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KAIETEUR NEWS Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: ADAM HARRIS Tel: 225-8491, 225-8458, 225-8465 Fax: 225-8473 or 226-8210
Editorial
DISPOSING OF HUMAN LIVES The brutal murders of a Domestic Worker and mother of four, and a phone card vendor, himself a father of four, on the same day, on the Corentyne, have sent shock waves throughout the ancient county. There was a time in Guyana when a single murder would rock the nation to its core, but not anymore. At the turn of the century a spate of murders nearly precipitated a state of emergency in the country. The year 2017 began with a crime spike that is worrying not only because of the senseless taking of human lives, but also because of how this kind of violence which is spiraling out of control seems to be regarded as the norm. Gun violence has become so rampant in the country that some seem to be regarding the occurrence of the two murders as nothing to be concerned about. Crimes of this nature only remind the people that they are not safe. And while there are claims that brutal crimes are on the decline, the reality of many Guyanese conveys a different impression. The authorities must deal condignly with criminals. They should particularly be concerned with the brazen nature of the two murders on the Corentyne. It seems that the murderers are demons in human form whose motives range from robbery to pure malice. The possibility of a never-ending wave of violence is on everyone’s mind. The people want less talk and more action. They want results, but the government alone cannot solve crime. It would be more productive if the Government and the Opposition come together to find solutions to reduce crime. They should put aside partisan politics and take a serious approach to find appropriate solutions. They must develop a plan of action with emphasis on outcomes, not saber-rattling. Such intervention by the government and opposition is needed to remove the menace from society. However, the opposition has repeatedly declined offers from the government to help solve crime. On the other hand, the government needs to do a better job to regulate guns. It seems that weapons are freely available to the criminals. The state must use its security apparatus effectively to gather information and devise plans to frustrate the criminals. Surveillance alone is not enough, more deterrence is required.Television is also a useful medium in crime-fighting. However, it must not be used to inadvertently glamorize crime or undermine confidence in the police. The people need confidence now more than ever. The fact that crime is not reducing shows that the punishment is woefully inadequate. More needs to be done to empower the police to solve crimes and successfully prosecute the perpetrators in court. The government must act to protect the citizens from the vicious criminals who continue to prey on the innocent almost daily. However, this is not to take away from the genuine achievements of the police who continue to arrest many of the perpetrators soon after the crimes are committed. But this is of little comfort to the family and friends of those who have been murdered by criminals. Citizens must help the police to fight crime. Which is why the police must do a better job of earning their trust. It will send a message to the criminals. As a society, the people must ask those in authority some hard questions. While many would like to dismiss the criminal impulses of a few as an abnormality, there are prevalent factors that feed them. The truth is, the criminals grew up in the same easy-going and friendly society like everyone else. The government has to find ways to identify and in a timely fashion find solutions to the risk-factors and the predispositions to violent criminality. Violence is derived from learned behaviour, poverty, and in some cases from the inequality in society. It is not instilled in people from birth. It is a culture that is now shockingly developed into the disposing of human lives.
Sunday February 12, 2017
Kaieteur M@ilbox Send your letters to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com
The mentality of people like IK Cush and Ruel Johnson Dear Editor, Warning; this will be a controversial letter and like IK Cush, I stand behind what is said, but unlike IK Cush, it will be something worth standing up for. Even though he did not mention a certain group, he is referring to it, but IK Cush does not represent the views of young or progressive Guyanese, instead he represents the mentality of people who like the Ruel Johnsons of the world, believe that everyone else is to be blamed for nonwhite suffering other than they themselves. The only group that has been deliberately oppressed and that has not been able to represent their interest at the highest level of Guyanese
politics are our Amerindian brothers and sisters. And to be fair, it is only under the PPP, we saw tangible representation of this group. Amerindians suffered because they were deemed not to belong to the melting pot Certain sections ruled this country for decades, the same years Cush is referring to as those days, where everyone put their shoulders to the wheel to pave their o w n d e s t i n y. B u t h e conveniently forgot that during that time, the people were deprived of democratic representation, something that he dislikes even now, because he is not mentally capable of existing in a truly democratic society with
freedom of speech. During this “great period” Cush is referring to, white mouth was a staple in people’s vocabulary and hunger was recognized along with rationed food lines while living in fear of speaking out. In those days, Walter Rodney was killed by the State forces for being a viable threat to the State. Guyana could not pay its foreign debt and owed more than it could produce. I would dare to ask IK Cush some purely insensitive and pragmatic questions; where is the foundation from “those days” that should have been laid for the people today, so that we would not be in a state of economic
vulnerability? Why past regimes did not protect my group by empowering us to protect our economic future? Why after these decades of controlling all the resources of Guyana, the people were not left in a position to withstand the shock of economic leveling during the PPP years? And I am not saying the PPP years were perfect, but it was progressive. Every cultural group in Guyana has withstood the pressure of those decades and built themselves up so that they would not be oppressed; while the elite leaders under the PNC lived lavishly by exploiting their own Guyanese people and (Continued on page 5)
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The Strategic Management Department never wrote such a document
GRA says there is no VAT on medical services
DEAR EDITOR, I refer to a letter purportedly written by one Clinton Conway “Many sections of the police force have performed admirably,”’ KN, February 10, 2017, where he makes the assertion that the “disbanded Police Strategic Management Unit” designed and implemented the mission statement of the Guyana Police Force. I wish to make it quite clear that the Strategic Management Department which I headed from May 2, 2013 until its closure in May 2016 at no time designed or implemented any such document. Conway speaks from the lofty position of ignorance as he pontificates as it was
never the role of the SMD to be implementers of any initiative the department might have undertaken. However I am prepared to accept that since he places himself as the expert on police matters he might be privy to much more information than I, since it was a very senior officer who was known to Conway that engaged in the reckless and dangerous practice of assigning certain undisclosed tasks to a particular member of the SMD. I would appreciate similar prominence of this clarification. Patrick E. Mentore Former Head, Strategic Management Department
There are limitations in the bidding process in Guyana DEAR EDITOR, I am totally disappointed with the manner in which bids are evaluated at the level of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB). On December 29, 2016 bids were opened for the operation service and maintenance of excavators, and others, for the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority hereafter called the Procuring Entity. Now, it has been 42 days since the opening and still no one has been awarded any of the contract/s. Mr. Editor, the Procurement Act of 2003, clearly states in chapter 39 clause 2, that the ‘Evaluation Committee shall…. convey its recommendation to the Procuring Entity within a reasonable period of time, but no longer than 14 days.’ The inability of the Evaluation committee/ evaluator and NPTAB to ensure that the Procurement Act is followed reflects one of the limitations of the bidding process in Guyana. And this particular case brings to question the following:
1. Is there a hidden motive behind the delay of the award of this contract? 2. What limits NPTAB from ensuring transparent evaluation process? 3. What is being done at the level of NPTAB to remedy such deficiencies in the procurement process? Mr. Editor; I made several calls to the NDIA and NPTAB to seek clarity on this matter and to date, neither of the two entities can give a reason for the present development. This is not the first time this has happened to me as a contractor at the level of NPTAB. But I sincerely hope that after this is highlighted that special interest would be given to this situation to en-
sure, due process is followed and there is a transparent evaluation process. I can think of several reasons, why these contracts are not yet awarded, but I wish to refrain from speculations and state the obvious - there are still significant limitations in the procurement process. And also to make a clarion call on NPTAB and relevant authorities to rectify this defect in the system and promptly award the bids for these projects - it has been far too long. Maybe this will quell my disappointment, and lend to the restoration of my hope for a transparent system at NPTAB. Terence Jones
DEAR EDITOR, The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has noted with concern a “Peeping Tom” article published in the Wednesday, February 1, 2017 Edition of the Kaieteur News titled ‘VAT! VAT! VAT!’ In which the writer erroneously wrote that “VAT is now chargeable on medical services.” Please note that Schedule II to the VAT Act, Cap. 81:05 (Exempt Supplies) states the following: “Exempted for the purposes of
section 18 are a supply of medical, dental, hospital, optical or paramedical services, other than veterinary services.” GRA is reminding the media that its Tax Advisory Services Section can be accessed via telephone numbers 227-6060/227-8222 extensions 1201-1204 for clarification on any tax matter of public interest. Guyana Revenue Authority Public Relations Unit
The mentality of people like IK Cush... From page 4 everyone else. Now the present elite and others stand again with power in their hands and are doing the same things that were done those decades ago. Overtaxing the people, taxing education, overpriced parking meters, depriving market vendors of their income and I can go on and on. The future of Guyana will not be like those past years, it will not allow oppressive elites to deprive us of our freedom to express ourselves and we will protect our rights this time. The future politicians will work together even if we do not agree or are on the same side. We will not take part in gang politics, ethnic politics and disastrous group think. The future politicians will look for common grounds
that drive Guyana forward and not divide us and this starts with protests like the Movement Against Parking Meters. It must be okay to disagree without making enemies out of it. Guyana is currently under too much economic strain to have parking meters in its capital and everyone agrees with that fact. We agree because even the average Guyanese owns a car, even if they can just get by with it and that is why the parking meters is the straw that’s breaking the peoples back. So as IK Cush stands there with his backward and toxic
mouth, you must remember that it is not “those days” that made it possible for the average Guyanese to own cars today. Those who voted like a boss will now feel what it’s like to live in those days IK Cush is referring to. I will continue to play my role in showing what voting like a boss should be like in a future Guyana we will all love and live for. Sometimes we forget that there are enough resources in Guyana for all to live well, only if we can manage it properly. Malcolm Watkins
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A Minister told me Lindeners have no other political choice but APNU DEAR EDITOR, The 21st August 2012 Agreement between Central Government and the Regional Democratic Council, Region 10 was marked with the citizens’ blood and lives, and the destruction of properties. The opposition APNU and AFC rode on the passion and determination of a people who stood up against suc-
cessive regimes that set out, in every way, to marginalise them because of their identity and political persuasions. To bring about normalcy during the protest the APNU and AFC sat at the table. The signing of the agreement between central and regional governments saw Rupert Roopnarine signing as the APNU’s representative and
Nigel Hughes for the AFC, giving the parties’ support for its implementation. Citizens must now question whether these gestures were intended to gain political mileage on the backs of a struggling people. After the signing, the then opposition joined with the people in consistently calling on the Donald Ramotar government to honour and
People have been taxed to the limit of the Like every other untenable and more clandestineness parking meter deal, with the situation Guyanese have DEAR EDITOR, Due to the lack of perspicacity, the Mayor and Town Clerk of Georgetown have unwittingly created a new force, a new movement against bullyism, against corruption and against maladministration. This new group which they recklessly and idiotically labelled as aligned to a political grouping, consists of the widest cross section of the Guyanese society, of persons who are concerned about the future of our country and of persons who refuse to be intimidated by a few misguided persons at City Hall. It is extremely foolish and arrogant of them to be so dismissive of this prominent group whose concerns include the
contract still being held as a top secret, barring Councillors, senior municipal staffers and worst the citizens of Georgetown from seeing it, the non-adherence to tender procedures and failure to have a bidding process, the exorbitant parking fees and penalties to purported violators, the inequity of the sharing of the profits between the contractor and the city, the lack of vision of the city’s mothers and fathers, the incompetence of the municipal administrators etc. The City Council is clearly hoping that with time, these busy individuals will stop protesting and just get on with their hectic lives, paying and allowing their staff to pay these forbidding rates having been beaten into the ground.
faced. But no, not this time. People have had enough. They have been taxed to the limit and more. And they hardly see any returns for these taxes they pay to City Hall. Unlike what Ifa Kamau Cush said they are progressives. They are not freeloaders; and they have the fortitude to control their own destiny. He must be speaking about the people at City Hall when he said “You all possess the mentality of slaves, indentured servants, incapable of genera t i n g wealth and building capacity,” With all of the taxpayer’s money that has to be remitted to Mexico from this deal, it is no wonder we have a foreign currency shortage. Sambu Jacobus
A Smarter Alternative to Parking Meters DEAR EDITOR, I will be grateful if you would publish this letter on the abandonment of Parking Meters in Georgetown, and the abolition of the annual motor vehicle licences. The City Council of Georgetown should consider a smarter alternative to collect more revenue, rather than what is considered by many, as an ill-conceived, burdensome and expensive parking meter venture for a small return; even if all the meters are fully used. The negotiating brains in the City Council should have explored the best possible options for revenue generation, and after careful study, canvassed views of the consuming public, residents and businesses in the city. This should
have been the decision of a duly constituted full Council meeting, although not the best options Here is an option: the City Council should negotiate with Central Government for a subvention to cover the estimated net income from the parking meters. Government can institute a small increase in the price for each gallon of fuel, collected up front from the few distributors for this venture. This small increase in the price for fuel can be extended to the entire country as vehicles use and park in other cities and along public roadways. This can contribute to the subventions for other Municipalities and Regional Councils. This is a more equitable solution. The
parking meters should therefore be abandoned along with Smart City Solutions. The same negotiators of the Council should negotiate the scrapping of this venture. Abolish Motor Vehicle Licences. It is also proposed that the annual motor vehicle licences be abolished, and that the accurate estimate of net revenue from motor vehicle licences be applied by a small increase on each gallon of fuel. This can be collected at source from the few distributors. The control and regulation concerning motor vehicles will reside in the registration and annual road fitness. The revenue generation under these proposals will be garnered easily without additional cost of personnel time, materials and administration, and considerable savings in productive time of all drivers and those purchasing these licences. Let good common sense prevail; bite the bullet, and take the right course of action in the interest of all. Samuel J. Goolsarran
implement the agreement. The 2015 elections campaign saw the agreement used as a rallying call in mobilising Region 10 and afar against the PPP/ C, and commitment given that an APNU+AFC government will not only honour and implement it, but will govern by honouring agreements, respecting laws and the people’s rights. The 2012 agreement speaks to three very important elements:-i) the development of an economic plan for the region, ii) examination and development of an energy plan; and iii) return of the television dish 14 days after its signing. Since theAPNU+AFC came to office it can confidently be said no positive effort has been made to have this agreement honoured and implemented. It would take nothing of the government to establish the Economic Committee to carry out a study and develop a plan for Region 10 as President Granger talks about developing flags and emblems in recognition of each region. It helps if the president’s intention is not only seen as symbolic but earnest desire for each region’s development, using the intellectual capabilities and others resources at its disposal. The government is talking about developing an alternative energy programme, the Technical Committee speaks to examining the energy supply in Region 10 and coming up with proposals for the future. Outside of political will and commitment
there is absolutely nothing preventing government from establishing this committee. Prime Minister Nagamootoo, who has responsibility for the information sector, continues to find excuses to deny Lindeners the return of their television station. Since coming to office he has moved with a high degree of alacrity to realise broadcasting access to the Amerindian communities, who are not only allowed to determine their management but also the content of their programmes. Now he is moving to establish community broadcasting service in Bartica. Given the clear inequity in treatment the denial to Linden its community television is not only discriminatory and but also carries a sinister political agenda to continue to deny a people their fundamental rights, which the High Court upheld in 2008. The PPP/C government contempt for the Guyana Constitution (Article 147), 2008 court ruling, and 2012 Agreement, is being continued under the APNU+AFC. N a g a m o otoo must be told when the Trust was established by the people, the spirit and intent was for it to be controlled by the community. There was no intent for the Office of the Regional Chairman to chair its board. Sharma Solomon, under whose leadership the citizens were allowed to establish the Trust, his membership on the board was not because of the
office he held but the leadership he delivered to the people. As the APNU and AFC rightly demanded the will of the people be respected when they held the parliamentary majority in 2011, and in 2015 with securing the Executive and Parliament, so too must they respect the will of people who established the Trust. Seeking to foist the Regional Chairman into the Trust as its chairman is violating the rules and intent that established the Trust, and transgressing the will of the people in the management of their organisation. This sinister agenda to control and deny the people continues the PPP/ C’s contempt for them and the seizure of their assets and resources in furtherance of a few. What the prime minster is seeking to execute, having been a politician for decades and also in a different era, is Machiavellian at its most ruthless. When a senior minister was confronted by me with the idea that Region 10 may rebel in 2020 given the mistreatment they continue to receive, the response was, ‘they have no alternative since they will not go to the PPP/C, we will continue to get their support.’ This type of politics where people are seen as mules and treated with contempt is self-serving and destructive, and we must reject it. Lincoln Lewis
Suddenly fifty city police ranks appeared on the scene DEAR EDITOR, Something does not seem to make sense about the Georgetown City Constabulary. For years now we have heard them cry out that they are extremely short of staff, and that they are constrained in carrying out their duties as a result of this, and that they are unable to attract new recruits etc. However, just like that, all of a sudden, they are quite comfortably able to reassign fifty constables armed to the teeth, far more than one third of their staff strength if we are to be guided by the numbers they put out, to be the enforcers of this parking meter project. Maybe these are the house slaves Ifa Cush is talking about trying to control the motorists who they see as the field slaves.
Do they consider this parking meter project to be of higher priority than the municipal markets where shoppers and vendors conduct business each day? Do they consider it a higher priority than their municipal locations where large sums of monies are collected? Do they consider it a higher priority that the enforcement of the city’s bylaws? Or do they consider it a higher priority than stopping persons from being mugged on the streets? I believe the City Constabulary needs to create a list of its priorities and then number them, as I doubt whether there has been a surge in recruitment leading to full staff strength. They are there to protect and to serve not to be henchmen to contractors and enforcers of spe-
cial interests. People are molested and robbed in and around our markets on a daily basis and there is hardly ever a constable in sight, yet when the many booting exercises are being they are right there menacing and even arresting motorists as though they are criminals. So will they use this as an excuse once again to re-engage without bidding, the private guard service that is affiliated to a serving Councillor from their municipality? Or will they use their notorious senior officer to fill the void left by these reassigned constables giving him greater opportunity to terrorize vendors, persecute business persons and shake down citizens for the smallest of infractions. Anu Bihari
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City Hall sneaked in an oppressive budget
Govt. counting their chickens before they hatch
DEAR EDITOR, With all the rumpus of the parking meter debacle, the Georgetown City Council was able to furtively slip by a draconian budget for 2017 with hardly anyone reacting or even noticing. Listening to the elderly Chairman make the presentation, one can understand why the government has taken a decision to remove these prehistoric politicians from key positions of governance and send them to their rocking chairs. They are obviously not in touch with the times. In the first place one needs to enquire why it took so many months to be discussed and formulated and then only to come up with such an uninspiring budget. There is nothing new but increased taxation for citizens to look forward to. This deficit budget and deficit budgets by local authorities should not be allowed by the Ministry of Communities. Now that the parking meters charges have to be reduced, these deficit budgets are just aimed
at the Council raking in more revenue from citizens that already have their belts drawn tight. I am surprised that I have not heard a response or assessment from the Chamber of Commerce nor Private Sector Commission. Of interest to the citizenry is whether the details of this budget will ever be made public or whether it will be kept under wraps like the last budget or worst become classified like the parking meter contract, whereby citizens will have to be supervised by a Constable to read it Look at the burdens being implemented, the parking meter albatross, the container fees millstone, the 10 percent across-the-board increase for property taxes shackle, the increase in market fees burden and the increased fees to the barbers and hairdressers. By the way are those on Merriman’s Mall paying anything at all? Are they even licensed? But why is City Council’s budget only about taxation, taxation, taxation? What
about improving the lives of every citizen of Georgetown? Will they be building a new state of the art abattoir? Or will they continue to bludgeon the animals to death in an old insanitary facility? Will they rehabilitate all of their old, rickety buildings including City Hall, or will they keep them in the same state of disrepair, Will they put in street lights, will they fix the roads and bridges, will they build a municipal swimming pool, will they build modern shopping centres, will they buy their own garbage trucks or will they continue to be enervated by contractors, will they rebuild some of those old rat infested markets such as Bourda and La Penitence? Will they eradicate mosquitoes in the city will they remove vagrants from off of the streets? What about the cemetery? Will they rebuild the Stabroek Market wharf? What are we paying these increased and additional taxes for? The same old, same old? Mateo Phelephe
These two positions are opposites like night and day DEAR EDITOR, GuySuCo went on a tirade accusing me of misleading and poisoning minds of readers in its response (KN, Feb. 2nd, 2017). I responded that GuySuCo doesn’t need my help to achieve these feats. The executive management team is doing so in fine style and I shall demonstrate once more to this nation. Let’s go back to KN of Nov. 13th, 2016 news item titled “US$200M Skeldon factory falling to pieces GuySuCo”. The impression created is that the factory will collapse at any moment. It was explained that, “The US$200M Skeldon Sugar Factory is falling to pieces and it isn’t worth the effort to it back together. This is according to officials of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo)”. GuySuCo’s Chairman also weighed in: “The reality before us is that the factory has lots of faults; it is badly designed and poorly constructed. The factory is deteriorating. New
steel is needed; some of the furnaces don’t work, some of the boilers don’t work… The factory is just not properly built. The cost for the repairs needed is about US$60M ($12B). It is that big of a disaster.” He continued, “We are trying to find a way out but that is like trying to find a way out of a minefield.” We now come to Feb. 5th, 2017 edition of Demerara Waves which carried a news item “Indian company wants to take over Skeldon Sugar Factory; Guyana yet to respond.” The article explained that Managing Director of Sunrise Holdings, Mr. Tony Joseph advised that Skeldon can become profitable in 18 months. He was quoted as saying “From our conversation, we believe that within 18 months or less that Skeldon could be profitable.” He went on to say “We believe that with proper management techniques, changes and some modernization of certain areas
of the sugar plant, some harvesting changes that we can bring the price of sugar to world market competitiveness”. Editor, here we have two clear positions. First being GuySuCo’s executives and Chairman, Dr. Clive Thomas asserting that Skeldon Sugar Factory is falling to pieces and not worth Govt.’s investment. Second being, an Indian firm with expertise in sugar brought in by Mr. Joseph assessed and concluded that the factory can be profitable in 18 months or less and meet the world market price of sugar. These positions are as clear as night and day. Who’s misleading here? Is it GuySuCo’s executives or Mr. Joseph? If Skeldon Sugar Factory can become profitable in just 18 months, why can’t GuySuCo do it with the IMC and the battery of experts it hired? I leave this for my fellow Guyanese to judge. Sookram Persaud
DEAR EDITOR, I may be wrong but there appears to be a growing sentiment that the current administration is counting their chickens before they hatch and borrowing money as a result. It is important to note the recent history of Venezuela, that has a larger oil reserve than most countries in the world and by some accounts their reserves are the largest in the world at over 280 billion barrels. This is over 170 times our oil find and yet
today the masses in Venezuela are impoverished and standing in long lines for their food purchases. If our country’s destiny will be dictated by outside forces due to poor economic choices that reduce financial independence, the future opportunities of the next generation will be limited. In addition the expenses of the populace are being increased in areas where we have been accustomed to affordability, such as parking
and low taxation. It is important for all of us to be cautious about dealings with Exxon. The economics do not make long term sense and the aggressive budgetary spending appears to be quite premature. We as a nation have benefited from our long term approach to development, let’s not let greed and impatience take us off course of achieving a sustainable vision for our future. Jamil Changlee Strategy Consultant
The aloof and arrogant politics of But as a good gover- therefore has taken the initiathis Govt. base. nance advocate, I am pained tive to make his concerns DEAR EDITOR, Despite the slowdown in revenues opportunities in City Hall over the years buoyed by a bankrupt leadership under Hammie Green (for which he is today being rewarded by the Granger administration with a G$20 million per year pension), the City Government was not this cantankerous as we are observing today. I was not drawn to writing this letter because of the street protest against the Parking Meters, since I was so proud of the purity of the silent public activism of the people,that I decided to reflect inwardly on this issue. But when Councillor, Alfred Mentore wrote a letter to the press on this matter captioned “I advocated for a reduction of parking fees”, he caused me to change my position. Bingo and thank you Councillor Mentore. That is the solution! Aspects of the public interest favor both sides, as evidenced by the massive attention this parking meter issue has garnered at even these most preliminary stages. On the one hand, the paying public has a powerful interest in ensuring that this new TAX is affordable. And on the other, City Hall has an interest in filling the deficit in its budget to better deliver on its services to the citizens of the city. We need not characterize either side since they both have legitimate issues, one a fair rate, the other a wider tax
to see how this contract was executed in a non-transparent manner. This corrupt act has brought great hardship to the citizens of the city and some amount of rolling back is vitally necessary. It is time City Hall ask the Private Sector Commission to join the negotiations with the parking meter company and arrive at a rate that is more affordable. All must reject the corrupt practices behind this contract; but the contract has been signed and I was advised that the termination cost to the bankrupt City Hall is enormously high. So backing out seem a distant option. Therefore we must all look at the bigger picture and work for a more amicable result that will better serve all. Parking Meters are a normal feature in most cities and thus should not be alien to Georgetown, but the rates do not justify acceptance by the paying public. We have to make choices. Will the Granger administration listen to the people and substantially minimize the rates or will they continue with their usual aloof and arrogant politics and economics like the forced $3 spread on the exchange rate and continue to hurt the people? In this regard, I take this opportunity to applaud President David Granger for recognizing that the rate as “too high and burdensome” and
known to the Town Clerk and his Madam Mayor. I must also salute the silent protestors for their advocacy because without their silence maybe the President may not have heard the message. But we all must focus on the now and what is absolutely clear we cannot turn back time and therefore all energies should be focused on securing a better deal. No deal is the least optimal option. Lastly, I want to commend the small group of Councillors who stood up to the Madam Mayor and her bully for a Town Clerk and I speak specifically of Sherod Duncan, Alfred Mentore, Ron Persaud, Lionel Jaikarran and the few others. To the ordinary citizen who debunked the politicians by telling them this issue is not political, like Marcel Gaskin the brother of the Minister, they also must be commended for standing for principle. Now is not the time to stop the protest and I am sure every law abiding Guyanese is with them in spirit every time they are o u t t h e r e . We l l d o n e Georgetown, you have shown that the flames in the belly of the people have not been extinguished. I appeal to the City Fathers and Mothers, please let common sense prevail to the point that all can have a win-win situation. Sase Singh
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Govt’s inaction on Ombudsman’s reports an insult to the office - Dr. Hinds By Kiana Wilburg It has been more than a year since the Office of the Ombudsman released two damning reports and the Government is yet to lift a finger. Not only is this unacceptable, but Executive Member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), Dr. David Hinds says that it represents an insult to the Office of the Ombudsman and a serious democratic deficit. In an invited comment, Dr. Hinds said that democracy is incomplete if the government ignores the work of democratic institutions. “If their work is ignored, the institutions are weakened. Why expend resources
on institutions when you don’t act on their work and findings? This has become a worrying habit of this government. They did it with the audits, with the Rodney Commission report, and with some of the reports of the other commissions they have set up.” Dr. Hinds stressed that the work of the Ombudsman is critical to Guyana’s fragile democracy, particularly in an age of rampant government over-reach and corrupt governance. He opined that the government’s failure to act on the reports on the New Building Society and Freddie Kissoon matters, amounts to
turning a blind eye to the transgressions of the previous government—something that has become a frustrating habit. Dr. Hinds said that if a government which came to office with the expressed promise to go after the gross over-reach of its predecessors ends up sweeping the evidence under the carpet, then it ends up compromising its own integrity. “If you have the authority to act on injustice and don’t act on evidence before you, then you end up being a symbol of injustice yourself.” Dr. Hinds emphasised that the government must move very quickly to ensure
justice for the citizens who were wronged in the matters pronounced on by the Ombudsman, Justice Winston Moore, or it risks losing whatever credibility it has left. “And that would be a serious blow to our country’s ability to recover its political sanity and moral centre which took a hammering under the previous government.” FREDDIE KISSOON One report deals with the issue of Kaieteur News columnist Freddie Kissoon being wrongfully dismissed from the University of Guyana. Kissoon was on a contract with the University of Guyana but it was terminated by the tertiary institution in
January 18, 2012. This was in spite of the fact that Kissoon’s contract had five months remaining, at the end of which, he would have reached the age of retirement. Rather than the story that he was dismissed, the University had said that it merely ended the contract earlier, eight months before the contract expired. The contract stipulated that it could be terminated and three months’ salary paid in lieu of notice. Kissoon did not hear from the University despite several efforts for a reason for why his contract was terminated prematurely. Following a complaint (Continued on page 12)
WPA Executive Member, Dr. David Hinds
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Shocking clauses exposed in secret Parking Meter contract...
