Kaieteur News

K

PPP’S Gail Teixeira NEWS prepared to renounce her Canadian citizenship AIETEUR

Saturday Edition February 02, 2019 - Vol. 13 No. 05

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

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GRA tamper-proof system gets bureaucratic resistance - GRA Head New Integrated Regional Tax Office commissioned at Bartica

The new GRA office in Bartica, Region Seven

$$Billions tied up in court action - GRA Boss Jagdeo says Wounding of School of Nations Director… Strip club owner Ex-student identified no more PR as shooter was out of gets four years meetings with jurisdiction at time suspended sentence the President of attack -Crime Chief for gun in crotch Under-invoicing of fuel shipments…

Dr. Van West-Charles's Atlantic Fuel was caught, made to pay last year - GRA discloses Appointing AG as External Auditor for Natural Resource Fund a wrong move - NRGI

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Kaieteur News

Saturday February 02, 2019

Kaieteur News

Saturday February 02, 2019

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GRA tamper-proof system gets bureaucratic resistance - GRA Head T

By Kiana Wilburg

he efforts of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to implement the fool-proof Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) system are being resisted by Government institutions, companies and even GRA officials.

This was revealed by Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia, during his first press conference for the year, yesterday.

At GRA's Camp Street Office, Statia noted that the push back from the reported stakeholders is one of the main reasons why the system will not be fully implemented by its deadline, originally set for the end of the first quarter. Statia said this will have to be adjusted to the end of the second quarter.

Explaining the troubling circumstances, Statia said, “We have been getting pushback from our own s t a ff . . . T h e r e i s a l s o pushback from companies because we know that as long as the ASYCUDA system is in place, and you have to file cargo manifests

electronically and in an advanced way, then there is less room for corruption.”

Th e C o m m i s s i o n e r G e n e r a l a d d e d , “ We have gotten pushback from our Customs B r o k e r s .

S o notwithstanding how we have been moving forward, if persons refuse to abide by the system you would normally get that lag in implementation...”

Statia said, too, that Government institutions are part of the problem.

In this regard, he noted that these institutions are not equipped to clear the goods themselves and are in the habit of importing “just in time cargo.”

He added, “We can't tell the Minister of Health, or the army or the police that we are not clearing their goods (because they are not making moves to abide by the ASYCUDA System). So they are partly responsible for the backlog that we have.

They have to share some of the blame.”

The tax chief said that his office wrote to Government agencies about two months now explaining that they must adjust to the new way

of doing things. “But no one has moved in this direction,” the Commissioner General said.

Statia also complained about losing Customs Brokers who are trained in operating the ASYCUDA system, to ExxonMobil.

He said, “What we have also seen is that when brokers are being trained in ASYCUDA, they leave the company and go and work at Exxon and that is also one of the reasons why there is a backlog…”

When the ASYCUDA system is in place, Statia said that he will be grading not only the companies which are compliant but also those Customs Brokers who are not compliant with the system. “…So you will be able to know who are 'A' brokers and 'B' brokers and that kind of thing,” Statia added.

He said, too, that GRA has upgraded the codes that will be used in the ASYCUDA system.

The tax chief said that the last time there were upgrades, it was in 2007. He said that the latest codes, being the 2017 codes, are now in place. Statia said,

GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia “That will bring us in line with worldwide standards.

So you will get consistent treatment in tariffs…”

THE NEED FOR ASYCUDA GRA's current accounting system, the Total Revenue Integrated Processing System (TRIPS), has been working inefficiently for close to 10 years. It is on this premise that the Authority has hastened efforts towards acquiring the Automated

System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA).

Speaking on the importance of moving from TRIPS to ASYCUDA, Statia noted that an examination of the TRIPS system had revealed that there were several problems which caused it to not work effectively.

Statia even stated that millions of US dollars from 2013 to 2016 were expended so as to bring the archaic TRIPS 1 System up to date.

In fact, the GRA boss said that many of the modules paid for regarding the TRIPS 1 System in 2007 were never even delivered.

The Commissioner General asserted that based on the state of affairs governing the revenue authority's IT system, discussions were held with Crown Agents, an international firm that specializes in practical and consistent solutions to financial institutions and governments.

He said that the following was decided: Cease all work on the Customs modules of the TRIPS 1 system; Concentrate all activity on

Jagdeo welcomes CJ's ruling, expresses disgust over “illegal” functioning of Cabinet

D

espite the fact t h a t t h e APNU+AFC has vowed to head all the way to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo thinks that he has been vindicated.

On Thursday, Chief Justice, Roxane George Wiltshire handed down two High Court rulings in cases related to the validity of the passage of the noconfidence motion.

The Justice ruled that the no-Confidence Motion as passed in the National Assembly on December 21, last year is valid.

She said that elections should have been set for three months following the passage and that the Cabinet should cease to exist.

At a press conference he held at Freedom House yesterday, Jagdeo welcomed the ruling calling it fair and just.

He told the media, “We in the PPP are extremely

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo pleased with the ruling of the Chief Justice,” Jagdeo acknowledged the fact that Chief Justice refused the request of the Attorney General, Basil Williams to grant a stay on the implementation of the rulings.

Jagdeo told the media that the nation is facing an unfortunate situation where two of the three arms of the State have spoken but the executive is still trying to

hold on to power.

“What we have is a situation where the legislature spoke on the 21st of December, 2018…now the judiciary has spoken.”

Jagdeo said that it is time t h e A P N U + A F C Government acts in accordance with Article 106 (6) of the Constitution which states “The Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.”

He repeated that in accordance with Article 106 (7) of the Constitution, the President and Cabinet – having resigned – can only perform a “caretaker” function – routine functions in office, until fresh General and Regional Elections are held. Article 106 (7) says, “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall

hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.”

the completion of the Internal Revenue Modules inclusive of e-filing services with clear delivery dates and hold further payments until the delivery of these modules.

Simultaneously, Statia commented that the GRA began discussions with United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) regarding the introduction of the ASYCUDA single window system.

The ASYCUDA, he explained, is an integrated customs management system for international trade and transport operations in a modern automated environment which allows for customs administrations and the trade community to comply with international standards when fulfilling import, export and transit related procedures.

Through its ASYCUDA Programme, GRA hopes to modernize customs operations and improve revenue collection; facilitate trade efficiency and competitiveness by substantially reducing transaction time and costs; improve security by streamlining procedures of cargo control, transit of goods and clearance of goods; reduce corruption by enhancing the transparency of transactions; and promote sustainable development by cutting down on the use of paper, through the use of electronic transactions and documents.

The Commissioner General said that the agreement with UNCTAD has been signed, payment has been effected, and the team to run the new system has been chosen. Statia said that training has commenced.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday February 02, 2019

Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

A growing intolerance

E

ver since the ‘yes’ vote by Government Mem ber of Parliament, Charrandass Persaud, the country has been abuzz about impending elections. However, the move to the elections has not been as straightforward as it should be.

For starters, the government opted to challenge the validity of the vote. In doing so it opened the proverbial can of worms. Now those Members of Parliament who hold dual citizenship must either surrender their foreign citizenship or simply refuse the appointment to be a Member of Parliament.

For some time, this issue has been surfacing but none of the political parties paid it any mind. Every one of them kept appointing their members regardless of their dual citizenship. On Thursday, Chief Justice Roxane George affirmed the constitutional dictate that no one who holds citizenship of a foreign country could sit in the National Assembly.

Then there was the hullaballoo about what constitutes a simple majority in Guyana’s Parliament. The opposition no-confidence motion prevailed by a single vote.

However, by some convoluted logic the government decided that the majority should be thirty-four.

This matter should not have gone to court because the constitution was clear about what constitutes a simple majority. Nevertheless, it took the Chief Justice to make a determination but it does not end there. The government is taking the matter further—to the highest court in the region.

This is not making the opposition any happier. As far as the political opposition is concerned there must be elections within three months of the no confidence motion. That is not going to happen. The result is that there is now developing a sharp division in the society. Schisms are developing where patches once existed.

Distrust is common. People are critical of everything one or the other party does. For example, more than twenty-five years ago the two major political parties agreed that the Guyana Elections Commission needed to be revamped to make it less susceptible to political interference.

They further agreed that the elections commission would determine its readiness for elections and that has been the case over the years. The commission planned its timetable and conducted all the elections. Today, because of the no confidence vote the commission is being asked to succumb to political directives. It must hold elections immediately.

Last year, the major political parties agreed that the voters’ list needed to be sanitized. Money was voted for house-to-house registration. But the desire by the opposition to go to the polls is forcing a shunning of the house-to-house registration agreement.

There are many other issues that now come to the fore. People are accusing each other of dishonesty. And there seems to be growing intolerance and impatience. In some quarters there is impatience to see the back of the present government.

And the government is insisting that the opposition is seeking to reinstitute a reign laced with corruption and victimization. But both have been accused of the same thing.

There was the denial of certain jobs for anyone who seemed to be an opponent. This is not as rare as it seems and merely highlights the fact that the country is prepared to forego skilled and qualified people for political fealty.

Now there is oil on the horizon and the popular view is that the political parties are keen to remain in power because of the promised oil wealth. This, of course, could make any government look good but then again it is what the government does with the money.

Do not infringe on the rights of youth to participate a large portion of the citizens that will not be able to in free and fair elections resents exercise their constitutional right to elect their own leaders.

DEAR EDITOR, The vote on December 21 has thrust the issue of General and Regional elections into the spotlight. While the government is pursuing legal options and interpretations of the event and its consequences, the opposition insists that irrespective of the government seeking legal interpretations, elections should be held within the time stipulated in the Constitution.

Editor, assuming the Government is not successful in its legal pursuit, there are issues that concerns me greatly.

One of my concerns regarding the vote on December 21 and the 90-day stipulation, is the possibility of going to elections without allowing persons who have come of age to vote, but did not get an opportunity to register. They will not have the opportunity to vote. These are youth who were 15 years old in 2015 and are now 18 years old in 2019. The population data tells us that youth (persons under 40) will comprise 70% of the population in 2020.The number that may be disenfranchised is not clear, but this could be tens of thousands of citizens who would essentially be disenfranchised. That rep-

Another issue is the usual GECOM claims and objections period, where persons can change their address and thus vote at a polling station closer to where they currently live. If we don’t allow house-to-house registration and the claims and objections, it could result in a low voter turnout, similar to LGE.If we are aware of this, and insist on going to elections, is that tantamount to voter suppression?The circumstances that have caused General and Regional elections to be in the national discussion are already entangled in controversy and have split the nation. I believe that we must ensure that the process of holding elections be held to an even higher than normal standard. Any discrepancy, any disenfranchisement could split us further, and plunge us into a state none of us would want to contemplate.Editor, in exercising your constitutional right, you should not infringe on my constitutional rights, nor should it infringe on the rights of youth to participate in free and fair elections.

Michael Leonard AFC Region 4 Chair

Assessing the School of the Nations crisis DEAR EDITOR, A few days ago, I was contacted by a colleague and board member of the security industry trade association (GAPSO) Guyana Association for Private Security Organisations, who sought my intervention into the School of the Nations crisis.

He sent me a short script, which was allegedly posted on the internet; and which purportedly represents the espoused values, position and ethos of some disaffected person(s). I have since read and analyzed the script sent to me, and here make the following comments.

Owning to the sensitive nature of this case, I have decided against reproducing the entire script in the best interest of public safety and national security. This I might add is a conscious decision not to give undue prominence to the script writer, and by extension, is a crisis negotiation strategy in the greater scheme of things.

Crisis negotiation is a conservative non-violent means of mitigating a threat involving the taking of hostages, a barricaded subject, a potential suicide victim, or the threat of active violence. During such incidents, it is the

goal of law enforcement to preserve life -meaning the lives of hostages, law enforcement and security personnel, and of course, even the life of the subject, who is best qualified to help shed light on the anatomy of the incident.There are several things a negotiator can recognize early, that are helpful in anticipating and planning their intervention to minimize losses. They include recognizing the initial risk of violence, the conditions needed to make an incident negotiable, the type of incident being addressed, and the types of person or people the negotiator(s) are dealing with.I have reviewed the context of the incident and could not find direct correlation with the shooting of the principal of the school, and some parts of the script, except the active violence carried out on the principal are separate and apart from the script writer, which could imply that we are dealing with two separate but connected incidents.In my communication to the GAPSO representative, I stated that the narrative of the script based on my analysis, is not language used by an average student, since the language is seemingly picturesque and somewhat too involved at times. It

I applaud the Speaker of the House and Chief Justice DEAR EDITOR, In all the uproar about the no-confidence vote, something very important is being overlooked. It is the extreme bravery of the Speaker of the House and the Chief Justice, in the way they discharged their profession responsibility over the prevailing tribal discord. Their actions required courage and a sense of fair play in the way the laws of the country are applied. They did not succumb to partisan pressures, but acted according to their professional ethics which does not look at the partisan divide - as they say, justice is blind!! eThese are the kind of leaders that our leaders should aspire to be - fair and just in the prosecution of their responsibilities - then and only then will we achieve what we all so crave: peace and prosperity for all. In closing I applaud these two individuals and hope that we all take the stand that they took to make Guyana a better place. In the end, all we leave behind is a good or bad name, no one remembers anything else.

Rafeek Ferouz

also contains speech patterns that are characteristic and reflective of terrorist ideation.

My professional colleague agreed with my assumption that the tone and intent of the alleged script writer, did occur to him as representing more than just a past, disgruntled student with an axe to grind.

In a crisis situation the subject is striving for control they often think they are losing, or have lost. They are driven by emotion - often into a dangerous and unpredictable rage. For the police to effectively employ control methods, a person in crisis must logically appreciate the consequences of non-compliance, this becomes critical, since a person in rage is automatically in control. To this end, the police will apply the Behavior Influence Steer-way Model (BISM) which was developed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) many years ago, in an attempt to deescalate the crises.

In the opening line, the script writer asked to be referred to as ‘Kira’ - a moniker that greatly embodies their beliefs. As of now, we do not

know if this individual is male, female or transgender. However, research has shown that while Kira can be used as a Japanese name, it is not actually a Japanese word at all.

The closest word is ‘KiraKira’ which means ‘shining’ or ‘glittering’ thus ‘Kira’ is just the translation of the English word ‘killer’, though not a direct translation (and technically it should end in a double A.) The script writer continues: I want to give a message to the public and authorities – that purports a kind of universal theme or appeal - which to my mind is somewhat histrionic in nature.I found three different positions in that little text which could be a deliberate act to confuse. I took particular note of the fact that the script writer used the word ‘negotiate’ even though no demand has been made to date, and hence anything to negotiate.This information when forthcoming will indicate the type of demand and present a better understanding of the psychological profile of the subject.

Regards, Clairmont Featherstone

I feel a greater sense of pride today being Guyanese DEAR EDITOR, I feel a greater sense of pride today being Guyanese. Yes, a dual citizen I am, but I am Guyanese and no one can and will ever deny me the right to be Guyanese. I am proud of President David Granger who, through his commitment to democracy and the rule of law, never sought to influence or intimidate the Judiciary into ruling one way or the other on this noconfidence motion. Guyana has shown the world that it is a mature nation where the Judiciary enjoys full independence free of political interference. Kudos to the Chief Justice as well.It is my hope that Guyana will yet again demonstrate its maturity when the Government and Opposition confer and agree on a timeframe for elections in conformity with the Constitution, and that is logical and will provide for a well-planned and managed process.There were the naysayers that claimed that Guyana was on the road to anarchy. Their hopes for anarchy have been shattered. Guyana is on the move. All Guyanese must be proud of what happened on Thursday. We must all work together to realize the promise and prosperity for which we have been longing...for too long.

Regards Wesley Kirton

Saturday February 02, 2019

Reflection is essential as Black History Month is celebrated DEAR EDITOR, As we begin to celebrate Black History Month in Canada and America, (not England), now more than ever Guyana needs to look at her history with an air of profound reflection and introspection.

With the country as racially divided as it is now, does Black History hold any significance? Any display of racial identity or racial reference is oftentimes met with derision, suspicion or plain condemnation.

Hence Black History Month or any celebration thereof smacks of a denial of ethno-racial identity.

Let it not be overlooked or forgotten that Black History Month emanated in the United States of America from an acknowledgement of Black as a marker of racial identity.

Despite having its foundation in the United States, Black History Month has been embraced by the worldwide black diaspora on account of its role in showcasing the contributions in history.

