Kaieteur News

K

AIETEUR NEWS

Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Granger still to issue

Thursday Edition January 16, 2020 - Vol. 13 No. 02

decree to override contract confidentiality

p. Online: www.kaieteurnews.com 15 Online Price $80 readership yesterday 151,489

Suriname secures three times Guyana's royalty - Companies to pay 36% tax on income for latest oil find Boy, 5, loses four fingers p.

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Mother of three knifed to death by reputed husband p.

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Bibi Zameena Ally called “Annette” and her husband, Natram Lalman

after lighting squib

p.

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5-year-old Darrion Jaigobin

- Man drinks poison, hospitalised Harbour Bridge 18p. UG hosts special Cops seek to charge p. two for wedding closer to digital lecture on crude 19 p.

23 house killing credit toll system pricing today

Marcus Bisram's Trial of accused case sent back to in murder of Rubis Berbice jurisdiction accountant aborted p.

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p.

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Kaieteur News

PAGE 02

Thursday January 16, 2020

Suriname secures three times Guyana's royalty for latest oil find - Companies to pay 36% tax on income A

fter drilling six dry holes in December last, the Government of Suriname was completely thrilled after it learnt that oil operators, Total and Apache, made a material oil discovery on

Block 58.

That concession is located within its territorial waters.

The find which was made a few days ago is on trend with the prolific discoveries made in the

adjacent Stabroek Block in Guyana.

According to Total and Apache, the Maka Central-1 well was drilled by a water depth of about 1,000 metres and encountered more than 123 metres net pay of highquality light oil and gas rich condensate net pay, in multiple stacked reservoirs.

Further drilling and testing will be carried out to appraise the resources and productivity of the reservoir.

While that is being done, Staatsolie, the Dutch state's oil company, has disclosed that contractual provisions allow it to participate as an investor up to a maximum of 20% in the development of a well, while noting that the State earns 6.25% in royalties.

This is more than three times what Guyana was able to negotiate for its globally praised, light sweet crude in the Stabroek Block.

Further to this, Kaieteur

Map showing the location of the latest Suriname discovery (marked by a star) and its proximity to other oil finds offshore Guyana News understands that the companies will pay 36% tax on income to the Surinamese administration. In the case of

Guyana, ExxonMobil, Hess Corporation and CNOOC/NEXEN can breathe easy as the coalition

government has generously opted to pay the taxes of the companies out of its share of profit oil.

Kaieteur News

Thursday January 16, 2020

3,000 acres mistake corrected in Official director sues Gazette - GPL media houses

PAGE 03

Mother of three knifed to death by reputed husband - Man drinks poison, hospitalised

A

Kirk Hollingsworth

D

irector of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), Kirk Hollingsworth, has sued a number of media houses including Kaieteur News in excess of $50M. The former Executive Director of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry also want the story to be taken off the website… https://www.kaieteurnewson line.com According to the Statement of Claim contained in court papers served, Hollingsworth named the National Media and Publishing Company Limited, the publisher of Kaieteur News, and Editor in Chief, Adam Harris as respondents. They have 28 days to file a defence.

The director said he has suffered immensely and received a large number of messages following the publication. He also would

have lost business.

The article referred to was published in Kaieteur News on November 11th, 2019 and headlined. “Govt. gives out land larger than G/town to a single individual”.

The article was based on a publication in the Official Gazette of Guyana which had indicated that the amount of lands was over 3,000 acres and located in Ruimveldt.

The Official Gazette later corrected the mistake.

Following the article, members of the legal profession had pointed out to Kaieteur News that the '3,200 acres' should really read square feet. That clarification was published.

It was pointed out that the transaction was the result of Collingsworth regularising occupation of his house lot in North Ruimveldt. The size of the house lot is 80 feet by 40 feet.

late-night d o m e s t i c dispute has left a West Coast Demerara family mourning the loss of their 34-year-old loved one – a mother of three.

Dead is Bibi Zameena Ally called “Annette” of Lot 15 Crane Old Road, West Coast Demerara.

Ally succumbed after she was stabbed multiple times by her reputed husband, Natram Lalman, who attempted suicide moments later.

This publication was told that the couple's relationship was on the rocks for some time. Prior to the incident, the husband had accused his wife of having an affair.

Relatives recounted that the couple would constantly engage in heated spats but their fights reached a boiling point on Tuesday night, when the husband reportedly grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed his wife repeatedly in her sleep.

The victim's mother, Rajpattie Persaud related she was awakened by the screams of her daughter. The woman said that she began feeling unusually sick on Tuesday afternoon.

“I would usually sleep early, but for some reason I couldn't sleep, so I took the sleeping tablets.”

“I jump out my sleep

when I hear she cry 'mommy, mommy!' She run and fall down right outside my bedroom door. I really don't know what happen before that, because I take two tablets to help me sleep” The distraught mother said that she immediately rushed to her daughter's assistance.

She said she stood between her son-in-law, who was armed with a bloodied knife, and her daughter who had collapsed on the floor.

The couple's three children, ages 19, 16 and seven, stood watching as their grandmother tearfully begged their father to hand over the weapon.

“I approach him and I call he name. I said Resh what happened to you? What wrong with you? And he started looking round at dem children, so I hold he hands with the knife and I went down on my knees and beg him to give me the knife, because I start frighten he do something to my grandchildren.”

Persaud said that Lalman instructed her not to call for help.

“He said that I must not call anybody for help. I must leave her there and I shake my head. I tell he yes I won't call nobody. I tell him give me the knife. He must go outside and I will clean my

Bibi Zameena Ally called “Annette” and her husband, Natram Lalman, who ingested poison moments after stabbing her to death daughter up and sap her with Limacol because she looked like she get blackout.”

Persaud said as soon as her son-in-law left the house, she was assisted by her grandson to lock the doors.

She started screaming for help as she tried to revive her daughter, but the young woman never regained consciousness.

“I call for she uncles and

people start come in the yard in like ten minutes, but by the time they reach, she was gone (dead),” Persaud tearfully recalled.

The husband reportedly told persons close to the family that he had stabbed his wife eight times, and then left the yard with a white bottle in his hand. The bottle was later suspected to have (continued on page 13)

PAGE 4

Kaieteur News

Thursday January 16, 2020

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

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

EDITORIAL

Dual citizenship What is really happening with dual citizenship? More specifically, what are those seeking local political office, who hold such dual citizenship, doing about relinquishing the foreign one? Or retaining both, and stepping out of the contest for elected office? What has surfaced recently is far from satisfying, and speaks towards the calculated, and so much more.

Very few Guyanese citizens can claim today that they do not know about the developments that occurred, and the unambiguous position, which now prevails. No political aspirant running for office in 2020 could honestly claim to not know by doing that which conflicts with what is mandatory. What should be is that office seekers in Guyana must relinquish their foreign citizenship status. If they are not prepared to do so, then they must step down and out from the running.

To their credit, a number of government and opposition people made their decision and followed through with convincing follow up action. A few felt it necessary on the opposition side, after considering their circumstances, that they should keep both citizenships, which effectively ruled them out of parliament and further contention. They did the right thing in a conclusive and honourable manner.

There were no if and/or buts, they held on to both, for their own reasons, and that was that.

In addition, others from both the opposition and government, some high-profile names, decided that they envision being more involved in the affairs and future of Guyana, which prompted them to give up what was gained, after long and patient effort. It was not, and could not have been a casual decision. Their examples are both appealing and refreshing; people providing proof of their intentions, through their actions. They desire to participate, to serve, and to immerse themselves into the domestic culture and struggles.

At this point there should be no debate or discourse over dual citizens in political and electoral contexts, with specific reference to who could and who should be allowed to be involved. The dual citizenship issue occupied much conversation, more differences, and still more time last year, and for months. Because of this, some questions now bubble to the surface in January, a mere six weeks from that elections date of March 2nd.

Why is there this continuing haziness on the part of some contestants? There should not be any, given the road traveled on this subject. Why is there the appearance, and sense, of hedging, stonewalling, playing for time, and testing the wind to determine in which direction it will carry?

There is nothing mysterious or complicated about this. To repeat from earlier: give up and go forward into the Guyanese political milieu. Or keep it and continue in whatever other field of endeavour pleases, but not as an active player in Guyanese politics. That is as clear as it is final.

Thus, there is consternation and disbelief, over reports of some of the newer folks conveniently ignoring what should be and trying to get by through the cracks. If they are going to game the system at this early stage, and seek to mislead and cheat from now, then they should not be trusted with anything like elective office. They should not be trusted on anything, given such public disregard, such reckless failure to observe what stands, what the law of the land requires.

Further, there is admission of some uncertainty, if not severe skepticism, when those who made loud, public announcements about surrendering foreign citizenship, suddenly shelter under paper and process and patiently wait for some unknown development. It is not persuasive; it is taking too long. Too long since this was known and settled since as early as mid-year last year, if not before. If men were serious, the whole process should have been well underway, already finalized and over.

Yet here it is that it is mid-January and the murkiness of what was done or not done, or intended to be done, remains an unsettled and unfinalized matter. Why are some of these people running for office? Why are they coming and asking voters to believe them, trust them and support them?

If they can’t do right on this, with what could they be trusted?

Caution needed amidst the heightened passions and hollow promises DEAR EDITOR, I write to urge caution amidst the heightened passions and hollow promises which so often characterise Guyanese elections. This election is perhaps the most monumental in the whole of Guyanese history, for it comes at the same time when our oil industry is taking off. The wealth at stake, and the power of good or evil it will provide those who wield it, will surely set the tone for Guyana’s future.

It is vitally important that the government keep those revenues flowing. It seems to be fashionable of late for politicians and other Guyanese to suggest that Guyana could benefit from attempting to reopen and renegotiate existing contracts.

Of course, Guyana left some money on the table when they were first negotiated – that much cannot be disputed. But

to suggest that we are best suited by reopening them now seems to me, simply, a farce.

Why, you ask? Because to do so ignores the bigger picture. We may be producing oil now, but it is not in any meaningful quantity. That will come later, with the addition of more phases of development in the Stabroek and more discoveries elsewhere. What is the cost of disrupting that?

We would also be fools not to consider what is taking place just next door in Suriname. If there is any indication that the reserves there might rival our own, what is to stop oil companies from fleeing Guyana if it seems that we do not respect the rule of law, or that they may get better terms there?

On this latter point, Guyanese should consider the example of Mozambique and Tanzania, the

neighbouring African states.

East Africa has seen a budding rivalry between the two, which have both discovered major offshore gas reserves. Yet it has been a lopsided contest.

Mozambique has moved quickly and decisively, granting attractive terms and arranging for major international operators to get projects online within the shortest possible timeframe.

There regulatory framework and petroleum laws have also been clear and thoughtful, reassuring investors.

Tanzania’s path has been one of errors and misjudgments. Its resources are still in the nascent phase after frequent construction delays for the onshore LNG export facility. The country has also established industry laws which provide no clear roadmap on production, commercial processing, liquefaction, transportation,

storage or distribution of its natural gas resources. And amongst the most cited concerns for international investment is a new regulation that would allow the government to apply laws retroactively, giving them the power to renegotiate alreadysigned contracts.

Much of the Tanzania context should be startling familiar to Guyanese. We sit now in a privileged and unique position with the advent of oil production. We are the darling of the world’s oil industry. Let us not get carried away with our newfound celebrity and let us not be tempted to rash action when patience and deliberation would serve us better. Certainly every effort must be made to wring out as much benefit from oil operations as is possible for Guyana. That does not mean a blunt approach is the best approach.

Yours Respectfully, Gregory Lynch

The formula for political success is simple DEAR EDITOR, A certain section of the population, generally sympathetic to the PPP/C, is of the opinion and belief that the PNC, in all of its manifestations, has never won, and can never win, a free and fair election in Guyana.

Their main justification for this position, according to Mike Persaud, is that “the vast majority of the electorate (at least 94%) votes on the basis of race” and that “in all Free and fair Elections (1964 and post 1992), PNC has always polled between 40 and 42.3%, because that is the precise population of African vote that exists in Guyana”. I, on the other hand, am of a different opinion and belief. In the first place, I do not accept and consider it too simplistic and opportunistic to argue that the vast majority of Guyanese vote on the basis of race and would not support any political party which organizes and campaigns on that basis. Also, it is, by no means, clear which ethnicities represent the remaining 6% of the population and which party it is assumed the Amerindians, Chinese, Portuguese, Mixed Race and others vote for.

Historically, the two massbased political parties - PPP and PNC - organized and located in different parts of the country and among different sections of the population, as do political parties everywhere. The PNC organized largely in the urban centres, among the middle and professional classes and urban-based labour

organizations and among Christian and Afro-centric cultural organizations. The PPP, on the other hand, organized largely in rural communities along the coast and among rice farmers and sugar workers and the Hindu community. It would appear, and I believe, that the dominant organizing principle was socioeconomic, cultural and ideological, and not explicitly racial. This is not to say that racial identity did not coincide with these interests and that politicians have not manipulated racial insecurities in furtherance of their ambitions.

Recent political history has witnessed the evolution of only one political party with regard to its organizing principles. The PNC has determined to engage in coalition building to enlarge its political base and to broaden its leadership and membership which led to its victory as APNU+AFC in the last elections. The PPP/C, however, has demonstrated its willingness to achieve power without a plurality and is confident with a policy of promoting ethnic voting which it assumes would result in a simple majority over its main rival. The PPP/ C is so confident of the inevitable success of this strategy that it claims that only a rigged election could deny it.

The PPP/C’s confidence in this strategy is misplaced for the following reasons: 1. While it may be the case that Guyanese of East

Indian ancestry constitute the single largest ethnic group, it is certainly not representative of the majority of the population and cannot, by itself, guarantee victory to the PPP/C. 2. Guyana’s electoral system allows for a party to win the Presidency with less than 50% of the vote and fewer than half of the seats in

the National Assembly if three or more parties receive votes in the elections (Donald Ramotar was elected President in 2011 with 32 of 65 seats in the National Assembly and 48.6% of the vote). With 9 parties contesting the upcoming General and Regional elections the possibility of (Continued on page 5)

The importance of free and fair elections cannot be overemphasized DEAR EDITOR, According to media reports, the Carter Centre will be fielding observers for the upcoming General and Regional elections.

This is a positive development given the role played by President Carter and his Centre in the return of democracy to Guyana after some three decades of undemocratic rule. The Centre has also been instrumental in the garnering of development assistance to the country following a return to democratic rule especially during the early stages of the new PPP/C administration.

The fact that the Centre would have a presence during the pre-and post elections period and on elections day would certainly help in terms of voter confidence. The Carter Centre has over the

decades established itself as a credible institution that was instrumental in facilitating free and fair elections not only in Guyana but in several other countries.

