Kaieteur News

Monday January 23, 2017

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Kaieteur News

People of Region 5 demand Serious accusations against the National Insurance Scheme better service from GPL DEAR EDITOR, At 3.23 am in the morning, Saturday, January 21st, and I could sleep. I arrived home in Cotton Tree, Berbice from a trip to Georgetown at 9.00 pm Friday night to a house in total darkness. Blackout again! Thankfully I have enough battery life on my macBook Pro for me to start this letter. I have no idea how long ago it started, but I do know that the areas affected are extensive. Soon after crossing the Abary River, we drove many miles in blackout before reaching home, and I know it extended all the way to Rosignol. Trying to sleep is a nightmare. I have an almost brand new air-conditioning unit sitting in storage as the house is usually breezy. But with electricity now attracting a whopping 14% VAT increase, I’m trying to conserve on my use of electricity to keep my GPL bills below the $10,000 limit. My dilemma is choosing between the breeze and the mosquitoes that

relentlessly invade homes in this community at night. So to avoid the risk of getting Chikungunya, Zika or Malaria, I kept the doors and windows closed to keep out the mosquitoes. But without electricity, the fans I bought to replace the AC is completely useless now. The place is so hot, I just took a second shower since returning home, thinking of how rapidly the quality of life is deteriorating under this APNU government. And although Kaieteur News columnist, Freddie Kissoon has repeatedly written about the adverse effects these constant blackouts are having on the population, it appears that the government is not listening. Many now believe we’re heading back to the dark days when “load shedding” became a household name under the PNC. What bothers me is GPL’s lack of respect for consumers. Why can’t the Guyana Power & Light (GPL) send out text messages warning consumers of scheduled power outages a day or two before? And even if an emergency

occurs to cause an unscheduled blackout, GPL should still send a text message to consumers in the affected area to give them the assurance that they are aware of the problem and are working to restore electricity ASAP. But this is not being done, consumers are taken for granted, and we get no apology from this monopoly. Does GPL understand the importance of customer service? Do they even have a PR department? If so, it doesn’t seem to be functioning. All day Saturday, January 20th I’ve waited for the power to return. My entire day was wasted, and yet not even a courtesy text message from GPL to explain the reason for the blackout. Electricity has finally been restored to large sections of Region 5 at about 7.00pm, more than 20 hours later. This is unbearable, unacceptable, and we, the people of Region 5, demand better service from GPL. This is not the “good life” we were promised. Harry Gill, MP (PPP/C)

AFC controversy shows the opportunistic nature of our politicians DEAR EDITOR, The Sunday Stabroek and the Kaieteur News of yesterday January 22, 2017, put Messrs. Khemraj Ramjattan and Raphael Trotman at odds over the constitution of the AFC, the party they founded in 2005 with Ms. Sheila Holder (deceased). The Stabroek News (page 9) carries an article “AFC Constitution doesn’t prohibit leader from serving more than two successive terms” based on an interview with Mr. Ramjattan. The Kaieteur News on its front page carries the headline of its page 10 article “AFC leadership should be rotated – Trotman” with the strapline “Says this was the intention of Article 19 (1) of the party’s Constitution”. Recently, Mr. Ramjattan had inserted himself in another constitutional interpretation, supporting President Granger’s decision that the list of nominees submitted by the Opposition Leader Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo for the chairmanship of GECOM was unacceptable. In so doing, Mr. Ramjattan joined many others who have been straining the meanings of words in our national

Constitution, persons who have the benefit of advice, persons who are supposed to have expertise and experience, and persons who hold themselves out as independent and objective. The debate on the meaning of Article 161 of the Constitution on the eligibility for appointment of a Chairperson of GECOM has exposed the credentials and credibility of many of those persons. But let us get back to the AFC and Messrs. Ramjattan and Trotman. Mr. Trotman is right – rotation was the agreed principle on the formation of the AFC. The cautious language in Article 19 (1) was to avoid an absolutist position in case of an extraordinary or exceptional situation. I say this with certainty because I was part of many of the discussions leading up to the formation of the AFC; the writing of its Constitution in which I played a not insignificant role; the evolution of the rotation

policy; and the advertisement for and selection of its symbol. Many of the more formal discussions were held at the offices of Ram & McRae where files are still kept, containing among other papers, minutes of meetings chaired by and signed off by me. To put some names to the meetings, the minutes of a meeting held on July 5, 2005 show the following attendees: XX [name withheld at person’s request], Anthony Vieira, Khemraj Ramjattan, Raphael Trotman, Sheila Holder (now deceased), Ramon Gaskin, Cathy Hughes, David Patterson and Christopher Ram as Chairman and Facilitator. The positions taken by Messrs. Ramjattan and Trotman are not surprising. Politics and power in Guyana have revealed the true nature of our politicians and their opportunistic embrace of principles. These seem to matter only when they are in opposition. It is a different story when in power. Christopher Ram

DEAR EDITOR, Numerous residents of Region Two are frustrated and disappointed with the performance of NIS in the Region. After working for decades, during which they contributed to the scheme, they are disillusioned and grieving due to the fact that they are not being paid a due pension by NIS, as expected. NIS is a mandatory insurance scheme for employees that collect contributions until a worker is qualified to receive benefits, usually after 60. However, while some get their due benefits, others experience a nightmare through no fault of theirs. In most cases, it is due to bungling and improper/ inaccurate record keeping by NIS. Many retired persons are being taken advantage of and are helpless when it comes to getting redress. Officers at NIS know this and they just give these people the run around—from regional NIS office to Georgetown headquarters and back over and over. Some think that they will die before any justice is served. Many complaints have been received from shortchanged retirees who cannot afford a lawyer to represent them. A few will suffice here as examples: A widow from Anna Regina (name and documents

supplied) worked continuously for 21 years as a Security Guard and made over 926 NIS contributions. However, she was given a grant of $106 868.00 for only 386 contributions in March 2011. This was because 540 contributions were not located by NIS. Subsequently when NIS discovered the 540 additional contributions she was offered another grant. This procedure was wrong and should be redressed. One cannot be given two separate grants for over 750 contributions because NIS could not find a part of the contributions. Instead of two separate grants the contributions of 386 and 540 (926 in total) should be combined and she should be given a monthly pension by NIS. NIS refused to combine the contributions and the matter is in the hands of a top lawyer. Another person worked for over 20 years at GRB (Guyana Rice Board), all the time contributing to NIS, and has been given a pittance, a one-time grant of $398. He was told by an NIS inspector to get two persons who can testify that he worked for that time. This is hearsay evidence that NIS wants, but ignores Records of Service from past employers, saying that they

have to further investigate. There are others who receive grants of $4000 and similar amounts; these are people who have worked over 15 years and contributed to the scheme. When they object, they are told to take the grant which tantamount to acceptance. In my own case they have contributions before I started to work, when I was in high school and after I stopped contributing in 2015. In between the contributions fluctuate drastically even though I taught full-time over the years. NIS needs to be better equipped. At the Anna Regina Branch people are sent back to make copies of documents because they do not have a photocopier which costs less than $10,000. So, one wonders, where are the contributions going? NIS also needs to be revamped and upgraded with new transformational leaders with best practices. This nightmare does not exist in other countries where employees contribute to Social Security. People need to be better served by NIS and received what is due to them, without hassle, in their golden years when they deserve a good quality of life and peace of mind. Karan Chand Region Two Resident

Storming, norming, performing, celebrating stages in Guyana DEAR EDITOR, There are stages through which organizations, institutions and societies develop. Likewise, leaders go through several stages of development in each of these entities. Guyana has spent over 50 years as a society to reach the Storming Stage of development which is characterized by our leaders still trying to understand each other and arguing full time. When will we reach the Norming Stage where we can agree on how we are going to do things in acceptable and satisfactory ways? When are we going to reach the Performing Stage where progress, prosperity and the good life would be achieved? When are we going to

reach the Celebration Stage where we can sing, dance and boast about our achievements as a cohesive society? Using the fifty years we took to reach the Storming Stage in which our society is still embedded, I reckon that we have to wait another one hundred and fifty or more years. Now what about our leaders? If for over fifty years, they are still at the Position Level fighting over territory and protocol, when will they reach the Permission Level where the decisions they make will be acceptable to our people? When will they reach the Production Level where profits are created and our people see property and a future? When will they reach the People Development Level where there are new

leaders who will succeed the wheel-chair ready and infirm ones? When will they reach the Servant-Hood level where they will share the shirt button glory with lesser leaders? I guess it will be another two hundred years or more. What about the much vaunted social cohesion goals. For there to be social cohesion, people must be willing to belong and contribute to Guyana. When will our people see a future in staying in Guyana? When will we see shorter lines for visas to regions 11, 12 and so on? Maybe another 500 years using the foregoing as benchmarks. These are serious challenges which people who are not permanently visionless must see. Ed Singh

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Kaieteur News

Monday January 23, 2017

APNU+AFC regime I am in support of chemical castration for sexual aberration is railroading justice DEAR EDITOR, As I slowly read the news regarding the 49 year old father, a Berbice hospital employee who repeatedly had carnal knowledge of his two daughters now aged 12 and 13 years respectively, and that these despicable acts had commenced since 2015. It was only after it became way too much for these young defenseless victims to bear that they confided in their mother who has been estranged from the accused. My mind settled on a wellknown treatment, the effects of which I am very familiar with. In England, the drug Depo-Provera was the choice of treatment to quell uncontrollable libido, especially for pedophiles and repeat sexual offenders. California is one of a handful of American states that mandate castration — either chemical or surgical — for repeat offenders before being released. Texas was the first state to offer castration to repeat offenders on a voluntary basis. In some cases, surgical castration has convinced judges and state officials that repeat offenders no longer pose a threat. There may be some who are ready to pounce on me for daring to tinker with men’s libido. There is no way to take Sex out of Sexual Abuse, no matter how hard you try. According to psychiatrists, rare is the offender who molests once and then selfcorrects. Sadly like a heroin addict he soon gets hooked,

and will go to such lengths, and put in energy and time into maintaining that behavior that it becomes an addiction. According to the psychiatric lexicon, pedophilia is a specific combination of deviant arousal with character disorder. Basically stated, it means that the molester is both sexually excited by children and sees absolutely nothing wrong with satisfying himself at their expense. Beside domestic violence, and road carnage, incest has now taken pride of place among the scourges ravaging an already beleaguered Guyana. The conscience of the entire populace should be sickened and outraged at such behaviour, angered to the point of demanding harsher punishment regardless of what form or shape it takes. Imprisonment rarely changes behavior, in truth and fact it only suppresses it. After release from prison the pedophile would create new victims, and continue as he ought until caught. These facts strongly support my recommended manner of treatment— chemically castrate and sexually frustrate. When a parent has forced himself as a lover in his child’s life, the innocence cannot be recovered, nor can the emotional scars heal. The molestation of any child, worse yet if it your biological own, is tantamount to

