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Kaieteur News
Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
2016 WAS NOT THAT BAD AFTER ALL No matter how one slices it, the year 2016 will go down as another challenging one for Guyana. The country had to grapple with problems of the economy, high unemployment, health care, education, crumbling infrastructures, traffic fatalities and crime. However, except for gun violence, the economy and a few other problems, 2016 was not that bad after all. It was indeed a challenging year for the economy, which recorded a 2.6 percent growth rate. Attempts by the government to revive the economy did not materialize but it is expected to be better in 2017. Falling prices for commodities, poor infrastructure and low production in the agricultural sector dashed the hopes of many in 2016. The end result is the people would have to dig deeper into their pockets to pay for foodstuffs. The14 percent VAT on water and electricity will not help. There were also issues arising from constant power outages and the seemingly never-ending water shortage that plagued many households in the rural areas in 2016. It was also the year of unusual weather systems. The torrential downpour around Christmas caused flooding in Georgetown and in the rural areas of the country. It destroyed food crops which led to higher prices for fruits and vegetables. The insatiable consumption appetite of the nation has led to a substantial increase in food imports in 2016 which is more than the export bill. As a result, the country’s foreign exchange reserves have been reducing much faster than expected. It seems that we are eating ourselves to our own demise. We will definitely do better for ourselves and the country in 2017. The country’s import food bill should be reduced in 2017 with the incentives being offered to farmers to grow more food. Another worrying issue is gun violence which continued unabated in 2016. Efforts to stem it and end the lawlessness that pervades society have met with little success, but it will improve in 2017. The government must ensure that the police have the tools to tackle crime. The underlying factors that have pushed youngsters towards gun violence and criminality must be addressed. Schools, religious institutions, groups, communities, NGOs and families must come together and develop programmes with softer aspects of policing to positively interact with the youths to win them back from the lure of criminality. Another bothersome issue is the public display of partisan politics between the government and the opposition, which was seemingly difficult for the nation in 2016. The hope for unity has been shattered due to the lack of cooperation between the government and the opposition. However, all is not lost. In the middle of the doom and gloom, there were some bright spots in 2016 from which this country could re-enter headier times in 2017. These ranged from the mobilization of the police to fight crime and to arrest drunk and speeding drivers on the roadways. It is worthy to note the public outpouring of grief and sympathy expressed in vigils for children and women who were murdered and for those who have committed suicide. They have become a national symbol for every victim of murder or suicide. We suggest that this public passion and goodwill should be harnessed into some sort of non-government organization that could assist in steering the country onto a righteous path. However, on the brighter side, Guyanese all over the world have celebrated the country’s 50th independence anniversary with pomp and regal ceremonies on May 26, 2016. The jubilee celebration was a buoyant period for the tourist industry which performed well. More than 60,000 jubilant Guyanese from the diaspora returned home for the celebrations. While many are optimistic about 2017, they cannot be complacent. The country is not going to turn around to the point where they want it to, unless all are committed.
Tuesday January 31, 2017
Editor’s Note; If your sent letter was not published and you felt its contents were valid and devoid of libel or personal attacks, please contact us by phone or email
Guyanese cricketers are not giving a hundred percent DEAR EDITOR, I tried to follow Guyana’s cricket, hoping they do well. We, in New York, do not have the capability to watch all the games. We check on scores as we get them on newspaper frequently. On the selection of this team that is currently playing, it makes one wonder what are the criteria for selection. Maybe, someone in Guyana can tell us. WHAT is
Barnwell doing in this team? Is he an all-rounder? Is he batsman or bowler? I don’t know his scores or bowling analysis for the past years, but it cannot be that impressive that he is still in this team. There are batsmen in this team that cannot construct an innings except for Chandra. You have test batsmen who look lost as soon as the opposing bowlers are running up to them. There are test bowlers who are bowling
long hops and full tosses in every over. I am positive there are a number of coaches there, but they do not play in the middle. In my days, we had no coaches, just plain, good old cricketers who knows what to do. Shiv Chandrapaul have proven this. Some might argue different times, I do agree, but cricket has not change only the thinking. The game has become computerized and no
one is thinking anymore. We can all sit and debate old school cricket and what is being played now. We can argue about playing for pride versus playing for just the money, of which I think most players are there for. We love cricket and we love our Country. We played for pride, not money and for those who knows or remember, all players gave 100%. I know I did. Good luck, Guyana Derrick K
This is one person who should not be a policeman DEAR EDITOR, I would appreciate if you would grant me space in your newspaper to publish this letter since I believe that taxpaying, law-abiding senior citizens should not be subjected to police intimidation. I am a senior citizen. On Friday, January 26, 2017 at about 9.45 am, I had just completed my transaction with the Bank of Guyana and I was standing just in front of the northern side of the building waiting to cross the street to go to COURTS to conduct my business. Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a minivan, (number provided) screeched to a halt inches away from me. Startled by the suddenness of it all, I jumped back. Another reckless minibus driver I thought. But no! I noticed, to my surprise, the minivan bore the insignia of the Guyana Police Force! What? The police! Immedi-
ately, the front door opened, a police officer in the passenger seat next to the driver jumped out, revolver drawn, pointed upwards in the air, gave me a quick nod of acknowledgment as if to say “You’re safe …” and a knowing smile and rushed with the other policemen, guns drawn and at the ready, and entered the Bank of Guyana. What’s going on here, I thought. Startled, I looked towards the driver, the policeman behind the wheel. He glared at me, lurched forward suddenly, and snatched something from the tray of the dashboard. The next thing I realized he had a silver hand gun in his hand, probably a revolver. I don’t know much about guns, but it was very unsettling. He held it across his waist, pointed, knowingly, in my direction and sat there
staring at me, waiting. I felt threatened. Intimidated! There I was, a law-abiding citizen, peacefully going about my business, suddenly threatened by a gun-toting policeman providing escort service who doesn’t have the judgment to tell the difference between a septuagenarian and a teenage bandit! God help us! That one police officer by his uncalled for threatening act, had immediately tarnished the image of professionalism of the rest of the officers in that group. Editor, it has been said that ‘one rotten apple spoils the whole barrel’. That police officer by his uncalled for act of intimidation, has seared in my mind the image of mindless police intimidation. He has done his colleagues in that group a disservice. He needs training. Lots of it. He, not the bandits, is more of a menace to society than the bandits.
As a senior citizen, I do not feel safe with the way some police behave. I feel safer among a bunch of thieves rather than a group of Guyanese policemen, because I believe even criminals would know not only instinctively, as opportunistic predators, but by observation, who is a threat and who is not. So, when I read in the papers that yet another anti-narcotics policeman has been arrested with drugs, I am not stunned. Or, that a police detective has been charged for murder, I am not shocked. Or, that a police corporal has failed a lie-detection test and has been dismissed for extortion, I am not bowled over. Or, that the driver of a police vehicle has been charged with manslaughter, I am not taken aback. There are too many ‘rotten apples’ in the police force. Get rid of them! Concerned Citizen
Our Industrial safety environment is very poor DEAR EDITOR, I have written in the past on the matter of safety on industrial and domestic premises. It would appear that we in this country like playing with danger. The recent Robb Street fire is a case in point. The authorities need to exact severe penalties for persons who put lives and property in peril by their careless use of equipment and work habits in the environment. In the first place practitioners of certain trades need to be strictly licensed before they can ply their trades in the public arena. Preferably this licensing should be an annual affair after continuing safety and trade improvement courses have been taken. It’s no use crying when we allow persons, many of whom lack the basics of safe handling of certain equipment, to operate in the public space. Trades like welding and automotive mechanics should only be embarked upon after due safety precautions for their proper execu-
tion have been undertaken. Welding in many countries can only be undertaken when a trained ‘fire watch’ equipped with fire prevention equipment (fire extinguishers, fire blankets and so on) is on the premises and in close proximity to the job being done. Admittedly this carries up the cost of the operation but at the same time we are putting in place the means to contain a fire and thus save owners of property deep grief. Next we need to ensure that all high rise buildings are notified to the fire authorities so that they can make sure they have rescue equipment capable of getting up to the topmost height in case of an emergency. All high rise buildings should be built with independent half-hour water capacity and fitted with suitable fire pumps and sprinkler systems. It’s no use lamenting over the inability of the fire authorities’ capability in fighting a fire when one can ensure that his building car-
ries suitable firefighting features that can supplement that of the Fire Service. Many years ago a walk down Regent and Robb Streets would have revealed ‘firemen’s switches’ on the external portion of all commercial buildings. These switches were operated by Fire Service personnel or trained electricians in the event of a fire at the respective premises. The ‘on’ position of the switches was in the up position. By pulling down the toggle the current to the building was disconnected. Nowadays the electric inspectors do not insist on the installation of such switches. I doubt whether any of the current inspectorate personnel know about such developments. Another area of grief is the steady rise of accidents to employees falling off scaffolding, having dangerous encounters and coming into contact with live wiring. Those who have to work in confined spaces or near areas
where the likelihood of a dangerous situation being developed is possible should be shielded there from. Again the erectors of scaffolding should be properly trained in the erection and dismantling of same. They too should be duly licensed. Licence fees can be used to fund a safety directorate/inspectorate which will be able to police building/ construction and mining sites on a daily basis. Editor the foregoing are some of my observations and suggestions for the improvement of the industrial safety environment in this country. I hope that government will find it possible to rework safety regulations and ensure that we continue to protect properly our most precious assets. I was pained to learn that a matter of hours ago a welder lost his life while fixing machinery at an ice making plant. Such operations should only be undertaken under the supervision of trained experts. Cyril Walker
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The sports bar at Pouderoyen is a thriving legal business Political correctness was DEAR EDITOR, We reply to an article dated January 28, 2017 under the caption, “Loud Music may have caused the death of an elderly man.” This letter which professes to come from angry and frustrated residents, (we must add) can only have come from one resident who is out to affect the operations of a legitimate business. In the first instance, this sports bar is not operated by a police officer but rather it is a family bar which has been in operations for over (9) nine years. This sports bar over the years has moved from a family business to a community business in which many residents who are unemployed would every Friday vend and sell a variety of foods which allows for the maintenance of
their families. The Friday night lime which has grown from a community venture sees persons from all walks of life coming to support and to relax after a full week of work. It is expected that some people don’t like to see others progress and become successful. Any attempt to misinform the authorities and the public must at this time be condemned and a call is being made for an investigation, by the many families in Middle Street, Pouderoyen who are employed at this said sports facility. Further, the operation of this sports business has always been in accordance with the laws of Guyana. There have not been any violations of the law and the licenses were granted under
the laws of this land. In over two (2) years the police have conducted regular patrols and stop and search operations and we call on the author of the letter to prove the accusation of drugs. This type of false and inaccurate information must be met with the strongest opposition. Moreover one finds this type of negative propaganda worrying since it is the family/owners who would clean the entire street, funded street lights, helped over fifty (50) children to school each term, fed the elderly, also provided sports gear and uniforms for the Pouderoyen Football Club monthly, and the list goes on. We further call upon the author of that misleading article to prove that an elderly
man died as a result of loud music. It is indeed true that an elderly man died in the community but this elderly man died about two years ago and that we know of no other elderly person who died during the starting of the Friday night event. Finally, we find it quite worrying that someone will go this length to misinform the public knowing full well that their information is false. Such a writer must therefore be bold enough to identify him or herself and not hide behind the covering of “angry and frustrated residents”, and if this one person wishes to have such a community event closed then suggest alternative employment for the over sixty persons that will be affected. Concerned Resident
This decision by GuySuco boggles the mind DEAR EDITOR, I read with much hilarity, a news item on GuySuco that appeared in Kaieteur News, January 26, 2017 edition “GuySuco to meet today on production targets as first crop starts”. In essence, the company announced that it will deliberate in an executive meeting, the projected production for 2017 and production startup date. One of its spokespersons even stated that the proposed date is the “latter part of February”. Editor, to understand GuySuco’s gymnastics, let’s go back to Kaieteur News, December 30, 2016, a news item captioned “From 2000 2016...GuySuco lost over 1.1 million man-days due to strikes - Holder”. In this De-
cember 2016 release, the Honourable Minister of Agriculture explained to the nation, apart from other things, that “153,300 tonnes of canes would be carried over in 2017, which, he said is equivalent to some 11,300 tonnes of sugar”. “Carried over” means, 153,300 tonnes of canes were left in the cane fields at the end of 2016 which will be harvested in the 2017 season. GuySuco could not harvest it because of many excuses which it gave the Government. We are now in 2017 and this amount of carried over canes can supply all six GuySuco factories (Wales now closed) for 1 1/2 weeks. Knowing this, GuySuco should be making every pos-
sible effort to start factories as early as possible since this batch of carried over canes have essentially gone past their harvesting age in November/December 2016. As these canes age further, the quality worsens and a high percentage of sugar is lost. From all indications, GuySuco will deliberately delay the start of operations to the end of February, 2017 and this boggles the mind because 153,300 tonnes of canes is being left in fields to become fibre. To further compound an already bad situation, a delayed start pushes the operating timeframe into the MayJune rainy season which will certainly affect operations assuming that canes are
there. If the IMC and its advisors delay startup, it confirms that they are not supportive of a GuySuco’s survival plan and maybe deceiving the Government in a clever way. A late start could also be because of bad management of factory repairs or too little canes to harvest in the first crop of 2017, again due to bad management. The nation eagerly awaits the announcement of GuySuco’s 2017 sugar projection. With the level of incompetence at the helm especially for the last 18 months, a depression projection is anticipated and Government will have to face the nation again to defend the IMC’s ineptitude in 2017. Sookram Persaud
Does this road have a “jumbie” that is “brukking” it up? DEAR EDITOR, The Agriculture Road in Mon Repos runs for about two miles, and its condition is nothing short of terrible, which is ridiculous. This road leads to GSA, NAREI, the GSA stock farm, GLDA and a few other businesses along the way. There are hire cars operating along this road. Recently a branch of the Republic Bank opened at the head of this road. The traffic on this road is constant. The potholes on this road range in size from at least one to ten feet and more in circumference. Some have sharp edges and an abrupt drop from about eight to more than twelve inches. When it rains and these holes fill up
with water you drive by guesswork, and you can imagine the damage to your tires. Pedestrians and especially schoolchildren become pathfinders hopping and jumping with great consternation. Anyone living around here in the years gone by will tell you that this road is mostly repaired only when a minister of the government is visiting one of the institutions in the area. Then the road is patched up and the sidewalks are trimmed, and I have even seen persons sweeping the road in preparation for the official’s big entrance. Guyanese are hoping that the days of such selective enhancement is over. The ordinary citizens’ cars, buses, bi-