City Hall agrees to repay company full investment, plus 25% of total for remaining years if deal scrapped - opens door for 98 years stay, given full acess to entire city The parking meter contract has been kept from the public eye since it was announced that the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown signed the agreement with Smart City Solutions (SCS). However, as they say, what is in the dark must come to light. Kaieteur News got hold of the original contract yesterday and after perusal, it was realised that the company can extend the duration of the 49-year agreement for an additional 49 years under the same terms of the current agreement subject to the approval of the City. This means that the company was given the option to operate in Guyana for almost one century. Another glaring provision in the contract relates to its termination. In the event that both parties wish to terminate the contract, this can be done via a written consent.
Town Clerk, Royston King However, if City Hall wishes to unilaterally terminate the contract without the written consent of the company, the City shall pay SCS a lump sum payment equivalent to the total direct and indirect, hard and soft cost cumulative gross investment of the
company in the project. However, it does not end there. This lump sum is to be added to an amount equal to 25 per cent of the total direct and indirect, hard and soft cost cumulative gross investment of the company in the project. When the value of the 25 per cent is calculated, it is to be further multiplied by the number of years remaining under the agreement. Further, the Council would have to pay the reasonable out-of-pocket and documented costs and expenses incurred by the company as a direct result of such termination, cancellation, rescinding or voiding. Moreover, the M&CC has been barred by the agreement to terminate the contract for its own convenience. Equally worrying is the fact that the onus is on the M&CC to facilitate tax exemptions to be awarded to
Directors of SCS, Ifa Kamau Cush (left) and Simon Moshesvilli
Youth dies in early morning accident Twenty year-old Ryan Reynolds lost his life yesterday following a motor vehicle accident on the Liliendaal Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara. The accident occurred in the wee hours of the morning and police were notified after day-break. According to Traffic Chief Dion Moore, Reynolds, a former student of Queen’s College and son of Justice Brassington Reynolds was proceeding east along the roadway, lost control of his vehicle PJJ 2706, and collided with a utility pole before ending up in a nearby canal. After responding to the call, Police transported the injured Reynolds to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he died.
DEAD: Ryan Reynolds
the company. According to the contract, “The City Hall shall support and facilitate any application or process the concessionaire (SCS) may pursue to secure exemption from income, corporation, VAT (value added tax), capital gains and all other levies, taxes, duties, cesses or other imposition of similar nature in respect of the importation, use and operation of any equipment and materials, including but not limited to, any unit or part of the Metered Parking System imported by the concessionaire for purposes of initialisation and on-going operation of the project.” The company has been afforded a number of sole and absolute discretions also. These include SCS having the power to establish distinct and multiple geographic Parking Zones within the territory of the City which shall be subject to distinct Metered Parking Fees and Parking Fines. This process however, must be accompanied by the company demonstrating the basis and justification for the distinctions within any relevant study to be provided
Mayor, Patricia Chase-Green to the City Council. Further, the company can begin charging for parking beyond 19:00hrs. This can be done in places classified as “nocturnal areas” which are typically frequented during evening hours. The aforementioned are just some of the conditions which the M&CC have bound Guyana. The contract was signed by Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, Town Clerk Royston King, and Councillor Junior Garrett on behalf of the council. Signatories for the company are Chairman and Director of SCS Simon Moshesvilli and Director Ifagbamila Kamau Cush.
The parking meter project has been filled with controversy due to how the representatives from the council dealt with the company in terms of ensuring due diligence was done and stakeholders consulted. Recently, there has been public resentment of how the project is being implemented; particularly as it relates to the penalties enforced on persons failing to pay for parking and the prices being demanded. However, these enforcements have been relaxed following a meeting with representatives of the council and President David Granger.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday February 12, 2017
Finance Minister has two weeks left to submit Treasury Memorandum
Finance Minister Winston Jordan currently has about two weeks left to submit a Treasury Memorandum to the National Assembly regarding the financial lawlessness that took place under the PPP some seven years ago. A Treasury Memorandum is a document which outlines what will be done as it relates to the breaches and irregularities that are outlined in the Auditor General’s report. T h e P u b l i c Accounts Committee (PAC), upon receipt of the Auditor General’s Report, scrutinizes it by having the head of the budget agencies along with its technical officers give answers to some of the identified breaches. That committee then submits a report to the National Assembly documenting its findings and recommendations on the way forward. Once this report is laid, the Finance Minister has 90 days to p r e p a r e a Treasury Memorandum which will speak to remedies and sanctions if
any. The latest report from t h e PA C w a s l a i d o n November 28, last year. But that report speaks to the Auditor General’s report for the years 2010 and 2011. It therefore means that the Finance Minister would be responding to a report that speaks to the irregularities which occurred during the PPP regime. This report would have been prepared by former Chairman of the PAC, Carl Greenidge during the Tenth Parliament. With a new Chairman in place, being Opposition Member Irfaan Ali, the document was finally completed and laid in the House. I n t h e PA C ’s l a t e s t report, the Parliamentary Sub-committee expressed concerns regarding a number of irregularities as pointed out by the Auditor General. One issue that the PAC highlighted in particular was the “dishonest behaviour” of some accounting officers within the system. It is recommending that such elements must be removed. According to the
Committee, the culture where certain officials believe that it is simply acceptable to engage in unbecoming financial practices must come to an end. Over the years, the PAC said that it has examined the Auditor General’s report only to find that the same financial transgressions are being repeated year after year. To bring an end to this behaviour, the members have since put forward a number of recommendations. Among them, the PAC is calling for the Finance Secretary to be empowered to surcharge defaulting accounting officers. It is also suggesting that Accounting officers and/ or engineering staff that knowingly wait until the end of December to sign off on incomplete projects, be removed from the system. The PAC said that it is against this practice, which it considers to be “dishonest and not in keeping with the nation’s financial rules and regulations”. A d d i t i o n a l l y, the Committee said that over the
years, there have been a number of challenges regarding Budget Agencies. The Committee observed that across budget agencies, Accounting Officers and/or engineering staff appear to persistently sign off on incomplete projects. It said that Accounting Officers were found in many instances, to not be implementing appropriate measures to avoid the recurrence of overpayment. Compounding the situation is the fact that Government Agencies seemed reluctant to use the performance-based gratuity (specifically the withholding of increments) of Accounting Officers as a means of promoting efficiency. A d d i t i o n a l l y, the Committee said that the recycling of Accounting Officers who had been cited for inefficiency from one agency to another remains an irritant. The PAC said that it has also observed that in numerous cases, Performance Bonds and Insurance were seldom
utilized as surety by Ministries/Regions against shoddy and incomplete work done by contractors. In this regard as well, it found that there is a lack of clearly defined policies as it relates to invoking the Insurance and Performance bonds at the appropriate time. The PAC noted, too, that log books not being properly maintained continue to be a perennial problem across Ministries/Departments/ Regions. Furthermore, the PAC has found that the Auditor General’s Engineering Department appears overstretched, given the number of expected interventions and the increase in capital works across agencies. The PAC s a i d t h a t another frustrating challenge is the fact that Accounting Officers when challenged regarding the comments in the Auditor G e n e r a l ’s r e p o r t s f o r signing off on incomplete projects, are in the habit of behaving as though the contractors are automatically and legally
liable for rectifying the defects. The Committee said that a significant number of issues appearing before it are as a result of failure to put in place appropriate or timely policies and/or remedies. One such example it cited, was the unclear arrangements for the writing off of losses, which keeps recurring as queries annually. The PAC also expressed its dissatisfaction with the fact that budget agencies are taking, on average, one year (minimal), to rectify queries highlighted in the Auditor General’s Report. It stressed that in no uncertain terms, changes have to be made in this regard. While the Public Accounts Committee has delivered on its report for the years 2010 and 2011, it is still way behind. In fact, it is still to issue reports on the Auditor General’s findings for the years 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. The last Treasury Memorandum was issued in 2013 on the PAC’s report for the year 2009.
Sunday February 12, 2017
Kaieteur News
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Govt. to spend $39M on high-level CARICOM confab Cabinet last Tuesday, approved the sum of a little over $39M for the hosting of the 28th Intersessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). This important confab will be held on February 16 and 17 in the capital, Georgetown, and will see high-level officials of member states participating. The host country will present the draft CARICOM Arrest Warrant Treaty for ratification at the meeting. At Friday’s post-Cabinet press briefing, Minister of State Joseph Harmon said that the adoption of this Treaty will simplify the procedures by which fugitives from justice are returned to participating member states to face criminal prosecution or serve judicial sentences. The Treaty is one of the regional security instruments that was formulated to enhance cooperation between member states in the fight against crime and to reduce the complexity, cost and delays in the existing extradition arrangements inherent in the Region. Guyana will also be recommending the signing of a draft agreement to establish the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) at the Heads of Government meeting. “This agreement is geared at addressing several areas including energy security, energy access for production use and climate change mitigation,” Minister Harmon. Additionally, Guyana will be submitting the draft Rules of Procedures for meetings for the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM. The CARICOM Secretariat was mandated at the Thirty
sixth Meeting of the Heads of Government, held in July 2015, to prepare the draft rules of procedure for meetings of the Conference of Heads of Government. Guyana will host the Conference in accordance with a rotation schedule approved by the Conference of the Heads of Government with the President of Guyana, David Granger, as Chairman. On Friday, President Granger and his team were briefed by the SecretaryGeneral of CARICOM, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque on the upcoming events. The President’s team included Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge; Ivan Evelyn, Head of Protocol Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Audrey Waddle, Director of Foreign Affairs, Sharlene Phoenix, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Guyana; Neville Bissember, Adviser, Office of the Secretary-General; Charmaine Atkinson-Jordan, Chef-de-Cabinet, Office of the Secretary-General; Ambassador Colin Granderson, Assistant Secretary-General, Foreign and Community Relations, CARICOM Secretariat; and Mr. Joseph Cox, Assistant Secretary-General, Trade and Economic Integration, CARICOM Secretariat. The conference will be held almost seven months after Guyana hosted the CARICOM’s Heads of Government Thirty-Seventh Regular meeting where decisions were taken on a wide range of matters. It was disclosed that amongst the matters for immediate attention was an intensified public education campaign, aimed at all levels of the society in Member States, to highlight the benefits and provisions of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque (third from right); Officials of the CARICOM Secretariat (seated on right) and Officials of the Guyana Government, paying rapt attention as CARICOM Chairman, President David Granger (third from left) makes a point during Friday’s briefing in Georgetown (www.caricom.org photo).
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Kaieteur News
Sunday February 12, 2017
Govt’s inaction on Ombudsman’s reports... From page 8 lodged with the Office of the Ombudsman, UG was notified that the newspaper columnist’s contract being terminated in such a manner breached UG’s regulations. The report on the issue said that he should be compensated. Since the Ombudsman made this pronouncement in January 6, 2015 no action has been taken by the institution to compensate Kissoon. THE NBS REPORT Ombudsman Moore had also ruled on another controversial matter relating to the New Building Society (NBS). The Office of the Ombudsman concluded in November 2014 that police wrongfully charged the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and two of his Managers of a massive $69M fraud at the New Building Society, in 2006. The explosive document by the public complaint office was based on complaints by Maurice Arjoon, the former CEO. Arjoon, in his complaint, said he and two Managers, Kissoon Baldeo and Kent Vincent, were deliberately and maliciously charged by police for a $69M scam. Arjoon said that he believed that the trumped-up fraud charges, later dismissed in the Magistrates’ Court, stemmed from his refusal to lend $2B for the construction of the Berbice River Bridge. The former Government had been seeking financing for the project. Arjoon reportedly told his Board of Directors that the regulations barred the institution from lending that much. NBS voted to invest $350M in the project. The CEO claimed that his refusal to illegally lend the $2B angered the then President Bharrat Jagdeo.
Arjoon, who has been insisting his innocence from day one, said in his complaints that over seven years were taken away from his life. The late Justice Moore, who had sweeping powers to investigate abuse by public officers, hired former Deputy Commissioner of Police, Henry Chester, DSM, who, in reviewing a copy of the police files, found that based on the evidence, there was no way that the three men could have been charged. It was also found that the police files did not include a key exhibit. Arjoon had filed a high court action to overturn the decision of NBS to dismiss him, saying that he lost his benefits as a result. The explosive report raised serious questions about the rush by the police to lay charges; the role of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the role played by the Central Islamic Organization of Guyana. Since the report was laid in the National Assembly, nothing has happened. NEW OMBUDSMAN The Government had said that a new Ombudsman would be appointed on or before January 1. But it was amended to being done by March. An Ombudsman is an official usually appointed by the government or by Parliament, but with a significant degree of independence. Such an official is charged with representing the interests of the public by investigating and addressing complaints of maladministration or violation of r i g h t s . The typical duties of an Ombudsman are to investigate complaints and attempt to resolve them. Ombudsmen in some instances, also aim to identify systemic issues leading to poor service or breaches of people’s rights.
Sunday February 12, 2017
Kaieteur News
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Mom to face court for alleged poisoning of children A woman who became irate on Friday after finding out about her husband’s alleged infidelity and is said to have poisoned her three children before consuming the same substance, will be charged with three counts of attempted murder. This is according to a police source who is dealing with the investigation. He indicated that the 28-year-old woman can also be charged for damaging a mini bus belonging to her partner. At present, she and her three children are said to be in a stable condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. A medical source said that the substance has been flushed out of their bodies and they are being kept for observation. Kaieteur News understands that the woman will not be allowed to see the children. The matter is being investigated by both the Guyana Police Force and the Childcare and Protection Agency. The woman is said to have mixed a powder she uses to bathe her dogs in order to kill
fleas and gave it to the children before consuming a portion of it. According to information received, the woman became unsettled after a phone conversation with her partner, who is working in the interior. Kaieteur News was informed that the woman apparently found out that her partner was having an affair and decided to confront him with the allegation over the phone. It is unclear what happened during the telephone call, but the woman’s brother said that her husband, after talking to his wife, called his family in the area and told them to go quickly and check on the children since he feared that she may harm them. Reports are that when the man’s family rushed to the premises, they found the door locked. It was after they broke the door that they found the children and their mother lying on the floor. They were all rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where they remain patients at the facility.
When this newspaper tried to contact the woman’s family, they claimed that it was a private matter and whatever happened was a mistake and not intentional. Neighbours said that the woman, who sells food in the area, was normal up to Thursday afternoon but around 02:00 am she began breaking up items in her home.
“She chopped up her TV, table, stove and so, and then later she jumped on a bike and went to her cousin house, where her husband has his minibus and break up the windscreen,” a neighbour recounted. The woman suggested that her husband probably admitted his affair to his wife who then lost her cool.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday February 12, 2017
Granger admits to lack of foreign investment President David Granger has admitted that is government has not done well as it relates to attracting foreign investments into Guyana. Speaking to reporters at the Ministry of Presidency on Friday, the Head of State admitted that much more needs to be done in this regard. “We have re-engaged the Chinese and the Canadians in the extractive industry, along with the Russians and the Brazilians�. Granger said that a resolution in the
territorial issue with Venezuela will help in augmenting this process. The President opines that once this issue is dealt with the populace will see an upsurge in the number of persons and companies that will be at the ready to tap into this field. Additionally he noted that the recent financial strife that has beset many countries across the world is not helping as well. He noted that China and a number of European countries,
who have interest in investing in Guyana, had gone through perilous financial times and this has compounded the issue. He also noted that because of this there has been a low demand for a number of local commodities and that the traditional areas of exports such as sugar, bauxite, timber and rice are becoming less appealing to foreign investors. Granger noted that sugar and rice are high priced and it is doubtful that new investors will be clambering at the government’s door to invest in these fields. Further the Head of State noted that added to that, bauxite and timber are in low demand since the current crops of potential investors are looking for new non-traditional fields. Towards this end he noted that the country has to look at different areas to attract direct foreign investments. He believes that Guyana at large needs to recognize that we can no longer depend on the traditional sectors which are becoming less viable. He said that the sugar industry is in dire straits at the moment and this will not be an attraction to persons that may have an interest in that sector. He had noted that if resources continue to be ploughed into these areas this will not be investing wisely internally. It is with this backdrop that he suggests that eco-tourism is the new frontier that the country should be looking to attract foreign investors. Granger believes that there is enormous potential in this field that can be tapped into. Further the Head of State is of the view that once investors are made aware of the potential financial benefits that can be gleaned they will find it as an attractive option. For this reason the President believes that aggressive marketing of this sector will bring about a change and Guyana will start to see an upsurge in foreign investors that may want to invest here. That aside the Head of State noted that the administration is currently looking at engaging a number of potential investors to invest in various fields in Guyana.
Sunday February 12, 2017
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Kaieteur News
Govt. to procure asphalt plant from Germany Following a visit by top officials of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure to Germany a few days ago, the Guyana Government will now be moving to procure an asphalt plant with the aim of quickening the pace of
executing infrastructural works in the country. This was disclosed by Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, early last week. Patterson led a technical team to Frankfurt, Germany,
Helping to save your vision By Sharmain Grainger It is said that the eyes are the gateway to the soul. I have no proof of this. What I do know, however, is that those of us who have the privilege of having our eyes intact may not be able to even imagine existing a single day without this precious asset. Granted some people without vision have a relatively gratifying existence although they have never been able to witness the natural beauty of our awesome world or gazed upon the face of a loved one. But they were born that way! However, imagine having been birthed into the world, lived for most of your life depending on your eyes to guide you around and then one day without warning you begin to lose your vision and possibly even go blind. Imagine too that the circumstance(s) leading to this dilemma was completely preventable but is instead irreversible. This understandably could prove to be very disheartening and indeed it is to many people across the world who have lived with such a reality. A significant number of people who become visually impaired or completely blind suffer from diabetic retinopathy. I was enlightened about this daunting state of affairs recently when I met with Retinal Surgeon, Dr. John Carter. Dr. Carter, through a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) called Orbis International, was during the past week a member of a team lending support to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to help arrest the prevalence of complications linked to diabetic retinopathy. While the health sector has a role to play to raise awareness and help treat conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, Dr. Carter asserted that individuals also have a responsibility to have their eyes checked regularly, especially those who have been diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes, not just in Guyana, but across the world, is a very common problem and thus many people have, over the years, loss their vision to it. This situation has amplified the importance of a
vigorous programme to tackle preventable blindness. The GPHC, according to its Head of Ophthalmology, Dr. Shailendra Sugrim, has already been putting considerable measures in place to help arrest the scourge of various eye diseases. But he too admitted that among the most challenging is that of diabetic retinopathy. It is for this reason that the GPHC has been very receptive of the support from Orbis International. But even with all the latest technology, knowledge and sufficient staff in place, tackling conditions such as diabetic retinopathy may not succeed if individuals do not seek medical attention. According to Dr. Carter, if an individual delays seeking medical attention, it could result in them developing conditions that cannot be reversed, even when there are no signs or symptoms. And this has been the case on many occasions, Dr. Carter revealed. Dr. Carter said that he is always in high praise for patients who take charge of their vision simply by showing up. In fact he spoke of attending to several patients during the past week at the GPHC who simply had no idea why they wanted to have their eyes examined. But when their eyes were examined it was found that they had a pretty advanced disease. “If that advanced disease is ignored that patient is going to go blind...in such a situation we have a narrow opportunity to treat them before they go blind and they may be able to live a lot of good days with good vision before they go blind,” Dr. Carter explained. But far too often several patients simply turn up for medical attention when it is too late. “We have seen a fair number of patients whose disease is no longer treatable; they have loss of vision and that didn’t have to happen. They come to us hoping that we can fix it but we can’t,” Dr. Carter said. As part of the effort to help improve the delivery of eye care at the GPHC, Dr. Carter said that he is hoping that Orbis International will sustain a collaborative relationship with GPHC for a (continued on page 71)
where they visited the engineering plants of Benninghoven GmbH and Company – which is a member company of the Wirtgen Group. The group is regarded as the world’s leading source of road equipment including granulators and asphalt plants, both mobile and stationary. The company also includes the five well-known brands, Wirtgen, Vögele, Hamm, Kleemann and Benninghoven, with their headquarters in Germany and production sites in Brazil, India and China. Benninghoven GmbH and
Company also collaborates with the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) which produces approximately 70 percent of Guyana’s asphaltic concrete. However, according to Patterson, the plant is “quite old” and interventions are needed now if the Ministry aims to satisfy the everpresent demand. “We went to Germany to look at the possibility and the options we have in procuring the asphalt plant which will at minimum, produce 160 tonnes per hour and obviously, will be more efficient. And we will be able to drive the cost down not
only for the Ministry, but for the contractors as well, so that we can do much more and that will fulfil one of my mandates,” the Minister said. Patterson’s revelation will come against the backdrop of complaints by Guyanese over the years about the sloth in contractors carrying out projects in many parts of the country. When pressed, the cries of contractors would often be directed to the lack, or insufficient supply of asphalt and bitumen. Patterson was quizzed on the cost of the plant. He responded by saying that it will be “manageable”,
nevertheless, the Ministry is currently looking at financing options. In 2016, the DHBC’s asphalt plant produced a total of 42,471.06 tonnes of asphalt with $930,206,045 worth of the material being sold to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and $588,952,635 from other sales, taking the total sale of asphaltic concrete to $1,519,158,680. The Ministry of Public Infrastructure through the Transport and Harbours Department is responsible for the management and operation of the DHBC asphalt plant.
