Kaieteur News

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BaiShanLin has NEWS absolutely no presence in Guyana - Trotman

Friday Edition

AIETEUR

January 26, 2018 - Vol. 20 No. 4

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Govt. has no intention to review - Minister agreement with Exxon Trotman Security forces probe illegal road to Venezuela - presence of foreign 'Sindicato' gangs in hinterland

Mounties!

These Mounted Branch cops in Lethem, Region 9, near the Brazil border, have been making their presence felt.

Media walk out of GDF Officers' Conference - GPA chides Army

Army to undergo Brazil escapee 'significant sent restructuring' captured back to within days at Lethem homeland NUMBER PLATE RACKET!!!

Crashed vehicles will be taken off records - GRA, Insurance Companies to start consultations this year

PAGE 5

Kaieteur News

Friday January 26, 2018

The police can stop and search Give the sugar estates to the sugar DEAR EDITOR I refer to a recent letter in the press by M. Abraham under the caption, “A random stop and search by the police on the Linden to Lethem road.” The writer referred to a “random stop and search” he encountered about 40 miles from Linden by a group of four heavily armed police ranks on an ATV. He questioned whether the search was a lawful one, taking into consideration all of the factors which the Guyana Police Force outlined as necessary before conducting a stop and search.

I heard and read a lot of piffle that searches should be conducted near to a police station or outpost or at a check point manned by a senior police officer attired in uniform.

Let me be pellucid. I hold no brief for the GPF. However, as a retired senior police officer I still have an abiding interest in law enforcement. I want the police at all times to deliver the highest quality of service to the citizens of Guyana they swore to serve and protect. Hence, my regular letters to the press.

Here is the law that deals with the police power to stop, search or detain aircraft, vessels, vehicles or persons in certain circumstances as outlined in section 18 of the Police Act Chapter 16: 01: “ Any member of the Force may stop, search and detain any aircraft, vessel or vehicle in upon which there shall be reason to suspect that anything stolen or unlawfully obtained, or that any person suspected of having commit-

UG must be commended DEAR EDITOR, The University of Guyana must be commended for its decision to set up a broadbased Committee to plan activities in honour of former President of Guyana, the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan.

This is indeed a timely and fitting gesture for someone who was instrumental in the establishment of the University of Guyana. It is a known fact the University of Guyana which was established in 1963 was the brainchild of Dr. Jagan who, despite the odds, was successful in setting up the Univer-

sity.

Today, the University stands as living testimony to the visionary qualities of Dr. Jagan who was passionate about the sustainable growth and development of Guyana.

This year marks 100 years since the birth of Dr. Jagan and to commemorate this historic milestone several activities are planned by the PPP, of which he was a founding member, and the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre which was established to preserve and promote his great legacy.

Hydar Ally

Negotiating for adequate ...

From page 04 representing employees in the Public Service, University of Guyana, the Teaching Service and other public agencies, are challenged to reopen negotiations with a minimum of 50% increase across the board with appropriate adjustments to correct any anomalies and retroactive to June 2015 when the politicians were handsomely rewarded, and motivated to sing lustily for their supper at every opportunity or contrived opportunity. This would be keeping with standards set by the government for political public officers.

Our trades Unions can do better than the government's

negotiators of inexperienced ministers, who claim to be big time negotiators who accepted and sign a deal that gives crumbs falling from XXON Mobil's table to this nation. Shame at the Government's secret negotiators who gave away, cheaply, our natural resources for exploitation; and consequently the exploitation of our country and people.

With thanks, Joshua Singh

ted any indictable offence, may be found; and he may also stop search and detain any person who may be reasonably suspected of having or conveying in any manner anything stolen or unlawfully obtained. “ I do not have all the facts in relation to the matter under review. I am not au fait with the police side of the story.

Therefore, i cannot pronounce on whether or not the police were right or wrong in conducting the stop and search operations. Also l am not certain if smoking in public is now illegal.

I have not read the relevant law.

I hope that my missive will be able to clear up some questions raised by the writer or it may even promote some more debate on the topic.

It depends on the interpretation of the law and the standard operational procedure the police have in place to enforce the legislation. Did l hear someone say that the law is an ass.

Yours faithfully Clinton Conway Assistant Commissioner Of Police (Retired)

workers DEAR EDITOR, GAWU should fight for the sugar estates to remain open so the redundant sugar workers can still earn a living on them. These workers should be given 10 acres of these lands where they can cultivate cash and other crops.

They can even plant cane and sell it to other estates.

Others can cultivate rice on it.

There is a big demand for water and dry coconuts.

These lands are well laid out for the cultivation of nuts. I worked at Wales estates and I know how the lands are situated in beds.

Lots of plantains, citrus and vegetables pines can grow there.

This land is suitable for the cultivation of paddy; the infrastructures are already in place. It has bountiful black water to grow the crops, there are checks in place to irrigate the water from panel to panel, the dams are in good condition.

The rice crops will grow well on this land and will be free from paddy bugs and weeds, the yield will be excel-

lent because the land will for the first time be growing rice.

I foresee farmers can reap 60 bags per acre.

Combines will have easy access reaping the crops once the land is dried properly. I see no difficulty in this because the lands are level and the water will drain off easily.

There should be block planting so each farmer can have water into his field, when block is finished irrigating the water should release to the other block, this can rotate during the bearing stage so every field can have enough water to grow it out.

With block planting there are hardly any insects or paddy bugs to affect the grain of the paddy. There is also an advantage, during the harvesting time all the paddy won’t ripe at the same time so the millers can buy and dry it in time.

They can take in the paddy without any difficulty and it won’t spoil. The rice extension officers can teach the cane farmers when they are allocated the lands, how to cultivate their paddy. Where the coconuts are concerned we have a big market for both in Trinidad and other countries. They can bring more for-

eign currency into the country. A young coconut palm will take three to five years to bear and it will be there all the time bearing.

Plantains also have markets overseas, so my advice is to integrate these sugar workers into the sugar industry and don’t close it down entirely, find jobs for theses retrenched workers so they can earn a living and take care of their families. This will make their life easy once more because they won’t have to be job hunting.

The severance pay will look big now but in a couple of days’ time it will finish. If you give the sugar workers a piece of land they can always hand it over to their families when they get old and they will have something in their names.

Yours faithfully, Mohamed Khan.

PAGE 6

Kaieteur News

Friday January 26, 2018

A campaign against Guyana’s agricultural policy has been decided by fate Komal Chand DEAR EDITOR, I checked all four of yest e r d a y ’s p a p e r s b u t only found it in th e Guyana Times. I am referring to an article, clearly planted by people who want Komal Chand to go.

The article said that it is time for the union president to demit office.

To observers of the Guyana political scene like me, it appears that Chand is being punished for not only attending a big sugar meeting with President Granger and his team last week, but for also praising the way the meeting went and the results that apparently flowed from it.

If I recall correctly, agreement was reached with government and the union to give a few hundred workers their full 100 percent severance payment. Others will be paid over time.

It appears that the PPP was not yet ready to abandon Guysuco as a political horse that it could flog to death so the relatively good package of news that government delivered to Chand and the GAWU was not of the type that the PPP wanted to hear at this time.

Therefore, it is no surprise then, that the Times headline screamed that “sugar workers

call for Komal Chand to resign.”

By now, Mr. Chand should be wise to what is really up with this article that attacks him and who might be the intellectual authors hiding behind a series of anonymous quotes and interviews with alleged sugar workers.

No other paper has seen it fit and proper as yet to carry a story along the lines of the one in the Times, but the long serving union boss should by now be aiming his thoughts to colleagues at Freedom House who are clearly unhappy with him engaging government on sugar and severance payments.

This is so because, maybe for the first time, since the fiasco with the Wales Estate closure and subsequent retrenchments, that government emerged from this with a red rose in its hand rather than the dirty end of a stick.

Mr. Chand should be well aware who are the people of power and influence at the Times.

He should be thinking that this could be the beginning of a campaign from the inside to get him out of union leadership going forward. .

Peter Joseph

GREETINGS EDITOR, We are at a time in our national history when mistrust of the responsiveness of Government will have reached a critical point - a point at which an increasing number of Guyanese feel denied and even robbed of the power to influence public policy.

This mood is not the prerogative of any group or class, and it can be a good and healthy thing if those in Government will listen.

But if no one will listen, this lack of communication causes frustration and fear which can lead to hate. Fear leads to hate, and hate leads to violence.

We want renewed assurance that we have some control over our physical assets, our patrimony and our spiritual destiny.

We want to know that the important decisions affecting our lives, and our very existence, will not be made by any anonymous others in power who may have no suitable consideration for our wishes. The public requires a larger role in the direction of its fate.

In this time of great opportunity Guyana needs great leadership. We need fearless men and women to unite us and lead us.

We n e e d a t r u l y n a tional approach to Government, and we must have people in Government who will possess the courage to accept responsibility for planning and implementing that will lift us as a nation.

The Government must be

visionary in nature and be prepared to provide for citizens the physical things only caring Governments can endeavour to do.

A tragedy of insufferable proportion seems to be unfolding in our history as a former colony of Europe- in our case Britain; in light of the sugar industry facing miniaturisation, and the need to transition sugar to meet the demands of the present time of severe unemployment, under-employment, vast number of young people looking for a way out of their predicament.

Guarding other people’s properties has now become a major source of employment. .The proposal of diversification from sugar has been in the news since 1974, when European Community made it clear to the African-PacificCaribbean countries that preferential market and prices would end in given time. Few countries of the ACP took this truth as policy, and embarked on their own diversification..

Guyana began a diversification through the State Corporation, Guysuco, and the results have not been kept as a secret.

Yet this same Guysuco is operating as if it has done Guyana a favour by bringing

sugar to insolvency.

The successive Boards of Directors failed to meet the challenges of an enterprise going downhill.

We have discussed in KN columns the corruption at Guysuco.

The squandering of European Union billions of dollars provided for diversification purposes is yet to be explained. Where has all that money gone? Will the EU representatives in Georgetown tell their tax-payers where their tax Euros were spent in Guyana..

The huge cut in the export price for our sugar was forewarned. The EU money was meant to off-set the harshness of sugar’s demise.

We may run out of space providing for readers the misdeeds of previous Government.

The trade unions operated as if sugar was still owned by Bookers and Sandbach Parker. At present, our sugar workers are fighting over severance pay.

We have written numerous letters to the press and to Government officials who do not acknowledge letters, but we see evidence of ideas we promoted becoming public property.

The sugar lands must not be sold to anyone, but given to former sugar workers, and

we now promote the idea that such land be given to the descendants of the enslaved who created all the present sugar lands from jungle.

As we have said in other articles all lands in Guyana that bear Dutch, French or English names were created for agriculture, whether the crop was cotton, coffee, indigo or whatever other crops the European Slaves chose to cultivate through enslaved labour.

National Farmers Organization wishes to establish Guyana as a nation of small farmers, because small farmers grow seventy percent of the planet’s food on thirty percent of the world’s lands.

Transitioning sugar lands to create jobs for the rural population in light of the need to find work for citizens of the country offers a good chance that Guyana is on its way to becoming a sizable food basket.

The 21st century economy for Guyana has been decided by policy and fate, to be one which will be based on both a green and agricultural economy. We have all the resources; land, water, sunshine and able persons fit to be farmers.

Hafiz Rahman National Farmers Organization.

Identify unjustified criticisms DEAR EDITOR, I thank Mr Johann Earle, the Public Affairs and Communications Officer, of the Ministry of Natural Re-

sources, for acknowledging my letter.

Mr Earle’s letter states that not all criticisms are ‘justifiable’. I invite the Minister of Natural Resources to publish a list of all of the ‘criticisms’ in my letter which he beli e v e s are not ‘justifiable.’

As the attention of

‘the entire Government o f t h e C o o p e r a t i v e Republic of Guyana Cabinet’ is ap p a r e n t l y n o w e n gaged on this oil debacle I look forward to receiving answers to the questions that I raised in my letter.

Yours sincerely, Melinda Janki

Friday January 26, 2018

PAGE 7

Kaieteur News

GRA tackling more than 80% of weaknesses identified by IMF - Statia

By Kiana Wilburg The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently identified a number of weaknesses which exist within the tax systems of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

But the entity’s Commissioner-General, Godfrey Statia, was pleased to report yesterday that more than 80 percent of those issues are being tackled. He noted, however, that sweeping changes will not happen overnight.

Statia said that it can take up to three years for GRA to smooth out the kinks in its systems.

During a press conference yesterday, Statia noted that it was GRA that invited the IMF to visit the authority and conduct an assessment of its systems. The tax boss said he told the team that GRA is not interested in sugar-coated words. He wanted the IMF team to be as outspoken as they could about the challenges facing the revenue authority.

In its report of May 2017, the IMF outlined GRA’s main strengths and weaknesses.

The strengths included: a highly qualified cadre of staff, extensive information available to taxpayers through a variety of channels, withholding and advance payment mechanism in place, independent graduated dispute resolution mechanism and strong external oversight mechanisms.

The weaknesses highlighted were: no-segment based management of taxpayers, functional limitations of the IT system, Limited etransaction system, lack of strategic and structured risk management approach, weak filing and payment compliance, de-centralized audit

GRA CommissionerGeneral, Godfrey Statia case selection process, absence of legislative tax rulings system and compliance improvement programme limited in scope and content.