cycles, shoes, boots and other footwear are not paid for by our taxes. We have to delve into our pockets and find some way to offset these unnecessary expenses caused by the negligence of those responsible for the roads. The officials’ Prados, Kias etc, are paid for and maintained by our hard-earned tax payments. And then any time this road is repaired it lasts no longer than four to six months. Why? Is it that something ‘do’ this road? Does this road have a ‘jumbie’ brukking it up? Is it that person or persons benefit when this road has to be regularly rebuilt? Is it that the contractors hired to con-
struct this road are unfit to do the job? I am suggesting that Parliament seriously contemplate hiring foreign contractors to build this piece of road. Can those responsible look into this situation urgently. Visit the area at around 7-8 am on any weekday morning and see the situation for yourself. Do not come with the big government vehicle. We do not want to waste more taxpayer’s money when your tires, etc, are damaged. B Shivdas
the priority on voting at the AFC conference DEAR EDITOR, There is a lot that has been said about the new leader of the AFC. .. Firstly, the PPP is the majority and if an election is called now the PPP will win a majority, due to the childishness of the performance of the Coalition. Secondly, the PNC and the APNU cosmetics are the minority. The AFC constituencies will not vote for the AFC especially with what is happening now with the coalition. The AFC with a black leader will take votes from the PNC, which is in the interest of the PPP. With Trotman as the leader, the AFC is doomed. The largest financial support was from the Ramjattan side of the party. It is unfortunate if the AFCites did not see that
political correctness was the priority on voting at the AFC congress. Speaking with Ramjattan last week, it was heartening to hear him say, “Joe myself and Trotman are friends, he is a good lawyer, we worked hard on AFC, we made a difference together, and we would have differences in the AFC, but nothing will make us split, we come a long way, and not even God will cause a split in the party. Joe again what you have written in the papers and what you are saying to me, may it be true or wrong, delegates will decide, this is democracy.” Minister Ramjattan, you are true to your nature, you reminded me of Dr. Jagan. Joe Persuad (Canada)
The cause(s) of crime in Guyana DEAR EDITOR, President Granger on the 7th October 2016 pointed to his government’s determination to identify the cause of crime as it seeks to formulate its strategy for eliminating or reducing same. Only a few days before the Christmas holidays, the Kaieteur News carried a letter from a member of the religious community in which the reverent gentleman suggested some of the causes of crime. Later the reverend gentleman’s contentions were embraced in a letter from a member of the diplomatic community. It should be of some interest to note that in both letters these gentlemen only addressed street crime. Nevertheless their offerings were/are useful. The search for cause/s of crime is not new; indeed the early Romans felt that crime was high when the moon was in a specific position. Astonishing as this might seem in the 1960s there were criminologists who focused on proving the relationship between the level of criminal activities and the weather. However, in more recent times criminologists have developed eight (8) major explanations for the cause of crime. Most of these explanations
are situated in biology, psychology, or sociology. Biological theories stress a physiological or genetic basis for criminal behavior. The psychological explanations argue that offenders are sick and/or that criminal behavior is a conditioned response. Finally, sociological theories argue that criminals are products of their environment. Proponents of these various perspectives can point to convincing arguments in support of their claims. For example, recently I read of the Esthwick brothers in Guyana, all four of whom were known to the police. Two were shot and killed, one by the police, the other shot in what seemed to have been an assassination by a person unknown. The other two brothers served prison time for committing various crimes. Those supporting the biological theory will see this family as support of their theory and see genetics as influencing their criminal behavior. However, we know that most brothers are as different as strangers can be in their character. Psychological theories tend to rely on the work (Continued on page 6)
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Hydar Ally’s Marxist-Leninist PPP didn’t elevate poor Guyanese DEAR EDITOR, We refer to the letter by Mr. Hyder Ally published in the Stabroek News of 25 January 2017. In that letter he appeared to reaffirm the MaristLeninist ideology of the PPP, by invoking President Cheddi Jagan’s idea that this ideology guides the PPP in respect to elevation of the poor, democracy and a humane society. We can go straight to the evidence Mr. Ally. Name the poor who acquired shares from privatisation of assets, which were recently part of 80 percent of Guyana’s state owned economy. What actually happened was that assets, owned by the poor and controlled by the state, were given to the rich. We can name the new owners and beneficiaries of the privatised assets, but we cannot identify the poor. Further, Guyana’s poor are represented in Parliament. Did the PPP respect their representative’s right to decide how privatisation would
be accomplished? Name Guyana’s poor who benefited from the Radio and TV licenses that were shared out by President Jagdeo, just before he demitted office. Or was this a sinister scheme by the PPP’s brass to dominate dissemination of propaganda and thereby suppress freedom of expression by the poor? Name the Guyanese poor who own shares in the Berbice River Bridge or the Marriot Hotel. Which of Guyana’s poor live in the so called “Pradoville One and Two” housing areas? Why is it that the poor paid the ultimate price from the spate of extrajudicial killings during the reign of the PPP from 1992 to 2015? Why it is that PPP government officials were able to travel abroad, on the poor’s tax dollars, for medical treatment while the said poor die in the pathetic state owned medical facilities and services in Guyana? Why is it that scholarships were generously given
to the children of PPP Ministers and high party officials, while Guyana’s poor endured a dilapidated, poorly staffed, poorly equipped, 19th century education at the ramshackled University of Guyana, but must repay student loans for a 6th rate education from the pitiable salaries paid in this country? Why did PPP administrations attempt to cut off the poor’s tax dollars from private media houses that criticised them, and what has the PPP done about freedom of access to information? Why was there so much complaint from the citizenry about failure of PPP administrations to adhere to the constitution and laws of the country? Why is it that for two decades the PPP denied the poor people of Guyana their democratic right to choose their leaders through local government election Mr. Ally? One must assume that the poor and powerless were responsible for these deeds, or was this fundamentally because of
The cause(s) of crime in Guyana From page 5 of Freud to explain the cause of crime. This new Freudian school holds that crime results from three conditions. These are (a) weak superego, (b) sublimation and (c) Thanatos (death wish). Space will not allow for a discussion of each of these, so I will briefly discuss one – the weak superego explanation. The ID is the source of drives that are primarily sexual, the Ego offers the ID alternatives through which its desires can be satisfied and the Superego which is often associated with our conscious, makes the choice of which of the alternatives is presented should be used. Thus, if the Superego is weak a poor choice will be made. This approach is mostly used to explain sex crimes. So, for example it could be used to explain the behavior of Jaipaul Jitlall. Mr. Jitlall, according to the Chronicle News 5th January 2017, is accused of raping and killing a sick, elderly woman. Of course, psychological theories also see other con-
ditions as having an impact on criminal behavior, for example crimes committed by psychopaths and sociopaths. However, the truth is we still know so little about the mind that an evaluation of these theories is still very questionable. The sociological perspective grew in its influence through efforts of the Chicago school of criminology in the 1940s and to this day offers the most popular theories on the cause of crime. Simply put, this perspective holds that the social environment can provide conditions conducive to criminal activity. For example, the belief that poverty gives rise to criminal behavior grows out of this perspective. The problem here is that for example, if poverty gives rise to crime why don’t most of the poor commit crimes? Another theory based in sociology is differential association which argues that we learn criminal behavior from the company we keep. This theory is usually used in the study of gangs and white col-
lar crimes. However, the stunning regularity with which we hear of priests all over the world committing crimes (with theft and sex crimes seeming to be their preferred criminal activities) suggests that this explanation for crime is insufficient. Mr. Editor, the discourse thus far should have made a few things clear to readers. First, that there are strengths and weaknesses in all these explanations. Secondly that very often, different perspectives can be used to explain the cause of a given crime. Since there is no certainty on which explanation is the correct one how do we go about structuring a response to crime? Do we give all these theories equal weight and if we do can Guyana afford such a multi-faceted response that such a conclusion would demand? Years ago, my old secondary school teacher – the late Kenneth Denny - said to me; “when there is no clarity on what should be done we must examine all the alternatives presented, conclude which one reason suggest is most applicable and implement same.” Perhaps, as we consider the causes for crime brother Denny’s advice is applicable. In my next offering I will deal with the approach that reason suggest we first embrace as the cause of a specific category of crime in Guyana and suggest some programs that such an understanding of crime would give rise to. Claudius Prince
Communist - Socialist ideologies based on MarxismLeninism and practiced by regimes which subscribed to these ideologies? One is therefore never surprised that terms like “the poor” and “the will of the people”, the majority of whom comprise the poor, are used as the first and last lines of defense in support of spurious claims, regardless what the world has actually experienced; that is, the brutal, autocratic, despotic, and certainly the undemocratic practices of Marxist-Leninist regimes. Mr. Ally’s reference to President Cheddi Jagan’s 1993 declaration is instructive. He wrote; “The People’s
Progressive Party to which I belong is historically a party of the working people and the poor, guided by the principles of Marxism-Leninism and with the aim of building a democratic and humane society with a multi-party parliamentary system.” If this is the position of the PPP today then the PPP is inflexible. Unfortunately for Mr. Ally there is no evidence that Marxism-Leninism practiced in Guyana or anywhere in the world, favoured the poor or delivered a democratic and humane society. He might re-examine North Korea, or produce evidence of flourishing Marist-Leninist countries or cultures. It was greater freedoms, private enterprise, free
trade etc. that delivered prosperity and a more humane China in the past 35 years, not Mao Zedong’s MarxismLeninism. The same is true of postLenin’s Russia and postStalin’s Russia. Note that this is the same ideology which Presidents Chavez and Maduro employed in Venezuela, Guyana’s neighbour. The result is that they have destroyed the country. People like Mr. Ally remain stubborn in the face of the evidence. Fortunately for Guyana, he and his Marxist-Leninist party are the opposition and hopefully the poor will keep them there until they depart from this failed ideology. Ivor Carryl
ALTERNATIVE HOUSING FOR SQUATTERS NEEDS EVALUATION DEAR EDITOR, The great efforts by Minister Valerie Patterson to provide alternative housing to squatters must be commended. This is the correct direction as opposed to the legalization of haphazard, unsafe structures that have proliferated. However, with the absence of qualified and experienced housing planners and builders she is on slippery mud and is fetching 10 pounds groceries in a 5 pound bag. There must be some amount of rectitude and legal ramifications, instead of the platitudes to the media and the piecemeal approach to housing structures and regulations. There must be laws to ensure that these houses allocated to the removed squatters comply with mortgage requirements and a Housing Code of Occupancy. Here are some conditions that need to be instituted: 1) Houses must have a floor plan and any addition or alteration must be applied for from The CHPA. 2) Each property must have a meets and bounds sur-
vey so the public knows the layout, dimensions and outer perimeter of the land. 3) Easements – the right for someone to pass through another person’s propertymust be determined. 4) Homeowners must sign a compliance that the home is for primary residence and is not for rental, as hefty fines or repossession could result. 5) Occupancy by one family is a required factor as well because many homeowners hastily add more rooms thus providing an unsafe multifamily occupancy in an effort to gain income from rent. 6 ) R e s i d e n t i a l neighbourhoods should not have any form of commercial activity for instance, oil change/tire shops, TV / phone repair outlets etc. 7) A Variance must be applied for, and granted by, the Housing Authority for any change from the (original) residential usage of homes. 8) Trained housing planners and inspectors should enforce safety standards. 9) A system to impose fines for violations pertaining
to garbage, water wasting, maintenance, alteration etc. 10) Allocation and demarcation of parking spaces to avoid conflicts. There is a multitude of factors governing the building of new communities: Schools, recreational facilities, medical centers, garbage disposal, and police outposts. Ratio factors vary; nonetheless, there ought to be a playground, for example one acre per 1000 persons. Ratios can be extrapolated to schools, policing, medical centers and so on. And, of course, fire stations. For Guyana to ascend to any high level of housing construction, qualified and experienced planners, builders and engineers would be needed as the country is still in the doldrums of housing. If this is not done then there will be yet another set of poor quality housing waiting for yet another disaster to happen. Leyland Chitlall Roopnaraine Real Estate Builder (New York)
Does the overseer have total power of the Rosignol-Zeelust NDC? DEAR EDITOR, Please permit me a space to air my concern. I want to know if the overseer of the ROSIGNOL- ZEELUST NDC is above the board. The reason for this is because there are numerous complaints where people went to the office to make a report and the overseer’s responses are far from satisfactory. We have a council that sits and makes decision to better develop our communities but it seem that these decisions are for Cotton Tree and No 2 villages only. I want to know what has happened to Rosignol; it appears that Rosignol has been sidelined. Is it because the NDC is controlled by the PPP that great disrespect is shown for the communities where non-PPP supporters are dominant. We were made to understand from a reliable source that Freedom House at Bath Settlement is making decisions for all con-
trolled PPP/C NDCs. The overseer shows little regard for the council. If the council makes a decision, the overseer has the power to stay its implementation. How can we have someone who is not even living in our NDC district make pertinent decisions for us? Furthermore, she was put there as an IMC OVERSEER. We are therefore calling for this woman to be removed immediately and let our community begin to develop. Why is it that projects for our community are given to friends of PPP people, when we have qualified contractors living within our NDC who are capable of carrying out these projects? Again, we are calling on the relevant authorities to look into these matters and we need an audit for our NDC because there are a lot of rumors of poor transactions taking place at the NDC office. Concerned Youth
Tuesday January 31, 2017
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Kaieteur News
Civil Aviation Bill tabled in the National Assembly Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, on behalf of the Government, tabled the Civil Aviation Bill 2017 in the National Assembly yesterday. The Bill, according to the Minister, makes provision for offences relating to the safety and security of passengers, aircraft and airports, for the regulation, control and early development of civil aviation in Guyana and related matters. The new Bill seeks to repeal and replace the Civil Aviation Act Chapter 53:01 and bring Guyana’s aviation law into conformity with primary legislation regulating civil aviation currently found in other parts of the world. It makes provisions for the enablement of the Chicago Convention and the Agreement establishing the Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System, Patterson explained. It would be tabled at a time when the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is working to strengthen its capacity. The GCAA’s operations were audited, recently, by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to ensure compliance with the international body’s standards and recommended practices. At a press briefing last
December, GCAA’s DirectorGeneral, Colonel (Retd.) Egbert Field, noted that the aviation body is working overtime to develop its s t a t u s . He added that results of the audit saw Guyana achieving a score of 64.44, a marked improvement from the 44.44 it had scored previously. He said the recent score is above average for the Caribbean. According to Field, the oversight systems within the GCAA are being examined as key towards advancement of the body’s status. “We are moving forward by trying to establish a robust oversight system, a robust authority,” he said. He explained that if the body does not strengthen its position, it would not be able to face the challenges that could arise in another two to three years. According to Field, the GCAA is looking towards the prospect of employing experts to assist in further strengthening its capacity, adding that the government has placed its full support behind development of the sector. Meanwhile, in the National Assembly, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, presented the Deeds and Commercial Registries Authority (Amendment) Bill 2017.
