Friday January 05, 2018
There doesn’t appear to be much room for optimism DEAR EDITOR, The new year of 2018 has already dawned. As is customary, expectations are high that the new year will be better than the preceding years. Regrettably, there does not appear to be much room for optimism both at the international level and national levels. At the international level, the ongoing tension between the United States and North Korea continue to cast a dark shadow over the prospects for world peace. There seems to be no solution to the Syrian crisis, as tens of thousands of people continue to seek refugee status in Europe, even at great risk to them and their families. There are also the humanitarian crises in Myanmar, Yemen and South Sudan which have resulted in the deaths of an untold number of men, women and children and the displacement of millions. The decision by President Trump to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to East
Jerusalem in the latter part of this year has only served to inflame an already volatile situation in the Middle East. At the national level, the closure of several sugar estates and the dismissal of thousands of sugar workers will certainly go down as one of the darker moments in the life of this nation. There is the decision by President Granger to unilaterally appoint a new Chairman of GECOM after having rejected a total of eighteen names submitted by the Opposition Leader which also will rank among the defining moments of 2017. Several campaign promises by the administration have failed to see the light of day including constitutional reforms, crime reduction, substantial salary increases for the nation's public servants, in particular teachers and nurses, and by no means least, a more participatory and inclusive governance mechanism. The fiasco in the last sitting of Parliament and the suspension of an Opposition
Member of Parliament by the Speaker will be remembered down the corridors of time. On a more positive note, there is the disclosure by government of the Exxon Mobil contract and the projected revenues amounting to millions of United States dollars which hopefully will enter the national coffers in the foreseeable future. One hopes that the benefits from oil will not be siphoned off by a privileged few, but will redound to the benefit of all Guyanese, in particular our pensioners and those in their twilight years. A one-off bonus to our pensioners in 2018 could be a timely and rewarding gesture of goodwill by the administration to its most deserving citizens who would have contributed in one way or the other to the national patrimony. A part of the pre-signing bonus would be more than adequate to meet this expenditure. I take this opportunity to wish all Guyanese, “A Happy and Productive New Year”. Hydar Ally
Why should the President look beyond these two legal luminaries? DEAR EDITOR, During the 2015 Elections Campaign, the present Government made multitudinous promises to the populace, particularly to the younger generation of Guyana. The youths were also encouraged to vote for APNU+AFC by the groups that campaigned. They dubbed it “Vote Like A Boss.” Those groups also alluded to the youths that the PPP is afraid of them, since they live together in harmony. The young people certainly helped to cause an election victory for the APNU+AFC. Since assuming office, the APNU+AFC government has sidelined and lost sight of the young people. This is evident in almost all of their appointments. We are now at a juncture where we need to confirm the appointments of the Chancellor of the Judiciary and the Chief Justice. President David Granger, instead of appointing persons who would have served Guyana all their lives, is searching for people out of Guyana. According to the media, the person tipped to be the Chancellor of the Judiciary is Guyana-born Belizean Chief Justice, Kenneth Benjamin. At present, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Justice Roxanne GeorgeWiltshire are performing the functions of Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary and Acting Chief Justice, respec-
tively. These two individuals are well respected throughout Guyana and are prominent in their field of work. They are persons who, after completing their studies, returned to Guyana and have become legal luminaries. In addition, they are two women who have excelled in a profession dominated by men, reaching two dignified positions of the Judicial System in Guyana. Now, our president wants to overlook them and choose someone of his preference. At the time when the president appointed two members of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), in accordance with Article 134 of the constitution, he stated that the Commission is a constitutionally established body, which holds the authority to make appointments and remove and exercise disciplinary control over persons holding or acting in such offices. “The ‘Commission’ is the guardian of judicial autonomy. It is the defender of its independence. It is the protector of its integrity and impartiality… The JSC upholds the independence of the judiciary. It ensures by its diligence that judicial appointees possess the attributes and embody the personal values, which make them capable and willing to resist being influenced by improper partisan and personal interests.” The President also said
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that the JSC is intended to insulate judicial appointments from political partisanship and personal and other biases, while ensuring that recommendations for appointments of judicial officers flow from a dispassionate and objective process, and are based on clearly defined criteria applied (Continued on page 6)
Seriously now… DEAR EDITOR, I am responding to Ms. Gillian Burton-Persaud on the assumption that the remarks attributed to her in the Saturday December 23 edition of the Kaieteur News, under the caption ‘Gov’t needs to take tourism more seriously’ are a true and accurate reflection of her statements. Also, the statements made, directly refer to the period of time of my stewardship as Director General in the Department of Tourism, and as such, I am very close to the issues addressed (or mentioned) by Ms. BurtonPersaud. The most charitable inference that I draw from the statements of the honourable MP is that tourism is a sector that needs to be regarded with seriousness at every national level because of its ‘potential economic benefits.’ With that few would take issue. However, a number of murky and inaccurate assertions follow, that weaken the quality of the contribution of the honourable MP. These I shall address in detail. Possibly with more of an interest in light-hearted banter rather than truth, Ms. Burton-Persaud asserts that “the only bird watching is along the East Coast with the men standing at the corner with their bird cages.” Local Birding enthusiasts/ guides such as Wally Prince, Ron Allicock, Nadir Allie, Gary Sway, Andy Narine and Luke Johnson, with their birding tours to the Botanic Gardens, up the Mahaica and Abary rivers, Iwokrama, Karanambu, Sloth Island, Canje creek, just
to name a few, must be aghast and mortified at such an utterance in Parliament. There are colleagues of Ms. Gillian Burton-Persaud on the Opposition benches who know better than she asserts in her presentation. With another broad sweep of the brush, the honourable Member declares “Eco-tourism, adventure tourism, community-based tourism, wildlife, sports tourism, yachting, heritage and cultural tourism were all initiatives in the 2015 Budget, but again, nothing happened.” In other words, Ms. Gillian Burton-Persaud would have us believe that for the past two years our green destination attractions were neither marketed and promoted internationally nor visited; that yachts have stopped coming; that a Sports Tourism initiative that produced a Sports Tourism Guide and influenced the very successful Pan-Am Hockey tournament in October never happened; or that the communities of Surama and Warapoka have been slumbering in hammocks and not hosting tourists, as indeed they have been; or that Guyana was not declared ‘among the 12 emergent travel destinations in 2016’ by Business Insider. One continues to be astonished. In similar loose vein, the honourable MP reminds us that “There was $329M set aside for tourism in 2017. It was intended to fund the implementation of the National Tourism Policy; promote the Guyana Shield as a
tourism production; strengthen Diaspora relations; develop and exploit tourism opportunities and intensify training in hospitalities.” The implementation of the Tourism Policy is not a project that ends in calendar year 2017 rather it is a 5-year Policy that sets the parameters within which tourism development would take place. Tourism in the Guiana Shield (and please bear in mind the soon to be signed Tourism Accord between Guyana and Suriname), Diasporic Tourism (do ask the Guyanese-Canadians about the recently formed GuyanaCanada Tourism Council) and Hospitality Training (land finally identified for the Hospitality School) are some of the aspects addressed in the Policy document. Editor, I have spent more time than I intended on the statements of the honourable MP, but I do believe that being serious about tourism obliges us to be as close as we can to the truth and the realities as they exist and unfold on the ground. Parliamentary privilege in no way weakens or diminishes that responsibility. Further, this critique will indeed strengthen the commitment of the Department of Tourism and the Guyana Tourism Authority to deliver the kind of Destination Guyana envisaged by the National Tourism Policy. Donald Sinclair Director General Department of Tourism
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Govt. to find $5B to pay severed Selling propaganda through public sugar workers - Agri. Minister relation blitzes is a failed method DEAR EDITOR, Please allow me space in the letter columns to express concern as well as to educate your readers about the level of misinformation being peddled by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure as it relates to the “successes” of this Ministry. The undisputed fact is that since the APNU+AFC Granger-led Administration assumed office, no new transformational or major infrastructural project has been undertaken. All that has been reported are projects started by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Administration pre-May 2015, and in some instances, funding mobilised awaiting contract awards for execution. Let me, specifically, refer to a number of projects, such as: The Cheddi Jagan International Airport, the East Bank four-lane highway, the West Coast Demerara road (VreedEn-Hoop to Ruby), the East Coast four-lane highway and upgrade (Betterhope to Belfield), the East Bank Berbice Road, the Sheriff St./ Mandela Avenue upgrade, the road link between East Coast and East Bank, the
Guyana Power and Light power utility upgrade project GPL’s PUUP (funded by the EU/IDB), new ferry to be funded by India, the Linden to Lethem Road and the Kurupukari Crossing. These are all projects that were in the pipeline at different stages. Therefore, I urge all Guyanese not to be fooled by the propaganda lines and sound bites being peddled by the current Administration. The New Demerara River Crossing was at the pre-feasibility stage when the PPP/C demitted office in May 2015. The country is now aware that the feasibility study was sole sourced, even after more than a dozen firms submitted bid proposals, responding to a public advertisement. How this is possible, only the Ministry of Public Infrastructure knows. Maintenance of roads and bridges, highways, streetlights, ferry vessels, interior airstrips, wharfs and stellings and river and sea defences are all routine tasks of this Ministry, and in some instances, these declared programmes were not executed, as confirmed by the Minster when he declared a
73% completion of the capital projects for 2017. Yet, the Ministry is claiming a highly successful year. Editor, a Government collects taxes and is expected to provide goods and services to its citizens. It is obvious that the APNU+AFC Government specialises in the collecting of taxes and is still learning how to deliver goods and services to the taxpayers. This unscrupulous approach of selling propaganda through public relation blitzes is a failed method that is seen and experienced by all Guyanese. It is in this environment of boast by the Minister of Public Infrastructure that Guyanese are yet to be assured of the short-term, medium-term, or even a workable long-term solution, to ensuring cheap reliable and renewable electricity. We all suffered the indignities of constant blackout during the entire year and even during the festive season, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Guyanese deserve more, so we demand more of this Administration. Bishop Juan Edghill, PPP/C MP
Why should the President look... (From page 5) in assessing the appropriateness of appointees. “The JSC is the custodian of the values and standards of ethical and legal probity by judges and judicial officials. The JSC must zealously ensure that the personal conduct of judges does not bring the judicature into disrepute. It must preserve and protect the system’s integrity.” Editor, it is my understand-
ing that the JSC nominates persons to fill vacancies within the Judicial System, and that the President appoints those persons to fill the positions they were nominated for. However, for the substantive posts of Acting Chancellor and Chief Justice, the President appoints the nominees after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition. Article 127 of the Constitution states, “The Chancellor and
the Chief Justice shall each be appointed by the President, acting after obtaining the agreement of the Leader of the Opposition". Mr. Granger, in keeping with the constitution, had consultations with the Leader of the Opposition before appointing the current acting Chancellor and acting Chief Justice. Why should the President search for others when he and the Opposition Leader already agreed to have these two legal luminaries? Why doesn't he just confirm them in their positions? We may never know why. Ashan Bacchus
- Berbice Chamber suggests lands for former employees
The Minister interacting with the private sector yesterday. By Malisa Playter- Harry The Central Corentyne Chamber together with other business people of the private sector met, yesterday, with the Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder at Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice to iron out several issues that are of concern to them. One of the pivotal points in the meeting was discussions on the recent termination of 4,000 sugar workers in Berbice. President of Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce, Mohamed Raffik, told the Minister that the decision to hand out letters of termination to the workers "is very callous". When asked about the severance pay promised by the government, Minister Holder said that the Minister of Finance is presently "scraping to find the money" to be paid to the laid off sugar workers at the ending of January. He explained that an estimated $5B has to be found for the severance payments. Raffik stressed: "The government is not the private sector. If I have a business and it is not making money I will close it but the government has been voted to run the country. Financial consideration or profitability is important, but it's not the only criterion the government has to look at. The government is not
a businessman like us and could close a business.” He was at the time referring to the closure of the estates throughout the country, particularly in Berbice where several hundreds of sugars workers are now jobless. He said that the Chamber met with the Minister of Finance some time ago and suggested to the Minister that instead of closing the estates, to move along the line of privatisation. "You just can't send home 4,000 people and you have no solid alternative. The thing that bothered me very much was that nobody had the guts, no senior person had the inclination to meet with these people and tell them what it is.” Raffik said he was disappointed with how Government went about the decision. He added that the option of lands being distributed to the laidoff workers should have been an alternative by the Government. "Government should open up more lands so that more farming can be done, more people can plant rice, cash crops but everyone is talking about lands the government needs to invest in Berbice to open more lands. I don't even know the government’s plans for these workers. What the government is going to do to create more employment in Region 6." In response to Raffik, Minister Holder said that over $16 Billion had to be pumped into GuySuCo to pay wages and salaries. "All the money that GuySuCo is earning, about
Mohammed Raffik $90B per year, was not sufficient to pay these wages and salaries, it was terrible. So after we had a look at the Board and we saw that these factories were selling at a lower rate than they were producing we had to rationalise and decide to keep three estates," Holder said. He said that it was not a decision made right away to have the estates closed but the GuySuCo management had met on several occasions with the workers during 2017 and had informed them of the decision and what is likely to take place. The Minister revealed that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority has since taken on the responsibility of all the drainage that GuySuCo was handling along with the staff in that area of skill. The Community Centres and its staff were all absorbed at the Ministry of Communities while the health centres and its staffer were absorbed by the Ministry of Public Health. "So these are things that were done, the government is acting responsible,” Holder insisted. Almost 4,000 sugar workers from the Rose Hall, Skeldon and Enmore Estates were handed redundancy letters making the end of December as the last day of work. The meeting was organised by the Prime Minister's Regional Representative of Berbice, Gobin Harbhajan.