Upon the receipt of the said report, the Commissioner-General said that a further request was made that another study be done to advise GRA on the next steps in modernizing the Authority.

Statia said that this assessment was done in September 2017, a draft submitted in October, and a final report done in December.

The Commissioner-General said, “Suffice to say that many of the recommendations made by the team were either already work-in-progress, or envisaged to be implemented during 2018 and beyond.

The major recommendations of that assessment for January 2018 include: Produce monthly statements of total arrears and collectible arrears to inform debt management activities. Refocus and strengthen risk management by having a risk management unit gather and analyze information; and set and monitor selectivity criteria.

Also, ensure the GRA’s

structure, capacity, capabilities, treatment, products and evaluation framework are focused initially for the large taxpayer segment.”

He continued, “In 2007, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) also did a diagnostic study for the Authority which was sitting on the shelves, and never implemented. In 2017, upon a visit to Guyana, a PWC partner and a former colleague from the Trinidad and Tobago Internal Revenue, was on the team, and I was able to persuade her for PWC to do an update of the diagnostic study part with cost to GRA.” Statia added, “This was completed in July 2017, and its findings were similar to those outlined in the IMF report.

What stood out in their report, however, is the fact that GRA appears to be consistently under-budgeting revenue collection. GRA is aware that the tax base is larger than the tax collections, but under-budgeting masks the accountability of bringing the taxpayer base closer to reality by increasing taxpayer compliance or reducing tax avoidance or evasion.”

The Chartered Accountant also reminded that one of the leading causes of GRA’s problems or weaknesses is its poor IT system.

TRIPS For almost 10 years, the GRA failed to implement critical parts of an IT system. The consequences of the entity’s actions in this regard only contributed to billions in revenue leakages and even rampant corruption.

Statia explained that the IT system referred to as, the Total Revenue Integrated Processing System (TRIPS), was intended to merge all departments by having a common

database where all tax records could be scanned or entered into the system and found when needed. It was introduced with the aim of boosting efficiency in the assessment, collection and accounting for revenue.

TRIPS comprises two core applications: Taxes and Customs, which share information with each other and each application encompasses a total of 13 modules.

The Customs Modules include; Lodgment; Data Entry; Goods Inspection/Enforcement, Valuation and Document Check, Risk Profiling, Cashiering, Release, Remissions, and Warehouse.

The Tax Modules include; Taxpayer Identification, Tax, Accounting, Audit, Reports/ Notices/Certificates.

Statia noted, however, that since all of the modules were not implemented, the “TRIPS system was just tripping.”

The Commissioner-General said that the Authority had been trying to implement TRIPS completely since 2007.

He said disappointingly, that the entity spent over US$4M on the IT system and it is still not up to date.

Furthermore, the Tax chief said that the failure to implement all of the modules affected the entity to a large extent.

He explained, “In the

olden days, it used to be a manual system and it worked up to a particular point. So you know for sure that if TRIPS is in place, the IT system would help you to do a lot of these things.

If you have the right IT software, half of your work is completed. You would be able to do proper audits and these things, and at the touch of a button you would be able to recognize what is wrong and what is right; whether a taxpayer has complied…”

Statia continued, “Unfortunately, you can’t do that with the present system, and that has gone on for the last 10 years. That was probably one of the reasons why the GRA has been in such decay…it was in a state of decay.”

He added, “What I did now is instead of them using an entire TRIPS, I said, ‘No. concentrate on the internal revenue modules.’ And we are going to go to the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA). That is what we are doing.”

Statia said that the ASYCUDA system will cost

close to US$3M. As for TRIPS, he sought to stress that “We must get something out of what we have paid for, so while we are moving to ASYCUDA for customs, we will keep (aspects of) TRIPS... In that way we would be able to turn up certain things faster. For instance, we expect that people must be able to E-file their tax returns for 2018…”

Statia added, “If TRIPS used to work you could have been doing all your applications online. So you could have applied for your compliance online… but in the absence of that, we will be exploring other things in its place.”

Additionally, Statia had updated the media on the ASYCUDA system stating that Cabinet has already given approval for the funds. The new programme is slated for implementation in a month or two.

“So with that new system you will reduce collusion and under-invoicing and you would get a smooth system,” the Commissioner-General said.

PAGE 8

Minister defends stewardship of gold sector - Way paved for 800,000 ounces this year Government has defended its stewardship of the gold mining sector, yesterday announcing an 800,000 ounces target for this year.

During a review of the Ministry of Natural Resource work last year, Minister Raphael Trotman had pointed to a number of major decisions and opportunities that arose last year for gold - despite lower declarations, more earnings were made.

At the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) level, that entity was able to slash its deficit from $18B to $6B. That deficit was racked up starting around 2012 after the entity was left holding on to gold when world prices fell, creating significant losses.

The minister was responding to questions that gold sector did badly. Not so, Trotman insisted.

Foreign currency revenues were higher than the year before although declarations were lower by almost 50,000 ounces. This was mainly due to the higher prices on the world market in 2017.

The Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, has accused Trotman of not managing the sector properly.

According to the minister, the indicators of the sector’s rebound are on records.

With new mining lands for syndicates, the opening up of new roads and the fact that the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has taken it upon itself to handle a number of repairs of mining roads, these are all paving the way for an unprecedented 800,000 ounces to be met this year.

Friday January 26, 2018

Kaieteur News

GGMC will be conducting emergency repairs to hinterland mining roads, amid complaints

From over 700,000 ounces in a record-breaking year in 2016, declarations fell to 653,754 ounces last year.

For the Gold Board, the revenues from its sales overseas was a heartening US$241M, from 193,000 ounces compared to 226,000 ounces in 2016.

The miners did their part, with the gold dealers also chipping in.

In fact, gold dealers El Dorado Trading led the way, with Mohamed’s Trading fol-

lowing closely with declarations.

A number of decisions were taken that bode well for the sector this year. These include a reduction of new Gold Board fees, amnesty for property holders, a reduction of Gold Board operations, new lands for mining syndicates, the opening up of new roads in the backdam area for miners and a reduction in Tributors Tax. Some $2B has been allocated by GGMC for work on

hinterland roads and bridges, a main issue of concern, which had caused problems with declarations in the past, the officials explained.

According to Trotman, Jagdeo should explain where he got his figures from, especially as Guyana earned more foreign exchange from gold last year, and with Gold Board managing to slash its deficits.

Jagdeo, the minister insisted, has a penchant for twisting the truth and making outlandish statements.

BaiShanLin has absolutely no presence in Guyana BaiShanLin Forest Development Inc. is no longer operating in Guyana. This is according to Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman. The Minister made the assertion during a brief interview following a press conference the Ministry hosted yesterday.

During the press conference, Trotman said that there has been some good news in the forestry sector. He announced that there has been a revised production rate for logging and it is now at the 345,000m3.

When Trotman made his contributions to the 2018 National Budget Debates, he said that in 2017, the forest sector faced several challenges inclusive of a lower domestic demand, lower prices for tropical timber products and a general contracting of international markets.

Trotman said that in spite of these challenges the 2017 production levels and exports were expected to be approximately 320,000m3 and US$40M respectively.

The revised production as announced by Trotman yesterday will mean more revenues for the sector. Trotman even said that the revised production levels can increase the economic growth for 2017. Also, the Minister said that figures of production are still being compiled by the GFC and in the end they can be higher.

Speaking more about forestry after the press conference, Trotman said that he continues to see overall im-

- Trotman provements. He said that Guyana has received a “very good” report on monitoring and verification from the Kingdom of Norway. Asked about BaiShanLin, the Minister said, “We are not aware that BaiShanLin has any operations ongoing.” Early last year, the Chinese Development Bank (CDB) asked Guyana not to give out lands once held by BaiShanLin. The total size of the concession lands held by BaiShanLin amounted to 680,000 hectares, including joint ventures. The five joint ventures that BaiShanLin had illegally entered into with local companies were also revoked and the lands seized.

Last year, Trotman said that the government was left with little choice than to act sternly with BaiShanLin since in addition to the national outcry over some of the company’s practices; it had also racked up debts for which it could not pay. “We could not allow a company to remain active in a forest and not be paying royalties and fees for the concessions.” Yesterday, Trotman said that the lands seized from BaiShanLin still have not been given out, “but BaiShanLin has ceased operations in Guyana.”

Asked if the company has any intention to return to Guyana and resume operations, Trotman said, “I can’t speak for them and their future plans.”

Friday January 26, 2018

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

Was this a backdoor deal?

Reading the tax concessions granted to Exxon Mobil will bring tears to your eyes.

It is an indictment against an administration that railed against the previous government, and in total opposition to what it indicated when it got into office.

One of the first things that the government did was to cap benefits paid to the former President, indicating that it did not agree to uncapped benefits. It also expressed concern about the uncapped concessions granted to companies.

Yet, it is the same government which has handed Exxon Mobil tax concessions that are deductible from government’s share of profit oil. This effectively shortchanges workers who should be benefitting from the taxes to be paid by Exxon.

The government was expected to have driven a stronger bargain when it came to taxes. It was not expected to be that generous.

The Minister of Finance announced that upon assuming office, he found a tax system that was so characterized by high rates that it led to innumerable requests for tax exemptions and concessions.

The value of those concessions alone totaled $55 billion,

in 2014. (See Kaieteur News article captioned “GRA must tighten up on monitoring of concessions”, of January 10, 2016.

According to the Minister, “In short, the system is broken and we must fix it in a comprehensive manner – one that results in a transparent and predictable tax system that rewards effort, promotes investment, improves our national competitiveness, and removes distortions between and across sectors.”

In wrapping up the Budget debates in 2017, the Minister of Finance is quoted as saying that “I want a tax code that is uniformed and uniformly applied.” The granting of waivers and concessions were said to have weakened the tax system.

Against this background of concerns over the volume and value of tax concessions and waivers granted to companies, and in the context of the expressed desire to see a more uniformly applied tax code, it was expected that the government would have taken urgent steps to cap openended concessions to companies.

The contract signed between Exxon and the government, however, nails any such intentions. The tax conces-

sions granted to Exxon are not only open-ended but they are a public scandal.

The agreement provides that except in certain specified instances, no tax, valueadded tax, excise tax, duties and fees shall be levied against Exxon with respect to income derived from its petroleum operations or with respect to any property held or transactions undertaken. This proviso effectively hands Exxon a tax holiday in relation to its petroleum operations.

Article 15.2, however, subjects Exxon to comply with the income tax laws. It obligates the company to file returns, assessment of taxes and to keep and show books and records.

The “killer” proviso is, however, Article 15.4. Under this proviso, the Minister, meaning the Minister of Natural Resources, agrees that a sum equivalent to the tax assessed will be paid to the GRA on behalf of Exxon and that the amount of such sum would be considered as income to the contractor. In other words, instead of Exxon paying income tax, the Guyanese taxpayers will have to foot this amount out of profit oil.

How can any government have approved such a con-

GRA records 14% increase in revenue collection for 2017 The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has reported a 14 percent increase in its revenue collection for 2017 - an estimated $20B more than what it had garnered at the end of 2016.

The tax revenue body raked in some $170B and according to CommissionerGeneral Godfrey Statia, the collection of new taxes and going after tax defaulters have significantly contributed to this success.

The major revenue areas were collected from arrears which amounted to some $4B alone. “We have been targeting persons who owe us and have not been paying, so arrears collection has increased.

It is a sizeable amount,” Statia told the media at the entity’s first press briefing yesterday.

According to the Commissioner-General, the collection of some taxes that were not previously collected also contributed to the increases.

He spoke to the withholding tax for non-residence that ought to be taken out. That tax brought in some $3B. Meanwhile, while there have been successes in this regard in 2017, there remain instances of tax defaulters continuing to forge the system. According to the Com-

missioner, if the top 10,000 taxpayers pay their correct tax, that base would be widened to reduce taxes for the rest of the populace. He explained that 60 percent of the revenues are based on just 300 taxpayers. Those include corporate tax and a few individual taxpayers.

“And those that are individual taxpayers, are persons who just because of the rate differential have elected to remove themselves from the corporate person into an individual person,” Statia said.

He reminded that corporate taxation with commercial entities is 40 percent and 45 percent for telephone companies.

“As long as we get those persons doing what they supposed to be doing, I am sure taxes will be improved,” he

said. The Commissioner-General said most of the plans for 2017 are up and running.

These include the large taxpayers’ unit.

Back in 2016, some six months after taking up the post, the Commissioner-General said the entity would be concentrating its efforts on persons who have not been paying their taxes.

“We all know that if everybody pays their fair share of taxation, once you widen the tax base, tax rates will reduce, “the commissioner had said then. According to him, many persons had been “falling through the cracks” because of the issues with the entity’s Information Technology Programme. Today, he said, the GRA has been working steadily at addressing that issue.

cession? Would it not have been better to have gone to the National Assembly and announced that Exxon would not be paying a blind cent in taxes?

We are subjecting Exxon to the income tax laws of Guyana. We are compelling them to file returns and assessments. Yet, it is the taxpayers of Guyana who will

have to pay these taxes from government’s share of profit oil. In other words, instead of this portion coming to taxpayers, it will be written off against the company’s tax liabilities.

It is incomprehensible that the present Cabinet could have approved such an agreement. It is time for someone to level with the Guyanese

people and confirm what is suspected: this agreement did not have the blessings of the full Cabinet. It was a backdoor deal. Was it?