The sitting of the National Assembly yesterday.
One of the screens installed in the Public Buildings compound to allow the public to have a live view of sittings.
‘Mock’ exams to assess Maths intervention Grade Six pupils will today and the last day of next month participate in what the Ministry of Education is describing as ‘Mock’ Assessments. The move follows on the heels of the Ministry’s efforts to put in motion activities to intervene in unsatisfactory performances in Mathematics. According to the Ministry in a statement issued yesterday, “the Ministry of Education, as a part of its intervention activities in Mathematics, will be having two ‘Mock’ Assessments for the Grade Six pupils on Tuesday January 31 and Tuesday February 28, 2017.” The assessments, the
Ministry has revealed, will be conducted in all primary schools. The Ministry has not shared much more about the inaugural development. Poor performance in Mathematics was last year identified as a matter of national urgency by Government. The 2016 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), which is designed to place pupils into appropriate secondary level institutions, was written on April 27 and April 28. A total of 14,386 candidates were assessed in the subject areas of Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and English Language. While the performance in
English Language and Social Studies were consistent with previous years, this was not the same for Mathematics and Science. Both fell below what was obtained in previous years, the Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, had admitted. It was therefore underscored that the daunting performance requires Government’s focused attention and commitment to finding adequate and appropriate solutions in the shortest possible time. Senior officials from the Ministry of Education, including Minister Roopnaraine, were engaged by Cabinet to examine the declining perfor-
mance of students in Mathematics at the 2016 NGSA. For many years Guyana has consistently failed to achieve acceptable pass rates in Mathematics, an important core subject. Government has amplified in recent months that the previous approaches to this problem were evidently inadequate. In its effort to address the daunting shortcoming, the Ministry of Education for the first time contracted the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) to conduct the examination for the Grade Six students in Guyana. The basis of the (Continud on page 11)
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday January 31, 2017
Tuesday January 31, 2017
PAGE 9
Kaieteur News
Dangerous precedents Unless otherwise expressly stated in the law, the power of the President, or indeed for that matter any Minister, to appoint someone, does not carry with it an automatic right to remove that person. There have been reports in the media that the Chairman of the Police Complaints has been requested to relinquish his office. This request has seemingly been made despite the contention by the Minister of Public Security that the present Chairman is a top jurist who has been doing an excellent job as Chairman of the Authority. Why remove someone
who by the government’s own admission has been doing an excellent job? The explanation provided is age. Well, for a government which has been described a geriatric club and which has a record of reemploying retired persons and which has put someone over the age of eighty to head an important Authority, it sure will not be consistent if the basis for the removal of the Chairperson of the Police Complaints Authority is because of the incumbent’s age. Unless otherwise expressly stated in the law, a person appointed to a statu-
tory position usually enjoys security of tenure. The person cannot be removed from office other than that person resigning or by virtue of mental incompetence or death. The Police Complaints Authority Act assigns to the President, the power to appoint someone who has held the position of a judge as the Chairperson of the Police Complaints. But there is no power, under the said law, for the President to remove an incumbent Chairman. This, of course, does not prevent the President from lawfully asking someone to step down. It is dangerous precedent to set. There is also
Dem boys seh
Nuff people controlling When you give a li’l boy a tool that big man does handle, you bound to get trouble. Nuff li’l boy tek dem parents car and go fuh a joyride. De next thing you know is dem crash and kill demself. Sane people does avoid putting gun in li’l boy hand. Is only dem terrorist and dem guerrilla does tek children and put gun in dem hand. De American people know these things and dem put power in Trump hand. Dem boys never see one man cause so much confusion. Trump put de whole world in crisis. Things get to the stage wheh some of dem country begin to wonder if dem dealing wid de same America dem use to know. He didn’t even sit down in de chair when he an-
nounce that all dem Ambassador got to clear dem desk de next day. Dem Ambassador still laughing. He tell dem same ambassador not to give visas to certain people. Dem listen to him and cause so much problems that up to now some planes can’t even fly. From de time Trump get elected dem boys know was trouble. Normally, all dem countries does send congratulations message. Trump congratulations message come in slow like nobody didn’t want to send any. Now dem boys know why. Parliament meet yesterday. Dem boys know that whenever Parliament meet is because de MPs ain’t got nutten to seh. Couple times Soulja Bai go to help out. He mek a speech and then de
parliament had to send couple sessions to discuss it. Yesterday, was nuff talking. De people didn’t have nutten new to talk but dem keep talking. De opposition talk bout Soulja Bai and he team like to control. But is de same thing Rum Jattan use to seh when he use to sit down when Soulja Bai people now sitting. Now dem boys want to know if is everybody want to control. Trump want control who travel to the country; De Speaker of de House controlling who must talk in Parliament; and de parking meter people controlling wha people pay. Dem charging more VAT than even de government. But that is another story. Talk half and brace fuh de problems.
no obligation of the office holder to step aside. If the President feels that the person is mentally competent, the President is compelled to appoint a tribunal to establish mental incompetence. Other than that there is no basis for removing the Chairperson. There are no powers of recall by the President for appointments to the position of Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority. And unless there is some allegation against the Chairman, he should never have been asked to step down. The President has no power to recall the Chairman and therefore, equally, has no power to ask that the person step down. It does seem as if a decision has been taken, however, to ask the present Chairperson to resign. It is also being rumoured that another statutory Chairperson is also being asked to resign. These actions will constitute dangerous precedents if they are true. Statutory office holders
enjoy tenure and should be removed or forced to step down at the behest of anyone. The government will be undermining the independence of the statutory office if it tries to force an incumbent to resign against his or her will. We are once again sliding down a slippery slope by this recent reported decision to ask someone, who from all accounts, has his faculties intact to step down. It should not be happening. It undermines the independence of all similar statutory offices since the holders of such office will now feel that they can be asked to demit office at the request of the government. It is not likely that the Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority will stay on
when it is clear that the government does not wish him to stay on. There are some battles which decent people simply do not fight. It is not expected that any of the two gentlemen who are being asked to step aside will refuse to do so. They are both gentlemen who will know when they are not wanted. The big question is who will ask those retirees and old fogies within the government to step down and give young people a chance.
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Tuesday January 31, 2017
Kaieteur News
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
The AFC election results: A brief analysis The Democrats must be still in shock. Someone like Trump won the elections because they were too blind to see that what people expected of them they didn’t deliver. The mistakes the Democrats made in the US are the identical one (not similar but identical) the Coalition leaders are making in Guyana. The AFC election results tell the story
of why Trump succeeded. The medieval philosopher, St. Thomas Aquinas wrote that everything in life has an explanation and there isn’t anything in life that you can just say exists and is beyond explanation. So there have to be reasons for some of the upsets that took place in the AFC elections. When we look at the race for leader
of the party, then Trotman had to win if Ramjattan lost because they were only two contestants. What would have happened if it was a five person race? The results indicated that the AFC delegates were not satisfied with the politics and performance of the AFC after it entered government and they wanted a change of the high-profile party leaders. The two biggest upsets were the defeat of the incumbent General-Secretary, Minister David Patterson by someone far less known than him in the entire country and the top place Imran Khan secured in the contest to be on the national executive. He came out on top with 134 votes against 104 for the Prime Minister. Can you compare the image of Moses Nagamootoo with Imran Khan? Khan came to Guyanese politics in the election campaign of 2015 and his role was public relations so he didn’t take to the platform. I spoke about 30 meet-
ings and I never saw Khan speaking at any, so he was not exposed to the public. Why, with just two years of exposure did he secure more ballots than the PM and Minister Pattterson? Why Patterson received less votes than Michael Carrington? The explanation is that AFC members wanted a change in the party leaders because they felt that their Ministers did not project and are not projecting the AFC’s face in the exercise of power. In the nominations by Region 4 delegates to contest the leader and chairman positions, the PM did not fare well. In fact he did not secure a nomination. How do you explain the Prime Minister not getting sufficient votes among Region 4 delegates to contest the top spots? It has to do with how AFC members see the role of the Prime Minister. For most people in Guyana after the 2015 results, the Prime Minister would have been like a copresident with Mr. Granger. With every passing day, the PM appears to be a person without substantial power. I believe AFC members see this as a failure by both the PM and the AFC. They voiced
their disgust at that by how they voted. If you ask the average person in Guyana who is Marlon Williams, they will tell you they don’t know. Williams managed more than 40 ballots than Minister Patterson to clinch the position of General-Secretary. If you ask the average Guyanese who is Joel Edmund, they will tell you they don’t know, yet Edmund brought 6th place in the race for a position in the 12 person executive committee with a mere 8 votes less than Minister Patterson. Edmund got 20 votes more than the well know AFC executive Beverly Alert who is the head of GINA and former parliamentarian, Trevor Williams who is in charge of the Leonora athletic track. Newcomer Sherod Duncan pulled more votes than both Alert and Trevor Williams. He was number 8. Duncan was not involved in the national elections. He came into the AFC’s system during the local government poll. What then explains the defeat of Ramjattan and Patterson, the poor showing of Nagamooto and Alert and the rise of the newcomers –
Frederick Kissoon Marlon Williams, Imran Khan, Joel Edmund, Sherod Duncan among others? The answer is straightforward – AFC members wanted new faces and they had a reason. They lost faith in the incumbents whom they felt had not injected into their use of power, the core values of the AFC. Interestingly, some Ministers did not contest including Business Minister Gaskin and Agriculture Minister Holder. So you have two AFC Ministers who are not in their party’s leadership. Would the AFC agree with this analysis here? If they don’t then I believe they would go on to make the same mistakes. But this is the way of the world. Humans do not learn from their mistakes, especially politicians. Because of that flaw in humans, the world now has Donald Trump.