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Sunday February 12, 2017
Kaieteur News
GWI to save $$M with new drilling technique Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, on Friday last, announced at the Post Cabinet Press Briefing in the Ministry of the Presidency, that a Dutch company was awarded a $121,628,000 contract to drill three wells along the coastline. The cost to drill these wells, the Minister explained, will be half the cost previously paid to local contractors. The wells will be drilled at Sophia, Diamond and Sparendaam. The procuring entity is the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI). The
Company was identified as De Ruiter Groundwork Technique. The company was successful in carrying out works in neighbouring Suriname and the Netherlands. Chief Executive Office of the GWI, Dr. Richard Van WestCharles, told this publication yesterday that the company will be using a special type of technology, never used in Guyana, that will see better precision and will limit the
timeframe to drill, and which will ultimately lead to an overall reduction of the burden being placed on the state’s coffers. Dr. Van West-Charles revealed also, that there will be an expected transfer of technological expertise to local persons who will be involved in the project. This development comes against the background of opinions made by observers in the past about the cost to drill water wells. Many opined that wells being drilled could have
been done at a lower cost. Also, this new approach paves the way for a possible review of some of the contracts awarded in the past to drill wells in Guyana. In the past, contracts were given to the companies, where millions of dollars were being paid to drill and construct wells, particularly along the coast. One well in Manchester, on the East Berbice-Corentyne, was constructed to the tune of $90.4M under the previous administration – the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C). Back in 2010, Cabinet via the Ministry of Housing and the GWI gave its no-objection for four contracts to drill wells. These included one at Canefield, East
Canje, for $89M; one at Tabatinga, Region Nine for $77M; another at Mon Repos for $89M, and one at Good Hope for $69M. The forensic audit into the GWI for the period January 2012 to May 2015, had also raised several red flags over the drilling of wells where it pointed to one contractor, BK International which had been granted contracts to drill three wells worth $252 million for GWI. These wells were expected to be drilled at Hope and Mon Repos on the East Coast Demerara and at Eccles on the East Bank Demerara. Five years later and the project is yet to be fully completed. Meanwhile, nine wells are to
be dug in the South Rupununi by the Brazilian Army. As it relates to Region Ten, GWI says a new water distribution system has been installed in Andy Ville, Linden, to provide access to potable water for more than 100 persons. The GWI will be investing $3B this year to improve the livelihood of residents in all the administrative regions through infrastructural improvements for the provision of safe water. Over the past 18 months the state-run agency has provided some 100,000 residents with improved infrastructure and service across the country. The extension of transmission mains is ongoing and GWI is advancing works to activate a new well at Port Kaituma to provide improved water quality and service within the community.
Sunday February 12, 2017
Kaieteur News
Giftland Mall, M&CC reach agreement on use of the access road
Signs being removed by the M&CC (File photo).
Management of Giftland Office Max, the Town Clerk of the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown (M&CC) and other City officials, on Friday reached an agreement with regards to the usage of a disputed access road leading to the multibillion-dollar investment at Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara. Public Relations Consultant of the Mall, Elsena Seecharan, issued a release on behalf of the company. The release reads: “On Friday 10th February at 3PM, there was a meeting between the Town Clerk Royston King & the Chief Engineer Colvern Venture for the M&CC and Peter Abdool , Roy Beepat and Dale Beresford of Optimum Safety for the Giftland Mall. At the heart of the matter, was the safety concern for the Mall clients and the reckless manner in which the residents of the Boyer Development were using the roads. Mr. Abdool explained that due to the fact that the road was not
gazetted, the Mall was responsible for the insurance, street marking, paving, parapets, street lighting and maintenance of the access roadways. Presently the City would not be able to assume the additional responsibility of upkeeping the roads, and Giftland would continue to maintain, monitor and control traffic to ensure that a free flow of traffic is maintained as was being done before last week’s intervention by the City.” The release also stated that the action taken by the Town Clerk in removing the signs were hasty, and an apology was extended for not being able to contact Mr. Beepat to sort the matter out prior to the action being taken of the” forceful removal” of the Mall property – which the Chief Engineer has promised to return. “Mr. Beepat stated that it is always his intention to work peacefully with the City and regretted that Mr. King,
whom he has a long and cordial relationship with, and Mr. Venture, had not been able to resolve this issue prior to the actions (taken) last week and hoped that in the future, a closer working relationship would develop for any other issues.” Two Fridays ago, the City Engineer’s Department removed barriers and signs and other related materials from what they deemed as a “public road” located on the western side of Mall. This action resulted in the owners of the Mall crying foul, accusing the M&CC of abusing its authority. The mall claimed also, that heavily-armed ranks from M&CC, without any notice, descended on the facility and “unlawfully” removed signs and barriers along the access roads and parking area. Roy Beepat, in a statement on that day, had opined that the M&CC was flexing its muscles at the behest of a number of persons living in a new housing area located aback of his property.
The Baccoo Speaks There is going to be a lull in armed robberies because the major perpetrators have been taken off the streets. However, there is a small group that is bent on targeting people who have businesses. The latest attempt would not be as successful as hoped because the target would be armed and would thwart the attack. **
The scandal involving school children is going to have a fallout. The Education
Ministry is going to introduce measures that could see parents of these children being made to appear in court. Some children would be prosecuted. ** The roads are no safer, because at the weekend young drivers are going to be reckless. One such driver is going to attempt to overtake and crash into an oncoming vehicle.
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Nagamootoo, Clive Thomas and my wish for 2017 A tradition I have is a column at the beginning of each year in which I express my hopes for the new year. January came and went and I didn’t conform to that tradition. Better late than never! Radio announcer on Hits and Jam Radio, Boom FM, Stan Gouveia had me as his guest last week. As the interview went into the final minute, Stan with a huge smile asked me what my wish is for 2017. I didn’t even for a fraction of a moment hesitate to respond. I said more access to Guyana’s cake for the lower income classes. I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that we elected in May 2015, a government that is a shameless neo-liberal group of men and women who intend to resurrect the failed economics of President Desmond Hoyte and who intend to put credibility on a discredited system named trickle-down economics. The parking meter scandal is proof of this ideology at work. The neo-liberal government we have, became Christopher Columbus overnight. The nation was told that we
cannot interfere with the independence of the City Council. That independence was baked in the oven and got burnt when the President met City Hall big wigs over dinner and the menu was a reduction in parking fees and a removal of clamping and towaways. Another Christopher came upon the scene - the Business Minister. He intoned; “I have a staff of 20-30 persons who drive and have to park and I don’t think, given their salaries, they can afford to pay the fees charged by the company to park every day.” When the economic implications of this contract were being discussed six months ago where was the Business Minister? Some strange mood has taken over this country and it has become a danger to poor people. Read this - some taxi men started a shuttle service at the junction of UG road and the highway. T hat service is for people who are dropped off at the head of the road. The cost is 20 dollars to the campus. UG has now demanded that
these poor drivers trying to eke out a living must pay $3000 per month for entering the campus. This becomes shocking when you hear what the salaries of the Vice Chancellor and his four Deputies and the Cabinet that he has just formed inside the vicechancellery are. There has been an increase in the licence fee for animal-drawn vehicles. Licences have now been put on dogs, if you have more than three. People are laughing at this government they way they joked and laughed about the comics we had in the previous regime. I lived outside Guyana and I can say with immense definiteness; Guyanese are among the most humorous nationalities on the Planet. From the time that proposed licence for your three puppies hit the news, people began to refer to the rulers of Guyana as a dog government. As the months and years move on, the humour will get more hilarious. In this fast-moving, cruel, neo-liberal journey into Hades, I think of Clive Thomas
and Moses Nagamootoo. Can one imagine that Clive Thomas was a part of the WPA that confronted the Burnham Government and sought to remove it? The Burnham presidency was a million times less neo liberal than the Granger presidency. Clive Thomas is now part of the neo-liberal government. The more you live the stranger life becomes. Clive Thomas’ books advocating the economics of liberation of the poor had permanent effects on me. I regard Thomas as a national hero. Is Thomas proud to be part of this new government? Then there is Nagamootoo, the famous Moses man from Guyana who parted the Jagdeoite waves so Guyana could exist. Then he joined a government in 2015 that may cause Guyana to no longer exist. Moses recently
announced that he refused nomination for leader of the AFC because after 50 years of activism, he prefers to give way to younger leaders. But is that 50-year legacy in trouble? Like Clive Thomas, isn’t the heroic status facing extinction? Could you belong to an anti-working class government yet maintain a heroic stature. I don’t know, I really don’t know. What I know is that I will not vote for the PPP in 2020. What I know is that I cannot support the APNU+AFC in the shape and form as I see it in February 2017, for a return to power in 2020. What I know is that if
Frederick Kissoon there is a good, committed third party I may vote for it. But will Guyana survive to 2020. By the way - how many puppies do you have?
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Kaieteur News
Sunday February 12, 2017
We knew that it was not going to be easy (Abridged Address by Khemraj Ramjattan at the AFC’s Fifth Bi-annual National Conference on 28th January 2017 at the Vreed en Hoop Secondary School) And so after the Cummingsburg Accord our efforts realized a victory at the 2015 General Elections. The entire country exulted and celebrated. We had begun realizing the dream. But your leadership knew it was not going to be easy, especially as we found out how drained the Treasury’s finances were, as a result of the PPP’s massive corruption in almost every institution and Government Agency. I don’t have to remind you of the findings of the 53 Forensic Audits. We knew that it was not going to be easy because of the poor state of the world economy, which was suffering from jobless growth as the experts call it, which affected the prices of our commodities like rice and sugar and bauxite. Additionally, the fear of our citizens made the task challenging consequent upon high crime rates. Unexpectedly, at a Party level, too, we saw an inconvenient unnecessary criticism of our Coalition Government by some members which at times became destructive. This may have come from great expectations. This National Conference in Vreed-enHoop, however, must seek to unite and consolidate the strengths of the AFC, further its identity and spread its relevance to all quarters of this country. I want to speak a bit on each of these for a moment. RELEVANCE From its very formation, and moreso the elections of 2015, the Alliance for Change proved how relevant a party it was in an ethnic-based society as Guyana is. Being the third strongest political force in Guyana it contributed significantly in the ruling People’s Progressive Party being a minority government for the first time in 2011. Although a third party usually has little chance by itself of forming a Government or winning the position of Head of Government as the AFC found out in 2006 and 2011, it does have especial relevance in an ethnic-based society as here in Guyana, in the sense that it tends to bridge the ethnic divide, thereby constructing a coalition, which as a consequence, presents a larger multilateral/multiethnic party. We therefore need this third party today, more than ever, if we are to bridge the divide in the hope of changing the political and economic system in ethnic polarized societies such as ours. To this end, third parties must seek to win the support of the citizens of both races and of mixed ancestry. In this context, they are relevant because they provide an “emotional bridge” for voters who are weary of supporting one major party based on race but are not
yet ready to vote for the other. The emotional bridge that a third party provides does more than simply lure voters to the polls; it can also help to turn one of the major parties out of power. The presence of this viable alternative beyond the two dominant parties keeps the democratic process alive and well. Without the third party bridging the ethnic divide, the party in power might never be defeated, a situation that could lead to stagnation, as was the case with the PPP in Guyana prior to 2015. This analysis has been borne out because we are in Government! The merger with APNU has seen the PPP being fired! And so too, an end to the unwholesome politics practiced by them. CONSOLIDATE OUR STRENGTHS We have been miserly with our accomplishments over the past year and a half. With the APNU partner, we have performed more than satisfactorily on all fronts in every sector. The negative chatterati will say otherwise. But that is to be expected in this liberal democracy we venture forth to build. And by the way, that is a strength in itself…creating a society where there is the unhindered freedom to express views. But the AFC’s strengths lie in our Ministerial performances. I do not seek by this to denigrate any of my APNU Ministerial colleagues. Our AFC Ministers have all done well in their respective portfolios and jurisdictions. Our PM Moses (Nagamootoo), Raphael (Trotman), Cathy (Hughes), David (Patterson), Dominic (Gaskin), Valerie (Garrido-Lowe) and Noel (Holder). And I want to believe I have not done too badly myself on the security sector. As a successful partner in a coalition Government, we must be proud that we have improved on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index with 34 points in our first full year as against 27, 28, 29 and 30 points in the past four. We have undoubtedly regained the respect and confidence of the international community. We have established a Procurement Commission in that time when the sticky fingers of the PPP did not want to free procurement from Cabinet’s control. Local Government Elections have been held after 23 years. There is macro-economic stability. And as if by divine intervention we have found oil, which in the coming years will see a huge income stream. Gold production never reached 700,000 ounces. Reform at the Constitutional level is to soon commence. So much has happened in this Coalition, of which the AFC is a proud partner. These and much more must be emphasized as strengths upon which we must build. Oh yes, there will be faults and weaknesses and errors. But as a Party we must promote our
strengths. You know why? Because no one else will do so for us. IDENTITY These strengths and the relevance I mentioned will ensure our identity as a Party in a striving, successful Coalition. People and the Public will associate us with what is happening and we will be liked for it. And here is where our identity will be maintained. Once we do the good things, the right things, the reasonable things, we are going to be respected and remembered for them. This includes speaking out frankly on issues we feel strongly about. Prominent among these is that the pillars of our democracy must not be interfered with, especially the separation of powers. Additionally, giving proper rationales and explanations in a timely manner as to why we decided and acted the way we did is so fundamental. Our supporters and members, and the public at large, generally want to know these in simple terms. We have an obligation to provide them answers. We will be given recognition for this; and, in the same breath, that identity we have worked so hard for. And on this score, the AFC does not have to be seen as an antagonist to its other partner the APNU to win this identity. Absolutely not. We are not on a collision course with our partner, and will not be. Jealousies and pettiness there will always be, especially coming from the lesser minds, but the Party must seek to avoid that which will jeopardise the Coalition’s existence to the detriment of the Cummingsburg Accord or to the benefit of Jagdeo and the PPP. It is at this level we have to employ a better communication line with our members, whether that be a newssheet that is bi-weekly, both in Print and electronically. But together with this there is need for maturity shown by our protesting members. We have to appreciate the difficulties and constraints we all face. We have to also see to it that there be quick resolutions to problems, real and seemingly so, by constant engagement with our Coalition partner, APNU, at all levels. As President Granger has reiterated so often, I want to go on record supporting him when he said: “Coalition politics will be here to stay.” Our new NEC (National Executive Committee) must not hesitate to work on this. THE CHALLENGES WHICH LIEAHEAD: Brothers and sisters, I have come to learn that removing a Government is one thing; governing is quite another. And governing requires perspectives, capacities and dexterities which were never needed in Opposition. New attitudes, when and when not to make compromises, when to shut up and refrain and restrain, how to balance and even how to
Khemraj Ramjattan dance on issues are all needed. I have come to realize that in this political realm, the public blames democratic leaders and democracy itself for failing to meet economic and political expectations. Even when what was inherited was massive corruption and abuse! There are conflicts all around. Reducing poverty and unemployment may conflict with reforms needed to promote long-term growth and macro-economic stability. Social measures to mitigate hardships conflict with fiscal responsibility. It never ends! But to attain our goals of a good life, of a green economy, of accountable Government, a sustainable democracy, we have to have an effective party with credible leadership which can inspire Guyanese that these goals are possible. We can easily have educated young people getting mobilized to demonstrate in public streets for some popular cause, especially when employment is scarce. What has to be realized, and this is the challenge, is how to engage them to construct long-lasting deliberative political and social organisations and institutions. Democracy in Guyana, and the development which will flow from it, will not necessarily emerge from aggressive conversation or street protests. It will require vision, hard work, negotiation and compromise, a variety of skills and dedicated leadership with a whole lot of patience and some luck. I believe the AFC has provided that thus far; and, that is why we are on the cusp of succeeding in our efforts for a brighter day. We therefore as members and leaders have to really dig deep in our efforts to continue doing the things which got us this far so that we can go even further.
Sunday February 12, 2017
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Kaieteur News
My column
City Hall challenged people’s reasoning and will lose, unless… Controversies are never far away. So too is blame. It is amazing how some things become political issues when in the first instance these things involved people who are for all intents and purposes, relatively independent. At issue here is the parking meter. City Hall and Smart City Solutions combined to introduce parking meters in the city. One argument is that no other Caribbean country has parking meters, so there was no need for these instruments in Guyana. Then came another argument. This one states that the parking meters in certain parts of the city would hamper business, because motorists would not park and shop if they have to feed the parking meter. Indeed, Kaieteur News tested this latest contention and found that there were business places that stated the exact opposite. To my mind, if someone wants to buy something he may find the parking meters a bit of an imposition, since he would be asked to fork out $114 for half hour parking. I also found that many people on Regent Street were paying $500 to park on a lot, even if they spent ten minutes in a nearby store. That parking lot
is often full. Some of the people who complain would use that parking lot whenever they are in the vicinity. I can understand the burden for people who work in a certain area being asked to fork out $1,600 each day they go to work, simply because they have to park outside their places of work. One of my daughters told me that she parks outside the parking meter zone and takes a bus to work. That is an unnecessary imposition. The places of employment should work something out with City Hall as the teachers at certain schools did. More recently, the issue became political, because people claimed that the government was at fault for having City Hall impose the parking meters on a society where parking is often haphazard. President David Granger has said repeatedly that City Hall, under the new local government dispensation is autonomous. The previous administration treated City Hall as though it was another Government department. The council was not allowed to function as it should. I have been to New York and I can say without fear of
contradiction that New York City is autonomous. It has its police force that is answerable only to the city. The Police Commissioner is appointed by the city and revenues accrue to the coffers of the city. People have heard of the power of the Mayor. When a man from the Dominican Republic was detained by immigration authorities, the then Mayor Rudy Giuliani intervened and got the man released. The federal administration could do nothing. So it is that Georgetown should operate without political dictation but the society, being accustomed to political control at every level, sees the council as an arm of the government and therefore subjected to Government control. People now say that the actions of City Hall will determine their vote at the national level. I went to a commercial bank to transact some business and I had to use the parking meter. Paying $116 then was not an imposition. Similarly, people who insist on walking with large sums of money cannot say that they will park some distance away and after leaving the bank, walk some distance to their
vehicle. Even if they are to take a taxi, they would pay at least $500, much more than the parking meter would demand. What was unfortunate was that the council did not engage the people to ascertain how they would react. I do know that we as a people are reluctant to pay for many things. We watch the foreign television programmes for free. We see cricket for free. I remember when the then President Bharrat Jagdeo had to dig into the national coffers to pay for the rights to have cricket broadcast. We then saw the games for free. In the other Caribbean countries this is not the case. We see Young and the Restless as it is being broadcast, but Trinidad must wait to see the episodes sometime later. The people there accept this fact. They enter hogs’ heaven when they come to Guyana. In the developed world parking meters are so pervasive that people can do nothing but use them unless they want to park some distance away and walk to their destination. Try being inebriated and do the same thing after a night at the club. I was in Canada when my
brother visited me. He parked on the streets and fed the meter. It so happened that he overstayed the limit and got a ticket that was more than ten times what the meter would have charged. In all fairness to the council, the parking nightmare has disappeared for now because people avoid the meters. Some of us give beggars more than the meter would charge for half hour. We go to clubs and pay ten times what we would pay if we were to drink at some ordinary bar. Yet we find the parking meter something to protest against. My problem is that the council has been charging the same rate that operates in New York when we do not earn what the Americans earn. The fee is too high for this country. Many have agreed with me and it seems as if City Hall is listening. There has been one sordid episode in all this. People protested the parking meters and one man abused them. He said that they were among the low life—sons and daughters of slaves and indentured immigrants. He himself is the descendant of a slave and God knows what else. This is a man I happened
Adam Harris to know for some four decades. He grew up poor, went to America, got into trouble with the law and ended up in jail and somehow found himself with the parking meter people. He claims that he stands by his comments and I will take him on. Smart City Solutions to its credit disassociated itself from the utterances of this man. It is a wonder that the company still associates with him and could feel the backlash. But for now while there is money in the parking meter system, the council should revert to the old adage; a slow cent is better than a quick dollar. Lower the rates and let us all be happy.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday February 12, 2017
Guyana’s farmers can contribute to regional food security By HE David A Granger MSS The world is likely to face a food crisis by 2050 unless agricultural production increases. The Food and Agricultural Organization estimates that there will be an additional two billion mouths to feed in the world within the next thirty-five years. The growth of the world’s population along with increased urbanization is expected to increase the demand for agricultural produce by some 70 per cent by 2050. The ability of many countries to meet this demand will be affected by climate change. The global phenomenon of climate change is resulting in increased desertification and the depletion of freshwater supplies. Guyana’s abundance of land and freshwater supplies for agricultural purposes places it in an enviable position to take advantage of the increased demand for food globally. Opportunities for increased agricultural markets
exist within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The Region’s agriculture’s sector share of Gross Development Product (GDP) declined from 13 percent to 7 percent, over the last 25 years. International food prices have been declining for the major traded agricultural products and are at the lowest levels since 2009. The food import bill of CARICOM has been rising and stands, today, at over US$4 Billion annually. CARICOM’s food insecurity must be reversed if the Caribbean is to survive. Guyana’s farmers can contribute to regional food security by increasing agricultural output. Caribbean leaders are looking to Guyana as the new horizon for agricultural development. Guyana can play a meaningful role in becoming the rice bowl and vegetable basket of the Caribbean. Guyana can play such a role through investment, infrastructure, information and innovation in agriculture. . Investment: I visited a mega farm located at Meritizero in the Rupununi
region. The farm is owned by an investor from Barbados. It is one of this country’s largest farms, consisting of almost 12,500 hectares. The farm has defied the long held belief that our savannahs are only suitable for rearing cattle. The Farm is a thriving agricultural enterprise producing boulangers, corn, fruit, lettuce, ground provisions and rice. The farm is exporting rice to Brazil. The farm is a model for regional investment in agriculture. I have invited regional leaders to invest in Guyana, including investing in Guyana’s vast agricultural potential. The countries of the Caribbean have the capital. We h a v e t h e l a n d a n d freshwater. There is no reason why we should not engage in a partnership aimed at increasing agricultural output to help achieve food security in the Caribbean · Infrastructure: Infrastructure is a key factor in agricultural development. The farmers in several
communities know this all too well. The deplorable conditions of the roads and dams: - Increased the cost for farmers to access inputs into their production; - increased the cost of transporting produce to markets; and - increased the levels of spoilage and losses. Infrastructure, such as the roads, will facilitate greater access, by our farmers to inputs. It will allow them, also, to get their production more easily and quickly to the markets. The roads are a means to stimulate the rural non-farm economy, catalyze the development of communities, and facilitate the integration of rural areas into national economies. Infrastructural development has both direct and indirect effects on output and productivity. I have been informed that in Ruby Back (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), there has been a 25 per cent increase in acreage of cash crops under cultivation from 2014 to present, whilst in Naamryck-Parika Back, there has been a 50 per cent increase in acreage under cash crop cultivated from 2014. We will continue
to invest in agricultural infrastructure. · Information: Farmers in some regions have long suffered from poor prices for their produce. Farmers must not be satisfied with solely producing for the local markets. The expansion of their production depends on finding new markets, including export markets. Farmers need information to be able to penetrate into these markets. Farmers must seek information and use information to reduce their exploitation by middle men who rake in the bulk of the proceeds from the sale of agricultural produce. Information will allow farmers to know about the export markets that are available, the quality which those markets demand, the prices on offer and the procedures to be followed. Food security involves encouraging farmers to produce more. We will do this by ensuring that farmers gain more for their production. Increased incomes mean that more resources are available to plough into expanding production. We will establish farmers’ markets which would allow farmers to retail their produce at prices higher than they would obtain from the
middle men. · Innovation: Guyana’s agricultural sector must become more resilient. It must reduce its exposure to commodity price downturns. The agricultural sector must lead the revival of rural Guyana by ensuring that production moves up the value chain through increased agro-processing. The processing of agricultural produce will also help farmers to reduce the present high levels of spoilage. Farmers must not be discouraged by the past experiences at moving up the value chain. - The Hubu cassava mill was expected to allow farmers to receive a higher price for their produce. The higher price did not materialize. The farmers felt betrayed and withheld their produce from the mill. A private company later bought the mill from the government and used it to produce snack foods. - The Parika Packaging Facility was established to help farmers to get higher value for their production through exports. The project has not developed as expected. We intend to look to private enterprise to promote greater agro- processing and packaging.