The presence of elections experts from Canada, India and Ghana within GECOM would serve to complement and reinforce the work done by the Carter Centre and other observer groups, both national and international.

The importance of free and fair elections cannot be overemphasized. This is perhaps the most high-stakes elections in modern Guyana due to the emerging oil and gas sector. All eyes will be focused on the Guyana Elections Commission and its role in facilitating free, fair and credible elections.

Hydar Ally

Thursday January 16, 2020

What is to be gained in Guyana continuing to be part of CARICOM DEAR EDITOR, I have observed some staff of the CARICOM Secretariat leaving home at 9 am for work. Some are senior persons. The staff at CARCIOM Secretariat are among the highest paid in Guyana with many allowances. The CARICOM Secretariat is like the Guyana public Service where most persons arrive at work after 9 am. What are the working hours for the CARICOM Secretariat? Due to the culture that obtains, if a senior person goes to work late, the juniors will definitely follow.

This has led to a loss of productivity that pervades our society.

Many CARICOM Secretariat staff reportedly purchase high end vehicles using duty free concessions obtained from the CARICOM Secretariat but some do not go to work with these

vehicles. Instead there are reports that family members are seen using these vehicles or some other persons.

CARICOM Secretariat should enforce the policy that staff must go to work with the vehicles.

The Government of Guyana post March 2, 2020 must examine what is to be gained in Guyana continuing to part of CARICOM. The CCJ ruling on the NCM is but another example of CARICOM lack of objectivity and irrelevance. One wonders what is the criteria for hiring by the CARICOM Secretariat. If it just friends and family who can talk a good talk? Should it not be persons with a track record of delivering results? The CARICOM Secretariat seems to be going round in circle with just a few institutions established which are ineffective in many instances.

Sincerely, Harris Singh

The formula for...

From page 4 electing a President with a much smaller percentage of the vote is greatly enhanced, and, even with only two political parties contesting the elections, it is possible for the party with fewer overall votes or less than 50% to receive more seats in the National Assembly and win the Presidency.

Presumed ethnic numerical superiority and allegiance does not guarantee electoral success in a free and fair election. To suggest otherwise and to attribute its failure to “Machiavellian plans to rig or manipulate the elections” is intellectually dishonest and an attempt to excuse the many failures of the PPP/C. The formula for political success is simple and is applicable almost anywhere in

the world and does not involve rigging or manipulation of any kind. It involves basically three characteristics - its organizing principle (broad-based vs. narrow), the quality and diversity of its candidates and leaders, and its vision and record of achievement in government.

The APNU+AFC coalition is demonstrably superior in every regard and will, in my opinion, win the upcoming election by a landslide, sans rigging.

Sincerely, Oscar Dolphin

PAGE 5

Kaieteur News

The campaign trail is in full swing DEAR EDITOR, The campaign trail is in full swing for the upcoming March 2020 National and Regional Elections. The major political parties are in communities across the country, detailing the messages to Guyanese.

However, some of what is being said on the campaign trail is cause for serious concern.

Editor, I would like to look specifically at the Coalition’s campaign promise of constitutional reform, as it relates to the no-confidence provision in the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

At the Coalition’s campaign launch, held on the 3rd January 2020, APNU/AFC Coalition Leader, Mr. David Granger, argued that he will amend the Constitution to deal with the No-Confidence Motion provisions. He said, “We are going to reform the constitution so that the nonsense they tried with us over the last 12 months does not happen again.”

This promise was more recently repeated by People’s National Congress Reform Executive, Basil Williams, at a community meeting in South Georgetown. He promised those in attendance that the Coalition plans to amend the Constitution to have a “definite term limit” in Guyana. He went on to say that when you win elections you have five (5) years in Office.

Mr. Williams added that this was done in the United Kingdom also, where legislation was passed to have fixed terms. Not only is this absurd, but a blatant lie.

Editor, the main function of the National Assembly is to hold the Government accountable for its action.

The Constitution is the

supreme law of the country and to amend the Constitution in such a manner, in effect mean, removing that accountability and transparency.

G. C. Malhotra, in the book ‘Cabinet Responsibility to Legislature’, wrote: “Collective responsibility in a parliamentary system implies that the Council of Ministers is always accountable to the Parliament.

For Governance, and also for providing legitimacy to its authority, the Executive must, at all times, enjoy the confidence of the House.”

Further, on the Oxford Constitutional Law website, Anna Dziedzic, in an article titled ‘No Confidence Vote’, stated: “No confidence votes are the procedural expression of the defining feature of parliamentary systems of government, which is that the executive government is accountable

to the parliament and holds that office only while it has the confidence of a majority of the elected representatives in the parliament.”

Editor, it is clear that Mr. Williams does not understand the difference between a parliamentary system and a presidential system.

Dziedzic explains that: “No confidence votes in this sense do not feature in presidential systems, in which the head of the executive government is directly elected by the people and does not rely on the support of the parliament to hold office. The impeachment process in presidential systems differs from no confidence votes in parliamentary systems, in that the grounds for impeachment are confined to serious misbehaviour and abuse of office. In contrast, a no confidence vote may be brought because the majority in parliament no longer

supports the executive government, and no specific reason is required.”

As is stated above, there is no definite fix term for any Government, under any of the two systems.

What Mr. Williams failed to mention was the fact that there was a Fixed-Term Parliaments Act of 2011, which denied the prime minister the authority to unilaterally call a new election. However, under the new system, a Parliament would last a full five-year term unless a two-thirds supermajority voted for dissolution and early elections.

Editor, it would appear that the APNU/AFC Coalition wants to amend the Constitution of Guyana to allow for an Authoritarian Government in Guyana for five years. I, therefore, urge all right-thinking Guyanese to reject!

Sincerely, Roodi Balgobin, MBA

NCN’s coverage has been fair, balanced, accurate and true DEAR EDITOR, As Ronald Reagan said to Jimmy Carter in a debate “There he goes again.” I will say the same to Kit Nascimento, “There he goes again”.

Kit is posturing. He is pandering to the Media, the Observers like the Carter Center and the Commonwealth, the soidisant “International Community” and his

supporters.

He has absolutely no evidence to support his claims. He attacks the medium rather than the message. He does this every time he gets paid believing that once he pronounces on an issue that is it.

Kit is wrong, out of touch and is in no position to pontificate on or proffer an opinion to NCN on this particular matter.

I can speak to NCN’s

news, general programming and current affairs coverage and as far as NCN is concerned it is fair, balanced, accurate and true. The reference to the one instance of coverage of the President at an event was coverage of the Head of State whether Kit likes it or not.

NCN’s TV and Radio coverage of Nomination Day on Friday January 10, 2020 (Continued on page 6)

PAGE 6

Kaieteur News

Thursday January 16, 2020

Sincere gratitude from the NICIL/SPU scholarship beneficiaries DEAR EDITOR, The reason for this letter is to put on the record the sincere thanks and gratitude of the families of the three scholarship awardees that were recognized by Minister Winston Jordan and his ministry as a result of the 2019 NGSA Region Six performance. We would like the Minister to know of how sincere and happy our children are for his genuine and generous assistance in supporting our educational pursuits.

As the father of Pawan Etwaroo, who had tied for the number one spot in Region Six, I would also like to say thanks twice as it was a result of the very helpful and caring attitude of Mr. Colvin HeathLondon, NICIL/SPU CEO that resulted in me gaining employment as a security guard at Albion Estate after I

lost my job with GUYSUCO. I must confess that I was very depressed and heartbroken after I was paid severance and after investing same in rebuilding the humble home that my wife and son occupied, I was struggling severely due to the fact that finding employment was a challenging task for me.

It was during a frank discussion that I requested some assistance from Mr. Heath-London as I related the grave and at times unbearable hardships that my family and I were experiencing.

I subsequently gained employment and must say t h a t a s a r e s u l t o f M r.

Heath-London’s generosity and assistance I have been able to provide for my family, thus helping me to keep us all happy.

I confess that I was

moved to write with the other families to do this letter as a result of the excellent and fantastic weekend stay that we were rewarded to at the Watooka Guest House.

It must be noted that none of us have ever been to Linden and have never stayed in a hotel of this magnitude and class.

Therefore, you can understand how excited, thrilled and captivated we felt as we were blown away by the very high fantastic and very comfortable hotel and experience that our children benefited from.

F u r t h e r, t h e v a r i o u s tours to several educational and historical places and sites in Linden further enhanced the educational knowledge of our children as we were able to dismantle several myths, while replacing

them with facts.

We would like to express to Minister Jordan that our tongues are too short to justly express how thankful and happy we are to have been able to see a different part of Guyana, while being educated on the still many rich and breathtakingly beautiful places that exists in this country.

I would like to say that a s a f a t h e r, s e e i n g t h e beautiful smiles and deep appreciation from the faces of the children tell us a really great story and I would stress that it is one that will forever be remembered.

Although I was reluctant to go on the trip, it afforded us a firsthand experience of Guyanese hospitality irrespective of o n e ’s race, c o l o u r, religious views and most

Voting against a party rather than for one’s own DEAR EDITOR, Very soon, voters have to make a decision on how they will vote — which party to vote for. Will they be motivated by party or candidate or policy or some other factor? It has not been an easy decision. There aren’t attractive choices. When voters can’t make a decision they always fall back on ethnicity. This year, voters have some dozen other choices besides the two dominant forces.

The voters had the experience of governance under the two dominant political parties for some sixty years, almost fifty four of which have been since independence in 1966. The voters say it has not been a pleasant governing experience post independence. They would have preferred to return to preindependence rule. They say the white man was fairer to them than the local rulers. The white man did not thief, according to older folks. But since independence, thieving

has been a norm in governance.

During home rule and the early years after independence, voters cast ballots for their parties and charismatic leaders like Burnham and Jagan. But in recent years, voters cast ballots against a party or its main candidate. Voters say they are not pleased with all of the choices available to them. In recent polling, some three quarters of the voters say they are voting against a candidate or party rather than for the one to which they will cast ballot. It is noted that many voters say both major parties are evil. Some voters say they will cast ballot for the lesser of the evil. But the lesser of the evil largely depends on which side of the fence you sit or stand. David Hinds, a defender of the coalition, says his party is the lesser of the evil. Freddie Kissoon, Hinds’ friend, disagrees arguing that both are equally evil and that neither party deserves a vote.

Other analysts see the

opposition as the lesser of the evil.

Race largely determines which side is more evil. Some voters are more objective and engage in rational thinking on which side they can trust more to handle the incoming oil revenues. Some also look at racism as a favour in how they plan to vote. There are limited non partisan voters.

For almost ninety percent of the voters, their decision has already been made. They are voting tribe or race even though they are not pleased with their party. Some are actually voting for (in support of) their party but the bulk are voting against the other side that they find repulsive. It is the remaining ten percent that will prove to be critical in determining which party forms the government and whether that party will get a majority of seats in parliament to carry out its programmes as described in its manifesto.

There is very minimal cross over ethnic support for the dominant parties. And even among them, one cannot

make a strong claim that they are voting affirmatively for a party. Their party betrayed them and they have gone across to support the other party — they are vex and angry and are casting ballots against their ethnic party.

They are looking at the minor parties; don’t count them out even though the political situation is polarized by ethnicity.

How will the remainder ten percent vote? Some are going for the minor parties because they don’t want the major parties to get a majority.

And there are still some undecided voters.

Those who said they would not vote could very well change their mind and cast ballots for the minor parties. The political situation is dynamic. But in the end, the large majority of the voters lack confidence in the parties. They are voting against a major party rather than for the one that receives the vote.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

importantly cultural and heritage.

We had a grand time and left Watooka Guest House with the understanding that Guyana has a lot to offer and the experience that we gained while on this weekend trip was certainly worth more than anything else in the world that money can buy.

Editor it’s important to add that the financial assistance being provided to our children by NICIL/ SPU is greatly appreciated and continues to play a critically important part in enhancing our daily lives.

While I am fortunate now to have a job, like the father of Chitra who is the only breadwinner in their home, Marrissa is not this fortunate as her mother is only able to work one and sometimes two or three days a week.

I am aware that while Chitra’s family and I have smaller families, Marissa’s mother is saddled with four children with one preparing for CXC this year and a daily challenge of finding transportation money to send her children to school.

It’s no secret that it’s worst for them.

However, we are all happy and pleased that the monies being given to us

respectively is being stretched to do additional things to further reduce some of the grave and unbearable challenges that we are faced with.

I would like to confirm on behalf of my wife and s o n P a w a n and also on behalf of Chitra and Marrissa that they will continue working exceptionally hard to maintain high and very impressive grades. As such, this will ensure that Minister Jordan and Mr. HeathLondon and all of the other staff at NICIL/SPU remain proud of their academic growth.

I can assure the Honourable Minister that in some years’ time these three individuals who were once seen as poverty stricken and financially incapable to supporting themselves through school because of the grave challenges faced by their respective families, would be prominent individuals who would have used poverty to prosperity as their motto in succeeding.

On behalf of the three families I would like to say once again thank you to Minister Jordan and similar thanks to Mr. Colvin HeathLondon.

Regards, Anand Kumar Etwaroo

NCN’s coverage has been fair, balanced...

From page 5 was phenomenal. Even the GNBA’s Chairman was interviewed in the all day broadcast event.

It is not for Kit to inject himself into the fray so that editorials, reports can be compiled. He has to prove his points.

Wr i t i n g emphatically does not prove your point or provide evidence.

He goes down his usual highbrow pompous pontificating path by making patently false statements even to the casual observer and thinks that that adds credibility to his arguments.

I repeat for emphasis NCN will be guided by its Board, what GECOM promulgates and the guidelines set out by the GNBA. En passant I hope Kit does not find this comment an ad hominem attack (Kit says ad homonym (sic) I say ad hominem).

Kit you referred to “the share” (sic) hypocrisy of Mr. Woolford’s position!

Clearly your classist conspiratorial contemptuous colleagues knew you meant “Sheer”, unless you really meant that the hypocrisy is “shared”.

Enrico Woolford

Thursday January 16, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 07

CARICOM at the WTO K

By Elizabeth Morgan

INGSTON, Jamaica (CMCFeature) – This year, the World Trade Organization (WTO) marks 25 years since its establishment on 1st January 1995. It will be holding its 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) in Nur-Sultan, Kazakstan, June 8-11, at a critical point in its short history.

Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have been members of the WTO since its inception. Today, only the Bahamas is not a WTO member, but is an Observer negotiating its accession.

C u r r e n t l y, C A R I C O M members represented in Geneva are Barbados, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and a joint Eastern Caribbean (OECS) representation.

Other CARICOM members are accredited out of Brussels and London.

The CARICOM members endeavour to coordinate their participation at the WTO. The current group coordinator is the Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago.