Tuesday January 31, 2017
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Kaieteur News
Govt getting tough on hinterland waterways ‘free for all’ Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, looks on at the heavy fog from the docked boat.
A boat with miners and supplies traversing the Mazaruni River. Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, will be pushing for the full enforce-
ment of regulations guiding travel on waterways. Last week, the Minister was forced to call a stop to a
boat trip along the Upper Mazaruni River after heavy fog reduced visibility and increased the chances of an
‘Mock’ exams to assess Maths... From page 7 assessment used by the CXC was radically different from what was used previously by the Ministry of Education. What was observed was that there was an increased focus on reasoning and a decreased emphasis on retention, Government had underscored. The new method to testing as implemented by CXC had reportedly exposed even more weaknesses of the previous approach to education adopted by the Ministry of Education in previous years. As part of a plan for short and medium term measures, Cabinet called on the Ministry of Education and its technical advisors to identify all appropriate steps needed to remedy the prevailing situation. Those steps included
remedial training of teachers, better and more varied text books, more teaching aids and better use of technology in the delivery of education. Government, last November, announced that it had allocated some $48 million to the Education Ministry. The fund, according to Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon, was expected to be expended by the end of December. But according to Harmon, Government is prepared to make provision for a further sum to be spent on the venture this year and going forward. According to Harmon, funding for the Mathematics improvement venture was seen as a matter of immediate emergency. He considered that “if you have a problem in primary, by the time you go to
secondary the problem goes with you. So we figured that at the bottom level this is where it has to be dealt with initially, because if we don’t deal with it there, they will get to the secondary and university (levels) and the problem is never dealt with.” In highlighting the need to undertake the improvement venture, Harmon intimated, “I believe that (based on) some of the reports I get out of our own university, we have some problems at the tertiary level as well.” But according to Harmon, efforts will particularly be made to target the primary level, since improving the performance at this level is seen as of extreme importance now. He, however, assured that the long term plan of the Ministry of Education is to also address the performance at the secondary level.
accident. Broomes said there needs to be greater enforcement of Maritime Laws particularly for those miners and residents who use the waterways to travel to remote locations. “I’m sure that there is something there which will prevent one travelling in the river where they can’t see …either by fog or rain, but I’m going to strongly recommend that Maritime enforce those that they have and it must become a general practice,” Broomes told the Government Information Agency (GINA). Broomes noted that while the boat her team was travelling in stopped at the Bartica Police Station, the police at the station never turned up to make any checks.
She described it as a “free for all…just stop, pass through, continue business as usual.” The Minister indicated her dissapointment with the manner in which vessels were being monitored while traversing the waterways into the interior. “One of the recommendations also is that someone should be working early in the morning to ensure that these boats that pass through at this time when they check into Bartica, that they are not allowed to leave until (they are) cleared,” Minister Broomes said. Broomes said she will raise the issue with Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette
Ferguson, who has ministerial responsibility for the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD). Meanwhile, Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), Director of Maritime Safety, John Flores, explained that there currently is no way of determining what the weather conditions will be like for any given day. However, Flores noted that boats are not permitted to travel before sunrise or after sunset. Additionally, he said that there are monitors who work daily, checking to ensure that all boats meet safety requirements which vary for vessels that carry passenger and oil, particularly into the interior.
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday January 31, 2017
Former AG misapplies Doctrine of Check on Abuse of Discretion By Vivian Williams (Continued from Sunday) Ignoring the non-justiciable nature of the controversy, former President Bharrat Jagdeo declared that the matter should be decided by the Caribbean Court of Justice. The assertion reflects a more juvenile than profound understanding of Guyana’s Constitutional jurisprudence from a man who has been the country’s chief constitutional officer for more than a decade. This is perhaps an indication of how lightly the constitution has been taken. It is rooted in an unusual misapplication of legal principles by former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, who has emerged as the PPP’s chief legal adviser. Nandlall presents the following flawed arguments in letters to Kaieteur News and Stabroek News, titled ‘The Powers of The President Under Article 161’ and ‘The Constitution Lists two Categories of Persons Eligible to become GECOM Chairman’. The flawed arguments are highlighted in bold type. Judicial Intervention is
necessary because President David Granger’s rejection of the list submitted to him, is based on an erroneous interpretation of the Constitution - his apparent failure to consider the “fit and proper” qualification stated in article 161: The President’s interpretation of “fit and proper” does not turn a nonjusticiable matter justiciable. The former AG is overlooking the fact that even a list of fit and proper nominees could be rejected by the President. Though the “fit and proper” requirement is an objective test, its objectivity is subordinate to the subjective requirement that the list must not be “unacceptable to the President”. By rejecting the list, the President has asserted that it is unacceptable to him. The reason for its unacceptability is immaterial since it is not a controversy for which there is a judicial remedy. It is only in the event that no list is submitted by the Leader of the Opposition that the President has a power in Article 161(2) to make a unilateral appointment: This is another argument that is (Continued on page 23)
Tuesday January 31, 2017
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Kaieteur News
$4.6B GPL project… Opposition calls for Public Procurement Commission to probe “polluted” contract
Three soldiers under probe for rape at army base A Board of Inquiry has been established to investigate a rape allegation against three soldiers. The incident reportedly occurred at Camp Stephenson, an army base in Timehri, East Bank Demerara. According to the Guyana Defence Force, it is
in receipt of an allegation of rape against three of its ranks. The statement did not immediately give details or state where the alleged incident occurred. However, army sources said that attention is focused at Camp Stephenson. “A Board of Inquiry has since been convened to as-
certain the facts and to determine whether the crime was committed. Meanwhile, the ranks are assisting the police with their investigations.” The army said it remains committed to the preservation of law and order and will deal condignly with all transgressors.
Opposition leader says T&T in crisis due to crime situation
PPP/C MP Odinga Lumumba
Chairman of GPL Board, Robert Badal.
The controversial awarding of the $4.6B contract to a Chinese-owned company for the Component ‘A’ of the Power Utility Upgrade Programme (PUUP), continues to attract scrutiny with the Parliamentary Opposition – the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) issuing a call for the contract to go to the Public Procurement Commission (PPC). Issuing the call on behalf of the Opposition was Member of Parliament (MP), Odinga Lumumba, during the sitting of the 60th Sitting of the National Assembly last evening as the house debated a motion tabled by PPP/C’s MP, Bishop Juan Edghill. The motion was for the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and Government, to abide by the procurement laws – among other things – to ensure that contracts are fairly and transparently awarded. Lumumba said that this “particular scandal-prone project “is an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)/European Union (IDB/EU)funded project with the objective to reduce technical and commercial losses to the GPL. The Parliamentarian posited that the matter be taken to the Public Procurement Commission in order to find a resolution while adding that the Chairman of GPL, Robert Badal’s call for more transparency within the agency was a tad “too late”. He said that while Badal was not specific for his reason to make such a call, it can be interpreted that he is also “burdened” by the decision to grant the Chinese company, China National Machinery Import and Export (CMC), the contract. “I need to remind Mr. Badal that he cannot go toward selective tendering. Any tender process should be
open, and available to all. Every tender board and every Government make mistakes. Mistakes are part of life. “But when you make mistakes and you know it is a mistake, you must correct it, or find ways to correct it.” Lumumba said that the project is vital to the long term efficiency of GPL but “incompetence and political interference has led to a delay of over 12 months. “During this period, the decision making process has been polluted by different sets of evaluators and as of today, the issue is still tarnished by accusations and counter-accusations. “ He also issued a call for the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee to be provided with the names of the evaluators. There were five bidders, the lowest of which were two Guyanese companies in partnership with foreign entities. Cummings Electrical Company Limited’s bid price was announced at $3.6B and Fix-it Depot‘s bid was $3.5B. Both were $1B and $1.3B lower than the bid price of CMC ($4.6B), Lumumba said. “Government and GPL are armed with the requisite information to annul this process and select either of the two local bidders.” PRICE IS NOT ONLY DETERMINANT
But Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, said that price is not the only determinant in the award of a contract. “There were local companies involved. I do not want to highlight deficiencies in anybody but I would like to highlight to this House of the requirements that were in the bidding document which all contractors will have to abide by...the average building of
Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson. construction work over at least three years, at least 25 percent of the budget. “What that means is that within the last three years, you must be able to demonstrate that you have done work to this amount— $970M; you must demonstrate that you won a contract to that amount. There were five bidders and two failed on that.” Experience as a prime contractor in construction in at least three works of a similar nature and complexity, equivalent to the works over the last five years was also a requirement. Of the five bidders, three failed on that, the Minister said. “(They were required to show) that (the bidding company) can ensure the timely availability of the essential equipments listed in the bid document – two failed. “(Be able to hire) a contract manger with five years’ experience – everybody passed that one. “The minimum amount of liquid assets and credit facilities, liquidity ratio, proof of access to lines of credit; there are several criteria that everyone has to fulfill. “The bidders were written to, saying these are the areas they did not satisfy.” PROCESS NOT STALLED The Ministers said that the project has not been stalled. “The IDB and the EU have reviewed the procurement regulations. They have reviewed the matters referred to them and they are proceeding. However, we are in the process of paying. “The appeals have been dismissed. So the statements being made that we have been held up is incorrect. These were the criteria that were set out by IDB and the EU and they were satisfied with the award. “
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Opposition Leader Kamla Persad Bissessar yesterday criticised the Trinidad and Tobago government over the crime situation in the country and called on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to “take decisive, effective action to protect and safeguard our citizens”. Speaking at a news conference in Port of Spain, Persad Bissessar said that with 52 murders recorded in the first 30 days of the year “Trinidad and Tobago is in a state of crisis”. She told reporters that criminals were enjoying a free reign in the country and “what is even more frightening is the seemingly deliberate lack of interest by Prime Minister Rowley, and his Cabinet, in addressing this state of chaos. “It is truly appalling that the Prime Minister chose to address the country’s collective pain and desperation via a press release on Saturday, which, instead of seeking to comfort citizens by outlining measures taken to combat this state of terror, merely acknowledged what all already knew—that the crime levels are ‘heinous and traumatic’.” Over the last weekend, Rowley urged young people
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad Bissessar to move away from a life of crime acknowledging that while crime has been, for some time, one of the most, if not the most critical issues facing Trinidad and Tobago, “the particularly heinous murders over the recent weeks have been nothing short of traumatising for the entire nation. “The loss of life through violent and unlawful means is wholly unacceptable. In recent weeks we have seen teenaged school girls being abducted and their young lives brutally snuffed out. Women continue to die through violent means. We are witnessing scenes where bodies are being dismembered and humiliated
for display.” Rowley said that every murder is considered objectionable by his government but the especially abhorrent types of murders occurring in recent weeks have brought an acute sense of terror and trauma to citizens. “It is the unwavering commitment of Government, to provide national law enforcement with what is required to do all that is humanly possible, under the ambit of the law, to find the perpetrators and swiftly bring them to justice. “Government sincerely sympathises with all who have lost loved ones to murder and while we share the pain inflicted on the national community by those who engage in violent conduct we continue in our sustained efforts to bring the perpetrators justice.” But Persad Bissessar, whose government had instituted a state of emergency in dealing with the crime situation soon after it came to office in 2010, said Rowley’s decision to issue a statement “is insulting and unacceptable to the citizens of our country who have placed their trust in the Government to uphold the Constitution and guarantee them their fundamental right to safety and security.
Future of Deputy Solicitor to... From page 14 Andrea Marks and other assistants he has retained over the past year,” Kissoon claimed. Kissoon claimed that Minister Williams even instructed his secretary and his other assistants to refuse to accept any documents or correspondences from her, and as a result, “I have had to resort to registering or express mailing him my correspondence and at all times emailing him and carbon copying relevant recipients.” Solicitor General Sita Ramlal in a letter to the newspaper noted that she did not prepare nor approve the Ap-
peal in the matter. “The Deputy Solicitor General Ms. Prithima Kissoon at all material times and at all stages had conduct of the matter and she was aware that an Appeal was being prepared. “When the Appeal was to be filed Ms. Kissoon could not be found to affix her signature to same. “The pleadings were brought to me for signature, whereupon I declined to sign same. I then went to the Honourable Attorney General and advised that he could not be a party to the action for the very same reasons stated by Mr. Mursaline Bacchus in
his letter published in the January 24, 2017, edition of the Stabroek News newspaper. “But the Honourable Attorney General was adamant and instructed me to sign and file the Appeal. This was done. “However, I again brought the issue to the attention of the Honourable Attorney General at a general staff meeting in the presence of the staff of Litigation Department, including Ms. Kissoon. “After discussions Ms. Kissoon agreed that she would apply for an extension of time to amend the rubric of the Appeal.”