The Father of Black History Month, Carter G. Woodson, realized that not only were the contributions of African Americans overlooked, ignored and repressed by the writers of history textbooks, but also by the pedagogues who used them. In addition, peoples of African descent remained visibly absent from any intellectual discourse or scholarship that dealt with human civilization.

In fact, Blacks were so dehumanized and their history so perverted that slavery, peonage (debt slavery), lynching and segregation were deemed acceptable conditions.

In an endeavour to counteract this apparent ignorance and intentional distortion of Black History, Negro History Week was put in motion on a serious platform in 1926, under the direction of Carter Woodson and contributions from other African American and white scholars. In the late 1960’s it matured to become Black History Month, finally being designated as such by the United States Government in 1976.

So by extension Guyana and other Caribbean islands will acknowledge and celebrate Black History Month, but should they really?

On a note of irony, Woodson writing on the issue of West Indian/American relations, expressed the sentiment that “ The West Indian negro is free” and that West Indian societies had been more successful (than America) at properly devoting

the necessary amounts of time and resources needed to educate and genuinely emancipate people.

Is the nation’s celebration just another example of the adoption of slavish things originating in what we believe to be a superior civilization?

The poignant and persistent question remains: What should Guyana celebrate?

Really and truly do we need to adopt and adapt what was from the outset an American concept to observe and highlight the achievements of Blacks there? My response is a resounding No! This is a striking example of One size not fitting or befitting All. The American government both recognizes and celebrates Black History Month, and during the month of February, schools in general, focus and refocus on African History.

In spite of certain similarities, the American experience was very much different from ours. The celebration of the achievements of African people and people of colour should not be restricted to a month-long period nor on the other hand be marginalized as a historical exception. What is needed is an ongoing education about the culture and successes of people of African origin wherever they have made an impact across the globe.

A mature democracy is tasked with not only commemorating its triumphs but also recognizing its miscarriages. We should aim to create a narrative for our citizens that tell the whole story, warts and all.

The focus on biography has become a theoretical or imaginary prison, and the celebration of heroes has at times restricted our idea of what Black History might be.

There is no doubt that Black History as celebrated during Black History Month has helped many Guyanese children understand their place within the Guyanese story.

Every February it provides reporters, broadcaster, teachers, government officials etc. with a topical hook on which to hang stories about Black people that might otherwise

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go untold.

Undoubtedly, in Guyana there will be displays and lectures amidst a plethora of Black inventions and Black firsts, some or most of them being mere regurgitated facts.

The contributions of wellknown Blacks like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Rosa Parks etc. will be rehashed ad infinitum.

What about other Black, West Indian and Guyanese figures? Black Guyanese history is our joint history and it should be much more than the search for and the defence of black heroes.

Black History Month 2019 should go down in history as the final call for a clearheaded and controlled reflection on the state of the community.

A legitimate discourse on, and recognition of, our ethnic diversity yet calls, for as a nation we would only be able to with due respect, observe the significance of Black History within the context of an acceptance.

As African Guyanese lead the way in becoming submerged in Black History, all Guyanese should learn Black History, which by now should have found its way into school curricula. As a nation we should have an education about the culture and successes of people of African origin wherever they have made an impact across the globe.

We now dwell in a truly global community and thanks to modern technology are kept abreast of world development; therefore our views are no longer skewered. Beyond national observances, every member of the populace needs to be looking toward their common future. It is time to begin the conversation about the future of Guyana.

What will it look like in 2030 or 2100?”

How will we gauge success? Black History Month is successful only when it is repetitious – when our history is understood by us all, and young people gain the pride and self-assurance that a genuine account of it would afford.

Y. Sam

Abuse of an intended harmony event with partisan behaviour DEAR EDITOR, Today I attended the official launch of United Nations World Inter-Faith Harmony Week 2019 at the National Cultural Centre. This annual activity, which began since the passage of the UN resolution, has been hosted by the Inter-Religious Organization of Guyana in collaboration with the Government of Guyana.

This has been so for many years under the PPP/C and now under this coalition Government. This event has always been a forum where diversity is recognized, celebrated and respected.

There has been a significant departure over the last three years. Historically, all the faiths of Guyana are invited to participate, both in offering prayers and to bring messages from their various holy books and texts.

On the program of this event, this year, the Christian community was excluded from bringing a message. I sat next to two Bishops from the Christian faith, neither of them knew the reason why. At the end of the program, I enquired from several members of the executive committee of the IRO and none can give a plausible explanation, except

that they confirmed that it was a decision by the Ministry of the Presidency.

Further every year the UN resident coordinator would bring a message from the UN Secretary-General, the President of Guyana and Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition would also be asked to bring messages.

Since this coalition government is in office, the program in previous years was expanded to include messages from the PNC, APNU, AFC. I have spoken to several members of the IRO about this unhealthy development a few years ago. This year’s program they have excluded a message from the Parliamentary Opposition while having a speaker from the Government.

When I enquired why the Parliamentary Opposition was not on the program it was reported that this was a decision of the Ministry of the Presidency.

These actions have caused me to conclude the following; this action of exclusion determined by the Ministry of the Presidency, Department of Social Cohesion, makes the case that the Government’s rhetoric about social cohesion and national

unity is a farce and purely for propaganda purposes. Secondly, the Ministry of the Presidency Department of the Social Cohesion has hijacked the functions of the IRO. Editor, not because this activity is funded by the government, they have any right to dictate the exclusion of one of Guyana’s major religions, namely the Christian faith and the further exclusion of the Parliamentary Opposition which currently holds 32 seats in the National Assembly.

This action further crystallizes the lack of sincerity on the part of the political directorate, they are prepared to speak about social cohesion while at the same time locking out the voices and views of those who don’t fall into their political camp.

Silence on my part will be tantamount to condoning the hijacking of this reputable religious organization of which I am a co-founder and it will also mean that I give consent to the abuse of this intended harmony event to promote partisan behaviour.

We need to do better than this!

Yours truly, Bishop Juan A Edghill

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Saturday February 02, 2019

Human Resources Dispensation in the Public Service: Some Curiosities DEAR EDITOR, If anything the Estimates of 2019, as passed in the National Assembly, reflect a level of consistency, if not persistency, in its disposition towards the human resources in static categorisation of employees in the Public Sector (Service).

For one, Constitutional Commissions continue to be identified the same as standard budget agencies. Except that the Presidency is now the fourth largest Ministry in the executive governance structure, as shown in Table A below.

With respect to the above it is worth noting that the Ministry of the Presidency constitutes of the following components:

With regard to the list mentioned, it would be interesting to learn what level of authority this (sub) Department exercises over its senior ministerial counterparts. The miniaturisation of this once premier Agency – speaks to the value now attributed to human resources management and development in the Public Service.

It explains why no attention has been given to any of the recommendations of the vaunted Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Public Service.

Noteworthy is the fact that its staffing of 100 compares poorly with that of 235 of Policy Development and Administration.

And with 141 staff, the Citizenship & Immigration Dept. certainly seems to enjoy priority attention.

One is left to wonder what (Policy) Development implies.

But this appears to be answered by the stated Programme Objective of Public Management i.e. “To manage the Public Service of Guyana through the provision of professional personnel training and consultancy services to ministries, departments and regional administrations”.

Accordingly this Department is assigned the following levels of staff: - Administrative 5 - Senior Technical 1 - Other Technical & Craft Skilled 3 - Clerical & Office Support 25 - Semi-skilled Operatives & Unskilled 7 - Contracted Employees 44* - Temporary 15

conducted by full scale Ministries and indeed, Regional Administrations.One is uncertain about the construction of job/position descriptions and the consistency with which they are utilised, if at all. For it is based on these stated requirements that performance appraisal has to be effected.

Long ago this exercise used to be basically for two purposes: i) a) to award annual increments to assessed good performers b) to effect disciplinary action where deemed necessary, including eventual termination of service. ii) for promotion, much of which is now nullified by the resort to contract employees.

Here again one wonders how the Public Service Management monitors any of these exercises, assuming that it has the authority to audit the variable human resources management practices.

The latter includes the following chronic categorization of at least three decades old: - Administrative - Senior Technical - Other Technical & Craft Skilled - Clerical & Office Support - Semi-skilled Operatives and Unskilled – in defiance of all the increasing new technologies, methodologies and skills requirements. Why then is there this deep constipation of Semi and Unskilled in the face of an oil and gas future?

In any case, the question must be asked, once too often, which competencies and what mechanisms are utilised to measure these suspect levels of ‘skills’.

How credible are the following numbers, when for example Table B is interpreted?

Note the skills/semi-skills increases highlighted. Who made these individual Ministerial decisions?

In the meantime if anyone thinks highly of the ‘Administrative’ category, just try the following sample of related positions: - Permanent Secretary

the other categories.

Which means that there is no over-arching consensus about job categorization.

Such a haphazard arrangement must have implications for related job values, which are compounded by the institutionalisation of contract employment vis-à-vis pensionable service – a situation that generates a substantive conundrum in compensation management across the Public Service Sector.

First of all it would not be surprising if there were variations in the structures of contracts.

What should be constant however, is the provision for ‘contracted employees’ to be paid gratuity at the rate of 22.5% of monthly salary every six months, in lieu of pension. The assumption herein is that the salary is fixed for the contract period, albeit within the salary scale applicable to the same or comparator position in the pensionable establishment.The problem is, however, that current salary scales have mythical values, as there have been no job evaluation exercise for the past decade at least.

This default has been idyllically compensated for by spasmodic ‘annual’ increases, non-negotiable with the representative Union.

As a matter of interest the basic salary structure contained in 2019 Estimates is as follows, effective 1st January, 2018.

To confirm the irrelevance of the above scales approved by the National Assembly, interested parties must wonder about what commonsense attaches to the following formula actually applied for the last annual increases retroactive to January 1, 2018.

- Programme Coordinator - Accountant - Community Development Officer - Administrative Assistant - Engineer Technician - Personnel Officer II - Registry Supervisor

*Contracted Employees can be recruited at all levels, so that this category does not necessarily reflect superior delivery capability.

The question can be legitimately asked as to whether the overall range of human resources depicted can confidently be expected to deliver on the ‘Programme Objective’?

In any case it is more logical for training programmes to be designed and delivered to address identified ‘personnel’ developmental needs – a process that follows from an effective performance appraisal system which, despite another relevant recommendation by the aforementioned Public Service Inquirers, continues to be substantively ignored across Agencies. (The Staff College certainly does not correct this faultline).

Certainly also, the current construct, even including the Public (and Police) Service Commission, permits the Public Service Management minimal say in the recruitment processes

- Assistant to the Minister - Foreman National Exhibition Centre - Public Relations Assistant - Aviation Inspector - Switch-Board Operator -

Schools Inspector

-

Field Auditor

The above sample would appear to suggest that individual agencies are allowed their respective interpretation of the descriptor ‘Administrative’.

The logic further suggests that they each also enjoy independence in assigning different types of jobs/positions to

It is clear that the above was not concocted by any one or group who knows about compensation management. The approved salary scales were glaringly ignored. Note that the maximum of the approved highest scale is $715,802.

Which levels of employees are therefore being above $699,999 and up to $1,000,000 and above? It could only be ‘contracted employees’ (hopefully not Ministers). Which authority would have evaluated the related positions that would have attracted these superfluous salaries?

Citizens (dual or otherwise) deserve a cogent technical explanation, bearing in mind that the presumed contractees (Continued on page 24)

Saturday February 02, 2019

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PPP’s Gail Teixeira prepared to renounce her Canadian citizenship

MP and holder of dual citizenship. Gail Teixeira

By Abena RockcliffeCampbell After decades of functioning as a parliamentarian in conflict with Guyana’s supreme law, Opposition Chief Whip and former Minister, Gail Teixeira, is now set to renounce her Canadian citizenship.

This was announced yesterday by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.

Jagdeo told the media that he had a telephone

conversation with Teixeira— just prior to the press conference—during which she told him that she is prepared to give up her citizenship. “I did not ask her, she offered.”

Teixeira’s intended move comes on the heels of Thursday’s ruling by Chief Justice Roxane GeorgeWiltshire that politicians who are holders of dual citizenship cannot be elected to the National Assembly.

Minister of State and dual citizen, Joseph Harmon Justice GeorgeWiltshire’s ruling is in keeping with the Constitutional provision which clearly prohibits dual citizens functioning as parliamentarians.

Article 155 of the Constitution states, “No person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly who is, by virtue of his or her own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adher-

ence to a foreign power or state.”

Justice GeorgeWiltshire’s ruling has serious implications for many dual citizen politicians sitting on both sides of the National Assembly.

During an earlier press conference, Jagdeo had told the media that there might have been one or two other parliamentarians on the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic benches who hold dual

Foreign Affairs Minister and dual citizen, Carl Greenidge citizenship.

Yesterday he still could not say, definitively, the number of persons on the opposition benches holding dual citizenship. But this newspaper understands that Odinga Lumumba and Adrian Anamyah are dual citizens as well.

Nevertheless, Jagdeo was quick to point out yesterday that the government benches have more persons who are dual citizens.

He said that he knows for sure that Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, who sometimes acts as Prime Minister, holds dual citizenship.

He said that the same is true about Minister of State, Joseph Harmon. “Those two I am sure of, but I am hearing about Rupert Roopnaraine and some others.”

This newspaper understands that Harmon is a citizen of the United States while (Continued on page 8)

PAGE 8

Kaieteur News

Under-invoicing of fuel shipments…

Dr. Van West-Charles’s Atlantic Fuel was caught, made to pay last year - GRA discloses Atlantic Fuels Inc., a company with close links to Dr. Richard Van West-Charles, was made to pay adjusted taxes last year, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) says.

During a press conference yesterday, GRA’s Commissioner-General, Godfrey Statia, was questioned about investigations involving the fuel import company which is being accused of under-invoicing its shipments, causing Guyana to lose millions of

dollars in taxes.

Dr. Van West Charles is the current Managing Director of the state-owned Guyana Water Inc. The son-in-law of former President Forbes Burnham, he is also a director of Atlantic Fuels.

The business address is his Meadowbrook, Georgetown home.

The GRA had been reportedly investigating cases of under-invoicing, based on Customs documents by At-

lantic Fuels.

Van West Charles was summoned to the GRA headquarters after the story broke in Kaieteur News a few weeks ago.

According to Statia, yesterday, it is unfortunate that the attention was on Van West Charles as he “may” not have been the only person involved.

“We have been carrying out exercises on oil companies which have yielded billions of dollars in revenues. I

do not know who was responsible for leaking that invoice but that would have been an invoice that we would have caught and we would have made him pay,” the GRA head disclosed.

GRA would have stumbled on other instances where Customs documents incorrectly (maybe deliberately too) processed shipments of fuel as liters instead of gallons, another way the state lost tens of millions in (Continued on page 21)

Saturday February 02, 2019

$$Billions tied up in court action-GRA Boss The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has billions of dollars tied up in court cases for over a decade. It is now appealing to the Judiciary to have these matters heard as soon as possible.

Speaking on this matter yesterday was GRA’s Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia. The tax chief told the media that the revenue authority wrote the Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards on the matter.

Statia noted that the cases stuck in the backlog amount to just over $14B. For the time being, he said that GRA has won about $5B from a few tax cases. It is in the process of collecting these moneys.

GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia

Gail Teixeira prepared to renounce Canadian...

From page 7 Greenidge is a citizen of the United Kingdom where he worked and lived for many years.

Neither Harmon nor Greenidge announced what would be their next move even as they continue to function as Ministers of Government.

In fact, Harmon was asked about this before when he hosted a post-Cabinet press briefing earlier this year. He told the media that the government will address the implications of sitting parliamentarians holding dual citizenship after Justice GeorgeWiltshire’s ruling.

Harmon, who also holds a US passport, told the media that “until the court has made its ruling, at which time I believe the Party of which I am a member, the partnership of which I am a member and the coalition of which I am a member, will make definitive statements on the matter.”

The Minister declined to comment on whether he will relinquish his own US citizenship. The Alliance For Change (AFC) no longer has the problem of having to deal with MPs who are holders of dual citizenship.

Defector, Charrandass Persaud, the MP who voted against his own government, was one AFC parliamentarian who had dual citizenship.

This was reportedly unknown to other members of the party.

At a press conference earlier this year, AFC disclosed that Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin was born in the United Kingdom but is a citizen of Guyana by descent.

The issue of renouncing citizenship does not apply to Guyanese who were born in another country because that person would not have had to swear allegiance to another country.

