Kaieteur News

Wednesday January 17, 2018

DISCOVERING OIL IN A CORRUPT STATE

DEAR EDITOR, Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to share my thoughts on Guyana’s emerging oil and gas sector. I, like so many other Guyanese, believe in the freedom of speech – a right that has been afforded to me by the Constitution. Editor, I have been paying close attention to the events that are unfolding as the country navigates along the path to becoming an oilproducing state. My concern, however, is not with the ambitious production deadline (2020), nor is it with the fact that Guyana may very well be on a collision course with the infamous Resource Curse. No, my concern is corruption. Guyana has never been immune to corruption. If one should posit an argument that all countries have corruption, then I amend my statement to: “Guyana has never been immune to a high level of corruption” – and that is a fact!

We’ve already seen backdoor deals in various sectors prior to the discovery of oil. The PPP/C were corruption allegation magnets. Some allegations were true. We’ve seen corruption in the forestry, gold, housing and even the agricultural sector. The forensic audits told us this, the media told us this, international organisations told us this. So is it then farfetched for citizens of this country, to assume that there will be rampant corruption in the oil sector too? Maybe not. Our politicians continue to assure us that there won’t be but, the evidence is staring back at us. Even the government itself, has had its fair share of corruption allegations since May 2015. The greatest hits are: the Saffon Street Bond Fiasco; the D’Urban Park Development Project, now apparently a home for the homeless and new species of

termites; several procurement issues; and most recently, the Singing Bonus debacle. Like the PPP, most of these allegations turned out to have some merit. The government talks about independent regulatory bodies being set up to monitor oil-related issues but why isn’t anyone talking about the penalties that will be imposed when someone within the oil and gas sector is caught fudging data or stashing funds? This is what Guyanese want to hear. How will a corrupt official within the Oil and Gas sector be whipped? This oil belongs to the people of this country, yes we may not have the skill and expertise to produce it but it’s still ours, and anyone that is found getting rich off our property by means deemed immoral or unpatriotic should be charged for treason. Maybe that will stop them from reaching into the cookie jar. Marcus. A. Hope

A QUESTION FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DEAR EDITOR, We see another apartment engulfed by fire. There will be more fires because of the development of commercial buildings and apartments that are more than three storeys. The fire department will issue fire permits to many more apartment buildings. Such apartment buildings must have fire sprinklers. It has to be mandatory. Fire safety in Guyana has no importance. How and why would the fire department issue a fire permit to an

apartment building that’s three storeys and maybe more, with twelve apartments in the building? Why not issue fire sprinklers to be installed? The building owners don’t consider the safety of the occupants (Owners only care about the rent), this is the reason why the fire department should make fire sprinklers mandatory in apartment buildings and commercial buildings three storeys and more. When the fire department issues fire permits for

CAREERLESS

DEAR EDITOR, News Flash! No Exxon company presence in Guyana. Wow! The direction of the Oil & Gas Trade which is being pursued by the Guyana Leadership is destined to produce a failure beyond measure. Why would a company presence be thought of when there is no purpose for its existence? Someone needs to explain this conundrum. This begs the question as to whether Guyanese will find employment in this hydrocarbon industry and which employment entity. What are the dynamics and mechanics of their payroll assuming local staff is recruited. If the intention is to employ people via indirect method, workers will have no career here nor be pensionable. They will be Union-less. Knowing what I know, their payments will not be reliable and they’ll be unable to do anything about it, whereas Exxon will have no record of names that performs for them. You are now in the Third Class band. John De Barros

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buildings, the building owners can now go to the banks for a loan and insurance coverage would be granted to get a loan and they can begin to build. The insurance companies and banks do not enquire about or implement fire safety measures to make sure that buildings are completely safe; they depend on the fire department laws and regulations. Fire sprinklers are more effective than fire extinguishers and can be fitted to the water supply of the building and don’t need someone to activate or control it; fire sprinklers work automatically. Such a simple implementation will save lives, save the building and the investment. The fire department by being in authority can mandate commercial buildings and apartments to install fire sprinklers; this would be a great asset towards the protection and the safety of our citizens and will help the fire department in containing and extinguishing fires easier. So why doesn’t the fire department enforce the installation of fire sprinklers in commercial and apartment buildings three storeys and more ? Vishul Ishwaridin

A critical look at changing the political culture in Guyana DEAR EDITOR, By now, most of us can agree that the political culture in Guyana is stagnated, toxic and based on a tradition that traces its roots back to the divide and conquer era of the British. Our leaders have chosen to double down into ethnicity battles for power, mainly because there is the belief that only through race politics can an ethnic group can gain a better life and gain wealth. This old way of politics has stifled us from the contemporary approach to politics that benefits countries like Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean, Singapore and the Scandinavian region. What is consistent among these countries is their desire to put the country first over everything else, and their moves to educate their population so that they can make the right decisions. In turn, the politicians have become efficient at nation-building by linking social objectives such as good health care and education to economic growth, in the process stimulating the economy and providing the basis for better democracy. In Guyana, we face multiple critical adversities that keep us back and there is no silver bullet to solve these problems, however, I may speak for many Guyanese that would like to at least see some effort from all players that point us into the direction of progressive and responsible politics. We are tired of tribal behaviours cloaked in nice suits and fancy words. We need to see genuine action that sets an example of progressive thinking and compromise for the people’s interests, and not personal or party needs. In his lecture at the State University at Binghamton, NY, Walter Rodney had put forward that the ethnic divide perpetuated by politicians is used as merely a tool for the bigger of objective to achieve class superiority over the poor, and in the end it doesn’t matter which race suffers, as long as the status quo remains

intact. He further contended that the upper class has always schemed to control all factors of Guyana power levers and that the upper class is not limited to a specific race or ethnic group. Rodney believed that when it came down to it, upper class Indians and Blacks have always find a way to work together to keep the rest of Guyana in a state of dependence. Even though today the lines between the upper class and poorer Guyanese have blurred a little, where persons have the opportunity to become economically stable through hard work and education, the problem still exists in the political arena, where a lot in the middle class have not veered away from the gang politics that aligns them to ethnicity. This is disappointing, because you would expect that with the improvement of higher education, the desire for a better political process should naturally evolve. This is why; I believe Ralph Ramkarran had alluded to a deliberate political struggle in order to change the mindset of the people so that they can hold their leaders and political parties accountable. However, I do not agree that a third party will solve the problem, only awareness and education can. Then, if the mindset changes among the people, the existing or new political parties will have no choice but to concede to the wishes of the people. But there is more to this than what is said above, I believe that we cannot simply leave the entire burden on the people. There are two other things that must happen in conjunction with awareness, and that is; politicians must start changing their message and behaviour towards a less toxic style and move towards a more contemporary form of politics through actions and decisions. And secondly, the private sector, that also includes the multi-national corporations, such as Exxon and others, must now actively intensify their Corporate Social

Responsibility (CSR) mechanism to foster a more inclusive and progressive environment. The CSR strategy should be flexible and unique to Guyana’s needs, such as providing education on progressive democracy, contemporary forms of business, negotiations, community activism, a platform for free (impactful) speech and act as a check and balance to Government malpractice. In terms of the latter, we can assume that Exxon declaring the recent US$18 Million bonus to the Government was an act that forced the Government to be transparent and therefore Exxon would have tactfully created a check and balance in that situation. It may not have been ideal, but the people saw the results. On the leadership side, political parties will have to start demonstrating the intestinal fortitude to transform their political approach to our democracy by doing more to change the old way of thinking, regardless of seniority in the party. And to be specific, we must do away with groupthink and giving all the leverage of decision making to a select few who may develop or have subjective goals that put the Country at a disadvantage. Political parties must simultaneously create trends and adapt to a new climate that fosters independent thought, disagreements and find ways to cultivate positive results, even from critics internally and externally. I believe that if Guyana will remain with two major parties, these parties must transform or be held accountable for their role in keeping Guyana stagnated or moving forward. Malcolm Watkins

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Guyana’s fortunes cannot be placed in the hands of a selected few DEAR EDITOR, The huge oil and gas find has the potential to leapfrog the country from low income to high income status if properly managed. Already concerns have been raised by the International Monetary Fund and several local analysts regarding the terms and conditions of the contract entered into between the Government and the oil giant Exxon Mobil which could see the country losing billions of dollars by way of revenues. The government has already started on a bad note by initially attempting to hide a signing bonus of US$18M and while there is nothing to suggest any sinister motive, it does raise concerns regarding transparency and

accountability in the context of the Financial Management and Accountability framework. Unfortunately, the full benefits of oil will be lost to us due to two main reasons; firstly that the drilling operations are offshore, which severely limits local employment opportunities and secondly, because the processing of the crude into refined products will be done overseas. This means that there is very little, if any, scope for value added operations. The challenge for Guyana is to find ways to mobilize the requisite capital to finance the construction of an oil refinery. A similar fate was experienced in the case of bauxite, when we were unable to mobilise

I urge the Coalition to meet its fiduciary obligations to sugar workers DEAR EDITOR, Having been instrumental in the formation and success of the Coalition administration at the 2015 national elections, I cannot escape my responsibility for the precarious situation in which sugar workers now find themselves. It is therefore in this capacity that I proceed with further dialogue with this administration. The administration’s recent position on payment of sugar workers’ severance is not anything I or anyone who supported the Coalition in the 2015 elections bargained for, and is totally unacceptable. In respect of the recent declarations by Mr. Harmon regarding the payment of sugar workers’ severance, I wish to state that I shall not consider these remarks. I strongly urge the Coalition to reconsider the wisdom of its current stance and meet its fiduciary obligations to Guyana’s sugar workers. Craig Sylvester

capital to set up a bauxite refinery plant in Linden, thereby losing millions by way of value added products, export earnings and job opportunities. We seem doomed to be a producer of primary products, in which we sell cheap and buy dear, thereby worsening already unfavourable terms of trade and balance of payments. We are condemned economically to getting, as it were, the raw end of the stick. We remained a primary producer of raw sugar for decades and all hopes of constructing a sugar refinery have now dissipated in thin air with the downsizing of sugar operations. We are poor because we are poor. However, this need not be the case, especially in

this age of venture capital and transnational hegemony. What is required is new and innovative thinking and a strategic repositioning of the economy to take advantage of emerging technologies and markets. I believe the time is ripe for the setting up of a bipartisan, multi-stakeholder and highly technical Economic Commission, especially in the context of our emerging oil and gas economy. Guyana’s fortunes and developmental prospects cannot be placed in the hands of a select few, many of whom lack the technical expertise to effectively and competently manage the economic destiny of this resource-rich country. Hydar Ally

In either circumstance, clarity is required DEAR EDITOR, As a former Registrar and a former Member of Council, University of Guyana, I paid keen attention to the University’s unions’ letter to the Press: “The government has not yet appointed a University Council”. I share their concern with regard to the delay in appointing the Council. A particular statement: “the life of the last Council expired on 12th July 2017, and as a result the governance of the university has since then been vested in its ViceChancellor” gained my attention and is of concern to me. I am not sure as to whether the Union is referring

to what has actually occurred or to their perception of what occurs in such a circumstance. What I am certain about is that there is no provision for the ViceChancellor to step into the void in the absence of a council. It is therefore a grave, mistaken perception if the Union perceives that such a provision exists. It is even worse, if the Vice-Chancellor has actually assumed the powers of the Council. In either circumstance, clarity is required and if the latter pertains, cessation and rectification are also required. It is my sincere hope that the appointment of the Council predates the publication of this letter and that this grave matter of the probable mistaken perception and/or misdeed is dealt with as a matter of urgency. The citadel of the tutelage of Good Governance has got to be the exemplar of Good Governance, if the proclaimed Renassiance is what it purports to be, inter alia. Vincent Alexander