Alliance-building is important to the CARICOM members in advancing their positions. Thus they also work through the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group. The WTO is the only multilateral body in which the ACP now functions. From its Summit

in Nairobi, this group plans to strengthen its presence in the multilateral arena.

The Permanent Representative of Jamaica is currently the ACP Coordinator in Geneva.

Another alliance involving CARICOM members is the Small Vulnerable Economies (SVEs) group which is specifically promoting the interests of small developing country members.

CARICOM Permanent Representatives are actively engaged in the work of the WTO. The current chair of the Agriculture Negotiating Group is the Permanent Representative of Guyana.

Over several years, Jamaica was chair of the Special Session on Trade and Development and of the Rules Negotiating Group which deals with issues such as fisheries subsidies.

Barbados has been a leader in the SVEs group.

The CARICOM representatives, however, require support from the CARICOM Secretariat and their capitals, where stakeholders quite often appear to be steps behind in their understanding of the issues.

It was heartening to read that a CARICOM Workshop on WTO issues was held in Barbados, January 8-10. It seems that the aim was to assist regional officials to better understand the issues and develop positions as preparations for MC12 gather momentum.

The workshop covered

WTO reform including the development status of members (special and differential treatment) and dispute settlement, fisheries subsidies, agriculture, electronic commerce (ecommerce), services, investment facilitation, trade facilitation, and medium small & micro enterprises ( M S M E s ) .

Recommendations would be presented to Ministers.

While the Intersessional meeting of Heads is scheduled for February in Barbados, the 50th Regular Meeting of the CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) is not scheduled until April/May. This would mean that a Special COTED Meeting would have to be convened soon or CARICOM will continue to play catch-up as work at the WTO advances.

Stakeholders in the region need to be continuously engaged.

The United States and others have led the WTO into a crisis in its 25th year.

Although the organization could be assessed as a disadvantageous arena of operation for CARICOM countries, the situation might have been worse w it h o u t a r u les - b as e d multilateral system and with one in which might only rules.

The WTO DirectorGeneral (DG), Roberto Azevedo, indicated to a m e e t i n g i n U r u g u a y, marking the 25th Anniversary of the end of the

GATT Uruguay Round, that the multilateral trading system is the last wall standing before the law of the jungle.

For the DG, the major issue facing the WTO leading into MC12, is whether or not it can make progress multilaterally and find innovative ways to inject new energy and m o m e n t u m i n t o longstanding multilateral issues, as well as address new issues now being

deliberated in a plurilateral format such as e-commerce, MSMEs, investment, and empowerment of women.

He sees MC 12 as a landmark for all these deliberations.

MC12 could determine whether the WTO is able to survive for another 25 years.

CARICOM might want to critically assess its 25 years in the WTO to determine whether it has benefitted to the fullest extent from its membership and implementation of the

Agreements. It also has to ensure that it is prepared and, with its alliances, can make a strong input into the MC12 deliberations.

(Elizabeth Morgan, who writes for CMC, is a specialist in international trade policy and international politics.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Thursday January 16, 2020

Guyana advances to strengthen laws on child protection

T

he Attorney G e n e r a l ' s Chambers and Ministry of Legal Affairs, in partnership with the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) and the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Guyana, yesterday hosted a meeting aimed at having discussions on improving Guyana's legislative framework, as it regards to children.

Guyana has been lauded for taking the lead in South America as it becomes the first country on the continent to pursue and strengthen laws and policies on child maintenance, child adoption, child abduction, and child protection.

Those areas are the subject of four conventions under the Hague Conference on Private International Law. Implementing agency, the Ministry of Legal Affairs, yesterday held a joint meeting with HCCH and UNICEF. According to the

m i n i s t r y, G u y a n a h a s continued to strengthen its efforts, following work between 2015 and 2020 on the four family-related conventions.

It said the Attorney General's office over the past years has prioritised work on the legislative drafting for adoption convention and has worked with the Childcare and Protection Agency and other entities to ensure that the country meets its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, SC said Guyana has already agreed to several conventions. He added that the meeting would assist Guyana as it works toward the implementation of the conventions through domestic legislation once the National Assembly passes it.

“The implementation of the Hague Family Conventions will buttress the existing local legislation, to secure the protection of

our children and provide for their best interest,” Williams told attendees at the meeting, which was held at the Marriott Hotel.

The AG noted that Guyana's constitution requires that the best interest of the child must always be paramount and that the Hague Conventions allows Guyana to ensure it remains so in a changing world.

The meeting yesterday was a follow-up to two similar meetings held on the Hague Conventions - the Regional Conference on Family Law held in July 2016, and a National Consultation held in September 2017.

I n J u l y 2 0 1 6 , 11 8 participants from 25 States/overseas territories, including Attorneys General and Ministers of Justice, Chief Justices, representatives from Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Child Protection Authorities, the Hague Conference on Private International Law, UNICEF, the Caribbean Community

Three of the participants at the meeting yesterday morning at the Marriott Hotel (CARICOM) Secretariat, NGOs, academics and practitioners, met in Georgetown, Guyana, to discuss the work of the HCCH and the relevance of some of its core Conventions and instruments to Guyana and the wider Caribbean Region.

The meeting was jointly organised by the Attorney General's Chambers and Ministry of Legal Affairs, UNICEF, and the HCCH. It built on the conclusions and recommendations adopted by the first Caribbean meeting that took place in Bermuda (May 2012) and the second meeting held in

Trinidad and Tobago (June 2015). One of the positive outcomes of the meeting was new designations to the International Hague Network of Judges that were announced by Guyana.

The meeting also provided an opportunity for the country to reflect on how to improve its domestic and international legal architecture for children, especially as it relates to issues on international adoption, abduction and child protection.

UNICEF's country representative Sylvie Fouet said Guyana has been leading the way in the rights

of children. “To name a few, Alternative Care Policy was revised and adopted last year, revision of the adoption law is on the way and the revision of the Kidnapping Act 2011. They are also looking at the Apostille Convention, which is more related to documentation and relation with Foreign Affairs,” she said.

HCCH representative Ignacio Goicoechea also addressed the meeting while other attendees included representatives from the Guyana Police Force, the judiciary, and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Thursday January 16, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 09

There is no leak

W

hat nonsense is this being peddled that the Auditor General's Report for 2018 was leaked to the media? The Report, once duly submitted to the Speaker of the National Assembly, becomes a public document, and has to be made available to the public for a cost recovery fee.

A leak is an unauthorized release. Nothing of the sort has occurred in relation to the Auditor General's Report for 2018.

The fact that the National

Assembly is not in session or that parliament has been prorogued does not act as a restriction on the Auditor General making the contents of the Report available to any member of the public.

The law not only allows him to do this; it requires that this be done.

The Audit Act of 2004 compels the Auditor General to submit his Report to the Speaker of the National Assembly. The House does not have to be in session for a report to be laid. The Audit Act states that once the

Report of the Auditor General is laid before the National Assembly, it may be made available to the public for a cost recovery fee.

The purpose of these provisions is to allow for the public to have access, while satisfying the formal requirement that the Report be submitted to the Speaker.

The Auditor General does not have to wait until a new parliament is constituted before he makes his report public.

The Office of the Auditor

Dem boys seh...

Fear got people quiet about dem oil company De Cummingsburg Accord that de Hay Heff See sign wid Hap New more secure than Jagdeo bank book. When dem two party sign de accord somebody mek a big announcement that de accord more secure than Jagdeo bank book.

Unless de owner show you, you can't see it. De Hay Heff See tell everybody that de accord will be a secret.

But de same people is de ones who release de first accord. That one had nuff things that sweeten de party.

This one got more cuts than a discount store that offering things fuh sale. De number of seats cut, de number of ministers cut and some odda things cut. Dem boys decide to ask Ram

Jattan why he decide to keep this one a secret.

De man tell dem boys how he decide to be like Jagdeo and keep everything secret.

That was only one thing wha he seh. Of course dem boys always talking bout de oil contract. One question is why he and Soulja Bai don't want to renegotiate de oil contract.

Even Jagdeo don't want to renegotiate de contract.

Some people believe money pass; some believe Guyanese stupid and some think Guyanese got a complex.

That is why when dem boys ask Ram Jattan if he gun push fuh de coalition to renegotiate de contract de

answer dem get lef dem dumb. De man tell dem that all who want to renegotiate got to do is form a political party, win de elections and then dem can renegotiate de contract.

But it got more than that.

Jagdeo frighten Exxon. He believe de oil company got people it can hire to hurt any leader who try to stand in de way of de company.

Is like when de mafia use to control New York.

Nobody was too big fuh de Mafia. Is de same fear people got fuh de oil company. That is why dem don't have too much criticism. Is only de Waterfalls paper carrying de fight wid dem boys.

Talk half and be brave.

General is a constitutional office. He is not subject to the direction of any public office nor the legislature, except through legislation.

The purpose of laying the Report to the National Assembly is intended to ensure that the legislature can, as it deems fit, consider the Report. But once the Report is submitted, there is no restriction on its being made public. No court will interpret the provisions of the Audit Act differently.

One can understand the consternation of the government and its supporters at the timing of the release of information contained in the Report. But that is no one's fault but the government. If it had complied with the provisions of the Constitution as they relate to the passage of a noconfidence motion, elections would have been held since last year, and the contents of the 2018 Report would not have been a bother.

As it is, what the Report reveals is that the financial practices of the present government are no less scandalous than what existed

under the previous regime.

All the same old complaints about overpayment for works done, delays in works done, payment for works not even started and the nons u b m i s s i o n o f documentation reappear again. And this time appear even worse than ever.

Taxes forgone were addressed in the Report.

Exemptions (conditional and non- conditional), waivers, concessions – call it what you may – all represent taxes forgone. Splitting hairs does not change that fact.

One of the agencies which has reacted to the publication of details in the Report is the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The GRA says that it does not grant concessions; it merely administers them.

The GRA therefore should have very little grounds to take umbrage at the concessions granted. It seems, however, to want to defend something that it argues is not its responsibility.

Agencies audited by the Audit Office are supposed, by law, to be afforded the

opportunity to respond to the audit findings of the Auditor General. By law, these responses are required to be included in the Report. The public therefore is able to judge the credibility of any finding by examining what the initial finding was, and then examining the responses by the audited agency.

No one should be upset at the findings of the Audit Report being made public.

The Report is a public document which allows for public scrutiny of the government. The question of a leak does not arise, and is just a red-herring which is being used to suggest that there is an ulterior motive in having the contents of the Report made public.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)

Kaieteur News

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Thursday January 16, 2020

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

2019: Nasty or ugly, sick or depressing or all four?

S

ome unpalatable things happened in 2019 and they force us to look back to the criticisms, this columnist, many editorials of this newspaper and the Stabroek News, the opposition parties and many sections of the society lambasted the PPP for, when that party was the political administrator of the country.

Let's start with the Minister of Public Security.

Sadly this fine lawyer has lost his way. Two egregious stumbles of Ramjattan filled the air with pyrotechnical hypocrisy that made the PPP look good. I cannot get it through the thick skull of some friends who will commit suicide if the PPP returns to power. But they have refused to tell their

leaders in the PNC (APNU is a fictional construct) and the AFC, their horrible mistakes are driving voters into the bosom of the PPP. It is like Mrs. Clinton. She will never exorcize the stalking ghost of Trump. But her types in the Democratic Party created Trump's victory.

GECOM announced the most incredible mistake and Ramjattan was the only

politician in Guyana to deem GECOM's mistake a positive innovation. GECOM required all citizens to visit a GECOM outlet with ID card to verify their names are on the list, a process that never existed since the first election in 1950. Ramjattan came out swinging in favour of the decision. The society's reaction against the autocratic imposition was so

swift that GECOM's retraction was even swifter.

This wasn't the only terrible indiscretion of Ramjattan in 2019. On the legal front, he shocked the entire country with his perspective on “conflict of interest.” “Frightening” is my adjective to describe the allegations made against the Crime Chief last year by lesser ranks of the force. The investigation was done by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) whose staff are all juniors to the Crime Chief.

Conflict of interest kicks in for two reasons.

Theoretically, an accused should not be investigated by his/her colleagues.

Secondly, many of those juniors for all you know were beneficiaries of the Crime Chief. To avoid conflict of interest, you get external personnel to head the investigation. The term “conflict of interest” was not an invention of legal studies but it is in the legal profession, you find it being invoked all the time.

Ramjattan as a lawyer argued strenuously and in contemptuous fashion against critics who demanded that the OPR should not do the investigation because of conflict of interest.

The OPR findings are still on the shelf. Imagine if a PPP minister had asserted that nothing was wrong with the OPR probing allegations against Commissioner Henry Greene. Ramjattan may have been the first to issue the denunciation.

Politically, it was a bad year for the ruling party, which the PPP capitalized on. So in effect one can say it was a good year for the PPP. SOCU took centre stage since the PPP lost power.

SOCU was the impregnable force that was mandated to expose the PPP government's saturation in corruption.

The opposite occurred in 2019. SOCU is riveted with allegations of criminal financial scandals. Its

Frederick Kissoon current head is suspended and is likely to face a court.

SOCU's twin, SARA, under former revolutionary Clive Thomas, had a dismal year too. SARA, like SOCU, has not shone its torchlight on 15 years of PPP corruptibility.

This has allowed the PPP to ask the question using barefaced words; “was there ever corruption in the first place?” Of course there was!

If the hunters in SOCU in 2019 ended up being hunted themselves, so were their partners in SARA. The chief investigator charged with exposing corruption under Jagdeo, committed one of Guyana's greatest ironies in 2019. He was shining his torchlight in the waters where oil fields were sold to people who had zero experience in the oil industry.

But the investigator ended up in the same situation. He had entered into some kind of transaction to buy similar oil fields.

The poor head of SARA, in speaking about the investigator's action, in maudlin tones told the press; “he didn't even inform me.”

How can you say after SOCU and SARA fell off the wall like Humpty Dumpty, that 2019 wasn't a good year for the PPP? Maybe 2019 was a celebratory year for the PPP when you think of what happened to one of the members of Granger's new team that led the police force in 2019.

That senior officer became the object of serious allegations of alleged criminal involvement by whistle blowers in the junior ranks of the force. 2019 was a sick year.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)

Thursday January 16, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Thursday January 16, 2020

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Thursday January 16, 2020

“Jail time is waste time”- Thief tells court EPA mulls closure of

By Trishan Craig

Y

et another rare response was given by Levi Williams, who yesterday told a full court that, “Jail time is waste time.” He made this statement as he was being sentenced for stealing from his friend and a bus driver.

The accused was hauled before the Acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel IsaacsMarcus on Monday last to have two charges read to him in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts.

The first charge stated that on December 7, 2019 at Cornhill Street, Georgetown, Williams stole $15,000 from the person of

Levi Williams Murdock Davis. The court also heard that on December 6, 2019 at Georgetown, he entered the dwelling home of Darrell Romeo and stole one laptop and a laptop bag. He had pleaded guilty to the offences and was more than

eager to receive his sentence today.