psychological abuse of the worst kind. Living and loving would never ever be the same. On a counter – interrogatory note, pray tell me what measures has the Guyana Government put in place, or intend to, in order to stem the flow, for it is obvious that the molesters know what they want, where to go and what to say to get their prey. Are there any rehabilitation programs, or therapy sessions for these libidinally - supercharged testosterone carriers once they have served their legal time. Is counselling and follow up offered to their victims? Or are they left to find solace, redress and healing among the well-known Guyanese adage- Leave it all in God’s hands and “Time heals all wounds” Prevention is a must, in fact prevention is the key, and it must start from the grass root level—the schools (elementary and secondary), the churches, workplaces, hospitals, the community programs/organizations, etc. posters, hot lines, telecounselling and educational programs. I had called on the government to establish a Sexual Offenders Registry, wherein sexual offenders are listed, and community residents notified of the presence of any or all convicted sexual predators in the neighbourhood, thereby protecting the most vulnerable. Kids have to be taught what is considered the

appropriate and inappropriate manner of being touched, in addition to being taught to yell and say “no”, because the perpetrator could be their father, grandfather, neighbour, or Boy-Scout leader. In April 2015, an overseas based non-governmental organization, the Caribbean Voice had also forwarded signed petitions to the Government requesting initiation of A Sex Offenders Registry. To date nothing has been done. To the Guyanese populace it is time to once again ask the government that you selected and elected “Where is the change”? Seemingly it is way out of range. As a concerned Guyanese, I am once again calling on President Granger, The Minister of Education, The Minister of Public Health, The Minister of Social Protection, and all relevant stakeholders to carefully consider this pathetic situation that hits at the very base of the moral structure that unites us as a people, and from this day forth to set in place all necessary measures to protect our young from sexual predators thereby auguring well for our collective future. Of greater importance in ensuring that the future of the nation is sexually secure would be heeding of the call for the installation of a National Registry of Sex Offenders. Mr. President the ball is in your court. Yvonne Sam

Small miners say Government favours large miners and companies DEAR EDITOR, I have been living and working in the gold industry in the Marudi Mountains since 1988 when Romanex Mining Company came to Marudi. Amerindians were working along with some coast-landers. When school closed they would bring their wives and children in Marudi to work to get money to buy school clothes and books. They would bring in their products to sell to miners. In 1988 Romanex left Marudi. Vanessa Mining Company came in 1999. Vanessa came with Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, a police officer and a rural constable and destroyed all shops and camps in Marudi. The miners formed a committee and filed an injunction against Vanessa. The injunction was thrown

out and another injunction was also filed and was also thrown out. Vanessa then left Marudi because they had no money. Then there was another company, Forge Orbit. They did a little work then they left saying that they had no more money. Then there were two persons claiming to have mining permit to mine with a dredge. After some months GGMC ordered the said dredge to stop working and leave Marudi which they did. Before they were ordered to leave, GGMC mines officers came with police and ordered the Guyanese and Brazilian dredge owners to pack up and leave. The Women’s Group in Aishalton village along with the miners held a protest for days in Marudi. The police then started to beat some of the miners with wood. One boy’s

leg was broken and his mother was beaten by the said police when she went to save her child. The miners then formed an association. Several meetings were held with the Miners Association and Mr. Robert Persaud the then Minister of Natural Resources. Nothing came out of these meetings. Mr. Nigel Hughes visited Marudi and advised the miners to continue fighting to work in Marudi. Another protest was held by the Women’s Group and miners in Lethem. Mr. Nigel Hughes attended that protest and told them to continue to fight for Marudi even if they have to carry their case to the Caribbean Court of Justice and he will back them. All this time miners continued to work in Marudi. GGMC held a meeting with miners and told them that

Romanex has applied for a mining license to prospect in Marudi. GGMC held another meeting with miners and took down the names of miners. About three hundred and eighty four, the number of shops, thirty one, number of excavators eight, number of dredges and crushers seventy-one and told that they will be allowed to work in Marudi. Mr. Granger campaigning for the General Elections told the residence of Region Nine that if he wins the elections he would give them Marudi to work. Mr. Trotman, Minister of Natural Resources then held a meeting with miners and villagers at Aishalton village and told them that they would get to work in Marudi. One villager told the meeting that mining should Continued on page 7

DEAR EDITOR, Another day, another scandal has been revealed. The appointments of Special Prosecutors to go after PPP leaders can be viewed from different perspectives. Whichever perspective one chooses, the inescapable conclusion is that APNU+AFC has no interest in justice. They are on a witch hunting rampage. As if that is not scandalous enough, the $100M price tag and the procedure utilized to contract the special prosecutors are also adding to the heap of corrupt deals. APNU+AFC has appointed family and friends as special prosecutors with a budget of $100M, outside of the DPP’s office, while significantly reducing the 2017 budget of the DPP’s office. The special prosecutors emanate directly out of close legal relations with Basil Williams and Joe Harmon; one is closely related to a sitting Minister and another a candidate on the APNU+AFC list of candidates for the 2015 elections. There was no advertisement or tender for special prosecutors, breaching the procurement laws and underlining another corrupt deal. The evident nepotism adds to the stench emanating from this scandal. Guyana has a We s t m i n s t e r - s t y l e governance model underpinned by the doctrine of separation of powers between the executive, parliament and the judiciary. The DPP, part of the judiciary, is independent and acts without fear or favour. It is not beholden to the Presidency or the Parliament. It acts based on evidence provided by the police and other investigative agencies. Special Prosecutors can be a useful instrument available to the DPP, not a convenient weapon for a Cabinet to bypass the DPP. The DPP office is the independent constitutional body responsible for prosecuting alleged offenders. Cabinet’s appointments of special prosecutors breach constitutional requirements. Decisions to prosecute, or not, need to be made free of any suspicion that they may be politically motivated. Since APNU+AFC appears not to be able to compromise the present DPP, they have two choices - first fire the DPP and or force her to resign, or second bypass the DPP. They

clearly have chosen to bypass her and carry out their lawless behaviour through direct charges by the police or through the use of a Special Prosecutors Unit in the Ministry of Public Security. Clearly, APNU+AFC is engaged in a brazen hijacking of the DPP’s office and is recklessly railroading justice. Through this mechanism, they will now embark on a political witch hunt which we, unfortunately, are no strangers to, given our experience under the People’s National Congress. The overtly lurid efforts to circumvent the DPP raise suspicions and questions about the government’s motives. Clearly, the way APNU+AFC is acting raises suspicion that they are motivated by a desire to shackle any individual or organization that is willing and able to challenge them by exercising a degree of independent power. When a government starts messing with the independence of the DPP, the unmistaken signs of a police state become far too real. Given the constant condemnation of judicial decisions when it is not in their favor, as witnessed with the disgusting “cussing” out of Carl Singh for disallowing an appeal in a case unfairly and illegally harassing Bharrat Jagdeo, we are witnessing an overt effort to take control of the judiciary. Taken with the other evidence to silence the auditor general and statutory commissions, the signs are ominous. In less than two years, APNU+AFC has taken too many steps down a path of dictatorship. But then again APNU+AFC is deeply rooted in the DNA of authoritarianism. The President served as an important player in the PNC dictatorship. The Attorney General is a disciple of Burnham, the PNC dictator. The Minister of Public Security is a poodle of the President, too comfortable with the trappings of unbridled power. APNU+AFC is not timid in displaying those genes of dictatorship. The latest move to silent the DPP and their desperate efforts to lock up their political opponents are nothing but dog whistle that a new era of unbridled power, dictatorship and brutal intimidation of political opponents has arrived. Creeping dictatorship is not a hyperbole. It is very real. Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

Monday January 23, 2017

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Kaieteur News

MAYOR OF BARTICA WAXES Has the Suddie Police Station LYRICAL ON RELATIONSHIPS gone out of existence? DEAR EDITOR, As the journey of our township continues I’m reminded of a familiar statement “Relationships are only as good as the persons in them”. If there is a bad marital relationship, then it’s a reflection of the persons in the marriage. Always remember, one can only do what he knows; for this reason, as the saying goes, “if you know better, then do better”. In a few months it will be one year since Bartica was inaugurated as a town. The lessons learnt are valuable, the opportunities gained are remarkable, while the progress made is evident. However, in the words of our international designer Dr. Sonia Noel “There is more beyond the runway.” A desire, hope, faith and passion for better, stronger relationships. In my New Year’s message to our staff, councillors, Regional officials and wellwishers, I could not have over emphasized the importance of relationships in achieving our goals in making Bartica a model town. No one individual or group can achieve our objectives unilaterally. The business community, religious organisations, schools, institutions and non- governmental

organisations must define their roles as we progress as a town. The occasional character assassination, politicking and unfounded accusations must be denounced by all. While I must agree that it’s a reflection of democracy (freedom of expression), one must also agree that democracy is best admired when it’s clothed with responsible behaviour. Egos, personalities and self-interest must take a back seat to “Service, Success and Succession” Further, the roles and responsibilities of the Regional Democratic Council and the Mayor & Town Council must also be clearly defined. This relationship I believe is the motor for all other relationships. In the end, we the leaders must understand that everything rises and falls on leadership. We the leaders will be remembered for either building history or destroying same. As Mayor, I am committed to building history. I am committed to creating a legacy of strong relationships, relationships which are built on the pillars of democracy - that is, inclusive consultation and participation. After all, relationships are only as good as the persons in it. Gifford Marshall, Mayor

Man who exposed corruption in a Co-op is now afraid for his life DEAR EDITOR, On returning home to Kuru Kuru Linden Highway on Monday 19th December,2016 around 7:30pm, I discovered that the three 45gal tanks worth $26,000 each; one 1 inch water pump valued $56,000; a 1000 watt transformer worth $12,000; a reciprocating saw worth $90,000 and my flourishing fine leaf thyme plant, missing from my home. I immediately went across to the reserve where a 77 year old man lives. He told me what happened. I immediately went to the outpost on the highway and made a report to a young policeman named, Mr David. I then drove to the Timehri Police station where I related

the incident to another young police officer named, Sukhdeo. The distance where I live to the police station is less than 15 miles. My reason for mentioning this is to let readers know why most incident of skullduggery go unreported because you have to make several trips to the station. The CID officer with another rank accompanied me to the crime scene. We went to the eyewitness. He gave a detailed account of how he observed a canter truck with two men removing the louvres entering the house and when they left. I made another report to the Brickdam station. I told the officer in charge that a CID rank from Timehri was working on the