Wednesday January 17, 2018

MISBEHAVIOUR IN PARLIAMENT DEAR EDITOR, I am forced to write because I am deeply saddened by what I saw and heard take place in parliament. I saw a video. I am embarrassed for my country, if that video has gone worldwide. I cannot believe that the Speaker of the House allowed those people to misbehave like that and not take any disciplinary action. I am also appalled that the Coalition is allowing the opposition to rule the country in a system of lawlessness from the opposition benches. Is there no group that upholds moral standards? Is there no group that could demand from the Speaker that misbehaviour in parliament must be dealt with appropriately and swiftly to deter others from perpetuating lawlessness in the honourable house? I sincerely hope that the people of Guyana will hold any government to a higher standard of morality and decency. I am truly disappointed. Marva Ramsay

The PM seriously needs... From page 4 the State Paper that was presented in the Parliament in early May 2017. Certainly, from that time, and even before, the Government was aware of the repercussions of its plans, yet inexplicably did not cater for it. Certainly, the Government had a yardstick to work with as the PM wrote that at Wales “…just under 100 workers received an estimated $80 million”. Further to that, GuySuCo, during an engagement with our Union on December 20, 2017, told us that it had supplied a preliminary figure to the Administration weeks before the Budget was presented. Is it that the GuySuCo numbers were ignored? The PM also says some 500 workers were engaged in certain re-training. But just mere days prior to Mr Nagamootoo’s column, he read a message in the National Assembly from President David Granger which said in reference to re-training that “…over 100 of them [workers] signalling their willingness to be retrained”. Tsk tsk Mr Nagamootoo, do you see how important fact-checking is? These foot-in-the-mouth episodes could be avoided. Mr Nagamootoo then serenades us about recent training done by the Business Ministry or small business loans. If the PM’s figures are correct, given the obvious inaccuracies contained in his column, we must ask:- how many sugar workers benefitted? The PM also touts investments that his Government supposedly garnered, we ask again:- how many sugar workers were employed? As we see the cement factory along the Berbice River which Vice President, Khemraj Ramjattan said would have been a major employer of displaced sugar workers closed and some 100 employees sent into the unemployed world. We recognise the PM is trying tirelessly to free himself and Government from the sad situation that grips thousands in the sugar belt. While the PM speaks about Politricks, it is the Administration of which he is a top member that is engaged in trickery, deception and duplicity. How else can Mr Nagamootoo move from saying to GINA on November 28, 2015 that “There should be no discussion or debate regarding the importance of the sugar industry to Guyana’s economy… in fact we have said this on a number of occasions, that this Government sees sugar as too big to fail” to now supporting openly and blaringly decisions to close down estates and put people out of work and into a life of impoverishment. Seepaul Narine General Secretary, GAWU

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Pomeroon double-execution...

Eyewitness tells cops coconut farmer killed drinking ‘buddy’ In a shocking twist in an already controversial case, detectives probing the deaths of two coconut farmers at Grant Road, Pomeroon, have arrested the wife of one of the deceased and the man, whom she claimed shot and killed the victims. Kaieteur News has been informed that the two suspects were detained on Tuesday afternoon and are assisting with the investigation on the shooting of Ambrose Baharally, 28, and Martin Godette, 23, which occurred on Sunday. Since then there has been a third person arrested. The two men have been described as people of interest. There is another twist to the story. Police sources have

confirmed that an eyewitness claimed that it was Baharally who killed his friend, Godette. However, the eyewitness did not see who killed the 28-yearold because he claimed that he ran away, fearing for his life. Baharally’s wife was held for providing the police with conflicting statements. During interrogation, she led ranks to a location where her spouse reportedly hid a bag containing dried cannabis, arms and ammunitions. One 9mm Beretta pistol with a magazine, one .38 revolver, 16 live cartridges, 21 live .38 rounds, 19 live 9mm rounds, six .32 rounds, two 9mm spent shells and 51.5 grams of cannabis were found. The woman could not say why her husband had the

weapons or from where he had gotten them. The second suspect is the individual, who the victim’s wife claimed she saw shooting her husband and Martin Godette before escaping in a boat with another individual. The woman had informed the cops that the two men in boat stopped and chatted a bit with her husband and Godette. She then alleged that shortly after, she heard gunshots ring. She then saw the two men escaping in a boat. But her statement was contradicted by the second eyewitness. Detectives have since swabbed the hands of the two suspects and the two dead men for gunpowder residue.

We are sorry On Tuesday, January 16, 2018 Kaieteur News carried an article under the headline, “Nine more Venezuelans fined for illegal entry.” In the article, it was stated that in a previous incident, seven Venezuelans appeared in the Georgetown Magis-

trates’ Court and were charged and ordered dep o r t e d t o Venezuela, after ranks from Vreed-en-Hoop, carried out a raid at the Aracari Resort, West Bank Demerara and found that they had entered Guyana illegally. However, the resort in a

statement said that that there was no raid there. There are or were no Venezuelans employed there, the resort added in its statement. As such, Kaieteur News apologises for any harm caused.

The guns and ammunitions which were discovered.

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Wednesday January 17, 2018

APNU parties will Cops may release ‘Korner contest LGE together Kick’ murder suspect The five political parties that form the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) have decided to contest the Local Government Election (LGE) together. The APNU issued a release stating that the coalition was established six and a half years ago, “not as a temporary electoral expedient, but on the basis of an enduring political principle.” It was noted that at meetings of the Executive Council of APNU held in September 2017 and January 2018, all five parties that make up the Partnership-- the Guyana Action Party (GAP); the Justice for All Party (JFAP); the National Front Alliance (NFA); the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR); and the Working

People’s Alliance (WPA) reaffirmed their commitment to competing in the forthcoming local government elections as a united team. “APNU protested, and struggled for the return of these elections to enable people in their communities to democratically elect their representatives. APNU believes that Local Government Elections are an important platform and a Constitutional right. APNU believes that its partners are ‘better together’ than apart and is committed to cooperating for the common good. APNU Partners have already started to plan collectively for the local government elections campaign,” the statement read. Meanwhile, the Alliance

For Change (AFC) is contemplating whether it should approach the polls alone or with the APNU. On Monday, AFC Leader, Raphael Trotman, said that there are differing views in the party’s hierarchy. Some feel that contesting the elections as an independent party is important for the safeguarding of its identity. Trotman said that that is the only argument being put forward for contesting alone. He said that the party will consult further with its members and make a decision as soon as possible. However, Trotman was keen to note that the AFC remain a strong member of the Coalition Government and will continue to support government policy.

With no breakthrough yet in sight, police are likely to release the deportee they detained last week in connection with the murder of ‘Korner Kick’ bar manager Tevin Parris. A senior police official said that the individual may be released today, since the 72 hours that he has been kept in custody has expired. The detained man, who is in a relationship with a female relative of the victim, was taken into custody last week Wednesday, after a postmortem revealed that Parris’s death had been staged to appear as a suicide. The postmortem indicated that Parris was shot from a distance. A spent shell was reportedly found under the body. The postmortem, conducted by Government pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh, revealed that Parris died from a single gunshot wound, “where the bullet entered his right nostril and exited the middle of the head.” A police release stated that the injury was not self inflicted. The postmortem also re-

- still awaiting gunpowder results

Murdered: Tevin Parris vealed little facial damage, which would have been present had the victim had been shot at close range. Police are awaiting the results of tests for possible traces of gunpowder residue on the suspect and victim. Detectives have reportedly confirmed that Parris had loaned the ‘close friend’ $100,000. Investigators are seeking to ascertain whether the loan may be a motive for the killing.

Tevin Parris was found lying in his bed, in the upper flat of his Lot 66 Garnett Street, Newtown home around 07:30 hrs on Monday. The body bore a single gunshot wound to the head. An unlicensed 9mm pistol, with 14 live rounds, was found in his right hand. A matching spent shell was found near the body. Investigators appear certain that Parris was killed by someone he knew well and trusted enough to get within close range of him. Parris had managed the popular Korner Kick Restaurant and Bar located at the corner of Lime and Bent Streets, Georgetown. An uncle, who had gone to the property to check on Parris, found the body. While police had at first seemed to be treating the death as a suicide, Parris’s relatives had insisted that he was murdered. The relatives insisted that the young man had a comfortable life with a bright future and had no reason to kill himself.

Wednesday January 17, 2018

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First Lady tours newly expanded Doobay Medical Centre tre was funded primarily by the Canadian charity organisation, International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF), the Beharry Group of Companies, the Doobay Medical Centre Board of Directors and Mr. Sattaur Gaffoor. In an invited comment, Chairperson for the IDRF Global Monitoring, Mr. Winston Kassim, explained that his organisation wanted to assist

First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger greets dialysis patient Master Jamali Corbin at the Doobay Medical Centre. First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger, was given a guided tour of the new and improved Doobay Medical Centre, located at Annandale, East Coast Demerara, yesterday. The facility is known for its leadership in dialysis treatment. It is now equipped with a Computed Tomography (CT) scanner, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine, Intensive Care Unit and clinical laboratory. The Centre has also added more space which will facilitate a research Centre, a pharmacy and an office for the resident doctors. Once these additions are completed, the Centre will be able to offer a wider range of services and serve a larger section of the Guyanese population. During a brief meeting

with the Centre’s executive body, the First Lady advised the team on strategic efforts that they could implement to secure strong partnerships in both the public and private sectors in order to bring the Centre’s vision of providing total care for all, to full fruition. She commended the team for the forward thinking in healthcare. She expressed how impressed she was with the ideas that they had presented to her, as well as the improvements made to the hospital. “I have passed here and thought [that] it was only dialysis, but you’ve showed me that you have much more. You’re not static here; you’re looking at outreaches. There is a vision and a plan … I think it’s a marvellous thing that

you’re doing here,” she said. Cardiovascular surgeon and founder of the Doobay Medical Centre, Dr. Budhendra Doobay, said that his motivation for starting the Centre was rooted in his desire to provide more affordable health care for persons who needed dialysis. He said that approximately 50 percent of the dialysis patients received subsidy and did not have to endure the burden of the full cost for their treatment. Dr. Doobay, in sharing his vision for the future of the hospital, said that they were aiming to transform the Centre into a mini hospital. “We want to be a specialised hospital; do cardiac, neurovascular surgeries and neurosurgery.” The expansion of the Cen-

DEM BOYS SEH

Who seh Guyanese poor! Every corner yu turn is a fast food outlet. In de old days dem only had KFC. Now dem got Church’s, Popeye’s, DQ, JR Burger, Royal Castle, M&M, Johnny Rocket and recently Burger King. A stranger coming to dis country for the first time would believe dat de country is one big soup kitchen. Fuh sure all of dem doing good business. Every day is a long line. When de Burger King open some people believe dat dem had a food shortage and Burger King bring food. Dem boys see lines like when Burnham was alive. Dat was de time when people use to line up fuh soap, salt, flour, cooking oil and things like dat. When dem boys count de fast food outlets dem had to announce dat anybody who

seh Guyana poor dem lie. No poor country can got people buying food form all dem eating house. And dem is just some. Dem boys ain’t count de Chinee restaurant. New Thriving does full every day. When people ask wheh Guyanese getting de money to spend, dem boys does tell dem dat is de oil money dem spending in advance. It got to be dat ExxonMobil start sharing out money because de people who calling fuh more pay is de same people buying food every day. Nobody cooking at home. Dem boys seh dem Regent Street business people

complaining how business bad. Dem ain’t realize dat de people shopping in foreign. Dem shopping online; dem clothes and dem goods coming by plane. Imagine it cheaper to buy things, fly dem in de country than to buy pun Regent Street, Is a topsy turvy world. People seh dem poor but dem can buy food pun de road; dem can jump pun a plane and go pun vacation; dem can buy dem goods from overseas and when dem done, dem can always cuss de government fuh punishing dem… Talk half and wait fuh when McDonald’s come

the less privileged sections of the population by subsidising the cost of their treatment. “In the future, we plan on helping the Doobay Centre here to do prevention work. So rather than [just] treat the patients with the dialysis, we do research in collaboration with McMaster University so that it could prevent the dialysis from happening or the malfunction of the kidney,” he said.