Friday January 26, 2018

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

PAGE 12

Friday January 26, 2018

Kaieteur News

Security forces probe Army to undergo 'significant... illegal road to Venezuela - presence of foreign ‘Sindicato’ gangs in hinterland

The crowd that gathered in Lethem, Region Nine, earlier this week after a robbery on a businessman by Brazilians.

Government has confirmed that it is investigating the extent of organized crime from neighbouring countries in the country’s hinterland area. This was after a reported beheading of a man, said to be Guyanese, in Venezuela.

Recently there have been complaints of Brazilians and Venezuelans entering Guyana, robbing them and

even demanding money from persons traversing some waterways.

Yesterday, during a press conference, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, disclosed that the matter of organised gangs is actively engaging the National Security Committee, which comprises high level government and security officials.

In fact, Trotman disclosed, the committee recently received a complaint of a road being constructed, leading to the Venezuela border. Together with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and the army, a number of measures were taken to investigate this new “artery”, Trotman said.

There are concerns by the (Continued on page 27)

From page 3 others; correct conduct; and appropriate social behaviour.”

Service in the Corps will expose young Guyanese to the country's distinctive landscapes and diverse cultures.

The Corps will develop their leadership skills and teamwork and prepare youths for citizenship,” he said.

Additionally, the President said that the reinforcement of the Force's high command, which started with the restoration of the appointments of Adjutant General, Inspector General, Quartermaster General (QMG) and Commandant of the Guyana People's Militia, have allowed dedicated superior officers to pay undivided attention to personnel and soldiers' morale, the improvement of soldiers' living conditions, a high state of operational readiness and interoperability with fraternal Caribbean defence forces and the mobilisation and training of reserve personnel.

“The Force is being brought up to its authorised strength to allow it to be deployed to any part of the country, in any weather or terrain and at short notice. The 'reserve force' – the Guyana People's Militia – is being rebuilt in every administrative region.

The Militia is an essential arm of the Regional system.

Each regional capital town will have its own unit, eventually, to enable to respond more promptly to render assistance to residents in the event of emergencies.

The Force is the premier agency charged with responsibility to protect our homeland against the new security threats such as environmental degradation, flooding and drought. The Force is being readied to support the Government's law-enforcement efforts to combat trafficking in illegal weapons and narcotics and transnational terrorism. The Force will support, also, green initiatives aimed at reducing its carbon footprint,' he said.

The Head of State said that the changes are in keeping with the Force's responsi-

bility for the protection of this country's patrimony.

The President noted that it was recognised that the Force faces numerous challenges in safeguarding the national territory including airspace, borders, marine resources and rivers and as such, Government is working to ensure that these are addressed.

“The vast areas, long distances and small aviation and maritime fleets available to our Air Corps and Coast Guard, respectively, limit our ability to effectively control our air and maritime zones. The Essequibo River, our largest river, does not have a single bridge. The Rupununi, our largest region, does not have a single highway.

Access to nearly seventyfive percent of our country which is covered with forests is difficult, a situation compounded by inadequate infrastructure – such as aerodromes, bridges, highways and stellings. Infrastructural development is a top national priority.

The Force's technical corps must be strengthened to allow it to contribute effectively to national development and to execute its mandate of protecting the territory and preventing transnational crime.

National defence is inseparable from national development. Public infrastructure enables public security by guaranteeing safety for our citizens and providing comfort for investors and visitors,” the President noted.

Meanwhile, President Granger said that the Government, ever mindful of its duty to secure territorial integrity and sovereignty, has been engaged in various, vigorous diplomatic initiatives over the past 32 months.

“These efforts have been all aimed at reaching a peaceful resolution to the territorial controversy which arose out of the contention by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela that the arbitral award of October 1899, by which Guyana's borders were formally delimited under international law, was null.

Guyana is still engaged in a renewed Good Offices process, but we remain confident that the process will eventuate in a juridical settlement of this controversy – one that has stymied the development of our state since Independence.

The Force has embarked on a programme of long-range patrols aimed at re-affirming our national territorial borders – from Punta Playa to the Kutari and from Ankoko to Orealla,” he said.

President Granger told the officers that as the country forges ahead with the pursuit of a 'green' agenda, the Force is being improved continuously to give effect to the principle of total national defence.

This, he said, will see the workload of the Force vastly increasing as it readies itself to respond to emerging security threats, fortify its border presence, increase its contribution to national production and pursue enlightened policies of social cohesion and defence diplomacy.

“The Force, this year, has an opportunity to take decisions to accelerate the transformation process and hasten its plans to continue to rebuild the reserves; re-establish the Cadet Corps; re-tool the technical Corps; reinforce border security and replenish and renew the Force's contribution to economic development,” he said.

Meanwhile, Brigadier Patrick West, in his presentation said that despite the challenges in 2017, the GDF remains resolute in its mandate.

The Chief of Staff said that as the Force begins its planning for 2018, it will be moving to improve its capabilities and capacity for the continued security of Guyana's borders and its citizens.

Yesterday's opening ceremony of the two-day conference also saw the attendance of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon, Minister of Public Security, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan and Minister of Finance, Mr. Winston Jordan.Army to undergo 'significant restructuring' within days

Friday January 26, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Govt. still to decide on utilising excess natural gas from Exxon Minister for Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman said yesterday that the Government has not finalized whether to use the excess natural gas which will be available from United States oil giant ExxonMobil’s operations off the coast.

There are several studies being explored that involve laying a pipeline from the oil field to shore, with a portion used to generate electricity.

Studies are also being done to examine the use of other natural gas byproducts.

“Government has said it wants to explore the use of that gas and that we will not be paying for it,” Trotman stated. He explained that the administration has to decide how they are going to raise money to generate and spread that generation across the country.

“That is how it is going to be done if we do decide to proceed, because we have not made a decision to use the gas at all,” the Minister stated.

Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson, has taken the lead on natural gas

plans. He stated that ExxonMobil will not be involved in the entire process of Guyana’s natural gas production.

At this stage, only liquid petroleum gas (LPG) is being seriously considered, but there are other possibilities, which include urea and methanol.

Several companies have expressed interest in executing the government’s plan of using natural gas to generate electricity. At the moment, Government has engaged only Exxon on the pipeline plans. “Exxon will not be involved in the entire chain. If any involvement, most likely it will stop at the pipeline to shore,” Patterson told Kaieteur News.

According to Patterson, all options including PublicPrivate Partnerships are being considered for natural gas.

ExxonMobil and its partners will start oil production in another two years’ time. It is estimated that the natural gas to be produced daily is 30-50 million cubic feet.

ExxonMobil officials have

The floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel which will utilise some of the natural gas for production.

told Kaieteur News that most of the associated gas will be used for re-injection to maintain pressure in the reservoir to increase production of oil.

Government is also considering an industrial park at the onshore location of the natural gas pipeline.

A final location to land the pipeline has not been determined. Sites under consideration include Regions Three and Four and Six. Earlier this month, ExxonMobil announced the largest oil find to date in the Stabroek block, making it the sixth discovery

offshore Guyana since 2015.

The new discovery pushes the estimated amount of oil past 3.2B barrels found so far in the Stabroek block.

Under the Petroleum Agreement between Government, Exxon and its partners, it is stipulated that a plan of utilization of associated gas shall be included in the development plan for each oil field.

If there is excess gas in the oil field after utilization, Exxon and its partners are mandated to carry out a feasibility study regarding the utilization of the excess gas.

The study is to be included in the development plan of the oil field or be completed no later than five years following the submission of the development plan.

Exxon and its partners are not required to make further investments in the excess associated gas, but the Government and the oil companies are allowed to carry out friendly negotiations in a timely manner to find a new solution to the utilization of the excess associated gas and reach an agreement in writing.

It points out that Exxon

and its partners have the right, but not the obligation, to process natural gas for conversion to liquids, chemicals or similar gas utilization.

The agreement also gives Exxon and its partners the right to liquify the natural gas for sale as LNG and compressed natural gas (CNG).

Further, under the agreement, the companies are expected to pursue markets both within and outside Guyana and seek to market natural gas to the highest realization outlets after deduction of transportation costs.

Govt. supportive of toll-free suicide hotline Government is not opposed to the introduction of a toll-free suicide helpline. But according to Minister of Public Security, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, while a move in this direction would be tactical, Government is currently not in the best of positions to independently fast-track its implementation.

But according to Ramjattan, he is willing to throw any possible support behind individuals or organisations willing to bring such an initiative to fruition.

He however noted, “The first step is to know who is behind such an idea, because I would want to know if they have good or bad intentions. There are some people who might want it for their own profiteering purpose,” Minister Ramjattan speculated.

Ramjattan’s remarks came on the heels of recent calls for the implementation of a tollfree suicide helpline from The Caribbean Voice. But advocacy in this regard is not novel, as the non-governmental organisation [NGO] has been agitating for some time for its realisation.

Recognising the Caribbean Voice as a credible NGO, the Public Security Minister said that he is ready and willing to lend support wherever possible.

“I would support Caribbean Voice, they have done some work in Guyana, but I want to see them going down

- ready to throw support behind advocating NGO

The Caribbean Voice, Guyana Coordinator, Mr. Nazim Hussain on the ground doing much more work.”

He added, “A lot of the time NGOs ask for government support and financing and all of that, but I am sure you will appreciate that financing is not available for all of these NGOs. We would love to have the NGOs supported, but the Ministry of Finance is not in the best shape, especially in the context of the sugar industry.”

Although inhibited by its present financial ability, Ramjattan said, “I will give them as much support as possible from the Ministry of Public Security.” He moreover suggested that the Caribbean Voice should seek to accumulate resources from within the Diaspora or wherever possible and “we certainly will help them set up whatever platform, the 203 hotline [help-

ing], and things like that.”

According to Ramjattan, he has already been in discussion with the local representative of Caribbean Voice on the issue.

“I think I have done some emails to the extent that yes I would like that to happen along with some other things...so the financing of these things would have to be forthcoming from them too, in view of the difficult economic and financial circumstances that we have.”

Speaking on the issue recently, Coordinator of the Guyana Chapter of The Caribbean Voice, Mr. Nazim Hussain, said “It is high time that moves are made to introduce a toll-free suicide helpline to the Guyanese public.”

According to Hussain, the Caribbean Voice has long been advocating in this regard. Even as he recalled having a conversation sometime ago with Minister Ramjattan, Hussain said that he [Minister Ramjattan] was already agitating for such a measure to be in place.

Currently, the national suicide helplines are: 2230001, 223-0009, 600-7896, 6234444. Persons can also place WhatsApp calls to 623-4444 and 600-7896.

According to Hussain, such a measure is imperative, since a number of people who may be in need of professional help may at times not even have credit to make calls.

“They don’t have time to wonder if they have credit when they need help from a professional,” said Hussain, as he stressed the need for the toll-free service.

But realising this measure continues to be merely an idea.

According to Hussain, while Ramjattan has spoken of the need for such a measure to be in place, no definitive forward movement has been

Public Security Minister, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan introduced towards its implementation thus far.

“There is need for a suicide helpline,” Hussain emphasised, as he recalled how the issue was again brought to the fore when The

Caribbean Voice was among the Non Governmental Organisations invited to Parliament recently to make a presentation about the suicide situation in Guyana.

The Pan American Health Organisation-spearheaded event, Hussain said, saw the Caribbean Voice making representation for the toll free suicide hotline.

At that forum, Hussain recalled, senior government functionaries the likes of Minister within the Public Health Ministry, Dr. Karen Cummings, were in attendance, and were not opposed to it becoming a reality. According to Hussain, government could help to fast track putting in place the toll-free service by approaching the telephone companies and plotting the way forward.

PAGE 14

Granger again vows to bring killers of ‘Sash’ Sawh, others to justice President David Granger and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, yesterday, again expressed his intention to ensure a full investigation into the deaths of hundreds of Guyanese, including the former Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Satyadeow ‘Sash’ Sawh, during the period of ‘Troubles’.

In his address to the members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) at the opening ceremony of the Annual Officers’ Conference at Base Camp Ayanganna, the President said that his administration will ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

“Society has been scarred by violence, which left a lingering legacy of distrust with the potential of fresh disorder. Monuments at Bartica, Buxton and Eve Leary have been erected to the victims of violence during the ‘Troubles’ between 2002 and 2009. We still have an obligation to investigate those troubles and ensure that the culprits are brought to justice,” a DPI release quoted Granger as saying.

During most of the decade referred to by the Head of State, Guyana witnessed its most intense sustained wave of criminal violence since Independence. According to the

Friday January 26, 2018

Kaieteur News

President, there were 1,431 murders during that decade.

Speaking at the opening of the ‘Seminar on Tackling Domestic Abuse in Guyana’ on Monday last, President Granger said that the previous administration never bothered to account to the nation for the hundreds of lives lost through criminal violence.

“It refused even to conduct inquests into the assassinations of its own Minister of Agriculture at La Bonne Intention; of the Head of the Police Force’s Target Special Squad on the LindenSoesdyke Highway; of the Deputy Head of the Customs [Anti]-Narcotics Unit in Buxton and of the attempted assassination of the Director of Public Prosecution in Kitty.

It refused to conduct inquiries into the massacres in Agricola, Bagotstown-Eccles, Bartica, Bourda, Campbellville, Kitty, Lamaha Gardens, Lindo Creek, Lusignan and elsewhere. A generation of Guyanese – which was an unwilling witness to criminal violence – has now grown up. The agony, anger and alienation caused by violence against citizens, especially the innocent and the young still simmer. The crimes have not been explained. The memories have not been erased.”