Min. of Education urgently needs to investigate situation at Zeelugt DEAR EDITOR, With the recent opening of the new school term, many children are eager to go school. Yet in the community of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, Region 3, it is not so. It seems that the children in this community have a tendency of not liking school so their attendance is poor. To come to the conclusion of what might be the factors that hinder their attendance is a mystery in the making. One afternoon on my way home from work I stopped and asked some of them the reasons why they did not go to school and some of the answers were alarming. Some said that their parents didn’t want them to go but rather stay home. Some of them said that they have financial difficulties at home. Being able to attend school should not be a problem here in Guyana since our education system caters for everyone. The ability of being able to attend school keeps our youth out of trouble and from breaking the laws. If one is to sit and relate where the productivity of the village Zeelugt is heading, it is disastrous. For most of the years gone by, many of the youth were/ are involved in crime and negative activities. It’s a matter of urgent concern which needs to be addressed. So I am calling on the relevant authorities whether the Guyana Police Force or the Ministry of Education to intervene so as to resolve this matter. Concerned Citizen

case. He said as soon as I located him, tell him he was needed at the Brickdam police station and after the matter is dealt with, he and his colleagues will be taken to the Timehri police station where the matter will be thoroughly thrashed out. I was only able to return to the Timehri police station on Friday evening 22nd of December, 2016 but he wasn’t there but he told me that he would be off duty during the holidays. Now on Christmas day , Chronicle and Kaieteur News published an article on corruption in the Co-op in their letter column and I was told by someone in the village that a big wig in the Co-op called them and asked if they say what I wrote about him and on corruption. Since then there have been serious suspicious movements designed to harm me. These things are leading me to believe that they are planning something very ugly towards me. I am asking for police intervention ASAP. I have put my trust in the Lord, my help. I encourage everyone to know right and to do right because evil never pays. Ask God’s blessings on all our leaders and those who hold public office. Finally, I first had called on the Minister of Cooperatives to set things right in the Co-op, now I call on the Minister of Public Security to keep an eye on these proceedings. Again all I ask for is the land I applied for years ago to set up my business, something his Excellency the President David Granger is advocating. Andrew Chance

DEAR EDITOR, The Suddie Police station is in a terrible state which was evident from its failure to take any action in my report as a larceny victim. It is faced with an acute shortage of ranks and the unavailability of vehicles at the location. On Saturday, January 7 last, a report was made by me of a pig with a market value of twenty four thousand dollars being stolen from my sty at Onderneeming Sand Pit but no action could have been taken then as only one rank was on duty. From information received a well-known character had killed the animal the night before and was seen dragging it out. This caused me to go back the next morning to tell the police. But in so doing around 7:10 a.m., there was yet another hurdle with the station vehicles not having fuel and no driver being around as well. An offer to provide transportation at my expense was rejected with an explanation that no other rank was available, causing me to

become more dejected. There was ample opportunity for the police to apprehend the perpetrator the very morning while he was inebriated and sleeping in a hammock at a friend’s home, but now his whereabouts remains unknown. Out of frustration I took upon myself to make a call to the Divisional Commander at his home, to express my dissatisfaction with what was taking place. But much to my surprise, his contact number was not available at the station. An attempt around 11 a.m. the same day was made to reach the Commander at his residential quarters; his vehicle was there with the gate padlocked from inside. However, trying to get his attention was all in vain. After two days, still nothing had been done; it leaves much to be desired. Improvements need to be established to provide a better service to the community. Sohan Seemangal

Small miners say Government... From page 6 stop in Marudi. Mr. Trotman then told him that mining has to go on in Marudi. It was decided to hold another meeting at Lethem, where the miners would have four delegates, the villages would have three. This meeting was to be chaired by Mr. Trotman. He did not come to the meeting but sent Mr. Joe Singh. Mr. Joe Singh put forward a document and asked the delegation to sign it. They refused asking for time to consult with the rest of miners. Mr. Joe Singh’s reaction was a disappointment to us. The miners’ delegation became afraid and on the advice of

their lawyer signed the document. The lawyer erred in law by advising the miners to sign. He should have objected to Mr. Joe Singh. A certain man came to Marudi and held a meeting in his compound but did not invite the Miners Association. The secretary of the association heard of the meeting and attended it. This gentleman told the miners at the meeting that he would employ the miners and pay them five thousand dollars a day. He would be selling fuel and they that work on the mountain would have to pay them ten per cent to him and he will open to canteen. On December 12, the GGMC

came with fellow and stopped the crushers and miners from working. The dredges and excavators were allowed to continue working because the dredge owners are paying this man ten per cent of their production. Ninety-nine per cent of the dredge owners are Brazilians. They also own the excavators. The GGMC says that the crushers cannot use malgum sheets. The gold in Marudi is very light, it is one of the purest gold in Guyana but it is light as malgum sheet catches most of it. But the dredges are allowed to put quicksilver in the sluice boxes. Robert Murray Small scale miner

“Any other fit and proper... From page 4 used in Article 161(2), and applying the aforementioned lexicographical definitions of the words ‘disjunctive’ and ‘other’, it ought to be beyond controversy that the Article 161(2) contemplates two different, separate and distinct categories of persons bearing no similarity to each other. It is for the reasons adumbrated above that our Court of Appeal has ruled that the ejusdem generis rule does not apply in Guyana. In Badri Prasad v Demerara Mutual Life Assurance (1981) 31WIR 196 at page 213, Chief Justice George, in the course of his judgment stated “It is clear … that the trial judge was of the view that the ejusdem generis rule formed part of the law of Guyana. It should be noted, however, it does not appear that his attention was directed to Section 5 (1) of the

Interpretation Ordinance which was then in force.” The Interpretation Ordinance to which Chief Justice George referred was the equivalent of the current Interpretation and General Clauses Act. Again, speaking of Section 5 of the Interpretation and General Clauses Act, the learned Chief Justice at page 217 made the following seminal conclusion: “…More specifically, as regards the meaning of the words ‘or’, ‘other’ or ‘otherwise’ prima facie they exclude the application of the ejusdem generis rule and, when used, they are not to be construed as being of the same genus as specific words which precede them, unless the expression ‘similar’ or some equivalent expression is used, or unless the context so determines or requires.” Mohabir Anil Nandland

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Kaieteur News

$58M upgrade for Palms - elevators to be installed

Guyanese need to practice more ‘conscious’ consumption - Business Minister By: Kiana Wilburg

A section of the Palms where construction is being carried out Infrastructural works are well underway to improve the Palms, the oldest and largest geriatric home in the country, located on Brickdam. It is home to some 240 elderly residents In addition to the i n f r a s t r u c t u r a l improvements, care services will also be enhanced, Government announced yesterday. A medical doctor is now stationed at the home during the day and one is on call during the night. In serious cases, residents are referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Mavis Wiggins, a diabetic, who has been

residing at the facility for six years, said that the food services have improved. Wiggins also welcomes the renovations. She said the walkways are low and during the rainy seasons they become flooded, making it hard to move around. An estimated $58M has been allocated for the development of the home. The Administrator of the Palms Geriatric Home, Samantha Douglas, also welcomes the renovations. “This year we are doing a number of repairs. We are going to do some interior painting…install some lifts, where it would make access to the ward much easier.” Douglas said there will

also be training programmes for the staff. Works are currently ongoing to have better driveways within the compound. According to the Director of Social Services in the Ministry of Social Protection, Wentworth Tanner, the Palms will also benefit from the installation of three lifts; one in each building. This will facilitate movement of wheelchair bound residents, meals and laundry among other services. Plans are being discussed to collaborate with the Night Shelter to have residents of the Shelter treated at the infirmary when it is completed.

Monday January 23, 2017

Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin believes that the 2.6 percent growth rate of the economy last year is a warning. He said that it is an indicator that the economy will not continue to grow at an ever-increasing rate. The Executive Member of the Alliance for Change (AFC) said that in order to avoid any further slow-down, the business community has to become more productive and that productivity has to be supported by citizens’ habits of consumption. “We cannot continue to consume everything that everyone else is producing without seriously undermining our own productive capacity…” Gaskin said. But the Business Minister said that unfortunately, this is precisely what has been going on for a while now. He emphasized that all need to make collective efforts to arrest this trend and to turn it around. In this regard, he commented that Guyanese need to practice a more conscious consumption; local businesses need to invest in value-added production and the government needs to provide an enabling business environment for manufacturing companies. The Minister of Business has since given the assurance that those in the business community, specifically the manufacturing sector, will be assisted by the government. In an interview with this newspaper, Gaskin shared his thoughts on Government’s policy and plans for the sector as well as his take on the current state of affairs of the manufacturing in Guyana. The Business Minister admitted that while Government has not formulated a comprehensive plan, there are a number of initiatives in the pipeline that will ultimately improve the ease of doing business in Guyana, as well as support the development of the local manufacturing sector. The politician sought to emphasize, however, that it is the former administration which failed miserably to stimulate Guyana’s manufacturing sector. With

A mini health check is the first step to donating blood

“We cannot continue to consume everything that everyone else is producing without seriously undermining our own productive capacity…” this in mind, he stressed that creating a competitive manufacturing sector would not be an overnight affair. To make Guyana more business-friendly, the Ministry of Business is currently engaging various State agencies with a view to reducing bureaucratic red tape and making official procedures easier to navigate. It is currently seeking financing to implement the Single Window Automated Processing System (SWAPS). When established, the SWAPS will link licencing bodies along with the Customs and Trade Administration to facilitate the sharing of information and to enhance the efficiency with which trade transactions are carried out. These improved procedures will not only reduce the amount of time that private businesses spend mired in paperwork, but also increase government accountability, reduce corruption, and make data and information more accessible. The Ministry of Business has already established a Help Desk for businesses, which acts as a single point of contact for information and advice for businesses, traders, and the Government. Furthermore, while consumers and large businesses can access loans, Gaskin said that the Government is very much aware that small businesses commonly face a financing gap. He emphasized that this is being addressed by the Government through the implementation of the Micro and Small Enterprise Development (MSED) initiative which will be implemented by the Small Business Bureau of the Ministry of Business. To build both generic and sector specific skills, the Business Minister said that training opportunities for small businesses will be expanded to cover all 10 administrative regions. The politician said that last year, 400 individuals are targeted to benefit from training. He noted, too, that a newly appointed Small Business Council chaired by Commonwealth Woman Entrepreneur of the Year (2015) awardee, Ms. Valrie Grant, is now in place and tasked with significantly improving the work and expanding the reach of the Small Business Bureau over

Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin the next few years. It has also been noted by the administration that efforts must be geared towards enhancing Guyana’s brand and visibility as an investment destination. As such, it is expected that GOInvest would work towards improving agency websites and develop partnerships with other investment promotion agencies worldwide. Gaskin said that GOInvest is now overseen by a competent Board of Directors and headed by a competent and energetic new Chief Executive Officer. He said that the Ministry of Business’ Strategic Plan calls for the development of a national export strategy and the design of a sustainable national investment strategy. The Business Minister said, too, that GO-Invest will play a key role in the implementation of these initiatives. He explained that the national export strategy will also be supported by enhanced quality infrastructure made possible by the upgrading of the national laboratory network to allow for testing and certification of products by accredited facilities, thereby assisting manufacturers to meet the requirements of foreign markets. The Business Minister commented that another challenge that investors in Guyana face is finding adequate facilities with full utility services. In this regard, the Executive Member of the Alliance For Change (AFC) said that the coalition administration has committed to addressing this problem by upgrading and building industrial estates at Belvedere and Lethem to facilitate business ventures in such areas as light manufacturing, woodworking and fabrication.