Sunday February 12, 2017
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Kaieteur News
Important facts about Hypertension (high blood pressure) By Dr Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine Patients are often in denial when they are told that they have hypertension. Some make up convincing excuses on why their pressure is high. The most common excuse is that they are not getting any symptoms. We all should know by now that hypertension is called the “silent killer,” because it may not cause any symptoms. Today we will discuss some important facts about hypertension with the hope that it can be taken more seriously. WHATIS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE? Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). So blood pressure would be expressed, for example, as 120/80 mmHg. Blood pressure has two components: · Systolic pressure is the top number. It represents the pressure the heart generates when it beats to pump blood to the rest of the body. · Diastolic pressure is the bottom number. It refers to the pressure in the blood vessels between heartbeats. High blood pressure is diagnosed when one or both of these numbers is too high. High blood pressure is also called hypertension. Blood pressure is categorized as follows: Normal: Less than 120/80 mmHg Prehypertension: 120/80 to 139/89mmHg Stage 1 hypertension: 140/ 90 to 159/99 mmHg Stage 2 hypertension: 160/ 100 mmHg and above Usually, systolic pressure increases as we age. However, after age 60, diastolic pressure usually begins to decline.
Prehypertension is not a disease. But it does mean you are at increased risk for developing high blood pressure. Although high blood pressure can cause symptoms such as headache and pounding heartbeat, it often causes no symptoms at all. So why worry about high blood pressure? Because even when high blood pressure is not causing any symptoms, it can silently damage many organs, including the: · Brain · Eyes · Heart · Kidneys · Arteries throughout the body. You may not recognize the damage that silent hypertension has been doing to your body until you suddenly are stricken with a major disease. For example, hypertension increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. ARETHERESYMPTOMS ASSOCIATEDWITH HYPERTENSION? Usually, hypertension does not directly cause symptoms. When blood pressure is very high, it can cause: · Headaches · Dizziness · Fatigue · Ringing in the ears HOWISHYPERTENSION DIAGNOSED? The diagnosis of hypertension depends on blood pressure readings. Therefore, it’s essential that blood pressure be measured carefully. To obtain an accurate blood pressure measurement: · Avoid the following for at least one hour before you have your blood pressure taken: · Strenuous exercise · Smoking · Eating · Drinking caffeinated bever-
ages · Be seated for at least five minutes before the reading is taken. · Do not talk while your blood pressure is being measured. · Two readings should be recorded and averaged. If your blood pressure is high, your doctor should examine your eyes, heart and nervous system, to look for evidence of damage from hypertension. If there is no such evidence, you should return for at least two more blood pressure measurements. Only then should the doctor diagnose you with hypertension. That is because a single high reading can happen to anyone. If you are diagnosed with hypertension, other tests will check for organ damage. These tests can include: · Blood tests to check kidney function · An electrocardiogram (EKG) to look for: · Thickening of the heart muscle · Irregular heart rhythms · A chest x-ray to look for: · Enlargement of the heart · Fluid buildup in the lungs due to heart failure HOW CAN I DECREASE MY CHANCES OF GETTING HYPERTENSION? To prevent high blood pressure: · Get regular aerobic exercise · Limit your intake of salt and alcoholic beverages · Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fats · Avoid smoking · Maintain a desirable body weight. Hypertension increases your risk of heart attack and stroke. So it is important to modify your risk factors for coronary artery
Dr Zulfikar Bux
disease. In addition to the above actions, you should: · Quit smoking · Reduce your high LDL (bad) cholesterol You may be able to cure your hypertension with lifestyle changes alone.Sometimes lifestyle changes cannot adequately control hypertension. If this is the case, medication will be needed. People with diabetes, kidney disease or heart problems are at higher risk of complications from hypertension.
As a result, they are usually treated more aggressively with medications. WHEN TO CALLA PROFESSIONAL? Adults should have their blood pressure measured at least every few years. If your blood pressure is higher than 120/80 mmHg, schedule regular appointments with your doctor. Have your blood pressure monitored more regularly. And get advice about modifying your lifestyle to prevent future problems.
WHAT IS LIFE LIKE WITH HYPERTENSION? The prognosis for hypertension depends on: · How long you’ve had it · How severe it is · If you have other conditions (such as diabetes) that increase the risk of complications Hypertension can lead to a poor prognosis even if you do not have symptoms. When high blood pressure is treated adequately, the prognosis is much better. Both lifestyle changes and medicines can control your blood pressure. The earlier you identify your high blood pressure and treat it, the better your outlook on life.
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SUNDAY SPECIAL FORENSIC AUDIT REVEALS…GOINVEST WAS A PERSONAL PIGGY BANK FOR KEITH BURROWES -took money for entertainment to which he was not entitled -instructed payment be made to persons not working at Go-Invest -Bought mobile phones for outsiders -took millions of dollars in personal loans without approval Former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Guyana Office for Investment (GOInvest), Keith Burrowes, always had a plaster for every sore criticism of mismanagement, especially when it came from the press. However, a forensic audit recently showed that Burrowes was just as harmful to the company as to those he often accused. Not only did he abuse his authority and treated the company like his private business but Burrowes acted as though GO-Invest was his personal piggy bank. According to the audit report which was released by the Ministry of Finance on Friday, the former CEO took personal loans amounting to over $3M without approval from the Board. The auditors noted however that those monies were returned February last year. The forensic auditors also stressed that the former CEO was not entitled to an entertainment allowance or salary advance(s) from Go-Invest since his salary was funded from Guyana National Co-operative Bank/Guyana
Kaieteur News
Co-operative Financial Services. Be that as it may, Mr. Burrowes still went ahead and authorized and received an entertainment allowance for himself totalling $480,000, without the approval of the Board of Directors. Compounding the issue of misuse of authority was the fact that Burrowes instructed that his personal driver, Mr. Nigel Gordon, be paid a sum of $232,365 for carrying out duties as a driver. This is in spite of the fact that this “personal driver” was not a GO-Invest employee. The forensic auditors found that this instruction was given by a Memorandum dated December 22, 2014 and executed the following day. It was also discovered that there was no clear policy at GO-Invest for remuneration of employees. Burrowes dealt with this process in a “discretionary” manner. Furthermore, Burrowes made it seem as though his Human Resources Officer was redundant. In this regard, forensic auditors found that the hiring function was conducted in an ad hoc manner thus allowing the former CEO to solely make hiring decisions. In fact, Burrowes sourced applicants, invited and conducted interviews for new people hired by him, instead of utilizing the Administrative Department. The interview committee comprising the CEO, Accountant/ Personnel Officer and a Senior Investment Officer was rarely utilized. He also re-designated employees and fixed new allowances for them. The Accountant/Human Resources Officer/Administrative Officer had little or no
Sunday February 12, 2017
At least five of the victims had done transactions at the Republic Bank’s Water Street and Camp Street branches. One victim was attacked after leaving the Demerara Bank Limited at Diamond, East Bank Demerara and one after leaving Scotia Bank in Robb Street. In May, 2016, a businessman had just left the Demerara Bank Limited at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, when he observed a white Toyota Spacio, with three men inside, trailing his vehicle. After the car appeared to trail him to two other locations, the businessman sought refuge at a Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara location, and contacted the police. They arrived and arrested the suspects, two of whom were said to be known ‘truckers’. On December 10, 2016, 29-year-old contractor John Brian uplifted some $3M from the Republic Bank in Water Street. To ensure that he wasn’t being followed, Brian said that he boarded a bus, and exited at Lamaha Street and it was then that he saw two men walking briskly behind. KEITH BURROWES DECEIVED NATION ABOUT GO-INVEST’S ROLE IN BAISHANLIN INVESTMENT AGREEMENTS input in the recruitment and selection process. It was also discovered that repairs and maintenance of vehicles were performed by mechanics “sole sourced” by Burrowes instead of being tendered. If that was not enough, Burrowes as CEO, expended over $1M on cell phones for senior staff, his personal driver and the Financial Consultant. This is in spite of the fact that his personal driver and one Financial Consultant were not employees of GO-Invest and therefore not entitled to such privileges. MONDAY EDITION COPS SEEK MASTERMIND BEHIND ATTACKS ON PERSONS LEAVING COMMERCIAL BANKS – SIX OTHER GANGS SMASHED, NEW ONES HAVE SPRUNG UP, SAYS CRIME CHIEF An individual who was recently freed on a murder charge is the mastermind behind some of the recent attacks on persons uplifting cash from commercial banks. Police Intelligence also indicates that the robbers comprise a group of men, who are “randomly selecting their victims”, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum disclosed this week. Blanhum said that the gangs have taken the place of several others that the police have dismantled. ”Police have so far dismantled six groups. The perpetrators are now in jail, but more persons are motivated to commit that sort of crime,” Blanhum said. There has been concern that some lowlevel bank employees may be colluding with the robbers, but Blanhum said that there was “No evidence that bank tellers are involved.” ”We have some intelligence that we are working on. The tellers are not involved. It is a group of men randomly selecting targets (and) police are currently looking for a ring leader who was recently freed of a murder charge committed on a businessman.” There have been at least eight attacks on persons leaving commercial banks between May 2016 and January 2017. Five of the victims, including one woman, were shot during the robberies, which were committed by individuals in cars and motorcycles.
Keith Burrowes’ words have come back to haunt him. In May 2015, the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) told Kaieteur News that the entity was kept in the dark about some Investment Agreements, especially as it relates to BaiShanLin International Forest Development Inc. He had said that most foreign investments in Guyana’s natural resources went through the Ministry of Natural Resources, which was headed by Robert Persaud. He had emphasized on several occasions that companies like “BaiShanLin did not come through us (GOInvest).” But a forensic audit report that was prepared by Nigel Hinds Financial Services (NHFS) indicates that GO-Invest was very much informed about BaiShanLin’s Investment Agreement. The report says after the initial Investment Agreement in 2007, there were three renewals and six supplemental agreements signed between BaiShanLin and Go-Invest based on file information. It also said that Supplementary Agreements in 2012 and 2013 included a proposal for additional construction equipment and recommendations were made and granted. The forensic auditors said that there seemed to be another Initial Investment Agreement for BaiShanLin related to Real Estate among other sectors. The auditors stated that discussions with an Investment Officer at GO-Invest suggest that this agreement was inconsistent with GO-Invest’s policies. The auditors also pointed out that during the period 2007 to 2012, BaiShanLin was cutting and exporting raw lumber without processing it or creating value added products. This was a clear violation of its Investment Agreement which said that BaiShanLin’s main objective is to use the nation’s forest resources to produce from its processing plant, a wide range of finished products. The auditors suggested that this should have been picked up by GO-Invest, since it was their responsibility to go through Investment Agreements on an annual basis. The auditors also highlighted the fact that even though there was a breach of contract (Continued on page 33)
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roadway to notify drivers that traffic flow had changed. It was noted that even signs are now being erected to notify drivers about the reverse system, which is also operated on the East Coast Demerara Railway Embankment. TUESDAY EDITION LEAKED FINAL EXAM…NURSING STUDENTS TO RE-SIT TEST ON FEBRUARY 21 – EDUCATION MINISTRY TO PREPARE EXAM INSTEAD OF NURSING COUNCIL (From page 32) which continued for years, GO-Invest imposed not a single sanction against the defaulting company. It is not clear why Burrowes told a completely different tale in 2015. But Kaieteur News confronted him with the findings Sunday. This newspaper asked him if he recalled stating that GO-Invest was kept in the dark as it relates to some Investment Agreements, especially as it relates to BaiShanLin. The former CEO of GO-Invest agreed that he indeed told the newspaper that companies like “BaiShanLin did not come through us (GOInvest).” He was then told of the forensic audit and the fact that shows that GO-Invest was aware of BaiShanLin’s Investment Agreements. In his defence he said: “I can’t confirm what those forensic auditors are saying. I have to see the forensic audit report first. I have not seen it! And I have to see their evidence. I have to see it! I signed hundreds of Investment Agreements during my time so you can’t expect me to remember everything. You can’t expect me to remember that BaiShanLin agreement came through GO-Invest.” DPP ORDERS INQUEST INTO FATAL ACCIDENT THAT CAUSED KN STAFFER’S DEATH The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has ordered an inquest into the death of Kaieteur News staffer, Harry Brijmohan who died in an accident on November 18, 2016. The accident occurred around 06:40hrs at Houston, East Bank Demerara. Brijmohan was heading south on the East Bank Public Road on his motorcycle, when he collided head-on with a car that was in the eastern carriageway. This carriageway is converted from a two-way thoroughfare into a single lane during the morning rush-hour. On Sunday, Brijmohan’s fianceé, Zena Henry, said that she was informed by the office of the DPP that an inquest will be held into the death of her loved one. According to Henry, while a date has not been given for the commencement of the inquest, she was informed that she needs to keep in touch with the police for relevant information. When contacted, the Traffic Chief, Dion Moore said that he has not yet been informed of this development, but will be briefed once the file is returned to him. The Kaieteur News staffer’s death had highlighted the danger in operating the reverse mechanism without a consistent system and public awareness exercises. Following Brijmohan’s death, traffic ranks made an extra effort to place cones on the
Student nurses who participated in the 2016 Professional Nurses State Final Examination last year will, on February 21, be required to re-sit Paper One of the examination. This development comes on the heels of the allegations that the paper one or multiple choice segment of the examination was leaked. This disclosure was on Monday made by Senior Minister of Public Health, Ms. Volda Lawrence, during a press conference held in the Boardroom of the Ministry’s Brickdam, Georgetown head office. According to the Minister, although it is customary for such examinations to be prepared by the Nursing Council, it will instead be done by the Ministry of Education. In essence “the Ministry of Education will act on behalf of the Ministry of Public Health to engage its personnel to prepare multiple choice questions; to administer those questions [and] to have a group of persons recruited to mark the essay part of those questions,” Minister Lawrence disclosed. She however stated that the Nursing Council will be required to provide tutoring sessions for the nursing students since “not all of the students who wrote the 2016 examination were able to complete both parts, so it will only be those students who have written the multiple choice aspect of the examinations…” According to the Minister, based on the numbers from the Nursing Council, approximately 150 students will be required to participate in the examination. It is expected that the results of the examination will be presented to the Public Health Ministry and the declaration of the results will be done no later than March 2, 2017. BANDITS CART OFF $$M AFTER INVADING STOREOWNER’S HOME – FOUR-YEAR-OLD AMONG VICTIMS BOUND AND TERRORIZED Masked gunmen terrorized and tied up a Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara family, before escaping with millions in cash and jewellery, during a brazen attack last evening at around 20:00 hrs, at R. Gossai and Sons General Store. The 63-year-old businessman, Rabindranauth Gossai, was gun-butted to the head during the approximately 25-minute ordeal. He had to seek medical treatment. The store is located in the vicinity of the Demerara Harbour Bridge, but it appears that few persons realised that a robbery had occurred. The business was closed at the time of the attack, but the gunmen scaled a concrete fence at the northern end after cutting through razor-wire at the top. They then hid in the yard.
At around 20.00 hrs, Joey Gossai, the businessman’s son, came outside and went to the back of the property. Three masked men with guns then pounced on him, and took him into the house. The bandits were joined by three others, who ordered Joey Gossai, his mother, Phyllis Gossai, his dad and four-year-old son to lie face-down on the kitchen floor. They then began to ransack every area of the two-storey property. Mrs. Gossai said that they also relieved her of a gold chain, and estimates that the robbers carted off about a million in jewellery along with a Digital Video Recorder. Kaieteur News understands that the bandits also located a substantial sum of cash, but kept demanding more. Mrs. Gossai said they struck her husband in the head, while telling him to show them “the safe,” and “the gun”. They eventually fled the scene, though the victims were unable to say what mode of transportation was used. Mr. Gossai reportedly freed himself and then untied the other victims. He was taken to a hospital. Police arrived about an hour later. There
were no reports of any arrests. MURDER ACCUSED STABBED AT CITY COURT …AFTER HE AND FOUR OTHERS ARE COMMITTED TO STAND TRIAL FOR PROFESSOR’S KILLING Eighteen-year-old Timothy Paul Chance was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital just after noon Monday, after he was stabbed to the abdomen as he was making his way to the Police Outpost at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The stabbing occurred minutes after Chance and four co-accused (two male and two female) – two of whom are juveniles – were committed to stand trial in the High Court for allegedly killing Professor Pairadeau Mars on May 12, 2016 at Prashad Nagar, Georgetown. Chance was stabbed after he was reportedly accosted by the two male accused during which time, one of them dealt him a stab to the belly with an improvised ice pick. Chance collapsed to the ground and had to (Continued on page 34)
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(From page 33) be assisted by police ranks, who placed him to sit on a bench outside the police outpost. His attacker was placed on lockdown. A Guyana Fire Service ambulance was summoned immediately. A few minutes later, several armed policemen arrived at the court house. According to reports, there has been an ongoing feud between Chance and the two co-accused. A source said that the duo have been accusing Chance of leaking information to police, which led to their arrest. The two men have been reportedly planning to harm Chance if they were not freed of the murder charge. Earlier in the morning, Magistrate Leron Daly ruled that she would admit caution statements given by the five murder accused into evidence after ruling that the court is of the opinion that they were freely and voluntarily made. Thereafter, she informed the accused that a prima facie case had been established against them for the offence and she committed them to stand trial in the High Court at the next practicable sitting of the Demerara Assizes. The Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder had just concluded. According to reports, Professor Pairadeau Mars also known as ‘Perry’, a remigrant from the United States of America, was found slumped in a chair in the study room of his Lot 395 Bissessar Street, Prashad Nagar home. The hands and feet of the 75year-old man were bound together with duct-
Kaieteur News
tape, while duct-tape was also wrapped around his mouth. There were reports that one of the female accused was allegedly known to the professor since she would usually visit his home. Professor Mars studied History at the University of Guyana. He had specialized in African Studies at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, USA. PRISONER DRAWS KNIFE IN BRAWLAT COURT LOCKUPS Murder accused Regus Lamazon whipped out a knife in the police outpost at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Monday during a brawl between several prisoners who were waiting to attend court hearings. Police ranks immediately called for backup as pandemonium ensued. Persons were prevented from traversing the court compound as police ranks worked fearlessly to maintain order. Reports reaching this newspaper indicate that a fight broke out around 10:00hrs, between two prisoners. It is still unclear what the prisoners were fighting about since officials at the court remained tight lipped about the incident. Police ranks rushed into the lockups to calm down the prisoners involved in the brawl. It was then Lamazon was seen standing on a bench inside the lockups holding a knife in his right hand. Minutes later, a vanload of armed policemen arrived and cordoned off the entrance to the court. The prisoners, all male, were searched individually. Some of them were not too happy with the
Sunday February 12, 2017
move as they insisted “me aint want no bai touch me.” Nevertheless, the prisoners adhered to the police officers’ commands and were placed back into the outpost. It is still unclear where Lamazon got the knife from. Persons speculated that Lamazon was transported from the Camp Street Prison with the weapon. Based on reports, the knife was not recovered during the search. Lamazon of D’Urban Street, Georgetown is on remand for the murder of Orin David, formerly of 89 Laing Avenue, Georgetown, who was gunned down in front of his home in view of his reputed wife last year. David, 33, himself a former murder accused, was killed after one of five men came out of a car and riddled him with bullets. According to reports, David who was freed on a murder charge, had confrontations several times with a man from Agricola, East Bank Demerara, whom he had bailed out of jail sometime in 2016. Based on reports, on the day in question, David and the suspect were involved in a heated argument over the money. It is alleged that the Agricola resident went away and later returned with four people and killed David. WEDNESDAY EDITION FORENSIC AUDIT REPORT REVEALS… GO-INVEST HAD NO RESPECT FOR PROCUREMENT LAWS It did not take much for forensic auditors to realize that the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) cared not for the use of the Procurement Act of 2003. Under the guidance of its former CEO, Keith Burrowes, the entity had its own style in conducting procurement-related transactions. It was a style, however, that was everything but transparent. This was documented in a forensic audit report that was conducted by Nigel Hinds Financial Services (NHFS). In their report, the forensic auditors said that based on investigations, the Procurement Act of 2003 was not followed or referenced. Instead, the auditors found that procurement decisions were made invariably without any Invitation for Bids or there were requests for three quotations for purchases above $250,000. The auditors said that there were also cases where no quotes were requested and other purchases were sole sourced. Also troubling was the fact that the procurement policy used by GO-Invest was not documented. The forensic auditors said that from all indications, it was clear that the Procurement Act 2003 was honoured more in the breach than in observance of the requirements of the Act. Additionally, the forensic auditors said that the accounting policy of the agency is not properly documented as it relates to processing of payments, desktop procedures and internal controls. As a consequence, systems were not in place to accurately account for procurement transactions. Pointing to some worrying instances of breaches of the Procurement Act, the auditors said that repairs and maintenance of vehicles were performed by mechanics who were sole sourced by the former CEO, Keith Burrowes, instead of being tendered. They also cited that Burrowes as CEO ex-
pended over $1M on cell phones for senior staff, his personal driver and one Financial Consultant. The auditors stressed that Burrowes’ personal driver and the Financial Consultant were not employees of GO-Invest, and therefore not entitled to the said privileges. Going forward, the auditors stressed that advances taken to procure materials for the entity should be timely and properly cleared. The forensic auditors said that only in exceptional circumstances should honour certificates be entertained. They also said that there needs to be a clearly defined policy to manage outstanding procurement advances, especially to officers who are requesting additional procurement advances. PARKING METER BY-LAWS NOT GAZETTED – NANDLALL SAYS IMPOSITION OF FINES AND PENALTIES ILLEGAL As the parking meter saga continues, Town Clerk Royston King was on Tuesday contacted by this newspaper on whether the related by-laws have been gazetted. Mr. King responded in the affirmative, stating that, “Yes they were gazetted on the 3rd February 2017”. However a subsequent perusal of the relevant documentation showed that nothing about the parking meter by-laws has been gazetted. A check at the library at Parliament Buildings, where all Official Gazettes are filed, revealed that there are no records of any such Gazette. An employee there explained that Official Gazettes are printed on Saturdays, and if indeed those by-laws were filed, they would have been documented in the latest gazette dated 4th February, 2017. The employee explained that sometimes Gazettes can be holed up at the Ministry of Presidency before they get over to Public Buildings. This publication also visited the Ministry of Presidency to ensure that all possible places that the Gazette could be, were covered. At the Ministry of Presidency, the person in charge said that no such Gazette is there. Further, a copy of the latest Gazette revealed that nowhere in that document is there any mention of the parking meter by-laws. Strangely, there was an item from the city council that was gazetted, but this was for a 10 percent increase on property tax. So if indeed the by-laws were gazetted that day, it should have been there with the property tax increase notice. This revelation is raising serious questions about the M&CC, and whether the parking (Continued on page 35)
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(From page 34) meter initiative is even legal. It begs the question as to where these by-laws were gazetted. THURSDAY EDITION DOMESTIC WORKER KILLED EXECUTION-STYLE DURING TAIN HOME INVASION – ONE IN CUSTODY A mother of four and domestic worker of Sixth Street, Tain Settlement was Tuesday evening, shot at close range, execution-style, during a home invasion by three masked men, one of whom was allegedly armed with a shotgun, while the others carried out ten minutes of terror without a weapon in hand. The dead woman has been identified as 45-year-old Leelawattie Mohamed. From reports gathered, Mohamed along with two of her four children were at home when the men barged into their premises. Her two children both in their late teens saw their mother being executed while they watched on helplessly. The woman’s son, Ashad Ishack told Kaieteur News that he was at home with his mother and sister when he heard someone kicking on the front door, he stated that within minutes, three masked men, one armed with a shotgun, barged in and ordered them to lie on the floor. ”Dem man come and kick down the door and me try fuh push the door fuh we room fuh close it, but dem bin done come in. Dem hold meh mommy by she hair and ask she where de money deh and she tell dem she nah got, and dem put the gun at she throat and shoot she.” He related that after the men shot his mother they escaped through the same door they had entered, before scaling a fence and firing a shot in the air as they ran towards the backlands. According to the woman’s son, his mother died on the spot after being shot. The police were contacted, and they arrived at the scene approximately ten minutes after the ordeal. Mohamed’s body was whisked away to the hospital. PHONE CARD VENDOR SHOT DEAD INADVENTURE SHOP A 36-year-old phone card vendor and father of four, was shot dead Wednesday afternoon as two armed men robbed him at a shop at Adventure Village, Corentyne, Berbice, just a couple houses away from the Felix Austin Training College. Dead is Danian Anthony Jagdeo of Williamsburg Village. The man’s grieving wife, Mary Jagdeo, speaking to the media at the scene, related that she was at work when she received a call from her son. ”I was at school. I had lessons, so I received a call from my son at home, he told me somebody called for him to ‘come quickly because daddy got shot’, so I told him don’t go anywhere. He said it was Chase Soman call, I seh that is Adventure…I hang up and dash out”. The woman, trying to fight back tears ,broke down as she said “I came and reach him lying on the ground face down, I knew he was dead, all his hands was white and he was on his face and I saw a (bullet) hole on his side and I saw another one”. According to the devastated woman, the shopkeeper told her that Danian Jagdeo was in her shop when a suspicious man entered. Jagdeo asked her if she knew who the individual was that was entering the shop and