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Tuesday January 31, 2017
Kaieteur News
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Experienced drivers, waiters, roti/puri cooks, day shift only. Apply at Hack’s Halaal with written application, 5 Commerce Street.
1 Big music set, owner migrating. Call: 690-5225
2009 RAUM -$2.2M, 2009 SIENTA -$2.3M, 2011 MAZDA AXELA -$2.7M, 2011 NOAH & VOXY $2.6M. CALL:617-2891
Popular taxi service for sale located on Sheriff Street Georgetown, includes 16 radio sets. Call: 695-0704
3 TON OPEN BACK CANTER, NEVER REGISTERED -$3.5M. CALL: 617-2891
Cat 928F Loader $7.3M, 3406 Caterpillar Engine $1.3M, 3306 Caterpillar Engine $1.3 M - Contact: 6500402\260-4115
1 Toyota Verossa, PTT series. Call: 657-8843
3116 Caterpillar Engine$1.1M, 3208 Caterpillar Engine $700,000, Diesel Welder, BMW 318I $2.5M, IST $2M. Contact: 650-0402\260-4115 Leyland DAF 75 Hauler in good condition GNN series -$2.2M. Call: 655-5117 or 623-3839 1 Brand new pool table 8ft (slate). Call: 691-1161
One Towa ace small bus, in working condition. Call:6751787/ 614-4275 Land Rover, Suzuki Sport X-90, Chevy Cargo Van, Grand Jeep Cherokee. Owner Leaving! Call: 227-8519/ 653-4287 Silent diesel generator 10KVA (1 with welding set), Jackhammer, used Indian Costumes and accessories. Owner Leaving! Call: 2278519/ 653-4287
One 6 inches dredge owner is ill. Call: 673-7883/ 619-5784/ 610-6738 One complete sawmill situated at Yarrowkabra Industrial Site Soesdyke/ Linden Highway. Call: 6441190/ 609-8041 Great Deals on video games & all gaming consoles. PC, video games & repairs – Call: 672-2566; 265-3231 Houses at Blankenburg$12.9 M and Up. Contact # 650-0402/260-4124 Elevator very good condition, price negotiable. Call 231-1284 Design & Make Aluminum windows, doors, stainless rails, showcases, rolling shutters, make & install automatic doors. Call: 2336818/677-5599/659-9999
1- Honest Driver salesman, must have lorry license, CXC subjects. Mail application to 10 La Grange, W.B.D. Need immediately dry cow mold 400 bags, preferably from Berbice Area. Call: 6437193 Experienced cook & pastry maker, salesgirl. Call: 6266835 Urgently wanted a professional cosmetology at Natural Beauty salon and spa, Grove, Market Street, E.B.D – Call: 652-5800 Driver, porters experienced in water sales. Call:682-1048 Bartender, cook & waitress. Call: 227-4897 1 Waitress, 1 bartender & 1 bar supervisor. Call: 6965768/ 218-0013/601-1949
VACANCY The #1 Plant Shop, sale staff and general maintenance and sales persons 20-30yrs. Call: 643-7193 Live in/live out waitresses. Call: 643-9007/ 666-4647 Driver/General assistant for city location and cook/baker for interior location. Call: 618-2020 Male supervisors (housekeeping Dept) 3255yrs @ 233 South Road, Lacytown. Call: 225-0198 All rounder person to work in salon at Lot 6 North Road . Call: 666-6917/ 223-1821 1 Female cleaner for office in Eccles. Call: 233-2745
FOR SALE/RENT American Pool Table. Call: 277-0578
Cook & Cashier for snackette, attractive salary. Call: 697-5387/ 677-9279
Arc/Acetylene welder with fabrication, driving and mechanical experienced. Call: 227-1813/ 227-1830 Carpenter/painter. Call: 2253234 Handy boy, must have police clearance. Apply to Shanta’s @ 225 Camp & New Market Street Live-in housekeeper to care for sick person; cook and general care. Call: 603-3571 between 7:00am-7:00pm Wa n t e d U rg e n t l y ! 1 Houselot in Diamond between 7th to 11th Avenue. Call: 610-5957 2 Beauticians with pleasant personalities & passion for their work must be qualified and have clients. Call: 626-6450
LAND FOR SALE
DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM
PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS& SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 677-7827, 6435122, EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM
J o i n e r, m a s o n a n d carpenter. Call: 690-6327/ 603-3949
Land @ Soesdyke, 6 lots measuring 135’X175’ -$24M negotiable. Call: 627-3334/ 696-8935, email:fcranmore@ guyanavoice.com
One experienced lorry driver at Xclusive Water, 29 Howes Street, Charlestown. Contact Adrian Lalljee: 678-1234
AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MIN BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPOTR & FAMILY OUTING, CHEAPESTRATE . Call: 698-7807
WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP REATES,SPECIAL OFFER FOR THE SEASON. CALL: 690-6494
Land @ La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.2M, $1.4M, $1.6M, Uitvlugt- $2M, Tuschen School Street -$3M, Providence -$5M, Eccles $5M. Call: 604-6724
CAR RENTAL
EDUCATIONAL
CAR RENTAL
Classes for slow learners in Reading, Spelling, Mathematics, and much more for children all ages. Call: 675-4379 Phonics & Reading classes for 4-8yrs, Common Entrance Lessons- Grades 4 & 5, full time school, Grades 7-9. Call: 677-0296
LAND FOR SALE Concrete structure (upper flat) 24X40, Diamond New Scheme -$7.5M. Call: 6533381 High income houselot in Uitvlugt, price negotiable. Call: 676-4051
One general domestic to work in Bel-Air, must know to cook, Indian & English dishes. Call: 223-9888/6643507
Tuesday January 31, 2017
Sarah Johanna murder accused found Siand Dhurjon and not guilty yers, Tuanna Hardy. Seven years after he was charged with fatally stabbing a man at Sarah Johanna, East Bank Demerara, Antonio Jaisingh, was yesterday acquitted of murder. He walked free after a mixed jury found him not guilty of murder and manslaughter. According to the charge Jaisingh between November 26 and November 27, 2010 murdered Randy Joseph, at Sarah Johanna, East Bank Demerara (EBD). The accused and the deceased were reportedly involved in a heated altercation at a bar in the area. Jaisingh faced a trial before Justice Navindra Singh and a mixed jury at the Georgetown Supreme Court. During the trial, nine witnesses were called to the stand by State Law-
However the eyewitness in the matter, Dameon Ramgulan, changed his statement while on the stand in the High Court. Ramgulan recanted his initial story that he had seen the accused shove Joseph who fell to the ground and that there was blood was under him. Ramgulan told the court that he had previously lied. He claimed that the police had beaten him to tell them the story. The witness is currently under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department for Perjury. In his Caution Statement, the accused who was represented by Attorney Latchmi Rahamat said he was at bar drinking when the victim attacked him and pulled out a knife. He said that he therefore defended himself.
Freed: Antonio Jaisingh
Ex prison officer remanded to jail Police are most disgruntled with the advice to release two of the three persons nabbed with over 14 pounds of marijuana. Acting on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution the police were forced to release the two. The group was nabbed during a raid at a home in Fort Ordnance, East Canje on the evening of January 23, last. Ex prison Officer, Mikhail Henry, 27, of Lot 868 Fort Ordnance Housing at whose home the drug was discovered was charged and remanded to jail. He appeared in the Reliance Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate’s Marissa Mittleholzer on the charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. Around 20:30 hrs on January 23, the police swooped down on the premises of
Mikhail Henry, a known drug dealer and conducted a search. While doing so the officers found a red tub on a patio in the lower flat of the house, 11 bulky black plastic bags, and two white transparent bulky plastic bags. Two other persons were also found in the house in the vicinity of the drugs—26year-old Ryan Jameer, of Lot 669 Fort Ordnance Housing Scheme, and Henry’s child mother, Kiendra Lindie. The bags were opened in the presence of the occupants and inside was concealed a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be marijuana. The three were arrested, cautioned and taken into custody in the Central Police Station, New Amsterdam where the items were weighed and
amounted to 7,748 grams or 14 pounds. The two men were detained while Lindie who has a seven-month-old baby was sent on $30,000 bail. A file was prepared and sent to the DPP for advice. It was advised that Henry be charged. Investigators are not pleased with the advice given since the three persons were all in close proximity to the drugs on the lower flat of the house, which was being wrapped and parcelled for distribution. However, the police are not happy that despite the compelling evidence and recommendation the DPP advised that only Henry be charged. Henry is to return to the New Amsterdam Magistrate Court on February 16.
Former AG Misapplies Doctrine of... From page 12 without merit. The Constitution expressly provides for the President to appoint a Chairman of GECOM if the list submitted to him does NOT satisfy the requirements of 161(2). The most critical requirement is that the List must not be unacceptable to the President. Therefore, if the List is unacceptable to the President it does NOT satisfy the 161(2) requirement, triggering the President’s discretion to unilaterally appoint a Chairman. You might have heard talks that the Constitution provides that if the List of nominees is rejected a new List may be requested by the President. There is NO such provision in the Constitution. What the Constitution states is that if the Minority Leader fails to provide a list
as provided for, the President shall appoint a Chairman of GECOM. The word ‘shall’ should not be lost in translation. Further, failure to present a list as provided for should not be interpreted as NOT providing any list at all. While the Constitution confers a discretionary power on the President to accept or reject any list, no discretionary power, irrespective of how untrammelled it may appear to be ex-facie, is absolute. While the legal principle propounded here is profound, its application is misplaced. The curtailment of the use and abuse of executive discretion is reserved for cases of vested individual rights. The selection of the Chairman of GECOM is not a matter of vested rights and as such, this legal doctrine does not apply.
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All of the cases cited by Nandlall to support his argument involve vested legal rights. So despite Mr. Jagdeo’s huff and puff, when it comes to the appointment of a GECOM Chairman by the President, the former President and AG are dancing on black ice. They are threading on slippery surface and don’t even know it. If they are NOT careful they could soon lose their balance but then again, Mr. Granger has lobbed the ball back in their hands. Could someone say who is calling play for the APNU/ AFC government?
Trio in court for theft, narcotics Three persons were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, for simple larceny and trafficking in narcotics. Monica Braithwaite, 28, of Arakaka, North West District; and Rolex Williams, 18, of Eteringbang; pleaded not guilty to separate charges of simple larceny. It is alleged that on January 28, last, at Arakaka, North West District, Braithwaite, a mother of two, stole $200,000 cash and a silver chain from Vincent Mc Intyre. In her address to the court, the defendant denied stealing the articles from the man. Meanwhile, the charge against Williams alleged that on January 25, at Eteringbang, he stole from the person of Trevor Joseph, one pouch, a quantity of Digicel phone cards and $80,000 in cash. Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones told the court that Joseph had taken Williams for lunch on the day in question, when he snatched the pouch containing the articles mentioned in the charge and made good his escape. The prosecutor related that Williams was later apprehended by police and
charged. According to Jones, Williams has a pending matter of a similar nature at the Kamarang Magistrate’s Court. Jones said that the defendant is still being investigated in relation to similar matters. Braithwaite was granted $10,000 bail and will return to court on February 7, at the Kamarang Magistrate’s Court. However, Williams was remanded to prison until February 3. In another matter, 23-yearold Winnick Reid was remanded to prison for allegedly trafficking cannabis sativa (marijuana). Reid who resides on the West Bank of Demerara is accused of having 1.4KG of cannabis sativa in his possession for the purpose of trafficking on January 28, at Eteringbang. He denied the allegation. His lawyer, Stanley Moore, during a petition for bail told the court that his client has no pending or previous matters. Moore said that Reid is a father of one and is willing to comply with any conditions attached to bail, even if it meant surrendering his passport. Prosecutor Jones said that an analyst report is still outstanding from the case
REMANDED: Winnick Reid file. Reid will make another court appearance on February 7, at the Matthews Ridge Magistrate’s Court.
Cops link employee to Tower Hotel ... From page 19 were in the area gave chase behind the men after they heard the gunshot. The chase led to East Ruimveldt Front Road, where the two men were arrested after running into a house to seek shelter.
The police said that the men had crashed into a trench during their escape bid. In their haste to avoid capture the men left the bag containing the cash in the trench. They also tossed the weapon away. The stolen cash was recovered.
Banks DIH tightens belt amidst ... From page 16 2015, an increase of $1.3B. Included in the increase is a gain of $1.4B arising from the sale of ordinary shares in Banks Holdings Limited and Desnoes and Geddes (Jamaica) Limited and the dissolution of BCL Barbados Limited which resulted in a surplus of $29M over the cost of the investment. Last year, Banks said it doled out $3B in capital spending to buy new trucks, a state-of-the-art filler for its beer plant; accessories for the water bottling plant; upgrades for the electrical power distribution system to its restaurants. Last year, in a serious dent to its cash, the company re-purchased 150M of its ordinary shares representing 15 percent of the issued share capital from
Banks Holdings Limited, a Bajan company it had been doing significant business with. H o w e v e r, B a n k s Holdings Limited still holds five percent of the issued share capital of the company. This is because Banks and its Bajan partner, under its new controlling shareholder, Ambev, have now agreed to cooperate in the marketing of beverages in the future. Reis in his report said that the cost of the re-
purchase of the ordinary shares was $5.5B financed through its own cash resources of $4.5B and borrowings of $1B. The expected impact of the repurchase of the share will be a reduction in capital and reserves attributable to shareholders by an amount equivalent to the consideration given, Reis said in his report. The group recently opened a brand new Corporate Head Office on Camp Street for Citizens Bank, one of its companies.