Saturday February 02, 2019

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Kaieteur News

Do the right thing Popular television personality, Oprah Winfrey, once said that you know that you are doing the right thing when it gives you a sense of peace.

When you are right, there is no need for you to defend what you are doing. Your actions speak for themselves.

Doing the right thing is a sign of personal integrity. It is a hallmark of honesty and being true to what you believe, whatever the consequences.

Doing the right thing is doing the morally correct thing. Everyone should have a sense of what is right and what is wrong. Sticking to what is right means doing what is morally right.

The President and his

Cabinet should do the right thing. They know that they were lawfully defeated via a no-confidence motion. They should accept their defeat and abide by the consequences which have now been affirmed by the Chief Justice.

Due process can run its course. There is a ruling by the Speaker of the National Assembly that the no-confidence motion has been passed. There is a ruling by the Chief Justice that the vote was valid.

Unless and until such time as those decisions have been overturned by a higher Court, they stand. The government should abide by them.

The government is setting a terrible example to the children of Guyana. They are say-

ing to them that when you lose you can refuse to accept that fate.

General and regional elections will eventually have to be held. If the government loses those elections, will it turn around and refuse to cede power until court proceedings challenging those elections are held?

The PPPC complained about the 2015 elections. It contended that there were irregularities. But once the results were declared, notwithstanding the fact that the PPPC was filing an election petition challenging the results, it stepped aside for the APNU+AFC to assume office.

The Cabinet has been resigned by operation of law.

Dem boys seh ...

Beware of people who smell like goat People should always mek sure dem hear whatever odda people talking before dem push in dem mouth. At de same time people who like boast must be careful wha dem boasting about.

Dem boys been in a rum shop in West Ruimveldt when Ivelaw, who runs UG walk in. De rum shop was full and Ivelaw start talk about jumbie. He ask, “How many al-you here believe in ghosts?” About fifteen of dem put up dem hand.

Ivelaw, “How many of you ever talk to a ghost?”

Three people put up dem hand.

“How many of you ever had sex wid a ghost?” One man, Clement, put up he hand

from de back of de room.

Right away Ivelaw ask Clement to come to de front of de room. He tell Clement that he been carrying on this conversation fuh 25 years.

“You is de first person who honestly claim that he had sex wid a ghost.”

Clement seh, “Sorry, I couldn’t hear you at de back.

I thought you seh goat.”

Dem boys know nuff odda people who do wha Clement do. Most of dem is politicians. That is why people don’t trust politicians.

In de first place none of dem woulda put up dem hand if dem been in that same rum shop wid Clement and Ivelaw.

Remember just recently, a group of dem was going on a

fan out in de Rupununi. Dem rent a plane at Ogle.

A man wukking in he cassava farm in Hog Island see when de plane crash near he farm. When de police arrive from Parika dem ask de farmer wha happen.

De farmer tell de police how dem crash near he farm and he bury all of dem. That is when one of de policemen ask him if he was sure that all dem was dead.

De farmer seh how some of dem was screaming, “We are still alive.” But he couldn’t believe dem.

“You know, Officer how these politicians can lie.”

Talk half and when somebody smell like goat you know wha happen.

Does the government need a higher court to tell them this is not so?

Would the PPPC have been doing the right thing had it said that it would not step aside until due process was exhausted? If that were the case, the PPPC would still be government because its elections petition has not yet been heard.

The President should do the right thing. The provisions of the Constitution which govern what happens when a no-confidence motion is passed are not difficult to understand and comprehend. They can easily be understood by the average citizen. In fact, the average citizen finds the government’s mathematics about what constitutes a majority is quite comical.

The government does not need to face further humiliation by having appeals to the Court of Appeal and thence to the Caribbean Court of Justice.

The ruling of Justice

George is as cogent and comprehensive a decision as there can ever be, examining all arguments, utilizing case law and arriving at decisions which will be hard to dispute.

Why waste time to go to the Court of Appeal when there is no likelihood of any of the points of law of the decision being overturned.

What can be overturned? That 33 is a majority of 65? Which jurist will say that this is not so?

What will the rest of the world think of the government when they see and hear it arguing that 34 votes are needed for a majority of 65 persons?

By and large, the people of Guyana are fair-minded persons. When they lose and lose fairly and

squarely, they accept their defeat and move on. Those who are protesting the noconfidence motion are those who fear that they will lose their positions of power and prestige. They are not defending principles; they are protecting their power.

A new political culture has to be germinated if the children of Guyana are going to have a good future.

That culture has to be based on politicians doing the right thing and not trying to be cunning and disingenuous.

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Saturday February 02, 2019

Kaieteur News

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

The African race worldwide has to confront this growing evil James Watson long ago discovered the structure of the DNA. It was a phenomenal scientific discovery regarded as one of the greatest finds in science. The DNA explains the nature of the human race. Watson won the Nobel Prize. But Watson is a seriously bigoted man.

Watson does not like the African race. Now mind you; not non-white races but the African race in particular.

Without a shred of evidence, Watson claims that the intelligence of African people is inferior to that of whites. He didn’t say non-white ethnic

groups. He specifically referred to African people.

The scientific world went into an uproar in 2007 when Watson mouthed off his racist trash. Experts in the field of DNA research said most categorically that there is no evidence of difference in intelligence based on race. His employer dropped him. Two weeks ago, Watson repeated his damnations against African people and was further sanctioned by international society.

Watson is a sick human.

Nothing Watson points to about the African race can be

backed by scientific research.

For example, Watson said because Africans have darker skin, the melanin in them makes them crave sex more than other races. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you are going to look for a connection between sex and race types, the Caucasian race is obsessed with the sex drive. No other human group desires sex the way the Caucasian species does.

The problem with Watson is that he does not produce scientific evidence for his assertions thus the consensus that the man is a morbid racist. Watson’s tirade against African people at the beginning of the New Year was followed by two more obnoxious racist rants by prominent personalities. One is the captain of the Pakistan cricket team.

In an ODI match with South Africa, Safraz Ahmed told the Black South African allrounder, Andile Phehlukwayo, “Hey Black guy, what is your mother doing now?”

Would he have said that

to a white English cricketer?

First, you are looking for trouble to refer to a Black man as boy. Secondly, you don’t bring in a person’s mother into the picture. You are looking for a good thrashing. A white basketball player calls a black athlete, boy, and brings his mother into the picture, then, blood will spill.

Imagine, a cricketer from a failed state like Pakistan has the temerity to use racist language against an African cricketer. Life is never guaranteed in a hell hole and a shit-hole place like Pakistan.

Our women team cricket captain chose not to tour Pakistan last week. She cited security reasons. CWI then tried to do damage control and offered sickness as the reason. The third episode relates to a Bollywood film actor, Esha Gupta. She used ugly words in reference Arsenal Premier League player who is African, Alex Iwobi.

She stated that “evolution stopped for him, it didn’t change from Neanderthal to man.” She went further, and

called him “gorilla face.” The Hindi film industry isn’t going to drop Gupta.

They couldn’t be bothered since anti-black racism is common in that industry. This is where the western culture will always lead the world.

Gupta could not dare utter those obnoxious words and yet get contracts in Hollywood. She would have been ostracized immediately. She probably had to leave the US in fear of her life.

Ahmed will continue to captain Pakistan. Gupta will continue to star in Bollywood movies despite her being a complete racist jackass. In Guyana, no one is going to call for a boycott of her films.

Actually, I haven’t seen a Bollywood film in decades so I don’t know who this jackass is. I don’t see Bollywood films because I don’t want to see lily white skinned actors all the time. It is sickening.

Since the triumph of Donald Trump, there is a morbid rise of anti-black racism worldwide. In the US it has assumed frightening propor-

Frederick Kissoon tions. Police are called in whenever a white person feels an Afro-American should not be where the white person thinks he should not. All of this is happening not in the fifties but in the 21st century.

The African race should confront this morbidity immediately with no-nonsense action. West Indies should not play in the same match with Ahmed. Black people should call for Gupta to be declared persona non grata in the UK. There should be daily pickets outside the home of Watson. This cancer is spreading its tentacles and unless African people the world over and the governments run by African people confront this evil right now, we don’t know where it will end.

Saturday February 02, 2019

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Saturday February 02, 2019

Jagdeo says no more PR meetings with the President - Must be about elections; related issues

Describing his recent meeting with President David Granger as nothing short of a public relations stunt, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo told the media, yesterday, that he would not be entertaining any further meetings with the Head of State unless they are about setting a date for the general elections.

Jagdeo ‘s comment comes

one day after Chief Justice Roxane George handed down a ruling which confirmed that the no confidence motion passed in the National Assembly on December 21, 2018, is valid.

The ruling triggered provisions of Articles 106 (6) and 106 (7) of the Constitution which provides that elections should be held 90 days after

the no-confidence is carried.

Jagdeo stressed that the three-month time frame prescribed by the Constitution must be rigidly observed and that Parliament must be dissolved unless otherwise agreed upon in accordance with Article 106 (7) of the Constitution.

“The Court has ruled. We expect the President to speak.

He says he respects the Court and will abide by the ruling.

The Court has spoken. So we expect the President to make an announcement in keeping with the Constitution of Guyana.

“Not doing so, would be showing great disrespect for our Constitution.

The President needs to speak now and name the date for elections and direct GECOM to start the preparation.”

President David Granger (right) and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo in conversation at their last meeting According to Jagdeo, the last meeting with the President proved to be nothing but a gimmick.

The Opposition Leader later told the press that he will also meet with President Granger on other major issues.

“But any (other) meeting with the President would be to discuss matters of the elections… because we expect the government to comply with Chief Justice ruling and immediately start preparations for an election.”

Given that the Chief Justice‘s decreed that the no confidence motion was passed on December 21, 2018, is valid, Jagdeo noted that the elections are due by mid – March, unless otherwise decided on members of the National Assembly.

Statements issued by both the government and opposition following their last meeting indicated a sharp division on how parliament would function.

While Government and the Opposition were unified on the territorial integrity of the country, there were differences.

According to the Government and Opposition, “The parties recognized the high importance of continuous

engagements between the Government and Opposition, the importance they hold for the national interest and the elevated public expectation.”

During the talks, Jagdeo insisted that the “no confidence motion” was validly passed and therefore there must be compliance with Articles 106 (6) and 106 (7) of the Constitution.

Further, the Leader of the Opposition contended that while the Government remains in office in accordance with Articles 106(7) of the Constitution, its functions must be confined to the provision of essential services of the State and to matters in relation to preparation for General and Regional elections.”

In addition, the Leader of the Opposition emphasized that the National Assembly should only meet to deal with issues connected with the provision of essential services by the State and all matters related to the preparation of General and Regional elections.

On the other hand, President Granger emphasized that the Government is legal and that it must govern without any limitations on its authority.

“His Excellency further (Continued on page 24)

Saturday February 02, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

Week-long more water woes for Berbicians

M

a n a g i n g Director of the Guyana Water Inc., Dr. Richard Van West Charles, revealed during a press briefing at the New Amsterdam Town Hall, yesterday, that nine pump stations throughout Berbice (New Amsterdam-Number 69 Village) are currently facing problems due to the fluctuating supply of power from the Guyana Power & Light.

According to Dr. Van West-Charles, the situation that has developed over the past few days resulting in the shortage of water in the A n c i e n t C o u n t y, w a s examined and analysed.

GWI has determined that it could be remedied within a matter of days.

He said, "We know residents between New Amsterdam and Number 69 Village have been having difficulties accessing water.

We have looked at our systems, our structure, the electrical and mechanical systems and we have arrived at the point where nine pump stations, together with two treatment plants, one in New Amsterdam and another at Port Mourant, have been

GWI officials during the forum in Berbice

having challenges in respect to the voltage coming in from GPL." The Managing Director noted that the pumps have not been responding as they should and readings gathered from assessments show the voltage fluctuations are below what is required for the pumps to effectively function in the stations and treatment plants.

Dr. Van West-Charles told the media that since the

problem developed, generators at New Amsterdam and Port Mourant treatment plants have been working round the clock to provide some assistance, but he stated that they may not be sufficient.

"It is no secret that GWI does not have all of the generators that are required in case of outages. We have a number of them which are spread out throughout the country. We also have to run the systems in the hinterland

Chief Constable explains decision to send prosecutor to guard incinerator

I

t appears that the decision to send a prosecutor of City Hall to help provide security service at the Princes Street incinerator site was no big deal.

According to Chief Constable Andrew Foo, the decision to send Corporal Quacey Baveghems to the site where a number of derelict vehicles are parked was in keeping with the rotation practice of the City Constabulary. In a Guyana Chronicle piece, Foo and other City Hall officials were critical that the matter had hit the press and they had not been contacted.

There were also indications that the City Constabulary was more concerned with the fact that story had been published and that Baveghems may have spoken.

The transfer of Baveghems would have been a major step-down for a man who once prosecuted scores of cases for the M&CC and who testified last year before the COI headed

by Justice (Ret'd) Cecil Kennard.

His testimony would have been crucial to the

“Rotated�: Quacey Baveghems findings of the COI which called for a number of M&CC officials to be penalized and investigated for possible criminal charges.According to insiders, Baveghems was sent off one week after he testified in October.

He has reportedly since asked to meet the new mayor, Ubraj Narine, to reverse the posting.

The prosecutor had been with the City Council for 12 years, serving in different capacity including heading the Traffic Management Unit and Anti-Crime Unit.

Baveghems came to limelight last year after he reported a senior Constabulary official for sexual abuse of a teen prisoner.

However, he was sacked by a City Hall official who was under fire for several things. The rank had accused Clifton Pellew of sexual assault. Pellew is before the courts.

Baveghems allegedly stumbled on to Pellew during the act with the teen and reported it to the Chief Constable Andrew Foo. He submitted a statement.

Pellew was eventually dismissed. Shockingly, so too was Baveghems.

Pellew was later reinstated and sent on administrative leave. Baveghems was eventually reinstated.

He later testified to the COI that ranks were forced to buy their own uniforms.

He also complained that dues for the National Insurance Scheme and tax deductions were not being remitted.

Last week, the Local Government Commission sacked Town Clerk, Royston King, as part of the recommendations of the COI findings.

but this situation has caused us to be in touch with the senior professionals of GPL,

and they have been working with us and guiding us in this situation," the director

added.

Dr. Van West-Charles explained that without the power GWI, in reality, cannot produce the water and although there are talks about alternative energy to power the pumps "it will not suffice to drive the majority of pumps".

Executive Director of Operations (GWI), Dwayne Shako, explained that the variations in the voltage to run a motor that is designed to run at 415 volts is what is causing the slew of issues at the water company.

He stated that GPL has informed the water company that they are having subgeneration issues at the Canefield, East Canje System. "They are presently pushing power from Skeldon (continued on page 19)

Kaieteur News

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Saturday February 02, 2019

Chairman: Exxon in good political insists dividends remain standing in Guyana -priority for shareholders ( Te x a s ) E x x o n ' s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Darren Wo o d s , e x p r e s s e d confidence in his company's political standing in Guyana, where it is developing a huge offshore oil field, and reiterated that dividends remain a priority in shareholder returns.

Woods, who was named CEO at the start of 2017, made the first appearance on

a quarterly earnings conference call by any Exxon CEO. “We don't have any concerns about the political dynamics,” in Guyana, he said. There has been criticism in that country over the government's Exxon contract, which opposition political parties view as being too favorable for the oil giant.

The royalties from oil

production are expected to bring a windfall to Guyana, a poor, thinly populated South American nation.

The Guyana field, which is expected to start production in 2020 and hit 750,000 barrels a day by 2025, contains an estimated five billion barrels of crude and equivalents.

Woods's appearance on the call followed the company's Friday morning

report of fourth-quarter earnings per share of $1.41 that easily topped the consensus estimate of $1.09.

Exxon shares are up $2.75 to $76.03 today.

His predecessors as CEO, Rex Tillerson and Lee Raymond, didn't appear on conference calls. As the longtime industry leader and a famously insular company, Exxon apparently didn't see a need for its CEOs to participate in the calls, making Exxon a rare major company not to do so.

Woods, a more open CEO, decided to break with that tradition, and analysts and investors welcomed his participation. They have said Exxon would benefit from having the CEO on the call to better convey its story, especially since the company's standing in the investment community has fallen in recent years amid production and earnings disappointments.

Guyana probably is the most important development project being undertaken by Exxon and is critical to the company's goal of hitting five million barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) production by 2025. That figure includes natural gas converted to an equivalent amount of oil based on energy content.