she responded in the negative. In a matter of seconds she saw the individual whip out a gun. The shopkeeper stated that she took evasive action to avoid being hit, when she heard several gunshots. The men reportedly grabbed a bag that Jagdeo had in his possession which contained a quantity of phone cards and cash. The men reportedly escaped on a black Honda Elite motorcycle bearing registration plates CD 2125. They later reportedly abandoned the motorcycle two villages away and escaped in a car that was waiting. Commander of B Division, Ian Amsterdam, who responded to the scene minutes after hearing about the incident, told reporters that they received a call at just about 14:20 hrs that there was a robbery at a shop in Adventure Village. Upon arrival he stated that they were informed that the vendor, who sells phone cards, was shot and had been taken to the Port Mourant Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. According to Amsterdam, based on information received, the motorcycle was found abandoned by two persons along the public road of Friendship village on the Corentyne. ”We received information that they were picked up by a silver grey Toyota Premio and were headed east.” When Kaieteur News arrived at the area where the motorcycle was left abandoned, detectives were seen dusting it for fingerprints. The Commander confirmed that Danian Jagdeo was shot three times. Police are on the hunt for the suspects. Jagdeo leaves to mourn his wife, four children and parents. CRIPPLED YOUTH CHARGED WITH MURDER OF DURBAN STREET WAITRESS …ALSO REMANDED FOR SHOOTING AT FORMER MAGISTRATE Seated in a wheelchair with a urine bag hanging between his legs, murder accused Shelton George called ‘Boorie’ had to be lifted by police ranks from the tray of a vehicle and into the lockups at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The 22-year-old of 146 South Better Hope, East Coast Demerara was captured two Wednesdays ago at his residence. He has been confined to a wheelchair for the past few years
as a result of a gunshot wound he received to the back. On Wednesday, George was indicted before Magistrate Judy Latchman for allegedly killing Debra Blackman, a 48-year-old waitress, of Critchlow Circle, Tucville, Georgetown, in 2014. He was also charged for shooting former Magistrate Mohamed Fazil Azeez on April 25, 2015. Particulars of that charge alleged that George discharged a loaded firearm at Azeez with intent to commit murder. The accused, who was represented by Attorney Melvin Duke, was not required to plead to any of the indictable charges. Based on reports, Blackman was performing duties at the Delicious Chinese Restaurant, D’Urban Street, Wortmanville, on August 23, 2014, when she was shot by an unmasked gunman. The woman had been working there for close to 15 years. On the other hand, Former Magistrate Azeez is still bedridden after being shot once to the stomach by a man believed to be George. According to reports, Azeez was shot by a man who fled leaving a bag of money behind. Kaieteur News understands that the shooter went to a site where Azeez was building a house, under the pretext that he was looking for a job. The shooter reportedly approached Azeez to inquire about work, during which time he shot him. In his address to the court, Attorney Duke disclosed that he would only be representing the accused on the murder charge, for which he requested a “very speedy” preliminary inquiry. Duke argued that there is no eyewitness to the alleged murder and that his client was charged based on video surveillance, which he said, is of very poor quality and three years old. FOREIGN CURRENCY CLAMPDOWN… CAMBIOS ORDERED TO REDUCE SPREAD BETWEEN BUYING AND SELLING RATES TO $3 Days after announcing tougher checks on cambios as part of the measures to help stabilize the exchange rate for foreign currency, authorities have ordered operators not to allow the spread between the buying and selling rate to be more than $3. Already, the US selling rate has dropped, but cambio operators are unhappy over the
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scrutiny by Central Bank, complaining Wednesday that it will only serve to drive businesses to deal with illegal money-changers on the streets. On Wednesday, the board rates of nonbank cambios reflected the new “guidelines” which were sent out Monday to operators. Inspectors from Central Bank were reportedly stepping up checks at the operations of a number of the city cambios, with visits starting on Monday and continuing Wednesday. Central Bank in a circular Monday told the cambios that the idea was to improve the “efficiency, depth and liquidity” of the foreign exchange market. Central Bank also quoted the law saying the guidelines was in accordance with Section 7 of the Dealers in Foreign Currency (Licensing Act) 1989. As of Monday, all non-bank cambios “must reduce the spread between the buying and selling rates on foreign currency transactions to no more than $3,” according to the correspondence seen by Kaieteur News. Central Bank also made it clear that the selling rates of all foreign currencies must reflect the board rates displayed by the cambio. It was signed by Dr. Gobind Ganga, Governor for Central Bank. FRIDAY EDITION COPS LOOK AT LOVE TRIANGLE AS MOTIVE IN TAIN DOMESTIC WORKER’S MURDER -MAN SUSPECTED OF HIRING KILLERS Police have detained a 25-year-old barber for the murder of domestic worker, Leelawattie Mohamed, as they investigate reports that a jealous woman may have hired the killers. Detectives from ‘B’ Division have received reports that the detained man had repeatedly threatened Mohamed and her family. He is also said to be in a relationship with an overseasbased woman, with whose husband Mohamed was having an affair. Initial reports had suggested that Mohamed, 45, was the victim of two ‘kickdown-the door’ bandits, who shot her dead after she said she had no money. But investigators now appear certain that the intruders were hired to kill Mohamed. They have received reports that the 45-year-old mother of four was in a relationship with a (Continued on page 35)
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(From page businessman, whose wife lives overseas. Reports also suggest that the man detectives are questioning was recruited to organise the hit. ”We don’t think that this is a robbery,” a senior police official told Kaieteur News. “Thieves don’t operate like this. They may shoot you in the foot, or they may threaten your children. These men didn’t ever search the house for money.” The official described the detained barber as “someone who is always in trouble,” and who has been hostile to Mohamed and her children. ”We have also gotten information that he was looking for somebody to kill the lady.” Investigators were also told that the detained man was in a relationship with the woman, who is suspected to have paid for Mohamed’s execution. But ‘B’ Division Commander Ian Amsterdam indicated that detectives still have no solid evidence, and his detectives are investigating all possible leads. “We are working on some other information, both local and overseas, that (suggests) we need to look in a different direction; that it may have been an execution that was allegedly ordered by another female.” ”We don’t know if it is so, or if the husband knows. That is something we need to check out. We have to dig a little deeper. We have some persons we are talking to and we are looking at some other areas. We are getting the information, and we are calling in the persons for questioning.” SEVEN ARRESTED ROBBERY/ MURDER FOR PHONE CARD VENDOR -GETAWAY CAR, GUNALLEGEDLY USED RECOVERED Investigators in Berbice believe that they have made a major breakthrough into Wednesday’s killing of phone card vendor, Danian ‘Anthony’ Jagdeo. Seven persons have since been arrested and are currently being interrogated in an effort to piece together the puzzle of Jagdeo’s senseless killing. Commander Ian Amsterdam stated that the men, who are known criminals from villages such as Hampshire and Rose Hall, among other areas, were arrested between 19:00 hrs on Wednesday and 7:00 hrs on Thursday. He stressed that the ranks worked throughout the evening, based on leads that led from point A to point B. Kaieteur News understands that among the seven persons arrested was a youth that was sent by the men to purchase gasoline for the getaway motorcycle. Another person in custody is believed to have made the false licence plate. The individual, who was said to have been one of the persons on the getaway motorcycle when the act was executed, is also believed to have been captured. One informant has told police that he overheard the men planning the crime. The gun was reportedly discovered in a Hampshire home and the owner taken into c u s t o d y . The commander divulged that “what the informant also heard would have been where the weapon was stashed before the robbery was executed”. He revealed that the individual was taken back to the location at Hampshire village where the weapon was originally stashed and there it was found. “Ballistic tests will be done since we recovered at least three warheads and a .32 Snub nose revolver. We will put the other pieces together and while we know two persons executed it, we also have the driver of the car.”
Kaieteur News
The commander disclosed that the motorcycle used in the robbery/murder was stolen from a resident in Belvedere on February 2, 2017. That bike had a fake licence plate number (CD 2125). The getaway car found was a new model Toyota Allion with fake licence plate number PVV 9465. Jagdeo was murdered in cold blood. He was trailed from Skeldon after he made a drop off of phone cards at a shop. The surveillance footage from the premises showed a vehicle fitting the description of the getaway car driving slowly past Jagdeo’s vehicle as he entered it. The vehicle in the footage reportedly trailed him to Adventure where he was eventually shot while the perpetrators grabbed his bag containing phone cards and cash. SATURDAY EDITION CITY COUNCIL SUSPENDS CLAMPING … 50 PERCENT REDUCTION IN PARKINGFEES LIKELY As the parking meter saga deepens, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has suspended booting vehicles until further notice. At a press briefing at the Ministry of Presidency yesterday, Minister of State Joseph Harmon announced that the council will be suspending the punitive aspect of the project. It was noted that persons will still need to buy parking tickets but non-compliance will not result in clamping of vehicles. However the authorities could not say what penalties will replace the clamping measure. Harmon said that although the city council is a democratic organ that was duly elected by the citizenry of Georgetown, Government couldn’t just stand on the sideline and make no intervention. He noted that it was for this reason that the Mayor Patricia Chase-Green and Town Clerk Royston King were called to the Ministry of Presidency, to discuss the project with President Granger. Harmon said that he recognized that the boundaries of the city have expanded over the years; and there has not been a concomitant expansion in the revenue base of the council “The city council said that this (parking meter) was needed to bring in revenue to bridge the huge financial gap that currently exists.” Notwithstanding, Harmon said that the government will not treat lightly the issues that affect the nation and it is to this end that he urged that a different approach be examined by the M&CC. Further, Harmon noted that government could not disregard the displeasure of the
populace with regards to the parking meter and noted that such disposition in the form of protest is healthy and is all a part of democracy which is encouraged under the stewardship of the current administration. Harmon made clear that the government was not happy with the general noise surrounding the parking meter project and indicated that there should have been more consultation with a broader base of stakeholders. It is for this reason that the council was advised to hold more consultations with civil society and other persons to come to a mutually agreed position on the parking fees and the general project. Harmon noted that in its current form the fees are burdensome to the public and special measures should be looked at for different sections of the society. However, he was adamant that this should be done by the city council and the parties that they will be consulting with imminently and that government will have no input in those discourses. Mayor Chase-Green said that the council is looking at a 50 percent reduction in parking fees along with exemptions and parking permits for a number of areas and groups, including the religious community. However she noted that a decision will be made once all the necessary groups have been consulted. WOMAN POISONS CHILDREN AGED 2, 6, 8 AFTER HUSBAND’S ALLEGED INFIDELITY …DESTROYS HOUSEHOLD ITEMS A bitter telephone call between a couple resulted in the woman feeding her three children a poisonous substance before consuming it herself. The children have been identified as Antwan, 8; Annessa, 6 and two-year-old Akaitla Arthur. They reside with their mother, 28-year-old Vanessa Arthur at Bareroot, East Coast Demerara. Up to press time Friday, the two-year-old child was being prepared to be transferred to the Intensive Care Unit at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) while her siblings will be taken to the Pediatric Ward. Their mother remained in the Accident and Emergency Unit where she is said to be “talking her senses out.” The woman is said to have mixed a powder she uses to bathe her dogs in order to kill fleas and gave it to the children before consuming a portion of it. According to information received, the woman went berserk after a phone conversation with her partner, who is working in the
Sunday February 12, 2017
interior. Kaieteur News was informed that the woman found out that her partner was having an affair and decided to confront him with the allegation over the phone. It is unclear what happened during the telephone call, but Arthur’s brother said that her husband, after talking to his wife, called his family in the area and told them to go quickly and check on the children since he feared that she may harm them. Reports are that when the man’s family rushed to the premises, they found the door locked. It was after they broke the door that they found the children and their mother lying on the floor. They were all rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. When this newspaper tried to contact Vanessa Arthur’s family, they claimed that it was a private matter and whatever happened was a mistake and not intentional. Meanwhile, at the scene, neighbours said that the woman, who sells food in the area, was normal up to Thursday afternoon but around 02:00hrs on Friday she started breaking up items in her home. “She chopped up her TV, table, stove and so, and then later she jumped on a bike and went to her cousin house, where her husband has his minibus and break up the windscreen,” a neighbour said. The woman suggested that her husband probably admitted his affair to his wife who then went berserk. DUTCH FIRM TO DRILL THREE WELLS AT HALF THE PRICE PPP GOVT. PAID Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, yesterday, announced at the Post Cabinet Press Briefings in the Ministry of the Presidency, that a Dutch company was awarded with a $121,628,000 contract to drill three wells along the coastline. The cost to drill these wells, the Minister explained, will be half the cost previously paid to local contractors. The wells will be drilled at Sophia, Diamond and Sparendaam. The procuring entity is the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI). The company was identified as De Ruiter Groundwork Technique. “This is a company that successfully operated in Suriname, in the Netherlands and will bring particular skills in this regard,” Minister Harmon said. He said it is expected that there will be a transfer of technological expertise to local persons who will be involved in the project. The local component of the project, he added, will also see a 50/50 split of Guyanese and Dutch workers.
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CARICOM revives taskforces for Regional Education and Training Human Resource Development across the Caribbean Community will be further improved with the establishment or revival of five Technical Working Groups by the CARICOM Secretariat. The Working Groups will develop specific sector policies and standards for the broadening and deepening of equitable access and facilitate relevance and quality in Regional education and training. Technical Working Groups are taskforces comprising six key regional experts and one internationally renowned expert, who have volunteered their expertise for the advancement of the Region’s Human Resource Development. The five groups cover early childhood education, teaching innovations and educational leadership, open and distance learning and ICTs in education, external quality assurance/accreditation and qualifications systems and tertiary education. The remit of these Technical Working Groups is closely
Technical Working Group Chairs, from left: Dr. Marcia Stewart, Dr, Ruby Alleyne, Professor Compton Bourne, Professor Hazel Simmons-McDonald and Dr. Carol Logie aligned to the mandate given by the Conference of Heads to develop a Human Resource Development 2030 Strategy which shall provide broad direction for developing key transformational initiatives in education and training in the Region. The policies and standards formulated by these Technical Working Groups shall, to a large extent, focus on ensuring that citizens of the Region acquire 21st Century competencies and key skills for the building of resilient economies and societies. Members were selected
because of their significant expertise and contributions to development of educational policy and standards in CARICOM Member States and with international agencies. The Groups are led by Chairpersons who are proven regional educational leaders in the areas of emphasis across the Region. The Chairs are Professor Compton Bourne (Tertiary Education), Professor Hazel Simmons-McDonald (Open and Distance Learning and ICTs in Education), Dr. Ruby Alleyne (External Quality Assurance and
Qualifications Systems), Dr. Marcia Stewart, (Teaching Innovations and Educational Leadership) and Dr. Carol Logie (Early Childhood Education and Development). Programme ManagerHuman Resource Development of the CARICOM Secretariat, Dr. Eduardo Ali, indicated that
the policies and standards emanating from these Groups will go a long way in helping the Region achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 - Quality Education, because they shall be internationally benchmarked in order to regulate the provision of equitable access to quality education and lifelong learning.
He said: “While we have some challenges in the region’s education, we are particularly delighted to see that after a hiatus, this important work which was mandated by COHSOD is being completed in 2017 so that the Region can make significant leaps into regulating the provision of education and training”.
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Go-Invest CEO says…
Stricter controls being placed on investment agreements The Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) is on a mission to close every loophole that existed within the entity for abuse or corruption of any form. In this regard, the company is placing stricter monitoring controls on investment agreements. This was explained during an exclusive interview with Owen Verwey, the Chief Executive Officer at GOInvest. “I can tell you with 100 percent degree of certainty that we are scrutinizing the investment agreements to ensure that Guyana gets value for the concessions recommended by GO-Invest,” Verwey emphasised. Beyond annual monitoring of investment agreements, Verwey said that GO-Invest now has in place a mechanism called a Self Compliance Monitoring Form. He said that every investor with an investment agreement is now required to submit this form by the end of November of every year. “So it is incumbent upon the investor now to report to us what they have done. And we have been going out to the investors too. We have actually made recommendations to the Guyana Revenue Authority on more than one investment agreement that we think enforcement action should be taken on,” Verwey asserted. The mechanisms put in place by GO-Invest in this regard would represent a significant step forward for the company when compared to what took place under the former CEO, Keith Burrowes. According to its rules and regulations, GO-Invest is mandated to review all investment agreements on an annual basis. This is to ensure that investors who receive concessions use it for the purpose intended. But instead of carrying out this important function, GO-Invest watched on as investors breached their investment agreements for years. This state of affairs was revealed in a damning forensic audit that was conducted by Nigel Hinds Financial Services. The group further noted that GO-Invest failed to sanction any investor for breaching their investment agreement, by not properly renewing the agreement. The auditors then gave a breakdown of how certain companies blatantly breached their investment agreements. It was noted that
Baishanlin Forest Development Inc. was incorporated in Guyana in 2006. This was under the Guyana Companies Act. According to its business plan, Baishanlin’s main objective was to ensure the commercial use of Guyana’s forest resources through the processing of a wide range of finished products. The forensic audit report said that during the period 2007 to 2012, Baishanlin was cutting and exporting raw lumber without processing it or creating value added products. This was a complete contradiction of its investment agreement. The forensic auditors said that it was evident that Baishanlin’s real objective was to export raw lumber. Nevertheless, Baishanlin still benefited from concessions totaling $1.8 Billion during the period under review 20112015. In another instance, the forensic audit report cited Diamond Tropical Wood Products Inc. which was incorporated in 2011 to establish a wood processing operation at Diamond, East Bank Demerara. The auditors said that the company was granted concessions in August 2012, but has since failed to honour its part of the investment agreement signed in July 2012, which was to establish and operate a wood processing facility. The concessions granted to Diamond Tropical Wood Products Incorporated were over $60M. Forensic auditors also found that Vaitarna Holding Private Incorporated was in breach of its investment agreement. They said that according to the agreement, the company committed to setting up a wood processing facility at Wineperu, Potaro Siparuni in Region Eight. As at July 31, last year, the wood processing facility was not engaged in any significant production of wood products. The forensic audits said that an examination of the files of just those four investors— Baishanlin International Forest Development Inc, Vaitarna Holding Private Inc., Diamond Tropical Wood Products Inc and Zhonghao Shipyards Inc.— revealed that Guyana did not benefit from concessions granted to these investors, since they all breached their Investment Agreements without any sanctions. The concessions for the investors are worth more than $1 billion.
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Authorities tighten on possible ‘blood diamonds’ infiltration Government is continuing to tighten its systems to prevent the so-called ‘blood diamonds’ from infiltrating the local trade. On Friday, Minister of State Joseph Harmon disclosed that Cabinet has approved the hiring of a legal consultant on the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) used to certify diamonds. The KPCS was launched in 2003 in a bid to clean up the international diamond trade after it was recognised that diamonds were being used to finance war and terrorism. The request for legal help came from the Ministry of Natural Resources, Harmon disclosed during his postCabinet press briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency. Harmon said the KPCS is important for preventing “conflict diamonds” from infiltrating Guyana’s local production which could affect the country’s production credibility on the international market. In late 2014, a high level team from the KPCS visited Guyana to assess whether the country’s system was robust enough to prevent illegal diamonds from being mixed in the legitimate ones. Neighbouring Venezuela has been blacklisted by the watchdog body. However, the porous borders of Guyana has long been a major worry for authorities, with the country facing a possible halting of trade to well-established European and other markets
Govt. is tightening on its systems to make it difficult for ‘blood diamonds’ to enter the country if it is found that dirty diamonds have infiltrated. The Kimberly Process was implemented more than a decade ago and a Peer Review of Guyana’s process was conducted in 2004. The review is considered one of the most robust processes by the Kimberly Scheme. The Kimberley Process (KP) is open to all countries that are willing and able to implement its requirements. The KP has over 50 participants, representing more than 80 countries, with the European Union and its member states counting as a single participant. KP members account for approximately 99.8% of the global production of rough diamonds. There have been reports in the past of diamonds from Brazil and Venezuela entering Guyana’s system. Guyana had been named as a risky diamond trading country. In late 2015, the Antwerp
World Diamond Centre (AWDC) said that it is alerting diamond companies to a Financial Action Task Force (FATF) notice which identifies Iran, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and Myanmar as countries which pose a significant risk. This, the centre states, will require enhanced customer due diligence when trading with them. It was further asserted that diamond companies have been requested to take into account the specific risks linked to the following countries when making their customer risk assessment: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Guyana, Iraq, Lao PDR, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Syria, Uganda and Yemen. It has long been known that diamonds, especially from Africa, have been funding wars and terrorist activities.
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Unfair land management system exists at GGMC Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, says that she is dissatisfied with the operations of the Land Management Division of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), arguing that there exists, inequality. She made this revelation during her recent visit to Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni/ Mazaruni). The Minister defended
small miners, stating that there is an unfair process where small miners are not treated equally. Her comments were fuelled by the complaints she received from small miners about the sloth in being assigned lands. There were complaints of mistreatment by large-scale miners and dissatisfaction with the general performance of the Division. Broomes explained that a
small miner who has one block of land would approach the GGMC with the intention to pay despite the date of payment already passed. That “ordinary miner” she said, is told that he/she cannot pay for the block. However, a miner who has hundreds of blocks, and who “has not paid for 10, 15, 20 years, would show up at anytime, regardless of time, and is allowed to pay”.
- Minister Broomes Broomes said that she has a serious problem with that. “GGMC and myself had a serious run-in with that,” The Minister posited that the Land Management Division needs to improve its services and revealed that there will soon be amendments to the regulations that govern the functioning of the GGMC. She noted that this will be done in consultation with operatives in the industry. Minister Broomes’ revelation of amendments
would come against the background of a review of the Acts and Regulations of the regulatory agencies under the Ministry of Natural Resources which was conducted last year. It was discovered that there exists many loopholes among other issues. Meanwhile, Broomes also dismissed claims that the syndicate project seeks to provide more lands to bigger miners. “I want to put it on record that is not true. The persons that came forward for
the syndicate are the persons who need the opportunity,” the Government Information Agency quoted the Minister as saying. Broomes has ministerial responsibility for the syndicate project which was introduced by the Ministry of Natural Resources last year as part of measures to make mining lands available for small miners. The minister has been visiting with small miners across the country to work with them on establishing syndicates and begin the application process. Syndicates in Mahdia and Bartica were among the first to be established and began the process of mining on the lands they have acquired. Broomes had visited with Issano, Kurupung and Imbaimadai to help the small miners in those communities.