Monday January 23, 2017

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Kaieteur News

BIG BIKES SHOULD BE BANNED A few weeks ago, there was a terrible accident on the East Coast Public Road. The accident involved a rider of what is called “big bikes”, a motor bike above 250cc. The biker crashed into a pedestrian and ended up falling heavily to the road surface. He died on the spot. The pedestrian also died. The rider reportedly had on a helmet but even that could not save him. The authorities, concerned with safety on our roadways, must give thought to whether “big bikes” should be allowed on our roadways. Guyana’s

roads are not suited for such bikes which have very fast acceleration and deceleration. “Big bikes” should be banned. Those importing such bikes should be told that the only place where they will be allowed to ride such bikes is at the South Dakota Circuit. The roads of Guyana are death traps for such bikes. There are stray dogs roaming the roads. There are houses and businesses alongside major public roads. Guyana’s road system is mainly organized in grids, which means that a major road is crisscrossed by other

secondary roads. This is a predisposition for accidents. Helmets really cannot adequately protect against injuries for those riding big bikes. In many instances, those killed die from fracture of their neck and not their craniums. “Big bikes” are a problem. But they are not the only problem. We have a growing number of young men riding the popular CG motorcycles. Many of them are not licensed to ride a motor cycle. They have never registered in the programme that is required for certification. They do not have a provisional

Dem boys seh...

POWER GOT PEOPLE SQUARING UP TO FIGHT When people get in a position of power dem never like to give it up. Dem boys see it wid Burnham who mek a constitution that seh he couldn’t give up office. Is de same thing wid Mugabe, who been ruling since Noah start to build de ark. Dem had Putin, who know that he can only rule fuh two terms in a row, suh he put he deputy to lead and then he come back. Jagdeo agree that he can only lead fuh two terms, just like de President of de United States but he had plans to try wha Putin do so he gone back to court to challenge wha he sign. He arguing that is not his signature. Carlee is de same thing. He sit at de top and now de time coming fuh him to leave he putting up a fight. Now dem boys seeing de same thing wid de Hay Heff See. De party got elections and de party constitution seh that nobody can tek over fuh more than two terms. But it look like if de constitution gun change because Rum Jattan and Trotty seh that dem competing. Trotty didn’t lead

fuh too long because people seh he was sick. Dem newspapers start to mek a big deal about de leadership thing. Chris de Ram, who never belong to any party, seh that he was de one who help write de constitution. Well is he and dem other lawyer. Imran done seh that de constitution ain’t seh that nobody can’t run fuh more than two terms. De word that now got nuff interpretation is ‘ought’.

Imran seh that de constitution making a suggestion. One thing certain; power is power. Basil de Willie is Attorney General and if Soulja Bai only try to move him is war. That is why de Chat-3 vex because he get move from that position. Is every day he pelting lash at Basil de Willie. Dem boys watching de war. Talk half and watch out fuh ore power struggle.

license. But they can be seen riding and without helmets. The police try to chase some of them down but with little success. Some of them are stopped on the roadways by traffic ranks but somehow find a way of dodging prosecution. These young riders are a threat to themselves. They are not properly trained to ride motor cycles. They are not licensed to do so. They have no insurance protection or coverage which means if they cause personal injury or property damage, there is no compensation for those injured or suffering losses. These young lawbreakers are quite familiar with the law. They know the police cannot tie any charges against them to the payment of compensation, even though some rogue cops may try to do so. They are coached by their peers that those suffering injuries and damage to property as a result of their negligence have to go via civil suit for compensation. They know, of course, that the police can charge them for failure to have insurance coverage and that it possible for them to be jailed. The police also know this very well, but somehow the risk is worth taking. The unlicensed and

uninsured persons are a danger to themselves. They do not know to ride their bikes. They have not been lectured on the 5Cs. They are fully familiar with all the laws. They can get into an accident and get themselves killed or seriously injured. They are a threat to their pillion riders. But even the pillion riders do not seem to care much about the fact that they are being towed by someone who should not be on our roads because that person is not licensed. They are a danger to society because untrained drivers are a threat to human safety. Untrained drivers are more likely to

be reckless on our roads because they do not have a sense of responsibility. Untrained drivers are obviously not covered by insurance and any injuries they cause others or any damages resulting from any accident in which they are involved will not be covered by insurance. Big bikes and unlicensed riders should be barred from using our roads and this restriction should be rigorously enforced. Otherwise, the innocent will continue pay for those who are reckless when using our roadways.

Relatives turn in alleged Gas station robber Police have detained a man who allegedly robbed the No. 50 gas station at Leeds on the Corentyne, Berbice of a substantial sum of money last Tuesday. Reports are that he was taken into custody by a relative after the police were closing in on him. The man, who is well known to the police and is being described as a nuisance, was recently released from jail after serving a lengthy sentence for murder. It is alleged that around 16:40hrs on Tuesday, the suspect entered the premises, armed with a crowbar and cutlass, and proceeded to relieve 24-year-old employee Sheniza Muniz, and 18-year-old Remacus Williams called ‘Skinny,’ a pump attendant, of No. 50 village, of a considerable sum of cash. The robber then sped out of the gas station, and escaped on a bicycle.

Monday January 23, 2017

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Kaieteur News

Sovereign Wealth Fund will have effective budget stabilizing feature – Trotman By Kiana Wilburg While the intention to create a Sovereign Wealth Fund has earned the APNU+AFC administration much praise, there remains concern by some that the nation is yet to know what will be the specific features of the Fund. Hoping to bring some clarity to the matter recently was Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman. He told Kaieteur News that the Fund will have several features, one of which will be for budget stabilization. “One must first understand that the Sovereign Wealth Fund is just a generic name. Most funds of this kind have several features which ours will have as well. However, the main characteristic of this Fund is to save money for the future generation which would be garnered from our oil wealth.” Minister Trotman said that there is already a draft for the Fund in place. He said that it is in the possession of the Finance Minister, Winston Jordan. The Executive Member of the Alliance for Change (AFC) said that government is going to continue with efforts to refine the Bill before bringing it for public discussion. “It will, of course, have a feature for saving money and one for investing money. It will also have another crucial aspect which will be a budget stabilizer. In this regard, let us take the gold sector for

— To also cater for environmental protection, funding of social protection projects

Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman example. Let’s say we have the Fund and the government puts together a budget expecting that it will get $5 from the gold sector but it only collects $3.” In this regard, the Minister posited that Government would be able to enter the Fund to make up for that short fall. He said that this would be done so as to ensure that budget targets, once announced, are met. “So you can now take from the Fund to ensure you have levels of growth in the economy and you can meet the programmes and targets budgeted for. Additionally, there is another aspect of the Fund that will be dedicated to environmental protection. So some moneys from the fund will be put aside to protect the environment and then we are looking at infrastructural and social welfare projects,”

expressed Minister Trotman. LOOKING TO NORWAY Minister Trotman shared that he has observed some naysayers emphasizing that Guyana should look to Norway for help with fashioning Guyana’s upcoming Fund. After all, Norway is touted as having the largest Sovereign Wealth Fund in the world. In fact, Norway’s Fund has a total worth of $847.6bn. The fund comes mostly from the Scandinavian country’s oil revenues and, after accounting for management costs and inflation, generated an annual return of 3.8 per cent between 1988 and 2014. But Trotman insists that the studies show that Guyana and Norway are worlds apart and as such, Guyana’s Fund will see more spending being done. “Guyana is different from say Norway. Norway is a developed country. And so a lot of people say you have to look at Norway because they have the best fund in the world but countries like Guyana that suffer certain deficiencies are behind in terms of roads, airports, bridges, schools and so forth. So you will expect a little more of your money would be spent on those areas of infrastructure, education and health so that you can bring your people up to a better

AK-47 rifle, pistol, 78 rounds of ammo found during C’ville raid

A raid at a house in Campbellville has unearthed an assault rifle and several rounds of ammunition, and resulted in the arrest of three men yesterday. ‘A’ Division Commander Clifton Hicken said that at around 18.12 hrs, ranks from A Division and Headquarters conducted a raid at a house located at Lot 81, John Street, Campbellville. There, ranks found an Ak-47 assault rifle with two magazines and 60 rounds, as well as a 9mm pistol and 18 matching rounds.

He said that three “known men” were taken into custody. Earlier this month, police detained a 28-year-old technician after finding an unlicensed .45 rifle and a 9mm round at an East La Penitence home. The ranks, acting on information, also found several ecstasy tablets. Last year, police seized 109 illegal firearms, compared to 115 in 2015. The firearms comprised 49 pistols, 32 revolvers, 26 shotguns, two rifles and one submachine gun.

standard of living at a faster rate.” The Natural Resources Minister contended that some countries save a larger percentage of their oil revenue earnings. He stressed however that “the studies have shown that that the Norway model is not necessarily the best for one, countries like Guyana.” Trotman said, “When you are coming from behind you need to inject more money. So

for example the road to Brazil, hydro power projects, bridging the Demerara River, deep water port etc, those are projects that the Fund can pay for. It can also ensure that our university is brought up to world class standards and students are given grants for a higher education.” The Natural Resources Minister also stated that the Fund will have a feature to address the elimination of poverty.