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Washington state to sue over travel ban, pressures on Trump grow
A woman greets her mother after she arrived from Dubai at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly (Reuters) Pressure on U.S. President Donald Trump grew yesterday over his order banning travel from seven Muslim-majority nations, as the state of Washington announced a legal challenge and former President Barack Obama took a swipe at his successor. The leader of the Democrats in the U.S. Senate, Chuck Schumer, said he would bring legislation last evening seeking to end the ban, although his effort stood little chance of being passed by the Republican-led Congress. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson joined a chorus of concern expressed by U.S. allies, ranging from Iraq to Germany, at Trump’s executive order to forbid entry
into America by refugees and people from some predominantly Muslim countries. Washington will be the first state to take on the executive order, announcing an effort to sue in federal court. “It is an insult and a danger to all of the people of the state of Washington, of all faiths,” Governor Jay Inslee, a Democrat, told reporters. He said it was important for the Trump administration to face lawsuits from the state itself, and not just cases filed by people who have been impacted by the order. Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson said the lawsuit would include constitutional claims, including allegations that Trump’s order violates the equal pro-
tection clause and the First Amendment. Those arguments are also being used in other lawsuits filed over the weekend on behalf of individuals detained at U.S. airports. Republican Trump’s directive on Friday put a 120day hold on allowing refugees into the country, an indefinite ban on refugees from Syria and a 90-day bar on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The president argues that his action will protect America from terror attacks but critics complain that it unfairly singles out Muslims, violates U.S. law and the Constitution, and defiles America’s historic reputation as a welcoming place for immigrants. Technology companies Amazon.com Inc and Expedia Inc, both of which are based in Washington state’s Seattle area, will support the state’s suit, Ferguson said. Another Washington state company, Microsoft Corp, said it has been cooperating with the attorney general’s office to provide information about the order’s impact “in order to be supportive.”by this order, I want you to know that the full extent of Amazon’s resources are behind you,” Amazon.com Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said in a note to employees.
Mexico sees signs of U.S. change on wall payment (Reuters) There are signs the U.S. government is taking a more flexible view of how to pay for its planned border wall with Mexico, and new meetings to craft future bilateral relations could take place soon, a top Mexican official said yesterday. Those ties were shaken last week when a planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto was canceled after the American said it was better to forgo it if Mexico was unwilling to pay for the wall. Trump wants a wall on the U.S. southern border to keep out illegal immigrants and says Mexico will pay for it. Mexico has flatly refused, making the issue a point of national pride. Pena Nieto and Trump spoke by telephone to calm tensions on Friday, and Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray said the two administrations were in close
contact and would talk this week. “Dialogue has not broken off,” he said. “It’s an extraordinarily important relationship for Mexico.” While no date has been set for a new Pena Nieto-Trump summit, meetings between government officials are possible in the next few days, said Videgaray, who expressed confidence that the White House was modifying its view on payment of the wall. White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said on Sunday that payment for the wall was still under discussion, mentioning the possibility of a border tax and other fiscal measures. “It could be on drug cartels,” Priebus added on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “And it could be on people that are coming here illegally and paying fines. Or it could be all of the above.” While cautioning he had no details of what those plans
could involve, Videgaray was heartened by the comments. “I think it’s a welcome sign, at least I interpret it that way, that we’re seeing the rhetoric is changing,” he said. The minister said “a very sizeable part” of the business done by drug gangs was in the United States. Trump has threatened to ditch the North American Free Trade Agreement binding Mexico, the United States and Canada, and Mexico’s government wants to defend its access to the U.S. market by bringing migration and security into discussions. After Trump’s executive order to temporarily halt entry of citizens from seven mostly Muslim countries, Videgaray said it would not spark change in Mexico’s migration policies. “Mexico is not closing its doors to anyone,” he said.
Tuesday January 31, 2017
Quebec mosque suspect charged with murdering six people: court (Reuters) A French-Canadian university student was the sole suspect in a shooting at a Quebec City mosque and was charged with the premeditated murder of six people, Canadian authorities said yesterday, in what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called “a terrorist attack.” Court documents identified the gunman in the attack on Sunday evening prayers as Alexandre Bissonnette. He was also charged with five counts of attempted murder, according to court papers. Among the six men killed were a butcher, a university professor, a pharmacist and an accountant, according to police and Canadian media. Police declined to discuss possible motives for the shooting at the Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec. “They consider this a lone wolf situation,” a Canadian source familiar with the situation said. In Washington, U.S. government security experts were leaning to the view that the gunman most likely was motivated by hatred for Muslims, a U.S. government source familiar with official reporting said. A man of Moroccan descent who had also been arrested was now considered a witness, although his nationality was not immediately known, the Canadian source said. Trudeau, who has made a point of welcoming refugees and immigrants from Muslim-majority countries, told parliament in Ottawa: “Make no mistake, this was a terrorist attack.” He added a personal message to Canada’s 1 million Muslims: “Know that we value you. You enrich our shared country in immeasurable ways. It is your home. Last night’s horrible crime against the Muslim community was an act of terror committed against Canada and against all Canadians. We will grieve with you. We will defend you. We will love you. And we will stand with you.” Somber parliamentarians observed a moment of silence. Trudeau visited Quebec City later in the day. The attack was out of character for Quebec City, a city of just over 500,000 which reported just two murders in all of 2015. Mass shootings are rare in Canada, where gun control laws are stricter than in the United States. In addition to the six
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers a statement on a deadly shooting at a Quebec City mosque, in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, yesterday. (REUTERS/Chris Wattie) killed, five people were critically injured and 12 were treated for minor injuries, a spokeswoman for the Quebec City University Hospital said. Federal Safety Minister Ralph Goodale told reporters in Ottawa there was no change to “the national terrorism threat level” from medium because “there is no information known to the government of Canada that would lead to a change at this time.” U.S. President Donald Trump called Trudeau to express his condolences “and offered to provide any assistance as needed,” said Trudeau spokesman Cameron Ahmad. Over the weekend, Trudeau said Canada would welcome refugees, his response to an executive order by Trump on Friday to halt the U.S. refugee program and to temporarily bar citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. Trump’s action, which the president said was “not about religion - this is about terror and keeping our country safe,” was widely condemned in the United States and abroad as targeting Muslims. Yesterday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters that the Quebec shooting was “a terrible reminder of why we must remain vigilant, and why the president is taking steps to be proactive, rather than reactive, when it comes to our nation’s safety and security.” FATHER OF FOUR KILLED A father of four, the owner of a halal butcher near the mosque, was among those killed, said Pamela Sakinah El-
hayet, a friend of one of the people at the mosque. The mosque concierge was killed, as was Ahmed Youness, a 21-year-old student, El-hayet told Reuters. One of El-hayet’s friends, Youness’ roommate, was in the mosque at the time of the shooting. He was unharmed, she said, but in total shock. Ali Assafiri, a student at Université Laval, said he had been running late for the evening prayers at the mosque, near the university in the Quebec City area. When he arrived, the mosque had been transformed by police into a crime scene. “Everyone was in shock,” Assafiri said by phone. “It was chaos.” Université Laval is the oldest French-language university in North America, with 42,500 students. Vigils were planned for Montreal and Quebec City, the provincial capital, as well as in Edmonton. There was an outpouring of support for the mosque on social media. “Last night’s shooting, targeting people of faith during their worship and prayer, is a deplorable attack on all Canadians and our most deeply-held values,” said Joe Gunn, executive director of Citizens for Public Justice, a group of Canadian Christians, churches and other religious congregations. Incidents of Islamophobia have increased in Quebec in recent years. The face-covering, or niqab, became an issue in the 2015 Canadian federal election, especially in Quebec, where the majority of the population supported a ban on it at citizenship ceremonies.
Tuesday January 31, 2017
Kaieteur News
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Tuesday January 31, 2017
Tuesday January 31, 2017
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RHTY&SC / GWI “Water is Life’ U17 50 Over KO... Blairmont Blazers retain... (From page 30) the RHTY&SC and GWI’s Gale Doris, Director of Human Resources, Management and Development. In her remarks, Ms. Doris said that her company was very pleased to be a partner with the RHTY&SC in this venture that would see youths being the main benefactors. She was quick to point out that she was very aware that the club, which she has been following over the years, has been involved in a number of sports activities. ”I am particularly happy to hear you are promoting women or females, it’s always good to know that. What I’m hoping is that you would also encourage these youngsters to have a balance between education and their sports life
because lots of times we find some of these sports personnel are not pursuing their education the way they should.” Foster, who promised that the tournament would be well organised and promoted with all the objectives being met, thanked Ms Doris, Dr. Van West Charles and Public Relations Officer Leanna Bradshaw for their efforts in making the competition a reality, related that the decision by the company to become a partner with them took less than 10 minutes. He said that for players to be eligible they must be born on or after September 1st, 2000. The winning team would receive $40,000 and a trophy. The runner-up team and man-of-the-finals would
be rewarded with trophies and cash. The nation’s lone female team, Metro Females would be playing in the competition and would be the only team allowed to feature players above the September 1st, 2000 cut off as the organisers seek to ensure their on-field development given the fact that no female competitions are played in Guyana. Among the other teams confirmed are Bush Lot United, Young Achievers, Blairmont, Young Warriors, Rose Hall Town Pepsi ‘A’ and ‘B’, No. 73, Skeldon and Tucber Park among others. Foster also informed that officials of the sponsor would grace the semi-finals and final with their presence they would share information
Tuesday January 31, 2017 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Your ability to dazzle others with your unique and innovative ideas will attract attention. You are best not to confide in anyone right now. Do not invest in joint ventures. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Focus on your domestic scene. Get together with friends or relatives. Opportunities for romance will develop through activities with large groups. Be prepared to counteract the damage that adversaries are about to create. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Help children with important projects. You can get your point across if you don't beat around the bush. Don't let relatives stand in the way of your personal plans. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Focus your efforts on your work. Coworkers may not be completely honest with you; try not to rely on help from others. Avoid joint ventures and steer clear of groups that want you to contribute financial assistance. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) This is a great day to beautify your living quarters or to entertain at home. Strength will come from your ability to overtake just about any one. You can find out interesting information if you get a chance to talk to people you respect. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Do not force your opinions on others the connections will be short lived. Outbursts of passion may cause arguments with your mate. Organize your day to avoid any
setbacks that might ignite temper flare-ups. LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You may be admired by colleagues and employers for your diplomatic way of handling your work and those you work with. You could meet potential new mates if you go out with friends or take pleasure trips. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Don't let your emotions interfere with moneymaking deals. Your confidence is growing and advancement is apparent. You will be able to borrow money in order to invest. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Don't be too eager to spend money that you really don't have. You will be attracted to unusual forms of entertainment and foreign cultures. Try to satisfy both of your needs. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Spend time with friends and relatives. Travel for pleasure. Try not to be too harsh with your mate. Don't evade issues or twist the truth around. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Someone you care about may let you down or criticize your methods. Consider making pleasure trips or participating in entertainment that will require energy. Don't overreact if your partner has a poor attitude. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Don't hold back; go with the flow and take a bit of a chance. Social activity with friends and relatives will be most successful. Your ability to work with detail could help you achieve your goals.
on the work of the entity and the topic, ‘Water is Life’. GWI Inc. has also committed to donating one cartoon of trophies towards the club’s 2017 list of activities which include a number of sporting and educational competitions for youths in the Ancient County. He said that there would be a zero tolerance on any club being indisciplined and any club found guilty of playing an over age player would be penalised by being disqualified from the competition. The outspoken Foster stated that it is the hope of the club that the “Sickening Problems” of the Berbice Cricket Board are resolved speedily. He committed the club in picking up the mantle that has been put down by the Berbice Cricket Board due to its inactivity by organising at least 20 cricket competitions that would benefit players at the Primary and Secondary Schools levels. These would see players at the Under13, 15, 17, 19, female, second and first division levels also cashing in towards their development. Foster noted that when his club was formed back in 1990, over 120 clubs were active at the second division level with as many as 60 competing at the junior levels. He challenged that it would be difficult to find 40 second division clubs and for that matter, 20, which are competing at the junior level.