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President admits to lack of foreign investment in Guyana President David Granger has admitted that his government has not done well as it relates to attracting foreign investments. Speaking to reporters at the Ministry of Presidency on Friday, the Head of State admitted that much more needs to be done in this regard. “We have re-engaged the
Chinese and the Canadians in the extractive industry, along with the Russians and the Brazilians.” Granger said that a resolution in the territorial issue with Venezuela will help in augmenting this process. The President opined that once this issue is dealt with, the populace will see an upsurge in the number of
Opposition MP in trouble over “uncustomed” Brazilian beers A sitting Opposition Parliamentarian is in hot water after his vehicle was found with boxes of smuggled beer from Brazil. Expected to appear in court shortly is Alister Charlie, a People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Parliamentarian. Charlie, from Lethem, Region Nine, came under the radar of Customs at Lethem about three weeks ago, Kaieteur News was told. His car was reportedly stopped at the checkpoint near the Takutu Bridge, on the Guyana side, and ranks later found 14 six-packs of beer which were not declared initially. Charlie allegedly was in the vehicle but did not tell the security officials that he had the beers. The car was said to be registered to the parliamentarian, who was sworn in back in 2015, following the General and Regional Elections his party lost. The matter was investigated and according to law enforcement sources,
charges were recommended. Charlie was reportedly placed on $25,000 bail. It was reported that two Customs officials were in Lethem recently investigating the incident. On Friday, Kaieteur News made contact with the Parliamentarian who admitted that an incident happened. However, he said that he was not in the car that was stopped. Rather, it was his driver. He said that his driver called him and that he went down the checkpoint and that the matter was “settled amicably”. He did not explain what that meant. Asked to confirm reports that he was being investigated for possession of uncustomed goods, Charlie said he was unaware of anything like that. Asked if he had been placed on bail at any point of time, he denied. As a matter of fact, he was never called for any statements or was interviewed by Customs officials, he said.
persons and companies that will be at the ready to tap into this field. Additionally, he said that the recent financial strife that has beset many countries across the world is not helping as well. He noted that China and a number of European countries, who have interest in investing in Guyana, have gone through perilous financial times and this has compounded the issue. Granger asserted that because of this, there has been a low demand for a number of local commodities and the traditional areas of exports such as sugar,
bauxite, timber and rice are becoming less appealing to foreign investors. Granger noted also that sugar and rice are high priced and it is doubtful that new investors will be clamouring at the government’s door to invest in these fields. Further, the Head of State pointed to the fact that bauxite and timber are in low demand since the current crops of potential investors are looking for new, non-traditional fields. Towards this end, he said that the country has to look at different areas to attract direct foreign investments. He believes that Guyana as a whole needs to recognize that
we can no longer depend on the traditional sectors which are becoming less viable. He said that the sugar industry is in dire straits at the moment, and this will not be an attraction to persons who may have an interest in that sector. He stated that if resources continue to be ploughed into these areas this will not be investing wisely. It is against this backdrop that he suggests that eco tourism is the new frontier that the country should be looking at to attract foreign investors. Granger believes that there is enormous potential in this area that can be tapped into.
The Head of State is also of the view that once investors are made aware of the potential financial benefits that can be gleaned, they will find it as an attractive option. For this reason, the President believes that aggressive marketing of this sector will bring about a change and Guyana will start to see an upsurge in foreign investors that may want to invest here. That aside, the Head of State said that the administration is currently looking at engaging a number of potential investors to invest in various fields in Guyana.
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Composite Fillings By Dr. Neromini Fagu When you need a filling, chances are your dentist will ask if you want a silver or tooth-coloured material. Most of us are familiar with the traditional silver or amalgam filling because it has been around a long time and has its distinctive colour. Composite resin fillings, better known as tooth-
structure. They are made of glass filler particles encased in an acrylic resin matrix material. Trace metals of cobalt, gold and copper give colour to the glass while zirconium and titanium oxides add opacity. The first system of bonding acrylic resin to dentine was developed by Oskar Haggar in 1949. But, it was Michael
CHIPPED TOOTH: BEFORE AND AFTER COMPOSITE FILLING coloured or white fillings, are an option for many restorative treatments. Composite fillings are used to restore teeth that have fractured or decayed, or to repair chipped, broken, or worn teeth. They may also be used to cosmetically alter the size, colour and shape of teeth to mimic the natural appearance of tooth
Buonocore who in 1955 described an acid etch technique that increased the adhesion of acrylic dental fillings to enamel. The resin complex used in composite today was invented by Rafael Brown and became popular in the 1980’s when a light system was developed to harden the composite fillings. TYPES OF COMPOSITE
There are different types of composites based on the size of the filler particles and the filler load. Micro-filled composites have small-sized particles and lower filler loads. This type of composite has high polishability and gives the translucency of enamel. It is used for restoring anterior teeth and cervical abfractions. It is not indicated for heavy-stressed areas which may lead to bulk fracture and marginal chipping. Hybrid composites have larger particle sizes than micro-filled but the filler load is greater. This material has good handling characteristics and polishes well, but is unable to maintain a high gloss. The strength and versatility of hybrids allow their use in posterior and anterior regions as a universal composite. Nano-filled composites are composed of zirconia/ silica nanoparticles filled with silane, and have similar physical and mechanical properties to hybrid composites. Restorations have a better finish due to the material’s high gloss and
STANDARDS IN FOCUS
Understanding the Metric System using the units of Mass The Metric System, which is the legal system of measurement in Guyana, conforms to the Standard International (SI) units including the kilogram that is used to measure mass. This system is simple to learn and easy to use because of its decimal nature. Today, almost all of the countries in the world use the metric system, especially in scientific research, manufacturing and trade. Only a few countries, including Guyana, still use the imperial system of measurement or a combination of both measuring systems. Nevertheless, most of our local sectors have fully adopted the use of the metric system, even though there continues to be a wrestle between the two systems in the retail sector. Over the years, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) has conducted painstaking work to educate vendors and shopkeepers to use the metric system and monitored same to ensure only verified metric measuring instruments are used in trade. The GNBS has recognized that the adoption of the metric system should start from the top – Policymakers, Ministries of Government and Government Agencies should lead the metric drive. At the other end, our school system has already fully adopted the use of the metric system and the younger generation has a good understanding of its application. Let’s look at the metric units used for measuring mass commonly referred to as weight by retailers and consumers. The metric base unit for measuring mass is the Kilogram. When the Kilogram is divided by 1000 the result is 1 gram and when the Kilogram is multiplied by 1000 the result is 1 metric tonne. (Note the difference in spelling for tonne) The units of Mass (Weight) For everyday transactions especially in
the conduct of commerce, there are four commonly used units namely, the milligram, gram, kilogram and tonne. Milligram (mg) - This unit is used for measuring very small amounts of substances, for example ingredients in medicines or drugs and some ingredients in recipes. It is the equivalent of 1 gram divided by 1000. Gram (g) - The gram is used for measuring intermediate amounts. For example, 100 grams of butter, 250 grams of cheese, 500 grams of peas, sugar, flour, etc. Kilogram (kg) - The Kilogram is used for measuring larger amounts. For example, 1 kilogram of potatoes, 10 kilogram of bananas, 25 kilogram of rice, etc. One kilogram is equivalent to two pounds, three ounces. Tonne (t) - This unit is used for measuring very large amounts, for example, truckloads of sand or stone, bulk sugar or rice. REMEMBER! 1000 milligrams (mg) equal 1 gram (g) 1000 grams (g) equal 1 kilogram (kg) 1000 kilograms (kg) equal one tonne (t) Consumers, you are urged to start requesting solid goods such as rice, peas, onions and potatoes in grams and kilograms. These units should also be used to weigh solid hardware items such as nails, putty and glues that are sold by weight. These goods can be easily and accurately weighed on verified metric devices used in the market place. Wholesalers and retailers have a significant role to play by packaging and selling their solid goods in metric quantities. Advertise your goods and prepare and display pricelists in metric quantities. For further information please contact the GNBS on Tel: 219-0062, 219-0065, 2190066, 219-0069 or visit the GNBS Website: www.gnbsgy.org
polishability. The high load potential makes the material a good choice for both posterior and anterior applications. ADVANTAGES OF COMPOSITES Composite filling materials offer a variety of advantages. They are aesthetically pleasing and closely match existing tooth colour and appearance, and
are well suited for front and back teeth. The material chemically bonds to tooth structure and thus does not require the placement of mechanical retention grooves to keep the filling in place. The cavity preparation for placing composites is very conservative and less healthy tooth structure needs to be removed, as Continued on page 69
Dr. Neromini Fagu
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LAND FOR SALE Land @ Soesdyke, 6 lots measuring 135’X175’. Call: 627-3334/696-8935, email:fcranmore@guyana voice.com SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620
SALON - Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. - Cosmetology Courses: $120,000 - Technician Course: $45,000. Call: 647-1773/6605257
Visa Application: U.S.A, C a n a da & UK; Guyana passport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 6267040; 265-4535.
Register Now! Cosmetology, Nails & Wig designs courses, classes commence February 20th 2017. Call: 618-2417
INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included.
EARN A CERTIFICATE IN CERTIFICATE IN COSMETOLOGY AT ARTEE’S BEAUTY SALON (W.C.D) - $75,000 & WATCH REPAIRING SERVICES .CALL: 2750267/ 680-0156
Passport, permanent & visitor visa application, Professional Immigrant Consultant – Sabita Immigration Services. Call: 225-6496; 662-6045 Repairs & spare, fridge, freezer, A/C, washers, stoves – Contact Nick: 6831312, 627-3206
Classes for slow learners in Reading, Spelling, Mathematics, and much more for children all ages. Call: 6754379
Landscaping: We design, supply and implement residential and commercial indoor & outdoor Landscaping. Call 648-1821
I.A.E Classes for CSEC June 2017: Mathematics, English A, Business & Science Subject for Students, Adults & repeaters. Call: 683-5742
Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158
Private custom house broker certificate training course; March 6 th, 2017. Register early and get 25% discount. Call: 694-8322
GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 2257878 (24HRS)
FOR SALE/RENT 2 Storey house for sale or rent $15M, rental -$20,000 each flat- Call: 672- 9428/ 684-0036 Ms Ramotar.
Tuschen front (with fence) $2.8M, La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.6M, Zeelugt -$2M, Uitvlugt -$2M. Call:642-1252 Greater Georgetown Guyana: 253 DeAndrade St, N/Town, corner lot 0578 acres, 2517.76 sq. ft. - $14M negotiable. Call executrixon: 615-1100
Newly built @ Craig E.B.D land size 91X50feet; house 40X28, 3 rooms, 1 selfcontained. Call: 718-2136496/617-7691
Uitvlugt (100ftX50ft) -$2.5M & $2M, Diamond –$6.5M, Eccles - $4.5M, La Parfaite Harmonie - $1.3M. Call: 2333006/658-5897/651-1969
Transported property @ Grove/Diamond, 3 bedrooms, 1 self-contained, concrete fence, price $14M. Call: 660-1353/ 216-4338
La Parfaite Harmonie - $1.4M, $1.8M, $2M, Farm-$6M, Uitvlugt -$2M, Diamond $4M, Tuschen School Street -$3M, Herstelling -$5M. Call: 604-6724
Lot 704 House & Land at Zeelugt, Brother Dam W.C.D. Call: 616-5606/ 277-0281
Independence Street La Grange W.B.D. Call: 646-9002/601-9414 EDUCATIONAL
DRESSMAKING Classes in designing and sewing also, clothes made to order. Call Sharmie (Canadian Trained). Call: 676-6312/ 6262679
PROPERTY FOR SALE Transported property @ Grove and Diamond $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461 1 Front building & a 2 storey building on 1 (lot) 180 Charlotte Street Bourda W30XL120 $55M negotiable. Call: 624-7341/ 227-6817/226-5183
La Parfaite Harmonie- 1.4M, $1.8M, $2M, $3.5M, Uitvlugt -$2M, $4.5M, Herstelling $5M, Tuschen (front) -$2.5M negotiable. Call: 614-6802
Repairs at low cost: Fridges, air- conditioners, washing machines, TVs, microwaves, freezers- Call:629-4946 or 225-4822
Brian Moe @ 642-3543: Computer Technician, FB: Brian.Moe.165; Home and office visits at your comfort!! LEARN TO DRIVE C. Persaud & N. Outar Driving School formerly Soman & Sons Driving School @ Maraj Building- Call: 644-5166; 6222872; 615-0964; 689-5997 (affordable packages). TAXI SERVICE
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Kaieteur News
Friendship Public Road (house & land) -$22M, La Parfaite Harmonie (6 bedrooms; brand new house) -$25M. Call:233-3006/ 658-5897/651-1969 Mazaruni River, Tamakay landing, 5 buildings for business & storage- $8M. Call: 233-3006/ 658-5897/ 6511969
30 Acres of Land at Yarrowkabra, Linden, Soesdyke Highway, price $20M negotiable. Call: 6615033/663-5524
Property at 14 Avenue, Diamond, New Scheme, E.B.D -$23M negotiable – Call: 668-6940/601-1355
Mining lands available for sublet in the following areas: Northwest, Kaburi, Middle Essequibo, Waini / Buckhall. Contact 629-5070 & 687-5814
Property @ 87E, Albert Street, Alberttown, front lot, size 80X20 prices $35Million. Call: 669-8701
60X200 Gibraltar Public Road, Corentyne. Call: 6296756/ 674-7832
One concrete building (incomplete) in residential area. Price negotiable. Call: 699-4114
Transported corner lot with approved building plan @ 90 Garnett & Republic Streets, Newtown Kitty. Call: 6016000/227-3305 WANTED Experienced puri/roti cooks. Apply at Shanta’s The Puri Shop, 225 Camp & New Market Streets.
th
1-2 Storey building 3 bedrooms upstairs, 2 apartments downstairs, all self-contained @ avenue B Diamond, E.B.D- Call: 6585452 Property @ 3rd Street Montrose, East Coast Demerara: Two story property with business on the lower flat. Call: 677-1310 3 Bedrooms house located in East La Penitence, price $15M, land size – 40X80 – Call: 645-6498
PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS& SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 677-7827, 6435122, EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM
CAR RENTAL
2 Bedrooms house located in East La Penitence –Price $15M. Call: 645-6498
DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM
Nandy Park House, 5 Self contained bedrooms with furniture, great deals -$45M. Call: 658-5897/ 651-1969
WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP REATES,SPECIAL OFFER FOR THE SEASON. CALL: 690-6494
AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MIN BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPOTR & FAMILY OUTING, CHEAPESTRATE . Call: 698-7807
10 Minutes away from Georgetown, you can own your own home, now in construction, 3 bedrooms, 2 bath, concrete house. Call: 675-1510
CAR RENTAL
VEHICLE FOR SALE
WANTED
320i BMW for sale. Call: 6381106
Cook & Cashier for snackette, attractive salary. Call: 697-5387/ 677-9279
Allion, Premio, Blue Bird, IST, Honda CRV, Toyota Spacio, Fielder Wagon, 212 Carina, RZ & Pitbull bus – Call: 6507501
Wanted land to buy: La Parfaite Harmonie, Uitvlugt, Zeelugt, Tuschen. Call: 6579594
MASH SPECIAL! 2010 TOYOTA AX10 - $2.6M, 2010 TOYOTA RAUM $2.3M – CALL: 642-7295 Ford Raptor-$8.5M, Audi A4$3.5M, BMW 318i-$2.5M, Toyota Ist-$1.9M, Honda S2000 Convertible-$3M. Contact#650-0402 One Toyota Verossa $2.450M Negotiable. Call: 614-0694
Office staff with 5 CXC subjects, must be computer literate. Also 1 MechanicTel:218-5105 One domestic to work in Trinidad, between ages of 25-35. Call 1-868- 683-1528 One driver/porter & porter. From Diamond, Grove area. Call: 216-1043, 677-6620 Drivers for water truck to work on W.C.D -$50 per bottle or $26,000 weekly. Call:6848231/ 629-4236 Urgently needed lands in Herstelling, Farm, Providence, Eccles, Zeelugt, Bartica & Florida. Call:2333006/658-5897/651-1969
VACANCY Glam & Co. Beauty Salon: New Market Street, GT Hair Station, available for rental. Call: 638-1106 Pump attendant – Call: 6240033; Driver for company Call: 680-3863, Accountants Assistant, email CV to laltag@yahoo.com or Whatsapp: 680-3863 Truck drivers for 6x6 TM & Model M trucks. contact 223-5273/4 One fast food supervisor, one dhalpuri maker, one dishwasher. Call: 225-0723 for more information. Customer Service Reps for Express International. Call 267-2992 or email jobs@expresstruckingcorp.com. The # 1 Plant Shop, is hiring general maintenance and sales staff. Persons 2030yrs call 643-7193 Cook & baker for Interior location. Call: 618-2020 One experienced computer legal clerk. Call: 226-4283, 624-7087/ 258-0213/ email:husainsaphier@yahoo. com
We buy land in Eccles, Providence, Herstelling, Farm, Uitvluft, Zeelugt, La Parfaite Harmonie, Tuschen. Best Price Pay! Call: 614-6802 Experienced roti/puri, curry cooks, counter servers, cleaners, strictly day shift. Apply @ Hack’s Halaal, 5 Commerce Street. One skilled or semi skilled gasoline mechanic, attractive salary – Contact: 231-6587, 649-1290/ 671-8122 Experienced taxi driver at Princess Hotel @ Providence. Call: 616-5419 One General Live-in Domestic to work in Mahaicony River- Call: 6559419/ 225-6571 Talented Hairstylists and Nail Technicians needed. Overseas Employment, Tortola, BVI. Call (284) 5431410 or email bvisalonowner@gmail.com. One skilled fitter/machinist, one skilled arc/acetylene welder, machine shop exposure, excellent rates. Call: 227-1830 Driver/Porter for water truck on the E.B.D- Call/Whatsapp: 682-1048 Corilla Bush (dried) in large quantities any amount. Call: 665-1397
WANTED Bartender, receptionist, domestic, live in watchman. Hilton Restaurant, 12 Henry Street –Call: 225-9211 Part time maid, twice per week, age 22-26. Call: 233-3006/ 6585897/ 651-1969
Require to rent for keeping classes. Call: 665-2274 One live in supervisor for bar & grocery starting salary $80,000 monthly, age 2535yrs- Call: 610-3974 Continue on page 69
Sunday February 12, 2017
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CONSUMER CONCERNS
Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy) is curable and non-hereditary By Pat Dial At the end of January, World Leprosy Day was observed world-wide and in Guyana, Dr Karen Cummings, Minister within the Public Health Ministry, launched a month of activities on Sunday 29th January at the Palms geriatric centre. The month of activities will include a country-wide campaign to inform citizens of the disease and to aim at eliminating the stigma and prejudices against sufferers from the disease. Leprosy is one of the most destructive diseases which afflict human beings and causes sores all over the
body, destruction of the skin, loss of limbs and horrible disfigurement, and in its advanced stages, disables sufferers. It is one of the most ancient diseases known and examples have been discovered in pre-historic remains and in the most ancient Civilizations such as the Egyptian, Babylonian and Indian. Until the 19th century, people felt it was a divine curse on sufferers who were isolated from the rest of society. The only persons who gave help and succour to the sufferers were priests, monks and religious people. It was felt the disease was incurable, highly infectious
Composite Fillings From page 67 compared to amalgam preparations. Composite fillings can be used to correct chipped teeth, close gaps between teeth, and repair fractured and decayed teeth. DISADVANTAGES OF COMPOSITES Composite fillings can become stained over time and may need to be polished and/or replaced. They are more expensive than amalgam fillings and require longer chair time to complete. The placement of the filling is technique-sensitive and requires isolation from moisture and contamination during the procedure. Composites are not as strong and may not last as long as traditional amalgam fillings. Patients with a history of tooth grinding and strong bite patterns may wear composite fillings prematurely and may need to consider other restorative materials. The type of filling material utilised will usually depend on the size and location of the cavity, patient history, cosmetic concerns, and cost. Your dentist will help you to decide which material is right for you. As with any dental restoration, composite fillings are not permanent and will need to be replaced at some point. However, with proper care and maintenance and regular dental check-ups, they should last many years. For more information contact OMNI DENTAL at 295 Quamina Street, Georgetown Tel: 227-0025, Parika Tel: 260-3133 or send emails to nerominifagu@hotmail.com.
and hereditary. Medical Science from ancient times until the 19th century tried a number of treatments, some of them quite grotesque, but no uniformly successful cure was found. The nearest treatment to full effectiveness was calmoogra oil which was a treatment given in the Vedas, the ancient Hindu texts of 4000 B.C. and examples of calmoogra oil effectuating cures were found in India and China. Western Medicine adopted calmoogra oil as a treatment and in the 19th century it was widely used. In Guyana, it was well-known and used. In 1873, Dr Gerhard Hansen, a Norwegian scientist, was able to isolate the bacteria which caused leprosy, and this was the beginning of scientists working to find a successful cure. In the 20th century, a successful cure was discovered. That treatment was known as MDT - Multi Drug Treatment and consisted of a combination of three drugs - Dapsone, Rifadin and Lamprene. Since the term or description “leprosy” had so many prejudices and negative connotations attached to it, and to call some a “leper” was the worst of insults, the term “Hansen’s Disease” has now widely replaced it. Now, even doctors and other medical personnel use “Hansen’s Disease” to describe the disease. In Guyana, in the 19th century, sufferers from Hansen’s Disease were isolated on an island in the Essequibo River, and most fatalistically considered the disease to be a death sentence. The disease was regarded as hereditary and children and relatives were
equally shunned, and before one married into a family, some research was done to ascertain whether anyone in that family had been infected by the disease.. In the 20th century, a new era dawned. The inmates of the island in the Essequibo River were removed and eventually placed in the Mahaica Hospital, which was an institution specially built for Hansen Disease sufferers. Later, another treatment centre was developed at the Palms. Treatment in Guyana is free, but since the stigma and prejudice is still so strong, many who have contracted the disease put off going for treatment until the disease would have advanced. This month’s campaign is directed to exorcise the stigma and prejudice from society. The disease is curable and efforts are being made at the international level and here in Guyana, to eradicate it completely, as had been done in the case of smallpox. Small-pox was once one of the most feared diseases in the world. Before we conclude this offering, we would like to underline the following: Participate and have children participate in the information campaigns mounted by the Ministry of Public Health during the month; know that Hansen’s Disease is not hereditary and is curable, and that the earlier one seeks treatment, the greater are the chances of a quick cure. Most important, the society must make the effort to deal with their prejudices against sufferers and must not shun or isolate them. To still hold such stigma and prejudices belong to an ancient world which would have had vestiges of barbarism.
From page 68
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Bottom flat house @ 25 North Road & Oronoque Street, fully furnished/ air condition/residence / business. Call: 226-7012 Brains Construction & Rental Service: we rent all types of equipment, excavator, bobcat, trucks, tools. Call: 2190904/601-5024 Space for rent at Ashmin’s ideal for commercial, office and cafeteria use, no deposit. Call: 616-9660/ 671-1846 Lot 14 Croal & Longden Street: 4 Storey building (infront Demico). Call: 663-1876 2 Bedrooms apartment in Eccles & rooms in Alberttown. Short & long term. Call: 225-3234 Lodge apartments (Vlisssengen/Durban): unfurnished $40,000-$80,000 monthly, furnished (for visitors) USD$600-USD$1,000 monthly- Call:668-7687/ 6779638/697-6421 Lodge (Vlissengen/ Durban):650Sq.Ft Professional/Office/ Business (no food retailing) space. Call: 668-7687/ 6779638/697-6421 Onetwo bedrooms apartment located in Cummings Lodge, opposite UG. Call: 222-3123/615-8469 3 Bedrooms house, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara -$35,000 monthly, will be available from March 01 2017. Call: 613-2928/ 683-4667 Interested in office space or need to establish office in the Soesdyke area? 900sq.ft / 1800sq.ft. Call: 613-2928/ 6834667
TO LET Two- 1 bedroom self-contained apartments, situated at Public Road Timehri, E.B.D – 3 minutes from the airport. Call: 664-6000 2 Bedrooms apartment close to PHG & Market -$50,000 monthly. Call: 223-9677 Two bedrooms bottom flat @ Diamond - $40,000. Call: 6973240/216-0266
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. 1 3600 watts generator, 1 30HP motor 3PH, 1 Automatic switch 600A more electrical stuff. Call: 627-7835 1 Stembow Boat & Engine, 200HP Yamaha with Power Steering Kit. $1.6M Negotiable Call 658-5299/ 638-7748 Nighthawk Motorcycle 750cc -$1,000,000 negotiable, serious enquiries only, excellent condition, used twice in Guyana. Call: 6192902 Honda CBR 929 for sale; also land at Bushy Park, E.B.E – Call: 694-4609 German Shepherd puppies for sale – Call: 682-5664 Puppies for sale – Contact: 671-9136 (whatsapp), 6704228/ 267-0205 75 Yamaha outboard engine, good condition. Call: 2590302 1 Big music set, owner migrating. Call: 690-5225 1 Professional music set (complete), 1 Jacuzzi whirlpool. Call: 253-3070/6542732 1 Complete set of salon equipment for sale with/ without rental contract in V/ Hoop area. Call: 676-9575/ 613-4025 Cool Tech Solution: 6754959/233-2008: New & used spare parts: fridge, freezer, washer, A/C, chill water system, ice makers. One premium cooler for sale - $1,140,000 – Call: 685-8513
1 Bottom flat 2 bedrooms apartment @ ‘A’ Field Sophia. Call: 625-0940/219-1045 FOR SALE Ladies skirts and topseverything must go, $500 each, Schoon-Ord, W.B.D – Call: 626-2629/ 676-6312
1 Marina 40HP outboard engine with 14 Aluminum boat, 1 Yamaha 75HP outboard engine in excellent condition. Call: 643-1622
Clean Garden Earth, builders waste, delivery to spots, also excavating, grading and levelling done. Call: 616-0617 or 663-3285
Next to new 7 Land Ranger & Nordic Track Incline treadmill -$79,000. Call: 6739283
Full body store mannequins -$10,000/ $15,000. Call: 6265317
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Sunday February 12, 2017
Sunday February 12, 2017
“Opposition waging civil war at Local Govt. level”
President David Granger Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo team that is sabotaging the government and system at every turn”. The President also spoke of the behaviour of PPP/C officials when he visited the Regions that they lead. Granger said that when he visited Councils, Chairmen would not even come to acknowledge his presence. This he believes is disrespectful. When contacted, opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo said that the President should understand that respect is earned. “You can’t treat these Local Government officials with contempt and treat them like outsiders and expect them to run to every meeting you have!” Jagdeo said that the President is too ‘thin skinned’ and “he should understand that we live in a democracy and people attend functions
when they can”. The former President said that the situation which the Head of State is referring to, all stems from the manner which the Ministry of Communities chooses to conduct business with officials in the NDCs and the RDCs. He noted that council officials are oftentimes given short notice to attend functions, and it is unreasonable to expect them to be there if enough notice is not given. Jagdeo said that Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan established a committee to deal with issues that affect the NDCs and the RDCs and did not contact any of those officials. The Opposition Leader believes that this approach dilutes the authority of these elected officials. Despite these actions, the President is hopeful that the opposition will work with the administration to make the local government system work.