Friday January 05, 2018
Strategic UG courses to aid integrated delivery of health care In order to improve and expand its services, the health sector is in need of an integrated approach to execute its mandate of health care delivery. For this reason, the University of Guyana [UG] has been looking to introduce a number of programmes to lend to this approach. It was with this in mind that a Psychology Programme was recently launched by the national university. It is offering certificate, diploma and degree programmes. But according to the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Emanuel Cummings, one of the most enterprising programmes that UG has introduced in recent years might be its Medical Rehabilitation programme. Under the Medical Rehabilitation umbrella, students are offered courses in Physiotherapy, Speech and Language Therapy, and Occupational Therapy. Although a number of individuals have started to apply for the Medical Rehabilitation programme, Dr. Cummings said that the majority have been gravitating to Physiotherapy and Speech and Language Therapy. Some persons have started to take interest in the Occupational Therapy aspect. This resulted in the university graduating, at its 51st Convocation ceremony last November, its inaugural batch of Occupational Therapist. “That was the first batch of Occupational Therapy graduates in the history of the University of Guyana,” said a beaming Dr. Cummings yesterday. He said that while the other areas of Medical Rehabilitation are very important too, Occupational Therapy is increasingly being recognised as an imperative in the health system. He explained that the Occupational Therapist is a trained individual who has the capacity to attend to patients with mental instabilities. Such persons can work independently or in conjunction with a Psychiatrist to provide support to patients with mental health issues, Dr. Cummings explained. “Their [Occupational Therapists] role is to help nurture patients back to mental stability. Even if they are
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Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Emanuel Cummings institutionalised, the Occupational Therapist can provide that additional support which could help to integrate them back into a normal life...they can teach them a craft or some sporting activity so that they can regain their capacity to be normal human beings,” Dr. Cummings underscored. “This integrated approach to health care is important. We are accustomed to if you are sick or you have a disability you go to the nurse or doctor but that was the traditional, old primary health care thing. The whole concept of primary health care today is that health care is more holistic...There are other levels of professionals who are just as important; there are several more health care professionals that could contribute to the wellbeing of a patient,” the Health Sciences Dean ascertained. Even as he expressed the need for the integrated approach, Dr. Cummings sought to explain that while a doctor is often the professional tasked with making diagnoses he/she requires support from other health professionals to do so. “He needs results from the personnel in the laboratory, who do the x-rays, and ultrasounds to come up with a diagnosis. A diagnosis can’t be done in isolation...so there is need to expand the services offered, to be more efficient and effective in delivering health care.” When questioned about the Medical Rehabilitation
programme last year, Dr. Cummings said that although the applicants were few, it is still very relevant. The programme was first introduced as a general Rehabilitation Services Degree but the university with the support of the American Speech-Language- Hearing Association [ASHA] was able to apply some modification touches. Under the broad heading of Medical Rehabilitation, the Rehabilitation Services courses are coordinated by Dr. Shaine Villareal of the Philippines. The programme has also gained immense support from Peace Corp Guyana which has been bringing to Guyana very experienced professionals to assist with lecture sessions. Also local doctors who were trained in Cuba, and elsewhere, have been lending lecture support in addition to other trained professionals within the public health sector. Previously, the Health Ministry offered rehabilitation programme training courses at the certificate level. The certificate courses were offered for a period of 18 months and allowed persons to be trained in the various areas of rehabilitation services. Once completed these individuals were qualified at the Assistant level and employed within the public health sector throughout the country. However, with the higher level training at UG, the health sector is now in a position to recruit more qualified persons to cater for its delivery of rehabilitation services, according to Dr. Cummings.
Chicken smuggling ring busted Enforcement officials of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) yesterday reportedly seized a container of what is believed to be smuggled chicken. A truck was also confiscated and a number of Customs Officers stationed in Berbice are likely to face the axe over the incident. According to officials, information was received that the container filled with chicken was heading to the city. GRA’s enforcement arm got into action, dispatching a team. The container was stopped and inside the officials found about 1,000 of the 40-pound boxes of chicken. The consignment came from Suriname. What the enforcement officials found strange was that while there were Customs seals on the container, there were no corresponding documents that suggest that the necessary duties and taxes were paid. The truck, container and the driver were all taken into custody. Investigators believe that there was collusion. The Berbice-based Customs Officers, Kaieteur News was told, are all facing termination if it is found that they were involved. Officials, while not disclosing details of the players, indicated that from all indications they have busted a major chicken-smuggling operation. While Guyana has a number of large chicken farms, and a number of smaller, satellite operations, it has been disclosed that a number of individuals have been granted licences also for the importation of chicken.
- Berbice Customs Officers face the axe as container seized
The seized container and the truck of smuggled chicken
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Kaieteur News
Guyana has 30-50 million cubic feet of natural gas - Patterson Government remains intent on developing the natural gas business, Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson has insisted. Writing in response to letter writer, engineer Charles Sohan, in Kaieteur News yesterday, Patterson, however, was quick to point out that the administration is careful and will not be going the way of other countries which utilises gas flaring. Gas flaring is critical to burn off unwanted gas but the technology has been criticised as having significant negative impact on the environment. Neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago utilises gas flaring as is evident from huge stacks that have flames burning day and night in that TwinIsland Republic. In clarifying a number of points raised by Sohan, the Minister who is part of the Government team of Cabinet members overseeing the developing of the oil and gas industry in Guyana disclosed that indeed the administration is exploring the commercial use and development of natural gas. The current assessments being done are both for downstream power generation through the development of
Minister David Patterson a new power generation facility- and as a medium to longterm investment opportunity. “The latter is foreseen to be realised through the design and mapping of an industrial park in close proximity to this power generation facility,” Patterson said in his letter yesterday. He emphasised that these considerations are not based on a sole conceptual vision for the use of our resources. “…Rather, the Government of Guyana has been engaged in a number of studies directed towards the feasibility of bringing a pipeline onshore by assessing costs, economics, and implications
of this proposal, including, but not limited to, an analysis of the composition of the associated gas.” The official reiterated that Government envisions that any venture will have to complement the use of renewable energy as well as to strengthen the security of supply. “Accordingly, data that have been presented to the Government have already been evaluated. As such, the Government continues to explore this developmental opportunity through continued discussions and completion of ongoing studies in assessing the future use of this clean energy source, with the InterAmerican Development Bank and other entities.” Patterson said that in exploring the use of this associated gas, the Government has remained cognizant of its own environmental priorities. “Accordingly, I wish to reiterate that Guyana will not make use of gas flaring.” With regards to the amount of natural gas in the offshore concession that USowned ExxonMobil and its partners will start oil production in another two years time, Minister Patterson disclosed that it is estimated that the natural gas to be produced
An example of gas flaring in neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago.
daily is between 30-50M cubic feet “At this time, the Government remains focused on continuing developmental work based on a specific location for the landing of the pipeline and endorses creation of investment opportunities that are in good faith, underscored by our principles of national sovereignty over the use of our resources.” Research states that Russia and Nigeria as the two largest emitters of flare gas, with the United States a rapidly expanding newcomer to the club. According to
www.resilience.org, in an ideal world this associated gas would be sold to consumers or it would be used to generate power and then resold as electricity. “But this requires costly investment into pipelines, power plants, and other infrastructure. Therefore, in practice, some oil producers opt to sell the oil and burn the gas. This is known as gas flaring. Every year, approximately 140150 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas is flared into the atmosphere. According to calculations by the World Bank, that’s equivalent to three quarters of
Russia’s gas exports, or almost one third of the European Union’s gas consumption.” ExxonMobil and its partners are estimating about three billion barrels of oil in the offshore concession located about 100 miles from the shores of Guyana. With examples of best practices and harsh lessons to be learnt from other oil producing countries, the scrutiny on the current oil and gas development process have seen numerous questions raised for the current administration which is now venturing into uncharted waters.
Nand Persaud to take bigger bite of Cuban rice market Good news is on the horizon for Guyana’s rice industry which bounced back in 2017 with an approximate 12.7 percent increase in output when compared to 2016. Nand Persaud and Company established a business relationship with Cuba, shipping rice there during 2017 and is expected to acquire a larger share of the Cuban market this year. This is estimated at 75,000 tonnes as disclosed by Guyana’s Ambassador to Cuba, Halim Majeed. “Hence their consideration of establishing a rice milling plant at Port Mariel [Cuba] and as I understand it, this will not only produce
Guyana’s Ambassador to Cuba, Halim Majeed rice for Cuba but for export to other Central American countries,” disclosed Ambassador
Majeed to the Department of Public Information. The Ambassador noted too that the company has indicated to Cuban authorities of their intent to set up a warehouse and a fertilizer blending plant. There are some other initiatives, which the Ambassador said are in the embryonic stages. The improvement in rice yield for 2017 was due mainly to an additional 14,000 hectares planted for that year’s spring crop and a further 74,481 hectares planted in the autumn crop. These developments, according to the Government, were attributed to farmers’ renewed confidence in their ability to access new markets. The private sector’s attendance at the Havana International Fair, in Cuba, in the latter part of 2017 also helped to further stimulate investment in the industry.
Friday January 05, 2018
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There will be no agreement The Guyana Chronicle, the mouthpiece of the ruling coalition, has suddenly and very timely reported that Justice Roxanne George, the acting Chief Justice, did not apply for the position when it was advertised. This is how the Chronicle is trying to justify her nonnomination for the post of Chief Justice. If the facts as reported by the government’s mouthpiece are true, then, if the President has his way, the Chancellor will be Mr. Kenneth Benjamin and the Chief Justice will be the present acting Chancellor, Justice Edwards- Cummings. It is inexcusable that the incumbent acting Chief Justice is not even under considerations for the post of Chief Justice. In which part of the world, is an incumbent not considered for a position? It could hardly be that the acting Chief Justice would not be interested in being confirmed in the job. Why would she have accepted the position of acting Chief Justice, in the first place, if she were disinclined to not be confirmed in the job? The Guyana Chronicle has the perfect excuse as to why she is being overlooked. It
says that she did not apply for the job when it was advertised. If this fact is true, then the acting Chief Justice was quite in order not to have applied. A search committee was unconstitutionally established and persons were asked to send their applications to an email which is based at the Ministry of the Presidency, the seat of Executive Authority. It was improper to have asked persons to submit applications for consideration by a search committee which has no constitutional standing when it comes to the appointment of the two top judicial posts of the land. It is quite alarming that no one within the judicial arm of the State has seen the impropriety of the Executive arm of the State establishing a search committee for the top judicial posts and for persons being invited to apply to an email address which is sourced to the Executive arm of the State. Reports in the media indicate that the President held a consultation with the Leader of the Opposition on this issue on Wednesday January 3, 2017. Reports further indicate that the Leader of the Oppo-
sition requested more time to undertake a due diligence of the names submitted. It should be asked whether the government undertook its own due diligence before the President made his nominations. The President and the government found themselves in an awkward situation after certain things were uncovered about the President’s choice for another constitutional post. The Leader of the Opposition has been most astute in asking for time to do his due diligence. If he digs up any dirt on any of the nominees, the President will find himself embarrassed and discredited, again. It would be interesting to learn if the government undertook its own due diligence on its nominees. This surely could not have been the responsibility of the search committee which would have only been asked to shortlist persons who had applied for the positions of Chancellor and Chief Justice. Even if the Leader of the Opposition does not find anything adverse about the nominees, it is not likely that the Leader of the Opposition will agree to any of the nominees
Remorseful taxi driver jailed for granny’s death A remorseful taxi driver was late yesterday afternoon brought to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and was then sentenced to four years’ imprisonment for causing the death of elderly woman who was struck and killed a few days ago on Brickdam. Kenneth Johnson, 35, of Lot 534 ‘A’ Field Sophia, pleaded guilty to the charge which alleged that on January 2, on Brickdam, he drove motorcar PLL 2838 in a manner dangerous to the public causing the death of 73-yearold Joycelyn Joseph. It was further alleged that on the same day and at the same location, he drove motorcar PLL 2838 for a purpose other than what it is licensed for. The unrepresented man when given a chance to address the court stated, “I went and drop off some goods at the Teachers’ Training College where I work.” Facts presented by Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore stated that on the day in question, about 04:30 hrs Johnson was driving motorcar PLL 2838 and was proceeding east along Brickdam. The court heard that Johnson approached the intersection at Winter Place and
- fined for working private car as a taxi
Jailed: Kenneth Johnson Brickdam, which at the time was being controlled by traffic lights. The court was told that Johnson approached the intersection and on seeing the traffic light seconds counting down, he increased speed to cross the intersection. While on Brickdam, the now dead woman was attempting to cross the road and Johnson hit her. Prosecutor Moore added that after the collision, Joseph was thrown into the air and landed on the roadway. The car then ran over the woman and dragged her 147 feet and as a result her left leg was amputated and ended up on the southern side of Brickdam Public Road. The
accused then continued to drive some 207 feet from the elderly woman’s body. The woman was then rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where she was pronounced dead on arrival. A post-mortem examination conducted on the woman showed that she died as a result of multiple injuries due to motor vehicle accident. Johnson stated, “My condolence to the relatives of the dead woman. It was not a wilful act. The road was clear and all I could remember seeing was a shadow in front of me. If I been see anybody at the roadside, I would have stop and wait because I does normally stop and allow them people to cross the road. The road was dark; I’m sorry.” The accused who works at ‘Swift cab’ taxi service pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that he used a private car to work taxi. A Traffic officer testified into the matter and the court found the accused guilty of the charge. He was fined $10,000 or in default, serve four weeks’ imprisonment. The sentences will run concurrently.
of the President. Not that he has anything against these persons or that he questions their ability. Not at all…! Rather, it must be understood that the PPPC, after the fiasco involving the appointment of the Chairman of GECOM, is in a mood of distrust towards the President. They are not going to forget what went before. They are not going to allow what happened in the past to go without an appropriate response. A response would be not to approve any shortlists of the President.