A probation report was given to the court as it relates to the accused. The court was told that for the charge involving Romeo, the accused had tried by all means to get back the items to the victim. However, the accused was upset because of the victim's attitude towards him. But Williams did express remorse for his actions and had said he is sorry for what took place in both cases. The court also heard that Williams was previously sentenced for two offences.

When asked what he had to say for himself before sentence was passed, Wi l l i a m s s a i d , “ Yo u r

worship Darrel Romeo won't show his face after he throw up on Facebook a set of things about me. You win some and you lose some so jail time is waste time. I am a law-abiding citizen. Darrel is the only person I does depend 'pon, but since he start treat me like nutten I start change”.

The magistrate then sentenced Williams to 18 months in prison on the first charge and eight months for the latter. The sentences will run concurrently.

Back in 2015 Williams was fined $40,000 for the possession of a knife, resisting arrest and disorderly behaviour. In 2008 he was charged for a violent robbery.

17000 ID cards still to be uplifted from GECOM

T

he Guyana E l e c t i o n s Commission (GECOM) still has 17000 identification (ID) cards on file which are to be collected.

This was revealed by Public Relations Officer (PRO) Yolanda Ward. Ward gave an update on the ID collection which she noted has been slow. She said that persons still have time to uplift the cards from the GECOM offices.

Officials of GECOM have called for some mechanism to be used to encourage persons who did not uplift their ID

cards to do so.

In the interim, GECOM will continue to publish the names of persons who have failed to uplift their National Identification Cards.

So far, the figure points to persons from Parika, Whim and Georgetown, which represent a small number of registrants who have collected their ID cards.

According to GECOM's calculation, 18,409 persons have been processed for new ID cards. GECOM has extended the time, indefinitely, for the collection of National Identification (ID) Cards.

According to GECOM, there are approximately 9,343 persons from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) who have not collected their identification (ID) cards from a list of over 18,000 names published in the local newspapers.

In Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), some 3,267 persons have not uplifted theirs. In addition to Regions Four and Six, 313 persons from Region One (Barima-Waini) have not collected their ID cards, while 548 ID cards in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) have

not been collected.

Over in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 2401 ID cards are still within GECOM's possession, while in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) there are 1,094.

In Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), 280 ID cards are to be collected; in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) 124, and in Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) another 263 ID cards are still to be collected. The area with the highest number of persons in question is Coldingen at 2,410, followed by Whim at 1,357.

N/A, Byderabo landfills - alternative sites being sought

T

he Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is giving serious consideration to the closure of two landfills—the Esplanade in New Amsterdam and Byderabo in Cuyuni-Mazaruni.

This comes after the environmental agency stipulated new landfill and dumpsite criteria and a list of all landfill sites was created.

This list was used to determine which would be closed or upgraded to the EPA standards. It was discovered that both of the landfills happen to be situated close to residential areas.

Head of the Sanitation Management Unit, Gordon Gilkes noted that there is a pressing issue to close the Esplanade facility, mainly because a synthetic track is adjacent to the site. With regards to the Byderabo site, which initially would have developed into swamp area, Gilkes added that residents built their houses close to their site.

It should be noted that living in close proximity to the dumpsites and landfills can have significant health risks.

Multiple results have shown a strong association between Hydrogen Sulphide (used as a surrogate for all pollutants coemitted from the landfills) and deaths caused by lung cancer, as well as deaths and hospitalizations for respiratory diseases. It is for this reason that the EPA is considering the closure of both of the sites.

Gilkes continued, however, that they have found alternative sites for both areas, but they need to be fully developed before the transition could be done.

The sanitation head

Head of the Sanitation Management Unit, Gordon Gilkes explained that waste management is set to be the major undertaking for the Ministry of Communities this year, as Guyana pursues a green development path.

Gilkes said that his unit was looking at crafting a waste management plan for Georgetown and the other towns. The idea, he said, was to have each town more involved in managing its waste. “I think that's important in terms of aligning the programme with the Green State Development Strategy…which talks about having environmental issues dealt with. Bringing those landfill sites under proper management will help to eliminate the environmental degradation that may exist,” Gilkes said, who was at the time addressing the ministry's two-day senior staff conference which opened on Tuesday.

He added that a major issue the Unit encountered last year was meeting the EPA's criteria for landfill and dumpsites. Priority areas for 2020 also include continuing works on six existing sites, including the Haags Bosch facility.

Thursday January 16, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 15

Granger still to issue decree to override contract confidentiality

E

ven though all of the contracts for the petroleum sector have been made public, agreements for other extractive industries like gold, bauxite and forestry, continue to remain hidden from public scrutiny.

For more than 20 years, t h e r e s p e c t i v e administrations have been saying that “confidentiality clauses” contained within the agreements stymie their efforts to release same. Also, confidentiality clauses within the nation's laws have been cited by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) as the key reason why it has not been able to release the tax information for gold, bauxite and forestry companies to the local Chapter of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GY-EITI).

But in spite of the reasoning provided by GRA and the nation's politicians, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) believes this state of affairs needs to be changed. In one of its most recent reports, the IMF

President David Granger premised its call for change on the fact that Guyana was admitted as an EITI candidate country in 2017, and is therefore expected to comply with its principles.

EITI requires its members to disclosure all contracts as well as tax information for the purposes of ensuring that the government is truthful about what it says it receives from the companies in the extractive sector.

It noted in this regard, that President David Granger was supposed to issue an authorization to

allow GY-EITI access to the tax information. But to its knowledge, the IMF said that this issue is yet to be resolved.

Further to this, the IMF's Fiscal Transparency Code (FTC), which is revered as the international standard for disclosure of information about public finances, notes that Governments should publish or disclose projectspecific contracts, licenses and agreements.

In its updated policy paper, the Fund said, “...There should be no legal impediments to publication of resource contracts, which do not typically contain commercially sensitive information. Where such impediments do exist (e.g., clauses requiring confidentiality of agreements themselves) an effort should be made to remove these by mutual agreement among the parties.”

GUYANA/ EITI HISTORY EITI is an international body that was established in 2003 with the aim of making

it harder for governments and companies to hide the truth about the proceeds garnered from the extractive industries.

The companies in the extractive sector report on what they are paying the

government, and the government reports separately on what it received from the companies in the sector.

A report is then prepared by a Multi-Stakeholder Group. The document,

among other things, will highlight whether the numbers data collected from the two add up, or if there is an irregularity.

Guyana has prepared one report thus far. Preparation for the second is underway.

Kaieteur News

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Thursday January 16, 2020

Boy, 5, loses four fingers after lighting squib

By Shikema Dey

A

young lad's curious nature ended with him losing four fingers on his left hand with the possibility of losing the entire hand, after he unknowing to his parents, lit a squib in their home.

The boy, 5-year-old Darrion Jaigobin, a grade one student at Enterprise Primary School is currently a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

His mother, Shirley George explained that the incident occurred last Friday.

According to her, she was at their lot 271 7th Street, Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara home with Darrion and his sister at the time.

She stated that she had just finished making breakfast for the two children and ventured downstairs to tend to her plants while they stayed upstairs watching cartoons.

“I left them upstairs watching some cartoons and went downstairs to go and transplant some flowers… and I'm downstairs and like about five minutes later, I heard a big boom, and I'm

thinking that it was coming from the neighbour place, until he run outside holding he hand and screaming and when I checked, he didn't have his four fingers, only the small one left and the rest blow off.”

When asked where her son got the explosive from, George stated that he told her that he found it in their yard.

“He said he picked it up in the yard when he was playing and keep it and he wait until I was not there and he light it, because I don't let him play with squib or nothing like that.”

The lad's mother relayed that for the New Year celebrations, her next door neighbours were lighting the explosives and one must have came over into the yard and the child found it while playing. According to her, the doctors stated that due to the large amount of dead flesh on the child's hand, they may have to amputate.

“He is so small and they said that he might lose his hand because of the dead flesh on it and they have him under observation for now, but only time can tell and we are hoping for the best.”

5-year-old Darrion Jaigobin

Thursday January 16, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 17

The Soesdyke youth who Civil Aviation tests country's tested Guyana's First Oil readiness for emergency

A

imed at assessing the readiness of the emergency services unit, a Search and Rescue (SAR) simulation exercise was yesterday held at the Eugene F. Correia Airport, Ogle.

In the event of an aircraft accident or mishap, emergency staff must be trained and well equipped to handle the situation with maximum efficiency.

Air Traffic Control Service Manager, Roy

Sookhoo informed that the exercise tests the strengths of the safety measures in place.

“This is the first activity of this nature to actually test the response time for the ambulance and the people that are involved in the medical care area of the SAR activity,” he said. Sookhoo further explained that the GCAA plays a pivotal role in search and rescue initiatives to keep relevant personnel properly trained and ready.

“The Guyana Civil

Aviation Authority is one of the leading figures or agencies that deals with search and rescue especially aeronautical SAR in Guyana and today we are trying to showcase and practice,” Sookhoo opined.

Wo r k i n g w i t h t h e emergency response team was the Guyana Defence Force and medical services.

The exercise is held at least once every quarter at both points of air entry, in Ogle and Timehri. (DPI)

Shiv Outar collecting and transferring the first sample of oil for testing.

F

or Shivnarine Outar, it was the opportunity of a lifetime.

The offshore laboratory technician, employed by Nalco Champion, was the first person to test the first sample of Guyanese crude oil as it came through the Liza Destiny Floating, Production, Storage and

Offloading (FPSO) vessel.

“So many things can happen from that crude that is right there in front of me and I was fortunate enough to capture that moment,” said Shiv, as he is fondly referred. “Nobody can take that from me right now, never!”

He recalled eagerly waiting for hours on

Shivnarine Outar and Rajiv Indarjeet at the Liza Destiny Naming Ceremony in Singapore in June 2019.

December 20, 2019, the day Guyana produced its first drop of oil.

“We were making sure our apparatuses are correct, we made sure our instruments are calibrated, and our sample boards are all prepared and ready,” he related. “I had to be all suited up, as a safety precaution with a mask, gloves and boots everything, the whole nine yards just to get a sample of this Guyanese oil. The moment finally came at 9:34 pm, that's when we got the first sample of Guyanese oil on the FPSO.” And for the former Covent Garden Secondary School student this was a moment of pride, yet unbelievable and caused “goosebumps”. “I'm actually reliving the moment right now,” he said looking down at his arms. “I was almost emotional, it meant so much to me, and it meant so much for my family and for the Guyanese population. I looked at the oil and said 'what the….?' I was so proud…I am so proud right now.”

Shiv has been employed

by Nalco Champion since April 2019 and rotates on to the FPSO every 28 days. He and his “back-to-back” colleague Rajiv Indarjeet entered a friendly competition over which one of them would be the one to (continued on page 22)

Scenes from the search and rescue simulation exercise yesterday at the Ogle airport.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 18

Thursday January 16, 2020

Harbour Bridge closer to digital credit toll system The Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation says it is closer to introducing a new credit toll system with the air to reduce congestion.

General Manager of the DHBC, Rawlston Adams

W

hile Guyana is not going to get another Demerara River bridge for at least another two years, the management of the current one is not standing still when it comes to measures to ease the congestion.

In fact, the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) has started testing

out a new credit system for government entities that will reduce waiting time.

A number of government vehicles are now affixed with radio-frequency identification (RFID) which uses electro-magnetic fields to automatically identify the vehicles.

Speaking on Tuesday on 'The Legal Mind' hosted on

Kaieteur Radio, 99.1 and 99.5fm, General Manager Rawlston Adams explained that the corporation has started implementation of a new toll collection, in a limited way, with a full rollout later this year.

Currently, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit

(CANU) are the entities participating.

In the past, state entities would drive up and the clerk at the toll booth would have to issue a receipt manually, leading to delays. The RFID tags would trigger an automatic receipt to be printed.

But that is not all. The bridge is also in talks with

third parties for the introduction of systems similar to the US where drivers and vehicle owners can actually purchase credit in advance and use this to traverse the bridge.

This will happen “very, very soon”, Adams said.

Accompanying him on the show was Traffic Coordinator of the bridge, Hazelu

Richardson.

Explaining, Adams said that under the credit system, customers will be able to monitor their balance and topup. The system will cut a few minutes in transaction time on the harbour bridge.

Almost 20,000 use the bridge daily.

Some 41 years old, the bridge is struggling to keep up with the volume of traffic.

Each year, more than 10,000 vehicles are registered for use on the roadways with no new highways built recently.

Government is banking on a new bridge, expected to cost upwards of US$300M, to reduce the congestion that occurs each day on the East and West Demerara area, because of that one bridge.

With most of the jobs, and government offices in the city, the situation has been becoming worse each day. To deal with congestion, the harbour bridge corporation and police have been closing the bridge to one-way traffic at peak times, with the East Bank road converted to three lanes at the same time.

But there is only so much that a new toll structure, or lane closures can do, the officials said Tuesday.

It is simple…Guyana desperately needs new roads and a new Demerara River bridge.

Kaieteur News

Thursday January 16, 2020

PAGE 19

Marcus Bisram case sent back to Berbice jurisdiction

By Trishan Craig

A

cting Chief Magistrate Sherdel IsaacsMarcus yesterday sent Marcus Bisram back to the Berbice jurisdiction for the continuation of his matter.

Bisram was extradited to Guyana and was charged on local shores with counselling, procuring and commanding Harri Paul Parsram, Radesh Motie, Niran Yacoob, Diodath Datt and Orlando Dickie to murder Faiyaz Narinedatt between October 31, 2016 and November 1, 2016.

Family members of the accused and the deceased yesterday once again packed the courtroom of the magistrate which is located in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts to hear the decision made on the defence's request.

Defence counsel Glenn Hanoman, on the last occasion, had asked for the matter to stay with the present magistrate and to have a copy of the letter which was sent to the Chancellor in relation to the recusal of Magistrate Alex Moore from the case.

However, yesterday in

Marcus Brian Bisram response to this, the magistrate said, “The submissions made by defence should not have

been made to this court. The matter is hereby transferred to the Whim Magistrate's Court where Magistrate Renita Singh will be presiding over the case.”

The matter was then adjourned to January 20.

State Prosecutor Stacy Goodings had filed statements in the matter to be served on the accused. She also made a full disclosure of evidence to the court.

Furthermore, the defence made two depositions, one of which was taken from the evidence of a pivotal witness from the prosecution's case in the Preliminary Inquiry

(PI) in relation to the murder.

The matter for Marcus Bisram commenced on November 21, 2019, a day after he arrived in Guyana via extradition. However, since the commencement of the case there have been several hiccups.