Last week Thursday at the handing over ceremony of the Report of the Security Sector Reform Project (SSRP), the Head of State said that the ‘Troubles,’ no doubt, were the consequence of a high-level condonation of or complicity with, the rise of drug cartels and the importation of illegal narcotics and weapons.

These crimes, he said, brought an unprecedented wave of criminal violence into the country during the first decade of the century with the consequence being a bloody battle to extend drug empires and to eliminate anyone who resisted them.

While serving as Opposition Leader, Granger had called for a Commission of Inquiry (COI) into those criminal activities, which resulted in the loss of lives. In 2013, he took a motion before the National Assembly and called on the then People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Government to appoint the COI to probe criminal violence from 2004 to 2010.

He made specific mention of the former Agriculture Minister’s death as well as the Lusignan, Lindo Creek and Bartica massacres. The motion put forward by President Granger at the time was deferred on a number of occasions.

NUMBER PLATE RACKET!!!

Crashed vehicles will be taken off records - GRA, Insurance Companies to start consultations this year

The GRA is aiming to remove the number plates of crashed vehicles from its records The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is expected to meet with several insurance companies and the Commissioner of Police this year, in an effort to remove the number plates of crashed vehicles from its records. This is according to GRA’s Commissioner-General, Godfrey Statia.

The tax chief told Kaieteur News that ongoing efforts to identify unregistered vehicles smuggled in from Suriname, in collaboration with the Law Enforcement Investigation Department and Customs, will continue ad infinitum.

The Commissioner-General also expounded on this matter during a press conference yesterday.

Statia said that earlier this year, the revenue authority was examining the reasons why the registration of motor vehicles had reached a plateau. He noted that the au-

thority has a database of close to 280,000 vehicles. Statia noted also, that Guyana has a population of about 740,000.

Considering the two figures, he concluded that Guyana has one of the highest cars per person ratio in the world.

The tax chief said, “So you would recognize that at some point in time, you would reach a plateau. In looking for reasons why this occurred, you found that there were thousands of vehicles which were being imported from Suriname and Brazil and not going back, and instances where people were using old registration numbers and these things.”

He continued, “You found people were abusing the process and using fake vehicle numbers and fake diplomatic code numbers and these things….We have to work in line with the police on this.

We are now trying to get a

contractor to do our own vehicle number plating as is done overseas so as to minimize the fraud that is going on with these number plates.”

Statia added, “The other morning I saw DPL 5-101. Nowhere does the US embassy have 101 vehicles.

Three weeks ago, we found a vehicle in front of the Chinese embassy with a false (vehicle) number plate…So we need to understand the society we live in and the lengths people go to in order to not pay tax.”

The GRA boss said that the way forward will also have to include increased checks on warehouses and working along with the Guyana Police Force. With respect to the latter agency, Statia said that GRA has already requested information on vehicles that have been written-off.

He said, too, that efforts will have to include working along with the entity’s Surinamese counterparts for information on vehicles which have left the Dutch-speaking nation for Guyana but did not return.

Statia stressed that all vehicles, regardless of the industry they are being used in, must be registered. He insisted that practices to the contrary, rob the state of the requisite taxes.

He emphasized that the Authority will work feverishly towards bringing an end to this scheme.

(KIANA WILBURG)

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Kaieteur News

GRA takes over 30 private institutions to court over non-payment of tax Some 30 schools were last year taken to court for the non-payment of tax.

This was yesterday amplified by Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority [GRA], Mr. Godfrey Statia, during a press conference.

“I think I took about 30 of them [schools] to court last year for not filing their Pay as You Earn [PAYE]. They take out the tax from the teachers’ [salaries] and don’t pay it...In November every single educator, except about six persons, we took to court for non filing of their returns.”

When asked to comment on the institutions that have defaulted, Statia made it clear that “...it is a matter of court records, just go and check and see.”

The PAYE system is a method of paying income tax and national insurance [NIS] contributions. This system requires that the employer deducts the tax and NIS contributions from employees’ salaries of occupational pension before paying their wages or pension.

Statia’s remarks on this

state of affairs came even as he commented on the fact that although the Value Added Tax [VAT] was removed from education last year, the fees at private education institutions have not gone down.

“The tax on education has been removed but the fees haven’t gone down...the schools are collecting and not paying, and now that they don’t have to collect, they are still collecting,” Statia revealed yesterday.

In order to ensure that parents are well aware of this development, Statia said that the GRA will soon be disseminating a press release in which parents are asked to ensure that they are no longer required to pay VAT. Fourteen percent VAT on the education had attracted the ire of many factions of society, some of whom had even engaged protest action to retaliate its implementation.

Back in March of last year Government had announced that it was not prepared to remove its introduction of VAT on education despite it being the subject of protest action and a petition against it.

However, following a subsequent Ministerial meeting, Government indicated its willingness to possibly review the instituted VAT on private education. This reportedly led to Government agreeing to engage private educational institutions about fees and taxes.

In late November during his budget presentation, the Finance Minister told the House that ““In view of the representations made, I propose to remove the VAT on the provision of all educational services, with effect from January 1, 2018.”

According to information disseminated by Government last year, the majority of the 50-odd private educational institutions in operation had over the years failed to pay taxes. There was speculation even then, that Government would have been willing to waive the 14 percent VAT on the tuition fee if the private schools decided to comply with taxation laws.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Winston Jordan, had related that while Government was desirous of lowering the 14 percent VAT implemented by

the previous administration, it was forced to institute the VAT on education in order to widen the tax base. By so doing, he noted that Government was forced to tax items of goods and services that were not previously taxed.

The imposition of the VAT on private tuition fees, he said, fell on the payer [that is the parents of students attending these institutions] rather than the payee [the owners of the educational institution].

“The argument has been made, at least by Dr. Brian O’Toole [Director of School of the Nations], that some parents would not be able to afford it. Perhaps, this argument has some merit. But, is the solution the complete removal of the VAT or to find creative ways to overcome it?” Jordan had questioned.

In fact he’d asserted, “One such solution is the absorption of the 14 percent VAT by GT&T. Note carefully, in this case, that though it appears altruistic, the absorption merely represents a reduction in the payment of corporate taxes due by the telephone company.”

“A similar arrangement has been implemented by the CJIA, which has decided to absorb the VAT to be applied when parking at the airport.

In like manner, the private educational institutions may wish to consider similar approaches,” the Finance Minister had underscored in his deliberation on the VAT issue.

He had revealed that prior to amendments, educational materials were zero-rated, meaning that private school providers had to claim a refund of VAT imposed on a wide range of school supplies.

Now, all of these items have been moved to the Exempt Schedule, which means that no VAT is charged and none has to be refunded.

“Please note that the entire list of educational materials in the previous schedule has been retained in the new Schedule. This is important because there has been idle talk of geometry sets, dividers and textbooks, among others, now attracting VAT. This is totally false, as can be easily referenced from the Exempt List that was published on a number of occasions in all of the dailies,” Minister Jordan had made clear.

As of 2016, there were 54 private education institutions registered with GRA and Minister Jordan had revealed that few of these, “were tax compliant, including submission of yearly income and corporate tax returns.”

PAGE 16

Two ministers to lead Guyanese delegation to India Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, will lead a delegation, including Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, to India for a meeting of the Guyana-India Joint Commission and for InterMinisterial Consultations, scheduled for January 29 to February 3.

“The visit will provide an opportunity for the two states to further enhance relations through an exchange of political dialogue as well as for the fostering of economic and cultural cooperation,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced yesterday.

The Joint Commission facilitates talks between the two countries on all aspects of bilateral relations while the Inter-Ministerial Consultations

Friday January 26, 2018

Kaieteur News

allow for dialogue in areas of common interest at both the regional and global levels.

“Since the independence of Guyana in 1966 and the immediate establishment of political and diplomatic relations with India, our mutual relationship has been strong. Our ongoing social and cultural cooperation is a reflection of this close link,” stated Minister Greenidge.

“The visit is intended to set a policy framework for medium to long term cooperation,” he added.

While in India, the Foreign Minister is expected to sign and ratify the Framework Agreement on the establishment of the International Solar Alliance, a platform through which sun-rich countries collectively address com-

mon challenges related to the use of solar energy.

“This will serve to advance Guyana’s efforts to establish a “Green Economy”, including through its renewable energy sector, as well as further solidify the bond between the two countries.

Also slated for signature is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the cultural exchange programme between the two Governments,” the ministry explained.

Guyana and India have already collaborated on several development projects in areas including infrastructure, energy, information and communications technology (ICT) and agriculture. Additionally, in 2016, the two states signed an MOU, which allowed for the creation of a Centre of Excellence in Information Technology.

Formal diplomatic relations between Guyana and India were established on May 26, 1966.

Sagga’s murder…

Police file completed, PI to commence

One month after Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan was forced to grant an adjournment into the matter of the death of Godfrey Scipio known as “Sagga”, who was shot and killed on October 12, the prosecution team has finally been able to complete their investigation into the matter.

When the matter was called in the Chief Magistrate’s courtroom, Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers stated that the file has been completed and the prosecution will be serving statements to the accused.

Prosecutor Jeffers told the court that the DPP had advised that there be further investigation into the matter and the related issues had been cleared up.

Corporal Derwin Eastman who was once Best Cop for ‘A’ Division and his colleague, Constable Jemison Williams, who are both attached to the Brickdam Police Station, are currently on remand for the murder.

It is alleged that both Eastman and Williams on October 12, at David Street, Kitty, Georgetown, murdered Scipio. They are the second and third persons respec-

Charged: Derwin Eastman tively to be charged with the murder of Scipio.

Aubrey Bobb, 26, of Kitty was first charged with the murder and is currently on remand.

Bobb’s PI is currently being conducted in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly, while Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan has transferred Eastman and Williams’ matter to Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore.

Attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes is representing Eastman while Attorney Dexter Todd is representing Williams.

Scipio, 58, was shot dead

Charged: Jemison Williams

Dead: Godfrey Scipio shortly after leaving a Kitty hotel. He was also relived of a gold chain.

New tax office coming for Mabaruma A high level team from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) travelled to Mabaruma, Region One on Tuesday last, for an initial assessment of locations to establish an all-inclusive tax office in the area.

The reconnaissance was conducted after the team led by Commissioner-General of the GRA Godfrey Statia, met Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashby, the Mayor, the REO and other officials and business persons to determine the specific demands of residents in the area among other deliverables.

The office, according to GRA, when complete and fully operational will be the first of its kind in Mabaruma where residents, including those

from neighbouring communities will be able to access taxrelated services with ease and convenience. It will create an environment conducive for voluntary compliance and provide employment opportunities that will develop the skills required for service in the area.

Given the prerequisite facilities that must be in place, it is anticipated that the office will come to fruition by July 2018, and priority given to linking the new office with the GRAs’ database at Headquarters in Georgetown.

During the course of Tuesday’s visit, the team which also included officers from the GRA’s Law Enforcement and Investigation Division (LEID), Customs Excise and Trade Operations, Integrated Regional Tax Office

(IRTO) and Public Relations, also toured the outpost at Morawhanna which was established in 2017. Emanating from this tour, Mr. Statia instructed that immediate steps be taken to improve the living and working conditions of the officers at the said outpost.

In 2017, the Parika office was refurbished and a Customs office established at Charity, Region Two to supplement the GRA’s presence in Anna Regina, New Amsterdam, Corriverton, Bartica, Lethem and Linden and offer a level of service parallel to that of the Head Office.

The GRA team is expected to visit Eteringbang in February 2018 to carry out a similar assessment for this location.

PAGE 26

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Kaieteur News

Inter-American Congress to be held here for the first time The 24th Inter-American Congress of Ministers and High-level Authorities of Tourism, is scheduled to be held in Guyana for the very first time.

The event was officially launched yesterday at the Umana Yana, Kingston, Georgetown, where it was announced that the forum will be held on March 21 and 22, 2018 at the Marriott Hotel.

Minister of Business, with responsibility for Tourism, Dominic Gaskin told those in attendance that he is extremely proud that Guyana will be hosting the event.

“As far as Tourism is concerned, Guyana is a fairly young destination, but that doesn’t mean that we have to be timid or that we have to take a back seat. I think we can have a place at the table and I think hosting this event gives us a place at the table, at least as far as Regional or Hemispheric Tourism is concerned”.

The Minister said that the event serves as an opportunity for the country to “dem-

Minister of Business with responsibility of Tourism, Dominic Gaskin onstrate our capacity to host such an event and to showcase Guyana to the Region, though it may not be fully developed or ready to compete with the established destinations”.

Director General of the Department of Tourism within the Ministry of Tourism, Donald Sinclair in his remarks, pointed out that as this is the first time the Congress is being held here, it means that the way is being paved for

A section of the gathering at yesterday’s launching of the Inter-American Congress Guyana to showcase its vast cultural and tourism resources. It is also an opportunity for inputting the tourism agenda of the Americas and advancing interests in the area of transportation.

The Director General added that the session will be effective in addressing key issues. He explained, “There is a special inaugural session, which will be led off by our own Minister of Tourism, Dominic Gaskin, followed by the Secretary General of the OAS (Organization of American States) and a special welcome by His Excellency, the President (David Granger)”.