The President must be dreaming if he believes that the Leader of the Opposition, who is also the General Secretary of the PPPC, is going to simply endorse the President’s nominees. This is not going to happen. The President cannot do as he pleases when it comes to the appointment of the Chairman of GECOM and then expect it will be business as usual, with the opposition, when it comes to the appointment of a substantive Chancellor and Chief Justice. The acting Chief Justice
and acting Chancellor will continue to act until 2020. There will be no agreement on the substantive appointments. Jagdeo is not going to be made a fool by the President. He will play him just like how he was played in relation to the appointment of the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission.
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East Coast Road expansion advances
K/News staffer accuses cops of extortion… Charges recommended eight months ago but corrupted ranks continued to roam free
Road works being conducted at Better Hope, E.C.D. The works for the East Coast Demerara Road Widening and Improvement Project which commenced last year August is expected to be completed in August 2019. As the expansion project progresses, road users are being urged to remain patient, a government statement urged. The project focuses on the widening of the roadway into four lanes between Better Hope and Annandale and thereafter, an asphaltic concrete surface upgrade to Belfield. Twenty-six structures will be widened to accommodate
the four-lane road and two bridges will be reconstructed. In addition, 11 traffic light signals will be installed along the busy intersections. There will also be street lights, road safety signs and other speed reduction devices installed along the roadway. The Coordinator, Works Services Group, Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Geoffrey Vaughn, explained that while the Ministry recognises that there will be more traffic congestion, it is crucial that the road upgrades be completed. “We just want the public
to know that in the process of the road upgrade, there may be problems. Sometimes, not all the time, but when the project is completed persons will be able to travel better and utilise the road in a safer manner,” Vaughn explained. Preparatory works along the road such as the construction of side drains and placement of retaining structures have been completed. The ongoing works are currently being conducted between Better Hope and Beterverwagting. Vaughn said the scope of the exercise includes construction of reinforced con-
crete drains, widening of the road, sand filling, the placement of mix loom and white sand and trial mixes of crusher-run in some sections of the road. He added, “The contractor is on target; we are progressing and the consultancy is on the ground to ensure quality control of the materials used and that traffic is managed as best as possible.” Vaughn remarked that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure is confident when this project is completed, it will assist in the reduction of traffic congestion, reduce travel time, and reduce vehicle operating cost. Implementation of the state-of-the-art road safety features will assist in the reduction of road accidents. In 2016, the government and the People’s Republic of China signed a US$45.5M concessional loan for the completion of the widening of the road between Better Hope and Belfield. Guyana has contributed $2.7B towards the project.
Charges are still to be laid, more than eight months after the Chairman of the Guyana Police Force (GPF)’s Complaints Authority; Justice Cecil Kennard, recommended charges for five ranks who extorted money from the late Kaieteur News staffer, Harry Brijmohan. The incident happened on August, 17, 2016 at Red Road, Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD). Brijmohan was stopped for riding without a helmet. While the ranks have all denied stopping or seeing the victim, video footage of the incident—clearly showing the 27-year-old being stopped and his motorcycle placed at the back of a police vehicle--was presented to investigators at the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). With all the evidences presented, it is unclear why the police are taking so long with this case. Reports are that charges were recommended for the ranks by both the OPR and the Police Complaints Authority. According to reports, the five policemen demanded that Brijmohan pay them $5000 despite him agreeing for them to write him a ticket. They reportedly threatened that if he refused to pay, he would be dumped in the lockups for three days without anyone knowing his whereabouts. There has been much back and forth in this case. Brijmohan died in an accident on the Houston, East Bank Demerara Public Road, more than three months after the report was made and charges are yet to be laid. Kaieteur News was informed that the file was sent to the Police Complaints Authority on March 21, 2017. Recommendation was made and the file had to be uplifted from Kennard’s office in June
Harry Brijmohan 2017 and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department. It is unclear if the file was uplifted. A source at OPR had indicated that even though Brijmohan passed away, the ranks can still be charged and placed before the court. Giving details of the allegation before his passing, Brijmohan had indicated that the ranks searched him, demanded his documents, and then informed him that they had to charge him and place him before the court, despite his offence being one that required him being given a ticket. He was told that he could have only made a phone call after 72 hours. ”One of them tell me that I should have ride away, that his gun rusty because long he ain’t use it,” Brijmohan had recounted. The Kaieteur News staffer was only allowed to continue his journey home when the policemen demanded that he give them $5000. When Brijmohan’s experience with the lawmen made the news the Office of Professional Responsibility launched an investigation. Before Brijmohan died, he had made contact with ranks investigating the case almost daily, but never got any positive response.
Kaieteur News
PAGE 14
Garbage removal to get underway today
R
esidents in Georgetown can now not only breathe a sigh of relief, but also fresh air, given that the two major solid waste contractors in Guyana had their service contracts renewed yesterday after meeting with officials from the Mayor and City Council. Mayor of Georgetown, Patricia Chase-Green, while delivering remarks at the Ministry of Communities' year-in-review, said that they were to meet with the Chairman of the Finance Committee and the Administrator of City Hall, in relation to “the way forward”. According to the Mayor, things are expected to be back to normal with the renewal of the contracts for Puran Brothers and Cevon's Waste Management. The parties are again expected to meet next week to further review the contracts, said the Mayor. She however noted some concerns over one aspect of the contract as it relates to the
payment plans. It was explained that the contract stipulates that the service charge can be paid after 90 days of the submission of the company's invoice. “Nothing is wrong with these flexibilities, cause now we have a better relationship,” she said. Added to that, the Mayor further explained that it is not on the agenda for the “cash to buildup”. The Mayor also took the opportunity to appeal to the residents to be more careful in the way they dispose of garbage since there are reports that they have been dumping articles, such as refrigerators in canals. Puran Brothers and Cevon's Waste Management had withdrawn their services from City Hall following its inability to pay over $300 million in bills. Central Government stepped in and was able to pay the companies off, due to the intense pile up of garbage. Over the past month, the companies had been collecting garbage under the
purview of Central Government. However, the arrangement under which the Government of Guyana financed the garbage disposal services to the capital came to an end on December 31, 2017. According to a statement that was sent out by Cevon's Waste Management, no contractual arrangement between itself and the Georgetown Municipality for garbage collection existed since August 2017. The Waste Management Company nonetheless stated that it stands altogether prepared to continue to serve the capital in the manner that it has done for several years. “ C e v o n ' s Wa s t e Management stands ready at a moment's notice to meet with the relevant City officials to engage in discourse that would result in a new agreement for garbage disposal that would be both reassuring and binding on the parties concerned. We believe, however, the objective observers would understand, and even embrace our position that it is altogether undesirable to provide the service which it does under conditions which, just recently, resulted in much difficulty for our capital.”
Friday January 05, 2018
Upgrades to Herstelling main access road underway Ongoing works on the Herstelling main access road
H
erstelling residents will s o o n b e traversing on an asphalt road as the Ministry of Public Infrastructure began upgrades to the community's main access road. The Ministry's Special Projects Unit (SPU) has commenced its 2018 work programme in the c o m m u n i t y, w i t h t h e construction of an asphaltic concrete road, designed to last for several years, a Government statement said. Foreman of the SPU, Marlon McRae, explained that due to the inclement w e a t h e r, w o r k s w e r e postponed. He noted that the
road was in a deplorable condition and it is the aim of the Ministry to bring relief to the residents in the community. “We were to come here two weeks ago but because of the weather we could not… but we are here now. We're scarifying, putting about four-inch crusher run and will do asphalt concrete,” Mc Rae explained. According to the residents, for over 10 years the road was not rehabilitated. Rafman Mohamed, a resident for 16 years, told DPI, “We were suffering a lot on this road here for many years. We had
gotten a road but not a proper road, when it rains it's like you riding a wave in the river up and down. The NDC wrote a letter to the Minister and we're thankful they accepted. It is a new year and we have a new road.” Joseph Bridgewater, who is new to the c o m m u n i t y, e x p r e s s e d gratitude for the rehabilitation exercise. “When this road is finished, more people will come to build houses here. This is one of the reasons why people are not building their houses here because of the access road, I am very happy the road is being completed,” he said. When completed, the road will be equipped with safety features such as road markings, pedestrian crossings, and reflectors. The upgrade exercise should be completed by the end of the week. This year, the SPU budgetary provision has increased to $1.5B, from $1.3B in 2017. The sum will be used for the continuation of the SPU's maintenance programme which will ensure that proper maintenance systems are in place when roads are constructed or rehabilitated.
Friday January 05, 2018
PAGE 21
Kaieteur News
C’tyne wedding house shooting...
'Rambo', 'Bara' surrender himself in but was waiting on his attorney to accompany him. In the initial story reported by this publication, one of the injured had relayed that the men were all armed when they arrived at the wedding house in Hampshire in two cars just around midnight
Tameshwar ' Rambo' Khemraj
Devendra 'Bara' Harricharran
The two suspects wanted in connection with the shooting of three men at a wedding house at Hampshire Village, Corentyne, Berbice have turned themselves over to authorities. Tameshwar 'Rambo' Khemraj, 31of Nigg Village, Corentyne, Berbice; and Devendra 'Bara' Harricharran, 31, of the same village both showed up at the Albion Police Station in the company of Attorney-at-law Mursaline Bacchus, yesterday morning. They were both wanted in the shooting of Samuel Samaroo, 28, a driver/salesman attached to Banks DIH
Ltd; Terry Ramsammy, a labourer of Hampshire Village; and Nicholas Beharry, also of Hampshire Village. A senior police source said that a confrontation was held between the victims and the accused yesterday. The suspects have since professed their innocence to the crime committed. Relatives of Khemraj are also claiming that he is innocent. His wife, mother, three-month old twin babies were all detained and kept overnight on Wednesday. 'Rambo' had reportedly made contact with the police stating that he will be turning
18-month-old toddler’s murder...
Uncle deemed mentally fit for PI Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan yesterday deemed Sherwin Roberts, fit to stand a Preliminary Inquiry (PI). Roberts allegedly buried his 18-month-old niece alive over a pair of earring. He had undergone months of being evaluated by Dr. Bhiro Harry, who is a psychiatrist, attached to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). This ruling comes after a psychiatric report ordered by the Magistrate was sent to the court. Roberts, also known as ‘Big Head’, of 60 ‘A’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, was not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleged that on September 1, last year, at Lot 98 North Sophia, he murdered Roshana Pilgrim. At the time, he was unemployed. On his first court appearance in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, the Chief Magistrate ordered that he undergo a psychiatric evaluation. Yesterday, when the matter was called before the Chief Magistrate, Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers who will be conducting the PI into the
Charged, Sherwin Roberts murder stated that the prosecution team will be calling 12 witnesses into the matter. He said that the file is completed. The matter was then adjourned until January 8 for the commencement of the PI. According to reports on the day in question, Roberts allegedly tossed his niece, Pilgrim, through a window of a shack where she and her under-aged siblings resided. He buried her alive in a shallow grave, after attempting to relieve her of a pair of gold earrings. Her body which was then covered with pieces of wood, mud and slush was pulled (Continued on page 22)
a few days ago. Khemraj and Harricharran were both identified by one of the injured men as shooters in the incident. It was revealed that the men showed up with a motive to shoot at them in a move influenced from an old grievance. Samuel Samaroo, one of
the injured men had explained that he saw 'Bara' standing with the gun in hand and at that moment he decided to make an attempt to un-arm him. A scuffle ensued between the two resulting in him being shot in the right arm. Meanwhile, relatives of Ramsammy told Kaieteur
News that he is still a patient at the New Amsterdam Hospital and is expected to spend another two weeks until recovery. Beharry was discharged three days ago and is in the comfort of his home recovering while Samaroo is also recovering.