In this regard, he stated, “This government strongly believes that no child should be made suffer from malnutrition or is unable to go to school because of a lack of uniforms. So the fund will also look at those things.” The AFC Executive Member assured that the Fund will also have a feature to ensure every administrative region benefits equally as well. FRAMEWORK During his 2017 budget presentation, Trotman told the House that it is important that the extractive industries that fuel the nation’s growth today also provide for the children tomorrow. In an effort Continued on page 21

Sugar industry should not be a burden to Guyanese taxpayers – Pres. Granger “We are not going in there with any prejudice except for the fact that the sugar industry must not be a burden to the Guyanese tax payer any longer.” Those words were uttered by President David Granger when asked about his position on the issue of the future of the sugar industry during his televised show, the Public Interest. Granger said that his government will not be entering into consultation with any prejudice in mind except to ensure that the industry does not become a burden to tax payers. He said that the main focus right now is to arrive at a consensus with all stakeholders and the best way forward in addressing the issues of the industry. “The government’s position is that we should seek consensus that is why we have embarked on talks with members of the opposition and civil society. We realise that sugar is one of the oldest industries in Guyana and many of our foreparents were brought here to cut sugar cane. In dealing with the pressing issues affecting the industry, Granger said that his government will not be rushing ahead. “It is a large employer, it occupies a large part of our land space, so we are not rushing ahead, we have some clear ideas on what has happened to sugar over the years, we know what has happened to Skeldon, that was a financial catastrophe, we know of the mismanagement which has taken place and brought sugar to the present situation.” According to the President a lot has been done to assist the industry in the form of spending billions of dollars in bailouts every year. As such, Granger said that his administration feels the

President David Granger burden on the country should be brought to an end. “…so in all good faith we have sought dialogue with the Opposition and the unions and we would like them to bring up ideas, we’d like civil society to bring up ideas so we arrive at a consensus that all Guyanese can be satisfied with.” He stressed that his government wants to save the jobs of the persons working in the industry and further, that Guyana can continue to have a viable sugar industry. He added that whatever the outcome is, it must be acceptable to the Guyanese people. “So we will continue meeting and I hope that the dialogue comes to a conclusion as quickly as possible.” The first set of

consultations were held on December 31, 2016 when members of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), government officials and representatives of the parliamentary opposition, the People’s Progressive Party. Leading the government’s team in the round of negotiations was Vice President and Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan. Following the meeting, Ramjattan said that consultations are being conducted to ensure that the best interest of all stakeholders will be considered. He said that the decision for consultations was made during a Cabinet meeting where it was recognised that there needs to be consultations on the matter. Former General Secretary of the PPP Clement Rohee who attended the meeting expressed similar sentiments since whatever outcome is chosen, thousands of lives stand to be affected. Documents related to the industry were shared as well as the possible options regarding the future of GuySuCo. It was agreed that they would be given time to peruse the documents and that another meeting would be held shortly.

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Kaieteur News

Monday January 23, 2017

Brazilian reconnects with long-lost Guyanese cousins Giselle Vale Costa, a Brazilian national has much to be thankful for. Last year, she sought help from this publication with finding her cousins, with whom she had lost contact in 2010, after her uncle, Manoel Francisco Costa Filho, also a Brazilian, drowned in the Konawaruk River. His body was pulled from the river between November 30 and December 2, 2010. Filho fathered four children: Francinette; Abrao, Emanuel and Davi with a Guyanese woman, Satwantie Harpaul. However, after he died Costa related that his family in Brazil lost contact with the children and also their mother. In April, last year, an article titled ‘Brazilian woman seeks long-lost relatives in Guyana’ was published in this newspaper appealing for help on behalf of Costa with finding her relatives. Months after, Costa said she contacted two of her cousins, Francinette and Abrao, who are adults, after six worrisome years. Although she has not been able to meet them face to face, she communicates with them constantly via FaceBook and Whatsapp. According to Costa, her cousins contacted her via the

From left: Francinette, Abrao (standing at back with stripe jersey) with their mother Satwantie Harpaul and younger brother some six years ago

Manoel Francisco Costa Filho telephone number posted in the article. From information gathered, she believes that her cousins have been separated from each other. She related that Francinette and Abrao never told her where their mother is, nor did they relate to her the whereabouts of their sibling. She believes that her other two cousin are somewhere in Guyana. Costa said she would love nothing more than to be reunited with her cousins. But she pointed out that she does not have the resources to do so at the moment. Costa had sent several screenshots of articles to Kaieteur News with the story

Giselle Vale Costa published about how her uncle met his demise. She had pleaded for help with finding her relatives. The woman had said she met her cousins once when they visited Brazil before their father died. She had said, “We want to contact them to be able to bring them to Brazil with their mother so that they can get to know their paternal grandparents… and for us to take care of them and their mother…he (Filo’s father) has left a house for him here in Brazil. “Not only the children have I considered as my family... their mother also.” At that time, the only memory she had of her cousins was a photo posted of them with their mother in the media. Costa said her uncle had moved to Guyana 15 years prior to his death. During that time he met Harpaul and they had resided with their four

children at Annandale, East Coast Demerara. According to reports, Filo was a goldminer, who supplied fuel to dredge owners. He left his home on October 2010 and ventured into the interior. However, while diving, Filo was pinned by a pile of debris, which led to him drowning. He was laid to rest in Guyana. Based on reports, a man who claimed to be a Brazilian and was in contact with Filo’s relative in Brazil,

approached Harpaul. The man had reportedly told the woman he was in contact with Filo’s relatives in Brazil, although her husband had never been in contact during the time he lived in Guyana. But Harpaul had no idea that the Brazilian man was a ‘phony’. It was reported that the friend was suspected to be smuggling the bodies of Brazilians who had died in Guyana’s interior. It was reported that the man told Harpaul’s wife that

he had been in contact with her husband’s relatives who were sending a large sum of money to have his remains embalmed and shipped to Brazil. The man had even authorized a city funeral parlour to begin the process. However, the man later disappeared, leaving Harpaul to offset expenses she could not afford. It was reported that her husband’s former employer provided financial assistance to facilitate burial.

Disability Training Centre to be established soon The Government of Guyana will soon be establishing a Disability Training Centre at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) compound to educate and train teachers to deal with differently able people. The aim is to train and equip teachers in the 10 Administrative Regions to care and teach children that are differently able. It is hoped that this centre will stimulate the development of children, adolescents and

young people with special educational needs associated with disabilities. The training centre will be staffed and resourced for two years by Cubans, after which it is expected to be taken over by Guyanese that were trained by the Cuban team. Explaining the broader objectives of the centre, Junior Minister of Education Nicolette Henry said that those trained will be able to improve evaluation, diagnosis, and counseling of

people with disabilities in any context from an early age. Additionally, she said it will promote educational training strategies to improve the prevention, correction, compensation, rehabilitation and also integrate services offered by professionals, based on social cooperation. Henry said cooperation among various social welfare institutions and educational leaders will have to be done. This she says will enable the transfer strategies, methods, and techniques in the transformation of comprehensive approach provided to persons with disabilities. Further, Henry said the long term goal of the country is to ensure there is a pool of improved professionals, technicians and other educational agents. An agreement for this initiative was signed in December last year by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl B. Greenidge, Cuban Ambassador Julio Cesar Gonzalez Marchante and Caricom Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque.

Monday January 23, 2017

BILLION-$$ US VISA SPEND …Jamaicans invest heavily in quest to reach the world’s most popular country

Visa seekers wait outside the United States Embassy in St Andrew. Jamaica Observer Jamaicans paid over $5 billion in non-immigrant visa fees to the United States Government last year, based upon a calculation of data provided by the US Embassy here. This comes at a time when newly sworn-in US President Donald J Trump has said that he will review immigration laws in that North American country with a view to clamping down on illegal immigrants, many of whom gain entry by using nonimmigrant visas and then overstay their time.

Last year, Counselor for Public Affairs at the US Embassy Joshua Polacheck told the Jamaica Observer that the Embassy had been swamped with an excessive number of applications for non-immigrant visas that was putting a strain on its system. The US diplomat revealed that the Embassy was processing an “unprecedented number of non-immigrant visas”, and was handling up to 1,000 a day in some instances. The cost that goes with a non-immigrant visa

More revealed about bribery scandal Daily Observer - More has been revealed in a continuing rift between the government and the UPP opposition, over each other’s involvement in an international bribery scandal. During his budget presentation Friday, the Prime Minister Gaston Browne said he received new information, which he has passed to the ONDCP, which is investigating the matter. He alleges that a UPP official is named in several documents. Meinl Bank was an offshore entity which operated in Antigua. It is alleged that through special software and coded names, Brazilian conglomerate Odebrecht moved around 1.6 billion US dollars as part of its global bribery scheme. The UPP has called on the Prime Minister to say whether he had any involvement with the bank after his office was named in Brazilian court documents. Yesterday Prime Minister Browne again denied any involvement or knowledge of the scandal. Since the matter surfaced the Prime Minister has fired Honorary Consul Louis Franca and asked Ambassador to the United

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

application is US$160 (about $20,480), meaning that if 1,000 such visas are processed per day, it would amount to $20.5 million daily. For a week at the same rate, the overall cost would be nearly $102.4 million. Based upon what Polacheck described as the rapid growth in demand for US visas, which he said had zipped from 85,000 applications in the fiscal year (April 1 to March 31) of 2013, to 185,000 up to the middle of last year, the annual overall spend on trying to procure US non-immigrant visas would jump significantly. Over 52 weeks, the total cost would be $5.3 billion. That sum does not include fees for student visas, crew members, or temporary workers. It would represent around one per cent of Jamaica’s annual budget. Based upon checks done by the Sunday Observer, most of the applicants are drawn from the lower and middle socio-economic strata

of the society. Many applicants are not formally employed and generate funds in the informal economy, while some are assisted by inflows of remittances from connections overseas. Information sought from the US Embassy last year regarding the economic cost of administering each application, including the interview process, and to also determine what percentage of those who apply are actually granted visas, has still not been received. Last August, Polacheck told the Sunday Observer that the demand for US visas had grown so much, that long before the end of the year, all the dates for US nonimmigrant visa interviews had been used up. A non-immigrant visa by definition is one issued to people who live outside the US, but who have a desire to visit the US temporarily for various reasons, among them vacation, to study or on business.

Sovereign Wealth... Gaston Browne Arab Emirates Casroy James for an explanation. James’ name came up in Brazilian court documents as having dealt with the Meinl bank. He has since denied any involvement in a bribery scheme or anything unlawful but has admitted to having once had a legitimate relationship with the bank as part of his consultancy business. The government has officially said that James is still acting in his official capacity even though a highranking official had told OBSERVER media that he had been asked to stay away from official duties.

From page 11 to ensure that the benefits accrued from the natural resources sector reach every Guyanese for generations to come, he said that the Government is committed to the establishment of the Fund and will develop a framework for it this year. He had promised to do so since last year on several occasions. Nevertheless, he commented that the Sovereign Wealth Fund will enable the Government to protect the economy from the volatile nature of natural resource revenues, help grow and modernize the sustainable non-extractive sectors of the economy, and further enhance the capacity of the citizenry. “We have already indicated that we will consider three sub-funds within the Sovereign Wealth Fund. The three sub-funds are: 1) Stabilization Fund, 2) Infrastructure and Social Development Fund and 3) Citizens Participation Fund. We have already begun seeking advice and guidance on developing such a Fund from the School of Public PolicyUniversity of Calgary and the Commonwealth Secretariat, both of which are equipped with strong expertise on extractive resource governance,” the Natural Resources Minister had said. Trotman noted that the creation of a long overdue sovereign wealth fund will demonstrate to Guyanese and the world at large, that hydrocarbon development, and by extension all other extractive industries, can be catalysts for a green economy.