Mr. Kassim also said that he had extended the invitation to First Lady because of how impressed he was with her humanitarian work across Guyana. The Doobay Medical Centre was founded in September of 2011, to provide dialysis services. Since the opening, the Centre has expanded its operations and services to cater to more than 100 patients.

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25 years for man who shot Ministry conducts national Guyanese babysitter, 16, dead ‘Mock’ NGSA exams

Students of Winfer Gardens preparing to write their Mathematics mock exam As the Ministry of Education (MOE) prepares for the sitting of National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) on March 28 and March 29, 2018, efforts are intensifying to ensure that pupils across the country are familiar with what to expect while being exposed to a similar examination setting. The MOE yesterday held NGSA mock (trial) examinations across all primary schools throughout the country. According to Director of the National Centre for Education Research Development (NCERD), Jennifer Cumberbatch, yesterday was set aside for the sitting of Mathematics papers one and two. She explained that such an approach is necessary to ensure that pupils acquaint themselves with the examination since there will not be much difference aside from the questions come March 28 and March 29. The Director underscored the importance of a collaborative approach between teacher, parents and the Ministry if additional gains are to be made. Further, Ms. Cumberbatch is of the view that such an approach (mock exam) augurs well for the continued improvement of grades amongst grade six pupils. She expressed confidence that NGSA grades will continue to improve.

Director of NCERD, Ms. Jennifer Cumberbath The director’s optimism was premised on the fact that since the emergency intervention by the current administration to address low pass rates in Mathematics at NGSA, much improvement has been made. The objective of the mock examination, according to the NCERD Director, is to inform teachers where weaknesses exist with a view to correcting them. Further, Cumberbatch

said that upon the completion of marking of the mock exams test scripts, scores will be forwarded to the respective Regional Education Offices which in turn will forward them to Central Ministry. She said that yesterday’s examination is not for ‘show’ but the grades will be subjected to a thorough analysis after which the necessary actions will be taken. According to the Director, the Ministry will have enough time to ‘pick apart the results’. She is confident of better results in 2018 compared to 2017. The MOE has embarked on increased monitoring and evaluation of schools and teachers to ensure that the methodologies used for the teaching of Mathematics and other subjects are in conformity with the best practice set out by the Education Ministry. Added to that, Ms. Cumberbatch said that evaluators will continue to visit schools to offer support and that such an approach should not be seen as a punitive one.

A Brooklyn judge yesterday laid into a man convicted of fatally shooting a 16-yearold babysitter with a submachine gun, saying she saw no reason to show him mercy before sentencing him to 25 years behind bars. Convicted killer Taariq Stephens — who was named as the shooter by his victim, Shemel Mercurius, with her dying breath — had just finished whining that he didn’t kill the teen when Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Deborah Dowling cut him off. “All the evidence indicated that it is you,” Dowling snapped. “When you take a life, what do you give in exchange for life? There is nothing to give in return for a life.” “I am not showing any mercy,” the judge said, adding that Stephens had shown none when he pushed his way into the East Flatbush apartment where Mercurius was babysitting her threeyear-old cousin, Josiah, and racked the gun three times before firing a single shot through her arm and into her abdomen, according to the New York post report. The 16-year-old’s aunt and Josiah’s mother, LaToya Mercurius-Price, said

Convicted killer, Taariq Stephens and victim, Shemel Mercurius Stephens, 25, had crippled their entire family with the May 2016 shooting. “The echoes of ‘Mommy, mommy, Shemel has been shot and Josiah is covered in blood’ pierced me with the anguish, pain, hurt, panic, confusion, grief and left me emotionally paralyzed and hyperventilating,” she told the court. “The loss of our precious gem is beyond words.” The motive for the heinous crime was never clear. “This defendant will now spend many years behind bars for the callous killing of an innocent teenage girl who was taken from her loved ones far too early, and for undoubt-

edly traumatizing the toddler she was babysitting,” Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez said in a statement. “Nothing can bring Shemel back to her devastated family.” Mercurius reportedly moved around 2012 to the US.

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FOR RENT

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK;Guyanapassport application. G r a p h i c s design, advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6004212: We create A/works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Eagle’s: Re-gas –low prices, washing machine repairs, gas stove, plasma flat Screen, computer repairs & more. Call: 697-2969/646-0966 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158

VEHICLE FOR SALE F150 late model GSS series no problem lifted suspension for $2.4 million on best offer, excellent condition. Contact:695-7676/676-3612 Toyota premio PSS7517 1.8M 2005 model C light recorder Axio 2.5 Bluebird 2.6 Tida 2.2 #655-3400 LAND FOR SALE Parafaite Harmonie 1.4M 3.5M 1.6M 2.5M Herstelling 3.5M Tuschen 5M 5.5M, all prices negotiable. Call: 6662326. Parafaite Harmonie (Onderneeming) $1M Uivlugt (100ftx50ft) $3.6M with reserve. Tel#656-0701 Parafaite Harmonie (100ftx50ft) High income $2.8M Farm (East Bank) $3.5M Eccles $6M Tel#6511969 Parafaite Harmonie 2.5M 1.6M Ten year up 3.5M Herstelling 3M Tuschen 5.5M 5M. Call: 666-2326 Parafaite 2M main road 1.6M 3M Herstelling 3M Farm 3.5M Tuschen 5M 1.8M Uitvlugt 3M. Call: 604-6724/ 686-9608

Wednesday January 17, 2018

Kaieteur News

FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY- $19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-2274754. Video games and consoles at affordable price. Repairs to video game system .Call:6722566/265-3231 Rohan & Rohan Timber products 164-165 Friendship EBD Rough sawn crabwood & Locust 300 BM each @ US $1.80 per BM. Contact: 2662686/663-8685 12ft & 14ft Aluminum boat for sale 222-5671, 641-6162 1 longboom hitach Ex200LC 1 315BL Excavator, 2 John Deere tractor 5403 & 5705. Tel# 661-4255/686-1962 Freezers. Call: 671-3004 Combines 7300 John Deere (2000hrs), Fiatagri L413 (2500hrs), Laverda 132 & Tractors: Massey 399, Fiat 110/90, Ford 6610-Call: 6859878; 338-4354, 654-5662 Numark Mixtrack3 $60,000 Fusion 3000- Watt Inverter $50,000 Engraving Kit $7,000 Motorola droid tubo $40,000. Tel:621-9604 Three pure breed German Shepherd. Seven weeks old. Tel: 626-0953/650-9998 1 Mack truck, 1 Mercedes Bendz, 1 Pathfinder. Contact: 665-1154

CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE CAR R E N TA L : S U V F O R RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL:6435122/656-0087, ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM DOLLY’SCARRENTAL-CALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL: PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MINI BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPORT & FAMILY OUTINGS, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807 WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP RATES,SPECIALOFFERS! . CALL: 690-6494

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620 Vreed-en-hoop junction. Lessons place, storage bond, office, other. Call 6036400. 1 Flat concrete house (Tiled, grilled,PVC ceiling) 3 bedroom, 1 self-contained room @ Parafaite Harmonie & Onderneerming, $50,000 monthly #662-6818. Business place/Store for rent. Located at Grove EBD. Contact: 684-6331 2 bedroom semi-furnished apartment, tiled, grilled, secured at 13 Lyng & Sussex St Charlestown. No children, contact 601-1585/674-6394, 225-1418. 1 two bedroom apartment to rent @ Better Hope, E.C.D – Call: 617-3001 Tower space to rent in Georgetown ideal for Telecommunication and Broadcasting Contact 2235273-4 PROPERTY FOR SALE Lot 15 Public Road, #2 Village, W.C.B. 49ft x 10,314ft $25M Negotiable Contact 648-7109/686-4818

SALON Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. -CosmetologyCourses:$90,000 Nail Technician Course: $35,000. Call: 647-1773/688-0009

EDUCATION Now Registering 9 course diploma in computers office 2016. $40,000. Computerized accounting, Micrographics, Vreed-en-hoop. 264-3057 Study in Canada/USA 100% acceptance. Micrographics Vreed-en-hoop. 264-3057 Lessons: Phonics, Reading & Writing for Kindergarten, grades 1-5 Mathematics & English. Lessons for form 1-5. Call: 690-9378 First Aid/CPR and Home Nursing. New classes starting shortly at St John. Tel: 2259082

WANTED

VACANCY

Male to work night shift at hotel. Tel: 225-9211. Apply in person.

Male factory worker, age 18 and above, must have working experience. For more info call: 223-0090 Chef and assistant cook. Call: 225-7933 or visit us 172 Sheriff Street. General maintenance man, Ages 24-55. Address 233 South road, Tele# 225-0198

Live in or live out babysitter/ domestic- Call: 223-7500 Monday to Saturday 8:15am4:15pm Experienced drivers, Waiters, Roti & puri cook, apply with written application, Hacks Restaurant, 5 Commerce St. Experienced hire car drivers and dispatchers for princess hotel Contact 616-5419, 2657076 Salesman, good verbal/ excellent attitude, knowledge in stocktaking, computer literate & team player. Keyfood McDoom. Experienced Handyman, porter all below 40 years. Apply with written application. Keyfood McDoom Village. Private tutor for ACAA, Any two papers among F5-F9. Email interest to odalexa@yahoo.com Experience hair cutters/ stylists, nail technicians and Estheticians required at upscale salon. Please contact: 688-6945 Tyre changer Technician to repair tyre changer. #688-2651 Responsible hire car driver and contract cars. Tel: 2317200 American Variety Store 140 Regent & Light Georgetownwanted experience cashier, supervisor & salegirls apply in person. Sales persons apply to Shanta’s. 225 Camp St 1 Female Typist, Must have excellent command of English Language, Proficient in Microsoft Office Suites, Age 25-35, 648-1821/219-0468 Urgently need one land to buy in Eccles. Artist to paint portraits & scenes. Tel#6117223/656-0701 Land to buy- Parafaite Harmonie, Tuschen, Farm, Uitvlugt, Eccles, Herstelling, Zeelugt. We pay cash. Call:666-2326 Property to rent for restaurant in Georgetown, Call: 615-0317 One property to purchase in Georgetown below 30 million. Call: 615-0317 LEARN TO DRIVE C. Persaud & N. Outar Driving School formerly Soman & Sons Driving School @ Maraj Building- Call: 644-5166; 6222872; 615-0964; 689-5997 (affordable packages). Ultraviolet Driving School is offering a 6 days driving lesson for $7,500. Come and enjoy it! Call 602-2583