PAGE 22
FOR RENT
SERVICES
FOR SALE
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620
LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY- $19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-2274754. Foxtail, Supari, Royal Palm @$1000, Crootons, Ashoka trees, potting soil @$800, Lawn grass, Exora, Ficus 4 for $1000 Tel: 6261044 Video games and consoles at affordable price. Repairs to video game system .Call:6722566/265-3231 1 BMW Car $1.7M 1 Cement mixer truck $2.9M 1 Bobcat $3.3M. House lots @ Blankenburg . Contact 6500402/603-1402. One- 113 KVA Olympian Genset 2.2M, One- 75 KVA Perkins/ Stamford enclosed Genset 2.5M #622-3940
Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana passport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 6267040; 265-4535. INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer-Call: 2310655; 683-8734. Omar Budhram’s Landscaping service” Free advice, free design, free after care, followup. 656-1326. Eagle’s: Re-gas –low prices, washing machine repairs, gas stove, plasma flat Screen, computer repairs & more. Call: 697-2969/646-0966 Installations, repairs and parts for AC, Fridge, Washing Machine, Stove etc: Call Nick 627-3206, 6301600. Xtreme Clean- Janitorial and Home Management Services. For washing, painting, renting and administrative services. Call: 216-3467. Repairs to refrigerators, gas stoves, A/C units, washing machines. Call Lindon: 6411086/ 694-2202
LAND FOR SALE Land of Canaan 1.2M, Grove 3.5M, Parafaite, Herstelling, Highway 34 acres Sophia 5.5M, Diamond 4.5M. GME 231-2199/618-7483. Parafaite Harmonie- $1M and $1.4M and $2.6M Uivlugt (100ft x 50ft) $2.6M Herstelling.Tel# 656-0701/6117223.
VEHICLE FOR SALE
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620 Newly built 3-bedroom apartment at lot 6 Water Street, Bagotstown, EBD. 683-9526/613-4582/ 612-7533 Vreed-en-hoop junction. Lessons place, storage bond, office, other. Call 6036400. 2 Bedroom bottom flat @ C Field,Sophia Tel: 619-0094. 1 Flat concrete house (Tiled, grilled,PVC ceiling) 3 bedroom, 1 self-contained room @ Parafaite Harmonie & Onderneerming, $50,000 monthly #662-6818. One three bedroom upstairs in Station street, Kitty, prefer one family. Contact: 627-6132. Bottom flat, two bedroom apartment in 19 Ave Diamond. Call: 647-6056. One 3 bedroom, single family located at Windsor Estate EBD (gated community). Furnished $2,500 US monthly. Contact 652-1234
EDUCATION
SALON Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. -CosmetologyCourses:$90,000 Nail Technician Course: $35,000. Call: 647-1773/688-0009
Allion, Primo, Fielder Wagon, Spacio, Bluebird, 212 Carina, NZE, Honda CRV, Toyota IST, RZ & Pit-bull – Call: 650-7501 One Toyota Fielder Yellow 1.2M One Toyota Spacio White 1.2M One Toyota Spacio Silver 1.2M One Toyota Noah 1.4M Tel: 6643488/611-6632. For sale-1- White Toyota Fielder 2010 unregistered Tel: 624-5650. Unregistered Axela 2011 dark interior, fully loaded, Nissan pickup extra cab. Call: 617-5536 One RZ minibus BRR series, mag rim ,cat eyes. $1.5. Tel: 668-9672, 686-9965.
Friday January 05, 2018
Kaieteur News
Register your child for after school classes for slow learners in Mathematics, Reading, Phonics, Spelling, etc. Call: 675-4379 St John First Aid/ CPR Course on Saturday, January 6th 2018 Cowan St. Kingston Call: 225-9082
PROPERTY FOR SALE South Aubrey Barker 100x100 9.5M Diamond 55M, 17M, Parafaite 27M, Supply river side 50x160 31M GME 231-2200/ 618-7483 TOLET Enmore Mall spaces available for a variety of business, car parking facilty. Call Richard 609-7675/ 6741705/233-2614. 2 bedroom apartment in Eccles 225-3234. LEARN TO DRIVE Ultraviolet driving school is offering a 6 days driving lesson for $7,500.Come and enjoy it! Tel: 602-2583
WANTED Drivers, dispatchers and contract cars Tel: 231-0002, 231-0316 1 experienced cook. Call: 226-0554/623-8654. 1 experienced diesel mechanic must have knowledge of welding. 1 labourer. Contact number: 220-2034/623-8078 Live in waitress to work in bar. Call: 604-6606/ 692-4649 1 Welder Arc & gas. 1830years. 643-9125,223-5595. Broad street, Georgetown One Industrial electrician. Phone: 682-2971 One (1) Driver/ Purchaser to work at a Mining firm in G/ Town. Contact #226-9768/6615307 or 615-6172 Security Guards to work in the interior with Mining firm. Age range 38-48. Contact#2269768/615-6172 One (1) Manager/Promotions Manager to work @ Hotel/ Club on Essequibo Coast. Accommodation & attractive salary. Contact: 226-9768/6156172 Experienced shop workers and handy man to work in the interior. Age 18 and older. 2310363 4am-4:30pm. One cashier, one secretary, attractive salary. Call: 2237165. Security guards, 1 heavy duty mechanic, 1 cashier, 1 filing clerk, 1 accounting clerk, 1 company secretary. Call: 6044149 Experienced drivers, Waiters, Roti & puri cook, apply with written application, Hacks Restaurant, 5 Commerce St. General domestic with cooking experience, ages 3045 Call 629-9450 Security Guards, ages 40-55 East Bank area preferable. Call 226-1100
CAR RENTAL DOLLY’SCARRENTAL-CALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM PROGRESSIVE CAR R E N TA L : S U V F O R RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL:6435122/656-0087, ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM
VACANCY For experience female accounts clerk. Apply in person at Alabama Trading 65 Robb St Bourda.
9-year-old girl battling for life after C’tyne accident Nine-year-old Christina Lakeram, a student of Number 68 Primary School, is battling for her life at the Georgetown Public Hospital. She was struck down yesterday along the Number 68 Public Road. Seenarine Shamlall, 25, the driver of motor car HC 7751, is now in police custody and his vehicle lodged at the Springlands Police Station. The driver tested zero for alcohol in his blood. Information gathered indicated that motorcar HC 7751
VACANCY Male factory worker, age 18 and above, must have working experience. For more info call: 223-0090 Salesperson/cashiers ages 2545 for general store on the East Coast. Call: 642-1141 Farm workers, maintenance workers, labours (@500 per hr) 265-3586. Two workers to work on a cow farm, must be able to milk and graze cows. Tel# 233-2049 Chef and assistant cook. Call: 225-7933 or visit us 172 Sheriff Street. General maintenance man, Ages 24-55. Address 233 South road, Tele# 225-0198 One customer service representative. Age 18 and over. Must have working experience, send application via email: humredes@gmail.com One receptionist, age 18 and over, must have working experience. Please send application via email: humresdes@gmail.com One Mechanic with sewing machine experience, age 25 and over, please send application via email: humresdes@gmail.com One maid to work in Atlantic Gardens, ECD, Live-in (optional) 638-5303, 227-7380.
Backhoe operator, wood mizer and edger operator, moulder operator. Call Richard 6097675/ 674-1705/233-2614. Urgently neededExperienced canter drivers & bond clerks. Call: 223-5020.
Vacancy exist for 1 female 2545 years to work @ Del Ice Co. Must have Maths, English & Accounts. Call 231-1408/642-9191. Cook/Baker & Kitchen Assistant for interior location. Applicants must be experienced. Call: 618-2020
Experienced Security Professionals. Must have 3 yrs. experience, past military/ security. Send resume & picture by email:. bvisecurityandinvestigators@gmail.com.
One Domestic to work 2 half day per week. #225-6571 1 Live-in domestic maid/ couple to work in Mahaicony river. Serious enquiries only. 655-9491/225-6571
Battling for life: Christina Lakeram was proceeding south at a fast speed rate when the pedestrian made a sudden dash from east to west into the path of the car when she was struck down. She was picked up in an unconscious state and taken to Skeldon Hospital where she was treated and referred the New Amsterdam Hospital. She was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital. Investigations are ongoing.
Uncle deemed... (From page 21) from the three foot deep muddy grave about an hour later. The grave was located just below the window through which her body was flung. The horrific series of actions took place after Roberts broke into his brother’s Lot 98 North Sophia, Georgetown home and savagely ripped a pair of gold earrings from the toddler’s ears. The children’s father, Ron Pilgrim, who works as a maintenance worker in the day and security at night, was at the time guarding someone’s property when his children were attacked by his younger brother, whom he described as a “bandit.” Roberts was recently released from prison. When arrested, he allegedly confessed to the police at the Prashad Nagar Police Station and stated that he was “high on weed”.
Friday January 05, 2018
PAGE 23
Kaieteur News
“Nest of vipers in City Hall must be cleaned out” - protesters demand dismissal of Mayor, Town Clerk The “Nest of vipers” in City Hall must be cleaned out, stated a protester just outside City Hall. He was part of the few who were continuing to picket the Mayor and City Council, while calling for their dismissal and arrest. The few concerned citizens together joined voices against the reinstatement of the corporal who sexually molested a teen, last August, while he was in custody for loitering. The protesters contended that, “(Mayor Patricia ChaseGreen) is accused of being negligent in reporting the rape to the police. She can do whatever she wants to do; that negligence will remain…” “It has taken her two months, 60 days, before they made any effort to report this matter to the police and the only reason this was done is because the press broke the story,” expressed Jonathan Yearwood. He and his confederates continued to make calls for the Mayor and the Town Clerk to be dismissed from their positions. Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan was the object of disrepute by the picketers for ordering, not only the complainant, but the perpetrator of the heinous crime to be reinstated. “How do you reinstate someone who is being accused of rape?” Sharing his views also was Don Singh. He said, “I agree with everything Jonathan just said… Corporal (The lance corporal) was charged with this exact same thing a year
before and he was let off a year before”. Singh shared the view that the corporal is a serial rapist who seems to have the necessary protection. Such action, as taken today, will continue, according to the protesters until justice is rightfully served. According to reports, the juvenile, of no fixed place of abode, was arrested on August 22, last year for loitering and placed on the prisoner’s bench at the Regent Street Enquiries Outpost at City Hall. He alleged that around 23:00 hrs, a male constable took over, and about 02:30 hrs, the constable woke him and told him to lie on his back, which he did. Shortly after, the male rank told him to stand by the washroom. Another rank then came in and requested a firearm, which the first rank handed over. The two men sat watching a movie for awhile. Eventually, the officer with the firearm left, while the other returned and unbuttoned the juvenile’s pants, placed a condom on the juvenile’s privates and let the teen have sex with him.
A section of yesterday’s picketers According to the teen’s statement, the officer who collected the firearm returned shortly after. The rank allegedly pointed to the teen and said that he would “speak to me seriously in the morning”. It was this same rank that stated that he saw the incident. He alleged that he was sitting at his desk when he heard someone moaning. He peeped through a vent and saw his colleague, a Lance Corporal, having sex with the prisoner. The rank then reported
the matter. According to the report seen by Kaieteur News, the accused confirmed that a juvenile was in custody while he was on duty. He said that at around 06:50 hrs the following day, he handed over duty to a woman constable. It was at around 11:30 hrs that he received a telephone call in which he was told of the allegation, and that he must report to the investigative section immediately. A report on the matter concluded that “the testimony of the rank should be
relied upon; due to the fact that the victim substantiated that he and Lance Corporal (name given) were involved in buggery.” “A confrontation was not done, since the VC did not return to the Investigation Section and numerous efforts were made to locate him but to no avail,” the report stated. “This is not the first time that Lance Corporal (name given) was accused of being involved in sexual activities with a juvenile in the Regent Street Outpost.
In fact, in 2016, he was accused of having sexual intercourse with a juvenile prisoner. At the time, the said Lance Corporal was in charge of the Regent Street Outpost. The matter was dropped because the victim decided not to pursue the matter.” The report also stated that checks in the City Constabulary station diary revealed that the rank who witnessed the act had not made an entry in the station diary. This was considered to be a breach of protocol.