“It's important to keep in mind that when we enter a country, our mindset is to be there for a lifetime–30 to 40 years,” Woods said. He added that the company has “engaged with the sitting government, the opposition and communities” in Guyana to make sure the “development is understood.”

Woods was asked on the

Exxon's Darren Woods conference call about the risk of a pause in the Guyana development given the political opposition. He downplayed that danger.

Woods said that Exxon expects that “governments will change” over the course of Exxon's involvement with a host country and that it seeks to build goodwill with many constituencies to ensure it remains a welcome partner.

Woods was also asked about Exxon's priorities for capital allocation. The company has scaled back its formerly large stock buybacks as it boosts capital spending to hit ambitious production goals. The company bought back $425 million of stock in 2018–enough only to offset equity grants to employees.

Exxon pays a quarterly dividend of 82 cents, which results in a yield of 4.3%.

The company is expected to increase the payout in April to about 85 cents.

Woods said on the call that Exxon's priority is to “fund a reliable and growing dividend” which is

important to shareholders.

The company covered its dividend payments last year of $14 billion from free cash flow of about $20 billion.

An analyst asked Woods about capital allocation, noting that Exxon's capital expenditures are expected to rise to $30 billion in 2019 from about $26 billion in 2018, pressuring free cash flow. Exxon was able to boost its dividend in 2018 and pay down about $4 billion in debt. Exxon faces more constraints this year, the analyst said, because of higher capex and lower oil prices. Woods replied that Exxon has “challenged itself on an optimal capital structure” but wasn't more specific.

Chevron (CVX), which also reported strong results yesterday, has generated stronger free cash flow than Exxon as capital spending on major projects is moderating, and Chevron was able to buy back $1.75 billion of stock in 2018 after initiating a share-repurchase program.

Chevron, whose shares are up $3.95 to $118.60 today, yields 4%. With stronger free cash flow and growing energy production, Chevron is more favored on Wall Street than Exxon, which produced just over 4 million BOE per day in the fourth quarter, up less than 1% from the 3.99 million barrels in the year-earlier period.

Chevron's production rose 7% to 2.93 million BOE a day in 2018 and it expects an increase of 4% to 7% in 2019. Exxon sees firstquarter production at a similar rate to the fourth quarter.

Saturday February 02, 2019

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Saturday February 02, 2019

$14M bus finally handed over to Region 10 to transport Coomacka students to school A number of senior regional officials in the bus as it is about to be taken for a test drive.

Regional Chairman, Renis Morian handing over the keys to the new bus to Regional Education Officer, Rabindra Singh.

A

fter a lengthy delay, the Region Ten Department of Education is finally in possession of a bus it purchased months ago from a local automotive dealer.

The white 30-seater bus for which the Regional Democratic Council [RDC] had paid almost $14.5 million, was formally handed over yesterday by Regional Chairman, Mr. Renis Morian, to the Regional Education O f f i c e r [ R E D O ] , M r.

Rabindra Singh.

Despite the handing over ceremony being described as being simple, the Regional Chairman stressed that it was significant because it will serve the students of the Coomaka community in getting to and from school.

Morian declared that the Government through the Ministry of Education is genuinely interested and committed to the advancement and further development of the education sector, noting that the bus will help in ensuring that students from the outlying areas can be able to get to and from school.

He, moreover, urged students and the Department of Education to ensure that

they take great care of the bus reminding them that they must be responsible in using the vehicle. He reminded them that the Region has spent a significant amount and that the bus should only be used for the purpose in which it was bought for.

He thanked the government declaring that they have promised to deliver a “good life� and through the fulfilment of commitments like these this promise could be realised. He stated that the bus is a fulfilment of a commitment made to the residents in that community by government prior to its taking office in 2015.

Regional Executive Officer [REO], Mr. Orrin Gordon, said that he is very happy that the bus is here as the region had waited for some time for it. He said that the region is pleased that the bus has finally been delivered.

The Region had concerns taking into account that the bus should have been delivered since last year. “We are happy that the bus has been delivered and to add that the service is great but I am sure that you can understand (continued on page 20)

Saturday February 02, 2019

Kaieteur News

Another successful batch of onions

In Photo are NAREI's Research Scientist, Tracy Persaud (R), Farmer Rawle Medford (C) and Nicholas Chetram, NAREI's Crop Extension Assistant

F

armer Rawle Medford was all s m i l e s o n Thursday after successfully harvesting – for a second time – a batch of onions from his Phillipi Village, East Berbice-Corentyne farm.

This was in collaboration with the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute as part of the Ministry of Agriculture diversification programme.

This progamme targets crops that are imported but can be grown locally. The aim is to reduce imports and save on foreign exchange.

The objective is to test tropical varieties of red and white onions that are adaptable to Guyana's climatic conditions and soil types, and recommend suitable varieties for commercial production.

NAREI provided the planting materials and technical support through the institute's Research Scientist, Tracy Persaud and team.

The 43-year-old farmer was among those who received training in onion cultivation from Promotion of Regional Opportunities

for Produce through Enterprise and Linkages (PROPEL), and National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) last year.

Rawle Medford, who has been a farmer all his life – investing in mostly watermelon, sweet pepper and boulanger, now plans to include onions to his line of crops since there is already a lucrative market available.

The young farmer has been successful in both of his trials.

He harvested 450 pounds (204 kg) of onions (Mercedes and Superex varieties) in 2018 and

supplied his produce to local supermarkets.

A few days ago 114 pounds (52 kg) of fresh onions - varieties Texas Early Grano, Yellow F1 Granex and Red Creole were harvested. These onions were harvested four months after transplanting.

Based on the yield obtained, the production efficiency is on par with established onion producers.

A nother s et of onion seedlings will be transplanted next week.

This effort is being replicated across the country and is being scaled up to larger acreages.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday February 02, 2019

Tactical measures being implemented to improve service of NA Hospital

I

n order to improve services at the Region Six, New Amsterdam public hospital, a number of measures are being put in place. This is according to information released by the Ministry of Public Health, yesterday.

It has been revealed that the current hospital building houses the Outpatient [OP] and the Accident and Emergency [A&E] Departments and has become a headache for doctors and other health workers attending to patients.

The integrity of recordkeeping in the crowded environment is also of major concern, disclosed Dr. Samantha Kennedy, the hospital's Chief Executive Officer [CEO].

Reports suggest that patients' medical and other information are compromised by the use of 10cm x 13cm sheets of paper instead of the universal patient chart. This is “unacceptable” and cannot continue to occur in a regional hospital which is considered a level four institution, said Director of Regional and Clinical Services, Dr. Kay Shako.

Adding to Dr. Shako's

Director of Regional and Clinical Services, Dr. Kay Shako remarks, Dr. Kennedy said that the New Amsterdam Hospital officials usually discard patients' information documented on the slips of paper but noted that the chart is not that easily disposable.

A patient's chart is especially useful since it helps in sharing of relevant information and multidisciplinary team communication, she said.

The chart also aids in continuity and coordination of care, is vital evidence in a court of law and helps in targeting diagnosis and treatment plans without unnecessary repetition.

At all Regional Hospitals

throughout the country, doctors provide on-call duties for the A&E and OP departments. This is problematic among NA doctors.

A c c o r d i n g t o D r.

Kennedy when their services are requested it usually triggers an artificial staff shortage.

“Based on information from the Chief Medical O f f i c e r [ C M O ] , D r.

Shamdeo Persaud, it is common practice that doctors participate in at least three on-call daily sessions every seven days to allow for adequate coverage of the 24hour service offered at any public hospital,” Dr. Shako explained.

According to labour regulations, the extra hours are considered additional work time to the eight hours and attract an on-call allowance as determined by the Public Service Department of the Ministry of the Presidency.

“On calls are mandatory and rosters are created on a periodic basis by the department and approved by the Medical Superintendent [MS]. There are special circumstances whereby doctors who cannot be on call can request a waiver, but this must be recommended by the Medical Superintendent and approved by the Director of Regional and Clinical Services or Chief Medical Officer,” Dr. Shako said.

“Anyone who visits the emergency room is categorized as emergent or immediate, urgent and nonurgent. Therefore any case that is considered an emergency based on assessment must be seen first,” the Director explained.

“For example, if someone comes in with a heart attack, and someone comes in with a cough, obviously the person with the heart attack will take precedence.

The next case will be urgent to pay attention to. An urgent case is one in which there is no immediate danger or threat to life, health, property or environment but if not taken care of in a given period of time, then the situation may worsen,” she continued.

Recent changes at the NA Hospital have seen 11 doctors working at the A&E Department in addition to (continued on page 20)

Saturday February 02, 2019

American Chamber urges elections within 90 days

T

he American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) has urged that general elections be held within 90 days.

According to the Chamber, it has acknowledged the ruling by the Chief Justice of Guyana, Roxane George, on the validity of the no confidence vote held in the National Assembly on December 21, 2018. “As noted by both the Government of Guyana and the Opposition it is expected that National Elections will be held within the stipulated 90 days' time frame. AMCHAM Guyana would like to commend both parties on their unwavering insistence to adhere to the rule of law and the constitution of Guyana.”

AMCHAM said that this time of political uncertainty has certainly impacted private sector operations and has been a cause of concern for potential investors.

“It is imperative that peaceful elections are held within the stipulated timeframe, and for all stakeholders to continue to

AMCHAM's president, Zulfikar Ally actively work together to build confidence in the business environment. AMCHAM Guyana wishes to encourage all stakeholders to abide and respect the constitutional provisions of Guyana, to avoid the perception of any constitutional crisis and to ensure that the private sector and International investors are afforded a stable and welcoming business climate to contribute to the continued development of Guyana.”

QC, Bishops swept for explosives, weapons after threats

A

n online threat believed to be made by the same person or persons involved in similar threats against School of the Nations, has been made against the Bishops High School and Queen's College.

These threats were made from the same social media account used to issue the threats against School of the Nations.

Parents of both high schools were summoned to an emergency meeting

yesterday and were told that the schools were on high alert as a result of online threats.

At both schools, no one was allowed to enter until the police carried their investigation. Both schools were swept by the police and they were found to be free of explosives and or any weapons.

This was confirmed with Senior Public Relations Officer within the Ministry of Education, Mr. Brushell Blackman.

Week-long more water...

From page 13 so the stations that are affected are the stations on the lower end of the system, Canje and Lower Corentyne.

Upper Corentyne stations are not affected because they are closer to the generation site.

We have been trying to regulate transformers, we have been looking at our systems to see if we can increase the size of the motor to see if we can compensate for the low voltage but many times our wells cannot handle a larger size of pump," he said.

According to the Managing Director, resolution of the issue is expected within a week's time but posited that the situation is

being monitored and GWI is on alert "to ensure that the service in Region Six is restored". Canje is expected to receive a treatment plant together with a generator by October. That project is 80% complete.

Present at the press conference, also, were the Executive Director of Commercial Services and Customer Relations (GWI), Mr. Marlon Daniels; GWI R e g i o n S i x M a n a g e r, Randolph Leitch; Revenue Manager Loyden Henry; REO Kim Stephens; Deputy Mayor Wayne McIntosh; Prime Minister Representative Gobin Harbhajan; and Member of Parliament Barbara Pilgrim.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 19

Saturday February 02, 2019

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

CARICOM leaders meet on Venezuela situation PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leader met here yesterday to discuss the ongoing political situation in Venezuela, according to a brief statement from the Office of the Prime Minister here.

A message posted on the Office of the Prime Minister’s official Twitter account noted that he and Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister were participating in the deliberations. It gave no further details.

Last week, the regional leaders from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. KittsNevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the foreign ministers from Grenada and Suriname, participated in a video-conference to discuss the situation in Caracas where President Nicolas Maduro is under pressure to step down from office.

The meeting yesterday follows the visit of a CARICOM delegation, headed by St. Kitts-Nevis Prime Minister and CARICOM chairman, Dr. Timothy Harris to

Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley (left) and his Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister, Dennis Moses at the CARICOM meeting on Venezuela yesterday (TT OPM Photo) the United Nations, where talks were held with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterras.

Yesterday, Rowley told the Trinidad and Tobago Parliament that as a result of the CARICOM initiative to seek

a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Venezuela, other countries were now adopting the “non-interventionist position”.

The United States is leading a number of western and

St. Vincent’s Opposition Leader wants audit of PetroCaribe project KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent (CMC) – Opposition Leader Dr. Godwin Friday has called for an audit of the PetroCaribe programme in St. Vincent and the Grenadines claiming that since its introduction here in 2005 “we have never had a proper accounting of the funds that were collected and how they were spent”.

PetroCaribe is an energy cooperation agreement initiated by the Venezuela government to provide a preferential payment arrangement for petroleum and petroleum products to some Caribbean and Latin American countries.

It was established in 2005 when the accord was signed by 14 Caribbean countries during the First Energy Summit of Caribbean Heads of Government held in the city of Puerto La Cruz, in eastern Venezuela.

The payment system allows for participating nations to buy oil on market value with only a portion paid for upfront and the remainder to be paid through a 25-year financing agreement on one per cent interest. A portion of the value of imports of crude oil from Venezuela is paid according to a sliding scale.

Friday said that while he

welcomed the introduction of performance audits by the Director of Audit, he is hoping that PetroCaribe programme here would be one of the first to be examined under the new initiative.

“I would submit, I can’t tell the Director of Audit what to do, because it is an independent office, but the PetroCaribe programme cries out for a performance audit,” he said, adding “here you have a programme, Mr. Speaker, that has been in place since 2005 and we have never had a proper accounting of the funds that were collected and how they were spent”.

But Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, who was in Parliament when Friday made the statement, commented from across the aisle that that is not the case.

But Friday maintained his position saying “that is absolutely true….you come in Parliament with a sheet your hand and you wave it and say ‘Look a list here. We give this person this, we give the ferry this, we give this, that.

“That is not accounting.

That is you telling me what you do, with nobody assessing it to see where the money actually went. What I would say, Mr. Speaker, to end all speculations about this, let

the thing be audited,” Friday said.

The Opposition Leader said that while PetroCaribe was established in 2005, there was no legal authority for the government to collect or spend the money under the initiative.

“It was only in 2016 that the special fund was created,” Friday said, adding that it was set up because of a constitutional requirement.

He said the government ran the programme for 10 years and according to the estimates of revenues and expenditure for the 2019 national budget presented to Parliament earlier this week, for 2018 there was EC$5.8 million (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) from PetroCaribe and nothing for 2019.

“There is zero. No money, in 2020 and 2021, nothing is expected to change, so a projection of zero from PetroCaribe. So, 2016, you have laws that say that you have legislative authority under which to collect and spend money but no money coming, the money done gone.

“And the Director of Audit is given authority to audit the PetroCaribe programme.

But is the office being given the resources to do it.

Latin American countries in recognising Venezuelan Op-

position Leader Juan Guaidó, while Russia, China and Cuba are among countries that are supporting President Maduro, who was sworn into office earlier this month for a second consecutive term as head of state.

Washington and its allies have accused Maduro of suppressing democratic rights in the country and have called for his removal. Caracas has broken off diplomatic relations with Washington and Maduro has accused the powerful North American country of engineering a coup to remove him from office.

Rowley told Parliament that as a result of the CARICOM initiative “other countries who have taken the non-interventionist position, countries that have abstained from taking sides…those countries are now in the position to and have accepted the initiative and in the very near future more definitive information would be available with respect to the initia-

tive of Uruguay, Mexico and CARICOM”.

The governments of Mexico and Uruguay have called for an international conference of neutral countries to jump start a dialogue between Venezuelans.

They said that the conference is scheduled for Montevideo, the Uruguayan capital on February 7 and that they expect at least 10 countries and international organizations to participate.

“The pur p o s e o f t h e conference will be to establish the basis for a new dialogue mechanism that includes all the forces in Venezuela, in order to help restore peace in that country,” the two countries said in a statement.

But Guaido said yesterday he has turned down the request to participate in the talks and had written to the leaders of both Uruguay and Mexico urging them to back the struggle to remove Maduro.

Dr. Van West-Charles’s Atlantic Fuel...

From page 8 taxes. “We do not care where they get the fuel from, once you pay your taxes,” Statia stressed.

Explaining how GRA assesses, the Commissioner-General said that they would go back to the period in question and used the world spot prices.

Fuel rackets would have been impacting on operations of legit import companies like the Guyana Oil Company, SOL and Rubis. “You need to have a level playing field; if not you drive GuyOil and other companies out of business…I can assure you that anybody we have caught we have made them pay their rightful taxes. I am not in position to tell you as I am bound by rules of confidentiality.