One customer service representative. Age 18 and over. Must have working experience, send application via email: humredes@gmail.com One receptionist, age 18 and over, must have working experience. Please send application via email: humresdes@gmail.com One Mechanic with sewing machine experience, age 25 and over, please send application via email: humresdes@gmail.com Cook/Baker & Kitchen Assistant for interior location. Applicants must be experienced. Call: 618-2020 Experienced Security Professionals. Must have 3 yrs. experience, past military/ security. Send resume & picture by email:. bvisecurityandinvestigators @ g m a i l . c o m One female cleaner and driver for office in Eccles. Call: 2332745 Cleaner – submit written application to Barton-Sukhraj Accounting Lot 78 Breda & Hadfield Street, Werk-en-rust or e-mail to bs.taxes@yahoo.com Temporary Tax Consultant – Minimum qualification – CXC inclusive of Mathematics, Accounting & English, e-mail application to bs.taxes@yahoo.com Vacancy exists for 1 experienced pharmacy technician to work part time @ a reputable pharmacy Georgetown- Call: 227-0630 Shipping Assistant, Accounts clerk- must have knowledge of QuickBooks. Tel: 616-5591/ 665-3676/226-0395. Receptionist/Washer & Presser/Hotel attendant/Bell boy info@vgiworld.com Porter/Clerk/Driver info@vgiworld.com 227-7714/ 223-3448. Live in maid, must know to cook and clean. More info 6645503 or 676-1748 Cashiers @ Nirva Superstore. please apply in person with written application at 49 Sheriff & Craig St. Tel#2275771 One maid for East Bank area, must know to cook and clean. Call: 614-4358

Barbados’ human rights record to be reviewed by UN entity GENEVA (CMC) – Barbados’ human rights record will be examined by the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group for the third time on Friday. Barbados is one of the 14 States to be reviewed by the UPR Working Group during its upcoming session that started here on Monday Barbados’ first and second UPR reviews took place in December 2008 and January 2013, respectively. The documents on which the reviews are based are – a national report with information provided by the State under review; information contained in the reports of independent human rights experts and groups, known as the Special Procedures, human rights treaty bodies, and other UN entities; and information provided by other stakeholders including national human rights institutions, regional organizations and civil society groups. The UPR is a unique process which involves a periodic review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States. Since its first meeting was held in April 2008, all 193 UN member States have been reviewed twice within the first and second UPR cycles. During the third UPR cycle, States are again expected to spell out steps they have taken to implement recommendations posed during their previous reviews which they committed to follow-up on, as well as to highlight recent human rights developments in the country. The UPR Working Group is scheduled to adopt the recommendations made to Barbados on January 23. VACANCY Live-in or part time maid, call 695-5505 or 611-6364 between 9am to 4pm Welder/fabricator, machinist, mechanic, must have technical background and three years’ experience. Call: 233-2745 Office clerk Senior/Junior CXC English/Mathematics, Computer knowledge an asset, Call: 223-7500 General maintenance Guy, room attendant ages 25-45 years old. Tel: 225-0198 233 South rd, Lacytown. TOLET Furnished 1 & 2 bedroom apartment in Nandy Park. Parking available. Call 2335560 evening only (for further information)

Wednesday January 17, 2018

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Kaieteur News

“Move away from dependency syndrome” – Min. Allicock to NTC needs. I am hoping one day we will be able to see it that way and when that starts to happen, it will catch on to the rest of Guyana”. The Minister noted that from the inception, the idea was to ensure that the NTC

Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock By Synieka Thorne Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock has urged the National Toshaos Council (NTC) to move away from what he has termed “the dependency syndrome.” While addressing the misconception of the government’s non-support to the Indigenous body, Minister Allicock said, “The NTC must move away from being solely dependent on Government’s subvention to carry out its annual work programme.” The NTC, comprising leaders from 215 indigenous communities and villages across the country, had received a $12M subvention in 2015 which was subsequently increased to $16M in 2017 and 2018, respectively. “I agree that money will never be enough, not even for us at the ministry. We had a budget that was trimmed, and we had to use ways and means to do our work. If the body sits and strategises, it can work for them”, Minister Allicock told the Department of Public Information (DPI) in a recent interview. The Indigenous Affairs Minister stated that the NTC has the right to raise funds. “You have 215 communities; every Village Council has received funding or other support from the Government, for projects. If every village donates $2,000 per month, that is about $430,000 you are getting every month. That would be able to assist the NTC to be organised, with its paperwork and stipends, and also have the opportunity to do project proposals and work with the communities to enhance projects, thereby, helping the communities to step up.” Minister Allicock added that this is the kind of rationale that the Indigenous Peoples need to adopt and “think of how they can make money to satisfy their own

functioned as an autonomous body, with no political interference. The Government, he said, sought to partner with the body, rather than compete with them. This, however, has not

been happening according to the Minister. “I have seen too much of idleness, focusing on looking at every little negative that has happened and blowing it out of proportion; when we should have been celebrating the

little victories that we have.” Minister Allicock expressed optimism that the government and the NTC can work together for the development of the indigenous peoples. The Ministry has also

facilitated executive members of the body on several outreaches to the communities, and the Government provided a plot of land for the body to construct its secretariat in the heart of the city. (DPI)

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29 submit bids to complete infrastructural works During yesterday’s session at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure received bids from 29 companies for projects in 15 lots. They are as follows; Lot 1- for the construction of steel sheet pile revetment and boat docking structures at Supernaam, Essequibo, Region Two. Lot 2- the Construction of rip-rap river defense at Aurora/Warousi, Essequibo Coast, Region Two. Lot 3- the rehabilitation works to the sea defenses at Westbury, Essequibo Coast, Region Two. Lot 4- the construction of riprap river defenses at Zeelandia, Wakenaam, Region Three, Phase three. Lot 5- the construction of rip-rap river defenses at Belle Plaine, Wakenaam Island, Phase one. Lot 6the construction of rip-rap defenses at Melville/San Souci, Wakenaam Island, Region Three, Phase two. Lot 7- the construction of rip-rap river defense at Canefield, Leguan

Wednesday January 17, 2018

Island, Region Three, Phase One. Lot 8- the construction of timber revetment structure along Henrietta Outfall, Leguan Island, Region Three. Lot 9- for the upgrading of river defenses at Salem/Naamryck, East Bank Essequibo, Region Three, Phase one. Lot 10the construction of rip-rap sea defenses at Grove/ Look-Out, East Bank Essequibo, Region Three. Lot 11- for the construction of rip-rap sea defenses at Chapman’s Grove, East Coast Demerara, Region Four, Phase one. Lot 12- the construction of rip-rap sea defenses at Cottage, Mahaicony, Region Five, phase three. Lot 13- the construction of Gabion mattress slope at Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Region Six, Corentyne, Region Six, Phase two. Lot 14- the construction of timber revetment at Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Region Six, Phase three and lastly lot 15- the placement of boulders to form face protection along Bush Lot/Maida, Corentyne, Region Six, Phase two.

>>>>> Continued on page 29 <<<<<

Wednesday January 17, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Bangladesh agrees with Myanmar to complete Rohingya return in two years D H A K A / YA N G O N (Reuters) - Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed yesterday to complete within two years the return of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims who fled an army crackdown last year in Myanmar. United Nations SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres and the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR), responding to the plan, said they were concerned about forcibly repatriating over 650,000 Rohingya who fled to neighboring Bangladesh after a conflict erupted in western Rakhine state in August. Statements from the Myanmar and Bangladesh foreign ministries said Bangladesh would set up five transit camps on its side of the border. Those camps would send Rohingyas to two reception centers in Myanmar. The repatriation process would start next Tuesday, the statements said. Myanmar said it would build a transit camp that can house 30,000 returnees. The Bangladesh statement said: “Myanmar

has reiterated its commitment to stop (the) outflow of Myanmar residents to Bangladesh.” Guterres said the UNHCR had not been involved directly in the agreement. “It will be very important to have UNHCR fully involved in the operation to guarantee that the operations abide by international standards,” he said. “A huge effort of reconciliation is needed to allow it to take place properly,” Guterres told reporters. “The worst would be to move these people from camps in Bangladesh to camps in Myanmar, keeping an artificial situation for a long time and not allowing for them to regain their normal lives.” Myanmar stressed the need for both sides to take preventive measures against possible Rohingya attacks and said it gave Dhaka a list with the names of 1,000 alleged militants. The crisis erupted after Rohingya insurgent attacks on security posts on Aug. 25 in Rakhine triggered a fierce

Rohingya refugees line up for daily essentials distribution (REUTERS/Tyrone Siu) military response that the United Nations denounced as ethnic cleansing. Some 650,000 people fled the violence. The military denies ethnic cleansing, saying its security forces mounted legitimate counter-insurgency

29 submit bids to complete...

From page 28 In addition to these bids, the Ministry of Public infrastructure also received bids in three lots for the installation of LED highway lights on the Essequibo Coast Public Road; lot 2, the installation of LED Highway lights on the Corentyne Public Road; and lot 3, the installation of LED Highway lights on the West Coast Demerara Public Road.

Meanwhile, the Guyana National Printers Limited received bids for the supply and installation of floor ceiling air conditioning units to its Printery.

For the procurement of one new 30 seater bus, the Regional Democratic Council, Region 10 received five bids.

One bid was secured by the National Communications Network Incorporated for the servicing and maintenance of the company’s fleet of vehicle for the year 2018.

clearance operations. The Bangladesh statement called for repatriating orphans and “children born out of unwarranted incidence,” a reference to cases of rape resulting in pregnancy, said a Bangladesh foreign ministry official who declined to be identified. The rape of Rohingya women by Myanmar’s security forces was widespread, according to interviews with women conducted at displacement camps by U.N. medics and activists. The military denies it was involved in any sexual assaults. VERIFICATION PROCESS A UNHCR spokesman said yesterday the Rohingya should return voluntarily only when they feel it is safe to do so. “Major challenges have to be overcome,” UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic told a news briefing in Geneva. “These include ensuring they are told about the situation in their areas of origin ... and are consulted on their wishes, that their safety is ensured.”

The United States expressed similar concerns. “The timeline is less important to us than the ability for people to safely and voluntarily go home,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. Nauert, who visited the region last year, noted that it has only been a few months since large numbers of Rohingya fled their homes. “I can’t imagine anyone would feel safe at this point in returning,” she said, adding that the people she met were frail, scared and in no way ready to return. Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay told Reuters last week the returnees could apply for citizenship “after they pass the verification process.” Myanmar does not recognize its Rohingya minority as citizens, rendering them effectively stateless. Myint Kyaing, permanent secretary at Myanmar’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population, told Reuters this month that Myanmar would begin processing at least 150 people a day through each of the two camps by Jan. 23. The meeting that concluded on Tuesday in Myanmar ’s capital, Naypyitaw, was the first for a joint working group set up to hammer out the details of a November repatriation agreement. Left out of the talks were the fears and concerns of the refugees themselves, “as if they are an inert mass of people who will go where and when they are told,” Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, told Reuters in an email. “LIVING LIKE PRISONERS” A group of refugees at the Kutupalong Rohingya camp near Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh expressed doubt about the camps Myanmar

has agreed to establish on its side of the border. Mohammad Farouk, 20, who arrived in Bangladesh following the Aug. 25 attacks, said exchanging one camp for another made little difference - except “the camps in Myanmar will be far worse, because we will be confined there and there will be a risk to our lives.” Another resident of the Kutupalong camp compared the new transit camps to ones set up near the Rakhine state capital of Sittwe following bouts of violence in previous years “where people are living like prisoners.” “First, ask the military to give those Rohingya their homes and property back, then talk to us about returning,” said the Rohingya refugee, who did not want to be identified. Some said the kind of violence they witnessed toward their community in Myanmar made it hard for them to trust the military. “Even if I don’t get food or anything else here, at least there is safety. I won’t feel safe if I go back to Myanmar,” said Rashid Ahmed, 33. Some young men in the camp worried they might be arrested on accusations of terrorism if they returned to Myanmar. Camp conditions in Bangladesh are dire enough, but more than 520,000 Rohingya children are at even greater risk ahead of the cyclone season that generally begins in April, the United Nations Children’s Fund said on Tuesday. “They will face an even greater risk of disease, flooding, landslides and further displacement,” said Edouard Beigbeder, the UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh. Nearly 1 million Rohingya live in Bangladesh, including those who came after previous displacements dating back to the 1990s.