PAGE 24
Friday January 05, 2018
Kaieteur News
FEWER FAMILY VISAS APPROVED AS TRUMP TOUGHENS VETTING OF IMMIGRANTS
NEW YORK (Reuters) President Donald Trump is ramping up calls on the U.S. Congress to stop legal immigrants from sponsoring extended family members who want to move to the United States, saying socalled “chain migration” poses a threat to national security. Even without legislative action, however, the number of immigrants approved for family-based visas has dropped this year to the lowest level in more than a decade, a Reuters review of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) data shows. The drop has not been previously reported. The Trump Administration has taken a series of measures to more closely scrutinize legal immigration. These steps have been overshadowed by Trump’s more public efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, such as his calls for a wall along the Mexican border and more arrests of people living in the country illegally. Lately though, Trump has increasingly been taking aim at chain migration, saying it allows a single immigrant “to bring in dozens of increasingly distant relations,” with “no real selection criteria.” He said a Bangladeshi man who set off a homemade pipe bomb in a crowded New York City commuter hub in December was a prime example of the dangers of the system. Immigration advocates counter that no one automatically qualifies for a visa because a relative is already in the United States. All immigrants undergo security vetting and can face
Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services years-long waits before they are given a green light. The intensified focus on chain migration has been accompanied by an overall slowdown in adjudications of family-based visas, known as I130s, the Reuters review shows. The number of approvals dropped by nearly a quarter in the first nine months of 2017 to around 406,000 compared to the same period a year earlier when approvals were more than 530,000 despite a similar number of applications during both periods, USCIS data showed. President Donald Trump has called on Congress to pass legislation banning socalled “chain migration,” in which extended family members of legal residents are given priority to immigrate to the United States. But even
without a change in the law, approvals of family-based visas has dropped in the 2017 fiscal year. The number of familybased visas approved for relatives who were not immediate family members fell by 70 percent in the first nine months of 2017 compared to the same period in 2016. Approvals of fiancé/fiancée visas dropped by 35 percent over the same period. The number of familybased visa peititions that were approved fell to its lowest level in more than a decade in the 2017 fiscal year, with just over 540,800 approvals. The drop was even starker when looking only at I-130s approved for relatives who were not immediate family members. Those fell by 70 percent in the same period,
from more than 108,000 in the first nine months of 2016 to 32,500 in the same period in 2017. The entire 2017 fiscal year had the lowest number of approvals for extended family visas since 2000. USCIS said that since there are a limited number of visas for this category, it prioritizes processing visas that are more immediately available. The agency also said there are normal year-toyear fluctuations in the number of visas that are filed and decided. At the core of the administration’s long-term policy goal is a belief that immigration should be meritbased. “Those people are just coming in based on connection to a family member,” the new director of
Turkeyen Station rape ‘victim’ claims…
Policewoman from Sexual Offences Unit was present when ‘hush money’ offered Police are to check the footage of security cameras at the Georgetown Public Hospital amid reports that relatives of two policemen accused of rape met the victim there to offer her money. Meanwhile, investigators are trying to verify whether a policewoman seconded to the Force’s Sexual Offences Unit was present when the offer of $40,000 was made to drop the matter. During a confrontation yesterday between the alleged victim and the policewoman, the ‘victim’ again alleged that the policewoman was present. The policewoman has repeatedly denied that this is so. Explaining the seriousness of the allegation, a senior police official told Kaieteur News that if the rank was indeed a witness, she should have either arrested the relatives or sought help to have them detained. The official said that investigators will have to seek permission from personnel at the GPHC to look at the security footage. The development comes even as police completed their investigations into the alleged rape and submitted a report yesterday to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP). The accused ranks remain under close arrest. The woman alleged that the two lawmen raped her inside
the Turkeyen Police Station around 01:00 hr on New Year’s Day when she went to make a report against her boyfriend. The ranks, however, are claiming that they negotiated to give the woman $10,000 each to have sex with them. The ‘business’ was reportedly to have been consummated in a room in the upper flat of the station. The ranks alleged that after they failed to pay her, the woman went downstairs and screamed ‘rape’. According to a police source, the woman alleged that she visited the station after her boyfriend threatened to kill her. Another source claims that the woman had reported that an individual in her neighbourhood had thrown lighted squibs at her children. She claimed that while giving a statement, she asked one of the ranks to use the washroom. “She said that one rank went with her to show her where the washroom was, when his colleague joined them and both men raped her,” a source said. However, there are reports that when the woman went to the station, she was highly intoxicated and had started stripping her clothes. This reportedly caught the ranks’ attention and they started talking with the woman and subsequently bargained for sex. At the time of the incident, the rank in charge was in his office, while others were on patrol.
USCIS, L. Francis Cissna, said in a telephone interview, referring to chain migrants. “That lack of selectivity; it takes us away from where we want to go as a country.” Cissna said no specific policy guidance has been put in place at USCIS to change the way family-based visas are issued. He also said there were no plans to restrict visas for immediate family members and pointed out that approvals of visas and citizenship applications overall are still high. He has said, however, that his agency is looking closely at all visa categories to root out fraud. USCIS said separately that closer scrutiny could lead to longer processing times. For example, H-1B temporary work visas for high-skilled workers are facing more hurdles, and applications are receiving far more requests for evidence, slowing down the whole program, according to immigration lawyers and data provided by the government. [nL2N1LY0F5] USCIS has also put in place new interview requirements for U.S. citizens seeking to bring over their fiancés. In the first nine months of 2017, approvals of fiancé visas dropped by 35 percent over the same period a year earlier, the Reuters data review found. Immigration supporters said any effort by the administration to restrict the entry of family members of migrants was shortsighted. They “bring drive and entrepreneurial spirit to the United States,” said Steve Yale-Loehr, an immigration law expert at Cornell University. Chain migration has long
been a target of groups that favor more restrictions on legal immigration. The idea, supported by organizations like NumbersUSA, the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) and the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), failed to gain much traction at the highest levels of power in Washington before Trump took office. “We have been talking about this for a long time but we were kind of out there in the wilderness” said Ira Mehlman from FAIR. “It was never at this level of discussion before.” Now supporters of the ideas of restricting chain migration and tightening standards for legal immigration occupy key positions in the administration. They include Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who remains vocal on the issue, and his long-time aide Stephen Miller, who is now one of Trump’s closest policy advisers. The current USCIS ombudsman Julie Kirchner was previously the executive director of FAIR. The White House and the Department of Justice did not respond to questions about the influence of the groups, which critics say are antiimmigrant, on administration policy. Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at CIS, said she and her colleagues “are in fairly regular contact with various administration officials as they solicit suggestions and ideas to improve policies.” She said she had also spoken to officials in the Obama administration, but only occasionally. Earlier this month NumbersUSA launched a national advertising campaign against chain migration. A day later the White House posted a presentation on the same subject making many of the same points. NumbersUSA director Roy Beck said any similarity in the points was just a coincidence. Still, he is thrilled that his group’s ideas on restricting legal immigration have been “catapulted onto the main stage in an unprecedented way,” he said in an interview. In April, Trump signed an executive order directing agencies to draft new rules and guidance for the legal immigration system. In August, the White House backed the RAISE Act, proposed legislation sponsored by two Republican lawmakers, that aimed to cut legal immigration by 50 percent over 10 years.
Friday January 05, 2018
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Gaskin satisfied with 14 accomplishments in two years By Kiana Wilburg The Ministry of Business is set to roll out a series of transformative measures by 2020 to stimulate the economy. Put that aside, what has it really done besides such preparatory works? What has it accomplished since its creation? Answering these questions, recently, was Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin. The politician boasted that the entity has been able to accomplish a lot since its existence. In an interview with Kaieteur News, Gaskin said that the Ministry of Business has placed a lot of emphasis on the institutional strengthening of its agencies since they were operating well below their capacity and not delivering as they were intended to do. Gaskin said that wellfunctioning agencies with competent leadership are one of the ways in which he and his Ministry intend to achieve their targets. The Minister said that the services are delivered through five subvention agencies and five technical departments. He said that these include: the Guyana Office for Investment (GoInvest); Guyana National Bureau of Standards; Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission; Guyana Tourism Authority Small Business Bureau; the Department of Commerce, Department of Industrial Development; Business strategy and Policy Unit; and
the Department of Tourism and Consumer Affairs division. Gaskin said that these agencies have enabled the Ministry to achieve several things over the last two years. He said that in the area of access to credit, the Ministry of Business facilitated discussions leading to critical amendments to the Credit Reporting Act in 2016 mandating lending institutions and credit providers to provide credit information to a Credit Bureau. He said that this information will be used to track the credit history of borrowers applying for credit. Gaskin said that further work has commenced for the development of a secure transaction system in Guyana. Once completed and implemented, the Minister said one of the challenges to accessing credit would be addressed; this is in relation to collateral requirements. He said that the secure transactions system will allow for moveable property to be accepted as collateral. The Ministry was able to ensure the reduction in processing time for import and export licences from 48 to 24 hrs. He said that Business registration services have been made available in Regions Eight and Nine, bringing relief to business persons operating in those regions who ordinarily would have to travel to the Essequibo Coast to register a business or to renew business registration.
Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin By facilitating the registration within the regions, Gaskin said that the Ministry is encouraging compliance and also paving the way for access to formal financing. He said that there was greater focus on achieving compliance in the tourism sector leading to the gradual increase in compliance which the Ministry hopes to accelerate in 2018. He said that 14 establishments have been licensed to date. Gaskin said that the Ministry has been working to build capacity in the tourism sector by providing various levels of training. These include customer service; food safety and hygiene; city tour guiding among others. Since 2015, Gaskin said that 1,994 industry workers have been provided with training. The Minister was also proud that he and his team
were able to complete the draft of the National Tourism Policy which he hopes to introduce as the national policy after further consultations with key stakeholders. Gaskin said, “We have provided support to small and micro enterprises. More than 2,448 persons received technical (cosmetology, graphic design, photography, orchard establishment, leather craft, climate smart agriculture among others) and generic (book-keeping, managing a business) training to start businesses or to enter new areas. Also, over US$421,000 in grant funding was provided to 301 micro enterprises as well as 130 loans to the tune of US$2.1M was disbursed under the Micro and Small Enterprise Development Project (MSED) through a collateral guarantee and interest subsidy scheme.” The Minister continued, “Construction of two new industrial estates with modern features is also in motion. These projects were inherited but had to be reviewed in order to improve their design. This year, we will be engaging a consulting firm to develop the prospectus and an operations plan for these estates. There is also the development of two business incubator facilities and business incubator programmes to encourage enterprise and entrepreneurship.” The politician added, “The Ministry is cognizant of
Ring-fencing provisions necessary...
Guyana must safeguard itself - says GRA Boss The Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Godfrey Statia, firmly believes that adequate ring-provisions are indeed necessary when it comes to the oil and gas sector. In this regard, Statia opined that Guyana must safeguard itself. The ring-fencing provision ensures that USA oil giant, ExxonMobil, cannot transfer the expenses incurred at one well to another. In Guyana’s contract with ExxonMobil, the mechanisms to safeguard against this are absent. GRA’s Commissioner General, Statia, notes, however, that the effects can be minimised with the right regulation, separation provisions and controls, and continuous audits and reviews. He said that there must be identification and isolation of activities, assets, costs and revenues for each well. Statia said, “Sure, Guyana must be on its guard. The principle (of ring-fencing)
GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia exists in certain industries in Guyana already and GRA is taking steps to deal with this as it relates to companies which are in the habit of transferring costs as it relates to sister and related companies…” CLOSING LOOPHOLES The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has found a number of loopholes for abuse in Guyana’s Production Sharing
Agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobil. But the Government believes that there is no need for alarm or worry as several international bodies, the IMF included, are lending tremendous support to help Guyana remove every possible chance for exploitation by the operator. This was noted recently during a press conference by Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman. He was at the time responding to a question from this newspaper which was based on the disturbing findings of the IMF. One issue that the IMF in a report points out is in relation to ring-fencing. The IMF said that in principle, the ring-fencing arrangement ensures that the government’s revenue from the Stabroek Block is calculated based on each field or well separately. The Fund stated, “However, this is undone by the Production Sharing Agreement framework,
allowing the contractor to allocate cost oil to any field within the contract area.” Trotman said that on November 30, he and the Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, sat with IMF representatives and those issues were ironed out. Trotman said, “We went through them with the Guyana Revenue Authority and others. The answer is that we are working. IMF, World Bank, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Inter-American Development Bank are giving us tremendous support. And we are building capacity on a daily basis and hiring capacity and ensuring that we cover all that we are supposed to…” The Minister said that with the help of those international agencies, Guyana will be in a position to tighten all loopholes. He added, “We invited the IMF to tell us what we are lacking in this regard, so Guyana is not alone in this.” (KIANA WILBURG)
the need for youth economic empowerment to drive our economy. It has committed to providing nurturing spaces for start-ups to operate out of and to facilitate small business growth and development. We anticipate the completion and operation of at least one facility by the third-quarter of 2018. The Ministry also embarked on a pilot in-school entrepreneurship programme that is intended to encourage entrepreneurial ventures at the secondary school level. 100 students from 15 schools taken from the 10 regions are participating in this programme…” The Minister said that the Small Business Bureau has also executed a youth entrepreneurship programme
in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Education. At least 68 young individuals benefitted from capacity building and grant funding to the tune of US$1500 each. The money is for them to undertake business ventures. The Minister noted that investment agreements were entered into for 136 projects valued at $187B. As at September 2017, a total of 33 of these projects were operational. Gaskin said that support was also given for the international accreditation of testing facilities in Guyana to improve service levels. To date, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards has facilitated three laboratories in achieving ISO 15189 accreditation.