Senators tell new US treasury secretary to eliminate C’bean tax havens WASHINGTON, USA — Members of the United States Senate, questioning the new Trump administration for Treasury Secretary last week, asked Steve Mnuchin how he intends to close down Caribbean tax havens, specifically naming the Cayman Islands. The Senate panel demanded details on how the new secretary expects to close the tax loopholes that allow American entities and individuals to use foreign subsidiaries in zero-tax jurisdictions to avoid taxable events. The senators, in their questioning, focused upon the Cayman Islands, as well as the more obscure tax haven of Anguilla, in showing their displeasure of what they clearly indicated was abuse of American tax laws. Details have recently emerged how financial service professionals working in the Cayman Islands intentionally use combinations of jurisdictions, like forming a BVI company, owned by a Belize trust, to create a totally opaque, nontransparent vehicle, tax-free, with no identifiable beneficial owner. In the aftermath of the Panama Papers scandal, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives have

Steve Mnuchin affirmed the immediate need for effective tax reform, whether through new legislation or Treasury regulations, to eliminate the present situation. They appear to be looking for the incoming Treasury Secretary for a solution. Political pressure is clearly present on this matter. What will an end of offshore tax advantages for US taxpayers mean to the Cayman Islands, as well as other Caribbean financial centres that do not impose taxes upon profits? Will investors and the hedge fund industry flee Grand Cayman, completely torpedoing the local economy and plunging the island into a major depression, requiring financial aid from the UK? (Caribbean News)

PAGE 22

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Monday January 23, 2017

Kaieteur News

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FOR RENT Bedroom- for single or couple working @ Aubrey Barker Rd. South Ruimveldt Gardens, G/Town, $30,000 monthly + $30,000 security. Call:623-0076 2 Bedrooms apartment for working individuals, recently renovated, free wifi. Call:641-3318 1 House in South Ruimveldt Park. Call: 629-2912 EDUCATIONAL Register Now! 9 Course, Diploma in computers, Computerize Accounting, PCrepairs, Graphics @ Micro Graphics/Cybertron, Vreeden-Hoop. Call: 264-3057 VISA Processing Centre: visitor’s Visa for US, Canada, student Visas @ Cybertron, Vreed-en-Hoop. Call: 2643057

FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Two bedrooms apartment located @ little Diamond Public Road for more info and rental cost call: 679-3213 Bottom flat house @ 25 North Road & Oronoque Street, fully furnished/ air condition/residence / business. Call: 226-7012 1-Self contained 2 bedrooms apartment to rent Avenue B, Diamond E.B.D, working couple preferred-Call: 658-5452 Continued on page 23

Monday January 23, 2017

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Kaieteur News

White House vows to fight media ‘tooth and nail’ over Trump attacks

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Director of the Secret Service Joseph Clancy listen during the Inaugural Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders Reception in the Blue Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., yesterday. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts Reuters - The White House vowed yesterday to fight the news media “tooth and nail” over what it sees as unfair attacks, with a top adviser saying the Trump administration had presented “alternative facts” to counter low inauguration crowd estimates. On his first full day as president, Trump said he had a “running war” with the media and accused journalists of underestimating the number of people who turned out Friday for his swearing-in. White House officials made clear no truce was on

the horizon yesterday in television interviews that set a harsher tone in the traditionally adversarial relationship between the White House and the press corps. “The point is not the crowd size. The point is the attacks and the attempt to delegitimize this president in one day. And we’re not going to sit around and take it,” Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said on “Fox News Sunday.” No single issue has dominated the new administration’s public discourse as much as the news media’s treatment of

Trump. “We’re going to fight back tooth and nail every day and twice yesterday,” Priebus said. He repeated White House press secretary Sean Spicer’s charges on Saturday that the media had manipulated photographs of the National Mall to show smaller crowds on Friday. Aerial photographs showed the crowds were smaller than at Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration. The Washington subway system said it had 193,000 riders by 11 a.m. (1600 GMT) on Friday, compared with

513,000 at that time during the 2009 inauguration. Several of Spicer’s statements about Friday’s turnout were challenged in photographs and media reports that cited crowd count experts. His categorical assertion that “this was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration period” in particular was lampooned on social media as well. Asked on NBC’s “Meet the Press” why the press secretary was uttering provable falsehoods, White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway fired back. “If we are going to keep referring to our press secretary in those types of terms I think that we are going to rethink our relationship here,” she said. Conway responded to criticism that the new administration was focussing on crowds rather than on significant domestic and foreign policy issues by saying, “We feel compelled to go out and clear the air and put alternative facts out there.” Priebus and Conway focussed on a press pool report that said the bust of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr had been removed from the Oval Office after Trump took office. The report on Friday night was quickly corrected, but Trump called out the reporter by name during a visit to the Central Intelligence Agency on Saturday. Spicer also berated the reporter later in the day. With the Nov. 8 election

West African troops enter Gambia capital to cheers after Jammeh flees Reuters - West African troops entered Gambia’s capital, Banjul, yesterday, to cheers from the city’s residents a Reuters witness said, part of efforts to allow new President Adama Barrow to take office after the country’s former ruler fled overnight. Yahya Jammeh, who led Gambia for 22 years but refused to accept defeat in a December election, flew out of Banjul late on Saturday en route to Equatorial Guinea as the regional force was poised to remove him. A convoy of around 15 vehicles, including armoured personnel carriers mounted with heavy machine guns and pick-up trucks full of soldiers, rolled down one Banjul street in the late afternoon, according to a Reuters journalist who saw them. City residents lined the road, applauding and

results shadowed by U.S. intelligence reports of Russian meddling on his behalf, Trump has bristled at reports suggesting his popular support is soft and that the election was not legitimate. Trump, who lost the popular vote to Democrat Hillary Clinton by nearly 3 million votes, made no mention of Russia in his first visit to the CIA on Saturday. He praised his nominee to head the agency, Mike Pompeo, and ranted against the “dishonest” media, a favourite target during his presidential campaign. The president accused the media of fabricating his tensions with the U.S. intelligence community, despite his frequent posts on

From page 22

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was halted hours later to give Jammeh one last chance to leave peacefully. His departure followed two days of negotiations led by Guinea’s President Alpha Conde and Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania, prompting speculation over what, if any, terms were agreed to convince him to step down.

Speaking on Senegalese radio station RFM, Barrow denied that Jammeh had been offered immunity from prosecution in exchange for leaving the country. “He wanted to stay in Gambia. We said we couldn’t guarantee his security and said that he should leave,” Barrow said.

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Former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh arrives at the airport before flying into exile from Gambia, Saturday. REUTERS/Thierry Gouegnon

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Monday January 23, 2017

Kaieteur News

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Monday January 23, 2017

Monday January 23, 2017

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Kaieteur News

Taylor shines with half-century, Stokes all-round display Matthews helps Hobart into semis earns England thrilling win

West Indies batting star, Hayley Matthews PERTH, Australia, CMC – West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor ended an otherwise disappointing Women’s Big Bash campaign on a high note when she stroked a halfcentury to see defending champions Sydney Thunder to a consolation five-wicket victory over Perth Scorchers on Saturday. Entering the contest at Lilac Hill Park on a run of two consecutive ‘ducks’, the righthanded Taylor turned around her form with an enterprising 62 that anchored a Thunder run chase to overhaul a tricky target of 132. She lost opening partner Rachael Haynes for 22 off 17 balls at 27 for one in the fifth over but then put on 57 for the second wicket with captain Alex Blackwell (26) and a further 36 for the third wicket with Indian star

Harmanpreet Kaur (16 not out) as the visitors got home off the first ball of the final over. Jamaican Taylor faced 54 balls and counted seven fours and a six before perishing in the 18th over with Thunder in sight of victory. Earlier, Scorchers finished on 131 for four off their 20 overs, after opting to bat first. Opener Nicole Bolton struck 53 and captain Suzie Bates got 28, the pair posting 63 for the second wicket to keep the innings alive. Thunder finished three from bottom of the eight-team standings on 12 points to miss out on the playoffs while Scorchers finished second on 16 points to qualify. At Bellerive Oval in Hobart, Taylor’s Windies teammate Hayley Matthews played a crucial role in helping Hobart Hurricanes defeat Melbourne Stars by four wickets, and reach the final four of the tournament. Set 136 for victory, Hobart got home with a ball to spare, after gathering the 12 runs required off the final over. Captain Heather Knight top-scored with 35 off 26 deliveries, Amy Satterthwaite weighed in with 26 while the teenaged Matthews got 24, as they propelled Hobart’s run chase. Batting at number five, Matthews played a crucial role in adding 38 for the fourth wicket with Satterthwaite before going bowled by legspinner Kristen Beams (3-11). Earlier, Matthews grabbed two for 23 with from three overs of off-spin as Stars, opting to bat first, finished on 135 for eight off their 20 overs. Captain and opener Meg Lanning was the only batter to stand up, top-scoring with an excellent 81 off 55 deliveries, but was the only one to pass 20 and just one of two in double figures. Hurricanes finished fourth in the standings on 15 points to sneak into the final four and will face Sydney Sixers next Wednesday in the second semi-final.

Holder happy with performances but looking to build BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – West Indies captain, Jason Holder, says he is pleased with the development of his game and is seeking to raise it even further over the coming year. The 25-year-old, who is preparing to lead Barbados Pride in the Regional Super50 starting here Tuesday, said his recent form was cause for encouragement and was now focussed on bettering his performances especially in the longest format. “I’m not really too worried about my cricket per se. I think I am in a very good place,” Holder said in a radio interview here. “Obviously I would like some more wickets in terms of Test cricket but I think the last series I had in the UAE should put me in good stead moving forward.” West Indies faced Pakistan in a three-Test series in the United Arab Emirates last October, managing to pull off a 1-1 draw. Holder conjured up his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests as the Caribbean side stunned the hosts by five wickets in the third and final Test in Sharjah. The victory was also his first in Tests after taking over the reins in 2015. He said it was important, especially as captain, that he continued to point the way with his performances. “I feel really confident coming off that series [in the UAE] and I don’t think my confidence dipped,” he pointed out. “But for me, it is about managing the entire

Ben Stokes celebrates after removing Virat Kohli, India v England, 3rd ODI, Kolkata, ©Associated Press (Reuters) Ben Stokes hit a brisk halfcentury and then picked up three crucial wickets to help England to a tense five-run win against India in the third and final oneday international at the Eden Gardens yesterday. It was a consolation victory for England and their first on their tour of India after they lost the five-test series 4-0 and both previous ODIs. Opener Jason Roy hit 65, his third consecutive fifty, before half-centuries from Jonny Bairstow (56) and Stokes took England to 321-8 after India won the toss and chose to field. England seemed set for a comprehensive win despite an injury to seamer David Willey as India lost their top five batsmen for 173 but Kedar Jadhav (90) and Hardik Pandya brought the hosts back in the match with a sixth-wicket stand of 104. With India needing 16 off Chris Woakes’ final over, Jadhav, who scored a century in the first ODI at Pune, smashed the paceman for a six and a four but was then caught by Sam Billings at deep cover after two dot balls. The hosts finished on 316-9. Stokes’s last visit to Eden Gardens last April ended in a personal nightmare as Carlos Brathwaite smashed him for four consecutive sixes in the final over to win the World

Twenty20 title for West Indies. On Sunday, the seamer first dismissed India’s best batsman Virat Kohli for 55 before returning to remove Pandya for 56 and break his dangerous partnership with Jadhav. India had just taken 16 runs off Woakes in the 47th over and needed 27 in 18 balls when England captain Eoin Morgan called on Stokes to bowl his final over. Stokes gave away just four runs, added the wicket of Ravichandran Ashwin to his tally and finish with 3-63. Earlier, Roy and Billings (35), who replaced the injured Alex Hales, gave England a strong start with an opening partnership of 98. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja sent both the openers back in quick succession but Bairstow, brought into the side for the injured Joe Root, and captain Eoin Morgan kept England flowing with an 84-run stand for the third wicket. Stokes provided the late flourish with four boundaries and two sixes in his 39-ball 57. India and England will now play three Twenty20 internationals, starting with the first match on Thursday. Scores: England 321 for 8 (Roy 65, Stokes 57*, Bairstow 56, Pandya 3-49) beat India 316 for 9 (Jadhav 90, Pandya 56, Kohli 55) by five runs.