Registration of political parties will ensure greater transparency – PM KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) – Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the registration of political parties will ensure greater transparency and accountability, and is transformational for the country’s democracy. Speaking at the official launch of the registration of political parties on Monday, he said this is a milestone achievement in the history of Jamaica. “Today’s launch is another manifestation of the Government’s focus on institutional reform, in order to ensure our political and economic environment is conducive to productivity, transparency and growth,” he said. The Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) began registering political parties on January 2, in keeping with the Political Parties Registration Regulations, 2017. The regulations, which fall under the

Representation of the People Act, provides a framework for the registration and deregistration of political parties, the monitoring of their finances, and also facilitates a system whereby an accurate and up-to-date record can be kept on each political party. The prime minister said the legislation formalises political parties, which are now required to provide details of their operations, “thereby lifting the veil, because there is a sense that political parties are unregulated private fraternities”. He noted that the registration of political parties represents a “major shift” in how these institutions have been viewed in the history of Jamaica, and stressed that political parties must now lead from the front and set their houses in order. “We must ensure that the mask of anonymity is removed,” he added.

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Wednesday January 17, 2018

Charity residents concerned over deteriorated streets Recent concerns have surfaced, with regards to the rapid deterioration of internal streets in the Charity Housing schemes. Residents have brought to the attention of this Publication, their appeal for new and improved infrastructure. The Internal streets of the Charity Extension Scheme are to date, riddled with potholes, most of which residents believe are beyond repairs. This network of poor and dilapidated infrastructure has caused economic constraints for many. One resident reported that he has since replaced a car bumper. Some potholes are so huge, they would jerk a bumper loose. Residents believe that inferior works by contractors may have contributed to the rapid deterioration. As a thriving community of some 6000 residents, Charity is now a heavily commercialized port, dominating the Essequibo Coast with business on Mondays. Many claim, however, that little is being done to preserve the community interest. This issue was recently raised during an interview with the Re-

gion Two Chairman, Devenand Ramdatt. Mr. Ramdatt said that the Charity Extension Scheme is still under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Communities. He added that the Ministry has done no enhancement work on the Scheme, apart from two roads which were rehabilitated previously. The Regional Chairman told media operatives, last Friday, that the Regional Democratic Council will partner with the Charity Neighborhood Democratic Council in pursuing a possible solution. Mr. Ramdatt added, “We will also speak with the NDC to ensure that they cater for the maintenance of some of these roads in Charity. As a community, Charity maybe has the worse internal roads. There was even part of the main road that had to be fixed prior to December. I want to make it clear that it is not only our internal roads that are deteriorating but we also see rapid deterioration of the Essequibo Coast public road. “Many believe that the RDC has done little to maintain the streets of Charity.”

The Regional Chairman however noted, "I want to make this emphatically clear and I said this before to some media operatives that materials purchased to do maintenance of these roads were deviated to build parks that are underutilized and this is quite unfortunate. “Previously, materials to do maintenance of roads were procured and stored and our task force from the Roads Department moved into communities in collaboration with the respective councils to do maintenance of internal roads. “We have ended up with what is called Unity Park, a park which was never utilized for any meaningful activity and which ended up taking away tons and tons of building of roads materials. That is against the Regional Democratic Council. Now Charity and in many other communities, roads are deteriorating." The Regional Chairman was referring to the parks constructed by Regional Executive Officer, Rupert Hopkinson. All attempts made to contact Mr. Hopkinson proved futile. [Romario Blair]

Sentencing looms for man who killed brother Justice Navindra Singh will on February 5, sentence Neville France, who on Monday pleaded guilty to unlawfully killing his brother. France who was initially indicted for murder pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter when he appeared in the High Court at Georgetown. France admitted to unlawfully killing his brother, Richard France, on December 12, 2013 in Essequibo. Sentencing for him was deferred until next month after his Attor-

ney-at-law Siand Dhurjon was successful in requesting a probation report on his client. State Counsel Mandel Moore appeared for the state. According to information, Richard was sitting on a bench when he was confronted by his brother after which an argument ensued. Reports suggest that the Richard, the younger sibling, walked away and his brother stabbed him in the back. After receiving the injury, Richard attempted to run but soon collapsed on the road way.

Neville France

Nations Schools awarded $11M... (From page 22) possibility of a follow-up project could become a reality once the ongoing efforts are proven to be successful. This is in light of the fact that USAID has already indicated that additional funds

could be made available. “To try to achieve these kinds of goals in six months is almost unrealistic...to take people from impoverished backgrounds where maybe somebody is fallen foul of the law and to think of doing that

literally in a matter of weeks you can take them out of that,” considered Dr. O’Toole. Even as he outlined that Nations has a long history of working well with donor agencies, Dr. O’Toole said that his school has also been shortlisted for another project with the Citizen Security Strengthening Programme [CSSP]. The Nations School is able to conduct such projects through its Research Agency and has thus far been able to handle more than US$3 million in development grants over the past 25 years. It is Dr. O’Toole’s expectation that the findings of the ongoing project will be the start of a bigger movement whereby government could eventually play an instrumental role in advancing developmental projects.

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Haitian protesters voice outrage over Trump’s reported racist remarks WEST PALM BEACH (CMC) – Hundreds of Haitians on Monday lined the West Palm Beach approach to United States President Donald Trump’s so-called Winter White House, where they demanded an apology from the president for his alleged racist remarks about their country. The group of about 400 protesters, including doctors and pastors, students and attorneys, almost all of Haitian descent, gathered in the spirit of a US federal holiday recognizing the nation’s most recognized activist, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and on a day on which the President himself was likely to see them as he zipped by in his motorcade. The Palm Beach Post, in a report that those who stood at the southwest corner of Southern Boulevard and Flagler Drive said they were driven to protest by President

T r u m p ’ s reported disparaging remarks last week, including “Why do we want all these people from ‘shithole countries’ coming here?” And Trump’s assertion that America should instead bring in more people from countries such as Norway which is overwhelmingly White. “We know the country (Haiti) is not a ‘shithole’ country,” said Charlemagne Metayer, a Lake Park zoning board member who came to the US in 1985, became a citizen and is father to four. “We help America to fight. Some of us work two or three jobs to make a living. We are hard-working people. We deserve an apology from the President,” Metayer said. Byrnes N. Guillaume, an attorney and one of the protest organizers, said the expectations don’t end with an apology. “We want an immigration

Hundreds of Haitians lined the West Palm Beach approach to U.S. President Donald Trump’s so-called Winter White House. policy to be unbiased — one that does not favor people from Norway over Haiti. And we want people who are of like minds to vote,” Guillaume

said. The protesters carried signs declaring Haiti is not a “shithole” and “Let’s make America Great Again, NOT All white again.”

It said Phoebe Crane, a 70year-old white woman visiting from Indiana, waved a hot pink sign announcing: “Proud Grandparent of a

Haitian!” The crowd was swathed in bright reds and blues of the Haitian national flag. At times, protesters broke out in song from that not too distant land. In between, they called and answered: “What do we want? Apology,” the Post said. The protest was a first for 27-year-old Sheena Marceline, a nursing student from West Palm Beach. “I’m Haitian-born, but I’m an American citizen,” said the young woman, who arrived in Florida when she was 7. Her father, she said, fled after his politically-active brother was assassinated in the 1990s. “We are good people,” Marceline added. “We had to leave the country because of our political beliefs. We are not bad people. “I never really cared for Trump or Clinton. But he’s (Trump) just been very disrespectful,” Marceline said.

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Wednesday January 17, 2018

St. Vincent considers suing Trinidad over currency issue KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent (CMC) – The ongoing currency issue in which Vincentian traders in agricultural produce are unable to convert their earnings to Eastern Caribbean dollars after plying their trade in Trinidad and Tobago could end up before the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, told a press conference on Monday that while his government has implemented short-term measures of “a sensible, practical nature” to deal with the matter in Kingstown, a long-term solution is needed. As a result of the ongoing situation, some traders have large stockpiles of Trinidad and Tobago currency in Port of Spain and farmers in St Vincent are reluctant to sell their produce to these traders because of the delay in getting paid. As a result, Kingstown has set up a facility at the Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines that allows the conversion of Trinidad and Tobago dollars to Eastern Caribbean dollars. However, Port of Spain says it is constrained by a shortage of foreign exchange in its financial sector. On Monday, for the second time this month, reporters asked Gonsalves about the situation,

which he said he would raise at the upcoming intersessional meeting of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders in Haiti next month. “And I will raise it and I will make certain suggestions about certain things which we may have to do beyond what we have been trying,” the prime minister said, adding that he knows that the governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, Timothy Antoine, has been trying with the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago to resolve the situation. “And we’re not making the progress which we should be making,” he said, adding that the issue is of

CARACAS (Reuters) Rogue Venezuelan helicopter pilot Oscar Perez was killed in a police operation on Monday along with six other anti-government militants, the interior minister said yesterday, spurring opposition complaints of human rights violations. Perez, a photogenic former police officer who once starred in an action film, last year used a hijacked helicopter to attack government buildings and stole weapons from a military base in what he called a rebellion against President Nicolas Maduro. He appeared with a bloody face in nearly a dozen Instagram videos early on Monday, saying he was surrounded by authorities shooting at him with grenade launchers even though he was promising to surrender. Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said seven “terrorists” including Perez were killed in the operation outside Caracas along with two police officers involved in the raid. “In the face of an attack that put the lives of security officials at risk, the attacking group was neutralized using

established protocols, with the unfortunate result of seven dead terrorists,” Reverol said in a televised broadcast. Perez rose to fame in June after allegedly hijacking a police helicopter, flying over Caracas’ center and firing shots at and lobbing grenades on the Interior Ministry and the Supreme Court. He claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was to fight what he said was a tyrannical government. He went into hiding afterward, but frequently appeared in videos that circulated on social media calling for resistance to Maduro. The government described him as a “fanatic, extremist terrorist” and had been carrying out a manhunt for him since last June. Critics initially questioned whether Perez’ attacks were staged in cahoots with the government to justify a further crackdown on the opposition. But his death prompted an outcry over what critics called an extrajudicial killing and turned him into a martyr for hard-line foes of Maduro. “Honor and glory to those

St. Vincent and the Grenadines PM, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves

great importance and that is why he has accorded it that level of importance “and to see if we can have a long-term solution, which is fair”. Regarding the stockpiles of Trinidad and Tobago dollars that Gonsalves said Vincentian traders have in Port or Spain, he said : “What you want them to do? To buy Trinidadian goods to bring them here to sell? This is what I say to [Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Keith] Rowley. It’s wrong. It’s unfair. And I haven’t checked the lawyers on it, but I suspect that it is a matter which the CCJ may well have to pronounce on.” “I’m not resting with it. I can’t buy your oil, your products from Petrotrin and I can’t buy your Busta, your Bermudez Biscuit, I can’t buy all of those things, you have a trade surplus with me, with St. Vincent and the Grenadines, annually of about $100 million and, listen, when you do it for all of the currency union, because properly speaking, in monetary terms, in economic terms, we should use the number for the whole of the currency union, because we have one currency. So, the matter is even worse when you look at it from the standpoint of the currency union. It’s unacceptable.”