Edghill’s motion on Camp Street Prison Fire for debate Parliamentarians will debate a motion that calls on Government to make a full disclosure on the July 9, 2017 fire that destroyed the Camp Street Prison, sparked the escape of eight prisoners and the death of a prison officer. The motion was submitted by Opposition Member, Juan Edghill, who has been suspended for four sittings by the National Assembly for disobeying the instructions of Speaker Dr. Barton Scotland on December 11. In Edghill’s absence, Gail Teixeira, Opposition Chief Whip, will table the motion at the parliamentary sitting on Wednesday which is mandated for ‘Opposition Business’. The motion wants the National Assembly to call on the Government in accordance with Article 106(2) of the Guyana Constitution to accept collective responsibility to the House for the repeated events at the prisons of Guyana. According to the Motion, the Opposition Members are also seeking to have the Government declare what actions have been and are being taken to reduce the opportunities for such situations from recurring and for the National Assembly to support the Disciplined Service in its efforts to ensure public safety, the protection of citizens and the recapture of all the escapees. According to the Motion, the events of July 9, 2017, will go down in the history of Guyana as the day when the worst prison fire and jailbreak took place, destroying over 80% of the Camp Street Prison. The Motion also cites the lack of information in the early
Juan Edghill hours after the jailbreak that caused great anxiety and uncertainty to the general public and the families of the prisoners. The Motion contends that the public remains in the dark after the July 9 incident as to what led to the jailbreak and fire, and how the Government managed this situation as it unfolded and its aftermath. Government had promised to set up a Commission of Inquiry into the incident. Senior officials had also briefed the Opposition following the incident, providing logistical plans for the holding of inmates, decisions taken on handling the situation and long-term plans to investigate the incident. The Government team was led by Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, and included Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson; Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud; and Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels. The Opposition team was led by Clement Rohee.
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Friday January 05, 2018
New taxes come on stream —West New taxes come on stream—West Trinidad Guardian Legislation approving an array of new taxes announced in the last Budget has been approved and became effective in the New Year. A statement from the Ministry of Finance announced that 35 per cent corporation tax on commercial banks, $20 environmental tax to help dispose of used tyres and the imposition of taxes on hybrid and CNG vehicles with engine sizes above 1799 cc, went into effect from January 1. However, the implementation of the 10 per cent tax on lottery winnings had not been finalised says Minister in the Ministry of Finance Allyson West. She said measures are being put in place for the imposition of the property tax which had been put on hold before the court. In a release issued by the Ministry of Finance yesterday, it stated that the taxes had been assented to on December 19. The environmental tax, West said will focus on
importers who are charged $20 for each tyre brought into the country. “That will be collected by Customs and Excise upon entry. We should see an immediate impact on this tax. That should be an easy one to ensure compliance and monitoring.” With respect to the 35 per cent corporation tax imposed on banks and other companies from January 1, West said the Board of Inland Revenue would not see an impact until the end of March. As to when the lottery winnings tax will go effect, West said this was still hanging in the balance. This tax will only apply to winnings over $1,000. “That has been deferred because there was recognition that the NLCB had to put some systems in place for the collection of that. The introduction of that has been deferred. We have not finalised a deadline as yet,” West said. In addition to these measures, West said the ministry will be pursuing the property tax.
Friday January 05, 2018
Kaieteur News
Judiciary in financial bind…
NO FOOD FOR JURY
Trinidad Guardian - The country’s financial hardships have now trickled down into the criminal justice system with jurors being advised to walk with their own lunches. This is unprecedented as the State has always provided jurors who are empanelled to sit in trials in the various Supreme Courts in San Fernando, Port-ofSpain and Tobago, with lunch, as well as tea, coffee and water. A statement by Justice Carla Brown-Antoine raised concern among members of the legal profession when she suggested to a ninemember jury and two alternates empanelled in a drug possession trial in the San Fernando First Assizes that they walk with their own lunch. Speaking to the jury before the State opened its case against Lawrence Dyer, the judge said the State would usually provide lunches for them, but the caterers who provide this service have reduced significantly. “In order to provide lunch, we use vouchers, we don’t pay cash,” she said. She said caterers who provide the meals would accept government cheques and vouchers. “But you know how long the government takes to pay. The numbers of persons who provide that service has reduced significantly over the last year,” she said, adding that only one caterer is still accepting the vouchers. Browne-Antoine said, “Members of the jury I suggest you should walk with your own lunch.” However, she said in the event that the court sits after
Justice Carla Brown-Antoine Photo by: Abraham Diaz midday and the jurors don’t have lunch, lunch will be ordered for them. “You should have water and tea and so on. I hope that is provided for you.” The T&T Guardian was told that no lunch was ordered for the jury yesterday because the matter was not scheduled to continue after lunch. Judiciary sources told the T&T Guardian was told that the Judiciary has been having serious financial problems. There are six criminal courts in Port-of-Spain, four in San Fernando and one in Tobago. A panel of either nine of 12 jurors, together with alternate jurors, would sit in a trial which could last for weeks or even months. The T&T Guardian was told that a meal for a juror could cost between $40 to $60. The budgetary setback has also affected the State’s ability to pay for State witnesses living abroad to be flown into the country to testify in trials. However, Alicia CarterFisher, Court Protocol and
Information Manager, said the Judiciary was not aware of meals not being provided for jurors. Responding via email, she said, “I am not aware of this and would, therefore, need some time before I can respond to you.” An unfortunate situation—Elder Pamela Elder SC, president of the Criminal Bar Association, called for the situation to be urgently rectified. She said, “This is the first time since I am practising law I have heard of that. If that is indeed so I really hope the situation can be urgently rectified and jurors are provided with lunches because it is already a great inconvenience for the jurors to reach to court for 9 am. I trust that this would not become a precedent. It is rather unfortunate and it should be addressed urgently. Contacted for comment, Attorney General Faris Al Rawi said it was the first time he was hearing of this matter and needed to get details on this matter.
Prime Minister calls on church to preach against violence
KINGSTON, Jamaica - CMC – Prime Minister Andrew Holness, has called on church leaders to preach against crime and violence, as it is undermining the family structure. “Bring it to your pulpit. We cannot allow much of what is happening, particularly the abuse that is happening within families,” said Holness in an address at the 13th annual National Gathering of Heal the Family, Heal the Nation, held at the National Arena in Kingston on Wednesday. Holness also challenged the church to speak out against family members committing sexual abuse against minors. He argued that the abuse results in the perpetuation of greater physical abuse such as beatings from parents, who are supposed to protect their children. “If you see something like that, it is not right. It cannot be accepted practice in our culture. We must expose it and preach against it. If you see someone suffering quietly, reach out to them,” he encouraged. The Prime Minister said the church’s capacity for counselling and outreach must
be used to aid those affected by abuse, as this represents a “practical way we can start to address the issue of violence… which has become a part of our social transaction”. Meanwhile, Holness hailed the chief organisers of the event, Bishop Dr. Delford Davis, and his wife, Minister Dr. Petrova Davis, of the Power of Faith Ministries International, for staging it over the last 13 years For her part, Custos of St. Andrew, Dr. Patricia Dunwell, also commended Dr. Davis “for his steadfastness of purpose” in conceptualising the event and his commitment to healing the families of the nation. Dr. Dunwell, who delivered an address on behalf of the Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen, indicated that strong families represent the foundation of a nation worthy of respect from its neighbours and people of the world. The event was held in partnership with the Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches under the theme, ‘Jamaica is God’s Place, So is my House’. It brought together members of a number of denominations to pray for the nation, families and Jamaica’s leadership.
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U.S. suspends security aid to Pakistan over militant groups WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said yesterday it was suspending an undisclosed amount of security assistance to Pakistan, which two officials said was worth more than $255 million, until Islamabad takes action against the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network. The U.S. State Department announced the decision, saying it reflected the Trump administration’s frustration that Pakistan has not done more against the two groups, which have long used sanctuaries in Pakistan to launch attacks in neighboring Afghanistan that have killed U.S., Afghan and other forces. The department declined to say exactly how much aid would be suspended, saying the numbers were still being calculated and included funding from both the State and Defense departments. U.S. officials said two main categories of aid are affected: foreign military financing (FMF), which funds purchases of U.S. military hardware, training and services, and coalition support funds (CSF), which reimburse Pakistan for counter-terrorism operations. They said they could make exceptions for money that went to critical U.S. national security priorities. A glance at U.S. budget figures suggest the amounts frozen could exceed $1 billion. The United States gives Pakistan $255 million a year in FMF, which falls under the State Department’s authority. For fiscal year 2017, which ended on Sept. 30, 2017, it has
authorized up to $900 million in CSF, which falls under Pentagon authority. Briefing reporters, U.S. officials stressed the suspension did not affect civilian aid to Pakistan and that the money could go through if Islamabad took decisive action against the groups. “Our hope is that they will see this as a further indication of this administration’s immense frustration with the trajectory of our relationship and that they need to be serious about taking the steps we have asked in order to put it on more solid footing,” a senior State Department official told reporters. “We’re hoping that Pakistan will see this as an incentive, not a punishment,” he added. Two other officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the amount suspended would total more than $255 million. Earlier this year Washington suspended $255 million in FMF. “It’s north of $255 million,” said one U.S. official. The Trump administration briefed Congress on its decision on Wednesday. Pakistan is largely shrugging off proposed U.S. aid cuts but frets that Washington could take more drastic measures to deter what it sees as the South Asian nation’s support for Taliban militants in neighboring Afghanistan. Tense ties between the uneasy allies nosedived on Jan. 1 when U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out on Twitter against Islamabad’s “lies and deceit” despite $33
billion in aid and the White House warned of “specific actions” to pressure Pakistan. Trump’s frustrations are shared by U.S. lawmakers, who accused Pakistan of playing a double game by allowing militant groups sanctuary - which Islamabad denies - despite promising to crack down on them. “Pakistan is one of the most duplicitous governments I’ve had any involvement with,” Senator Bob Corker, Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters. “Their, in essence, support of the Haqqani network, or ... allowing them to have safe harbor in their country when they’re the greatest threat to our men and women in uniform.” South Asia expert Christine Fair of Georgetown University voiced concern that Pakistan might retaliate for the suspension by closing the highways from the port city of Karachi on which equipment is trucked to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and the airspace through which supplies are flown to U.S.-led international forces in landlocked Afghanistan. “What is the plan if they close the GLOCs?” she asked, using the military acronym for Ground Lines of Communications. “What if the Pakistanis shut down the ALOCs (Air Lines of Communications). How do you keep supplying the ANSF?” “Pakistan could be within their rights if they tell us you don’t have flyover rights anymore,” she added.
Nuclear-armed North Korea today accepted the South’s offer of talks next week, said Seoul’s Unification ministry, which oversees relations with Pyongyang. The meeting will take place in Panmunjom, the truce village in the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone that divides the peninsula. Tensions have been high after the North carried out multiple missile launches in 2017, including a number of
ICBMs, and its sixth atomic test, by far its most powerful to date. The tentative rapprochement comes after the North’s leader Kim JongUn warned in his New Year speech that he had a nuclear button on his desk, but at the same time offered Seoul an olive branch, saying Pyongyang could send a team to next month’s Winter Olympics in the South. Seoul responded with an offer of talks between the two,
and earlier this week the hotline between them was restored after being suspended for almost two years. Late Thursday, the South’s president Moon JaeIn and his US counterpart Donald Trump agreed to delay joint military drills — which always infuriate the North — until after the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang which begin on February 9. A unification ministry official told AFP that the North faxed a message to Seoul saying it accepted the proposal for talks on Tuesday. Ministry spokesman Baek Tae-Hyun told journalists that the agenda would include the Pyeongchang Olympics “and the issue of improving interKorean relations”.