Browne hoping for quick resolution to Bravo dispute West Indies Test captain, Jason Holder … looking to build on performances. group first and obviously my performances speak and I have to perform. I’ve been doing very well in one-day cricket, I’ve been doing reasonably well in Test cricket with the bat and I have confidence my wicket column in Tests will pick up.” A right-arm pacer who stands six feet, seven inches, Holder has picked up 31 wickets from 20 Tests and 68 wickets from 49 OneDay Internationals. He has often shouldered the role of workhorse in the bowling attack and said he was more than willing to do whatever was necessary for the team’s success. “Whatever my role is on a given day [I am willing to accept],” he said. “One day conditions may suit me in terms of my style of bowling and it’s my time to attack, or it’s just a situation where I’m supposed to be the workhorse, bowl a few overs and also pick up wickets.”

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Chairman of selectors, Courtney Browne, is hoping the incident between Test batsman Darren Bravo and the West Indies Cricket Board can be solved quickly, so the player can return to action. Bravo has not played competitive cricket since he was sent home from the tour of Zimbabwe for a controversial tweet which was critical of WICB president, Dave Cameron, and has been left out of the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force squad for the Regional Super50 pending a resolution of the matter. “Darren is one of our better players and very

talented young man,” Browne told Line and Length Network. “Obviously it was sad to lose him but at times these things happen. You just need to deal with it, get it over with and get him back out on the field playing cricket.” The 27-year-old Bravo is the West Indies’ premier batsman who has been a trump card for Red Force in previous Super50 tournaments. In fact, it was his brilliant 97 in last year’s final against Barbados Pride which carried Red Force to the title at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain. Bravo found himself in trouble last November when he labelled Cameron a “big

idiot” in a Twitter outburst, in response to the Jamaican administrator stating that Bravo had been offered only a Grade C retainer contract because of his “poor performance” and declining averages. The WICB slammed Bravo’s behaviour as “inappropriate and unacceptable” and cancelled his match/tour contract. Browne said he did not expect Bravo to become available until the matter was resolved. “I know there are supposed to be some discussions with Darren’s team and also the West Indies Cricket Board and until that is settled, I don’t think we’ll have much going on in terms of Darren playing cricket.

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Kaieteur News

Monday January 23, 2017

Melbourne Park carnage Scorpions management as top seeds topple backing side to fire in Super50 MELBOURNE (Reuters) The whiff of sporting upset hung around Melbourne Park yesterday after top seeds Andy Murray and Angelique Kerber were handed stunning defeats in the Australian Open fourth round. Britain’s Murray was bamboozled by the servevolley game of Mischa Zverev to exit after 3-1/2 hours on Rod Laver Arena, while fellow world number one Kerber’s title defense was ended in little more than an hour by Coco Vandeweghe. Murray was the first top seed to depart before the quarter-finals since Lleyton Hewitt in 2003, while Germany’s reigning women’s champion was last sent packing before the second week a decade ago when Amelie Mauresmo went out in the fourth round. Murray and Kerber were

playing their first grand slams as top seeds and both looked all but powerless to deal with the style of game they were confronted with from across the net. Zverev, the world number 50, rushed the net 118 times to keep one of the best defensive players in the game on the backfoot for much of the contest before holding his nerve to close out the contest 7-5 5-7 6-2 6-4. “Credit to him,” said Murray. “He came up with great, great shots and played a really, really good match. You know, you always finish matches you lose with things you maybe could have done a bit better, but he played some really good stuff.” The German, ranked outside the top 1,000 in the world after wrist surgery two years ago, will face Roger Federer in his maiden grand slam quarter-final after the Swiss master outlasted Kei Nishikori 6-7(4) 6-4 6-1 4-6 63. New Yorker Vandeweghe later hammered down 30 winners to Kerber’s seven, overpowering the U.S. Open champion 6-2 6-3 to set up a meeting with Spanish seventh seed Garbine Muguruza in her first trip to the last eight in Melbourne. Kerber made 15 unforced errors in a contest lasting little more than an hour and admitted it was simply not her day. “It was a tough match and, of course, I’m disappointed,” she said. “But I was not feeling the ball at all tonight. I was not playing good from the first point. “I was trying tonight but, yeah I missed a lot. So this was not my game like I play

normally.” TOP RANKING While Kerber could yet lose the number one ranking to Serena Williams after the year ’s first grand slam, Murray’s main rival Novak Djokovic made an even earlier exit in the second round. With Murray and the Serbian reigning champion having already departed, Melbourne Park will next week witness the first grand slam since the 2004 French Open without its top two men’s seeds. Federer will hope to profit as he bids for his 18th grand slam title, as will his compatriot and 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka, who is in the same half of the draw and fended off Andreas Seppi 7-6(2) 7-6(4) 7-6(4). Wawrinka next faces France’s 2008 finalist JoWilfried Tsonga, who ended the fairytale run of Britain’s Dan Evans by coming from a set down to win 6-7(4) 6-2 6-4 6-4 on Hisense Arena. Murray and Evans had hoped to become the first British pair to reach the men’s quarter-finals at Melbourne Park in 40 years and the first at a grand slam since Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski at Wimbledon in 1997. Venus Williams, at 36 the oldest woman in the singles draw, also progressed to the last eight with a 6-3 7-5 victory over Mona Barthel, moving closer to a potential blockbuster final against sister Serena. The younger Williams sister continues her quest for a 23rd grand slam title against Barbora Strycova today, when men’s 2009 champion Rafa Nadal is also in fourth round action.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Jamaica Scorpions believe they have the side capable of challenging strongly in the Regional Super50 which bowls off this week. While the 14-man squad will be missing the likes of superstars Chris Gayle and Andre Russell, it will feature the likes of Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood, limited overs all-rounder Rovman Powell, along with a slate of emerging players. “It’s a fairly balanced squad and the captain will have options there,” chairman of selectors, Junior Bennett said ahead of the side’s departure for the January 24 to February 18 tournament. “We have three out-andout spinners, and you have three fast bowlers plus Rovman Powell, who bowls medium pace.” Recently retired Test seamer, Jerome Taylor, has been included in the line-up and joins Reynard Leveridge and Gavon Brown in the fast bowling department. Captain and left-arm spinner Nikita Miller heads the slow bowling, with legspinner Damion Jacobs and debutant off-spinner Damani Sewell also included. Powell, along with Blackwood, opener John Campbell, Andre McCarthy, Chadwick Walton and Devon Thomas are all hard-hitting batsmen, a feature which Miller believes will be an asset to Scorpions. “It’s an exciting squad with a lot of aggressive players in the team and I’m looking forward to this tournament,” Miller said. “From the top to the end,

West Indies limited overs star, Rovman Powell. we have a lot of aggressive cricketers by nature and I believe we’ll do well.” Sewell is the only new face in the squad after impressing selectors with both bat and ball during the trial matches, taking over 13 wickets and also producing a couple of handy knocks. Miller said what he witnessed of Sewell during the trials had been heartening and backed him to make an impact in the tournament. “I think he was very impressive during the trials. The way he plays when he is batting, he looks a very compact player. He looks a very confident young man who knows about the game,” said the former West Indies bowler. “He gives that impression in his approach and I’m really impressed with his returns, and hopefully he can be an asset to this team. He’s a player who has been in the

system, so Junior Bennett, as a former youth coach, would know of him,” Scorpions will do battle in Zone B of the tournament alongside Barbados Pride, Guyana Jaguars, ICC Americas and Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners. The group will be staged in Barbados. Zone A, meanwhile, which is set for Antigua, will comprise title-holders Trinidad & Tobago Red Force, Windward Islands Volcanoes, Leeward Islands Hurricanes, West Indies Under-19s, and English County Kent Spitfires. SQUAD – Nikita Miller (captain), John Campbell, Steven Taylor, Jermaine Blackwood, Brandon King, Andre McCarthy, Rovman Powell, Chadwick Walton, Devon Thomas, Damion Jacobs, Jerome Taylor, Reynard Leveridge, Gavon Brown, Damani Sewell.

Monday January 23, 2017

Kaieteur News

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Sandakan stars on debut as Sri Lanka level T20 South Africa series

Angelo Mathews held Sri Lanka’s chase together with an unbeaten 54 © AFP (Reuters) Sri Lanka leftarm spinner Lakshan Sandakan took four wickets on his debut in a three-wicket victory over new-look South Africa that levelled the threematch Twenty20 series yesterday.