Helping to save your vision From page 15 very long time. The mission of Orbis International, he said, is not just to work with the physicians, but to work with other personnel including nurses and technicians, sometimes even administrators, in order to realise efficient and effective health care. “So we take that very seriously,” he asserted. According to Dr. Sugrim, deliberate efforts are consistently being made to improve available service to cater to diabetic retinopathy patients at the GPHC. In this regard, he said, staffers attached to the department have been benefiting from strategic training to treat diabetic patients. According to reports, diabetic retinopathy is a potentially blinding complication of diabetes mellitus. Reasons for loss of vision are diabetic maculopathy. The macula is the part of the eye that helps
Two years after commissioning…
Govt. moves to use $1B Forensic Lab Cabinet has approved the sum of US$32,524 for the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory to be completed and operationalised within the next two months.
- President President David Granger said that although he is satisfied with the performances of the Mayors in the Local Government structure, he is dissatisfied with the way the system is working at present. Granger said that since Local Government Elections were held he is dissatisfied at the rate at which work is being undertaken, especially at the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils. He made mention of the behaviour of officials of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C)-led Councils, who he said disrupt and boycott at every opportunity they get. The Head of State reminded of a conference that was held at the Marriott Hotel for Neighbourhood and Regional Democratic Council officials that was boycotted by the PPP/C officials. Granger questioned the wisdom of such a move and believes that this will only do a disservice to local democracy. “Once you have that type of behaviour its difficult for me to say I’m satisfied.” The Head of State said, “What we are seeing is resistance on purely political grounds and nothing else”. Granger said that he sees this move as “A civil war being waged by the opposition against the local government system” and that this is undermining the system. “You can’t make local government work when you have a significant member (PPP/C) of the
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to provide us with our central vision, and as such, diabetic maculopathy is when the macula sustains some form of damage. Blindness can also result from complications of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) such as vitreous hemorrhage, tractional retinal detachment, and neovascular glaucoma. Medical experts are of the firm belief that by 2030, developing countries will face an increase of this condition by 69 percent and industrialized countries by 20 percent of the number of patients with diabetes compared to 2010. It has been noted too that the probability of retinal complications increases with increasing duration of disease. In up to 50 percent of patients with type one diabetes and 30 percent of those with type two diabetes, potentially vision-threatening retinal changes develop over time, while early retinal
changes are not noticed by the patients. It is particularly for the latter reason that many people who have visionthreatening diseases seek medical attention too late and consequently become blind because of a lack of visionsaving treatment.
According to Minister of State Joseph Harmon, on Friday, at the post-Cabinet press briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency, Minister of Public Security Khemraj
Ramjattan has secured approval to honour outstanding payments for security specialists at the laboratory. He explained that (Continued on page 72)
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Jamaican ‘hit man’, tattoo artist executed Berbice domestic worker - ‘Businessman’s wife hired us,’ detained man tells police Domestic worker Leelawattie Mohamed was executed by a Jamaican and his Guyanese associate, who were hired by a woman who was furious that Mohamed and her husband were allegedly having an affair. This is the statement that detectives have received while questioning a tattoo artist who allegedly participated in the killing, which occurred last Tuesday night at Mohamed’s Tain Settlement, Corentyne home. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed yesterday that police at Berbice have detained a Jamaican national, who is said to be the ‘hit man’, while continuing to question a tattoo artist, who was arrested last Friday. The Jamaican was arrested at Rose Hall, Berbice. There are reports that he was also questioned some time ago about another execution-style killing. Blanhum said that police are also attempting to locate a husband and wife, who allegedly paid the Jamaican national and the tattoo artist, who is from Rose Hall, Berbice, to kill Mohamed. Reports indicate that the wife lives overseas, but is currently in Guyana. “The lady is friendly with the man (the tattoo artist) we have in custody,” an official said. Police had previously questioned the husband, who owns a sawmill, but Kaieteur News was unable to ascertain whether he is now in custody. “We still have to confirm this story,” ‘B’ Division Commander Ian Amsterdam said last night. “We may have to hold a confrontation between him (the businessman) and his wife, to ascertain if he was involved.” Investigators have been told that the sawmiller’s wife was angry that Mohamed and her spouse were in a relationship. It is alleged that at around 23.45 hrs on Tuesday, the two men travelled by car to Lot 149, Sixth Street, Tain Settlement, Corentyne, where Mohamed and her two teenage children reside. The killers reportedly forced their way in and the Jamaican allegedly put a gun under Mohamed’s chin and shot her. The two men reportedly then returned to the couple who had hired them and col-
Leelawattie Mohamed lected a sum of money. One of them is said to have immediately gone to a store to make a down-payment on an item. Initial reports had suggested that Mohamed, 45, was the victim of two ‘kickdown-the door’ bandits, who shot her dead after she said she had no money. From reports gathered, Mohamed and two teenage children were at home when two men, who were clad in black, barged into their premises. The son, Ashad Ishack, said that he was at home with his mother and sister when he heard someone kicking on the front door. He stated that within minutes, three masked men, one armed with a shotgun, barged in and ordered them to lie on the floor. “Dem hold meh mommy by she hair and ask she where de money deh and she tell dem she nah got, and dem put the gun at she throat and shoot she.” He related that the killers escaped through the same door before scaling a fence and firing a shot in the air as they ran towards the backlands. Mohamed is said to have previously resided in Bloomfield Village, Corentyne. That property was burned down, allegedly by arsonists, some years ago. An autopsy revealed that she died from shock and hemorrhage due to gunshot wounds, laceration of the brain and fracture of the skull. Caption: Leelawattie Mohamed
Sunday February 12, 2017
Contract with City Hall contradicts Smart City claims - Cush signed as director Smart City Solutions (SCS), the company behind the rollout of the parking meter project in the city, may not have been truthful on Friday when it said that Ifa Kamau Cush does not represent them. There is evidence now to show that Cush, who was the face of the project, remains a very vital part. As a matter of fact, the contract (a copy of which Kaieteur News is in possession of) that City Hall signed with Smart City Solutions Inc. on May 13, 2016, includes Cush as a signatory. He signed it as Ifabamila Kamau Cush - Director. Also signing on behalf of Smart City was Simon Mosheshvili, Chairman and Director. Signing on behalf of the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown (M&CC) was Town Clerk, Royston King while Mayor Patricia ChaseGreen and Oscar Clarke, Chairman of the Finance Committee of M&CC, were the witnesses. On Friday SCS responded to a charged Facebook posting by Cush, who told protestors of the parking meters that they had the mentality of slaves and indentured servants. Cush was reportedly at the time asked for a copy of the contract. The post sparked condemnation from hundreds of persons who found it offensive. The issue also saw SCS, through its public relations consultant, issuing a statement. “This statement was issued without the knowledge and authority of Smart City Solutions. Mr Cush neither speaks for nor represents Smart City Solutions.” SCS went further. “Smart City Solutions wishes to disassociate itself completely from this disgraceful statement issued by Mr. Cush.” The statement of SCS said that its Managing Director of Business Development, Amir Oren, and Managing Director of Operations, Simon Moshelle, “wish to condemn in the strongest possible terms an utterly obscene and despicable statement issued by Mr. Ifa Kamau Cush.” SCS said that it fully recognizes the democratic right of all persons and organizations to express their views, disagreement with and, indeed, protest against any matter. “Smart City Solutions is entirely committed to freedom of speech and assembly.” Cush was said to be the man who helped engineer the controversial parking meter deal which has divided the city and brought out businesses and workers alike to protest the project. On Thursday, during a heated exchange on the social site, Cush in response to
criticisms of the parking meter project which has seen hundreds gathering in front of City Hall calling for a scrapping of the initiative, did not hold back. “You’re not progressives. You are freeloaders; You lack the intestinal fortitude to control your own destiny. You all possess the mentality of slaves, indentured servants, incapable of generating wealth and building capacity,” he said in tagging Arun Richard, a participant of the protest on Thursday. After suffering the wrath of several Facebook members who were incensed by the post, a defiant Cush did not stop. This is what he had to say yesterday in another post: “That is my personal opinion. I did not utter those statements on behalf of Smart City Solutions. The protestors represent a cabal of misfits who add no value to the productive capacity of our country. They bring no gravitas, no moral authority to the conversation.” Cush said that a review off the profanity-laced comments on social media confirms that. “More significantly, many of these protestors are incredibly fatuous for they offer no solutions to the myriad problems afflicting young Guyanese; neither do they empathize with the victims of the PPP regime, a regime responsible for the murders of hundreds of Guyanese citizens. I remember a Guyana where, as Guyanese citizens, we put our collective shoulders to the wheel and charted our own course.” He argued that Guyana achieved much in those days because the people were independent thinkers, masters of their own destiny. “We did not go hat-in-hand begging for grants and handouts. We identified problems in our country, proposed solutions then solved them ourselves! That’s the thinking of independent men and women!” The project issue has been
Ifa Kamau Cush’s name on the contract between City Hall and Smart City Solutions. so contentious that even former Deputy Mayor, Sherod Duncan, and other councillors at City Hall protested it, joining businesses and other workers in the picket lines. Smart City has since agreed to halt the clamping of vehicles as questions continue to be raised over the legality.
An under-pressure City Hall on Friday met with stakeholders and said it is considering proposals to halve parking rates to $100 per hour. However, organizers of the protests, which include businessmen and executives, are not backing down and have vowed to continue until the deal is scrapped.
Govt. moves to use $1B Forensic Lab From page 71 Barbadian firm, IDE Security, was responsible for installing the security system at the laboratory by way of a contract in 2012 and providing consultation oversight in 2013 during Phase One of the project. Harmon said that the security firm is now required to take certain steps to operationalise the laboratory and “In this regard cabinet (has) approved a payment in the sum of US$32,524 which was owed to the company and that will now facilitate the firm coming and completing the laboratory, completing the training for persons who will operate the laboratory so that it can be a functioning labo-
ratory.” The Minister said that the technical and electrical issues that were discovered a while back will also be rectified as soon as the contractors return to work. He said that there are several things that the laboratory has to be able to do. These include DNA testing and the analysis of evidence from a crime scene, among others. Questioned on whether any form of testing is being carried out at the laboratory currently, Harmon said that he is not aware if testing of any sort is being done. He explained that based on the information that Minister Ramjattan presented to Cabinet recently, for the laboratory to become fully opera-
tional and functional, the owed money needed to be paid to the security firm, so that they can complete the work. The Forensic Laboratory once completed, is expected to significantly boost the capability of the Guyana Police Force to solve crimes. The Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara-located facility was commissioned, under the previous government since July 2014, but remained a white elephant as it faced several issues, including electrical defects. It was commissioned under the Ministry of Home Affairs that was headed at that time by former minister, Clement Rohee.
Sunday February 12, 2017
Kaieteur News
Canada provides multi-million dollar aid package …European Union invites Moise to visit PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti CMC – Canada is providing CAN$91.2 million (One Canada dollar =US$0.76 cents) in aid to Haiti, the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, Marie-Claude Bibeau, has announced. Bibeau, who was here attending last week’s inauguration of Jovenel Moise as Haiti’s 58th President, said that the five year development programme will increase women’s access to sexual and reproductive health, protect the rights of child workers, increase access to education and improve women’s and children’s access to legal service Under an initiative of the International Development Research Centre, Canada will also provide young Haitians with much-needed technical skills to enter the workforce and take control of their future. “Canada’s support to Haiti and its people reflect the priorities of our development agenda: upholding and uplifting human dignity, empowering women and girls and enhancing the local capacity of government and institutions. “As true partners, we are behind Haiti’s new government and are eager to work collaboratively to advance our vision together,” said Bibeau, who held talks with
Marie-Claude Bibeau President Moise. She said that the head of state had insisted on the importance of “social justice” and “good governance. “He fully recognizes the importance of having competent and integral people at the head of the various public services,” she said, adding, “it is encouraging, but we remain very cautious in the use of funds and to whom they are given,” to ensure that the money goes to where it is intended. Meanwhile, the European Union has invited president Moise to visit several European institutions. Executive Director for America of the European Service for External Action (EEAS), Edita Hrda, who rep-
resented the EU at the ceremony, said that “as a friend and partner of Haiti, the European Union is ready to strengthen its relationship with the new administration in order to accompany Haiti in its economic, social and environmental redeployment”. She presented a letter of congratulations to President Moïse that was signed by Presidents Donald Tusk (European Council) and JeanClaude Juncker (European Commission), as well as an invitation to host a State visit to the European institutions “This letter and invitation also demonstrate the European Union’s commitment to relations with the entire Caribbean region. “We also talked about the political priorities of President Jovenel Moïse in order to put Haiti back on the right track. The European Union has always supported Haiti and will continue this support. We are willing to strengthen our relationship with the new administration to accompany Haiti in its economic, social and environmental redeployment,” she said. The Executive Director also provided details on the additional Euro 35 million (One Euro =US$1.28 cents) post-Matthew aid the European Union announced earlier last week.
Opposition condemns violence in Dominica; denies responsibility ROSEAU, Dominica — The opposition United Workers Party (UWP) executive has condemned the acts of violence and vandalism that erupted in the streets of Dominica’s capital, Roseau, last week. Leader of the opposition Lennox Linton rejected claims from the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) government that the violence began because of a public meeting held by the UWP. Meanwhile, the chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Guyana’s President David Granger, expressed concern over the violence in Dominica. “CARICOM recognizes the right of citizens to engage in peaceful protest. However, the Community condemns the vandalism that resulted in the destruction of private property and businesses,” Granger said in a statement. The Community urged all to act with restraint and maintain the orderly and peaceful society
to which Dominicans and the wider Community are accustomed. Linton stated that the public meeting was in compliance with the constitution of Dominica. “The peaceful non-violent assembling of patriots was conducted according to the laws of the Commonwealth of Dominica and concluded without any adverse incidents whatsoever,” he insisted. “The United Workers Party condemns the acts of violence and vandalism that erupted in the streets of Roseau during the evening of February 7, 2017, causing widespread loss and damages to business enterprises and triggering fears for safety and security in heightened tensions in our practice of civility,” he added. Linton expressed sympathy to persons who were in one way or another affected by the acts of violence.
“As the events unfolded the leadership of the United Party was being blamed on the grounds that the disorder resulted from a public meeting calling for the resignation of Roosevelt Skerrit as prime minister. We say to you today both events are unrelated and we condemn these baseless criticisms as forcefully as we condemn the lawlessness visited on the capital city Tuesday night,” he continued. Linton called on the individuals who used the meeting as an opportunity to embarrass the UWP to speak the truth about what transpired. “Those who saw and used the meeting as cover to engineer this order and destruction to embarrass the United Workers Party, just as Mr Skerrit and company have been doing over the past 24 hours know themselves and owe it to a deeply concerned nation to speak the truth… because that is precisely what will set us free,” he said. (Caribbean News)
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Suriname to host training course on tourism satellite account PA R A M A R I B O , Suriname — In order to develop the tourism industry of Suriname, the Suriname Tourism Foundation (STF), in collaboration the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), a subsidiary organ of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and Malaysia, will conduct a second training course on tourism satellite account (TSA) in Paramaribo on 14-16 February 2017. The TSA is a standard statistical framework and the main tool for the economic measurement of tourism. A previous training in Suriname was sponsored by SESRIC in August 2016. The overall objective of the workshop is to support statistical capacity building (StatCaB). It is an area of need that STF is putting a lot of emphasis on training to provide essential and accurate data which is vital to address and to grow the fledging tourism industry of Suriname according to Jerry A-Kum, director of STF.
Jerry A-Kum The objective of SESRIC is threefold: to collate, process and disseminate socioeconomic statistics and information for member countries; to study and evaluate the economic and social developments in the member countries to help generate proposals that will initiate and enhance co-operation among them, and to organise training programmes in selected fields for the needs of member countries.
The upcoming training session in Paramaribo will be conducted by Kanageswary Ramasamy, deputy director of national accounts, Statistics Division of Department of Statistics of Malaysia, and members of the research unit of the Suriname Tourism Foundation. Tourism covers statistics regarding visitor activity (such as arrivals/departures, overnight stays, expenditures, purpose of the visit, etc.) associated with different forms of tourism (inbound, domestic and outbound), tourism industries activity and infrastructure, employment and tourism satellite accounts. The training course on ‘Tourism Satellite Account’ will include discussion activities with a focus on the following topics: • System of tourism statistics • System of national accounts (sna) • Manual and guidelines of tourism statistics • Inbound tourism statistics
Sunday February 12, 2017
China gets an early win off Trump, but many battles remain Reuters - Combining public bluster with behindt h e - s c e n e s d i p l o m a c y, China wrested a concession from the United States as the two presidents spoke for the first time last week, but Beijing may not be able to derive much comfort from the win on U.S. policy toward Taiwan. Several areas of disagreement between the superpowers, including curr e n c y, t r a d e , t h e S o u t h China Sea and North Korea, were not mentioned in public statements on Thursday’s telephone conversation between Presidents, Xi Jinping and Donald Trump. In getting Trump to change course on the “one China” policy, Beijing may have overplayed its hand. Trump had upset Beijing before he took office by taking a call from Taiwan President Tsai Ingwen, then casting doubt on the “one China” policy, under which Washington acknowledges the Chinese position that there is only one China and Taiwan is part of it. Trump changed tack and agreed to honour the
Xi Jinping “one China” policy during the call, prompting jubilation in China. Beijing had been working on diplomatic ways to engage Trump’s team and largely blaming Taiwan for stirring things up. Laying the foundation for that call had been the low-key engagement of China’s former ambassador t o Wa s h i n g t o n a n d t o p diplomat, the urbane and fluent English-speaking Yang Jiechi, with Trump’s national security adviser Michael Flynn.
India’s PM Modi faces election test as voting begins in Uttar Pradesh Reuters - More than 13 million Indians voted in the first stage of state assembly elections yesterday, the biggest electoral test for Prime Minister Narendra Modi since coming to power in 2014. The world’s biggest election this year began in Uttar Pradesh, the first of six stages that will elect an assembly to govern the impoverished state of nearly 220 million people. Modi’s nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept to victory in Uttar Pradesh three years ago, and the election in the state that follows the shore of the river Ganges will set the tone for
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the 2019 national elections. More broadly, voters will deliver a mid-term verdict on Modi and his nationalist party after his decision to withdraw 86 percent of the cash in circulation. The banknote ban was launched by Modi three months ago to purge the economy of untaxed income and the proceeds of crime and corruption, and has disrupted daily life and commerce, and caused the economy to slow. On the campaign trail, Modi has said he had the interests of the poor at heart in making the move - his biggest gamble yet.
“China was pragmatic and patient. It made every effort to smooth out the relationship, and it paid off,” said Jia Qingguo, dean of the School of International Studies at Peking University, who has advised the government on foreign policy. But China also made very clear Taiwan was not up for negotiation, unleashing state media to threaten war and punishment for U.S. firms if that bottom line was breached. China has long described self-ruled Taiwan, claimed by Beijing as its sacred territory, as the most sensitive issue in SinoU.S. relations. Its military had become alarmed after the TrumpTsai call and was considering strong measures to prevent the island from moving toward independence, sources with ties to senior military officers told Reuters in December. A source familiar with China’s thinking on relations with the United States, speaking to Reuters last month, said China had actually not been too bothered with Trump’s Taiwan comments before he took office as he was not president then and was only expressing his personal view. “If he continues with this once he becomes president then there’s no saying what we’ll do,” the source said.
Juncker says Britain may divide EU over Brexit talks Reuters - European Commission President JeanClaude Juncker said he fears Britain will divide the European Union’s 27 remaining members by making different promises to each country during its Brexit negotiations. “The other EU 27 doesn’t know it yet, but the Brits know very well how they can tackle this,” Juncker told Deutschlandfunk radio. “They could promise country A this, country B that and country C something else and the end game is that there is not a united European front.” Britain will by the end of March trigger formal divorce talks with the EU, a major test for the bloc which is struggling to have a grip on other challenges like keeping Greece in the euro zone, the refugee crisis and the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president. To add to all of that, the Netherlands, France and
Jean-Claude Juncker Germany are holding general elections this year, in which populist anti-EU parties are expected to make strong showings. “Now everyone is saying in relation to Trump and Brexit: ‘Now is Europe’s big chance. Now is the time to close ranks and march together,’” Juncker said in the radio interview which will be
aired today. “I wish it will be like this, but will it happen? I have some doubt. Because the Brits will manage without big effort to divide the remaining 27 member states.” His warning echoed remarks by German Chancellor Angela Merkel at an EU summit in Bratislava last year aimed at finding a way forward after Britain’s vote to leave, that the bloc is in a critical situation. Juncker said one area where the remaining 27 could improve cooperation was defence. Britain and France are the only EU countries with nuclear arsenals. Juncker, who will host U.S. Vice President Mike Pence in Brussels next weekend, said a protectionist trade policy by the Trump administration would be an opportunity for the EU to forge new trade alliances.
Trump says he will bring down the price of wall on Mexico’s border Reuters - President Donald Trump pushed back early yesterday on assertions that the wall he wants built on the U.S. border with Mexico would cost more than anticipated and said he would reduce the price. Trump made his comments in two Twitter posts but did not say how he would bring down the cost of the
wall. Reuters on Thursday published details of an internal report by the Department of Homeland Security that estimated the price of a wall along the entire border at $21.6 billion. During his presidential campaign Trump had cited a $12 billion figure. “I am reading that the great border WALL will cost
more than the government originally thought, but I have not gotten involved in the ... design or negotiations yet,” Trump tweeted from his Florida resort, where he is hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. “When I do, just like with the F-35 FighterJet or the Air Force One Program, price will come WAY DOWN!”
U.S. expresses objection to Palestinian as U.N. envoy to Libya Reuters - The United States has objected to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ choice of former Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad as the body’s new representative to Libya. It was unclear whether the objection, expressed in a statement late on Friday by Nikki Haley, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, Haley, had ended Fayyad’s candidacy. The U.S. objection drew Palestinian condemnation. Guterres’ spokesman Stephane Dujarric said yesterday that the proposal to nominate Fayyad “was solely based on Mr. Fayyad’s recognised personal qualities and his competence for
that position”. The United States wields significant influence as one of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. “The United States was disappointed to see a letter indicating the intention to appoint the former Palestinian Authority prime minister to lead the UN Mission in Libya,” Haley said in her statement. “For too long the U.N. has been unfairly biased in favour of the Palestinian Authority to the detriment of our allies in Israel,” she said. Haley added that the United States “does not currently recognise a Palestinian state or support the signal this appointment would send within the United Nation.”