“I can assure you that what you see there (Atlantic Fuel) was already remedied long before you see it in the press.”

There was growing evidence a few weeks ago that along with under-invoicing, there are indications also that fuel importers have been colluding with Customs brokers and officers to record lower volumes.

The attention on the troublesome fuel trade has been making media headlines time and time again because of wrongdoings that have been surfacing.

Also a Director with Van West Charles is Lear Goring, who was the Debt Recovery Manager of GWI until he was let go because of an undisclosed criminal background.

Goring, according to Customs records, remained in business contact with his former GWI boss, as they both sat as Directors for Atlantic Fuels.

The fuel import, storage and wholesale licence was controversially approved in late 2015, around the same time that Van West Charles was hired as the new chief of GWI. There has been intense scrutiny about the procedures.

It emerged that applicants for licences have to show evidence of storage capacity, safety arrangements, environmental permits and a host of other requirements.

At the time of approval, it was unclear whether Atlantic Fuels, a new company, had shown a track record in the fuel business.

What is known is that others were applying and are not getting through.

Atlantic Fuels received its licence in just over month, a rapid approval compared to the months that others have applied and had to wait. According to officials, it is not unknown for the Guyana Energy Agency to grant licences and then these are rented out to importers by the holders of those licences.

According to insiders, GRA has been discovering incidents where fuel shipments, which came in gallons were recorded in the tax system as liters.

This plus the under-invoicing aspect has been helping to dent GRA’s collections.

The fuel trade is a billiondollar trade in Guyana, accounting for one of the country’s biggest spending.

With regards to Atlantic Fuels, two transactions specifically brought it back into the limelight recently.

One of them was a shipment purchased in the free trade bor-

der area at Morawhanna, North West District, Region One. It appears that Atlantic Fuels, like a number of other operators, have been capitalizing on the fuel there, which on average cost just US$0.50 per liter, a tad cheaper than Trinidad and other places.

However, according to Customs documents, Atlantic Fuel presented GRA with a Commercial Invoice dated September 25, 2018, which used a CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) price of US$0.25, half of the normal price.

The amount of fuel was about 270,000 liters (71,326 US gallons).

Atlantic Fuel declared that the cost was US$67,500, which caused GRA to collect only $14M in taxes.

On the Customs documents, the address was listed in Meadowbrook, the same address as Van West Charles.

The correct taxes should have been double that amount, which is almost $28M in taxes.

The other shipment was in September/October last year by the same company, which was brought on a fuel ship, named “Century”.

The shipment of 639,000 liters (170,000 US gallons) was supposed to cost US$379,100.

However, Atlantic Fuel’s Director, Lear Goring, filed documents, which pegged it at US$159,750.

The state reported losses of $32M in taxes because of that.

In Customs terms, the deliberate declaration of prices below what was actually the value or what was paid is known as under-invoicing.

PAGE 22

FOR RENT

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Saturday February 02, 2019

Kaieteur News

CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS FROM $4000 & UP, SUV’S PER DAY- CALL:643-5122/6560087, ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL:225-7126/ 2263 6 9 3 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL @YAHOO.COM/ WWW.D OLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM Reliable Rentals: Top quality cars, SUV’s at very low rates.

Call: 227-2322/601-2622 AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MINI BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPORT & FAMILY OUTINGS, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807

2 Storey property, located on Sheriff Street. Perfect for business or restaurant. Call or whatsapp 614-2412 PROPERTY FOR SALE House and land available at Parfaite, Tuschen, Diamond etc.

Contact Pacific Development Inc. 223-6035/ 604-4909 House for sale, Eccles Housing Scheme. 7 bedrooms, 3 toilets and bathrooms enclosed. $28.5M. Call 642-0391/ 001447587233657 Business Property for sale in Albouystown, Price $17 Million Neg. Tel#639-7484/ 611-8540

WANTED 1 Shop assistant to work in the interior. Experience would be an asset. #669-3162 Live in or live out babysitter/ domestic- Call: 223-7500 Monday to Saturday 8:15am4:15pm Office clerk, Senior/Junior CXC English/Mathematics, Computer knowledge an asset. Call: 223-7500 Relief guard 2 days a week.

Handyman. Must have a bicycle and cellphone. 2275536/ 223-0504 Wanted experience hire car taxi drivers at Ramada Princess Hotel (Providence) Tel: 616-5419, 265-7074 1-Male able-bodied clerk.

Contact #231-2029/616-5954 1 sales girl, 1 truck driver. Call: 223-9677 One Receptionist for The Millenium Manor Hotel, Apply in person with application, 43 Hadfield & Camp St One florist needed with knowledge of fresh floral arrangement. Tel 226-3109 House or land to buy in Annandale H/Scheme, ECD. Contact #609-1040 Wanted land to buy on the East Bank, West Coast or anywhere in Parfaite Harmonie.

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LEGAL NOTICE 1

LEGAL NOTICE 1 CONTD

2019-HC-DEM-CIV-FD-2 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION PETITION NO. FD-2 BETWEEN (ARCHER) OTIS TRENTON Petitioner -and(ARCHER) FEZA nee MATHIESON Respondent To the Respondent FEZA ARCHER nee MATHIESON Last Known Address: Lot 207 Long Creek, Soesdyke Linden Highway, Guyana.

TAKE NOTICE that on the 2nd day of January, 2019 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by OTIS TRENTON ARCHER, the Petitioner in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara.

The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara]. The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 18th day of January, 2019 the Petitioner was directed to effect service of his Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of the Kaieteur News Newspaper, a daily Newspaper published and circulated in and around Guyana and on the Worldwide Web. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to you may appear or attend in person or by duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), Answer and/or Cross Petition in Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 28 (Twentyeight) days from the date of the second and final publication of this Notice.

TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Tuesday the 19th day of March, 2019 at 9:15 am before the Honorable Mr. Justice Gino Peter Persaud in the Direction Hearing Room of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown.

IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service/ Notice of Intention to Defend, Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce.

Dated the 21st day of January, 2019

LEGAL NOTICE 2 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE OF GUYANA (COMMERCIAL JURISDICTION) FORM 5A ORDER 2018-HC-BER-CIV-FDA166 BETWEEN: GUYANA WATER INCORPORTED , a company incorporated in Guyana under the Companies Act 1991 of the Laws of Guyana and having its principal place of business at Vlissengen Road & Church Street, Bel Air, Georgetown, Demerara. Applicant -andFREDDIE HALALL Respondent NOTICE TO: Freddie Halall Of Lot 144 Albert Street No. 79 Village Corentyne, Berbice TAKE NOTICE that an application by way of Fixed Date Application has been filed in the High Court Registry at New Amsterdam, Berbice on the 8th day of May, 2018 by Guyana Water Incorporated for the following order:(a) The sum of $186,112.00 (one hundred and eighty six thousand one hundred and twelve dollars), being the sum due, owing and payable by the Respondent to the Applicant in water rates. (b) Interest in the said sum at a rate of 6% (six percent) per annum and 4% (four percent) thereafter until the full sum is paid. (c) Costs AND UPON APPLICATION in person or by letter to Mr. Nigel Niles and/or Ms Tiffany David Attorneys-at-Law whose address for service and place of business is at Guyana Water Incorporated, Vlissengen Road and Church Street, Bel Air, Georgetown, Demerara, Guyana sealed and certified copies of the Fixed Date Application with Affidavit in support, Notice of Appointment of Attorneys-atLaw and all related document filed herein will be delivered or sent to you continued on the next page

Saturday February 02, 2019

Strip club owner gets four years suspended sentence for gun in crotch The owner of Diamond Strip Club who was recently seen in a widely circulated video punching a Police Inspector to the neck was yesterday sentenced to four years suspended sentence on two firearm related charges.

This ruling was handed down by Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty at the conclusion of the trial in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

It is alleged that Freeman Fordyce, 39, of Lot 99 Collingswood Avenue, Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara, on May 5, last, at

George and Princes Street, Georgetown, had in his possession one Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol without being a licensed firearm holder at the time.

It was further alleged that on the same day he had in his possession 15 live rounds of 9mm ammunition without being the holder of a firearm licence.

Fordyce, who is also the proprietor of a Jewellery Pawn Shop, had denied both charges on his first court appearance before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman.

Yesterday Magistrate

PAGE 23

Kaieteur News

McGusty ruled that after perusing the evidence presented by Police Prosecutor Sean Blackman, she was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Fordyce had the illegal gun and ammunition in his possession.

Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes asked the Magistrate to be lenient with his client citing that he is a prominent businessman.

It was reported that members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) on the day in question, went to his Jewellery Pawn Shop where (Continued on page 24)

VACANCY

AND TAKE NOTICE that you FREDDIE HALALL do have within 28 (twenty eight) days after the second and final publication of this Notice, to file your Defence.

7 Pit foreman, 1 GM, Crusher operators. Contact#223-5180/ 696-9386

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that this matter is returnable for hearing on the 15th day of March 2019 AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you fail to file such Defence and/or if you fail to appear at the hearing the Court may proceed to hear the said Fixed Date Application and pronounce final Judgment in your absence notwithstanding.

Female cleaner Office & Home, age 25 to 50. Call: 2332745 One (1) seamstress to work for an established company.

Must have experience. Call 672-4695 for more information

Freeman Fordyce

LEGAL NOTICE 2

(1) waitress (1) Waiter with experience. (1) cook experience in restaurant, cooking creole & other dishes. Contact 650-0402, 6644663

One live-in Domestic. Call: 674-1767 Sales girl. Apply at Alabama Trading 65 Robb St Bourda

Dated this 1st day of February 2019.

For experienced female accounts clerk, must have passes in Maths & English.

Apply at Alabama Trading 65 Robb St Bourda For one experienced trained Teacher/Nanny to teach a 3 year old boy, an attractive salary is offered. Call: 623-1615 General Domestic, must know to cook & salesperson, Apply Keyfoood McDoom EBD Hot dog salesperson. Must be well spoken. Please call or whatsapp 614-2412 for more info Cook and waitress needed to work in a bar. Contact# +592 676-7884 Security guard (part time).

Apply to Manager Herdmanston Lodge Lamaha & Peter Rose St. Queenstown

VACANCY Cooks, Handyboys, Roti/Puri makers, Apply at Shanta’s 225 Camp St Vacancy exists for experienced Pharmacy assistants to work @ reputable pharmacy in G/ town. Call: 628-8811 between 8am-6pm Natural Beauty Salon & Spa needs an experienced hair dresser & professional make-up artist. Contact#6525800 1 Cashier needed. #223-7165 Camp Manager for the Interior #223-7165 Cashier (Shift 7am-3pm & 3pm-11pm) Submit Application to: Shell Service Station Providence EBD or Email:Shellramsburg@gmail.com Chef, assistant cook and night supervisor. Call us on 2257933 or visit 172 Sheriff Street.

Male factory worker needed.

Must have police clearance.

For more info call: 223-0090 Professional Mechanic, Machinist, Male cleaner, Apply @ Technical Services, Eccles Industrial Site 1 experienced cook and 1 maid for a family, age 25-30 years. call 231-8737 between 8am- 12 noon Exist for Cashier/SalesclerkPrevious experience an asset.

Apply Mike’s Pharmacy, Bel Air

PAGE 24

Kaieteur News

Magistrate’s driver, Colombian among three nabbed in CANU bust - 35 kilos of ganja seized A magistrate’s driver and a Colombian are among three persons in custody following a Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) operation that netted 35 kilograms of marijuana.

A CANU official said that the drug was found in a car that the ranks intercepted at Leonora, West Coast Demerara on Thursday night.

Kaieteur News under-

stands that the marijuana was transported by boat to the Parika wharf, where it was offloaded. The suspects were transporting it by car when the vehicle was stopped. The official confirmed that one of the suspects is a magistrate’s driver, while a Colombian and a North West resident are also among those held.

The raid follows last Tuesday’s seizure of 89.23 ki-

lograms of cannabis and 20 grams cocaine from a Charlestown property.

A Route 42 minibus driver, and two other individuals identified as Ebony Craig, 23, of Lot 17 Lamaha Springs Sophia; and Courtney Demonick, 58, of Lot 82 St. Stephens Street, Charlestown were detained.

Demonick was jailed for five years yesterday.

Liliendaal mechanic answers to robbery charge A mechanic found himself before a city magistrate, yesterday, to answer a robbery charge. The accused, Traveel Christopher Pinhello, at the time was arraigned before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The charge alleged that on January 30, 2019 at Crown Street, Queenstown, Georgetown, while in company of others he robbed

Ishmael Griffith of one Samsung J7 cell phone valued at $50,000 property of the said Ishmael Griffith.

After listening to the charge that was read to him

by Magistrate Daly the defendant entered a not guilty plea.

An unrepresented Pinhello informed the court that he is 19 years old and resides at Lot 30 Second Street, Liliendaal, East Coast

Demerara.

Police prosecutor Sanj Singh had no objections to bail being granted to the defendant as the police investigations are yet to be completed for the matter. Therefore, Pinhello was released on bail in the sum of $70,000.

The matter was then adjourned until February 15, 2019 for the next court hearing.

Under pressure to recalibrate, defiant Trump tackles big speech WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Under pressure from fellow Republicans to reset his contentious presidency, Donald Trump plans to offer Democrats a choice in his State of the Union speech on Tues-

day: Work together to make progress, or fight each other and get nothing done.

He signaled yesterday that the address, an annual rite of American politics, will include extensive remarks about

his standoff with Democrats over building a wall along the U.S.Mexico border, the subject of an intense partisan battle that prompted a 35-day partial government shutdown that ended a week ago.

Human Resources Dispensation...

From page 6 enjoy gratuity payments.

However, what this palpable compensation management default implies is that the salary scales approved by the National Assembly constitute a fundamental fiction. It all makes a nonsense of Public Service Management and a mystery of the Public Service Commission’s role.

One wonders at what level the authors of this malfeasance are being remunerated.

Among the many recommendations made in the aforementioned COI Report, the following immediately speaks

for itself.

“Recommendations # 13 – 16 We accordingly recommend: 13. That contract workers on all grades holding Public Service positions be absorbed into the pensionable Public Service establishment provided that they are suitably qualified to fill established positions.

14. That contracted employees/workers should be restricted to high level professional skills not available in the Public Service, and should be recruited and selected through open competition to obtain the best avail-

able candidates in the job market.

15. That no Public Servant who retires before attaining the age of 65 years should be employed on contract in view of the proposed age retirement on attaining 65 years of age.

16. That the optimum complement of suitably qualified staff for each ministry, office, division, department, and unit, etc. with the right organizational structure, needs to be evaluated and determined by human resource and organizational audits.”

Comments are invited.

Yours faithfully E.B. John

Jagdeo says no more PR meetings...

From page 12 stated that there is no provision in the Constitution which imposes limitation on the Government to perform its lawful functions. The President indicated that the Government and the Opposition, by agreement in the National Assembly, can enlarge the

time beyond the 90 days contemplated by Article 106 (7) of the Constitution.”

According to the joint statement, the President further stated that it is lawful for the Government to engage the Court, to bring clarity to the provisions of Article 106 (6) and 106 (7) of the Constitu-

tion.

“Pending the conclusion of the legal proceedings, Parliament remains functional.

Both sides are committed to work towards the expeditious conclusion of the matters engaging the attention of the court,” the government had stated.

Saturday February 02, 2019

Trio busted with 70lbs ganja remanded Two Guyanese and a Venezuelan who were arrested by Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) ranks with over 70 pounds of marijuana were yesterday remanded to prison for the offence.

The men, Ricardo Garcia, 32, a Venezuelan; Emroy Carvaio, 20, and Siddique Karahmad, 27, all appeared before Magistrate Zamilla AliSeepaul in the Leonora Magistrate’s Court.

It is alleged that on Thursday, at Vergenoegen, East Bank Demerara, they trafficked 32.05 kilograms of marijuana.

They all denied the allegation after it was read to them.

Facts presented by CANU Prosecutor, Konyo Sandiford, stated that Garcia contacted Carvaio and made arrangements for him to supply him with a quantity of marijuana.

The court heard that Carvaio then contacted Karahmad who is a taxi driver and asked that he transport himself and Garcia who came to Guyana to collect the drugs.

However, CANU ranks acting on information received, went to Vergenoegen where they kept the men under close surveillance for a period of time.

After the men were all in Karahmad’s vehicle, the of-

ficer arrested them.