Among the topics that will be discussed during the Congress are; Tourism in Pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals, Forging Alliance for Connecting the

Americas for Sustainable Tourism, the Importance of Product Innovation in the Connected Americas, the Multi-Destination Travel as a Strategy for Connecting the Americas and importantly, Building resilience in the Tourism sector.

The Congress which is being held under the theme ‘Connecting the Americas through sustainable tourism’ will also host a ‘special session’ according to Sinclair, which will address ‘Tourism in the Green Economy’.

It will additionally have a Cultural Presentation, by

Guyana, to showcase the nation’s diversity. There will also be Tourism booths in the Hotel where persons can benefit from information on the tourism sector of Guyana.

Some of the persons that are expected to attend the session include officials from the United Nations World Tourism Organization, World Travel and Tourism Council, Organization of American States, Guyana’s Minister of Tourism, and other authorities in Tourism, which include the public and private sectors, as well as Non-Governmental Organizations.

Security forces probe illegal...

(From page 12) Government, especially with the current situation in Venezuela, the minister said.

That neighbouring country is facing severe internal turmoil with shortages of basic items and protests over an economic crisis.

Thousands of Guyanese are living there, with scores of them already returning home.

At the border level with Venezuela, although there are security forces stationed on both sides, there has been cooperation, with trade in fuel and food ongoing for years.

However, there have been reports of Venezuelans crossing over to Guyana, some of them to do mining.

Just recently, a shocking video surfaced of a man being beheaded by Venezuelans for allegedly stealing.

It is a known fact that Guyanese have been venturing to remote areas in Venezuela and allowed to mine. They

are required to pay a fee to ‘Sindicatos’, or gangs that control the area. Reportedly, a strict code has to be followed with reports indicating that gunmen crossed from Venezuela recently to kill a Guyanese businessman who had angered them.

Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, who was present at the press conference yesterday, however, noted that there have not been any major reports of the gangs or organised crime in the Cuyuni/Mazaruni area, Region Seven, a gold-rich area.

Broomes would know. She has been involved in mining and has extensively travelled the areas.

However, spokesperson for the Amerindian Peoples Association, Laura George, recently insisted on her Facebook page this week that there are recurring reports of something happening in Region Seven.

She wrote: “Only last week the leadership of Arau informed that boats were not even allowed to pass through the Wenamu confluence with Cuyuni. People have gotten frustrated with the lack of intervention by the Govt and have stopped reporting too.

Venezuelan nationals continue to enter our borders right around there…”

But there have also been reports of robberies of mining camps. Earlier this week, police engaged a gang of Brazilians and even came under fire while investigating a robbery in Lethem.

A Brazilian who escaped from a jail in that Portuguesespeaking country was captured this week in Lethem, Region 9, police said yesterday.

With a bridge at the Takutu River, linking Guyana and Brazil, persons from that neighbouring country has been crossing here with locals freely driving there too.

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Kaieteur News

Bandits steal pensioner’s Improvements in economic prospects for Caribbean/Latin America – IMF ‘religious work’ money WASHINGTON (CMC) – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says economic prospects for the region are generally improving and modest growth is expected in 2018 and 2019.

The IMF, in its Regional Economic Outlook Update for Latin America and the Caribbean, released yesterday, said the positive outlook is supported by growth in the United States following the recent U.S. tax reform.

However, the international lending agency noted that some of the islands that were hit hard during the 2017 hurricane season face a protracted recovery. One such country is Dominica. “In Dominica, gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to decline by 16 percent in 2018, before rebounding in 2019 as reconstruction gathers pace.”

The IMF also noted that overall, recent trends in the world economy and financial markets are good news for the Caribbean and Latin America.

“Global growth and trade are on an upswing, and we expect the momentum to continue in 2018. Stronger commodity prices have also helped the region rebound.”

The report said consumption and exports were the main growth drivers last year and the recovery is broad based across the region.

“Encouragingly, investment is no longer a drag, and is expected to be an important factor behind the acceleration

Priya Singh pointing to where her gas stoves were before they were stolen.

Police in B' Division are investigating an alleged robbery committed on a 62-yearold woman at Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice.

Ahliyah Kunjbeharry of Lot 270 Ankerville, Port Mourant, was pounced on by two masked, armed men on Wednesday night around 19:30hrs.

The still traumatised pensioner explained that she was sitting in the patio of her home with her granddaughter, great grandchild and grandson when she noticed two men scaling her fence. She said they immediately shouted "don't move", while one of the men pointed the gun at her and the other entered the bottom flat.

"Meh sit down right hay and one put the gun to meh head and one rush in the house, he had a white pipe in he hand,” Kunjbeharry said.

She disclosed that the perpetrator who entered the home began to ransack the

rooms. He managed to find US$600 that she had tucked away in her wardrobe. "Meh bin put that money aside fuh do lil religious work you know,” the woman tearfully said.

According to her, four gold rings were taken from her along with six silver bangles and two Brazilian gold-plated bracelets together with a necklace and a pair of earrings she had on at the time of the robbery.

Meanwhile, just a few houses away, at approximately 2:00 am neighbours noticed two men scaling the yard of Priya Singh.

Singh relayed that she was at home in the upper flat with her daughter and brother and was unaware that persons were in her yard. She said it was only yesterday morning when she got up she noticed the kitchen (not attached to the house but in the yard) door was ajar. Initially, she assumed her brother for-

Ahilyah Kunjbeharry got to lock up the kitchen door, but it was upon entering that she noticed her two gas stoves along with the two bottles missing.

Further checks revealed that her husband's tools that were left on a table were also gone. No arrests have since been made, police are investigating.

Berbice Carpenter murder PI...

Datadin withdraws appearance from case With the Preliminary Inquiry continuing into the murder of Number 72 Village Carpenter, Faiyaz Narinedatt, more surprising events took place yesterday at the Number 51 Magistrate Court after Attorney- at-law Sanjeev Datadin withdrew his appearance.

During the proceedings, Datadin was continuing a cross-examination which he started on Wednesday with witness Chris Bollers.

It was during the crossexamination that Datadin requested the deposition from the Magistrate Charlyn Artiga to put it to Bollers and

wanted State Prosecutor Stacy Goodings to tender it.

Goodings, however, told the Magistrate that a copy of the deposition is a public document that can be accessed readily at the Whim Police Station.

The Magistrate agreed with the prosecutor. It was then that Datadain requested an adjournment until next week rather than today (Friday).

This, however, did not sit well with the prosecutor, as she said no to an adjournment for next week. She argued that the case has already been delayed long enough and they

are going to proceed.

Goodings, in her arguments, stated that the witness is self-employed and it puts him and his family in a difficult situation when he is not working.

"The witness has two children, every time he comes here he is losing work and he is not getting a salary, he is working with himself,” the prosecutor explained.

She further stressed that the deposition is only a page long and questioned, “how long will it take him to read one page and put it to the (Continued on page 30)

in output this year and next.

Inflation came down significantly in 2017 in many countries, providing some scope for easing monetary policy.”

The Washington-based lending agency said that while Mexico, Central America, and parts of the Caribbean are benefitting from stronger growth in the United States, growth in South America is mainly driven by the end of recessions in Brazil, Argentina, and Ecuador, as well as higher commodity prices.

It said that in the United States, reforms to U.S. corporate and personal income taxes passed in December 2017 will likely raise private investment and private consumption over the short term The report also revealed that in Central America and the Dominican Republic, output growth remains robust, helped by stronger than anticipated remittances flows, improved financial conditions, and good harvests.

However it was also stated that some risks could hurt the region’s recovery – including upcoming elections in some

countries – an event that could create economic and policy uncertainties in the next year.

“Pressures for inwardlooking policies in advanced economies—including through a retreat from crossborder integration—and factors such as global geopolitical tensions and extreme weather events could compound these uncertainties.”

The IMF said in looking beyond the near term, the region also faces serious medium-term challenges.

“As we have been emphasizing, despite the current economic acceleration, Latin America’s output growth is returning to an underwhelming mean. Subdued potential growth and downside medium-term risks call for further efforts to rebuild buffers and implement structural policies to address growth bottlenecks and improve resilience.”

The lending institution said countries that need to lower fiscal deficits should give attention to the fine balance between preserving inclusive growth and stabilizing high public debt, which has been rising.

“To better withstand future shocks, maintaining exchange rate flexibility, and further improving central bank communication and transparency would increase the resilience and effectiveness of monetary policy,” the IMF stated.

PAGE 28

Friday January 26, 2018

Kaieteur News

Trinidad and Venezuela near energy agreement

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, right, receives a gift from President of the National Constituent Assembly Delcy Rodriguez at Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s, Wednesday.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - CMC – Trinidad and Tobago has moved closer to finalising the terms and agreement with Venezuela surrounding gas supply between the two countries.

The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) in a release on Wednesday said a meeting was held with officials from Venezuela and representatives from the twin island republic to continue discussion on cross-border gas supply from the South American nation.

TT Venezuela offshore “Discussions at the meeting were fruitful and both parties are very close to signing a final agreement,” the release stated.

Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela have been locked in discussions to develop gas

in the Loran/Manatee fields that straddle the countries’ maritime borders.

The Loran-Manatee field has an estimated 10.25 trillion cubic feet of gas of which roughly 74 per cent belongs to Venezuela with 26 per cent belonging to the twin island republic.

Both countries signed a Heads of Agreement in March 2017 on a gas connection project that will run from the Dragon field in Sucre state to the northeast of Venezuela from the Pdvsa Mariscal Sucre project to the Hibiscus platform in Trinidad and Tobago operated by Shell and the National Gas Company Of T&T. First gas from Dragon, which contains 2.4tcf of reserves, is expected in 2020 The Venezuelan contin-

gent was led by president of the National Constituent Assembly, Delcy Rodriguez, and included Venezuela’s Minister of the People’s Power for Oil/President of PDVSA, Manuel Quevedo, vice-minister for the Caribbean-Ministry of the People’s Power for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Raul Licausi and Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Her Excellency Coromoto Godoy.

Trinidad and Tobago was represented by minister of Energy and Energy Industries, Franklin Khan, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Dennis Moses and Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs and the Office of the Prime Minister, Stuart Young.

Caribbean migrants sent record amount of money home in 2016 WASHINGTON - CMC – While remittance flows decreased worldwide for a second consecutive year in 2016 – remittances to Latin America and the Caribbean, however, rose to a record high.

This is based on recently released data from the World Bank.

In analysing the figures, the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan American think tank, based here, reported that globally, migrants sent an estimated US$574 billion to their home countries in 2016, a 1.4 percent drop from 2015.

But, in Latin America and the Caribbean – together making up a region where many people say economic conditions are bad – remittances rose to US$74.3 billion, a 7.4 percent increase from the previous year (US$69.2 billion), said the Pew Research Center.

It said Europe was the only other region

in the world to see an increase, “and it was a much smaller one (up 0.9 percent).”

Remittances are funds or other assets sent by migrants via formal channels, such as banks.

The think tank said the total amount of money transferred is likely significantly larger than what is reported, “because these estimates do not include the transfer of other assets, such as gifts, or informal monetary transfers.”

The World Bank reports only remittances sent via formal channels, the Pew Research Center said.

It said the increase in remittances to the region is primarily due to general improved labour market conditions in the US, which has helped boost migrants’ capacity to send money home.

Friday January 26, 2018

PAGE 29

Kaieteur News

Media walk out of GDF Govt. has no intention to review Officers’ Conference agreement with Exxon - Minister - GPA chides Army

Media workers leaving Camp Ayanganna yesterday The Guyana Press Association (GPA) yesterday said that it stands firmly with media workers who walked out of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Headquarters yesterday, following what can be described as “gross disrespect for those in the profession.”

In a release, the GPA stated that the media were initially invited to cover the opening ceremony of the GDF Annual Officers Conference on the 23rd January 2018 with no start time given. In a subsequent email, the media were informed that they should be at Camp Ayanganna “at 9:30 on Thursday morning.”

“Upon arrival, the members of the media were told to wait under a benab just outside the compound of the GDF, after which they were corralled into a room where they

were told to await further instructions. This went well beyond the time the media was invited to cover the opening of the conference.”

After a few minutes, the media workers were led to the Officers’ Mess Hall where the opening ceremony was being held. On arrival, journalists were told to wait in the lounge area.

“At that point, it was clear that the event had already started as Chief of Staff Brigadier Patrick West could be heard giving his address. A senior army officer subsequently led the media to the area where the event was being held and the media were told to stand beside dozens of officers who were all comfortably seated. It was at that point that a decision was taken to walk out,” the GPA stated.

“The Guyana Press Asso-

ciation would like to use this opportunity to remind the Guyana Defence Force of the importance of the media, not only as a group, but as a major partner that also works to ensure the integrity and sovereignty of this country. The media do not work in a vacuum and members should be treated with the respect they deserve.

It is unfortunate that the GDF continues to engage the media in this manner even after repeated attempts to engage and work towards a better relationship.”

The GPA also placed on record a letter of January 15th, 2018 in which it extends an opportunity to the GDF for more frequent engagements. The Association said that to date, the GDF has not acknowledged receipt of this correspondence.

Despite extensive criticisms about the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) that Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman signed with ExxonMobil, Government has not seen the need for any further amendments to be made to the document.

At a press conference held yesterday, Trotman said that no review of the contract is envisaged. “I am not presently advised that government has any intention revisiting that agreement, because when we weighed in the baskets and scales - what we are getting against what we are not getting - we decided that this is what we are going to content ourselves with,” said Trotman.