North Korea accepts South’s offer of talks next week: Seoul
Friday January 05, 2018
Kaieteur News
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REIFER, PAUL HURT SCORPIONS Steve Smith and David Warner retained TO GIVE JAGUARS EDGE by Indian Premier League sides Kingston, Jamaica, CMC – Leaders (3-21) and fellow pacer Keemo Paul (3-15). LeftGuyana Jaguars resumed the Regional FourDay Championship in the same manner they ended it at the Christmas Break, by dominating the opening day of the eighth round match against Jamaica Scorpions here yesterday. Opting to bowl first at Sabina Park, they bundled out Scorpions for 106 and then reached 75 for three at the close – 31 runs adrift of the lead heading into day two, today. The three-time defending champions were heading to the close strongly at 57 for one but lost two quick wickets to lose some of their momentum. Sent in earlier, Scorpions folded meekly, with Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood and wicketkeeper Aldaine Thomas getting the joint top score of 24. They were two of four batsmen in double figures but the only ones to pass 15. Scorpions were undermined by returning West Indies left-arm seamer Raymon Reifer
arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul extended his healthy form with two for 25. Scorpions were in early trouble when they lost John Campbell for one with two on the board in the third over but Blackwood anchored two small stands to revive the innings. He put on 29 for the second wicket with Assad Fudadn (11) and a further 27 for the third with Brandon King (13). Once he perished, however, the last six wickets tumbled for 43 runs in quick time. Jaguars too stumbled early when Akshaya Persaud fell without scoring in the second over of the innings but Chandrapaul Hemraj counter-attacked with 47 off 53 balls to repair the damage. The left-hander struck eight fours and a six, adding 53 for the second wicket with Captain Leon Johnson who made 13. However, both fell in the space of nine balls in successive overs, as Scorpions hit back late on.
Friday January 05, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You receive a wake-up call from the cosmos today, informing you that your responsibilities are continuingtogrowasyouravailable time continues to shrink. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You can make steady progress toward your goals without exhausting yourself in the process. However, working harder won’t necessarily lead to higher productivity today. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Although you often avoid conversations about your desires, you’re inclined to draw someone into a heartfelt discussion today. At first, you may be hesitant to reveal your innermost thoughts, but are quickly acclimated to the emotional landscape once you begin talking. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You hope to learn all you can from people in your environment, but that doesn’t mean you want to waste time socializing. In fact, you wish you could cut away all the fluff from a conversation and go directly to the core of the matter today. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You are extremely discerning today when evaluating your options and deciding what to do next. Instead of relying on your intuition and responding spontaneously to the current circumstances, consider which activities serve you best in achieving your long-term goals. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You may attempt to bury your emotions today in order to project a more serious version of yourself.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Yourrichinnerlifecanbeadistraction from your current obligations or it can feed your soul in a meaningful manner. Fortunately, you’re not just at the whim of your cerebral process; you have the power to alter the direction of your fantasies and daydreams. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Everyone is commonly told to march to the sound of their own drummer. However, you are attuned to the rhythms of those around you today, and might find it difficult to discern the drum beat emanating from within. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) You normally prefer to look at the big picture rather than the minutia. Unfortunately, you won’t get ahead at work unless you consciously pay attention to each and every detail now that the analytical Virgo Moon is shining her light in your 10th House of Career. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Remembering your dreams today is not sufficient to make them come true. Oddly enough, you must fill in as many details as you can, even if you need to exercise your creativity rather than your memory. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) You don’t necessarily want to be on center stage today but you still hope to be appreciated for all that you do. You might believe that your anonymity serves you well, but it’s actually a double-edged sword. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Ignoring someone’s feedback is a mistake today, especially if they are telling you something you don’t want to hear.
Australian batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner are among the players who have been retained for the 2018 event by their Indian Premier League sides. Smith, who scored the most Test runs in 2017, will play for Rajasthan Royals as Warner, the top runscorer in 2017’s IPL, stays with Sunrisers Hyderabad. England all-rounder Ben Stokes could be part of the tournament’s player auction on 27 and 28 January. The England and Wales Cricket Board has allowed Stokes, 26, to play. He is currently unavailable for international selection while the police investigate an incident which saw Stokes arrested outside a Bristol nightclub in September. But, after justifying the £1.7m that Rising Pune Supergiants spent to secure him with a string of performances that culminated in him being named player of the tournament, he is likely to be in demand once again. Rising Pune Supergiants are not taking part in the IPL this year and therefore do not have the opportunity to retain Stokes. Each team can choose to re-sign up to three of their 2017 squad before the players are subject to bids from other teams. India captain Virat Kohli and his predecessor MS Dhoni have been kept on by Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings respectively. International team-mate Rohit Sharma will remain with champions Mumbai Indians while South Africa batsman AB de Villiers joins Kohli in Bangalore. Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has been appointed coach of the Delhi Daredevils. Tymal Mills, Chris Woakes, Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy and Chris Jordan were among the other England players to compete in the Twenty20 tournament last season. After playing for eight successive years, former England batsman Kevin Pietersen missed last year’s tournament and has confirmed that he will again in 2018, citing a packed schedule of Twenty20 events. (BBCsports)
Warner scored 641 runs in the 2017 Indian Premier League.
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Kaieteur News
Pride, Red Force fireworks to set tone for regional one-day tournament
Title-holders Barbados Pride … will raise the curtain on the tournament.
SCHEDULE OF MATCHES GROUP “A” IN BARBADOS Barbados Pride, Trinidad & Tobago Red Force, Combined Campuses & Colleges Marooners, Windward Islands Volcanoes, Hampshire • Matches starting at 9 am Match Day 1 Tuesday, January 30 Volcanoes vs Marooners Three Ws Oval Match Day 2 Thursday, February 1 Pride vs Hampshire Three Ws Oval Match Day 3 Saturday, February 3 Red Force vs Hampshire Windward Match Day 4 Monday, February 5 Red Force vs Volcanoes Three Ws Oval Match Day 5 Wednesday, February 7 Pride vs Marooners Windward Match Day 6 Friday, February 9 Red Force vs Hampshire Three Ws Oval Match Day 7 Sunday, February 11 Volcanoes vs Marooners Three Ws Oval Match Day 8 Tuesday, February 13 Pride vs Hampshire Windward Match Day 9 Thursday, February 15 Red Force vs Volcanoes Windward Match Day 10 Saturday, February 17 Hampshire vs Volcanoes Three Ws Oval • Matches starting at 2 pm Match Day 1 Tuesday, January 30 Pride vs Red Force Kensington Oval Match Day 2 Thursday, February 1 Marooners vs Red Force Kensington Oval Match Day 3 Saturday, February 3 Pride vs Volcanoes Kensington Oval Match Day 4 Monday, February 5 Marooners vs Hampshire Kensington Oval Match Day 5 Wednesday, February 7 Hampshire vs Volcanoes Kensington Oval Match Day 6 Friday, February 9 Pride vs Volcanoes Kensington Oval Match Day 7 Sunday, February 11 Pride vs Red Force Kensington Oval Match Day 8 Tuesday, February 13 Marooners vs Red Force Kensington Oval Match Day 9 Thursday, February 15 Marooners vs Hampshire Kensington Oval Match Day 10 Saturday, February 17 Pride vs Marooners Kensington Oval GROUP “B” IN ANTIGUA Jamaica Scorpions, Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Guyana Jaguars, United States, Kent • Matches starting at 9 am Match Day 1 Wednesday, January 31 Jaguars vs Kent VRCG Match Day 2 Friday, February 2 United States vs Jaguars VRCG Match Day 3 Sunday, February 4 Kent vs Scorpions VRCG Match Day 4 Tuesday, February 6 Hurricanes vs Kent VRCG Match Day 5 Thursday, February 8 Kent vs United States VRCG Match Day 6 Saturday, February 10 Hurricanes vs United States VRCG Match Day 7 Monday, February 12 United States vs Jaguars VRCG Match Day 8 Wednesday, February 14 Scorpions vs Kent VRCG Match Day 9 Friday, February 16 Kent vs United States VRCG Match Day 10 Sunday, February 18 Scorpions vs United States VRCG • Matches starting at 2 pm Match Day 1 Wednesday, January 31 Hurricanes vs United States Coolidge Match Day 2 Friday, February 2 Hurricanes vs Scorpions Coolidge Match Day 3 Sunday, February 4 Hurricanes vs Jaguars Coolidge Match Day 4 Tuesday, February 6 Scorpions vs United States Coolidge Match Day 5 Thursday, February 8 Scorpions vs Jaguars Coolidge Match Day 6 Saturday, February 10 Jaguars vs Kent Coolidge Match Day 7 Monday, February 12 Hurricanes vs Scorpions Coolidge Match Day 8 Wednesday, February 14 Hurricanes vs Jaguars Coolidge Match Day 9 Friday, February 16 Scorpions vs Jaguars Coolidge Match Day 10 Sunday, February 18 Hurricanes vs Kent Coolidge Semi-final 1 Wednesday, February 21 Winner Zone “A” vs Runner-up Zone “B” Coolidge Semi-final 2 Thursday, February 22 Winner Zone “B” vs Runner-up Zone “A” Coolidge Grand Final Saturday, February 24 Winner Semifinal 1 vs Winner Semifinal 2 Coolidge Grand Final Sunday, February 25 (Reserve Day) Coolidge
St. John’s, Antigua, CMC – A clash between reigning champions Barbados Pride and perennial rivals Trinidad and Tobago Red Force will raise the curtain on this year’s Regional Super50 later this month. The match, a day/nighter at Kensington Oval on January 30, will be the feature in a Group A doubleheader that will also see Windward Islands Volcanoes and Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners battle at 3W’s Oval in a 9 am encounter. Ten teams have been divided into two groups for the January 30 to February 24 tournament Group B of which will be contested in Antigua with the night games set for the Coolidge Cricket Ground. Day matches, meanwhile, will be played at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in North Sound. Pride and Red Force, along with Marooners, Volcanoes and English County Hampshire comprise Group A while last season’s losing finalists Jamaica Scorpions together with Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Guyana Jaguars, United States and Kent will do battle in Group B. Hampshire’s Director of Cricket, Giles White, said the tournament presented a chance for the club’s younger players to get
valuable experience. “We’re delighted to be involved in the upcoming Super50 competition – it’s a slightly different look to our pre-season but one that we are very happy with and we’re looking forward to be heading back to Barbados once again,” White said. We’re got a strong history with West Indies Cricket and Barbados itself and what excites me about this particular trip is, the experience our young players have gained at similar tournaments previously has allowed them to show what they’re able to do at that level, and I think they’ve got an awful lot out of it previously.” He continued: “I’d see this as an opportunity for a lot of the younger players to put their hand up and say they’re ready to play. “It’ll also be a great period of cricket in February where otherwise we’d be indoors in England so it’s a real positive and certainly a useful development tool for some of our younger players.” Each team will play each other twice in the respective group, with the top two qualifying for the semi-finals, also to be staged under the lights at the CCG. Two matches will be played every other day at match venues in the two host territories.
“Soul-searching” for Windies after dismal tour: Law Stuart Law
Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, CMC – Head Coach Stuart Law said West Indies had “soul-searching” to do after they suffered a 119run crushing at the hands of New Zealand in We d n e s d a y ’s final Twenty20 International, to end the eight-match tour without a single win. The Caribbean side lost both Tests by healthy margins, were whitewashed 30 in the One-Day International series, before going down 20 in the three-match T20 series. The only match in which they escaped defeat was the second T20 on New Year’s Day which was rained off after nine overs. “It was a pretty
disappointing tour. New Zealand played good, disciplined cricket, but we fell short,” Law said. “We need to do a lot of hard work, planning and understanding. That means some soul-searching by looking in the mirror and asking if we gave it everything to change a game, get into a game and win a game. “It’s not just going to happen.” West Indies suffered in the T20 series in part from the absence of several key players. The veteran pair of Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard both pulled out of the squad for “personal reasons” while match-winner Marlon Samuels was forced out due
to injury. Rookie opener Evin Lewis, one of few batsmen with two international T20 hundreds, was unavailable for selection also for “personal reasons.” The Windies were also without experienced players like Darren Sammy, Dwayne Bravo and Lendl Simmons, all of whom were members of the World Cup-winning side in 2016 in India. Law said the late withdrawal of some experienced players had hurt West Indies. “They know this format inside out. It’s difficult trying to organise players when they pull out at the last minute,” the Australian explained. “It’s almost impossible trying to sort visas and flights from the Caribbean in 24 hours. “Those decisions didn’t help, but the players we had were good enough to play with passion and pride to show we can play the game.” T h e r e i g n i n g Wo r l d champions have played like anything but since their triumph in India, losing nine of their 17 outings since. In fact, they have now lost every full series they have contested against higher-ranked sides, with their only full series triumph coming in a 3-0 win over minnows Afghanistan last June. Law admitted the latest series loss had been difficult for the side. “Sometimes you have to go to the bottom before you move forward. Everyone’s feeling down.”
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Kaieteur News
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Windies lose ground in rankings Chase leads Pride recovery with typically resolute hundred – 1st day, 8th round following series demise Bridgetown, Barbados, CMC – Roston
West Indies have slipped to fifth in the T20 world rankings. London, CMC – West Indies have slipped to fifth in the ICC Twenty20 rankings, following their 2-0 defeat to New Zealand in the three-match series which ended on Wednesday. The reigning World champions slumped to a 119-run defeat at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui to end a wretched series where they failed to win any of the internationals across the Tests and one-dayers. West Indies began the series fourth but lost five points to sit on 115 points, and are now below fourth-placed England who they beat in the final of the Twenty20 World Cup in 2016. The Windies went down by 47 runs in the opening match in Nelson while the second
game was rained off after only nine overs in Mount Maunganui. Since capturing the T20 World Cup, the Windies have now lost nine of their last 17 outings, including every full series against a higher-ranked nation. New Zealand, meanwhile, have overtaken Pakistan as the top-ranked side in the format, following their series triumph. They gained six points to move to 126 points, now two clear of the second placed Pakistanis, with India third on 120 points. South Africa are sixth on 112 points, Australia lie seventh on 111 while Sri Lanka are eighth on 88 but only two points ahead of minnows Afghanistan in ninth.