A search was then carried out and several parcels of marijuana were found in the vehicle.

Sandiford made strenuous objections to bail being granted to the trio citing the prevalence of the offence and the penalty the charge attracts.

She went on to tell the court that the Prosecution team has overwhelming evidence against the men for the offence charge.

The Magistrate remanded the men to prison.

They were instructed to make their next court appearance on February 18 for report.

EU states move to recognize Venezuela’s Guaido: diplomats BRUSSELS (Reuters) European Union governments will move to recognize Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president from next week, but using cautious language for fear of setting a precedent for political crises, two EU diplomats said yesterday.

Nervous that Guaido’s decision to declare himself president could set an example for other opposition leaders around the world, EU foreign ministers agreed in Bucharest this week to back him only until a new election could be held.

Instead of the bloc as a whole making a joint declaration, each of the 28 governments will come forward with their own posit ion on whether to back Venezuela’s National Assembly head.

Britain, France, Germany and Spain are expected to announce their direct recognition of Guaido from Monday, assuming an eight-day deadline they set last Saturday for an election is not met, diplomats said. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has dis-

Juan Guaido missed the call as an unacceptable ultimatum.

The majority of other, smaller EU countries will throw their support behind Guaido but have agreed to avoid explicitly using the words “recognition” and “recognize”.

According to two documents prepared for EU diplomats and seen by Reuters, they will “acknowledge support” for Guaido in his role as interim president.

“A lot of countries will

want to stress the interim nature of this de-facto recognition,” one EU diplomat said.

Despite pressure from the European Parliament, which formally recognized the 35year-old Venezuelan congress head in a vote on Thursday, and following recognition from the United States, Canada and several Latin American nations, which argue Maduro stole his second-term election, the EU has so far avoided a clear position on Guaido.

Strip club owner gets four...

From page 23 contact was made and a search was conducted.

It was when a physical search was done on the businessman that it was discovered that he had one Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol along with 15 live 9mm ammunition concealed in his pants crotch.

Just recently Fordyce was hauled before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts for allegedly assaulting a Police Inspector.

The charge against him stated that on November 9,

2018 at George Street, Georgetown, he assaulted Police Inspector, Prem Narine.

It was further alleged that on the same day and at the same location, Fordyce behaved in a disorderly manner.

He denied both allegations.

According to information, on the day in question, the Inspector along with other policemen went to search the club after four Venezuelan women complained that the businessman seized their passports and had threatened to kill them and their families if they refused to work as

prostitutes.

It was reported that the revelation came to light when two of the entertainers escaped from the club. It was their statements that led to ranks carrying out the raid at the Strip Club.

It was while the Inspector was searing the premises that Fordyce became annoyed and allegedly punch him to his neck. The entire ordeal was recorded on surveillance camera.

The trial is currently on going before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly.

Saturday February 02, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 25

Remember your oath of office – Top Cop urges recruits Ninety-three male recruits from the ten administrative regions graduated as Law Enforcement Officers from the Felix Austin Police College with exemplary performance on Wednesday.

Commissioner of Police, Leslie James, in his address, highlighted the importance of law enforcement officers upholding their oath of office and applying the rules, laws, regulations, procedures and tactics they were taught.

“I urge that you quell your anxieties, be patient, be confident of course, be assertive in the executions of your duties. The history of this noble organisation has shown that we have been resolute in our endeavours and resilient in treating the challenges that have confronted us in different periods of times.

“Remember your goals and aspiration and remain respectful to the people in the communities.”

The Top Cop further

The new batch of law enforcement officers. stated that being a police officer can be both exhilarating and challenging. He urged the new batch of officers to display exemplary conduct, an excellent turnout of bearing, possess a sharp mind, honesty and trust.

Sergeant 18358 George provided an overview of the recruit courses number 370, 371, and 372. They consisted of an introduction to policing, the theoretical aspect of traf-

fic, First Aid, Communications skills, Firearms training, Anger Management, Human Rights and Domestic Violence and Information Technology to fully equip them to serve their country.

The best graduating student from Batch 370 is Constable 24898 Gonsalves; from Batch 371 – Constable 24929 Mussenden; and from Batch 372 – Constable 24949 Singh.

(DPI)

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Kaieteur News

Saturday February 02, 2019

Saturday February 02, 2019

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Kaieteur News

Vonn to retire after world championships in Sweden (Reuters) - U.S. ski great Lindsey Vonn announced on Friday she would be retiring after this month’s Alpine world championships in Sweden because her hurting body was “broken beyond repair” and screaming at her to stop.

“I have accepted that I cannot continue ski racing. I will compete at the World Championships in downhill and SG (super-G) next week in Are, Sweden, and they will be the final races of my career,” she said on Instagram.

Considered the greatest female skier, with a record 82 World Cup wins, Vonn had suggested last year that she might continue beyond this

season so that she could race again in the Canadian resort of Lake Louise, where she has been a frequent winner.

The 34-year-old former Olympic downhill champion has been plagued by knee injuries, however, and she said in a tearful interview with Austrian state broadcaster ORF last month that she might have to quit immediately.

In the lengthy post on Instagram, Vonn said the past two weeks had been emotional and that the decision was the hardest of her life.

“I have always pushed the limits of ski racing and it has allowed me to have amazing success but also dramatic crashes,” she said.

Bronze medallist Lindsey Vonn of the U.S. celebrates with a flag during the flower ceremony. (REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/File Photo) “I have never wanted the storyline of my career to be about injuries and because of that I decided not to tell anyone that I underwent surgery this past spring. A large por-

Saturday February 02, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You may need to take care of paperwork related to financial matters today, Aries. You will pay bills, make deposits, or balance checkbooks. Whatever you need to handle, you will get it done, and done well.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You will be entertained and intrigued by the logic foreigners possess. Get ready to do some fancy footwork when it comes to taking care of your financial situation.

You must look into your options.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your dreams might be especially intense now, and some could even be prophetic. You may have recently dreamed of an old friend you haven't seen for a while.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Do not sign contracts or get involved in any uncertain financial deals. Do not ruffle feathers if possible. Don't think the worst if you hear something negative about your partner.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Today you might decide to get some annoying but necessary chores done, Leo. You have the energy and stamina to finish them and probably will, although you may go crazy from boredom in the meantime.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Some information that you've been seeking for a long time might finally be unEarthed today through your diligent efforts, Virgo.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Libra, some volatile emotional matters that may have reared their heads over the past few days could finally be settled to the satisfaction of all involved. The subject of money may come up.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Some solid, honest communication between you and those you love is likely to clear up some confusion.

Roles are more clearly defined, emotional problems clarified, and chores are more fairly allotted.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Today you might feel the need to get as much done as possible. You're especially energetic, Sagittarius, and you have stamina and focus, and so you should be able to accomplish whatever you want.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) You might need to do some of the less exciting chores involved with creative or artistic projects today, Capricorn.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You may have let household tasks and chores go for a few days, Aquarius, so today you might decide to get them all done at once.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Some letters and calls that you may have agreed to do for a group you're affiliated with might have to be taken care of today, Pisces.Don't be surprised if you spend a lot of your time on the phone.

tion of cartilage that had delaminated from my bone was removed.

“My crash in Lake Louise last year (2017) was much more painful than I let on, but

I continued to race because I wanted to win a medal in the (2018 Pyeongchang) Olympics for my late grandfather.”

Vonn said she had felt better than for a long time after recovering but another crash in December injured her left knee, causing three fractures that needed intensive therapy.

“I am not able make the turns necessary to compete the way I know I can.

My body is broken beyond repair and it isn’t letting me have the final season I dreamed of. My body is screaming at me to STOP and it’s time for me to listen,” she said.Vonn said she was more upset about not achieving goals than retirement itself, but would look back with pride on what she had done.

“I can look back at 82 World Cup wins, 20 World Cup titles, three Olympic medals, seven World Championship medals and say that I have accomplished something that no other woman in history has ever done,” she said.

Defiant unbeaten 79 ... from page 33 the interval, a handful of spectators watched as Ramdin (10) had his leg stump disturbed

by Paul when, attempting a leg-glance, his glove dragged the ball onto his stumps to leave the score on 112-3.

With DaSilva one short of a maiden fifty, Reifer bowled an innocuous short ball which he pulled powerfully, but straight to Chanderpaul at short mid-wicket as the Queen’s Park CC player gave his wicket away to leave his team on 130-4.Mohammed and Yannic Cariah batted at pedestrian pace but still managed to find the odd boundaries as their frustrating fifth wicket gradually increased and by Tea the Red Force were 1634.After the break the pair inched their partnership to 50 but with the score on 181, and Cariah, who faced 45 dot balls in his 54-ball 15, was LBW to Permaul who should have also had Khan, who was drooped at slip by Skipper Leon Johnson before he had scored.

Mohammed reached his 12thfifty at this level from 115 balls with five boundaries and along with Imran Khan batted sensibly. Khan’s confidence grew as his innings progressed an along with Mohammed who moved closer to his eight First-Class ton, remained unseparated by the close.The penultimate day is scheduled to commence at 10:00 hrs today.

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Saturday February 02, 2019

Budweiser spends big on Super Bowl, targets small markets BRUSSELS/PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - This Bud’s for you.At least, that is what Anheuser-Busch InBev hopes as it strives to reach more than 100 million U.S. TV viewers during Sunday’s Super Bowl, promoting vintage brands such as Budweiser and Bud Light.

The world’s largest brewer will not say how much it is spending for nearly six minutes of commercials, but industry sources estimate it is more than $50 million. That is up from the $42 million that Kantar Media said the brewer spent for four minutes of ad time last year.

It is only part of the company’s strategy to recapture market share from craft beers and Mexican imports.

Brendan Whitworth, the head of sales for U.S. arm Anheuser-Busch, told Reuters the company would retain its big, national campaigns but also push ahead with its new strategy of tailoring brand marketing to individual American cities.

“The things we’ve started to work on this year, we’re starting to see real results. We’re looking forward to scaling up those localized programs even more,” he said.

The Super Bowl’s huge and diverse audience has makers of cars, beer and other consumer goods scrambling to create eye-catching commercials that are sometimes more memorable than the game. Budweiser this year will bring back its iconic Clydesdale horses, while telling drinkers that the beer is produced with renewable energy from wind power. Bud Light has continued its mock medieval ad series.

Driven by the need to pay off some $100 billion from its 2016 purchase of rival SABMiller, the company, which is known for acquisitions and cost savings, has made top-line growth its priority. U.S. management, overhauled in late 2017, believes it is on course to rebound in the company’s biggest market. Part of that is the local-ad focus and fresh versions of 143-year-old staple Budweiser, as well as Bud Light – available now in an orange flavor.

The two main brands make up 56 percent of its U.S. beer sales, according to market researc h c o m p a n y Euromonitor International.

That is down from more than 60 percent in 2013.

Whitworth, a former Marine, CIA officer and PepsiCo Inc director, said the goal is to boost the brand’s shares and eventually halt their sales decline.

AB InBev has a 36.4 percent share of the U.S. beer market, according to Euromonitor, followed by Molson Coors and Constellation Brands.

In general, mainstream lagers including Bud and Bud Light have fallen, while the shares of craft and imports have risen, according to market research group Nielsen.

Drinkers have also shifted to wine and spirits.

Executives at Heineken, the world’s second largest beer maker, have said brewers need to work together to win back drinkers. Industry leaders say there still is a space for mainstream beer, which is cheaper and less caloric than many crafts.

“When (fans)are watching an NFL game, that’s a four

A souvenir sign is for sale in the gift shop of the Anheuser-Busch brewery in Fort Collins, Colorado, U.S., March 2, 2017. (REUTERS/Rick Wilking/File Photo) to five hour experience... I’m not sure it’s a craft moment,” said Jonnie Cahill, Heineken USA’s chief marketing officer.

Given recent t r e n d s , Anheuser-Busch needs the equivalent of a ‘Hail Mary’ pass. Its share of beer sales in the United States, its biggest market, is set to have declined 0.50 percentage points in 2018 after a 0.75 drop in 2017. That may seem slight, but the trend is in the wrong direction.A return to growth is not imminent.

“It’s a supertanker and it’s not going to turn on a sixpence. I think it’s going to be a slow journey,” said Trevor Stirling, a London-based beverage analyst at Bernstein Research.

AB InBev’s share of the U.S. beer market has declined every year but one since its formation in 2008, when Belgium-based InBev bought America’s Anheuser-Busch.

Budweiser has steadily fallen.

Bud Light’s share last rose in 2012, when it rolled out an offshoot: Bud Light Lime-ARita, a margarita-flavored brew with double the alcohol

BCB announces 14 Player squad for Senior Female Inter-county Championship Despite the absence of West Indies Player Shemaine Campbelle, who is away representing the West Indies in Pakistan, the Berbice Cricket Board has announced a strong fourteen member squad for the upcoming Guyana Cricket Board Senior Female Inter-county Tournament.

The Team would be led by West Indies left arm pacer Tremayne Smartt, while another West Indies Player Erva Giddings would serve as the vice captain. Level III Coach Winston Smith and Slyvia Autar would serve as Coach and Manager respectively.

West Indies selectee Sheneeta Grimmond would lead the batting line up in the absence of Shemaine

Campbelle and Shabiki Gajnabi who would be leading the Guyana Under-19 Select Team in the same Tournament. Grimmond would receive support from National Players Melanie Henry, Sherica Campbelle, Marian Samaroo, Smartt, Giddings and Dian Prahalad. The strong bowling attack would be spear headed by the West Indies quartet of Smartt, Giddings, Subrina Munroe, Grimmond with support from off spinner Plaffiana Millington, medium pacer Sherica Campbelle and left arm spinner Dian Prahalad.

The full team: 1. Tremayne Smartt 6. Marian Samaroo 11.

Russhanna Lynch 2. Erva Giddings

7. Plaffiana Millington 12.

Sherica Campbelle 3. Melanie Henry 8. Kimmone Thomas 13.

Aleema Arokium 4. Sheneeta Grimmond 9. Subrina Munroe 14.

Ashmini Munisar 5. Abigail Kishun 10. Dian Prahalad BCB President Hilbert Foster stated that the Berbice Team have been in training for over a month under the supervision of Coach Winston Smith and was fully prepared to defend their title. He however expressed disappointment that West Indies selectee Shabiki Gajnabi would not be able to represent the county due to her playing for the select Guyana Under-19 Team in the Tournament.

and calories of Bud Light.

Despite the revival, Anheuser-Busch said it has learned that the company should not stray too far from a brand’s roots.

“Those extensions, they didn’t necessarily reinforce the mother brand’s position,” Whitworth said.The brewer removed “Bud Light” from Lime-a-Rita cans this year.Last summer, it launched Bud Light Orange, brewed with orange peels. The product, with slightly more calories, is sweet and fruity, akin

to an orange soda with alcohol, some drinkers say.

Whitworth said it was one of the industry’s most successful new products of 2018, boosting sales and margins and bringing in more female drinkers. The company hopes some Bud Light Orange drinkers will become regular Bud Light fans.

Bud Light has partnerships with 28 of the 32 NFL teams, including this season’s finalists, the Los Angeles Rams and the Boston-based New England Patriots. But its marketing efforts with them have been modest to date, including special cans showing each team’s logo.Earlier this season, Bud Light focused on Cleveland, whose team, the Browns, was experiencing one of the longest losing streaks in the sport. When the Browns finally won, the brewer set up “victory fridges” in bars across the city. Bud Light’s share of core beer sales there grew as a result, Whitworth said.

Citing another localized effort, Whitworth pointed to Philadelphia, the nation’s sixth largest city. Bud Light

offered free beer to fans of the Eagles when they won their first Super Bowl in 2018. This season the company unveiled a statue to commemorate the “Philly Special,” a trick play in which the quarterback turned receiver for a touchdown in the championship game.

Whitworth said the approach led to Bud Light sales growth of 9 percent in Philadelphia in the first half of 2018.

“They had an army of people handing out beer at the parade,” said Pete Ciarrocchi, chief of Chickie and Pete’s, a popular chain of sports bars in the Philadelphia area.

The brewer’s U.S. arm is hoping the sales boost will help build long-term loyalty.

In one potentially positive sign, Philadelphian Peter Rosa, who normally chooses regional craft brands such as Dogfish Head and Troeg, said he turned to Bud Light this season when watching his beloved Eagles.

“I have become superstitious and will only drink Bud Light during Eagles games,” he said.