However, the Minister said that the Government will use the lessons learnt from the negotiation of this contract to ensure that it gets the best from PSAs that it may sign in the future.

“We will ensure a different regime for new companies coming,” said Trotman.

Trotman hinted that one of the reasons there was hesitation to release the contract in the first place was the foreseen criticisms. “This is one of the reasons why governments and companies are loath to making them (contracts) public because they criticize every word. There is always a tension between with publication and the need

for transparency.” Trotman boasted that the APNU+AFC government has aspired to a greater level of transparency than governments of the past, “We have broken from the past governments in Guyana from 1966 to now.”

REWARD Trotman said that ExxonMobil deserves the advantages it has been given in the contract. Essentially, he said, the company needed to be rewarded for biting the proverbial bullet and taking a chance in Guyana’s waters when other companies didn’t want to. Trotman said, “Other companies had shied away from developing the resource offshore.”

This, he said, is because “oil, at the time, was trading at US$30 per barrel and the prospects, given renewable energy, were not all together favourable. We needed a multinational company with strong credentials given. We had a company keen on forging production and we felt this was a partner to develop a long firm relationship with.”

Trotman said that ExxonMobil will now act as an “anchor” and will bring other companies into Guyana’s waters “then we will apply different terms.”

Further, Trotman said that ExxonMobil is a blessing to Guyana. He said that the Petroleum Directorate in Norway told him, “You should be lucky you have Exxon to deal with,

Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman because they are lots of other terrible countries out there, so Guyana should be lucky. I was startled by those words, but I remember them today. I am reminded that in Norway they felt that this is a good company and these are good terms to start the industry on.”

The criticisms about the contract are wide-ranging.

Even the International Monetary Fund (IMF) spoke about the PSA having many loopholes. It was noted by the IMF that Guyana could end up standing the cost of unsuccessful exploration by ExxonMobil.

Locally, there have been criticisms about the signing bonus, the royalty rate, the stability clause, the uncapped importation, the force majeure clause and the cost recovery provisions, where almost everything is included.

PAGE 30

Friday January 26, 2018

Kaieteur News

Datadin withdraws appearance...

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(From page 27) witness?” The court after going back and forth between defence counsel and the prosecution took a break and returned in the afternoon.

Datadin returned quoting the Constitution, stating that there must be a fair hearing in a reasonable time along with the right facilities.

He stated that he was denied that. The Magistrate said that this was the second time they were dealing with the matter.

It was noted that when the incident took place the witness had been called before and he was present. Magistrate Artiga stated that there was no prejudice or unfairness meted out to the accused.

She then refused an adjournment and stated that "we are working until four o’clock, he (Datadin) has to continue to cross-examine".

Shortly after, Datadin announced: "I am going to withdraw my appearance; I am not going to appear anymore.”

He picked up his bag and exited the courtroom, but not before stating that two other lawyers would be representing the accused.

Faiyaz Narinedatt was allegedly murdered and his body dumped and run over by a car after he allegedly had an altercation with a US-based businessman, Marcus Bisram.

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Friday January 26, 2018

PAGE 31

Kaieteur News

Govt. is a facilitator not a provider of jobs ...Jordan tells 162 that graduated from BNTF training programme

A section of the graduates Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan delivering remarks “The government is a facilitator, not a provider of jobs,” Minister of Finance Winston Jordan told 162 graduates, who were at the National Cultural Centre on Wednesday, for the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) skills training graduation ceremony.

He made that statement as he was delivering the feature address.

“There are some people who say ‘we vote for this government and what they

doing fuh we?’ Over the last two and a half years, the government has facilitated, prepared the ground, provided the opportunities for you to seize to become your own employer or acquire the skills to go after a vacancy,” the Minister told the graduates.

He said that one cannot go to the government saying that the government must find a job for you, since the government does not provide jobs.

“The government can

only provide certain jobs and these are basic to any society. Of course, the government has Ministries and it has other public sector units…”

Jordan told the graduates that the present administration is more concerned with persons becoming entrepreneurs and developing their own businesses rather than them depending on persons for jobs.

With this being said, the Minister lauded two of the graduates from the Early Childhood Development unit who have already developed their own Centres.

The Parliamentarian noted

that ventures by the government such as the BNTF skills training programme, will continue so as to reduce the poverty rate and unemployment gap.

Added to that, he said that the students to benefit from these courses will by no means be selected by race, age, sex or circumstance.

The graduates were presented with certificates, having completed courses in Early Childhood Development and Leadership Training, Information Technology and Music Production.

The students graduated from nine different Centres in

three skill areas, which were previously noted.

Along with the Minister of Finance, present were Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Jaipaul Sharma; Chairman of the Board of Industrial Training, Clinton Williams, Representative, Office of Youth Empowerment, Aubrey Norton, Administrator, National School of Music, Andrew Tyndall, Project Manager of the BNTF, Bernard Lord and several others.

“Since its inception, the approximately 38-year-old Basic Needs Trust Fund Programme has evolved into the flagship Regional Poverty

Reduction Programme, Caribbean Development Bank. For approximately 25 years the BNTF Office, which is an Agency under the Ministry of Finance, and an arm of the Government of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, has been implementing projects across the length and breadth of Guyana.

“The main objectives were and still are contributing to poverty reduction in targ e t e d c o m m u n i t ie s b y implementing infrastructure and human capacity development projects,” according to the Ministry of Finance.

Coalition supporters protest PPP outreach meetings in Berbice

APNU/AFC protestors outside the outreach meeting at Angoy's Avenue What was supposed to be a peaceful picketing exercise

by A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change members and Councillors, turned out to be an afternoon of drama, after the protestors hurled insults at persons attending the meeting along with threats.

One male protestor was heard yelling at a female, "I would slap you", the woman eventually rode away refus-

ing to engage in an argument with him. Another was heard telling a laid-off sugar worker to "go and thief nuh then".

The heated exchanges began after national executive member of the AFC US diaspora, Derek Basdeo began shouting and throwing remarks at the Regional Chairman David Armogan. He questioned why Armogan was conducting meetings rather than tending to re-

gional administration affairs.

The police were subsequently summoned to the scene after the arguments began to escalate.

Members of the Peoples Progressive Party were at the time hosting a meeting with laid off sugar workers and residents of Angoy's Avenue, New Amsterdam.

Opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo was scheduled to head the meetings, but he was

a no-show as it was indicated that he was ill.

Chairman for the Peoples National Congress/A Partnership for National Unity Region Six Kirk Fraser explained that the protest was done to inform the people that the closure of the sugar estates were not as a result of the government, but rather "one in keeping with ensuring that the Guyanese people receive value for their money”.

“The government has put $32B into the industry from 2015 to 2017 in which no returns have been received from the industry.

We cannot allow tax payers’ money to go down the drain without receiving any financial returns.”

Fraser said that they would be protesting all the meetings organized by the PPP, however, they were not present at the remaining two meetings held in Canje.

Several meetings were held yesterday with sugar workers by PPP members.

A mini health check is the first step to donating blood

PAGE 32

Kaieteur News

Friday January 26, 2018

Trump again threatens to cut off aid to Palestinians (CNN) President Donald Trump threatened to cut off aid to the Palestinians on Thursday if their leaders don’t agree to peace talks with Israel, a hardline negotiating tactic that will do little to rebut the notion he’s abandoned US neutrality in the long-simmering Middle East dispute.

Speaking ahead of talks with Israel’s prime minister on the sidelines of the economic summit in Davos, Trump said Palestinians had disrespected the United States by not agreeing to meet with Vice President Mike Pence during his trip to the region last week.

And he declared Jerusalem “off the table” in negotiations after he declared the disputed city the capital of Israel last year.

“They’re going to have to want to make peace,” Trump said, “or we’re going to have nothing to do with them any longer.”

“We’ll see what happens with the peace process but respect has to be shown to the US or we’ll just not going any further,” he said.

The President’s remarks

sparked renewed debate about whether the US is still able to play the role of mediator in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian dispute.

And flatly contradictory comments by Trump and some of his senior officials on the status of Jerusalem are raising questions about the administration’s peace plan, which remains a mystery to most of the players on both sides.

The President’s comments amount to an escalation in tone toward the Palestinians, with whom he must work if he hopes to strike an elusive peace accord.

Instead of drawing them to the negotiating table with offers, he has scaled up his threats of what will happen if they don’t agree to talks.

Trump already drastically reduced US aid last week to a United Nations fund that provides assistance to Palestinian refugees, sending just $60 million of a pledged $125 million.Analysts have said the fund — which provides emergency relief, health care and education for 5 million Palestinians in the West Bank,

Israel’s Arab parliamentary bloc and Knesset member protest Pence’s speech on Monday.

Gaza and neighboring countries — has helped quell further violence in the region. Trump questioned the value of the investment.

“We give them tremendous amounts, hundreds of millions of dollars. That money is on the table, because why should we do that as a country if they’re

doing nothing for us?” he said in Davos. “And what we want to do is help them.

We want to create peace and save lives. And we’ll see what happens. We’ll see what hap-

pens. But the money is on the table.” Palestinian officials reacted to Trump defiantly Thursday, arguing that the US has abandoned its role as an “honest broker.”

Kaieteur News

Friday January 26, 2018

Uber and Careem recruit first female drivers in Saudi Arabia

Dubai (CNN) Ride hailing applications in Saudi Arabia are recruiting female drivers, after the Kingdom announced plans to lift the ban on women driving by June 2018.

Female customers currently represent 80% of Uber’s Saudi rider base and 70% of business for its Dubai-based counterpart, Careem, according to statistics shared with CNN by both companies. The apps are a lifeline to women with no independent way to get around the Kingdom.Currently, all drivers employed by the two firms are male — mostly Saudi nationals driving their privatelyowned vehicles.

Following the groundbreaking royal decree that announced plans to lift the ban on women driving last September, however, both companies have been preparing to hire their first female

drivers.Hundreds of women already certifiedAfter the decree was issued, the company launched a series of 90-minute training sessions, in the Saudi cities of Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar, targeting Saudi women who have already acquired valid driving licenses while abroad.

Careem operates in 13 countries across the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan and is valued at around $1 billion.Careem — which operates in 13 countries across the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan — has launched a series of 90minute-long training sessions in Saudi, targeting Saudi women who have already obtained valid driving licenses from abroad.

Taught by existing female Saudi employees of Careem

(working in administration roles, not as drivers), the sessions educate attendees about Saudi road laws, customer service techniques, and how to use the application’s platform.

“From the first moment, we announced our willingness to welcome the ladies to work on our platform,” says Abdullah Elyas, co-founder and chief privacy officer at Careem, over email.

Careem has already received thousands of applications from Saudi women interested in becoming drivers, Elyas says. Those who complete the training sessions receive a certificate which acts as a guarantee that they have officially joined Careem’s team, bar any changes to Saudi traffic laws, says Careem’s public relations manager, Murtadha Alalawi.

Israel claims 82,000 fighters are under Iranian control in Syria Washington (CNN )Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, told a UN Security Council meeting that he was revealing classified information about Iran to convey what he claimed are Iran’s plans to dominate Syria, destroy Israel and “terrorize the entire free world.” “Iran is turning the entire country of Syria into the largest military base in the world. In fact, Iran is trying to destabilize all aspects of Syria,” Danon said.

Danon also criticized the international agreement that eased sanctions on Tehran in return for curbs on its nuclear program, and implied that European nations now doing business with Iran are enabling its aggression.

Iran’s goals, Danon said, are, “first, destroy Israel ... second ... destabilize the region.” But after that, Danon said, “it is aiming for the entire world. The entire international community should be concerned about Iran.”

Even though Iran is targeting Israel first, the Israeli envoy said, “it is you who are next.”Iran’s ambassador to the UN pushed back, alleging that the US and Israel are responsible for the region’s destabilization.The “US and the Israeli regime prefer to resort, promote and spread Iran-phobia and this has become a kind of ongoing obsession and hysteria for them,” Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo said. “We have heard them today and in course of this debate and in recent months. This hysteria is being actively perpetuated by those willing to sell or spend their dollars on American ‘beautiful weapons.’ It has nothing to do with peace and security in the Middle East.”

Khoshroo also pointed to Israel’s settlement construction in the Palestinian territories as well as its suspected nuclear and chemical weapons programs.

PAGE 33

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Friday January 26, 2018

Kaieteur News

IAAF renews neutral status for 18 Russian athletes Reuters - Eighteen Russians had their status as Authorised Neutral Athletes (ANA) renewed by the International Association of Athletics Federations’ (IAAF) doping review board yesterday.

The IAAF received more than 80 applications from Russians wanting to continue to compete as neutral athletes in 2018, with priority given to those seeking to take part in the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham in March. Mariya Lasitskene, who won high jump gold at the 2015 and 2017 World Championships, was among those cleared to compete. All 18 athletes were afforded ANA status in 2017. Russia was banned by the IAAF in 2015 following an independent World Anti-Doping Agency investigation into allegations, still denied by Moscow, of

What more must....

From page 35 the Tanteen ground in Grenada in 1997 is the only time a Keeper has scored a double century in Regional cricket.

Bramble, who one century and nine fifties at First-Class level, 45 dismissals this season and was awarded USD$1,500 and the Deryck Murray trophy for being best Wicket-Wicket of the season. What more must Bramble do at a least earn selection in a Windies ‘A’ team?