The state had requested on that date for the matter to proceed by way of a preliminary inquiry.

However, Magistrate Moore decided that it would take its course by paper committal and statements were to be handed over to him by the prosecution on December 9, 2019, but

Magistrate Moore reported sick.

The matter was called at the New Amsterdam Magistrate's Court that said day before Magistrate Peter Hugh. Goodings was a noshow after she was informed that Moore reported sick.

Hugh transferred the case back to Springlands.

Narinedatt was alleged to have been beaten by several men at the behest of Bisram.

He was allegedly pushed into the trunk of a car, taken to the Berbice public road, dumped and run over to make it appear as if it were a hit-and-run.

Cops seek to charge two for wedding house killing

P

olice are seeking to charge two men for the murder of 26-year-o l d R u d e n d r a Persaud, who died from a beating he sustained during a fracas last Sunday at a Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara wedding house.

A file on the case is likely to be submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) today.

B oth suspects were detained on Tuesday after turning up at police stations with attorneys.

One of the suspects is 20year-old Errol Thapordeen, also called 'Buffy,' 'Bowie' and 'Powie,' of Enterprise,

reports that the killing stemmed from a robbery.

Acting Crime Chief Michael Kingston said that Rudendra Persaud wa s injured during a fracas, while Regional Commander, Assistant Commissioner Royston Andries-Junor, said

Rudendra Persaud called 'Boyo' at the wedding, hours before the deadly encounter

East Coast Demerara, for whom police had issued a

wanted bulletin.

Police have refuted

the case was one of “disorderly behaviour at the wedding house.”

Persaud, 26, died at a Georgetown Hospital on Sunday, after he was struck on his head, allegedly by individuals who had come in, uninvited, to the Non

Pareil wedding house.

It is alleged that he had intervened in a fight that had broken out between the men and some guests.

Police had said that Persaud had left for home and was later found lying in a pool of blood.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

Thursday January 16, 2020

23 Haitians appear in court on immigration charge

O

n Monday, the police arrested a group of Haitians who were caught on their way back to Guyana after attempting to enter Brazil without presenting themselves to an immigration officer in Guyana.

Fined for the offence were ten women and thirteen men.

The defendants were yesterday arraigned in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts before Acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel IsaacsMarcus, where they admitted to leaving Guyana illegally.

While the police officers provided more security for Magistrate Marcus, she read the charge to groups of three

Haitians. The charge stated that on January 13, 2020, at Ta k u t u , L e t h e m , t h e y departed Guyana illegally without presenting themselves to an immigration officer.

Through the use of a French interpreter, the defendants were able to communicate with the court.

They explained that they were unaware they had to present themselves to an immigration officer before travelling to Brazil.

The court heard that the defendants, were told to travel to Guyana and they later began the journey to Brazil. Among those who were charged were taxi drivers, businessmen and

businesswomen, mechanics and carpenters.

According to police prosecutor Quinn Harris, on January 13, 2020, twentythree Haitian Nationals were caught on the route to Brazil.

When apprehended they were asked to present their travel documents and it was observed that the defendants are legal in Guyana, and that they were granted 6 months stay in the country.

However, it was discovered that when the defendants arrived at Cheddi Jagan International Airport, they indicated that they would be locally residing in Georgetown. Investigations revealed that the defendants did not present themselves to

an immigration officer, before leaving for Brazil.

They were arrested and later charged for the offence.

The nineteen defendants that pleaded guilty to the charge were fined $30,000, or in default 40 days' imprisonment.

When the four defendants who pleaded not guilty found out that they would be remanded to prison based on the objection made by prosecutor Harris - that they are a flight risk - one of the defendants threw herself onto the floor and started a commotion.

It was then explained to the defendants that when someone pleads not guilty to a charge in Guyana, the matter has to go to

trial for evidence to be shown to the court, and it's likely that while the matter is being conducted, the person could be remanded to prison.

After the explanation was given, the defendants then offered to change their pleas, they were also fined $30,000, or in default spend 40 days in prison. On Monday, seven Haitians were hauled before the court for a similar charge in which they were sent back to Guyana by Brazilian Authorities.

Three men and four women, all Haitian Nationals, were on Monday arraigned before Acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel IsaacsMarcus in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts to

answer to an immigration charge in which they illegally exit Guyana and went to Brazil.

The defendants, Rosette Alerte, 58, Elta Ettienne, 26, Miralda Jean Pierre, 25, Mireille Talius, 32, Barnaby Fleurvil, 25, Bendimmy Dorsainvil, 26, and Fredo Cadet, 29, all pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on January 8, 2020, at Ta k u t u , L e t h e m , t h e y departed Guyana illegally without presenting themselves to an immigration officer.

The seven defendants pleaded guilty to the charge and they were all fined $30,000, or in default 40 days' imprisonment.

Trial of accused in murder of Rubis accountant aborted

T

he trial of the three men accused of killing Rubis accountant, Jason Cort was brought to an abrupt end yesterday by Justice Brassington Reynolds after what he described as an “unfortunate development.”

In the circumstances, Justice Reynolds informed the murder accused - Clifton Gibson, Linton Eastman and Stancey Rodney - that they were further remanded to prison and would be brought back to court at the earliest possible time to be tried. On Monday, the men had pleaded not guilty to a murder charge before a jury.

As a result of the development, the jury was discharged. The three accused were scheduled to go on trial yesterday at 09:00hrs. However, this was not the case, as Justice Reynolds and the men's lawyers, Glenn Hanoman, Melvin Duke and George Thomas, were in an inchamber hearing. When Justice Reynolds returned to the bench about one hour later, he informed persons in the courtroom that he was forced to conduct an inquiry into a matter that was brought to his attention.

According to the judge, it was reported to him that a witness overheard a conversation at the courthouse yesterday. The Judge said that the nature of the conversation, which he did not disclose, could result in the trial having a prejudicial outcome.

Further to that, he said that there is the likelihood of a bias, and as a judge of the law, he has to ensure fairness to both sides, the prosecution

Murdered: Jason Cort

Clifton Gibson

Linton Eastman

Stancey Rodney

and defence. State Counsel Abigail Gibbs was among those in the prosecution.

The Judge noted that the issue brought to his attention was a rather unfortunate development. He said that the interest of justice demands that that course be taken—the trial being aborted.

Cort, a 27-year-old accounts executive, was gunned down in front of his 262 Jamoon Drive, MeadowBrook Gardens home by gun-toting bandits, shortly after he had arrived home with his fiancée. He was shot to the chest and died subsequently at Dr. Balwant Singh's Hospital.

It was reported that the bandits took Cort's licenced firearm, cell phone, gold band, chain and ring and an

X Box console. According to reports, the couple, who have a two-year-old son, had just come from a Kingston location, and were preparing to head to another venue on the East Bank of Demerara when the attack occurred.

It was on February 21, 2017, that the three murder accused were committed to stand trial for the offence following a preliminary inquiry before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman.

The Magistrate had ruled that there was sufficient evidence against the three accused for a trial. When called on to lead a defence, Rodney and Gibson remained silent, Eastman, on the other hand, testified that he was beaten by police ranks to give a caution statement.

Thursday January 16, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 21

Norton St. Lodge residents welcome drain-cleaning exercise

The cleaning of drains in Norton Street, Lodge

R

esidents of Norton Street, Lodge, in Georgetown are welcoming the drain-cleaning exercise that is being facilitated by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure in collaboration with the Ministry of Communities, to alleviate the issue of

flooding in the community after heavy downpours.

According to reports the cleaning of the drains in the community reportedly commenced yesterday around 07:30hrs.

Kaieteur News understands that the drain cleaning exercise started after resident lodge

complaints to the relevant authorities about, smelly and germs infected water rising to an uncomfortable level in the community draining systems.

The raising of the water level is a result of the heavy downpour that occurred last Sunday night and well into Tuesday morning.

Iran rejects idea of a new 'Trump deal' in nuclear row DUBAI (Reuters) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani dismissed yesterday a proposal for a new “Trump deal” aimed at resolving a nuclear row, saying it was a “strange” offer and criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump for always breaking promises.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has praised Trump as a great dealmaker, called on Tuesday for the president to replace Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with major powers with his own new pact to ensure Tehran does not get an atomic weapon.

Trump said he agreed with Johnson that a “Trump deal” should replace the Iran nuclear deal. In a televised speech, Rouhani told Washington to return to the nuclear pact, which Washington abandoned in 2018, under which Tehran curbed its nuclear work in return for the lifting of international sanctions on Iran.

Since quitting the agreement, Washington has reimposed sanctions to throttle Iran's oil exports as part of a “maximum pressure” policy.

The United States says its aim is force Tehran to agree a broader deal that puts stricter limits on its nuclear work,

curbs its ballistic missile program and ends its regional proxy wars. Iran says it will not negotiate as long as sanctions remain in place. Tehran has gradually taken steps to reduce its compliance with the deal, which prompted Britain, France and Germany to formally accuse it on Tuesday of violating the terms. “This Mr. Prime Minister in London, I don't know how he thinks. He says let's put aside the nuclear deal and put the Trump plan in action,” Rouhani said.

“If you take the wrong step, it will be to your detriment. Pick the right path.

The right path is to return to the nuclear deal.”

Iran denies any intent to acquire nuclear weapons and says its breaches of the deal would be reversed if Washington lifts sanctions.

“All of our activities are under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” said Rouhani.

“NOT DEAD” Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told Reuters that the deal was still alive: “No, it's not dead. It's not dead,” Zarif said on the sidelines of a conference in New Delhi.

But he told the conference Trump's withdrawal from the earlier deal made new negotiations with Washington pointless: “I had a U.S. deal and the U.S. broke it. If I have a Trump deal, how long will it last?”

In its biggest step away from the agreement yet, Iran announced on Jan. 5 it would abandon all limitations on enriching uranium set down in the pact.

Britain, France and Germany reacted by activating a dispute mechanism in the deal on Tuesday, which eventually could lead to the reimposing of U.N. sanctions. Iran called this step a “strategic mistake”.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Washington now expects the U.N. sanctions to “snap back into place” as a result of the European move. The European countries have said that is not their goal.

Rouhani upbraided European powers for not standing up to Trump. Iran says the Europeans have reneged on promises to find ways to circumvent the U.S. sanctions.

The flare-up in nuclear diplomacy comes as military confrontation between Washington and Tehran has also reached a new peak.

In its quest to bring relieved to the affected persons two excavators and f o u r s an d tr u ck w er e deployed in Norton Street to clear the drains and sand filled the swamped areas.

When Kaieteur News visited the affected area yesterday morning, persons were anxious to get their issues heard about how the water level and stench of the water is affecting them.

Residents blamed the issue on poor drainage systems in the community that would usually get clogged with weeds and plastic bags.

One resident, Shelly Wills, stated that she has been living in the community for the past 10 years and the only time she is uncomfortable is when the rainy season commences.

“The drains and gutters

in the community at times would get clogged with plastic bags and weeds.

When the drains are clogged the water has nowhere to go when the rain falls so it overflows from the drains and into residents' yards.”

When contacted a source from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure stated that the drain-cleaning exercise is scheduled to be completed in a matter of three days.

PAGE 22

Thursday January 16, 2020

Kaieteur News

The Soesdyke youth who tested Guyana's First Oil From page 17 witness first oil. “Fortunately,

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I was there and I can assure you he shares that moment with me.

He was up waiting with me that night just to get the news.”

The two were trained in the United States, Singapore and Brazil before taking up their roles on the FPSO. They are receiving further mentorship by experienced personnel whom they will eventually replace.

From what they call the “cortex” of the FPSO, Shiv and Rajiv test the quality of Guyana's oil against certain benchmarks.

“The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) has been doing a lot of work with the American Petroleum Institute (API) and so we are the guys on the FPSO making sure those specifications are met,” he explained.

The 28-year-old, who was once responsible for testing the quality of another of Guyana's valuable commodities -- El Dorado Rum, has a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Guyana and an MBA through Nations University.

He was raised in Soesdyke on the East Bank of Demerara by a supportive family who instilled in him drive and dedication. “When I go on the FPSO, they are the reason I want to work safely and come home.”

Meanwhile, Shiv sees oil production as an opportunity for himself, family and other Guyanese to thrive. He seemed optimistic about its potential to transform the country's and improve people's lives.

“Be patient,” he advises others. “Oil is here to stay for a long time so be patient, keep looking for the opportunities and they will come.”

(ExxonMobil)

Thursday January 16, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 23

Waiakabra receives electricity for the first time

W

hat was once an unlit and d a r k community for decades is now a bright and fully powered community, for residents of Waiakabra on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway.

For the first time, residents of Waiakabra now have access to a stable supply of electricity.

This follows an intervention by the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) to connect Waiakabra to the national grid on December 22nd.

The connection came subsequent to an engagement with members of the Community Development Council (CDC) and councillors, where GPL delivered its promise and provided the community with electricity, in just a few months.

During a community meeting with the residents

on Sunday, Chairman, CDC, Burston Peters, related that efforts to power the community years prior were unsuccessful. It was only when he relocated to the community four years ago discussions resumed and were fruitful.

“There were obstacles during the process, we never thought it was possible to have electricity in this community, but it is here today and we're thankful to GPL for it. The children in the community used their phone lights or generators to do homework, but now they don't have to. This is real progress in our community,” Mr. Peters said.

A few residents have already ventured into small businesses, while others are assessing entrepreneurial avenues to buttress their livelihood.

Inez Daniels, the oldest resident in the community, is exuberant for the electricity in the community. She

Some residents of Waiakabra

Seven Cubans fined for overstaying

S

even Cuban n a t i o n a l s yesterday found themselves before Acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts for illegally overstaying in Guyana.

Charged are Olga Chavez, Elizabeth Alberto, Joaquin Gamboa, Betsy Sayu, Indry Reytor, Daynier Roman and Vicente Reytor.

Their charges vary in the dates of overstaying. They overstayed a one-month period granted to them, with the oldest being from July 15, 2018. With the aid of a Spanish interpreter, all the defendants pleaded guilty to the offence.

The facts of the charges were presented to the court

by Police Prosecutor Quinn

Harris. He stated that the defendants came to Guyana via the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and were granted one-month stay in Guyana.

The court heard that on January 13, 2020, the police were conducting an operation at the Mabura Police Station when they stopped a route 94 minibus proceeding to Lethem.

The defendants, who were passengers of the vehicle, were asked to produce their travel documents. Upon checking the documents the police found that they overstayed their time in Guyana. They were arrested and taken to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Eve Leary, where an investigation was done and

they were charged.

All the defendants, who had held reputable jobs in Cuba like auditing, financing and painting, told the court that their reason for overstaying was so that they could work and provide for their families as they fled their homeland because of the economic crisis.