Windies seal series behind Campbelle, Dottin efforts KARACHI, Pakistan, CMC – Deandra Dottin belted a couple of sixes and a four as West Indies stunned Pakistan in the decisive Super Over, to win the second Twenty20 International and the three-match series with a match to spare here yesterday.

The tourists had earlier clawed their way back into the contest in pursuit of 133 for victory, before Chinelle Henry (11 not out) and Afy Fletcher (one not out) scrambled two runs off the last delivery of the match, to level the scores.

Behind Dottin’s muscle, the Windies gathered 18 runs off their six deliveries and then claimed two Pakistan

wickets inside the first three balls when they bowled, to pull off a dramatic win at Southend Club.

It was Shemaine Campbelle who propelled the Windies run chase, top-scoring with 41 off 44 balls, while Kycia Knight struck 32 and opening partner Dottin, 22.

West Indies got a measured start as the left-handed Knight and Dottin put on 30 off 33 deliveries for the first wicket.

Dottin counted five fours in a 24-ball knock before becoming the first of left-arm spinner Anam Amin’s two wickets but Knight found an ally in Campbelle to add a further 54 for the second wicket.

W.D.C.A/ President’s Cup 50 overs final on tomorrow The final of the West Demerara Cricket Association (WDCA) President’s Cup 50-over tournament is set for tomorrow at Joe Vieira Park. Independence A Sports Club will take on Mc Gill Super Stars from 09:30hrs.

Independence A Sports Club will be led by Mahendra Dhanpaul and includes Safraz Esau, Vivian Buckles, Ceenauth Bisessar, Ewart Samuels, Vikash Dhaniram, Arshad Azim, Anand Bharat and Jagnarine Etwaroo.

MC Gill Super Stars will come from; Sudesh Persaud, Travis Persaud, Troy Persaud, Shafiek Deen, Abdool Razack, Prahalad Singh, Daniel Basdeo and Balram Aron.

The umpires for the fixture are Nandkumar Shivsankar and M. Ernest.

While Knight faced 30 balls and counted two fours and a six, Campbelle stroked four fours and a six in a 44ball stay at the crease.

Knight’s departure in the 15th over triggered a slide where five wickets tumbled for 45 runs, before the late drama unfolded.

Pakistan had earlier raised 132 for four off their 20 overs after choosing to bat, with captain Bismah Maroof topscoring with 31, opener Javeria Khan getting 26 and Nida Dar chipping in with 25 not out.

Omaima Sohail fell without scoring in the first over but Javeria and Bismah put on a crucial 59 for the second wicket before Dar and Aliya Riaz, who smashed 23 not out off 13 balls, added 42 in an unbroken fifth wicket partnership.

The final match of the historic series is set for the same venue tomorrow.

Scores: PAKISTAN 132 for four off 20 overs (Bismah Maroof 31, Javeria Khan 26, Nida Dar 25 not out, Aliya Riaz 23 not out; Deandra Dottin 2-26).

WEST INDIES 132 for six off 20 overs (Shemaine Campbelle 41, Kycia Knight 32, Deandra Dottin 22; Anam Amin 2-24).

Saturday February 02, 2019

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West Indies grind frustrated England to build lead NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – West Indies dispensed with flair and charisma for the virtues of grind and attrition, as they wore down luckless England, to drive home their advantage on a compelling second day of the second Test here yesterday.

Confronted with a twopaced and unpredictable surface at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, West Indies batsmen displayed rare discipline and graft in an admirable all-day batting effort to finish on 272 for for six, in reply to England disappointing 187 on Thursday’s opening day.

Importantly, they lead by 85 runs, already a precious advantage going into Saturday’s day three, with left-hander Darren Bravo unbeaten on a hard-fought 33 and first Test hero and captain Jason Holder on 12.

Uncharacteristically, Bravo hardly played a shot in anger, facing 165 balls and hitting two fours while Holder followed suit, his knock consuming 58 deliveries with a single boundary.

They pair have so far added 36 for the seventh wicket, a partnership which frustrated England after the visitors seemed poised to run through the lower order after removing plucky wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich for 31, 55 minutes after tea.

Both Bravo and Dowrich took their cue from the patience exhibited by the top order as Kraigg Brathwaite top-scored with 49, opening partner John Campbell got 47 and Shai Hope chipped in with 44.

No batsman really dominated on a pitch which made fluent stroke-play difficult, and veteran seamer Stuart Broad exploited the conditions brilliantly to finish with three for 42 while off-spinner Moeen Ali picked up two for 54.Resuming from their overnight 30 without loss, Brathwaite and Campbell sur-

vived a testing first hour, mainly against Broad, as they extended their opening stand to 70 – their third consecutive half-century stand.

Brathwaite faced 156 deliveries and struck three fours while the left-handed Campbell lived a charmed life in his 118-ball stay at the crease which included five fours.

Starting the day on 16, Campbell played and missed several times, before twice suffering a reprieve on 21. In the third over of the morning, he was given out caught at first slip off Broad, only for the decision to be overturned after the subsequent review showed the ball had clipped his elbow.

Then in Broad’s next over, Campbell stabbed at one that left him, only for Jos Buttler at third slip to grass a

Stuart Broad eventually claimed his reward in a fine afternoon spell. ©Getty Images Darren Bravo played a watchful innings, lifting West Indies from trouble at 186 for 5... ©Associated Press

straightforward chance.

Campbell put the near misses behind him to twice punch Broad down the ground for boundaries, the last of which raised the halfcentury stand.He seemed certain to reach his maiden

Test half-century when he edged seamer Ben Stokes’s seventh ball of the morning and was caught at second slip by a relieved Buttler, nearing the hour mark.On 126 for one at lunch, West Indies suffered a major setback in

BHFC kicks of youth football tourney today The stage is set for the Brave Heart Football Club (BHFC) Hemp Mash 2019 five-a-side two-day small goal football tournament which kicks off today and tomorrow at the East Ruimveldt Secondary School ground, Mandela Avenue, commencing 14:00hrs.

Teams have been drawn from East, West, North and South Ruimveldt and they will participate in the under-11, 13 and 15 categories.

The tournament will be contested in the round-robin/knockout format with the finals slated for tomorrow. Each match will last a total of 30 minutes.

According to a press release from the BHFC, the aim of the tournament is to encour-

age and promote the development of youth football within the Ruimveldt community and to provide opportunities for both genders to participate.

Trophies, medals and other prizes will be at stake in the competition and contributions have already been received from the Guyana Hemp Industries and AH&L Kissoon for the tournament.

CEO of Bedessee Imports and Guyana Hemp Industries, Verman Bedessee recently donated a quantity of football bibs and balls to the BHFC and Eastveldt Football Club who are both located in the East Ruimveldt community.

third over after the resumption when Brathwaite was caught at short leg off Moeen after adding just one to his interval 48.

The dismissal hailed England’s best period of the day as West Indies lost three wickets for 22 runs in quick time.The stylish Hope, unbeaten on 22 at lunch, looked in good touch yet again, striking five fours in an attractive 64-ball innings.

But in an explosive over from Broad nearly 40 minutes after the break, Hope played and missed the first ball before nicking the next behind behind, and Roston Chase (4) followed three balls later, bowled off-stump by one that crept, leaving the Windies on 155 for four.

Shimron Hetmyer, who made 21 off 35 balls, stemmed the flow of the wickets in a 31-run, fifth wicket stand with Bravo.But after pulling

Moeen over the mid-wicket ropes, the 22-year-old attempted to go over the top with the spinner and was brilliantly caught by Jimmy Anderson racing in from long off, 40 minutes before tea.

Bravo and Dowrich settled the innings in a 50-run, sixth wicket partnership which took West Indies to tea on 212 for five – already a lead of 25 runs.

And together, they continued to frustrate the exasperated England bowlers,

Shai Hope also moved smoothly into the 40s... ©Getty Images

Dowrich in particular cashing in on the limited scoring opportunities on offer, as he struck five fours off 67 balls.Nearing the hour mark, he fell to a virtually unplayable delivery from Broad which spat from a good length and took the glove, leaving Buttler at third slip to snare the gentle lob at 236 for six.Any hopes though of a West Indies meltdown frittered away in the final hour as both Bravo and Holder kept their heads down.

Regal Stationery softball continues tomorrow Matches in the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc Regal Stationery and Computer Centre tournament is set to continue tomorrow.

At Malteenoes, SC Grill Allstars will play Good Hope Hustlers at 09:30hrs on pitch two in the Open category. In the Over-40 division, HS Masters will face Success Masters at 09:30hrs and Fisherman Masters will take on Wellman Masters at 13:30hrs on pitch one.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday February 02, 2019

Doping bans for 12 Russian athletes including 2012 Olympic champion Ivan Ukhov BBC Sport - London 2012 Olympic high jump champion Ivan Ukhov is among 12 Russian track and field athletes banned for doping by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Three years of Ukhov’s results, including the 2012 Olympics, have been disqualified, meaning Britain’s Robert Grabarz could be upgraded to silver.

Cas acted on evidence from the McLaren report, which found Russia operated a state-sponsored doping programme.

The 12 athletes have 21 days to appeal against the decision.

More than 120 failed doping tests have now been recorded from the London Games.

The previous highest number of failed tests was 86 from Beijing 2008.

Cas says the athletes “participated in and/or benefited from anabolic steroid doping programs and benefited from specific

protective methods” from London 2012 to the 2013 World Championships in Moscow.

Ukhov has been banned for four years, as has 2013 high jump world champion Svetlana Shkolina, while Tatyana Lysenko, who won world gold in the hammer t h r o w, i s b a n n e d f o r eight years.

Grabarz was one of three athletes to finish third at London 2012, a Games that has since b e en dubbed the dirtiest ever Olympics because of the number of failed drugs tests.

A report from Professor Richard McLaren in J u l y 2 016 found Russia operated a state-sponsored doping programme for four years across the “vast majority” of Olympic sports.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) banned Russia from competing in November

Ukhov (centre) has had his London 2012 win struck out, meaning Britain’s Robert Grabarz (second from right) could be upgraded to Olympic silver. (AFP) 2015 and last month upheld the country’s suspension into 2019.

Cas opened procedures against the athletes “on behalf” of the IAAF, with the Russian Athletics Federation

Georgetown Turf Club to host pre-mashramani Gymkhana race meet Club seeking assistance to develop race track

T

he Georgetown Turf Club will be re opening its doors for horseracing fans on Sunday February 17th at the Mocha Arcadia race track for the preMashramani Gymkhana horse racing meet.

T h e P r e s i de n t o f t h e t u r f c l u b , Michael Sims, recently returned to Guyana to d o s o m e r e n o v a t i o n s a t t h e v e n u e and he has already met with various stakeholders to further plans for the development of the club.

In a press release, Sims noted that he will be grateful to have some assistance from the

Government of Guyana (GoG) so that he can extend the race track to the distance of one mile and clear i n g o f t h e e a s t e r n and western canal to ensure the t r a c k s t a y s d r y. O t h e r p l a n s f o r t h e turf c l u b i n c l u d e t h e construction of a Grand stand, clearing of a cricket pitch and football ground.

Sims also said that the venue is ideal for those people living at the new Herstelling housing scheme next door to the turf club to come over and participate and or watch sports.

2019 GCB Senior Female Inter County Tournament commences The Guyana Cricket Board Calendar Year will commence with the GCB Senior Female Inter-County Tournament. The 50-Over format is scheduled to be the first event, and will commence today and concludes on Tuesday while the T20 format bowls off on February 7, 2019 and concludes on February 10.

The teams involved are as follows: Demerara: Akaze Thompson, Heema Singh, Joanna Vansertima, Lashana Toussaint, Keisha Fraser, Kaysia Schultz, Haseena Mohamed, Latoya Smith, Tamica Wilson, Odassa Oneil, Sangeeta Sawh, Tillya Madnamoodoo, Aryan Kassan, and Shazana Majeed. Bharat Mangru Coach Abina Parker Manager.

Berbice: Tremayne Smartt, Melanie Henry, Erva Giddings, Sheneta Grimmond, Abigail Kishun, Marian Samaroo, Plaffiana Millington, Kimmone Thomas, Subrina Munroe, Dian Prahalad, Rushanna Lynch, Sherica Campbelle, Aleema Arokium, and Ashmini

Munisar. Winston Smith Coach and Sylvina Autar Manager.

Essequibo: Althea Newark, Estelle Lewis, Kumarie Persaud, Roxanne Hendricks, Divine Ross, Morika McPherson, Petra Hoppie, Aniliza D’Aguiar, Oneissia Stoby, Maria Anthony, Lisa Charles, Navika Narine, Laveena Ragubier, and Tramaine Charles.

Forbes Daniels Coach and Verna D’Aguiar Manager.

Select Under-19: Mandy Mangru, Sarah Amin, Chirta Mohabir , Casey Charles, Cherry Ann Fraser, RoshinBudhu, Shabika Gajnabi, Amadevi Matadin, Lafona Gilgeous, Africa Gentle, Ariana Buckan, Shemika Edwards, Shanaya Fraser, Reneka Liverpool, and Navina Ramnauth. Latchman Yadram Coach and Stimbiso Manager.

The first round of matches, will witness Berbice versus Essequibo at Lusignan and the Select Under-19 versus Demerara at GCC. All matches commence from 09: 30 hours.

currently suspended and “unable to manage any disciplinary procedures”.

The banned athletes are: - Tatyana Firova (400m) four-year ban from 9 June 2016 - Svetlana Shkolina (high jump) - four-year ban from 1 February 2019 -Ivan Ukhov (high jump) - four-year ban from 1 February 2019 - Lyukman Adams (triple

jump) - four-year ban from 31 January 2019 - Anna Bulgakova (hammer throw) - four-year ban from 29 March 2017 - Gulfiya AgafonovaKhanafeeva (hammer throw) - eight-year ban from 6 January 2017 - Tatyana Lysenko Beloborodva (hammer throw) - eight-year ban from 2 July 2016 - Ivan Yushkov (shot put)

- four-year ban from 2 July 2016 -Mariya Bespalova (hammer throw) - already suspended since 26 October 2015 - Vera Ganeeva (discus) two-year ban from 2 July 2018 - Yekaterina Galitskaia (100m hurdles) - four-year ban from 1 February 2019 - Yuliya Kondakova (100m hurdles) - four-year ban from 1 February 2019

GMRSC’s endurance round 1

Over 40 entrants confirmed for tomorrow’s meet

A

ll systems are a go for tomorrow’s first round of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMRSC) endurance series which will be competed at the South Dakota Circuit’s outer track from 09:00hrs, according to Vicepresident of the club, Hansraj Singh.

Over 40 entrants will take to the track to see who can complete the most laps during the grueling three-hour long race. Among the drivers confirming their participation includes former Champion Motilall Deodass, track record holder Rameez Mohamed and Shan Seejatan.

Shan Seejatan, who finished first in the unlimited class and third overall in last month’s final round of the 2018 Endurance series, is looking to continue his good form, while noting that his Special Auto sponsored Toyota Levin car is a work in progress.

His mechanic Anil ‘Nala’ Persaud has been working tirelessly to bring the machine

Shan Seejatan’s Special Auto Toyota Levin. up to speed despite already having a best time of 1 minute 18 seconds.

Mohamed will be behind the wheel of the Trans Pacific Motor Spares Toyota Alteeza that he pushed to break a 47year-old record last December after clocking 1 minute 17 seconds. Deodass will be in his Motor Trend Auto Sales

powered Toyota Starlet.

During the interview with Kaieteur Sport, Singh noted that it will be free of cost for racing fans to enter the venue.

The defending champions are Team Ramchand Wreckers and their champion driver Adrian Fernandes will be in his Gillette sponsored Toyota Levin.

Saturday February 02, 2019

PAGE 31

Kaieteur News

Sauber renamed Alfa Romeo Racing from start of 2019 season BBC Sport - Sauber will be rebranded as Alfa Romeo Racing from the start of the 2019 season.Alfa Romeo was last on the Formula 1 grid as a constructor in 1985 but returned to the sport last season as Sauber’s title sponsor.

The Swiss team say the ownership and management structure remains unchanged but the Sauber name will disappear.Sauber has been a fixture in F1 since in 1993, when team boss Peter Sauber made the switch from sports car racing.

Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion, and Antonio Giovinazzi will race for the rebranded outfit, which finished eighth in the constructors’ championship last season and will again be powered

by Ferrari engines in 2019.