Rogue ex-policeman, six others die in Venezuela forces raid

Helicopter pilot Oscar Perez brave citizens who gave their life for their ideals,” tweeted former Caracas mayor Antonio Ledezma, now in exile in Spain after himself being jailed on charges of leading a coup against Maduro. Venezuela is suffering an unprecedented economic crisis that has left its onceprosperous citizens suffering from rising incidence of malnutrition and preventable diseases. Foods and medicine are increasingly out of the reach of citizens because they are not available at supermarkets or are too expensive.

Wednesday January 17, 2018

Kaieteur News

U.S. withholds $65 million in Palestinian aid after Trump threat WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States yesterday said it would withhold about half the initial aid it planned to give a U.N. agency that serves the Palestinians, two weeks after President Donald Trump questioned the value of such funding. In announcing that it would provide $60 million to the U.N. Relief and Welfare Agency (UNRWA) while withholding a further $65 million for now, the U.S. State Department said the aid group needed to make unspecified reforms. Palestine Liberation Organization official Wasel Abu Youssef immediately criticized the move, casting it as a deliberate U.S. effort to deny the Palestinians their rights and linking it to Trump’s widely criticized Dec. 6 decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. United Nations SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres said he was unaware of any cut in aid but he was “very concerned” about the possibility because it “is an important factor of stability.” UNRWA CommissionerGeneral Pierre Krähenbühl said in a statement that the reduced U.S. contribution “threatens one of the most successful and innovative human development endeavors in the Middle East.” The decision to keep back some money is likely to compound the difficulty of reviving Israeli-Palestinian

UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl peace talks and to further undermine Arabs’ faith that the United States can act as an impartial arbitrator. The last talks collapsed in 2014, partly because of Israel’s opposition to an attempted unity pact between the Fatah and Hamas Palestinian factions and to Israeli settlement building on occupied land that Palestinians seek for a state, among other factors. “UNRWA has proven time and again to be an agency that misuses the humanitarian aid of the international community and instead supports anti-Israel propaganda, perpetuates the plight of Palestinian refugees and encourages hate,” said Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations. Even if Washington provided the additional $65 million, the $125 million total

would be well below the $355 million that a U.S. official said it gave UNRWA in the 2017 fiscal year ended Sept. 30. While saying the decision would sustain schools and health services, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert echoed Trump in calling on other nations to provide more money because he believes the United States pays more than its share. The State Department wrote a letter notifying UNRWA of the decision, spokeswoman Nauert said. She said that while UNRWA reforms were a condition of releasing more money, the aid decision was “not aimed at punishing” anyone. In a Twitter post on Jan. 2, Trump said that Washington gives the Palestinians “HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect.” Trump added that “with the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them?” While U.S. officials did not link the decision to Trump’s tweet, they made a point often advanced by him, saying the United States had been UNRWA’s single largest donor for decades. Trump’s aides initially debated whether to cut off all UNRWA aid, an unidentified U.S. official said, but those opposed argued that could further destabilize the region.

Macron promises steps on Calais migration, acknowledges Brexit worries CALAIS, France (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron promised to stem the flow of migrants through the port of Calais on Tuesday, saying there would be no return to the “jungle” migrant camp, and said he understood the region’s concerns about the threat from Brexit. Addressing security forces in Calais, which has borne the brunt in France of an influx of migrants and refugees from Africa and the Middle East in recent years, Macron said he would bolster resources to ensure police had what they needed to maintain security while enforcing a “fair” migration policy. “There will be no return to ‘the jungle’,” said Macron, referring to the squalid tented encampment on the outskirts of Calais that once housed up to 8,000 migrants before it was bulldozed by the French authorities in October 2016. Macron earlier visited a migrant reception centre near Calais and spoke to both refugees and local officials to hear about the pressures on the town and its surrounding Hauts-deFrance region, one of the poorest in the country. The visit comes ahead of a summit with Prime Minister Theresa May in Britain on Thursday, when the two are expected to address Brexit, migration and the 2003 Le Touquet accord, a reciprocal border agreement that has drawn criticism in France.

Macron is expected to push Britain to provide further money and resources to tackle the migrant flow since many of those assembling in Calais are ultimately trying to enter Britain, just 33 km (20 miles) across the English Channel. Under the Le Touquet treaty, Britain has its border in France and France runs border checks in Britain, a deal that French officials feel favours the United Kingdom. Both parties can withdraw from the treaty, which would mean a return to hard national borders, a move that would symbolically cut Britain off from the continent just as it is implementing Brexit. BREXIT IMPACT Pro-Brexit lawmakers from Britain’s governing Conservative Party have dismissed as “absurd” suggestions that London should pay more, saying Britain already provides extra security to France, including border infrastructure. The issue is a sensitive one in France, too, since Calais and the region around have benefited from close ties between Britain and France since the Channel Tunnel was built. With unemployment in the area well above France’s average, the concern is that Brexit and tighter borders could have a further negative impact on jobs and growth. Macron acknowledged those concerns, saying he was aware of local fears over Britain’s exit from the EU in March 2019.

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Wednesday January 17, 2018

U.S.-led meeting urges North Korea pressure despite North-South detente

Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland, right, and South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, left, listen as Secretary of State for the United States Rex Tillerson speaks during a meeting on North Korea in Vancouver, British Columbia (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP) VANCOUVER (Reuters) - The world needs to step up pressure on Pyongyang to force it to abandon its nuclear weapons program and should not be fooled by a charm offensive in engaging South Korea, participants at a 20nation meeting on North Korea said yesterday. “We must increase the costs of the regime’s behavior to the point that North Korea must come to the table for credible negotiations,” U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told the one-day meeting he cohosted with Canada in Vancouver. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has refused to give up development of nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States in spite of increasingly severe U.N. sanctions, raising fears of a new war on the Korean peninsula. Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said the world should not be naive about North Korea’s “charm offensive” in engaging in talks with South Korea ahead of next month’s Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. “It is not the time to ease pressure, or to reward North Korea,” he said. “The fact that North Korea is engaging in dialogue could be interpreted as proof that the sanctions are working.” Tillerson said North Korea must not be allowed “to drive a wedge” through allied resolve or solidarity and reiterated Washington’s rejection of a Chinese-Russian proposal for the United States and South Korea to freeze military exercises in return for a freeze in North Korea’s weapons programs. U.S. national security adviser H.R. McMaster held secret meetings in San Francisco over the weekend with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s top national security adviser and a senior South Korean official, a U.S. official said. The three discussed North-South talks last week and a shared commitment to keep up the U.S.-led pressure campaign against Pyongyang, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. McMaster in recent weeks has been among the more hawkish of top aides to U.S. President Donald Trump on the need to actively consider military options, according to other U.S. government sources. China and Russia have sharply criticized the Vancouver meeting, which was announced after North Korea tested its biggest ever intercontinental ballistic missile last November, as an example of “Cold War” thinking. While both have signed up to U.N. sanctions, they have been accused of not doing enough to ensure proper implementation, something they deny. Tillerson said the Vancouver gathering, which groups backers of South Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War, would aim to improve the effectiveness of the U.S.-led “maximum pressure” campaign on Pyongyang. He urged China and Russia, which backed

the North in the war, to fully implement U.N. sanctions. “We cannot abide lapses or sanctions evasion. We will continue to call attention to, and designate, entities and individuals complicit in such actions,” he said. Tillerson said all countries needed to work together to improve interdiction of ships attempting to skirt the sanctions and said there must be “new consequences” for North Korea “whenever new aggression occurs.” The White House has welcomed news that China’s imports from North Korea plunged in December to their lowest in dollar terms since at least the start of 2014, but Trump accused Beijing last month of allowing oil into North Korea. Western European security sources told Reuters last month Russian tankers had supplied fuel to North Korea on at least three occasions in recent months by transferring cargoes at sea. Earlier yesterday, Chinese state media said Chinese President Xi Jinping told Trump in a phone call that unity on the North Korean issue was extremely important and the hardearned easing of tensions must continue. The White House said Trump and Xi both expressed hope that the resumption of NorthSouth dialogue might prompt a change in Pyongyang’s “destructive behavior”. North and South Korea held formal talks for the first time in two years this month and Pyongyang said it would send athletes to the Olympics. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said in Vancouver she hoped the dialogue would continue well beyond the Olympics, but stressed that existing sanctions must be applied more rigorously. “These two tools - tough sanctions and pressure on the one hand, and the offer of a different, brighter future on the other - (have) worked hand in hand,” she said. U.S. officials say hawks in the Trump administration remain pessimistic that the North-South contacts will lead anywhere. Even so, they say debate within the U.S. administration over whether to give more active consideration to military options, such as a pre-emptive strike on a North Korean nuclear or missile site, has lost momentum ahead of the Olympics. Brian Hook, the U.S. State Department’s head of policy planning, told MSNBC the North-South talks were a positive step, but North Korea had been taking advantage of goodwill gestures for decades and needed to “earn their way back to the negotiating table.” Diplomats say the absence of China, North Korea’s main ally and trading partner, will limit what can be achieved in Vancouver. China’s main English-language newspaper, The China Daily, said the meeting was “poorly conceived” and would prove counter-productive.

Wednesday January 17, 2018

Maria Sharapova powers past Tatjana Maria to claim impressive straight-sets victory Daily Mail - Maria Sharapova’s first match back at the Australian Open turned out to be against someone who made the scoreboard read simply ‘Maria Sharapova’. And it was all about the 30-year-old Russian, who came through relatively comfortably with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Tatjana Maria that lasted 78 minutes. Sharapova will now play Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova, the player who defeated her in the US Open fourth round. This was Sharapova’s first time back since failing a doping test at the 2016 event, and her second Grand Slam since the ensuing suspension ended. Unlike at the US Open, she was not put straight on the main stadium court, but the secondary Margaret Court Arena, which was bathed in the sunlight of a cloudless Melbourne day. Sharapova has far more power at her disposal than the counterpunching German and it never looked likely that she would lose as she began her campaign on the tenth anniversary of being the champion here. She hit 22 winners against the seven of

her opponent, whose weak second serve was especially harshly dealt with. There will definitely be tougher challenges ahead, but Sharapova is not one whose chances should be written off in a very open field. ‘Obviously I wanted to enjoy the moment and it was special to be here,’ she said. ‘With the weather changes you never quite know how to pack for Melbourne. Just like everyone in the draw we know it is going to get tougher in the next few rounds.’ Sharapova said: ‘I felt like I have got a lot of things out of the way physically and emotionally and mentally. ‘Last year there was a lot of firsts again for me, playing the first tournament, first Grand Slam, and just different feelings and what it would be routinely. But it felt pretty routine today, just really happy to be back here.’ Asked if she had any response to the idea that inviting her to take part in last week’s draw ceremony was inappropriate she responded: ‘I was invited to be part of the draw by Craig Tiley and the tournament organisation, and I kindly accepted.’