They all highlighted that what they earn here in a few days, back in Cuba they take almost a month to earn. They even said that they felt comfortable because of the kindness and acceptance that was shown to them by Guyanese.

After listening to all sides the magistrate imposed of fine of $30,000 for each defendant. In default of paying the fine they will serve 40 days in prison.

UG hosts Special Lecture on Crude Pricing today

W

i t h o i l production underway and the need for transparency and accountability in Guyana's oil sector, the University of Guyana in collaboration with the Centre for Local Business Development is set to host a special lecture on crude pricing today at the U n i v e r s i t y ' s Tu r k e y e n Campus.

The lecture which is free and open to the public will be facilitated by Mr. Robert

McNally, Energy Expert and Author of “Crude Volatility: The History and the Future of Boom-Bust Oil Prices.”

McNally is also a Consultant and President of Rapidan Energy Group, an energy market, policy, and geopolitical consulting firm out of Washington D.C. and is a non-resident Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy.

The lecture is set to be held at the University's Education Lecture Theatre (ELT) from 13:00 hours to

14:30 hours today.

Earlier, the Department of Energy had indicated that steps will be taken to ensure citizens are able to access records on the sale of the nation's oil.

Additionally, a trader, who had shown interest in Guyana's crude had stated to the London-based publication, Reuters, that they expect the Liza project's oil to be traded at US$4-$6 per barrel over Brent crude prices during the first three months.

recalled the days without electricity which she said were “burdensome.”

Daniels said: “I lived here over 40 years and we did not have electricity and water.

Now we have both and I am happy that we no longer have to use flambeau lamps or noisy generators which were very costly for us. Plus, for the first time we were able to use fairy lights for Christmas. We are very thankful for the light.”

Another resident, Alisha Jocintha shed tears of joy

while expressing her gratitude for the electricity in the community.

Jocintha is particularly happy that her children can now study with ease, rather than with the noisy generators.

She said: “For 15 years I have been spending lots of money in gas for the generator and I am now relieved that we finally have e l e c t r i c i t y. N o m o r e generators, thanks to GPL.” Other residents including Secretary, CDC, Mandisa Williams are particularly

happy. Williams said that she “can now have ice water regularly and watch my television”. Mr. Richard Oselmo is happy that he can now walk late at nights without fear.

Public Relations Officer Shevion Sears noted that GPL is happy to serve the community.

She explained that it was a good opportunity for GPL to provide the necessary infrastructure to supply the community with electricity in time for the holiday season.

Social Protection Ministry mulls review of labour laws

G

uyana's human resource is key to moving the country forward, therefore the Ministry of Social Protection is mulling the review and drafting of an effective Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act. Gwen King, an OSH consultant attached to the Ministry, told the Department of Public Information that strict measures will be enforced to protect workers.

“We are looking at reviewing the OSH Act and we are also looking at developing legislation for the oil and gas sector. We will be getting assistance from the International Labour Organization in this regard. It began last year, but there were some hiccups, but we are hoping to get things finalised this year,” the OSH Consultant said.

According to King, every officer within the OSH Department is trained and qualified to conduct workplace inspections and pinpoint defaulting employers. In cases where there are deficiencies, the employers will be advised accordingly on the steps they need to take to correct the situation. If they do not comply, the department has the option of taking them to court.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act

OSH consultant, Gwen King is the primary legislation that governs workplace hazards and applies to every industrial establishment, such as a factory, shop or office.

The Act, which is also based on a joint responsibility system or an internal responsibility system, offers workplace parties, such as workers, employers and trade unions' representatives, to work together to identify or develop solutions to workplace hazards.

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Serena Williams returns to U.S. Fed Cup team

Serena Williams of the USA hits to Maria Sharapova of Russia in the first round on day one of the 2019 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. (Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports)

(Reuters) - Serena Williams will return to the United States Fed Cup team for a qualifying event against Latvia next month, the United States Tennis Association said yesterday.

The 23-times Grand Slam winner, who will begin her quest to match Margaret Court’s record of 24 singles titles at the Australian Open next week, last played for the U.S. in February 2018 following the birth of her daughter.

Williams’ presence in Everett, Washington for the Feb. 7-8 tie will be a huge boost for the U.S. with the 38year-old having posted a perfect mark of 13-0 in singles play and 3-2 in doubles in Fed Cup competition since 1999.

Thursday January 16, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) A goal that you've been working toward for a long time and in which you've placed a lot of hope and confidence, may suddenly seem in doubt today, Aries.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Blocks and obstacles that you may have reached with regard to your projects might cause you to wonder if you have what it takes to get them done at all, Libra.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) A partner or colleague might be going through some changes right now, causing you to wonder if you have a future with this person.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Although almost everything in your life seems to be going well, Scorpio, today you just might find yourself in a bit of a panic.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) At this time you might be in the space where you tend to doubt concepts and attitudes that you've accepted all your life. You generally tend to be a service-oriented person.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Today you might find yourself at a loss as to how to proceed with a particular task or project in which you're involved. There might be a number of options open to you, all workable, and this could prove confusing.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Dreams and visions might give rise to the desire to be especially artistic and creative today, Cancer. Ideas for new artistic projects could be popping in and out of your head all day.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Successes over the past several weeks, along with an increase in money, might give rise to the desire to improve your living situation, Leo. You might have doubts, however, as to how best to go about doing it.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Stress from whatever work pressures you've been experiencing might cause you to feel a bit under the weather.

Yet you're probably unwilling to take some time off because you're too concerned about finishing what you're doing in a timely manner.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Something may be troubling a family member, and this person doesn't seem inclined to talk about it. Your intuition seems to be temporarily blocked, so you can't figure it out for yourself.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Today you might feel as if you're living in a fog. Some interesting but puzzling news may come your way today. It might be information of such a bizarre nature that you find it difficult to accept, yet your source could be more than reliable.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Unexpected premonitions and gut feelings might prove too strong for comfort, Pisces, especially if they sense upcoming events that aren't all that pleasant.

The winner advances to the 2020 Fed Cup Finals from April 14-19 in Budapest.

The U.S. squad can feature as many as five players and the final nominations must be made by Jan. 28.

Albion, RHT Namilco...

From page 28 without loss to take full points in the match and end in third place in Zone B. At the Cumberland Ground, Young Warriors were just seven runs from an outright victory when time ran out in their match against Blairmont. Blairmont were bowled out for 115 in their first innings with Javed Karim top scoring with 43.

Left Arm Spinner Trevon Stanislaus took five wickets as he continues to impress in Berbice first division cricket.

YWCC in reply amassed 187 with Berbice under-19 batsman Carl Gilgeous making 55. Leg Spinner Kevin Jawahir and left arm spinner Nigel Deodat both took four wickets a piece. With a deficit of 72 runs, Blairmont reached 207 for 9 declared with Z. Zaheer 42 and Marvon Prashad 64. Seon Hetmyer, the older brother of West Indies player Shimron Hetmyer, took 5 for 40 in an impressive spell of medium pace.

Needing to score 135 for an outright victory, YWCC were kept to 128 for 7 when the umpires called time.

Hetmyer returned with the bat to score 63, while Deodat completed a good match with the ball to take another fourwicket haul.

Albion ended as winners of Zone B, while arch-rival Rose Hall Town Namilco Thunderbolt Flour, despite gaining first innings points against Albion, advanced as runner up. YWCC and Tucber Park emerged as winner and runner up of Zone A. The dates for the semifinals would be announced shortly by the BCB.

Rampersaud, Ramdehol and Pottaya shine as RHT...

From page 29 and added a crucial 75 for the 2nd wicket in ten overs.

Gopilall made an attacking 47 before he was caught at deep mid-wicket off the bowling of promising under15 off spinner Sanjay Algoo.

Gopilall struck six boundaries and two sixes.

The inform Rampersaud, who played for the Upper Corentyne franchise in the GCB tournament and Ramdehol then added a record 331 for the third wicket off 27 overs. Rampersaud struck seven huge sixes and nine boundaries in his classy 141 not out, while the talented Ramdehol blasted eight sixes and ten boundaries against the Canje attack. Thorne and Algoo ended with a wicket a piece for 37 and 91 respectively from eight overs.

In reply, Rose Hall Canje were bowled out for 67 with only Aditya Doobai reaching double figures with 21 not out. Off Spinner Matthew Pottaya took 5 for 23 and Nyron Hicks 2 for 10 in an impressive bowling by Rose Hall Town Bakewell.

The BCB has scheduled the final for tomorrow, Friday 17th of January, at the Area ‘H’ Ground from 9.30AM. Rose Hall Town would be spearheaded by Jonathan Rampersaud, Jeremy Sandia, Ricardo Ramdehol, Lucas Arthur, Mahendra Gopilall, Vikash Subramanir, Jai Tika, Matthew Pottaya and Alex Mangla. Albion would be led by Sarwan Chaitnarine, Gourav Ramesh, Hemendra Gurdyal, Reyad Karim, Tameshwar Mahadeo, Leon Cecil, Surendra Ramcharitar and Pavendra Ganesh.

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Savage Legends overcome HS Masters in T20 fixture

Angry players speak out at smokeshrouded Australian Open qualifiers

Haze covers the skyline during practice sessions at the Australian Open. (Rex)

The victorious Savage Legends team Savage Legends defeated HS Masters by 17 runs when the teams collided in a T20 fixture on Sunday last.

Savage Legends were asked to bat at Queen’s College ground and they mustered 144 for 5.

Nadir Baksh made 25; Randolph Perreira got 23, Raymond Bisraj and Nigel

Grannum 19 each.

In reply, HS Masters managed 127 for 7. Flash Gordon scored 25, while Danny Sankar contributed 21, Barlow Lakeram 19 and Arjuna Persaud 18.

Vishwanauth Gobin had 332 from four overs, Randolph Perreira took 2-14 from four and Vivekanand Ramsaywack 2-21 from four.

Nadir Baksh received the best batsman trophy and Vishwanauth Gobin the best bowler prize.

The game was sponsored

by Factory Price.

Meanwhile, on Sunday Savage Legends will play Savage Warriors and HS Masters will take on Savage Legends at Queen’s College ground.

Russell fireworks outshine Gayle’s as Royals reach final DHAKA, Bangladesh, CMC – A scintillating Andre Russell half-century trumped Chris Gayle’s, as Rajshahi Royals stunned Chattogram Challengers by two wickets to storm into the Bangladesh Premier League final here yesterday.

Gayle’s sensational top score of 60 from 24 balls had propelled Challengers to 164 for nine off their 20 overs and when Royals slumped to 128 for eight in the 18th over, the result looked all but certain.

But Russell produced an amazing late blitz, smashing an unbeaten 54 from 22 balls to put Royals over the line with four balls to spare.

Royals will now take on Khula Tigers in Friday’s final.

Sent in, Challengers lost Ziaur Rahman cheaply for six at 22 for one in the third over but Gayle took responsibility for the innings, crunching half-dozen fours and five sixes in a thrilling knock.

Crucially, he put on 52 for the third wicket with captain Mahmudullah whose 33 required just 18 balls an included three fours and sixes.

Gayle eventually perished in the 10th over, bowled by

West Indies superstar Andre Russell.

20-year-old off-spinner Afif Hossain, a dismissal which triggered a slide until Asela Gunaratne belted 31 from 25 balls to rescue the innings.

West Indies all-rounder, Rayad Emrit, managed just three batting at number eight.

In reply, Royals were tottering on 34 for three in the sixth over before wicketkeeper Irfan Sukkur carved out a patient 45 off 42 deliveries in adding 46 for the fourth wicket with Shoaib Malik (14).

But once both fell in successive overs, Royals lost five wickets for 48 runs in the

space of 24 balls, to find themselves requiring 37 from 17 balls for victory.

Russell quickly took charge in an innings highlighted by two fours and seven massive sixes, silencing the Challengers attack and turning the tide in the contest.

He single-handedly took 23 runs from the penultimate over sent down by off-spinner Mehidy Hasan, before finishing the game with another six in the final over from medium pacer Gunaratne.

Seamer Emrit finished with two for 41 from his four overs.

MELBOURNE (Reuters) Tempers flared at the Australian Open qualifying yesterday as players battled through another day of smoky air and two of the game’s all-time greats were labeled “selfish” for not protesting about the conditions.

Qualifying was disrupted for a second successive day, firstly by bushfire smoke and later by a torrential rain storm which cleared the air but put an end to play at Melbourne Park.

Tournament organizers have been under fire for ploughing ahead with the qualifiers after an initial delay on Tuesday, with players complaining of breathing difficulties and one forced to retire from a match after suffering a coughing fit.

The ill will spilled over into yesterday, with Canadian world number 103 Brayden Schnur taking aim at 20-times Grand Slam champion Roger Federer and world number one Rafa Nadal for not taking a vocal stand for the lowerprofile players in qualifying.

“It’s got to come from the top guys - Roger and Rafa are a little bit selfish in thinking

about themselves and their careers,” Schnur told Australian Associated Press after winning his qualifier against Austrian Sebastian Ofner.

“Because they’re near the end and all they’re thinking about is their legacy and they’re not thinking about the sport itself and trying to do what’s good for the sport - so those guys need to step up.”

Schnur said he felt “super dryness” in his throat and that conditions were “100 percent not normal”.

“They’re just trying to shove us on the court because we’re qualifiers.”

France’s Nicolas Mahut posted a picture of himself wearing a mask over his mouth and nose with the caption: “Ready for my first round.”

Canada’s Vasek Pospisil, a member of the ATP Player Council, tweeted: “It’s time for a players’ union. This is getting absurd.”

Australia is experiencing one of its worst bushfire seasons on record, with fires burning for months and killing 28 people, destroying more than 2,500 homes and razing forests and farmland the size

of Bulgaria.

Tennis Australia said it would continue to monitor on-site data and consult their medical team, the local bureau of meteorology and government scientists to determine whether conditions were fit for play.

Scheduled horse race meetings in two separate Melbourne suburbs were also canceled yesterday, governing body Racing Victoria said, “due to smoke haze and poor air quality”.

Bushfire smoke has affected a number of Australia’s elite sporting competitions including soccer, rugby league and cricket.

Victoria state’s chief health officer, Brett Sutton, said Tennis Australia needed to establish a proper air quality policy alongside its existing extreme heat policy.

“They do have a heat policy, I think they need to plan out an air quality policy in the same way,” he told media.

“You can’t have a blanket solution, you need to look at the individual circumstances and what the alternatives are for protecting people.”

WBCA/Anil Lalsa Construction Co. two-day final re-scheduled The West Berbice Cricket Association (WBCA) has re-scheduled the final of the Anil Lalsa Construction Company twoday tournament for next weekend.

The final was set to commence on Saturday at Bush Lot Sports Club, but the organsiers were forced to make the adjustment due to the inclement weather.