Jeffrey keeps ‘Golden... (From page 31) Series including the Maloney clan Sean, Mark and Stuart. On Saturday, Jeffrey qualified second on the grid and raced to victory ahead of Suleman Esuf and Mark Maloney in that order. He returned in the second race and finished third, before hitting the top spot in his third race of the day to be crowned individual champion. The following day saw no let up in his dominance and he started off with a superb performance in the opening event to win ahead of Maloney brothers Stuart and Sean. The next race saw him get involved in an incident after tussling with the Maloney brothers for a podium finish, but was sent off the track, before returning to finish seventh. In the final race of the day, Jeffrey produced a staggering drive to claim the top podium spot and be crowned champion driver once again and subsequently the overall champion.
(From page 26) Blairmont Blazers beat D’Edward Super Kings by 2 runs in a close encounter. Blairmont Blazers took first strike and reached 59-4 with Jawahir 18, Parmanand Ramdhan 15 and Mahendra Singh11. Bowling for D’Edward, Pestano and Heeralall Bridgelall picked up one wicket each. D’Edward Super Kings in reply ended on 57-5 with Delbert Hicks 21
Jailall Heeralall 20 not out. Derrick McCalmon picked up three wickets bowling for Blairmont, while Jawahir took one. Individual awards were presented to: Kevon Jawahir for the best bowler and best catch of the day. There was a tie for the prize for the most sixes of the day which went to Parmanand Ramdhan and Leon Andrews. The player of the final was Rajiv Ivan. (Samuel Whyte)
Greaves now to serve 4... (From page 27) be dealt with, Yassin confirmed. The Caribbean RADO was a respondent in the matter together with Greaves. Yassin told the media that adjudicator awarded costs against the Caribbean RADO which would have to cover 75% and against Greaves who would have to pay 25%. Yassin is calling on young athletes to try and walk the straight path when
it comes to issue of doping. Due to the urgency of bringing this matter to the attention of the public the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) was not informed Dr. Pilgrim said but the federation would have been kept in the loop before as well as Greaves’ club, Roraima Bikers. The CAS also ruled that any medals, points and prizes that Greaves would have obtained during the periods of ineligibility are forfeited.
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Tuesday January 31, 2017
Preparation for GCB female Inter County tourney commences in Demerara Female cricketers in Demerara have commenced preparation for the upcoming Guyana Cricket Board Senior Female Inter County 50over tournament. The players were scheduled to participate in a 50-over trial match yesterday at the Everest Cricket Club, but due to the inclement weather they had to settle for indoor practice at the Chetram Singh Centre of Excellence, La Bonne Intention. Speaking with Kaieteur Sport after the practice session, allrounder Haseena Mohamed said that while the session went well, there are still lots of work to be done, but it’s good to see the players gelling nicely. “Most of the players here haven’t been able to do much training
due to the inclement weather, so we have to put in a lot of work ahead of the inter-county tournament,” she posited. She said that the new faces in the team have shown the commitment which is good for their development. National player Latoya S mith s aid s he w as disappointed with the turn out for the first session. “We were expecting a much larger turnout, nevertheless the session went ahead as planned and the players have shown the commitment”, she noted. She stated that that are hoping for some turf practice so they can be better prepared for the tournament. Sessions continue at 13:00hrs today at the said venue. (Zaheer Mohamed)
Akaze Thompson (right) giving the other players a word of encouragement prior to start of yesterday’s session.
Blairmont Blazers retain Roy Fredericks Cup Blairmont Blazers retained the Roy Frederick’s Cup by defeating Young Warriors by 6 wickets in the final of the Competition played last Sunday at the Blairmont Community Center Ground. With the inclement weather a threat, the competition was reduced to an eight over affair after the completion of the preliminary round of matches. The semi-final and final were played for 6 and 5 overs per innings respectively. In the final the defending champion won the toss and
asked Young Warriors to take first strike. National player Rajiv Ivan, who opened the bowling with spin, immediately caused much problems for the batsmen as he ripped through the top order picking up the wickets of Alex Algoo, Gadjanan Singh and Ishwar Singh in the first over. Yo u n g Wa r r i o r s recovered slightly to end on 38-7 in their allotted 5 overs with Waheed Edwards the only batsman to double figure with 19 runs. Blairmont Blazers in reply lost 2 wickets for 6
Blairmont Blazers winners of the Roy Fredericks Cup.
runs, but Kevon Jawahir 18 and Rajiv Ivan not out 11 then joined forces to take the score 26-3. Blairmont eventually reached the target with 6 wickets and 1.5 overs to spare to retain the Roy Frederick’s Cup. In earlier games – D’Edward Super Kings beat East Bank Gunners by 7 wickets, EBG 88-2 Leon Andrew 54, Kevin Sinclair 12. D Lalsa 2-15 and D’Edward Super Kings 89-3 D. Lalsa 46, Delbert Hick 22, Clinton Pestano 12. Young Warriors beat Cotton Tree Die Hard by 8 wickets. Cotton Tree Die
Hard scored 62-7 with Pooran Persaud 26. Gajanand Singh and Linden Austin took two wickets each for Young Warriors who replied with 65-2 with Alex Algoo 27 and Gajanand Singh 25. Blairmont Blazers beat Cold Fusion by 17 runs. Blairmont Blazers 107-1 with Mahendra Singh 48 not out and Parmanand Ramdhan 47. Cold Fusion ended on 89-4 with Steven Harris 30 and Kevon Buddie 29. Kevon Jawahir picked up 2 wickets. In the semifinal (Continued on page 25)
Marian Academy host successful Schools’ Relay Championships M a r i a n A c a d e m y ’s hosted a successful Schools’ Relay Championships on Saturday at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary as part of its Caribbean Secondary Examination Council (CSEC) Project for fifth form students. There were 12 events on the day, which included the 4x100m girls and boys Under-14, Under-16 and Under-18, Girls’ U-14 1200m Medley, Boys’ U-14 1 5 0 0 m M e d l e y, G i r l s 4x400m, and Boys U-16 and U-18 4x400m races. There was intermittent rain during the 4x100m races but the team of student organisers overcame and proceeded to finish their programme on time. The event began at around 9:30am, concluding after 4:00pm in much improved weather conditions. The students of the Physical Education class worked alongside the C o m p e t i t i o n D i r e c t o r, Jahleel Young, the PE t e a c h e r, K e i t h S m i t h ,
Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG) officials, Red Cross and Marian Scott Group. In addition, live streaming was done by the Marian Academy ICT Club. The event attracted huge spectator turnouts, as it formed part of the class project for 2017 CSEC Physical Education Exam that will be held May/June. Principal of Marian Academy, Sr. Marie Harper O.S.U, officially opened the event, which Henry Rodney performed duties as announcer. National junior sprinter, Daniel Williams was one of the outstanding athletes from Linden’s Mackenzie High School, which won the team title. Tutorial High School’s Zion Gray was also another outstanding athlete for his school. A total of 17 schools participated. Medals and trophies were presented. The Honorable Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton was also present at the event.
Tuesday January 31, 2017
Kaieteur News
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Greaves now to serve 4-years Egypt beat Morocco to for Anti-Doping Rule Violation make Cup of Nations semis WADA successfully appeals against Caribbean RADO RMC decision to CAS
GOA President K. A Juman Yassin at yesterday’s press conference flanked by Dr. Karen Pilgrim (left) and Charles Corbin. By Franklin Wilson Leading cyclist Alanzo Greaves has been slapped with a further three-year ban which now adds up to the maximum four years by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) for his Anti Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) in November 2015. The WADA ruling was handed down on January 5th last with the Caribbean Regional Anti Doping Agency (Caribbean RADO) in a press release issued yesterday stating that it has accepted the ruling of Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on the ADRV case involving Greaves following WADA’s challenge of the Caribbean RADO initial ruling. It is apt to note that the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) had turned over responsibility to the Caribbean RADO with regards to disciplinary proceedings. Greaves was one of 10 riders who were tested by the Caribbean RADO which, through its Results Management Committee had suspended him for one year after his urine sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) that is a positive test for the prohibited substance, Testosterone. Further analysis of the urine sample by the WADA accredited laboratory r e p o r t e d a testosterone/epitesterone (T/E) ratio greater than 25, thus confirming the substance testosterone or its metabolites was exogenously derived, that is not naturally produced by the body. Bringing the issue to the attention of the media and
Guyana yesterday was President of the Guyana Olympic Association K. A Juman Yassin who hosted a press conference at the associations headquarters High Street, Georgetown. Sharing the head table with President Yassin were Caribbean RADO Officials Dr Karen Pilgrim who is a Director and Charles Corbin, one of the Doping Control Officers. Ya s s i n i n r e m a r k s informed that WADA’s appeal to the CAS which had appointed an Attorney from England was successful thus the extension in the ban to the maximum, four years. ”The fact that he has served one year that would now be deducted so his further period of suspension would be effective from the 5th of January 2017 until the 4th of January 2020. I note that there was a cycle race and Mr. Greaves had won the race and thus I felt that it was only right and proper we should bring this to the attention of the fraternity.” Yassin also informed that communication was sent to G r e a v e s b u t c o u l d n ’t confirm if he had indeed received same. Dr. Pilgrim gave a brief background to the entire issue reminding that the test on Greaves was done on November 1st, 2015 which was random. The tested riders were selected randomly based on their performances in the first four stages of the five stage contest. The GOA was later informed on November 23rd, 2015 that Greaves test showed up an AAF and he was subsequently notified in writing on November 28th, 2015. Greaves was then informed by RMC in April
2016. Corbin in his remarks on the issue said that the process allowed Greaves at each stage to intervene and he did admit that he had ingested the substance. ”In his indication he got this information one day before the actual cycle race in terms of the written representation by his lawyer. He did not during the state of appeal, he did not enter an appearance or challenge the appeal even though he was aware that WADA was going to attempt to make an appeal in respect of the sentence that was meted out by the panel.” Corbin further informed that in accordance with the rules that Greaves was given 21-days since the WADA award was handed down by the Arbitrator to put in a challenge. ”At no stage in any part of the process other than the original admittance did he challenge the proceedings.” Yassin noted that he felt the penalty was too light noting that Greaves’ defence was no defence. ”His defence was that he was with the club when he left to go to the washroom somebody put it in his drink. He did not name the person, he called no witnesses to substantiate that fact and the adjudicator in the appeal found that the onus of proof was upon him {Greaves}and it would not be right and proper for an athlete in these circumstances to say look, it was put in my drink without calling supporting witness or witnesses.” Whilst the WADA has now been definitive in its stance on the matter, the issue of costs would have to (Continued on page 25)
P O R T- G E N T I L , Gabon (AFP) — Mahmoud Kahraba scrambled in the winner in the 88th minute as Egypt beat Herve Renard’s Morocco 1-0 Sunday to reach the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations. A tense last-eight tie in Port-Gentil seemed destined for extra time until Kahraba, on as a substitute, poked the ball over the line after the Moroccan defence had failed to cut out a corner. The Pharaohs, record seven-time winners of the trophy, now advance to a semi-final against Burkina Faso in Libreville on Wednesday after claiming a rare victory against their north African rivals. The 1-0 scoreline also means Hector Cuper’s side have still not conceded a goal in four games in Gabon. Defeat for Morocco,
though, means Renard, following previous triumphs with Zambia and the Ivory Coast, will not win a third Cup of Nations title here with a third different country. Given the identities of the two coaches, this tie always looked likely to be a close-fought tactical battle, and so it proved on a dreadful pitch in Port-Gentil that the tournament can be glad to see the back of. Renard opted to play with three centre backs; Romain Saiss joining Manuel Da Costa and skipper Mehdi Benatia in the middle of the defence as they looked to suffocate the Egyptian attack. It was a largely successful tactic, but the first half was almost totally devoid of real incident. Egypt did threaten once
when Nabil Dirar failed to clear at the back post and Trezeguet’s effort was saved by Munir Mohamedi. At the other end, Saiss was unable to connect with Da Costa’s ball across the face of goal, but then headed against the top of the bar as the Egyptians struggled to clear. Cuper had lost Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny to injury earlier in the day and he then saw Marwan Mohsen limp off late in the first half — the striker the latest of many victims of the pitch over the last two weeks. A livelier start to the second period saw the Moroccan ‘keeper produce a strong arm to block a Mohamed Salah effort before the pocket-sized midfielder M’bark Boussoufa struck the bar at the other end.
James reaches milestone for Cavs in win over Thunder (The Sports Xchange) LeBron James scored 25 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and became the first player to score 20,000 points in a Cavaliers uniform in Cleveland’s 107-91 victory on Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. And yet the storm clouds of a turbulent week that James helped induce for the Cavs may not be completely over. Kevin Love left the game in the second quarter with back spasms and did not make the trip to Dallas for yesterday’s game against the Mavericks. Instead, he’ll remain in Cleveland for an MRI on his back, which has now cost him the equivalent of three games in the last two weeks. C o a c h Ty r o n n L u e acknowledged Love’s back was bothering him when he arrived at the arena on Sunday. “It’s nothing to play with,” James said of Love’s back issues. James had back problems of his own a couple years ago. “It’s a terrible feeling when your back is hurt. It just limits you more than anything. I know it’s very frustrating for him because he puts in a lot of work.” Russell Westbrook had 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his 24th tripledouble of the season and first of his career against the Cavs, but he struggled most
Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) drives to the basket against as Brooklyn Nets forward Luis Scola (4) defends during the second half at Quicken Loans Arena. (Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports) of the day. Westbrook shot 7 of 26 and committed four turnovers while being guarded most of the day by Iman Shumpert. “Russell’s seen every imaginable defense,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. “He had some good looks, both in deep and in the free-throw line area. He had some 3s. It was a game where maybe shots didn’t go down for him, but I didn’t feel he was laboring to get shots off or he was having a difficult time getting to the rim. It was one of those games.” Kyrie Irving scored 29 points and passed for 10 a s s i s t s , w h i l e Tr i s t a n Thompson grabbed 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Cavs, who have won consecutive games after losing six of their previous eight.
