” U 1 5 I n t e r- A s s o c i a t i o n Tournament finals, and the Golden Jaguars’ training match against the Regional Member Associations’ teams.

Victory in this Concacaf Nations League match is crucial to ensure Guyana qualifies for its first ever Gold Cup, and will be advantageous for not only the players but the country as a whole.

President Wayne Forde has therefore requested full national support, including corporate and fan engagement, to ensure the successful hosting of the match. The Concacaf Gold Cup brings together the top national teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean, and is broadcast live across the region. As such, the tournament would provide a significant platform for Guyanese football talent to showcase their skills on the international stage.

Guyana is holding down the 8th position on the points table following the penalization of Barbados for (Continued on page 34)

Charles Pollard seen during one of the training sessions with the 35-man squad at the GFF Training Facility, Providence, EBD.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 40

Friday February 08, 2019

Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Competition

Could the Bosses stop the Show tonight? West Side fans expected in large numbers Action between defending champs Showstoppers and West Side Ballers.

The question as to whether the Bosses could stop the flow of the Show will be answered this evening when reigning champions Showstoppers and Up Top Bosses square off for a place in the final of this year’s West Demerara / East Bank Demerara Zone of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Competition, at the Pouderoyen Market Tarmac.

The champs have looked in ominous form since the start of the tournament and

their latest victory in the quarter finals against inaugural champions West Side Ballers confirmed why they are regarded as the best team on the West Side, a label they are hoping to retain.

In their clash against West Side Ballers, the latter seemed to employ a strategy of having all their players behind the ball in the hope of getting to a penalty shootout and the plan appeared to be working perfectly, before a defensive lapse accounted for the opening goal.

It came in the 26th minute of play courtesy of

Stephon Jupiter, who lashed home from close range following an interception.

Two minutes later, the prolific Marvin Josiah, who had been kept quiet all evening blew past two players, before firing into an empty goal for a Guinness goal that sent their supporters into wild celebrations.

Earlier, Up Top Bosses came from behind to beat Jetty 2-1 thanks to goals from Amuniki Buntin, who got the equalizer one minute before half time, while Dellon Lanferman netted the winner in the 26th.

In the second game of the night, Brothers United survived in sudden death penalty shootout against Bagotstown Warriors after regulation time ended 0-0, while the upset of the night saw one of the tournament favourites ESPN exiting via a penalty shootout loss against Ballers Empire following a goalless draw in regulation time.

They will now face Brothers United in the other semi-final for a place in the championship game scheduled to be played on February 15, at the same venue. Over $1.1million in total prize monies are up for

grabs with the winners set to receive $500,000, runner-up $250, 000, while third and fourth place finishers will take home $200,000 and $100,000 respectively along with trophies.

Also on board as a major sponsor is Colours Boutique on Robb Street.

Meanwhile, the four quarter-final losers will play in the Plate section for $60,000 winner-take-all.

Complete Results: Guinness Goal-[GG]-2 goals.

Quarterfinals: Game-1 Up-Top-Bosses-2 vs Jetty-1.

Up-Top-Bosses Scorers Amuniki Buntin-14th, Dellon Lanferman-26th.

Jetty Scorer McKay Smith8th.

Game-2 - Brothers United-0 vs Bagotstown Warriors-0. Brothers United won 1-0 on sudden death penalty kicks.

Game-3 - ESPN-0 vs Ballers Empire-0. Ballers Empire won 2-0 on penalty kicks.

G a m e - 4 Showstoppers-3 vs West Side Ballers-0. Marvin Josiah-[GG]-28th, Stephon Jupiter-26th.

Plate Semi-final - ESPN vs Bagotstown; West Side Ballers vs Jetty.

Magnum Mash Cup Futsal

‘Gold is Money’ seeking to secure KO berth West Front Road ‘Gold is Money’ will be seeking to secure their spot in the next round when they face California Square tomorrow night when play in the Magnum Mash Cup Futsal continues at the National Gymnasium.

Considered one of the favourites to go all the way, the South Georgetown based side showed their resilience in escaping with a narrow 2-1 win over a stubborn Stabroek Ballers and can use that test as a measure to where they are in terms of form.

Another team that looked impressive was Sophia and they play against Rhythm Ballers while Ansa McAl go up against Agricola in a must win for both teams if they hope to advance.

The full fixtures are as follows: Ansa McAl vs Agricola; Sophia vs Rhythm

Ballers; Stabroek Ballers vs Capital Strikers; Melanie vs Kingston; Showstoppers vs Island All-Stars; North Ruimveldt vs Mocha; A l e x a n d e r Vi l l a g e v s Hustlers; Silver Bullets vs Tiger Bay; Back Circle vs North East La Penitence; Gold is Money vs California Square.

Night 2 results: Game1: Good Life-2 vs BV-B-0.

Nicholas MacArthur-9th, Jermaine Tinch-10th.

Game-2: Kingston-1 vs Avocado Ballers-0. R. Hing-4th.

Game-3: Rhythm Ballers-1 vs Tiger Bay-0.

Wendell Joseph-14th.

Game-4: Gold is Money-2 vs Stabroek Ballers-1. Gold is Money Scorers, Colin Nelson-4th, Randolph Wagner-6th.

Stabroek Scorer Daniel Gibson-7th.

Game-5: California (Continued on page 37)

t r o Sp West Indies Championship 2018-2019

Scorpions sting Jaguars to reach 320-8; Green 59*, King 51 scored fifties; Rutherford has 3-52 Derval Green who has 59 not out and Sherfane Rutherford who has 3-52 share a light moment as they left the field yesterday (Sean Devers photo)

Toussaint steers Demerara to victory; Berbice overcome Select U-19 Lashana Toussaint picks up runs through the offside.

Former Twin-Tower and Nat. Captain Charles Pollard appointed Assistant Coach

Deandra Dottin made 96 and took 3-14.

- Head Coach Michael Johnson arrives today; 26-man squad shortlisted GFF/Pele Alumni/Frank Watson Mem. National Playoffs – Cluster 3 Essequibo

Dottin hurts Pakistan with all-round heroics

Dartmouth, Atkinson Brothers and Rising Stars collide tomorrow Magnum Mash Cup Futsal

‘Gold is Money’ seeking to secure KO berth Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Competition

Could the Bosses stop the Show tonight?

West Side fans expected in large numbers

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