The final will be contested between Achiever’s Youth and Sports Club and No.5 Monedderlust. Achiever’s Youth and Sports Club ended the preliminaries with

36 points, while Monedderlust finished on 16.

Apart from the inclement weather, the competition was also put on hold to allow the Berbice Cricket Board to complete various competitions.

Meanwhile, the Association will be holding its first meeting for the year today at the Association’s office in D’ Edward where they will be looking at a development programme for the first half of the year.

According to the WBCA President, David Black, they will also be looking at an

outreach curriculum for the various clubs.

“We will be looking at a number of plans, one of which is to assist the clubs in having regular youth teams, because at present the only clubs that have under 15, 17 and 19 teams are Blairmont, D’ Edward, Achievers, Bush Lot and Paradise.

The other clubs main focus is on Second Division, 10/10 and T 20, while at the same time there are lots of young players around that need opportunities to show case their talent.”

Thursday January 16, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Bravo fails to save Windies as Ireland take series lead ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Veteran Dwayne Bravo’s return following a three-and-a-half year sojourn on the sidelines ended in disappointment as a feisty Ireland stunned West Indies by four runs in the opening Twenty20 International here yesterday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

In fact, the 36-year-old allrounder was one of two wickets to fall in a dramatic final over bowled by 20-yearold left-arm slow medium Josh Little as West Indies, chasing a demanding target of 209, failed to gather the 13 runs required off the last six balls of the contest at the Grenada National Stadium.

Left-hander Sherfane Rutherford, who struck 26 off 13 balls, holed out to long on off the first ball in search of his fourth six but Bravo then clobbered the next delivery over the ropes at wide long on to reduce the target to seven runs from four balls.

A couple down the ground off the third ball meant the Windies were in the driver’s seat needing five runs from three balls but Bravo turned down a leg bye off the fourth ball before picking out Gareth

Delany in the deep on the leg side.

With five needed from the final delivery of the game, Hayden Walsh Jr missed a desperate swing, leaving the Irish to celebrate their first win of the tour, in the wake of their 3-0 whitewash in the preceding one-day series.

Left-handed opener Evin Lewis top-scored with 53 from 29 balls while captain Kieron Pollard got 31 from 15 balls, Shimron Hetmyer, 28, and Nicholas Pooran 26.

H o w e v e r, Ireland snatched wickets at key moments especially through Little who bowled brilliantly to finish with three for 29 and seamer Craig Young who claimed two for 31 from an excellent four-over spell.

West Indies had earlier found themselves virtually paralysed by Paul Stirling’s brutal career-best 95 from 47 balls as Ireland stormed to 208 for seven off their 20 overs after choosing to bat first.

The veteran right-hander bludgeoned six fours and eight sixes – mostly straight hits – and shared a whirlwind first wicket stand of 154 with Kevin O’Brien whose 48 came

from 32 deliveries and included four fours and two sixes.

Both gladly indulged in the feast prepared by undisciplined West Indies bowlers, plundering a record 93 runs in the first power-play, to be 130 without loss at the halfway stage.

Medium pacer Bravo, whose first over leaked 18 runs after he was maltreated

by Stirling, finally got the breakthrough when he hit O’Brien’s off-stump with a deceptive yorker in the 13th over.

He conceded just 18 runs from his last three overs to finish with two for 28.

Stirling was eyeing a maiden hundred when he holed out to Lewis at deep mid-wicket off leg-spinner Walsh in the following over and quickly, Ireland had lost both their set batsmen.

Left-arm pacer Sheldon Cottrell (2-37) and left-arm spinner Khary Pierre (2-45) then put the shackles on the heavy scoring and it was left to Delany’s 12-ball 19 and 15 extras – including 10 wides – to get Ireland past 200.

Needing to score at nearly 10-½ runs per over, West

Indies were well ahead of the required rate thanks to Lendl Simmons who pummeled three fours and a six in a 14ball 22, as he added 37 off 21 balls for the first wicket with Lewis.

When Simmons sliced Young to cover in the fourth over, Lewis and Hetmyer kept the scoreboard ticking over in a stand of 56 for the second wicket.

Lewis, fresh from a hundred in last Sunday’s third ODI, stroked six fours and three sixes before lofting Young to be taken on the cover boundary by Harry Tector.

Hetmyer, who struck three sixes in an 18-ball cameo, followed 12 balls later but Pooran added 36 for the fourth wicket with Pollard and 44 for the fifth wicket with Rutherford, to keep West Indies in the chase.

However, the momentum swung Ireland’s way when off-spinner Simi Singh removed Pollard to a catch in the deep in the 15th over before Little struck the key blow, having Pooran caught at backward square in the penultimate over.

UWI T20 tourney in Trinidad

MSC All-Stars shoot down T&T Soldiers to march into semis A five-wicket haul from 25-year-old left-arm spinner Raj Nanan powered Guyana’s Malteenoes All-Stars to an eight-wicket win against the T&T Defence Force on the DLS system on Tuesday night to march into the Semifinals of the UWI T20 tournament at the Sir Frank Worrell Oval in the Twin Island Republic.

Nanan, a former Guyana youth player who campaigns in T&T’s club cricket, took 5-19 from his four overs to spin webs around the Soldiers.

He got support from medium pacer Kellon C a r m i c h a e l ( 3-14) and Essequibo left-arm spinner Anthony Adams (2-36) as TTDF fell for 123 in 19.1 overs.

Chasing a revised target of 94 off 15 overs due to rain, the Guyanese side reached 95-2 in 10.4 overs with the left-handed pair of Robin Bacchus, who galloped to 31 from 22 balls and Trevon Griffith, 27 from 13 balls, sharing in a half-century opening stand before they were both dismissed.

H o w e v e r, Guyana

Super50 batsman Johnathon Foo remained unbeaten on 10, while ViceCaptain Travis Blyden, who also plays club cricket in Trinidad, finished on 11 not out see Malteenoes All-Stars to their third consecutive victory.

The Guyanese will now clash with the star studded Queen’s Park Cricket Club in the second semi-final under lights tomorrow night.

Despite losing DJ Bravo, who has been s e l e c t e d f o r t h e We s t Indies T20 series against Ireland, the home team includes West Indies offspinner Sunil Narine and T&T National players Tion Webster, Justin Guillen and Jon Ross Jaggesar.

The Guyanese will have their final practice session today and Skipper Steven Jacobs said his team is very confident of getting past Queen’s Park to book a place in Sunday’s final.

“We are very confident …. we’ve played as team thus far and we had some excellent performances from players at different

25 year-old Raj Nanan was the MOM for his 5-19 on Tuesday night. times so that’s a plus for us,” Jacobs said.

Malteenoes All-Stars are aiming to become the first Guyanese team to take Championship honours

after DCC lost in the 2017 final.

The first prize is TT$40, 000 and a Trophy while the runners-take home TT$15,000 and Trophy. (Sean Devers)

Evin Lewis hits down the ground during the 3rd ODI in Grenada, January 12, 2020 © Cricket West Indies/file photo

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Thursday January 16, 2020

Kaieteur News

CWI’s PCL four day First-Class cricket

Jaguar’s face-off with Pride in B’dos from today

By Sean Devers Five times defending Champions Guyana Jaguars oppose Barbados at the ‘Mecca’ (Kensington Oval) today in the second round of the CWI 2020 Regional FirstClass season.

The teams come off contrasting first round results with Guyana making 388 and batting once in Antigua where they beat the Leewards Hurricanes by 10 wickets, while Barbados lost to the Windwards Volcanoes at the Kensington Oval.

While Guyana’s auspicious start produced 21 points from their win in Antigua, Barbados Pride got just 4.2 points from their loss at home to start today’s game only above the Leewards who are at the bottom of the points table on two points.

Barbados registered a stunning two-run win in the inaugural 2015 PCL season at Providence when Guyana, set 69 to win, were bowled out as Dwayne Smith picked up five wickets but since then the Bajans have lost five of their next nine games against Guyana with the others ending in draws.

The last time these two teams met in Bridgetown Guyana made 548 with Hemraj making 144 before B’dos responded with 360 as Permaul had 4-124.

B’dos, following on, made 232 with Permaul taking 4-73 before Guyana reached 48-4 in 8.3 overs to win by six wickets.

The last time they clashed at this level Guyana won by

Kraigg Brathwaite will look to lead the Bajans from the front © Getty Images seven wickets at Providence after the Bajans were wrecked for 76 with Reifer taking 5-20.

Reifer returned with an unbeaten 52 as Guyana made 201, while B’dos fell for 238 as Reifer took 4-22. Guyana reached 118-3 with Hemraj leading the way with 51.

Today Barbados are at full strength with five Tests players and Jonathon Carter who has played 33 ODIs, in their side, but Guyana who plays ‘team cricket’ are favored to prevail despite none of six batsmen who scored centuries in the first round being Guyanese.

Chris Barnwell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Chanderpaul Hemraj and Skipper Leon Johnson scored

Devendra Bishoo will hope his performance this season leads to a Test return, Grenada. (Getty Images)

half-centuries in Antigua while Raymon Reifer and Devendra Bishoo got into the 40s but nobody reached a three-figure score.

“I’m disappointed that none of the top six batters converted their starts into a century.

It is something we spoke of before the tournament and I’m sure the guys are disappointed as well” Head Coach Esuan Crandon had said after the first game.

Today the Guyanese will aware that if everyone chips in with a half-century Guyana should win but they will also know that outstanding individual performances is what is needed for West Indies selection.

On a track expected to produce some bounce, 24year-old Nial Smith’s confidence is sky high following his 8-wicket match haul on his debut when he bowled with lively pace in Antigua.

Keon Joseph, Reifer and Barnwell should also enjoy the Barbados conditions, while left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul took five wickets in the first game and leg-spinner Bishoo, who needs nine more wickets to reached 250 Regional FirstClass wickets, will provide the bulk of the spin for the 11 times Champions.

For the home team Kyle Mayers scored his maiden First-Class ton but Kraigg Braithwaite was the only other batsman to reach fifty in the first match.

Barbados will depend on Brathwaite, Mayers, Shamarh Brooks, Carter, Justin Greaves, Shane Dowrich, Kevin Stoute and Ashley Nurse with the bat.

Left-arm spinner Jomal Warrican took seven wickets against the Windwards and along with Kemar Roach, who will play his first match for the season, will spearhead the bowling.

Keon Harding, Chemar Holder and Nurse would hope to produce good spells.

Guyana JAGUARS: Leon Johnson (Captain), Christopher Barnwell, Devendra Bishoo, Anthony Bramble, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Tevin Imlach, Keon Joseph, Veerasammy Permaul, Raymon Reifer, Kevin Sinclair, Vishaul Singh, Nial Smith Barbados PRIDE: Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain), Shamarh Brooks, Jonathan Carter, Shane Dowrich, Justin Greaves, Keon Harding, Chemar Holder, Kyle Mayers, Shayne Moseley, Ashley Nurse, Kemar Roach, Kevin Stoute, Jomal Warrican.

Meanwhile, the other scheduled games will see

Chris Barnwell would hope to continue his good form with bat and ball. from 10:00am at Sabina Park, Kingston Jamaica, the host Scorpions tangle with the Windward islands Volcanoes, while at the same time across

at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, Trinidad, the T&T Red Force oppose the Leeward Islands Hurricanes.

BCB/Banks Beer Two Days Tournament

Albion, RHT Namilco Thunderbolt Flour, Tucber Park, Young Warriors advance to semis Albion, Rose Hall Town Namilco Thunderbolt, Tucber Park and Young Warriors have advanced to the semifinals of the BCB/ Banks Beer two days First Division Tournament in Berbice after the competition of the third round.

Albion batted hard to earn a draw after losing first innings to Rose Hall Town Namilco Thunderbolt Flour, while Tucber Park, Young Warriors gained first innings points against West Berbice and Blairmont respectively.

Bottom of the table Port Mourant completed a poor tournament after been crushed by Rose Hall Canje by ten wickets.

At the Area ‘H’ Ground, Albion won the toss and invited the home team to take first strike.

RHT Namilco Thunderbolt Flour made 181 with former Guyana player Delbert Hicks making 81, while youth player Junior Sinclair clipped in with 32.

Guyana Under-19 player Kevin Umroa took 6 for 54 for Albion, who were bowled out for 174 despite Kandasammy Surujnarine’s brilliant 84, while David Latchana made 34. Hicks returned with the ball to take

5 for 18, while Eon Hooper had 3 for 29.

RHT Thunderbolt with a lead of seven runs, reached 177 in their second innings with Junior and Jason Sinclair making 59 and 29 respectively.

Umroa completed a fine match with the ball by taking 6 for 51 (match haul of 12 for 105) while off spinner Sharaz Ramcharran took 3 for 31.

Needing 185 to win in three overs, Albion stumbled to 85 for 7 but Ramesh Kasinauth 20 not out and Reyad Karim 29 not out added 46 crucial runs to see them to 131 for 7 when stumps was lifted.

Delbert Hicks took 3 for 25.

At Bush Lot, West Berbice made 185 on the back of Leon Andrews 47 and Arthley Bailey 49. T. Mickle, Jamal La Fleur and Orlando Tanner took two wickets a piece. Tucber Park in return were dismissed for 242 with Martin Singh 73 and Jamal La Fleur making a welcome return to Berbice Cricket with a polished 66. Keyron Fraser took 4 for 46, Leon Andrews 3 for 82 and Andrew Dutchin 2 for 35.

West Berbice in their second innings reached 151 for 6 when stumps were drawned. Leon Andrews took

3 for 82 and Andrew Dutchin 2 for 35.

West Berbice in their second innings reached 151 for 6 when stumps were drawned. Leon Andrews continued his fine form with 50, while Quacy Mickle Mc Pherson made 36. T. Mickle took 3 for 31.

Rose Hall Canje Community Centre registered their first victory in the tournament with an easy ten wicket victory over a helpless Port Mourant CC team, who hosted all three of their matches. PMCC batting first were bowled out for 137. West Indies Under-15 player Rampertab Ramnauth top scored with 35 and Raymond Vankenic took 6 for 40 in a hostile pace spell and Isiah Thorne, another West Indies Under-15 player, supported with 2 for 28. Rose Hall Canje with solid batting from Joel Seitram 43 and Thorne 35 reached 178 to gain a 41 runs leads.

Port Mourant were then bowled out for a meagre 63 in their second knock with medium pacer Michael Campbelle taking a hat-trick during his spell. Needing to score 24 for an outright victory, Canje reached 25 (Continued on page 25)

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Kaieteur News

Lindeners get to pay final respects to cricket legend Basil Butcher

President of the Mackenzie Sports Club Avery Trim at left and Assistant Secretary of the Club Mr. Norris King among the pall bearers.

Lindeners got the chance to pay their final respects to the late Berbice, Guyana and West Indies batsman Basil Butcher, who died on December 16 at age 86, yesterday at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) ground.