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Sunday February 12, 2017
Sunday February 12, 2017
Kaieteur News
Shakib, Mushfiqur lead Bangladesh fightback against India (Reuters) Bangladesh fought back against India through half centuries from Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehedi Hasan to reach 322 for six at the close of the third day’s play in the one-off test in Hyderabad yesterday. Bangladesh’s most experienced pair of Shakib and Mushfiqur added 107 for the fifth-wicket before the latter combined with the 19-year-old Mehedi for an unbroken seventh-wicket partnership of 87 to frustrate the hosts. The visitors still face a steep task if they are to avoid the follow-on in response to India’s mammoth first innings total of 687-6 declared. At stumps, captain Mushfiqur was unbeaten on 81 with Mehedi not out on 51, his maiden test fifty, at the other end with Bangladesh still needing 166 runs to make India bat again. The duo kept India wicketless for the entire third session. After resuming on 41-1, the touring side suffered a
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Teams continue battle... (From page 79) tonight will allow the former to advance to the next stage, while a loss could work in favour of Uitvlugt. In group A, the spots will also be decided as well. A win for Milerock with a margin of less than three goals would take both of them and table toppers Winners Connection through to the next round in a one-two or-
der, while a win of more than that offers Grove Hi Tech the chance to sneak through. A draw would allow both the Linden teams to progress with Winners Connection leading the group and Milerock second. However, a win for Winners Connection will shut out Milerock out and let in Grove Hi Tech.
SS Jaguars, Maria’s...
Shakib Al Hasan lays into a sweep, India v Bangladesh, one-off Test, 3rd day, Hyderabad, February 11, 2017©Associated Press major blow in just the third over of the day when Tamim Iqbal was run out on his overnight score of 24. The left-handed opener was stranded near the middle
of the pitch after a terrible mixup with partner Mominul Haque while attempting a second run. Paceman Umesh Yadav, who dismissed Soumya
Sunday February 12, 2017 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You will find your personal partner taxing today. You can stabilize your situation if you compromise. Don't second guess yourself, just go to it.
before they hatch. LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Unexpected bills will leave you a little short. Romance will unfold through business trips.
TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) The experience will be good. It might be time for you to take a quantum leap from one career to another. Your mate will be pushing you to do things that you really don't want to do.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Peers may not be on your side. You may have problems with children. You're undergoing changes. Voice your opinions and contribute to the debate.
GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You will have to watch out for minor health problems related to stress. Make sure that you have all the pertinent facts before taking action. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Communication will be your strong point and you should be able to persuade others to see things your way. Don't turn down offers that include sports activities or children. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Enlist coworkers in order to get the job done on time. Don't be too quick to judge those you live with. You will gain knowledge through your adventure. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Do your own thing and everything will settle down. Don't count your chickens
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Minor accidents could occur if you don't take precautions. Ease the anguish by offering assistance. You mustn't be so trusting. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Start sending out those resumes. Talk to people who can give you important knowledge. Delve a little deeper if you really want to know the score. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) You have two choices; Get out on your own, or bend to your mate's whims. Social activity with friends and relatives will be most successful. Entertainment could be pleasing if it is of an energetic nature. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Your charm will be captivating. You will want to take off and have some recreation. A need to be in love may fool you.
Sarkar on Friday, found enough reverse swing to trouble Bangladesh’s batsmen before he pinned down Mominul in front of the stumps to dismiss him leg before for 12. Umesh continued to trouble Mahmudullah with his pace and movement but pacebowling colleague Ishant Sharma reaped the benefit by dismissing the batsman leg before for 28 in his first over of the day. Ishant, who replaced Umesh, beat Mahmudullah’s bat with an angled delivery and the batsman’s attempt to overturn the decision on review also proved futile. Shakib then launched a counterattack against India’s bowlers and his 21st test fifty was studded with 14 boundaries in a knock that came off 103 balls. The left-hander was out caught trying to loft off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, the world’s top-ranked bowler in tests, over mid-off. Ashwin’s left-arm spin colleague Ravindra Jadeja then dismissed Sabbir Rahman for 16, the batsman falling leg before while attempting a sweep shot. Mushfiqur, who got the benefit of doubt in a run out appeal when he was batting on 18, showed plenty of application and temperament during his knock and will be crucial to Bangladesh’s hopes of avoiding the follow-on. Off-spinner Mehedi gave his captain, who suffered a blow to his right hand in the last over of the day against Ishant, able support and hit 10 crisp boundaries in his flourishing knock. Scores: Bangladesh 322 for 6 (Shakib 82, Mushfiqur 81*, Mehedi 51*, Umesh 272) trail India 687 for 6 dec by 365 runs.
(From page 77) Lewis, Leorayan Ramlakhan who is one of the fastest bowlers in Essequibo and Kennard Lewis to restrict their opponents, while their batting can hold their own with the likes of Bernard Lewis, Ryan Gordon, Samuel De Camp and Alex Clementson included. SS Jaguars, on the other hand, have been one of the most successful T20 sides on the island in recent times, but they cannot take their opponents for granted on what is expected to be a spin friendly pitch if they are to lift the trophy. They will be spearheaded by Siddiq Mohamed. The team also includes opener Safraz Mohamed, all-rounder Zameer Zaman, Prem Persaud, Rashaad Rasheed, Nokta Moses and Beesham
Moses. Play starts at 12:30 hrs. Teams; Maria’s PleasureKennard Lewis (C), Marsh Singh, Bernard Lewis, Munesh Ramdeo, Emmanuel Lewis, Leonard Lewis, Leorayan Ramlakhan, Ryan Gordon, Pooran Persaud, Lionel Baker, Looknauth Persaud, Alex Clemenston, Samuel De Camp and Atesh P e r s a u d . Bhawanie Persaud (Coach) and Yogindra Sahadeo (Manager). SS Jaguars- Siddiq Mohamed (C), Zameer Zaman, Safraz Mohamed, Prem Persaud, Beesham Moses, Nokta Moses, Rashaad Rasheed, Imran Mohamed, Derwin Daniels, Mahase Ramnarine, Gladwyn Henry and Afridi Mohamed. David Ramall (Coach) and Sherlock Dunbar (Manager).
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Sunday February 12, 2017
Kaieteur News
Milo 18 and under Schools Football Tournament
-Masters Academy, St. Rose’s also win
Champs start defence with a walkover Defending champion Chase Academic Foundation were not required to take the field in their opening encounter against Freeburg after the latter failed to show up thus handing the title
holders a walkover win as play in the Milo 18 and under Schools Football Tournament got underway yesterday, at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue. Scheduled to play in the
final game of the day, the champions never had to break a sweat for an easy day at the office. Earlier, Masters Academy led by strikes from James Walcott in the 12th a n d 4 8 t h a n d Te o n Va n k e n r i c k d e f e a t e d Bishop’s High 3-1. On target for Bishop’s High was Darvin Chan, who netted in the 5th minute. St. Rose’s High then gained a walkover from Houston after the latter failed to show up at the venue. However, in the most entertaining matchup o f t h e d a y, N o r t h Ruimveldt Multilateral and St. Joseph’s played to a 1-1 stalemate. After the teams went to the break locked nil-all, the second period provided more excitement and it was the persistent Jerren
Shepherd, who had been a constant torment for the North Ruimveldt team, who broke the deadlock when he lashed in from a goalmouth scrimmage following a cross from the left side. That goal came in the 61st minute of play. Five minutes later, North Ruimveldt got the equaliser through Omar Sinclair, courtesy of a misjudgment by the opposing goalkeeper. Sinclair sent a long ball from centrefield that sailed high in the air, before landing and bouncing, but instead of waiting for the ball to come down at least waist high to make the save, the goalkeeper tried to meet it early, but the ball bounced over his head and even though he scrambled back to keep the ball out of the goal, he caught it over the line and a goal was awarded. Both teams created chances after that, but errant shooting erased any hope of either team taking the ascendancy and the scores
remained tied until the final whistle sounded. T h e To u r n a m e n t resumes today with four more games planned for the same venue. In the first encounter, Lodge take on St. Mary’s and this will be followed by
the clash between Kingston and East Ruimveldt. Next up is the game between Tucville and St. John’s College, before Morgan Learning Centre tackles Charlestown in the final encounter of the day. Kick off time is 11:00hrs.
LABA season continues tonight at MSC The Linden Amateur Basketball Association’s (LABA) 2017 season which bounced off last night with the number one seed Half Mile Bulls against Block 22 Flames at 18.30hrs and third seed Amelia’s Ward Jets against Bankers Trust Falcons will continue tonight at the same venue. The association has incorporated Kwakwani in this tournament and they will be in action tonight as they begin their quest for honours when they meet with second seed Victory
Valley Royals at 18.30hrs. The other game is between the fourth ranked retrieve Raiders and Christianburg Pistons who were out of competition for a number of years and have seen a name change to what previously was the Wismar Pistons. Next Friday the championship resumes at the same venue with two more matches starting at 18.30hrs with Bulls against Pistons and the other is between Royals and Jets at 20.30hrs.
Sunday February 12, 2017
Flying Ace Cycle club releases programme for the year The Flying Ace Cycle club (FACC), which over the years has been touted as one of the top cycling clubs in Berbice, has released a packed list of activities for the year 2017. According to Founder and coach of the club, Randolph Roberts, the list of activities this year will feature a number open events for cyclist throughout Guyana, some for Berbicians alone whilst others will be for club cyclists only. The club will also be teaming up with other organisations to stage mixed events including athletics and involved in a number of community activities. The year’s programme is expected to pedal off on the 23rd February with the annual Courts Mashramani cycle event. The event will be an open affair and is expected to go 20 miles around the town of New Amsterdam. According to organiser Randolph Roberts the finer details for the race are still being worked out. The next event which is set for March 5th is expected to be the annual Wilbur Benjamin Sports Store’ cycle road race on the Corentyne highway. There are other events listed for the 19th March, 19th April, 14th May, 18th June, 23rd July, August 18th, September 10th, 15th October, November 19th and December 10th. According to Roberts a number of other activities like the annual track attack cycling and athletics event and others sponsored by the Guyana Police Force and other organisations will be staged. But those dates have not been confirmed. A number of the club’s cyclists will also be participating in national junior and senior events. The club cyclists also play in integral part in the annual track and field, swimming and cycling events. They have been instrumental in Corentyne maintaining dominance in the activity. (Samuel Whyte)
Kaieteur News
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Sunday February 12, 2017
Golden Jaguars suffer losses to T&T & England By Sean Devers in Barbados On a windy night under lights with the Caribbean Sea in the background the Barbados Beach International Soccer Showcase kicked off at the Brandon Beach in Spring Gardens with Trinidad &Tobago dominating a 5-2 w i n a g a i n s t G u y a n a ’s Golden Jaguars on Friday. After Barbados were beaten 3-1 by Antigua & Barbuda the Golden Jaguars, in the last game of the night, suffered their second defeat when they went down 5-1 to England. Played in three 15minute periods, Guyana held their own against the talented and experienced T&T line-up in the first stanza with Captain Deshawn Joseph giving Guyana an early 1-nil lead when he beat Custodian Zane Coker to find the back of the net. T&T are one of the top teams in Beach Scorer in
CONCACAF and were not going to be embarrassed by a team with the experience of just two overseas matches in Trinidad. After a slow start the lads from Carnival Country increased the tempo against the Golden Jaguars who enjoyed the better of the early exchanges. But the Trinis changed gear in the second period and Goal Keeper Coker hammered a bullet-like kick which passed his opposite number, Ethan Spearman, in the blink of an eye, to open T&T’s account. Michael Wilson found the back of the nets to put the Jaguars back in front, but on an Island where the second largest population is Guyanese, there was very few of them in the fair sized crowd to enjoy the moment. Beach Scorer is more taxing on the legs due to ‘dead sand’ than on a field and high passes and skill are key factors in this type of sport. The Trinis were superior in those departments and on more
than one occasion used the ‘bicycle kick’ to test Guyana’s goal Keeper who did a good job despite what the score line suggested. With the lads from the Tw i n I s l a n d R e p u b l i c gaining more of the ball possession and embarking on several raids on goal, the Guyanese team began making technical errors. Kevon Woodley, who netted a brace, and Makam Hislop and Kerwin Stafford with a goal each, ensured their team had three unanswered goals. But it was not all T&T as Trevon Archibald had Coker scrambling in the thick sand to make a save but in the end the experience of the Trinis prevailed. The Golden Jaguars did not have things much easier in the last game of the night when they lost to England 51 with Kenard Simon scoring the consolation goal for Guyana who were scheduled to face off with host Barbados last evening. Golden Jaguars Coach Abudulla Hamid told
The Golden Jaguars flanked by Coach Abudulla Hammid (left) and Manager Mark Young (right). Kaieteur Sports that he was not disappointed in the result against T&T since his chargers held a big team in CONCACAF and were leading twice in the contest. “Yes we did make some technical errors towards the end of the game but I am satisfied with our performance. We are looking at our weakness and working to improve as we head to the Bahamas,” Hamid disclosed. The CONCACAF tournament kicks off on February 20, in Nassau and
Hamid informed that the team will be going from Barbados directly to the Bahamas. “Since this format was introduced to Guyana we have been practicing in similar conditions in Linden and hosted Trinidad in Guyana before going to play there twice,” the Coach informed. He singled out Skipper Joseph, Wilson, Jermaine Grandison and Keon Sears as key players added that all of them were on the two trips
to T&T. “We began the game against Trinidad well and I think we got a bit excited and underestimated their ability to come back hard but I think we learnt from our mistakes. This is the first time we are playing in a tournament with so many good teams and we are learning all the time. The more overseas games we play will be better for us,” said Manager Mark Young. A team gets three points for a win so the Guyanese have not managed a point from two matches. Skipper Joseph feels that the two defeats exposed what they did wrong and that it was important to learn from their mistakes now before they travel to the Bahamas. “We have a young team with only four senior players with the experience of playing at this level. We had some problems against England in getting into positions and defending but this is a learning experience for us as we head to the Bahamas,” Joseph said.
Sunday February 12, 2017
Kaieteur News
Youth Development team warms up for roll-out of GFF Scotiabank academy
TDO Lyndon France makes a point during the TDO-YDO training for the GFF-Scotiabank ATCs. Georgetown: The nine Technical Development Officers (TDOs) and 14 Yo u t h D e v e l o p m e n t Coaches (YDCs) who will coordinate the new GFFScotiabank Academy Training Centres (ATC) put the final touches to their preparations on Friday, training with GFF Technical Director Ian Greenwood and his expanded, new team in Georgetown, a release from the GFF noted. This event was held at the National Resource Centre from the afternoon of Thursday, 10th February, 2017 and consisted of classroom and practical sessions. “This stepping stone is going to be really fantastic for a lot of footballers,” said Ryan Alcides, the new TDO for the Rupununi region. “Football is going to the next level and I’m excited to partake in this programme. The impact is really going to help a lot of kids.”
“It’s going to have a real impact on the development of football,” said Georgetown Football Association’s (GFA) TDO Sampson Gilbert. “For years, we’ve been looking for a programme like this to move football in Guyana forward.” The ATC, a nationwide programme and the first of its kind in Guyana, started yesterday with the East Bank Demerara Football Association (EBFA) hosting an academy session from 9.30hrs with young players from across the area. There will be 13 GFFScotiabank ATCs across the country in the first wave of the programme, designed to boost participation in football and to give the most talented boys and girls from the nine GFF Regional Member Associations (RMAs) the best chance to reach their full potential. The programme is part of the GFF’s mission to reform
SS Jaguars, Maria’s Pleasure battle for Badri Prasad Memorial T20 title today
Zameer Zaman Sans Souci Jaguars and Maria’s Pleasure SC will battle for the Badri Prasad Memorial T20 crown today a t t h e Wa k e n a a m Community Centre ground in Good Success. The final, which was scheduled for December, but
Marsh Singh was postponed due to the i n c l e m e n t w e a t h e r, i s expected to be keenly contested with both teams boasting formidable line ups. Maria’s Pleasure will depend on the experience of Marsh Singh, Emmanuel (Continued on page 73)
and develop football, with the aim of putting Guyana at the top of football nations in the Caribbean. The GFFScotiabank Academy Tr a i n i n g C e n t r e s w i l l provide weekly training from grassroots sessions for 5-11 year olds to professional coaching for older boys and girls aimed at preparing them for the demands of international youth football. “The country will benefit a great deal,” said Akilah Castello, a former women’s national player who will be tasked with scouting and developing new talent in the Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) region. “It’s the first time in Guyana we have seen football taken so seriously and seen women involved in this way. We will have more women playing, and that will encourage others to join. It will inspire others to come along and play.”
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Resumption of fistic excellence as local boxers gear up for Tri Nation affair After ending last year on a high where they had clinched the lion’s share of gold medals at the Caribbean Developmental Boxing Tournament in Bridgetown Barbados, Guyanese amateur pugilists are set to continue their dominance in the ring when they square off with their counterparts from Suriname, St Maarten and Trinidad and Tobago in one night of fistic fury next Sunday February 19. The action is slated for the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue, and will feature fifteen local boxers matching skills with those of the above mentioned countries in what the organizers assure will test the mettle of the local punchers. Two former boxers, Seon Bristol and Alford MacDonald, are the driving forces behind the card which has received the blessings of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA). Mr. Bristol arrived in Guyana yesterday morning and immediately started putting the modalities in place for an unforgettable night of fistic fury; his organizing
Sunday February 12, 2017
Kaieteur News
3 shortlisted for tournament in Azerbaijan
Seon Bristol (left) and Steve Ninvalle are collaborating for this amateur event. (File Photo) counterpart, Alford MacDonald is expected from his Miami base by Wednesday. To date, Suriname has endorsed the participation of 5 boxers, while those administrators of the other two participating countries have requested a few more days to affirm their numbers. Mr. Bristol admitted to the challenges of promoting cards of this nature owing to a paucity of adequate sponsorship. Nevertheless, he remains adamant that boxing must not be the casualty and as such, is willing to plod the extra mile
in the realization of his goals. “I am prepared to look past those challenges to ensure that local pugilists remain active,” Bristol said in answer to a question of the b o x e r s ’ a c t i v i t y. H e remained firm that inadequate funding should not be the decisive factor in the scheme of things. Admission to the fights will be $1000 for the VIP section and $500 for general admission. Mr. Bristol further said that the organizers will place a high premium on punctuality and the first bell will be sounded at 20:00hrs sharp.
Meanwhile, President of the GBA, Steve Ninvalle, has lauded the efforts of the organizing crew and said that his entity is indeed delighted that those stalwarts could shrug aside the challenges to make the card a reality. Mr. Ninvalle said that he is extremely delighted by those efforts and urged the boxers to train hard in order to produce the fiery contests fans have come to enjoy. The GBA boss said that this year will be a hectic one for local pugilists and already three boxers have been spotlighted and advised to commence training for a tournament in Azerbaijan slated for May. Those boxers are heavyweight Jason Baker, Desmond Amsterdam (middleweight) and lightweight Joel Williamson. Mr. Ninvalle said that the fund raising drive to facilitate these boxers’ trip has already begun and he has recently dispatched the names to the President of the Guyana Olympic Association, K. A. Juman Yassin, for possible financial and other assistance.
Wilson elected President of United We Stand Cycling Club
Franklin Wilson – UWSCC President
Maria Leung UWSCC Secretary
Leung back as Secretary President of the East Bank Football Association (EBFA) Franklin Wilson has taken on the challenge of being at the helm of the United We Stand Cycling Club (UWSCC) which is based at 49 Old Road Craig, East Bank Demerara. Also elected on the executive are the experienced Joseph Britton as First Vice President with the Second and Third Vice president’s positions taken by Michael Bradford and Englebert Leung. Returning as Secretary is Maria Leung with Renita Perrier as Treasurer. Serving as Assistant Secretary / Treasurer is Debbie Jeffrey. The club will shortly be naming its Club Captain and Coach, respectively. Wilson thanked the members of the club for reposing such confidence in him after being approached to serve in that capacity, noting that the club felt that he had something to offer with regards to taking them to a next level. He promised to do his best towards charting a solid developmental path for the club and the young riders and stated that staying in school with a view towards achieving academically, would be encouraged. UWSCC, one of the youngest clubs affiliated to the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF), Wilson noted that he would be reaching out to other clubs with a view of working together for the benefit of the sport and athletes, in Guyana.
Sunday February 12, 2017
Kaieteur News
West Coast / East Bank Demerara Guinness Competition
ESPN roar back to beat Harmony ballers -Action continued last evening
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Limacol Round Robin / Knockout Football Competition
Teams continue battle for next round berths -Santos, Police latest winners
Part of the action between ESPN and Harmony ballers on Friday night at Pouderoyen Tarmac.
From L-R: Santos goalscorers O’Kenie Fraser, Robby McCleggon and Keith Caines pose for a photo op following their in against Pouderoyen on Friday.
As the knockout phase approaches, teams in this year’s West Coast / East Bank Demerara Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Competition has been hard at work battling each other for positions in the next phase. Friday night’s action at Pouderoyen Tarmac saw wins for champions Showstoppers, West Side Ballers, Hustlers, ESPN among others in front of another capacity crowd. Crowd favourites ESPN outlasted Harmony Ballers 3-2 on penalty kicks after regulation time failed to break a 1-1 stalemate. Down 1-0 following a Nickosie Holder 10th minute goal, ESPN gained the equaliser through Nicquan Nestor, whose 15th minute leveller caused wild celebrations in the venue. Nestor reached on to the end of a free kick to bend it into the lower right corner. Both teams played with much intent, but failed to score any more goals, sending the game into penalty shooutout. ESPN converted all three of their kicks, while Harmony missed once from the distance. Champs Showstoppers hit Good Intent All-Stars for five with Dexroy Adams registering a brace in the fifth and 12th minutes, while
Kayode King also netted twice in the 17th and 22nd minutes and Marvin Joseph completing their tally with a solitary strike in the 15th minute. We s t S i d e B a l l e r s crushed Brothers United 2-0 with Gideon Payne 14th minute and Andre Hector in the 24th sealing victory. Hustlers won both of their fixtures against Golden Warriors and Patentia Street Ballers. In the first encounter, Hustlers beat Golden Warriors 2-0 through strikes from Anthony Sancho and Donovan Francis in the fifth and 19th minutes respectively. In their second clash, Hustlers crushed Patentia Street Ballers 5-0. John Waldron fired in a hat-trick in the third, 16th and 18th minutes, while Deon Charter secured a pair in the 7th and 24th. Tajoe’s Admiral United defeated De Kinderen 2-0 with Lexroy Manfield double in the sixth and 19th minutes, the only player to trouble the scorers. Agricola survived 2-0 in a penalty shootout against Patentia Street Ballers after regulation time ended 1-1. Onacy Bernard gave Patentia the lead after eight minutes, while Sheldon Gurrick equalised in the 16th minute.
Goal Getters squeezed past Young Ballers of Crane 3-2 in sudden death penalty kicks, following a goalless draw, while the Money Team edged Jetty 1-0 in penalty kicks after regulation time finished 00. Winner of the tournament will take home $450,000, the championship trophy and the right to represent the zone at the National Championship, while the second, third and fourth placed teams win $150,000, $100,000 and $50,000 respectively.
Santos and Police were in winners row when play in the Limacol Round Robin / Knockout Football Competition continued on Friday night, at the GFC ground. In the feature encounter, Police ensured that they booked their place in the next round after registering a narrow 2-1 triumph over Riddim Squad with Quincy Holder and Dwayne Jacobs netting in the 43rd and 90+2 minutes respectively, while Dorville Stewart was the lone respondent for Riddim Squad in the 60th. With the win, Police moved to 7 points in Group D, while Mahaica Determinators occupy the second spot with last
evening game against Camptown crucial for both teams. In the opening encounter, goals from Keith Caines and O’Kenie Fraser in the 35th and 40th minutes gave Santos a comfortable 2-0 halftime lead, before Robby McCleggon 52nd minute strike effectively confirmed the win against a hapless Pouderoyen unit. The win means that Santos now move into the second spot of Group C ahead of Ann’s Grove on goal difference, while Den Amstel remain leaders. However, Ann’s Grove only needs a draw against table toppers Den Amstel who are on six points to advance to the next round.
Both teams were scheduled to play last evening and should Ann’s Grove win, they will assume the lead of the group, while should Den Amstel win, Santos would advance. In Group B this evening, the battle for qualification spots continue at the McKenzie Sports Club Ground. Western Tigers (9 points) are through to the next round. The battle is between Eagles, who are tied with Uitvlugt on points with three and goal differences (0). Eagles, however, have a game in hand. A draw in the Eagles United vs New Amsterdam United fixture carded for (Continued on page 73)
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Part of the action between North Ruimveldt and St. Joseph’s High yesterday.
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