Team principal Frederic Vasseur said: “After initiating the collaboration with our title sponsor Alfa Romeo in 2018, our team made fantastic progress on the technical, commercial and sporting side.

This has given a boost of motivation to each team member.“We aim to continue

developing every sector of our team while allowing our passion for racing, technology and design to drive us forward.”

The Italian car manufacturer dominated the early years of F1, with Giuseppe Farina winning the inaugural world title driving an Alfa in 1950, before Juan Manuel Fangio claimed the first of his five titles racing for the team a year later.Alfa will roll out their 2019 car on the first morning of pre-season testing, which gets under way in Barcelona on 18 February.

Analysis Chief F1 writer - Andrew BensonThe renaming of the Sauber team as Alfa Romeo may on the one hand be a rebranding exercise for marketing purposes, but it is also a seminal moment in Formula 1 history.It marks the first time an F1 team will be solely named after the iconic Italian manufacturer since 1985 - and the first time the Sauber name will not be on the grid since 1993.

Both entities have carved a unique place in motorsport

history.Alfa Romeo were a major force in grand prix racing between the wars, spawned Ferrari and won the very first F1 world championship in 1950, even if their history in the sport has been somewhat less illustrious after they faded away in the mid-1950s.

Sauber, for their part, first entered F1 as a proxy for Mercedes, with whom they had previously had a successful period in endurance racing.After Mercedes joined McLaren in 1995, Sauber went it alone, before joining forces with BMW from 20069, and then becoming independent again. They had just weathered a difficult financial period before heading back up the grid in 2018 after the Fiat Group made investment in the team following the decision for the cars to carry the name of its Alfa Romeo brand.

Those links have just become stronger still, and they suggest the now-renamed Alfa Romeo team could continue the upward progress seen last year most obviously in the starring performances

(Bloomberg Opinion) — Naomi Osaka is the toast of Japan after winning the Australian Open and becoming the first Japanese player to be ranked No. 1 in the world. She faces an awkward deadline, however. Japan’s Nationality Law requires Japanese who have additional citizenships to choose one when they turn 22. Osaka, who holds both U.S. and Japanese passports, reaches that age later this year. Though Japan has rarely enforced the rule, Osaka’s celebrity poses a challenge to a country historically obsessed with national and ethnic identity. She most likely won’t be able to dodge the decision.

Her dilemma is hardly unique in Asia. While many other parts of the world have been opening up to the benefits of dual-nationality, Asia’s wealthiest and most populous economies — including Singapore and China — have stubbornly resisted doing the same. It may be time to rethink that opposition.

Countries that welcome dual citizens are magnets for globalized talent and capital — two things Asia’s aging societies are increasingly going to need if they want to remain vibrant and growing.

Historically, citizenship was viewed as a kind of exclusive relationship, permanently committing the individual to the nation. In cases of international marriage and children, citizenship was typi-

cally assigned on the basis of the husband’s and father’s citizenship. This could have ugly consequences: As recently as the 20th century, American women who married Chinese, Filipino or Japanese nationals automatically forfeited their U.S. citizenship in favor of their husband’s. As of 1960, more than half of the world’s countries stripped nationality from anyone who voluntarily adopted the citizenship of another nation.

This conception of citizenship began to erode after World War II. As cross-border marriages became more common, many countries (including the U.S.) chose to accept multiple citizenships without legal consequence.

Today, three-quarters of the world’s nations allow their citizens to acquire a second citizenship without automatic repercussions.

In some cases, particularly countries with large diaspora populations, the process is even encouraged.

In December, for example, Lesotho amended its constitution to allow for dual citizenship, hoping to reverse decades of brain drain and lure home native-born nationals who lost citizenship when they acquired, say, U.K. passports.

Similarly, in 2016, Mexico — which for decades opposed dual citizenship — began actively encouraging Mexicans who legally reside in the U.S. to acquire Ameri-

can citizenship. The goals are several, including a desire to see Mexican-Americans more active in U.S. civic life, ensure that their legal interests are protected in the U.S. (especially in the current anti-immigrant climate) and facilitate U.S. investment in Mexico.

These are more than just hopes. Academic studies suggest that countries that recognize dual nationalities enjoy greater rates of return migration and overseas remittances than those that don’t.

Equally important, at least one recent study demonstrated that citizens who are forced to choose often renounce their original nationality, particularly if, as in the case of China, citizenship rights might be viewed as insufficient compared to other countries. Meanwhile, another recent study suggests that selective programs (recognizing dual citizens from certain countries only) can be an effective means of attracting

Kimi Raikkonen will drive for Alfa Romeo in 2019 after leaving Ferrari at the end of last season. (Getty Images) of Charles Leclerc, who is now at Ferrari.Politically, it is also an important move. It further enhances the team’s status as a Ferrari B team - already evidenced by Leclerc’s promo-

tion and the presence of Italian Antonio Giovinazzi in the car this year alongside exFerrari veteran Kimi Raikkonen.

In addition to Ferrari’s

strong relationship with Haas, that increases the company’s strength as negotiations over the sport’s future beyond 2020 enter a critical phase this year.

several Asian governments have changed longstanding policies on dual citizenship in

hopes of accruing these benefits, including South Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Elsewhere in the region, however, progress is stalled for a range of reasons, including security concerns (India and China), fragile senses of national identity (Singapore and Malaysia) and concerns about ethnic purity (Japan).

While understandable, such resistance is shortsighted. Several of these countries, including India and China, have been afflicted by damaging brain drains; allowing dual citizenship might attract at least some expatriates to come home to work. For more developed economies such as Japan and Singapore, dual citizenship can serve as an added incentive as companies compete for an increasingly globalized talent pool.

It might also provide a small but not insignificant bulwark against aging and shrinking populations.

Osaka faces awkward citizenship deadline Naomi Osaka

targeted talents and demographics.

It’s no surprise then that

Kvitova beaten by Vekic in St Petersburg quarter-finals (Reuters) - Donna Vekic stunned Australian Open runnerup Petra Kvitova 6-4 6-1 in the quarter-finals of the St Petersburg Ladies Trophy yesterday to claim the biggest victory of her career.World number 30 Vekic took full advantage of the 42 unforced errors committed by the Czech top seed and defending champion to prevail in 83 minu t e s .

Vekic next faces the winn e r of the all-Russian clash between third seed Daria Kasatkina and wildcard Vera Zvonareva in the semi-finals.Secondranked Kvitova, who was beaten by Japan’s Naomi Osaka in the Australian Open final last week, had her

service broken for a second time in the opening set as Vekic went ahead 5-4 before claiming the early advantage in the contest.

Kvitova took the first game of the second set but Croatia’s Vekic raised her level a few notches, reeling off six games in a row to seal her third victory over a top-five player.

Earlier, fourth seed Aryna Sabalenka celebrated her first week in the world’s top 10 with a comfortable win, defeating Russian qualifier Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3 6-4.

Up next for the world number 10 from Belarus is Kiki Bertens, who battled past Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2 3-6 6-0.

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Saturday February 02, 2019

Kaieteur News

Trophy Stall Port Mourant/UCCA U-19 50 - overs final on at No.72 Cut & Load ground

St L ucian to fight Amsterdam Lucian on P atrick F ord card Patrick Ford

No.73 battle Scottsburg in expected exciting clash today No. 73 Young Warriors and Scottsburg United have reached the final of the Trophy Stall Port Mourant, Berbice sponsored Upper Corentyne Cricket Association Under-19 50 overs round robin tournament.

The final is set for today at the No. 72 Cut and Load ground. Action starts at 9:30am, admission free, P.A system/music to entertain and lots to eat and drink will be on sale. Trophies and cash incentives will be presented to the winner and runner up, whilst trophies will be presented to the batsman with the most runs and the bowler with the most wickets in the competition. Also, a trophy will be presented to the MVP of the tournament and man of the match in the final. Both teams in the final will also receive medals.

The leading runs scorer so far is Mahendra Chaitnarine of No. 72 Cut and Load with 145 runs (including 2 half centuries), followed by Vettorie Latchman 139 runs and Sarwan Chaitnarine 126 runs (including 2 half centuries), both of No. 73 Young Warriors. The leading wicket taker is Seiraj Chatterpaul of No. 72 Cut and Load with 20

Guyana’s Desmond Amsterdam (left) trades shots with St Lucian Arthur Langlier i n CBC Final last year.

Sarwan Chaitnarine of No. 73 Young Warriors

Rudy Jamalodeen of Scottsburg United

wickets, followed by Sarwan Chaitnarine 17 (including 2 five wicket haul), Mahendra Chaitnarine 14 and Rudy Jamalodeen of Scottsburg United with 13 wickets.

The tournament was dominated by the bowlers, however, 15 half centuries were scored, whilst in the bowling department 7 five wicket hauls were taken.

Sarwan Chaitnarine is the only player to take 2 five wicket hauls and score 2 half centuries. Also, the best bowling figures were from Rudy

Jamalodeen of Scottsburg United taking 7 for 36, whilst the highest individual score came from M. Headley 77 of Radha Krishna Foundation A c a d e m y .

This tournament is Organised by the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association and is sponsored by Mr. Ramesh Sunich, Managing Director of Trophy Stall, Bourda Market, Georgetown and with its new Location at Market Road, Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice opening s o o n .

Qatar beat Japan to win first Asian Cup football title

A

ccording the Presi dent of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Steve Ninvalle, St Lucia will be sending Arthur Langalier to fight Guyana’s Desmond Amsterdam at the second annual Patrick Ford memorial tournament on February 17 at the National Gymnasium.

The two Boxers fought in the final of the Caribbean Boxing Championships (CBC) last year in Guyana and St Lucian would have given Amsterdam his toughest time in the ring; giving him an 8count the only 8-count he got throughout the competition.

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) has collaborated with Alford McDonald

to stage what is anticipated to be an exciting night of fistic fury, the tournament which will kick start GBA’s International Events for 2019, will have 15 bouts.

T&T will be naming their team on Friday but TTBA President Cecil Forde informed he will be sending a team of five boxers.

Suriname will be sending four boxers and they will arrive in Guyana on the Feb 15, they coming overland.

Forde, who died at age 55 in Brooklyn, New York in 2011, fought Salvador Sanchez for the WBC featherweight championship of the world in 1980 and was the first Guyanese to fight for a world title before he fought his last profes-

sional bout in 1987.

Last year’s tournament included three Countries; Guyana, Suriname and St Lucia with the host Nation emerging as Champion.

According to Ninvalle this year’s Tournament will see pugilist from Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, St Lucia and Suriname matching gloves as they vie for Championship honours.

“We expect to have all the pivotal divisions at this time; Middleweight, Bantamweight, lightweight, Welterweight, Junior Welterweight and light Heavyweight and GBA is hoping next year’s tournament to be a bigger Championship,” Ninvalle noted. (Sean Devers)

NSC presents trophies for today’s Rugby tourney

Goalscorer Almoez Ali (second left) was born in Sudan and moved to Qatar as a child. (Getty Images) BBC Sport - World Cup 2022 hosts Qatar won their first ever Asian Cup with a 3-1 victory over four-time winners Japan.

Forward Almoez Ali broke the record of goals scored by a player at a single Asian Cup when he notched his ninth with a brilliant overhead kick.Abdulaziz Hatem made it 2-0 with a 20-yard curled shot before Japan’s Takumi Minamino fired in from inside the box.It was 3-1 when Akram Afif converted from the spot after Southampton’s Maya Yoshida had handled

in the area.VAR confirmed that the Saints defender had intentionally handled, although TV replays suggested he was unfortunate to see the decision go against him.Afif’s penalty meant he scored one goal and provided 10 assists, including two in the final, during Qatar’s seven games at the competition in the United Arab Emirates.Coach Felix Sanchez Bas’ side had gone 10 hours and eight minutes without conceding a single goal at this year’s competition prior to Minamino’s strike.

The National Sports Commission (NSC), and by extension the Director of Sports, Christopher Jones on Thursday January 31, 2019, handed over a number of trophies and plaque to Mr. Troy Yhip (Events Coordinator) of the Guyana Rugby Football Union. This is in support of the Goodwill Rugby Competition which will see Guyana and French Guiana competing for top spot. Categories include U17, U19, Male, Female and Seniors Championship slated for today February 02.

The event will be held at the Police Sports Club Ground at Eve Leary with action starting at 2pm.

The NSC wishes the team best of luck and urges the public to come out and support our athletes as they represent Guyana to their best ability.

Director of Sport Christopher Jones (right) hands over the trophies to Troy Yhip.

Saturday January 02, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 33

Tucville Secondary boosted by Ralph Green donation of football gear S

ponsor of the East Bank Football Association (EBFA) Under-11 League, Ralph Green has made a timely donation of gear to the Tucville Secondary. On Wednesday last, Green who is based in the USA and on a short visit home, handed over the equipment to Headmistress of the school, Ms. Carolyn Fraser.

Green disclosed that HM Fraser has been keeping a close watch on what has been happening on the East Bank and decided to approach him for assistance for the school team which he readily agreed to.

Receiving the items on behalf of the school was one of the teachers, Ms. McCalmon who assists with coaching the school’s teams. The equipment donated were one dozen balls, 24 training bibs, 12 spot markers, 75 training discs, 4 captain’s armbands, 1 mesh ball bag and 1 equipment bag.

Ms. McCalmon seen receiving some of the equipment from Ralph Green in the presence of HM Fraser and students of the Tucville School.

West Indies First-Class Championships

Guyana vs Belize Defiant unbeaten 79 from 50 Days to go Mohammed keep Red Force afloat

DaSilva (49), Solozano (45), Khan (40*) help host to 222 lead

By Sean Devers in Trinidad In association with Lifetime Real Estate, Cascadia Hotel and Star Party Rental A defiant unbeaten halfcentury from Jason Mohammed and 40s from Joshua DaSilva and Jeremy Solozano provided some hope for T&T’s Red Force when the second day of their sixth round West Indies First-Class Championship against leaders Guyana Jaguars ended at the Queen’s Park Oval yesterday.

The 32-year-old Mohammed reached his 12th First-Class half-century and is unbeaten on 79 from 191 balls with eight boundaries and has featured in a 134 unfinished sixth wicket stand with Imran Khan who is undefeated on 40 from 92 balls with three fours as the Red Force, 42 in arrears, reached 264-5 by the close, enjoying a lead of 222 runs.

The 20-year-old DaSilva, who made 49 from 123 balls with seven fours, added 84 with 23-year-old Solozano, who faced 89 balls and reached the ropes seven times in his 45 to give the Red Force their best opening start of the season as the Jaguars spent the entire day on the field.

Left-arm pacer Bajan Raymon Reifer has so far taken 2-32, while pacer Kemo Paul and left-arm s p i n n e r s Ve e r a s a m m y Permaul and Gudakesh have taken a wicket each so far.

Scores: Red Force 108 & 264-5, Jaguars 150.

Red Force resumed their second innings on 13-0 in bright sunshine on a good track and DaSilva cut Paul for four, while the elegant Solozano spanked Paul behind point and hooked a no-ball for consecutive boundaries. DaSilva stroked Romario Shepherd for four while the left handed Solozano hooked Paul, in middle of a hostile spell, for a boundary as the opening stand began to take shape on the heavy outfield.

Jason Mohammed hit a defian t fifty at the Oval yesterday.

DaSilva played the supporting role as Solozano hit Pestano for a couple of boundaries before squaredriving left arm spinner Veerasammy for four.

The 84-run opening stand was finally broken when Solozano, T&T’s leading run scorer this season including scores of 80 & 41 against Leewards and 104 against the Windwards, fell five short of his fourth fifty when Raymon Reifer trapped him LBW. Tion Webster (8) pulled a long-hop from Permaul past mid-on for four before he was removed by Motie at 952.Skipper Denish Ramdin, the team’s most experienced batsman with 15 First-Class

tons with four of them scored at Test level, joined DaSilva and whipped Paul off his legs for four and by Lunch the Red Force were 107-2 with DaSilva on 39 and Ramdin on nine. After (Continued on page 29 )

rt o p S

West Indies grind frustrated England to build lead P. 29

Kraigg Brathwaite made a patient 49 before turning Moeen Ali to short leg just after lunch ©Getty Images

Windies seal series Over 40 entrants behind Campbelle, confirmed for Dottin efforts

GMRSC’s endurance round 1 P. 30

P.28

tomorrow’s meet

Motilall Deodass’ Motor Trend Toyota Startlet.

Top-scorer Shemaine Campbelle plays through the on-side during her 41 in the second T20 International yesterday.

P.28

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