A special viewing was

held in the community for the man who helped to produce national players from the Mining Town at both the junior and senior levels with Dr. Vincent Adams being the first to make it to senior level.

Persons from L i n d e n

joined officials of the MSC and Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and family members of the late Butcher to bid their final goodbyes.

B u t c h e r, a c l a s s y right-hander from Port Mourant, made 31 centuries and 54 fifties

Anderson hundred flattens Scotland PRETORIA, South Africa, CMC – Kevlon A n d e r s o n ’s s t u n n i n g unbeaten hundred h a n d e d We s t I n d i e s Under-19s precious momentum ahead of their ICC Under-19 World Cup opener against Australia o n S a t u r d a y, a s t h e y crushed minnows Scotland by 126 runs in their final official warm-up here yesterday.

Choosing to bat first, the Caribbean side piled up 322 for six with Anderson top-scoring with 101 not out from just 72 balls, while captain Kimani Melius stroked 67 from 78 balls and Leonardo Julien, 65 from 72 deliveries.

I n r e p l y, s e a m e r Joshua James claimed three for 22 but it was the slow-bowling trio of offspinners Av i n a s h Mahabirsingh (2-21) and Matthew Patrick (2-39), along with left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd (239), who really did the damage with two wickets each.

Number five Uzzair Shah top-scored with 49,

while Ben Davidson (34) and Jasper Davidson (32) chipped in but Scotland Under-19s could only muster 196 all out off 48 overs.

West Indies were given a fluent start when Melius posted a run-a-ball 30 for the first wicket Kirk McKenzie (16) but it was the ensuing second wicket stand between Melius and Julien which provided the platform for the late assault.

Melius struck five fours and two sixes and the lefthanded Julien, half-dozen fours and three sixes in adding 127 for the second wicket.

U n f o r t u n a t e l y, t h e y perished in successive overs and when Patrick followed without scoring, the Wi n d i e s were stumbling at 167 for four in the 30th over, having lost three wickets for 10 runs.

Entered Anderson to transform the innings in a knock that contained five fours and three sixes.

He dominated a 90-run, fifth wicket partnership with Daniel Beckford (27) before adding a further 46 off 23 deliveries in an unbroken seventh wicket

stand with Matthew Forde (20 not out).

Scotland then endured a slow start to their run chase, Ben Davidson and Angus Guy (17) posting 32 off 50 deliveries for the first wicket.

When two wickets fell for 17 runs, the Davidsons added 39 for the third before Jasper Davidson put on another 41 for the fourth wicket with Shah.

Jasper Davidson faced 57 balls and struck four fours but his dismissal triggered a slide and led to three wickets falling for 19 runs.

Shah, who counted five fours off 69 balls, posted 39 for the seventh wicket with Kess Sajjad (19) but by then the match was all but over.

Scores: WEST INDIES U19s 322 for six off 50 overs (Kevlon Anderson 101, Kimani Melius 67, Leonardo Julien 65, Daniel Beckford 27).

SCOTLAND U19s 196 off 48 overs (Uzzair Shah 49, Ben Davidson 34, Jasper Davidson 32; Joshua James 3-22, Avinash Mahabirsingh 221).

Barbados vice president Calvin Hope, Charlie Griffith Mrs. Butcher and Anand Sanasie at the viewing. from 169 First-Class matches at an average of 49.90. He made seven tons from 44 Tests with a highest score of 209 not out at an average of 43.11.

Butcher was the cricket coach for MSC after being

appointed by the Bauxite Industry DEMBA in 1965, while still a member of the West Indies team.

He eventually took up residence with his family in the mining town where he played for MSC until the early 1980s.

B u t c h er was also instrumental in the making of Mashramani for Guyana’s Republic celebrations in 1970 along with the Mackenzie Jaycees.

The same year he was named as one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year.

BCB/Ramnaresh Sarwan Under-17 tournament

Rampersaud, Ramdehol and Pottaya shine as RHT Bakewell advance to final Two of Berbice most promising youth cricketers, Jonathan Rampersaud and Ricardo Ramdehol, both struck centuries, while off spinner Matthew Pottaya took a five-wicket haul as Rose Hall Town Bakewell defeated Rose Hall Community Centre Cricket Club by a record 351 runs to advance to the final of the Berbice Cricket Board/ Ramnaresh Sarwan Under-17 tournament. Rampersaud, a former Guyana Under-15 player who was called up in West Indies Under-15 training squad, scored 141, while Ramdehol, another national youth player, blasted 191 not out.

Rose Hall Canje won the toss and elected to field first after early morning showers left the pitch with some moisture.

West Indies under-15 pacer Isiah Thorne bowled Vikash Subramanir for nought at 12 for 1 in the third over, but former national under-15 batsman Mahendra Gopilall joined Ramdehol at the crease (Continued on page 25)

- To clash with Albion tomorrow

Jonathan Rampersaud and Ricardo Ramdehol pose after they each blasted centuries.

PAGE 32

Thursday January 16, 2020

Kaieteur News

Dr. Tulsi Dyal Singh commits $1.3M to BCB for Coaching and Cricket Academy - Board raises $2.5M out of targeted $10M in two weeks

Dr.Tulsi Dyal Singh The Berbice Cricket Board has already raised $2.5M worth of sponsorship in two weeks for 2020 as it forges ahead with its unmatched cricket development programme. This represents a twenty-five percentage of the target of $10M in cash and kind for the year. Overseas based Guyanese, Dr. Tulsi Dyal Singh, on last Saturday last confirmed sponsorship for 2020 to the tune of almost $1.3M. The Texas based Berbician since February, 2018 has invested over $4M of his own funds to assist the Hilbert Foster led administration to fulfill its mandate.

BCB President Hilbert Foster welcomed the sponsorship deal from Dr. Tulsi Dyal Singh and stated that the medical doctor was one of the main reasons, why his presidency has been successful.

Foster stated that Dr. Singh would sponsor a county wide coaching at the cost of $860,000, while the 3rd annual BCB Cricket Academy is set for July. These events would be the main programme in a comprehensive Berbice wide developmental effort to unearth new talents.

Since Foster’s election, the board has invested heavily in the development of youths and BCB boss stated that much more would be done during his second term.

With Dr. Singh sponsorship, the BCB would host four major two days coaching clinics in West Berbice, New Amsterdam/ Canje, Upper Corentyne/ Black Bush Polder and Lower/Central Corentyne. The BCB is aiming to coach at least seventy youths between the ages of 11 to 19 years in each sub-zone, for a combined 280 youths. The coaches would be Winston Smith, Delbert Hicks, Leslie Solomon and Balram Samaroo.

Special emphasis would be

placed on identifying young females as the BCB continues to invest heavily in female cricket.

At the end of the coaching programme, the coaches would select seventy players to participate in the Cricket Academy. They would also take part in several special one-day clinics for batsmen, fast bowlers, wicketkeepers and spinners.

The seventy players selected, would attend the 3rd Annual Dr. Singh Cricket Academy from the 3rd to 7th of August. Apart from onfield coaching, they would be involved in extensive classwork using the historic BCB/RHTYSC Youth Information booklet.

Among the topics to be covered would be Importance of Education for Sportsmen, how to handle on Interview, Ways of Dismissals, Cricket Field Positions, Table Manners, How to Behave at a Public Ceremony, Personal Hygiene and Appearance, Importance of Religion, Peer Pressure, History of Cricket and Rules/ Laws of Cricket. The preparation of all Berbice teams is also covered under the sponsorship.

Foster expressed confidence that the coaching panel led by Smith would do a good job and that all the youths would benefit, would become better players and individuals. He expressed gratitude to Dr. Singh for his massive investment and reassured him that of his funds would be used for the intended purposes. Dr. Singh, who received the BCB highest award, Tribute to Heroes in 2019, stated that he was very impressed with the work of the Berbice Board, it’s feedback to sponsors and accountability of his funds. The BCB, he stated makes sure that he is regularly updated of the sponsored programmes with reports and photos.

BCB Launches Nand Persaud Co Ltd/ RHTYSC Female Cricket tournament “I would be the first to admit that we have failed our female cricketers by not arranging enough tournaments. One of the main problems is that Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, MS is the only club in Guyana to have a structured female team. As President of the BCB, I pledge to correct the situation in 2020 and today’s launching is the first of as least three tournaments.

Female cricket has made Berbice Cricket proud with six of our players representing the West Indies over the last decade.” Those were the words of BCB President Hilbert Foster, MS as he launched the Nand Persaud/ RHTYSC Female 50 overs cricket tournament.

The tournament would be played between Rose Hall Town Metro, New Amsterdam/ Canje and West Berbice. The three teams would play each other on a round robin basis with the team with the most points emerging as the winner.

Players like Shemaine Campbelle, Erva Giddings, Sheneta Grimmond, Tremayne Smartt, Shabika Gajnabi, Lafona Gilgeous, Kantana Mentore, Ashley Ramnauth,

BCB President Hilbert Foster receives sponsorship cheque from Devash Persaud, Marketing Manager of Nand Persaud Co. Ltd. Ashmini Munisar, Marian Samaroo, Dian Prahalad, Oma Matadin, Ameera Adram, Jamie Campbell, Abigail Kishun, Kimmone Thomas and Kassie Munro would participate in the tournament, which would be used to select the Berbice team for the upcoming Guyana Cricket Board Female Cricket County tournament.

Over the last decade,

Berbice has produce six West Indies players in Shemaine Campbelle, Tremayne Smartt, Erva Gid d i n g s , S a b r i n a Munroe, Sheneta G r i m m o n d a nd Shabika Gajnabi. Others like Meliane Henry, Plaffina Millington, Marian Samaroo, Ashley Ramnauth, Lafona Gilgeous, Dian Prahalad, Ashmini Munisar and Katana Mentore have played for Guyana at the

different level.

Foster stated that the BCB would be very grateful if clubs like Rose Hall Canje, Tucber Park, Edinburgh and Achievers would form permanent female teams, so like their male counterparts, the BCB would arrange regular tournaments at the 20/ 20, 40 overs and 50 overs level. The BCB President expressed gratitude to the Management and staff of the Nand Persaud Co. Ltd, especially its Marketing Manager Mr. Devash Persaud for coming on board with Guyana’s most dynamic cricket board within days of receiving the proposal. The Company contributed financially, while the RHTYSC would provide the trophies, medals for the winners and runner up.

Marketing Manager Devash Persaud expressed delight at sponsoring the tournament for the second time and stated that he has full confidence in the organizing skills of the BCB. Nand Persaud Co. Ltd, he stated, strongly believes in giving back to society and does so via, sports, education, community development and culture.

GTTA changes dates for National C/ships There has been a shift in the dates for the 2020 National Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Championship, slated for the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall later this month.

The organising body, the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA), made the announcement via a press release on Tuesday afternoon.

“The Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) would like to formally notify members of the table tennis fraternity, media and the general public that due to several issues beyond our control the GTTA National Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Championship is now scheduled for the 24th to 26th January, 2020, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall,” the GTTA said.

“The dates for the National Senior Table Tennis Championships have been confirmed and will be now be held on January 31st to 2nd February, 2020, at the same venue.

The GTTA wishes to apologise for any inconvenience caused due to the change in scheduling. We look forward your continued support for the rest of our 2020 calendar.”

The GTTA has announced a change of date for the National Junior Table Tennis Championships.

The national championship is the premier domestic tournament and it serves as a key component for establishing rankings and selection systems.

With the continental qualification event for Tokyo’s XXXII Olympiad

scheduled for the 15th to 19th April, the GTTA is expediting the completion of the National Championship for earlier this year.

The Caribbean junior and cadet championships are scheduled for this March and the Caribbean Senior

Championships will be contested from April 2nd to 8th in Havana, Cuba. The Caribbean seniors will also be used as the qualification event for the 2021 World Table Tennis Championships scheduled for Houston, Texas, USA.

Thursday January 16, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 33

Turbo football tournament

“We are not scared of anyone” – Nigel Denny

Nigel Denny - Northern Rangers (Skipper).

The semifinals of the third annual Turbo Knockout Football tournament is set for Sunday at the Ministry of Education (MOE) ground on Carifesta Avenue from 19:00hrs where Fruta Conquerors will clash with Pouderoyen, while defending champions Northern Rangers will come against a familiar foe in Georgetown Football Club (GFC).

The skipper of Rangers, Nigel Denny, during an invited comment with Kaieteur Sport, explained that his team has not been doing any sort of training heading into this ten team competition that kicked off last November but nevertheless his troops are all fearless.

Rangers clashed with GFC in the final of the second edition of the tournament and after they had trailed early in the match, goals from Nigel Denny and MVP Stephan Reynolds saw them achieving a come from

behind win to clinch the championship and the then $800,000 first place cash prize.

Heading into Sunday’s semifinal clash, Rangers will be without their talisman Reynolds who scored in each of their matches in the last edition of this tournament.

Denny confessed that Reynolds departure to Santos was majorly due to the fact that Rangers didn’t train regularly. “We lost Stephan and we really miss him, he is a man that be on the striking lines getting goals consistently. He is with Santos now and we are happy for him but he is just one man,” Denny posited.

The skipper who is in charge of the oldest squad in the tournament shared with Kaieteur Sport that the Knockout format suits his team because, “It’s just four games we have to win and we have experienced players that have the knowledge, we just have to apply ourselves to win the next two games and the title is ours.”

Santos FC have lodged a protest to the promoters of the tournament; Petra Organisation, contesting GFC’s quarterfinal win, noting in a letter seen by this publication that that Gregory Stevens and Paul Fields of Grove Hi-tech and Deon Alfred of Beacon FC were not legally transferred to contest for GFC in last Sunday’s match.

The organisers have not made an announcement on

Stephan Reynolds who was awarded MVP of the second annual Turbo Knockout Football Tournament.

whether the protest will be upheld up to yesterday but when Denny was quizzed on how he feels about a reunion with the dangerous Reynolds, he reiterated that, “It doesn’t matter who we have to play, we are not scared of anybody.”

The champions of this tournament will pocket $400,000 with second place bagging $200,000, third place $100,000 and fourth place $50,000.

Northern Rangers Football Club copped the second Annual Turbo Knockout Football Championship.

Paul Stirling taps one on the off side. (Getty Images)

rt o p S

Bravo fails to save Windies as Ireland take series lead

Veteran all-rounder Dwayne Bravo celebrates one of his two wickets on his return to West Indies colours on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)

Anderson hundred flattens Scotland P. 29

Here Basil (Jr.) Comforting Mrs. Pamela Butcher at yesterday’s viewing.

Kevlon Anderson … scored 101 off 72 balls. (file photo)

CWI’s PCL four day First-Class cricket

Jaguar’s face-off with Pride in B’dos from today Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.