Wednesday January 17, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Its as if stagehands sneaked into your world and changed all the scenery while you were sleeping. You wake up to an unfamiliar landscape where everything seems oddly different, even your thoughts and feelings are buzzing with anticipation. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You’re matter-of-fact about your career aspirations today, and you’re willing to lay out your plans for what’s ahead. Although there may be some unrealistic parts to your grand strategy, most of it is based upon practical considerations. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Although your imagination is often the source of ingenious breakthroughs, idle daydreaming is just a misdirected use of energy today. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Relationships continue to make demands on your already committed time. Of course, you want to show up while building a foundation in a new partnership or strengthening the bonds in an existing one. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Someone you thought you could trust is acting strangely now and you don’t know what to make of the situation. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Although you’re probably maintaining a steady course into your future, you could grow impatient if you don’t see enough progress right away.

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Kaieteur News

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You value objectivity more than personal fulfillment now, prompting you to set aside your subjective biases in the name of healthy relationships. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You are known for your high level of integrity. In fact, you can be so immovable on certain moral issues that the harder someone pushes, the more stubborn you become. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) People might have trouble understanding your behavior today. In fact, its difficult to figure out your intentions because your individual actions make sense when taken one at a time, but seem to contradict one another when viewed as a whole. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You can make a creative breakthrough today, motivating you to resolve a personal issue that has lingered far too long. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Relying on logic allows your associates to directly experience your high level of competence, since rational thought is more valued at work than emotional availability. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You are all fired up today, possibly in reaction to people who are not standing up for their convictions. You don’t want to fight someone else’s battle now; in fact, you don’t want to fight at all.

Afghanistan to make test debut in June against India

Rashid Khan leaps in the air to celebrate a five-wicket haul. (Peter Della Penna) NEW DELHI (Reuters) Afghanistan will play their inaugural test match in June in Bengaluru against neighbours India, the cricket boards announced yesterday. Afghanistan and Ireland joined the ranks of full member nations of the International Cricket Council last June, taking the total number of test-playing countries to 12. The Indian board (BCCI) has consistently backed Afghanistan, who played a home match against Ireland last year at a stadium in Greater Noida, on the outskirts of New Delhi. “Afghanistan and India have been traditional friends, even diplomatically, for ages and it’s only appropriate that Afghanistan opened its international innings in India,” BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary told reporters. Choudhary said Bengaluru was the obvious choice to stage the match bearing in mind the expected weather conditions in other parts of the country in June. “At that point of time in the year, there will be rains almost everywhere, and where there will not be rain, there will be such heat that cricket would be practically impossible during day time,” he said. Cricket has a long history in Afghanistan but the country only gained full oneday international (ODI) status in 2011. In 2015, still suffering from the impact of war and conflict, Afghanistan took part in their first 50-over World Cup and they have also played in the World Twenty20 competition. “The historic friendship and relations between India and Afghanistan go back to centuries. I‘m glad that cricket is now added as another layer,” Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) chairman Atif Mashal said. “The support BCCI has provided to ACB in the last several years has been

tremendous - whether it’s backing Afghanistan in ICC while our application for full membership was under consideration, making the facilities available for us, technical assistance. We really recognise it and appreciate it.” ACB chief executive Shafiq Stanikzai said the June test will be a dream-come-true

for the Afghanistan players, and would trigger the sport’s growth. “Cricket has a bright future in Afghanistan. We have raw talents, the only thing is we need is to polish them and give them proper exposure,” he said. “Our target is to be a competitive side in test cricket in the coming three years.”

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Wednesday January 17, 2018

Kaieteur News

Ngidi bags key Kohli wicket as South Africa close on win

Debutant Lungi Ngidi was on fire during the last hour; he sent KL Rahul and Virat Kohli back for single digits as India finished the day on 35 for 3 ©BCCI

PRETORIA (Reuters) Debutant Lungi Ngidi took the key wicket of India captain Virat Kohli as South Africa closed in on victory in the second test with the tourists reeling at 35 for three on a misbehaving wicket at the close on day four yesterday. India are chasing 287 for victory to square the three-match series, but that looks a long way off on a wicket providing extreme variable bounce. Cheteshwar Pujara (11) and Parthiv Patel (five) will resume on the final day, trying to find a way to score runs against a firedup home seam attack getting plenty of assistance from the pitch. Kohli, who scored a brilliant 153 in the first innings, would have been key to India’s plans in the run chase, but he was

trapped lbw for five by an excellent delivery from Ngidi that came back into him sharply and kept low. Ngidi, 21, had earlier bagged the wicket of opener Lokesh Rahul for four with his first delivery of the day, a loosener the batsman carved straight to Keshav Maharaj at point. Murali Vijay (nine) was the first batsman to fall, bowled by Kagiso Rabada from another ball that kept low. India had worked their way back into the test by bowling South Africa out for 258 in their second innings. Starting the day on 90 for two, AB de Villiers (80) and Dean Elgar (61) put on 141 for the third wicket, a potentially match-winning partnership. But De Villiers was one of three wickets for the excellent Mohammed Shami (4-49) in the

morning, followed by Elgar and Quinton de Kock (12). Ishant Sharma (2-40) and Jasprit Bumrah (3-70) wrapped up the innings, despite a battling 48 from home captain Faf du Plessis. The International Cricket Council also announced on Tuesday that they had fined Kohli 25 percent of his match fee and handed him one demerit point for an incident the previous day. He was sanctioned for repeatedly complaining to umpire Michael Gough about a damp ball after a rain delay and aggressively throwing the ball to the floor. Scores: India 307 and 35 for 3 (Pujara 11*, Ngidi 214) need another 252 runs to beat South Africa 335 and 258 (de Villiers 80, Elgar 61, Shami 4-49, Bumrah 3-70).

Shaheen Shah Afridi razes Ireland U-19 with six-for ESPNcricinfo - Pakistan Under-19 scored their first win of the World Cup, a nine-wicket thumping of Ireland Under-19 in 37.4 overs in Whangarei. Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, who has best innings figures of 8 for 39 in first-class cricket, razed them for 97 by taking 6 for 15 in 8.5 overs. Left-arm spinner and captain Hasan Khan claimed three wickets too, as Ireland were dismissed in 28.5 overs. Joshua Little’s 24 at No. 8 was Ireland’s only

score above 20. Pakistan’s top order made short work of the target. Opener Muhammad Zaid Alam smashed 43 off 19 balls, while Hasan made 27 off 21 deliveries at No. 3. The chase was done in 8.5 overs, for the loss of only their wicketkeeper-batsman Rohail Nazir, who made 18 off 14 balls. Scores: Pakistan Under-19 98 for 1 in 8.5 overs (Zaid Alam 43*) beat Ireland Under-19 97 (Afridi 6-15, Hasan 3-16) by nine wickets.

Wednesday January 17, 2018

Kaieteur News

REGIONAL SUPER50

Former Test batsman Marshall included in USA team Jaguars face English County Kent in opener on Jan 31 By Sean Devers Former West Indies batsman 31-year-old Xavier Marshall has been selected in a 14-man team to represent the United States of America (USA) in the 2018 Regional Super50 which commences on January 31 in Antigua and Barbados. The USA plays their opening game against the Guyana Jaguars on February 2 from 09:30hrs at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound. The USA is in Group ‘B’ along with Jaguars, Jamaica Scorpions, Leeward Islands Hurricanes, and English County Kent. Group ‘B’ will be staged in Antigua where the semi-finals and final will also be held. The talented but temperamental Marshall played seven Tests and 24 ODI for West Indies and scored two fifties, while his only ODI ton was a magnificent undefeated 157 against Canada in 2008. He made his ODI debut against Australia in January 2005 and, in June was named West Indies’ Youth Cricketer of the Year. Test opportunities came in Sri Lanka in the same year

but his results were disappointing and he disappeared from the national radar for several years. When he re-emerged it was for a surprise Test recall against Australia in Antigua in 2008 after making just two First-Class fifties for Jamaica that season. Marshall last played in this tournament in the 2003 when played for his native Jamaica in the Regional 50over competition before migrating to the North America shortly after. Despite having won the First-Class tournament for the last four seasons Guyana has not won the Regional 50-over competition since they beat Barbados in 2005 in at Bourda. Group B fixtures in Antigua Wed, January 31: Jaguars vs Kent at VRCG Friday, February 2: United States vs Jaguars at VRCG Sunday, February 4: Kent vs Scorpions at VRCG Tuesday, February 6: Hurricanes vs Kent at VRCG Thursday, February 8: Kent vs United States at VRCG Saturday, February 10: Hurricanes vs United States at VRCG Monday, February 12: United

States vs Jaguars at VRCG Wed, February 14: Scorpions vs Kent at VRCG Friday, February 16 Kent vs United States VRCG Sunday, February 18 Scorpions vs United States VRCG Wed, January 31 Hurricanes vs United States Coolidge Friday, February 2 Hurricanes vs Scorpions Coolidge Sunday, February 4: Hurricanes vs Jaguars at Coolidge Tuesday, February 6 Scorpions vs United States Coolidge Thursday, February 8: Scorpions vs Jaguars at Coolidge Saturday, February 10: Jaguars vs Kent at Coolidge Monday, February 12 Hurricanes vs Scorpions Coolidge Wed, February 14: Hurricanes vs Jaguars at Coolidge Friday, February 16: Scorpions vs Jaguars at Coolidge Sunday, February 18 Hurricanes vs Kent Coolidge

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JOSHUA DECRIES ‘FAKE NEWS’ ABOUT HIS CHIN LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s Anthony Joshua has dismissed as ‘fake news’ suggestions that he has a weak chin ahead of his world heavyweight unification bout with New Zealander Joseph Parker. The 28-year-old, who holds the WBA and IBF versions of the crown, goes into the March 31 fight in Cardiff with a perfect 20fight, 20-knock-out record. WBO champion Parker is unbeaten in 24, with 18 knockouts, and he and his camp have brought attention to past occasions where Joshua was knocked down in the ring as amateur and professional. There has been talk of Joshua having a

‘glass chin’, with Parker using the Twitter hashtag #neverbeendropped to emphasize his own ring record. Appearing at his first pre-fight news conference with Parker in London yesterday, however, Joshua said it would take ‘more than a human’ to beat him and accused his opponent of a PR stunt. “When you talk about myself getting dropped and what you done, it’s a marketability strategy,” he added. “The rumours that you have heard, they’re all fake news. Hand on my heart. PR, whatever you want to use it for, is between you and your camp.”