Another Guyanese, Veerasammy Permaul captured 50 wickets this season, the most by any bowler but the left-arm spinner who has 18 wickets from six Tests was also not selected for any Regional team despite meeting the criteria of outstanding performance during a Regional season as set

by CWI. Permaul is among an elite few with 400 Regional FirstClass wickets and was awarded the Courtney Walsh trophy and USD$1,500 for taking 50 scalps as the Jaguars roared to their fourth consecutive title

Irina Gumenyuk state-sponsored doping.

Russian athletes, however, can be cleared to compete internationally by demonstrating to the IAAF that their training environment meets the required anti-doping stan-

dards. The country has also been excluded by the International Olympic Committee from this year’s Winter Games, where Russians can also compete as neutrals.IAAF President

Friday January 26 , 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You will feel a strong sense of belonging to a family or community and a rush of affection for everyone involved.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) The aura today is calm and peaceful, stress is at a minimum. You're likely to be getting along very well with your group, even the more difficult among them.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Love and romance are apt to be among your top priorities today, Gemini. Someone from far away might have captured your heart.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) A member of your household who's recovering from an illness could express appreciation for all your help, Cancer. This might come as a surprise because serving your friends is second nature to you.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) The desire to write your thoughts on a subject you've been either thinking about or possibly even researching could arise today, Leo. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Your artistic talents could be put to good use today fixing up wherever it is that you work on, Virgo. You might want to repaint, put up new plants or pictures, or do anything else that makes the place seem a little more dressed up.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) The visual arts should be of special interest to you today.

Perhaps an exhibition by a favorite artist is opening, or maybe you've decided to try drawing or painting.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Your imagination is flying high today, Scorpio. Whatever challenges come up, you will find ingenious solutions to them.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) A phone call could come from a friend bringing great news your way today, Sagittarius.

This could involve the success of a project of some kind that you've both been involved with.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Today you could surprise a close friend or lover with a gift.

There may be no special occasion. You may have seen something in the store that you knew he or she would like or mentioned wanting.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) A place far away that you haven't visited for a while yet long to see again could be on your mind today, Aquarius.

You might toy with the idea of going there, but you aren't really sure if you can.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You should feel especially loving now, Pisces, especially toward that special someone.

You might want to schedule an intimate evening, perhaps at a favorite restaurant.

Sebastian Coe said: “With access to new information from WADA at the end of last year the Doping Review Board is assessing all applications against this information as well as existing information. It is a complex and lengthy process.”

List of athletes cleared: Viktor Butenko (discus), Danila Danilov (hammer throw), Alexsey Fedorov (triple jump), Irina Gumenyuk (triple jump), Vyacheslav Kolesnichenko (sprints), Mariya Lasitskene (high jump), Aleksandr Lesnoy (shot put), Alyona Lutkovskaya (pole vault), Danil Lysenko (high jump), Alaina Mamina (sprints), Yuliya Maltseva (discus), Polina Miller (sprints), Ilya Mudrov (pole vault), Olga Mullina (pole vault), Sofiya Palkina (hammer throw), Viktoriya Prokopenko (triple jump), Anzhelika Sidorova (pole vault) and Aleksei Sokyrskii (hammer throw).

Buddy’s...

From page 38 made the presentation.

Participating athletes in Flight A are expected to be at the venue for 07:00hrs for weigh-in, lifting will begin at 09:00hrs. Entrance fee is $500.00. Other sponsors for this event are Fitness Express and Trophy Stall. Persons who are interested in competing still have an opportunity to submit their application and pay their fees, since the closing date is Monday 29th January. Registration forms and fees can be submitted to Martin Webster contact # 697 2244 or A screenshot of the filled out registration along with the deposit slip to the GAPLF Republic Bank Account #6552194 will be accepted as well via Whatsapp or Facebook Messenger.Meanwhile, the GAPLF’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) is set for tomorrow at the Kuru Kuru College in Durban Backlands and begins at 09:00hrs.

Friday January 26, 2018

PAGE 35

Kaieteur News

Edmund suffers defeat against Cilic in Australian Open semi-final To Andy Murray and Jo Konta add Kyle Edmund as a third significant British figure at Grand Slam level, but there was to be no dream run into the final of the Australian Open.

Uncharacteristically tetchy and seemingly restricted in his movement in the third set, Edmund was well beaten 6-2 7-6 6-2 in two hours, 18 minutes by Croatia’s Marin Cilic, who was left awaiting today’s winner between Roger Federer and Hyeon Chung.

This was the world No 6 versus the world No 49, with a huge gulf of experience, and on the night it showed. It was asking a lot of Edmund to slay another giant.

The feline Cilic played a smart match, defusing the now infamous Edmund forehand, and his own flatly-hit groundstrokes were equally as potent, especially when the odd hobble crept into the Yorkshireman’s stride.

It has still been a remarkable fortnight for

him, and there is the consolation of £512,000 prize money and a new midtwenties ranking that will see him seeded for the French Open and most likely Wimbledon.

But ultimately this was a comprehensive display from Cilic, who showed no hangover from a taxing match against Rafael Nadal in the previous round. He is into his second final from his last three Grand Slam events.

Edmund, gaining more support from an Australian crowd than any Englishman has done here in recent months, can reflect with pride on what he achieved during what hopefully is the temporary absence of Andy Murray.

He had given immediate notice that he was not going to be overwhelmed by uncorking two groundstroke winners off either flank to get two break points in the very first game. In an indication of Cilic’s stubborn resolve, both were saved with

service winners.

The Croatian set his stall out to trade backhands with the British No 2, and successfully pinned him into the corner to shut off the explosive danger of his forehand.

The result in the sixth game was two Edmund errors on his weaker flank that gave him the break.

Edmund had previously had on-court treatment on his shoulder and upper spine in this tournament and something was looking tighter as he lost four games in a row.

At the end of the set he requested a medical time o ut and left the court, although it was not immediately obvious what for.

He served an ace at 1-2 to save a break point but was looking for inspiration, and used an almost McEnroeesque manoeuvre of firing himself up by rowing with the umpire at the start of the fifth game.

Annoyed that an out call had disrupted him on an overrule, he demanded

Marin Cilic

to see Referee Andreas Egli after getting into a prolonged argument with umpire John Blom. Or perhaps it was meeting Gordon Ramsay the

previous day.

Whatever it did seem to fire him up and he upped the pace of his ground s t r o k e s t h e r e a f t e r, b u t there was no way past Cilic

and his enormous wingspan. He glides around the baseline for a big man, and also hits a mean forehand himself.

(MailOnline)

Halep beats Kerber in thriller to set up Australian Open final with Wozniacki

Halep had raced into a 5-0 lead in the opening 14 minutes of the first set.

Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki will do battle in the Australian Open final tomorrow with a first Grand Slam title and the world No 1 ranking at stake.

After Wozniacki withstood a major wobble with the finish line in sight to beat Elise Mertens 63, 7-6 Halep defeated title favourite Angelique Kerber 6-3, 4-6, 9-7, with the third set a battle of lung-busting brilliance.The final will be a clash between the top two seeds who share more than simply proximity in the rankings. Both have been ranked No 1 without winning a slam, both lost their first two finals and, heading into the second half of their careers, both know they may never get a better chance.

Cynics would call it the desperation derby, and whichever player handles the occasion better is very likely to come out the winner. Halep achieved the bigger result in the semi-finals, beating the form player of 2017, former Melbourne champion Kerber, who went into the clash on a 10-match winning streak. It pitted two of the best athletes and counter-punchers on the women’s tour against each other, so long rallies seemed to be a given, yet after 13 minutes the score was 5-0 to Halep. But Kerber mounted a comeback, winning three games in a row, before Halep broke serve again to take the set.

The Romanian has made no

secret that her sole focus now is on winning a slam title, but Kerber clung on by her fingernails in the second set, recovering from 1-3 and then saving break points that would have given Halep a 5-3 lead.She got her reward with three games in a row to take the set as Halep’s belief wavered and then broke to start the third with an extraordinary point that was a taste of things to come. Halep looked to have made the decisive breakthrough when she opened up a 5-3 lead but Kerber broke back, ending the final titanic point on her knees with her head pressed to the court.

A pinpoint HawkEye challenge gave Halep two match points in the next game but

Caroline Wozniacki is into her first Australian Open final.

Kerber saved them both and then gave herself the chance to serve for victory at 6-5. She got to 4015 but now it was Halep’s turn to dig in and hang on.

They were the fourth and fifth match points the Romanian has saved this tournament after she withstood three in another remarkable battle against Lauren Davis in round three. Halep said: ‘It definitely was very tough, I’m shaking, I’m very emotional.

She’s a very tough opponent. I’m really glad that I could resist and I could win this match. I have just to enjoy.

All seemed to be going smoothly for Wozniacki against surprise package Mertens in the first match until she served for

the match at 5-4 in the second set and from 30-0 lost four straight points, double-faulting on the last of them.

Wozniacki then had to save

two set points but, seven years after holding match point in the last four here against Li Na and losing, she engineered a different outcome. (MailOnline)

PAGE 36

Friday January 26, 2018

Kaieteur News

Spinners storm Afghanistan into semi-finals Webb sentencing put back for sixth time Afghanistan sprung a surprise on New Zealand by handing them a massive 202run drubbing in Christchurch to storm into the semi-finals of Under-19 World Cup. Afghanistan not only scored 309 after opting to bat, they then routed New Zealand in under 30 overs to register their third win in four matches of the tournament and set up a semi-final clash against Australia.

Afghanistan’s innings was marked not by an individual effort but by several useful partnerships. Openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran set the tone with a stand of 117 runs in just over 20 overs. Gurbaz was the quicker of the two with his 69 off 67 balls, studded with seven fours and three sixes, and Ibrahim stroked a patient 68 off 98 balls. They lost two wickets in quick succession before No. 4 Bahir Shah took over to pile on more runs with the lower order even as Afghanistan were 226 for 5 in the 45th over.

From there, Bahir and Azmatullah Omarzai smashed 79 runs in under six overs to storm them past 300, high-

Afghanistan players celebrate a wicket. ICC Getty Images lighted by two sixes in each of the 47th, 49th and the 50th over - all struck by Omarzai who hammered 66 off only 23 balls. Bahir remained unbeaten on 67 off 72.

New Zealand’s chase started on a poor note as an in-form Rachin Ravindra was run out for a duck in the second over. Offspinner Mujeeb Zadran, who has already played ODIs and the BPL, dented them further by rattling the stumps of opener Jacob Bhula (5) and Captain Kaylum Boshier for a duck.

New Zealand then slipped

from 18 for 3 to 20 for 4 before Katene Clarke (38) and Dale Phillips (31) put on 66 runs for the fifth wicket. But leg-spinner Qais Ahmad trapped both batsmen lbw in the space of three deliveries and New Zealand never recovered from 86 for 6. Mujeeb and Ahmad wiped out the tail too and finished with 4 for 14 and 4 for 33 respectively.

Scores: Afghanistan 309 for 6 (Gurbaz 69, Ibrahim 68, Bahir 67*, Omarzai 66) beat New Zealand 107 (Clarke 38, Mujeeb 4-14, Ahmad 4-33) by 202 runs. (ESPNcricinfo)

Jeffrey Webb New York, CMC – Former football strongman, Jeff Webb, has had his sentencing on corruption charges put back for the sixth time. The former CONCACAF President and FIFA Vice-President was expected to be sentenced on Wednesday but the courts earlier this month pushed the date back until March 7.

The latest delay marks over two years since Webb pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud conspiracy and

three counts of money laundering conspiracy.

Webb, a former head of the Cayman Islands Football Association, has already agreed to forfeit more than US$6.7 million in cash and assets as part of an agreement with the courts.

He is reported to have recently sold his near milliondollar Georgia mansion, with proceeds expected to have been turned over to the court as part of the agreement.

Webb, at one point tipped to

become FIFA president, was one of several high profile football officials arrested during a pre-dawn raid in Zurich in May, 2015, as FIFA staged its annual meeting at a plush hotel.

He was subsequently included in a 47-count indictment announced by the US Department of Justice, with Trinidadian former Jack Warner – a former CONCACAF chief and powerful FIFA vice-president – also named. ”The indictment alleges corruption that is rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted both abroad and here in the United States,” then US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said. “It spans at least two generations of soccer officials who, as alleged, have abused their positions of trust to acquire millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks.”

Webb had assumed the role of CONCACAF president following the cash-forvotes scandal that shook Caribbean football and led to Warner’s resignation. He has been banned for life by FIFA, football’s world governing body.

Sri Lanka dismantle Bangladesh for 82 and storm into final Suranga Lakmal decked the Bangladesh middle order, Thisara Perera swung blows in the middle, Dushmantha Chameera and Lakshan Sandakan wiped out the tail, and a hail of sixes carried Sri Lanka’s openers to a paltry target of 83.

All up, Sri Lanka required only 35.5 overs to complete the 10-wicket win - 24 overs to dismiss the opposition, and 11.5 to run down their score.

The hosts, meanwhile, were guilty of complacency perhaps, their place in the final long secured, and with little to gain from this game. It is these two teams who will now contest tomorrow’s final.

Having conceded 320 to the same opposition only six days ago, Thursday was a Sri Lanka bowling fantasy. The short ball proved profitable for

the quicks again, as it had done against Zimbabwe on Sunday.

Lakmal, Chameera and Thisara were sharp and intense, and Sandakan extracted rapid turn from a wearing Mirpur square. So effective were these four bowlers that Sri Lanka’s other frontline spinner - Akila Dananjaya - was not required to bowl a single delivery. Lakmal took 3 for 21, and the others two wickets apiece.