Hosts South Africa won the toss and elected to bat but were bowled out for 113 by the tourists three balls before the end of their innings at The Wanderers. Sri Lanka were rocked by an early burst from exciting

20-year-old fast bowler Lungisani Ngidi (4-19) but chipped away at the target and completed the win with two balls left as captain Angelo Mathews led the way with an unbeaten 54 from 50 balls. The deciding match in the three-game series will be played in Cape Town on Wednesday. South Africa’s batsmen struggled from the start with only opener Heino Kuhn (29) and captain Farhaan Behardien (27) offering anything of substance as the home side managed just nine fours and two sixes in their innings. Sri Lanka’s bowling attack produced an excellent line that made scoring difficult, with Sandakan (4-23) and seamer Isuru Udana (3-13) doing most of the damage. Sandakan became the first Sri Lankan to take a wicket off his first ball in Twenty20 internationals when he had Mangaliso Mosehle caught by wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal for 11. Fast bowler Ngidi, who made his debut in South Africa’s 19-run win in the first match of the series in Pretoria on Friday, was again impressive as he accounted for the top-four batsmen. But Mathews provided the glue to keep Sri Lanka’s

Hutson re-elected AAG - New Executive features youth, President business magnate Ming By Edison Jefford Incumbent President of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), Aubrey Hutson will serve in that position for another four years after being re-elected yesterday when the association held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Elections at the National Resource Centre, Woolford Avenue. Hutson received six of the nine votes from the registered Clubs to defeat Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Major and former national athlete, Shen Fung, who got three votes. It is believed Hutson received the nod of the smaller clubs, while Guyana’s two major clubs, GDF and Police voted for Fung. Policewoman, Amanda Hermonstine and business magnate, Colin Ming were elected to the two Vice-President positions after securing six and five votes respectively. The duo defeated Godfrey Washington, Hector Edwards and Colin Boyce for the posts. Nial Stanton was elected Treasurer, while Elton Bollers won the Assistant Treasurer post owed to other nominee’s absenteeism. Stanton and Bollers are young leaders in the sport and completed a new-look Executive that features youth and business. However, the old guard returned to the Council with Keith Campbell, Lyndon Wilson, Yvonne October, Silas Brummel and Busta Wright elected as Council Members. Dr. Karen

Pilgrim, who is a Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) Vice-President, was Returning Officer. After the Elections, Hutson said that he was eager to get back to work to push the development of the sport. His first four years was marked with massive underperformance, which Hutson also admitted on the National Communications Network. A Master Plan expected in 2013 never came off the ground and the Kids Athletics Programme in 2015 also failed despite having the trained personnel and infrastructure in Guyana. Hutson stated on live television that the GOA has given him a mandate to submit a development plan, which he hopes to do this month end. Hutson indicated yesterday that with the AAG now back to full Executive membership, the sport and its development should move faster compared to when he alone was “strained”with the state of a depleted Executive. Several resignations, and nonchalance, from individuals elected to serve previously underscored Hutson’s first term as AAG President. The dilemma had forced Hutson to publicly admit the phenomenon as the reason why he was accused of micromanaging. However, obviously not left alone, Hutson has been given another chance that will run into the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

chase together with an excellently paced innings and delivered the killer blow. He was hobbling with cramp when the tourists needed seven off the last over bowled by spinner Jon-Jon Smuts and, after being dropped off the first ball, launched the second delivery into the stands for a six to level the scores. Another blow over the boundary rope two balls later handed Sri Lanka victory. Scores: Sri Lanka 119 for 7 (Mathews 54*, Ngidi 4-16) beat South Africa113 (Sandakan 4-23, Udara 313) by three wickets.

Lakshan Sandakan flummoxed South Africa, South Africa v Sri Lanka, 2nd T20I, Johannesburg, ©Associated Press

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Kaieteur News

Fiery Warner helps Australia seal ODI series win over Pakistan (Reuters) David Warner’s 12th one-day international hundred and brisk fifties from Glenn Maxwell and Travis Head set up Australia for an 86-run win over Pakistan in the fourth match yesteray as the hosts secured an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series. The diminutive opening batsman smashed 130 for his sixth ton in his last 11 innings at the Sydney Cricket Ground, including his century before lunch in the third test against the same opponents in January. Maxwell then pulverised the Pakistan attack with his 78 off 44 balls and added a quick-fire 100 for the fourth wicket with Head, who hit 51 off 36 balls, as the hosts piled up 353-6 in their 50 overs after winning the toss and opting to bat. Pakistan needed to pull off the highest successful ODI chase on Australian soil to keep the series alive but lacked the required firepower in their batting and were bundled out for 267 with six overs remaining in their innings. Left-handed opener Sharjeel Khan top-scored for the touring side with his 74

off 47 balls keeping Pakistan in the hunt for the early part of their chase. Australia’s paceman Josh Hazlewood and leg-spinner Adam Zampa, playing in his first match of the series, picked up three wickets each. DROPPED CATCHES It was a forgettable day for Pakistan in the field as they

dropped at least five catches and gave away extra runs through misfields and overthrows. Warner put together a breezy 92-run opening stand with Usman Khawaja, who was caught behind for 30 and became the first of seamer Hasan Ali’s five wickets. Warner, who hit 11 fours

and two sixes in his 119-ball knock, added 120 for the second wicket with captain Steve Smith which gave Australia an ideal platform for a huge total. “It’s the home crowd, absolutely love playing here,” Warner said after being presented with the man of the match award. “I was quite slow tonight, but it’s always special to put the boys in a great position.” Hasan dismissed Warner and Smith, who made 49 after being dropped on 10, in the space of three deliveries but it did not hamper Australia’s quest for quick runs. Maxwell was dropped on eight and made Pakistan pay for their profligacy by hitting 10 fours and a six in his innings as Australia accumulated 118 runs in their last 10 overs. Head smashed four sixes and two fours in his 36-ball knock. The fifth and final match of the series will be played in Adelaide on Thursday. Scores: Australia 6 for 353 (Warner 130, Maxwell 78, Head 51, Hasan 5-52) beat Pakistan 267 (Sharjeel 74, Hazlewood 3-54, Zampa 3-55) by 86 runs.

reducing the workload on student-athletes. The proposal was made by a technical committee comprising Forbes, coaching great Glen Mills, and local athletics executive Garth Gayle. “They basically voted 105 to zero. Nobody abstained and nobody voted against it. So basically we are happy with that and, as a matter of fact, most of the principals are saying this should have happened a long time ago,” said Forbes. The technical committee recommended that Class One athletes are eligible to compete in only four events — down from the previous five. Those athletes are now limited to two individual events and two relays. An athlete competing in field events is only allowed to take part in three. An athlete competing in the decathlon/heptathlon is allowed to compete in only one other event. In Class Two, athletes are allowed to compete in three events, instead of four. They are now restricted to two individual events and a relay. Those athletes may also

participate in one individual event and two relays. An athlete competing in field events only is allowed to take part in three events. Class Three boys and girls are allowed to enter two individual events and a relay — the same for Class Four girls. In the girls’ open events, final-year Class Three athletes can compete alongside Classes One and Two in the 3,000m and the 2,000m steeplechase. The 400m hurdles and the 4x400m relay remain open with no restrictions. The boys’ open events — the 5,000m and 2,000m steeplechase — are limited to classes one and two only. The decathlon is now Class One only. The pole vault and 4x400m relay remain open without restrictions. The medley relays remain the same, where Class Two athletes run the 200m and Class One athletes run the 400m and 800m. The 400m hurdles is no longer an open event. It will now be contested only by athletes in classes one and two. These changes had resistance from several

coaches, saying the move was a backward step, and that the timing was wrong in the middle of the preparation season. But Forbes thinks otherwise. “It’s not really the middle of the season. This was sent out from late October to early November [of last year]. But because they did not agree with what we had sent out, that is why we conveyed the meeting on the sixth of December to give them a formal hearing. We heard what they said and we went back to the drawing board and we made some changes,” Forbes noted. “So it’s not a situation where we decided that we are going to just impose ourselves. We have had dialogue with the coaches just to get it right. We don’t go ahead and do anything without the input of the coaches,” he explained. “I don’t buy that it’s going to affect anybody. Where we stand, all we want is for the betterment of the students. We want the welfare of the students to come first. Points are not important to us,” he added.

David Warner celebrated his 12th ODI century and first against Pakistan © Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Principals support less workload for athletes at Champs

George Forbes... most of the principals are saying this should have happened a long time ago. Jamaica Observer – Despite opposition from numerous coaches, high school principals have unanimously voted to have several proposed changes implemented for this year’s Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships in Jamaica. George Forbes, ISSA’s competitions director, told the Jamaica Observer that at a meeting held at Terra Nova All-Suites Hotel last Friday all 105 principals agreed to support the move aimed at

Monday January 23, 2017

Annual Desmond Dorsett Memorial road race and fun day set for January 29th The seventh annual Desmond Dorsett Memorial Road race classic and Family Fun day will be held on Sunday 29thJanuary. It is being organised by the Dorsett family of Leeds, Corentyne Berbice. Preparations are already at an advanced stage for the big day which will be held at various venues. The road race, which is expected to begin at 08:00 hrs, will be held in three categories and is open to athletes from throughout Berbice. The categories are Males and Females Open, U19 and U15. Senior and U19 athletes will cover a distance of 5KM, beginning at the No43 village and finishing at the popular No53 Sports Complex Corentyne. The U15 and the females will begin their segment at No47 Village and are also expected to finish at the No53 Complex. Attractive Prizes, which will include cash incentives, trophies, T-shirts, ribbons and other memorabilia, will be presented to the top finishers in each category. Certificates of appreciation and participation will be presented to all participants by the Dorsett family. Once again the top finishers from the Leeds, No51, Union, No53 catchment areas are expected to be presented with special prizes. Following the road race a fun day will be held at the No53 Sports Complex beginning at 10:00hrs and will include athletics, softball cricket, volleyball, football, Circle Tennis and dominoes. A number of novelty events and ring games are also expected to be a part of the day’s programme. Proceeds from the day’s activities will go towards a number of charities including the Police Youth Club, the Union Renaissance Sports Club and the Women in Action group. The late Superintendent Desmond Dorsett worked mostly as a detective during his time in the Guyana Police Force. He was an ardent sports fan who participated in numerous sporting activities including Cricket and athletics. A native of East Canje, Dorsett migrated after retiring and would return with his family from time to time to do charity and community work. His wife Waveney Dorsett, a retired head mistress, and community activist and also a remigrant is the spearhead of the activity. Interested persons can make contact with telephone numbers 339-4475, 339-4133 and 339-4436 for further information. Individuals and teams are asked to register by January 26th. (Samuel Whyte)

Inaugural Port Mourant day and Gymkhana set for Feb. 5th The Sha’veh Business entity of Port Mourant Corentyne Berbice is association with the Port Mourant Turf Club (PMTC) will be staging the first ever Port Mourant Family Fun day and Gymkhana. The event is set for Sunday 5th February at the Port Mourant Turf Club, Corentyne Berbice. According to organiser Mr. Sha’veh, the activity promises to be one with a difference and one of the biggest Gymkhanas held in Berbice. The event he said is planned with the residents in mind especially since the Port Mourant facility was left by the British for the people of Port Mourant. He feels that it is fitting to do something that would involve as much persons as possible. Apart from horse and donkey races, there are a host of novelty activities including climbing the greasy pole, catching the greasy pig, fowl cock, Bun eating, bag and dog races and Gymnastics among others. There are also flat races involving the top athletics clubs in Berbice. There is an impressive lineup of horseracing listed for the day which includes - events for horses classified H and Lower over 6 ½ Furlongs for a winning purse of $200,000. Other events will be for horses classified J and Lower, three Years old Guyana Bred non winners, K and Lower, L and Lower, L class non winners. In an effort to involve every one he organisers have included two special events. The first is for the horses classified J, K and L that participated during the day but did not win or place. The other event is for horses that would have never raced on a race track in Guyana or the Cow or Cart horses. The starting gates will be in place. For more information persons are asked to call organiser Sha’veh on telephone numbers 604-4195 or 671-3343 or Gingo Jagdeo on 618-7278. (Samuel Whyte)