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Wednesday January 17, 2018

Sublime Federer breezes UCCA’s Cricket to bowl off January through Melbourne opener 26 with Primary school tournament MELBOURNE (Reuters) Defending champion Roger Federer moved smoothly into his majestic stride with a straight-sets win over Slovenian Aljaz Bedene in his opening match at the Australian Open yesterday. The 36-year-old Swiss turned the evening clash on packed Rod Laver Arena into an exhibition as he struck 41 winners to breeze past a willing but outclassed Bedene 6-3 6-4 6-3. The only time Federer looked remotely stumped came during a post-match interview conducted by American comedian Will Ferrell who told him he had played like a “silky gazelle”. “Don’t they get eaten in the end?,” Federer ventured before being asked whether he was a witch or a vampire and whether his age-defying performances were down to a diet of wombat meat. “I was a bit scared,” Federer joked. “I‘m happy I dodged some questions there.” While Ferrell provided

some unexpected comedy, Federer again proved that when it comes to tennis he is king of the jungle. Any player hoping to stop him retaining his title and claiming a 20th grand slam will have to be pretty special on this evidence. Federer looked just as imperious as when he won the last five games to beat Rafa Nadal in last year’s thrilling final and end a five-year wait for his 18th major. Poor Bedene, no mean performer at world number 51, can now at least say he has witnessed Federer’s brilliance first hand, having never previously faced him. He played his part in entertaining exchanges but F e d e r e r, sporting a diagonal pink stripe on his immaculate white kit, was in one of those moods when he could strike winners at will. He broke Bedene’s serve in the fourth game of the first set in which he conceded only three points on his serve. Federer pounced immediately at the start of the

second, producing a fizzing backhand return before leaping high to smash away Bedene’s defensive lob. The winners began to pile up and one member of the sellout crowd yelled “Give him a chance Rog” late on. But Federer was in no mood to hang around and finished the match on Bedene’s serve when his opponent netted a backhand. “I am hoping for another good year,” Federer, who also won Wimbledon for a record eighth time in 2017, said on court. “I am not sure it will go as well (as 2017) because I‘m a year older, Rafa’s looking in tip-top shape and others guys are coming back.” His next opponent will be Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff on Thursday when temperatures in Melbourne are expected to climb to about 40 degrees centigrade. “I’ll ask for a night match just because I played night tonight. It’s just easier, to be honest, rather than going from night to day to night to day to night to day,” Federer said.

The Upper Corentyne Cricket Association held a General Members Meeting on Thursday 28th December, 2017, at the Riverton Suite at which the Cricket Programme for 2018 was discussed and approved. The Programme will start with School Cricket. The Inter-Primary School Softball Competition will commence of Friday 26th January, 2018. It will involve all Primary Schools in the Upper Corentyne from Crabwood Creek to No. 43 Village. The Inter-Secondary School Hardball Competition will commence at the end of the Inter-Primary School Competition and will involve the following Secondary Schools: “Line Path Secondary, Skeldon Secondary, Tagore Secondary, Central Corentyne Secondary and Black Bush Secondary”. It was agreed that all of the school matches will be played on Friday afternoon. Approval has already been given for the playing of these matches. The Under-15, Under-17 and Under19 will be played after the Competition of the Primary and Secondary Schools Competition. These matches will be played on Saturdays. The first T/20 is proposed to start on Sunday 28th January, 2018. The Competition

is sponsored by Mr. Tulshi of No. 48 Village, in honour of the death of his father. It is expected to be completed by the end of February, 2018. There is also another T/20 Competition which is already sponsored and will commence shortly after the completion of the Tulshi T/20 Competition. A 40-Over Competition is also planned for later in the year. The purpose is to encourage our batsmen to bat for longer periods and to help them to build bigger innings. After a lengthy discussion, it was agreed that all matches will be played in white clothes and played with red balls. It was also agreed that the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association will organise a training Seminar for Umpires and each Club has been asked to identify an interested person. It was also suggested that a Camp/ Cricket Academy for young cricketers will be held during the August holidays. Teams or Clubs interested in taking part in the Tulshi T/20 Competition are asked to make contact with the following persons: President - Dennis De Andrade - 621 0014, Secretary Winston Roberts - 619 6516 or the Chairman of the Competitions Committee as early as possible.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgium will host the start of the Tour de France in 2019 with two stages paying homage to the country’s greatest ever cyclist, Eddy Merckx, on the 50th anniversary of his first victory in the race. Merckx, nicknamed the Cannibal, won the Tour de France five times from 1969 to 1974, along with five Giro d‘Italia, Spain’s Vuelta once and a series of one-day classic races, including Belgium’s Tour of Flanders. The first stage on July 6, 2019, will run 192 kilometres (119 miles) out of and back to Brussels. The circuit will include the Mur de Grammont, a steep and narrow cobblestone road, a staple of the Tour of Flanders and part of the route for the Tour de France in 1969.

On its return toward the capital, it will pass the site of the Battle of Waterloo and the Brussels suburb of Woluwe-St-Pierre, where Merckx grew up. The second stage on July 7 will be a 28-km team time trial from central Brussels and concluding at the Atomium, a landmark building constructed for the World Fair of 1958, when the Tour de France last began in Brussels. This will be the fifth time Belgium has hosted the start and will also mark the mark the 100th anniversary of the yellow jersey worn by the race leader. Tour director Christian Prudhomme said organizers often faced criticism when they choose to start the race outside France, but did not hear a single bad word when Brussels was announced for 2019.

Belgium to mark Merckx anniversary in 2019 Tour start

Wednesday January 17, 2018

Kaieteur News

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Pocket Rocket’s Coach appointed Hinterland Boxing Coach on Sports Minister’s initiative night’s Professional Card at CASH. According to Rogers the Gym in Lethem is called the Savannahs Boxing Gym, while the one in Santa Rosa is the Morucia Pocket Rockets Gym which is named after his Gym in Victory Valley in Wismar, Linden. “We are looking to form an executive committee at Mabaruma and to come up with a name for the Gym there,” Rogers stated. Rogers has coached several of this country’s top Amateur pugilists among them Desmond Amsterdam and siblings Joel and Richard Williamson and their brother Jamal Eastman.

Dr. George Norton

Steve Ninvalle

Coach of the Pocket Rocket Boxing Gym, 43-year-old Orland Rogers, has been appointed as the Hinterland Boxing Coach after a meeting on Monday with Sports Minister Dr. George Norton, Director of Sports Christopher Jones and President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Steve Ninvalle who is also the Deputy Permanent Secretary (DPS). The appointment, an initiative of Dr. Norton, will see the Coach from Linden also being mandated to train Coaches in the hinterland and scouting the area to unearth Boxing talent. Rogers, who has been a Coach for the past 18 years, explained that he has already opened

Orland Rogers

two Gyms in Region 1 (Mabaruma and Santa Rosa) and another in Region 9 (Lethem) and intends to open Gyms in Region 2, 7, 8 and if possible in Kwakwani. “I will spend about two weeks in each area and when I am not there I would have trained a few young men to Coach. The youngsters, mainly Amerindians, are very talented and are willing to learn the skills of Boxing,” Coach Rogers disclosed. “I leave for Santa Rosa this weekend just after the Boxing at the Sports Hall. There is an Amateur Card at the Gymnasium on February 17 and I hope to bring three Boxers from Region’s one and two for that event,” informed Coach Rogers who has a fighter on Saturday

Julius Kesney, Omar Pollard, Duel Augstin and females fighters Akea Lamazion and Jelisia Rodney from Lethem are other known Boxers he has coached. Rogers has also Coached Guyana Super Middleweight Champion Derrick Richmond. “A modern Boxing Gym is needed in Linden and Minister Norton has promised to try to start building one if I can find the land. Member of Parliament Jermaine Feguria and Linden Mayor Carwyn Holland are working with me on that project. As soon as the land is available construction should start.” Rogers revealed. (Sean Devers)

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Kaieteur News

Coach Rogers hails return of Boxing... From back page fighters making their Professional debuts the opportunity to match gloves with each other under the lights and glitz as Boxing returns to CASH for the first time in over two years. James Moore will match skills with fellow Guyanese Sherwin Clarke in a Cruiserweight clash over four rounds in what should be the curtain raiser of the night and Moore’s Coach Orland Rogers gives his man the edge in a fight which he feels will go the distance. The 21-year-old Moore who can change from orthodox to South Paw, has two wins and two losses in his four Amateur fights and is way over six feet in height. Rogers, who has also coached the 32-year-old Clarke, who hails from New Amsterdam, says Moore has a good 1-2 but added that both boxers should throw a lot of punches and fight smart. “I expect a win from Moore because he is younger and stronger and this (boxing retuning to CASH) will make a great impact for the local boxers and I hope it will be continued since the lay-off has affected boxing badly,” Rogers said. Rogers said Guyana has the best Amateur boxers in the Caribbean and at the Professional level has produced many World Title contenders. “Another thing I would love to see return is the Pro-Am Friday night fight-cards to keep both Pro and Amateur fighters active,” Rogers. Elton Dharry, whose last defeat was in 2009, has not lost in his last 18 fights and will match gloves with Jesus Vargas Garcia of Venezuela over eight rounds in a Bantamweight clash. Dharry is the WBC CABOFE and IBF Inter-

Continental Bantamweight Champion and has a record of 21-5-1. The US based Dharry will fight in Guyana for the first time since February 2016. Dexter ‘Cobra’ Gonsalves,Guyana’s reigning Lightweight champion narrowly lost to world-ranked DeMarcus Corley in his last outing at Giftland and will oppose Venezuelan Felipe Larez Barcelo in a 10-round match-up. The Cobra’ will want to make up for that loss as he prepares to battle Bahamian Lightweight champion Meacher Major in the Bahamas. Marques, the Caribbean and Guyana Flyweight Champion, will use Saturday’s Card to prepare for his upcoming Commonwealth title shot on March 31 against Jay Harris of Wales after the Guyanese was appointed as the mandatory challenger for the Commonwealth Flyweight Title at the Copperbox Arena. Marques record is 16-2-0 and he is unbeaten in his last eight fights while his last loss was against Dharry almost seven years ago. Martinez Arias record reads six wins, nine losses and two draws from 17 fights. Green, who lost five of his last seven fights, will make his return to action against Bajan Keithland King over four rounds in a junior middleweight bout in his first fight since being knocked out by Jamaican Michael Gardener in 2016. This is King’s second fight since his debut win against American Rob Mitchell last August. The weigh-in is set for Friday and Tickets are on sale at the Giftland Stores and Assuria General Insurance offices in Georgetown, Diamond, Berbice, Parika and Vreed-en-Hoop and cost $4,000 (VIP), $2,000 (Ringside) and $1,000 (Stands).

Wednesday January 17, 2018

Djokovic delighted after elbowing out Young MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic was delighted with his return to the grand slam arena after a long injury layoff, the Serb having dealt American Donald Young a 6-1 62 6-4 thrashing to reach the second round of the Australian Open yesterday. Wearing a compression sleeve on his serving arm, Djokovic showed no signs of the elbow trouble that curtailed his 2017 campaign as he swung freely to amass 33 winners during the one hour and 51 minute romp at a sunbathed Margaret Court Arena. The six-times Melbourne Park champion, seeded 14th, dropped to his knees and patted the blue court affectionately after completing his first match since retiring hurt from a Wimbledon quarter-final last July. “It felt great to be back on the court and compete again. It’s been a while,” the former world number one told reporters. “I did have various emotions, mostly good ones. Excitement, joy, gratitude for being able to have an opportunity to compete. Not a while ago, about three weeks ago, I didn’t know whether I‘m going to play Australia or not. “The first two sets went extremely well, considering that I haven’t played for six months. The third was, you know, up and down a little bit, but in general was a great performance.” Along with the addition of Andre Agassi to his coaching team, Djokovic also introduced a new service action to allow for his elbow injury. It seems, however, to still be a work in progress as he managed to land barely half of his first serves against the 63rdranked American. “Second serve was very, very good. I‘m very happy with the second serve. First serve was kind of up and down,” he said. “When you come back after a long time

Novak Djokovic beat Donald Young 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 to ease into the Australian Open second round. (AFP/Getty images) and you play the first match, you know, obviously all the things are a bit exaggerated, whatever is not working well. You think, ‘Wow’. “All in all, I‘m quite pleased. “I know that it’s going to take a little bit of time for me to kind of work my way in and get used to the specific changes that I’ve made in my service motion. “It wasn’t ideal, but it was still good.” The 12-times grand slam champion will face a huge step up in class in the next round, against Frenchman Gael Monfils, a quarterfinalist at Melbourne Park in 2016.