It was in the third over that the mayhem began, when Anamul Haque threw his bat at a Lakmal delivery and redirected it to the stumps via his inside edge.

This united Bangladesh’s best batsmen of the series Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal - but they would soon be parted by a piece of elec-

tric fielding by Danushka Gunathilaka.

Tamim pushed a ball square on the off side and set off for the run, but swooping to his left from point, Gunathilaka pulled off a velvet-smooth pick-up and threw down the stumps, leaving Shakib several metres short of his ground.

Tamim himself would soon be victim to another piece of Gunathilaka athleticism. Unable to control a bouncer from Lakmal, he sent the ball high off the splice, behind square on the off side. Tracking the ball from backward point, Gunathilaka dived to complete the catch.

Mushfiqur Rahim was the only Bangladesh batsman to make an attempt at piecing together the innings, batting securely for a while after his team had slipped to 34 for 4. His efforts, however, were not supported by the men at the other end. Sabbir Rahman soon ran at Thisara and hoisted him to mid-on. Abul Hasan then edged Thisara to the wicketkeeper, to leave Bangladesh at 71 for 6. Suddenly, with only the tail for company, Mushfiqur himself was soon out attempting a scoring shot, when he bunted a slower Chameera ball to short midwicket.

That was Chameera’s first wicket in eight matches, and

Suranga Lakmal ©BCCI

he soon had another - Nasir Hossain caught behind on the leg side. Sandakan, who had been menacing throughout his six overs, closed out the innings, spinning one ball past Mashrafe Mortaza’s swing, before Rubel Hossain holed out to long-on.

Gunathilaka - playing this match in place of the injured Kusal Perera - ensured the

chase began quickly, as he struck Mashrafe Mortaza for successive leg-side fours at the end of the first over.

Upul Tharanga had himself began to open his shoulders when he was dropped at cover by Tamim, but the remainder of the chase was as smooth as it was fast-moving.

Gunathilaka struck three sixes - off spinners and quicks

- the most impressive of which was the swat off Mustafizur Rahman over deep midwicket. Tharanga’s two sixes came down the ground, and all told, the pair hit 46 of their 83 runs in boundaries.

Scores: Sri Lanka 83 for 0 (Tharanga 39*, Gunathilaka 35*) beat Bangladesh 82 (Mushfiqur 26, Lakmal 3-23, Chameera 2-6) by 10 wickets.

Friday January 26, 2018

PAGE 37

Kaieteur News

Brathwaite, Roach recalled but quartet snub selectors

Shimron Hetmyer St. John’s, Antigua, CMC – West Indies have selected their 15-man squad for the crucial ICC World Cup qualifiers without a ball bowled in the Regional Super50, recalling all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite and Kemar Roach but snubbed by the experienced quartet of Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Andre Rusell and Darren Bravo.

The squad, led by regular captain Jason Holder, however, includes veteran batsmen Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels, and represents the core of the unit which suffered a humbling whitewash in the three-match series in New Zealand last December.

Left-arm pacer Sheldon Cottrell and batsman Shimron Hetmyer, late additions to the squad for the New Zealand series, have been retained but Ronsford Beaton, Kyle Hope, Shannon Gabriel and

Chadwick Walton have all been left out.

Chief Selector Courtney Browne said in a statement he had reached out to Pollard, Narine, Russell and Bravo but they had opted to play in the Pakistan Super League which bowls off February 22, and runs alongside the World Cup qualifying tournament from March 4-25. ”We are pleased to announce a squad that has a combination of experience and youth,” Browne said.

“Given the importance of the West Indies qualifying for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, we thought it was important that we chose players who brought not only skills but experience to the table, combined with younger players who had performed creditably on the international scene. ”We contacted some of our well-known senior crick-

Devendra Bishoo eters to ascertain their availability for the tournament and we are pleased that Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels have indicated their full support and commitment to the cause.”He added: “Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Darren Bravo and Andre Russell, however, indicated that they were unavailable to help us qualify as their priority was playing in the Pakistan Super League.”Narine, the region’s leading spinner and Pollard, a big-hitting all-rounder has not played an ODI in 15 months while Russell is now returning to international cricket following a one-year ban for an anti-doping whereabout breach.

Bravo, meanwhile, has not played for West Indies in any format since an ill-advised Twitter rant against Cricket West Indies president, Dave Cameron, resulted in his send-

ing home ahead of the TriNations Series in Zimbabwe, in November 2016.

He was subsequently barred from selection but is yet to play since a truce in his standoff with CWI was announced last July. Brathwaite and Roach, meanwhile, have been handed lifelines in their one-day careers.

The 29-year-old Brathwaite, the Windies Twenty20 captain, played the last of his 23 ODIs last March when he was dropped for a poor run of form which saw him gather 113 runs in his last eight innings at an average of 14.

Fellow Barbadian Roach has not been seen in one-day colours in nearly three years, during which time he struggled with loss of form and injury, and also went missing from the Test squad.

However, the 29-year-old

Sheldon Cottrell seamer made a successful return to the Test arena last year, taking 25 wickets in seven appearances. He has taken 99 wickets in 67 ODI matches.

Browne said he expected both players to be valuable assets to the squad in terms of their experience. “We welcome back Carlos Braithwaite and value his contribution to the team on and off the field,” the former Test wicketkeeper said.”

Kemar Roach is a highly experienced player who recently returned to international cricket last year is also a good addition to our ODI squad, as we set out to win the ICC World Cup Qualifiers. ”We expect this squad under the able leadership of Jason Holder, supported by a core group of senior players to achieve this goal. Of course, head coach Stuart

Law and his staff will provide all the support and guidance necessary.”

The Regional Super50, which bowls off next week, normally serves as a prerequisite for selection to the ODI squad but International Cricket Council regulations required West Indies to submit a squad by February 2.

West Indies are down to compete in Group A of the World Cup Qualifiers alongside Ireland, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, and winners of the ICC World Cricket League Division 2.

SQUAD – Jason Holder (captain), Jason Mohammed (vice-captain), Devendra Bishoo, Carlos Brathwaite, Sheldon Cotterell, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Evin Lewis, Nikita Miller, Ashley Nurse, Rovman Powell, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Kesrick Williams.

What more must Bramble do to gain ‘A’ selection asks Sean Devers Top bowler Permaul also ignored The Windies selection panel headed by Barbadian Courtney Browne which also includes former Guyana and West Indies batsman Travis Dowlin has named five Guyanese in the preparatory squad for Windies ‘A’ team and World Cup qualifiers duties.

The Guyanese selected are Shimron Hetymer and Davindra Bishoo (Camps for World Cup) along with Raymond Reifer, Vishaul Singh and Keon Joseph ‘A’ duties but Guyana Jaguars wicket-keeper batsman Anthony Bramble continues to be ignored despite his outstanding showing at the Regional level which they

claimed would be used for Windies selection.

Unlike the 36-year-old Devon Smith, who continues to smash Regional batting records; scoring the most runs and centuries this season and the soon to be 33 year-old Denish Ramdin, who scored three hundreds and the second most runs to Smith but is no longer keeping wicket for Trinidad and Tobago, Bramble turned 27 last month and should at least be rewarded with an ‘A’ team call-up.

Bramble, who hails from Skeldon in Upper Corentyne but now plays for Albion, made his First-Class debut in 2003 against CCC at Provi-

dence and since has played 48 games at that level. He has 182 dismissals including 160 catches and 22 stumpings and for the last three First-Class seasons has ended with the most dismissals by a Keeper.

Arguably the best WicketKeeper in the region after Ramdin, Bramble has 32 catches and six stumpings from 28 Regional One-Day matches. It was reported that the selectors felt that Bramble needed to produce more with the bat and he did just that this season; scoring 616 runs including an unbeaten 196, four runs short of joining Grenadian Junior Murray, whose 218 against Guyana at (Continued on page 32)

Veerasammy Permaul

Anthony Bramble scored 613 runs and had the most dismissals (45), his best season ever.

PAGE 38

Friday January 26, 2018

Kaieteur News

GFF commission’s Rupununi FA Office in Lethem Yesterday, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) made another positive step towards the development of the sport locally with the historic commissioning of the Rupununi Football Association’s (RFA) office located at Middle Street, Lethem.

President (Ag) of the RFA, Curtis Buckley, was elated at the momentous occasion during the ribbon cutting ceremony and noted that the current RFA executive body which was formed merely two years ago on October 30, 2015, has grown from strength to strength despite challenges. ”When he held our election in 2015, we had only 5 clubs and today, the association is 17-clubs strong with the “Go Getters” club hailing as far away as Mahdia,” Buckley shared during his address at the simple but significant event.

Buckley further explained that despite their humble beginnings, after only two years, a total of 30 players from RFA have been called up to National squads with three of them representing Guyana; all at the under 15 level. The President (Ag) posited that his association which is the only one that runs off a senior male and female tournament simultaneously deserves to have the office.

However, despite the RFA’s quick successes, the association still has challenges. Headlining those challenges is the local sports fraternity’s bugbear of insufficient facilities. In addition to

The Rupununi Football Association’s New Office Located at Middle Street, Lethem. the GFF’s and RFA’s presidents, also present at the ribbon cutting ceremony were Region 9 Chairman Brian Allicock and Mayor of Lethem, Carlton Beckles, a former association Secretary.

Beckles who is a former FIFA Referee while enjoying the opportunities to interact with some of the best officials in the game, noted that in order to have success, one must be committed: “We being here today at the opening of the RFA office is the first step towards committing to the continuous development of football in the region.”

Allicock expounded on

the fact of the immense raw talent that is in the Rupununi while noting the region’s very own Orville Daniels’ goal gifted Guyana Under-15 boys’ victory in the Soualiga tournament in St. Marteen last year. ”A historic occasion for football development in the Rupununi”, was how Wayne Forde described the event. “There is no doubt in my mind in the amount of talent in this region but unless you have the administrative mechanisms to develop those talents, they will remain nothing more but just talents,” Forde posited as he iterated the importance of the

office. ”The federation (GFF) comprehends the need for investing in the development of the game and that is the main reason why out of the 13 Scotiabank Academy Training Centres, four of them are based in the RFA which is only one of the nine associations under the purview of the GFF,” Forde concluded in his address at the commissioning.

During the ribbon cutting, Forde noted that he hopes that the office will be a continuous home for the members of the RFA and all football stakeholders in the region.

Clinton Pestano congratulated on National selection by RHTY&SC The Management and Members of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club (RHTY&SC) has extended gratitude to their colleague Clinton Pestano on being selected on the Guyana OneDay Cricket Team for the upcoming CWI Cricket Tournament in Antigua.

Pestano, who is the current Vice Captain of the Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets First Division Team, joins Assad Fudadin as the second RHTY&SC player to play Senior Regional Cricket in 2018.

Fudadin represented Jamaica in the recently concluded Four-Day Cricket Tournament.

Pestano over the last nine years has been an outstanding performer for the club at the junior and senior levels and has represented Guyana at the Under-15, 17 and 19 levels. Last year he made his senior Guyana debut. ”All of us at the club especially your colleagues in the Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets Team are very proud of you and we wish you and the entire Guyana team success in the 2018 One-Day Tournament.” The club release stated.

It continued: “We would like to remind you that the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club’s proven formula of success is discipline, commitment and hard work and it is our hope that you continue to do so. With so many talented all-rounders emerging from Guyana, it is very impor-

Clinton Pestano tant for you to perform if you want to keep your place in the team.”

Since its formation in 1990, the RHTY&SC has produced a total of 16 National senior players at all levels and with an expanded Cricket Developmental Programme being implemented the club is confident that many more players the likes of Kevlon Anderson, Junior Sinclair, Keith Simpson and Kevin Sinclair would one day play senior National cricket.

The ten cricket teams of the Club on Tuesday last made a financial contribution to Pestano to assist him to be fully prepared for the upcoming tournament. Best Wishes are extended to Esuan Crandon as he strives to add another title to his Coaching career. ”All of us are proud of Esuan and would like to congratulate him on becoming the first West Indies Cricket Coach to win four successive titles.”

Decisive Friday Semi-finals Set at 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 C/ship T&T Miami – The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) has confirmed the semifinal parings and kick off times for the semifinals of the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship Trinidad & Tobago.

The first of the two semifinals, now scheduled for 2:30 PM ET (3:30 PM local) will see the sole Caribbean semifinalist, Haiti, face off against fourtime defending Champion United States.

The Haitian team will be looking to become the first Caribbean team to qualify to a CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship final, while the North Americans look to continue on the path towards an eighth consecutive final.The second semifinal of the day will be an all North American one. Group A first place finisher Canada

will match up against Group B runner-up Mexico, for the second ticket to the final and a guaranteed place at the FIFA World Cup at this level.

The match is now scheduled to kick off at 5:30 PM ET (6:30 PM local).

The Mexican side will look for payback back versus the Canadians, after falling to them on penalties in the 2015 semifinals. The regional championship, which kicked off on January 18, in Couva, Trinidad, will qualify the first, second and third-place finishers directly to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup France 2018.

The two semifinals, as well as Sunday’s Grand Final and third place match, will be broadcast live on regional rights holders, and on CONCACAF.com and Facebook Live in most CONCACAF territories.

(CONCACAF)

Nicaragua’s Yessenia Flores (#11) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Jamaica. (Photo CA Images)