Salah, Oshoala named Africa’s best
Mohamed Salah (C) stands alongside teammate Sadio Mane (L) and PierreEmerick Aubameyang as the winner of the African Player of the Year award is announced. Source: AFP Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala were named as the top players in Africa at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards in Accra, Ghana, yesterday. Salah’s efforts in helping Egypt qualify for their first FIFA World Cup™ since 1990 and his sensational start with new club Liverpool in the English Premier League were crucial factors in him receiving the award. “Winning this award is a dream come true. 2017 was an unbelievable year for me,” said Salah, who is the first Egyptian to win the continental award. “I want to dedicate this award to all the kids in Africa and in Egypt, and to tell them to never stop dreaming and believing.” Oshoala led Dalian Quanjian to the Chinese Women’s Super League championship, the club’s second title in their history. She will be hoping to lead Nigeria to an eighth consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2019, as qualifying for Africa runs
between 17 November and 1 December in Ghana. “2017 has truly been an emotional journey for me,” said Oshoala, who won the award for a record third time. “This is truly one of the best moments in my career. I want to encourage young girls out there to not let people discourage you and to follow your own heart.” Taking home the women’s national team of the year award was South Africa’s senior side. The club of the year award went to FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2017 participants Wydad Casablanca. Egypt coach Hector Cuper, who will lead the Pharaohs at Russia 2018 this summer, took home the coach of the year award, while his team also won the team of the year award. Patson Daka, who played an integral role in getting Zambia to the FIFA U-20 World Cup quarter-finals at Korea Republic 2017, won the youth player of the year award. (FIFA)
Chase announced his return to the domestic scene with his seventh first-class hundred which propped up Barbados Pride’s batting against Windward Islands Volcanoes in the Regional 4-Day Championship yesterday here. The West Indies batsman survived two chances to lead a rescue operation for the Pride, gathering 114 and taking the hosts to 296 for nine in their first innings at the close, after they were put in to bat on the first day of their eighth-round match at Kensington Oval. Chase struck 11 fours and two sixes from 225 balls in a shade over 5 ¼ hours, sharing important stands with club-mate Justin Greaves and newcomer Tevyn Walcott that pulled the Pride around from a treacherous 31 for five. Greaves scored 60 in sharing 131 for the sixth wicket with Chase, and Walcott made 49, putting on a further 97 for the seventh wicket with the returning Windies star. The 25-year-old Chase reached his third regional first-class hundred from 188 balls, when he guided a delivery from Barbados-born allrounder Kyle Mayers to third man for his 10th four. He however, was dismissed in the closing stages of the day to left-arm spinner Larry Edward, whose 3-71 from 20 overs made him the Volcanoes’ most successful bowler. Watched by a crowd that included Cricket West Indies vice president Emmanuel Nanthan, the Windwards Cricket Board president, and West Indies selector Lockhart Sebastien, Volcanoes carved up the Pride’s top-order batting in the morning session with disciplined, if not devastating bowling, after being greeted by a helpful, green-top pitch. Lanky left-arm fast bowler Delorn Johnson made the breakthrough, when he had Shayne Moseley caught at second slip for two from a loose drive. Shermon Lewis struck with successive deliveries to put the Pride on their heels at 15 for three, when he had Anthony Alleyne, the home team’s other left-handed opener, caught in the same position for seven, flirting outside the off-side, and bowled Jonathan Carter, another left-hander, with a well-pitched yorker. Pride sunk to 25 for four, when their captain Shamarh Brooks was brilliantly caught by Roland Cato left-handed, low at second slip off Johnson for 10 before veteran off-spinner Shane Shillingford, making his 100th regional first-class appearance, had Kevin Stoute caught at mid-on for four from a flawed ondrive. Greaves came to the crease and started the operation to rebuild the innings with Chase, taking Pride to 61 for five at lunch. Chase was fortunate before the interval to have gained an early reprieve on one, when Johnson failed to hold onto a sharp, high chance. After lunch, Chase had another slice of good fortune on 14, when substitute fielder
Roston Chase Josh Thomas muffed a skier at fine leg from a top-edged sweep off Shillingford. After this let-off, Chase buckled down and with Greaves gradually eased the tension in the Pride dressing room, both reaching the half-century mark in the final half-hour before tea. But Greaves was caught at forward short leg off Shillingford just before the break after a 2 ¼-hour stay in which he struck nine fours from 94 balls. Walcott came to the crease and with Chase carried Pride to 171 for six at tea before they emerged from the break to continue the repair job. Chase continued to inch to his milestone, but Walcott was a revelation, playing some handsome strokes, including the shot-of-theday, a sublime extra-cover push off Mayers for one of his nine fours. He stayed long enough to usher Chase to his milestone, but Edward, who has played the game domestically in Barbados for club champions University of the West Indies, was brought on for an extended spell from the northern (3Ws Stand) end with a day waning and he broke the partnership. Edward had Walcott caught at short midwicket before he added Chase caught at extra cover three overs later and Hayden Walsh, Jr caught behind for one in the final half-hour to put the game back in the balance before West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach, not out on 24, and fellow Test player Jomel Warrican, not out on four, batted through the final three overs before stumps were drawn. Johnson, who was stretchered off the field after sustaining a leg injury while executing a piece of fielding, ended the day with 2-21 from 11 overs, Lewis bagged 2-36 from 12 overs and Shillingford 2-92 from 22 overs. Pride omitted all-rounders Kenroy Williams and Shamar Springer from their match squad, and Volcanoes left out Miles Bascombe and Josh Thomas. Pride – second in the table on 75.2 points before the match – have so far gained two batting points and Volcanoes – last on 52.2 points entering the match – have so far earned three bowling points plus 0.8 pace bowling points.
Speedboat, Floodlights unstoppable... From page 33 defeated Trophy Stall Angels by 12 runs in the Female final. Passing of Wolf’s Warriors Captain Amrit Rai The fraternity suffered the loss of one of its most decorated players in December following an incident that took place at Meten-Meer Zorg. Rai was among those attending to Premnauth Basdeo who was chopped on the head by an ex-policeman. Following the chopping, the ex-policeman drove his mini bus into the crowd hitting Rai and several others who were rendering
assistance. Rai, one of the finest batsmen of his era led Wolf’s Warriors to several major titles including the “Guyana Softball Cup 4” in November 2014. His last major tournament was the inaugural Prime Minister’s Cup where he represented SVC Allstars of New York. This sport continues to make strides in Guyana and with the success gained last year, administrators will be pulling out all the stops to ensure that 2018 trumps last year. Players and fans can look forward to an exciting year of competitions.
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Kaieteur News
Pro Boxing returns to CASH after two year hiatus
Marques to battle Venezuelan Arias in main bout on Jan 20, nest
GBBC’s President Peter Abdool (4th right) and Aleem Hussain of NGG (3rd right) pictured with the boxers and models at yesterday’s launching at the Giftland Sports Maxx. Story and photos by Sean Devers After an absence of over two years the Guyana Boxing Board of Control has collaborated with MCG to bring Professional Boxing back to the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) on January 20 with Guyana’s Dexter Marques headlining what should be a sizzling five-bout Card when he battles Venezuelan Dionis Martinez Arias over 10 rounds in an event dubbed, ‘Sangre Malo - Bad Blood’ Fight fans will also see Trinidadian Sheldon Lawrence putting his WBC Fecarbox Light Heavyweight Title on the line when he takes on Guyanese Shawn Corbin over 12 rounds as 44 rounds of pulsating Fistic fury is planned in
what is anticipated to be an action packed night before what is hoped will be a sell-out crowd. Elton Dharry, a World-Class contender, undefeated in his last 16 fights, will match gloves with Jesus Vargas Garcia of Venezuela over eight rounds in a Bantamweight fight. Dexter ‘Cobra’ Gonsalves, Guyana’s reigning Lightweight champion who narrowly lost to world-ranked DeMarcus Corley in his last outing at Giftland Tramac will oppose Venezuelan Felipe Larez Barcelo in a 10-round match-up while James Moore will match skills with Barbadian Anderson Emmanuel over four rounds in the other fight of the night. “The Cobra’ will seek to make
Red Force take honours as Hurricanes stumble Port of Spain, Trinidad, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago Red Force produced a steady batting effort and an incisive burst with the ball late on, to take honours on the opening day of their eighth round match against Leeward Islands Hurricanes. Opting to bat first at Queen’s Park Oval on Thursday, the hosts got up to 221 all out in their first innings with a number of players getting starts but failing to carry on. Lower order batsman Tion Webster top-scored with 38, opener Jeremy Solozano hit 37, while tail-ender Khary Pierre with 29 and captain Denesh Ramdin, 26, provided support. Fast bowler Jeremiah Louis (4-45) and Sheno Berridge (4-72) were the chief wicket-takers with four wickets apiece. At the close, Hurricanes were tottering on 36 for three, still requiring a further 185 runs to overhaul their target. Among those aready dismissed was captain and West Indies opener, Kieran Powell who counted three boundaries in 15. Red Force had earlier recovered from losing Amir Jangoo without scoring with a single run on the board, to make good progress courtesy of three half-century stands. First, Solozano put on 54 in a second wicket stand with Yannic Cariah who made 14, before Ramdin and Ewart Nicholson (21) added a further 50 for the fourth wicket. When two wickets perished for seven runs in the space of 26 deliveries, Webster and Steven Katwaroo (21) put on 58 for the sixth wicket to revive the innings from 115 for five. Webster struck seven fours in a 69-ball before he was eighth out in a slide that saw three wickets fall for four runs in 18 balls, as Red Force slipped to 177 for eight. Pierre then arrived to lash four boundaries in a 42-ball innings, anchoring a 39-run ninth wicket partnership with Daniel St Clair (11).
amends for that loss as he prepares to fight Bahamian Lightweight champion Meacher Major in the Bahamas. A victory over the tough Bahamian will once again put Gonsalves in the picture for a Commonwealth title shot” said Peter Abdool, President of the GBBC. Caribbean and Guyana Flyweight Champion Marques will use the January 20 Card to prepare for his upcoming Commonwealth title shot in March against Jay Harris of Wales after the Guyanese was appointed as the Mandatory challenger for the Commonwealth Flyweight title. That bout will be held on March 31 at the Copperbox Arena and is being promoted by Frank Warren’s
Queensberry Promotions. “Since Marques will be the underdog in that match, it is anticipated that his rigorous training will enable him to put on a pleasing display on January 20 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall as he prepares for the fight that could change his life, and give Guyana its next world title” Abdool added. Abdool admitted that there is not enough Professional Boxing due to a lack of funding to bring in the big name fighters. “We want to have a Pro card every two months. If the Boxing Board is not active then our talented boxers will never reach the top. From what I have seen at the Amateur tournament we have some very
good boxers but we need sponsors to come on board if we are to have more Pro Cards,” Abdool told the gathering with which included four of the five boxers who are scheduled to fight on January 20 along with fight night models. Also speaking at yesterday’s launching of the ‘Bad Blood’ Card at the Sports Maxx Store in the Giftland Mall was Aleem Hussain, Vice-President of Next/Gen Global who is responsible for promoting the event. He informed that Tickets, which cost $4,000 for VIP, $2,000 for Ringside and $1,000 for stands, will be on sale at the Giftland Stores and Assuria General Insurance offices in Georgetown, Diamond, Berbice, Parika, and Vreed-in-Hoop.
Sri Lanka hire performance psychologist
Performance psychologist Dr. Phil Jauncey talks to the Bangladesh team BCB. Sri Lanka Cricket have hired the services of performance psychologist Dr. Phil Jauncey on a short-term basis, at the behest of new head coach Chandika Hathurusingha. Jauncey has previously worked with Hathurusingha on the Bangladesh national team, completing at least two stints in Dhaka. His work with the Sri Lanka side began on Wednesday, and is expected to last 10 days. The team hopes to engage him over many more stints along the way. “[Jauncey] is currently working with the Sri Lankan national side, where he will focus on identifying the personality traits of each player, the best communication and learning methods suited for each player, and also of the coaching staff,” a board
release said. A lecturer in field psychology, Jauncey also works as a psychologist with the Australian Baseball team. Hathurusingha had met him during a previous Big Bash League season, when Hathurusingha was coaching the Sydney Thunder. “I think [Jauncey] will be very useful both for me and the players,” Hathurusingha had said soon after taking the Sri Lanka job. “In fact, he has helped me quite a bit in the past in better understanding my players.” Sri Lanka have previously hired sports psychologists on short-term engagements - Jeremy Snape being the most recent such appointment, during the 2015 World Cup. (ESPNcricinfo)