Thompson had one of his best defensive games of the season blocking four shots and picking off four steals. Now he is the last remaining big in the rotation since Love is down at least temporarily. “This has been our mantra since we all came together: Next man up. We talk about it every year,” Thompson said. “We hope Kevin gets well, takes care of his body, because you know we’re going to need him for the long haul. So, whatever he has to do to get 100 percent, that’s the most important.” James, who is eighth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with nearly 28,000 career points, has nearly twice as many points as anyone else in a Cavs uniform. Zydrunas Ilgauskas is second on the team’s scoring list with 10,616 points.
Kaieteur News
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Tuesday January 31, 2017
Jaguars win by 5 runs on DL system as Beaton, Johnson, Fudadin shine
Skipper Nitish Kumar (66) fends at one from Ronsford Beaton who had a career best 4-28 yesterday.
Assad Fudadin played splendidly yesterday. By Sean Devers in Barbados In Association with Bounty Supermarket, Vnet Communications, Life Time Reality & Ming’s Products &
Services Led by a four-wicket haul from Ronsford Beaton and a century partnership between Leon Johnson and Assad Fudadin the Guyana
Jaguars notched up their second victory in this year’s Regional Super50 tournament to move to nine points when they beat ICC Americas by five runs on D/L system when bad light stopped play yesterday at the Windward ground in a game reduced to 45 overs due to early morning rain which caused a damp spot near the pitch. The Jaguars limited the Americas to 220-7 in 45 overs as Skipper Nitish Kumar led from the front with a fluent 66 from 73 balls with three fours and three sixes. He shared in a 56-run stand with Alex Amsterdam (22) and 45 with Fahad Babar (25). Timroy Allen (37) and Srimantha Wijeyeratne (27) added 53 for the sixth wicket towards the end, while Hamza Tariq chipped in with 17. The 24 year-old Beaton, the man of the match, had a career best 4-28 for the Jaguars who reached 212 in 43.3 overs with Johnson stroking nine masterful fours and one six in an attractive 78 and added 131 for the third wicket with Fudadin whose 54 was decorated with four fours from 98 balls. With nine to get from 12 balls Barnwell (29*) faced three dot balls when the Umpires stopped the game with Chanderpaul (22) being the other not out batsman. Rajendra Chandrika (2) was quickly removed by Jamaican Timroy Allen and the Jaguars had again started poorly at 12-1. Raymon Refier joined Assad Fudadin and slapped Cecil Pervez for a brutal boundary to get off
the mark. Fudadin straight drove Pervez for four before Reifer (6) edged Jasdeep Singh to the keeper at 29-2 in the 11th over. Skipper Leon Johnson and Fudadin embarked on ‘operation rebuild’ and the 50 was posted in 15th over when Johnson cut Singh past point. Fudadin hit Nikhil Dutta down the ground for four while Johnson paddle swept pacer Kamau Leverock to the fine leg before dancing into a free hit from Leverock and banging it past his ankles. The on-fire Jaguars Captain executed a magnificently timed cover drive before finishing the over which cost 17 runs, with a disdainful flick that galloped for the fourth four i n t h e o v e r. F u d a d i n hammered Saad Zafar for a pugnacious four as the bearded left-hander oozed confidence as the hundred came in the 23rd and Johnson celebrated with a glorious boundary off Zafar and he reached his 10th fifty from 48 balls with seven fours. An orgasmic extra cover drive by Johnson off Perez was out of the top drawer much to delight of the fair size Guyanese contingent. He then pounced on Kumar and lofted him out of the ground. Fudadin joined in the runs spree by reaching his eighth Regional 50-over fifty from 88 balls with four boundaries. Fudadin and Johnson fell in the space of two runs as Chris Barnwell joined Shiv Chanderpaul who needed 32 runs to become the leading
run scorer in Regional 50over cricket and got going with a big six off Zafar. Chanderpaul pulled Dutta for four while Barnwell pivoted and pulled Allen for four to bring up the 200 in the 42nd over. Earlier, the Jaguars, with the same X1 that beat CCC on Saturday, invited ICC Americas to bat on pitch with a tinge of green and a rough and heavy outfield when play commenced in brilliant sunshine. The Americas, missing Mohammad Ali-Khan who played for Guyana in the CPL, due to a hamstring injury and Akeem Dodson, whose father is Guyanese, began cautiously before 22year-old left-handed opener Kamau Leverock (14) cut Reifer for four and pulled to Beaton for another boundary before he edged Beaton to the Keeper Anthony Bramble to leave ICC Americas on 19-1. Kumar joined Babar who swept Jacobs for four to break the shackles, while the compact looking Kumar stroked Reifer to the backward point boundary. Another boundary by Babar off Reifer, brought up the 50 was posted in the 15th over from 88 balls as their partnership took shape. K u m a r s w e p t Veerasammy Permaul for four as both batsmen favored the sweep against the spinners, but Bishoo struck in his first over when he trapped Babar for 25 from 31 balls with two fours to end the promising second wicket stand. Alex Amsterdam, whose
grandfather Sidney Jackman, played First-Class cricket for Guyana in the 1960s, joined Kumar who dumped Jacobs back over his head for the game’s first six, while another six off Bishoo brought up his second fifty at this level from 54 balls with three fours and two sixes and the 100 in the 27th over. Amsterdam played the supporting role before he got one that bounced and left him from Beaton for him to be caught at slip by Johnson for a 50-ball 22 to leave the score on 120-3. In a very strong wind which had the Guyana and Barbados flags dancing in the breeze, Kumar dumped Permaul over mid-wicket for six to move into the 60s but was soon removed in the same over, 34 short of his second century at 135-4. Allen clobbered Permaul for six to bring 150 in the 36th over and along with wicketkeeper Srimantha Wijeyeratne, who opened in the last game, the pair scored valuable runs. Wijeyeratne slashed Reifer for four and deposited Permaul for six after Allen had struck him for four in an expensive 40th over which cost 11 runs, but Allen (37) was lbw to Beaton at 188-5 to break a threatening partnership. The 200 was posted in 43rd over before Wijeyeratne, who made 27 from 27 balls, fell to Reifer and Beaton got rid of Tariq in the final over. The Jaguars next match is against CCC Marooners on Friday at Kensington in a day/night encounter.
Kaieteur News
Tuesday January 31, 2017
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GuyanaNRA 150th Anniversary/WIFBSC 2017 Championships
Upgrade and refurbishing of Timehri Rifle Range commence With the Guyana National Rifle Association (GuyanaNRA) set to celebrate their historic 150th Anniversary in the month of October by welcoming the Caribbean and the world to the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Council ( W I F B S C ) Championships, the upgrade and refurbishing of the Timehri Rifle Range has commenced. The local association which has been the #1 team at the Short and Long Ranges in the Caribbean for many a years would be leaving no stones unturned to ensure that all coming to Guyana later this year leaves short of having a fantastic time on and off the range. To this end, a consorted effort to bring the range up to international standards has commenced with the extension of the 300, 500 and 600 yards ranges which would have been completed. Attention would shortly be turned to the 900 and 1000 yards ranges. On Sunday last, work
Dismantling of the old targets and sand filling underway at the Timehri Range on Sunday January 29th. would have commenced on removing the old targets which would all be refurbished and increased from 14 to 24. Leading marksman Lennox Braithwaite informed that work would also be done on improving the roads in and around the range. ”All the works we would
be doing to ensure that the range is the best in the Caribbean would take into account all the requisite safety factors. We w o u l d a l s o b e installing wash room facilities, a flag raising site with the requisite poles for the flags as well as a car park.”
Braithwaite also informed that the Government of Guyana and the Guyana Defense Force have already been contributing to the upgrade as Guyana would be on show in October. He noted that they are aiming to complete works by the end of March so that the
Guyana team can commence training in early April ahead of the defence of their Long and Short Range Caribbean titles. T h e W I F B S C Championships are set to take place from October 915 next with the Caribbean expected to invade in full numbers, the likes of
Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda and Bermuda, among others. International confirmation would have also been received from Canada, Great Britain and the United States of A m e r i c a R i f l e Associations to date.
Bounty/ Antonio’s Grill One Day Hockey Competition
GCC teams dominate season opening event Bounty GCC and Pizza Hut Ladies dominated the season opening event which was organised by the Guyana Hockey Board on Sunday, at the National Stadium, Providence. The one-day tournament which was a collaboration between Bounty/Antonio’s Grill saw Bounty GCC beat Pepsi Hikers 3-2 in a penalty shootout after regulation time ended 3-3. Aroydy Branford and Jamarj Assanah for the Hikers and Kevin Spencer and Kareem McKenzie for GCC all scored their penalties, before Hikers Andrew Stewart’s effort landed just wide of the post after a fine save by goalkeeper Medroy Scotland. Fittingly, Most Valuable Player (MVP) Dwayne Scott had the final say in the match and succeeded by the narrowest of margins as his initial shot hit the left upright post, before he pounced on the rebound to put in into the net for the win. Earlier, the eventual
The victorious GCC teams pose for a photo op following their wins in the Bounty/ Antonio’s Grill One Day Hockey Competition. victors, Bounty GCC took a different path to the summit as they lost a close duel to the defending champs, Hikers
by 3-2 in the early rounds. With the Hikers playing unbeaten right up to the final, they entered as heavy
favourites in their rematch against GCC who had brushed aside Old Fort by 50 in their semi-final.
The two sides produced some wonderfully entertaining hockey in an unforgettable men’s final
with Scott, particularly outstanding in defence for the Bourda side in thwarting several Hikers raids on goal even when he found himself outnumbered. The Pizza Hut GCC ladies took advantage of the stage by defeating all challengers and completing their dominant showing with a 5–0 victory over the Woodpecker Hikers in the final. Pizza Hut GCC stormed t h r o u g h t h e w o m e n ’s competition scoring 33 goals in five matches and only conceding one. To u r n a m e n t M o s t Valuable Player, Aliyah Gordon of Pizza Hut amassed a leading 11 goals for her team which was almost double the next highest goal-scorer in the competition. After a spirited first half in the women’s final that saw the Woodpecker Hikers contain GCC to just one goal, the Pizza Hut ladies rattled in 4 more unanswered goals in the second half for the easy victory.
Kaieteur News
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Tuesday January 31, 2017
STAG Nations Western Tigers and Santos waltz into final; Cup KO Football Police and Riddim Squad relegated to 3rd place
Western Tigers’ Randolph Wagner (#14) tussles Guyana Police Force FC’s Kevon Mc Pherson for possession.
Santos’ Job Caesar battles his way past two Riddim Squad players on Sunday night at the GFC ground. Western Tigers Football Club and Santos Football Club have earned a potentially mouth watering date in the final of the Stag Nations Cup knock-out football championship following hard fought and contrasting semi final victories on Sunday night last at the GFC ground. Western Tigers, having lost the Mayors Cup final to Police were out to exert revenge and that they did 6-5 via sudden death kicks from
the penalty mark following a grinding 1-1 tie at the end of regulation and extra time which saw both sides squandering chances. Santos fought off the late efforts of an ordinary looking Riddim Squad and their lone goal of the game which came off the boot of Delon David in the 31st minute was enough to take them to the championship match on Saturday which has at stake 3 Million dollars in total, the winning club set to pocket $2 Million.
Such was the fitness and confidence of the Santos side that they only instituted one change during the course of the match, David making way for Rawle Adams in the 46th minute; Riddim Squad utilised three subs but just could not find the back of the nets even as the subs added life to their attack. Try as they would have in the final 20 minutes, Riddim Squad were unable to breach the Santos defence and had to settle for a third place playoff against the Guyana
RHTY&SC / GWI “Water is Life’ U17 50 Over KO Cricket Tourney launched Sixteen teams in Berbice to battle including Metro Females By Franklin Wilson Sixteen cricket teams in the Ancient County of Berbice would face off in the historic Guyana Water Inc. sponsored ‘Water is Life’
Under-17 50-overs knockout tournament organised by the indefatigable Hilbert Foster and the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club M.S (RHTY&SC). The tournament which is
a first for the Dr. Van West Charles (Managing Director) led GWI in terms of sports sponsorship, was yesterday launched jointly by Foster, Secretary/CEO of (Continued on page 25)
Gale Doris, GWI’s Director of Human Resources, Management & Development hands over the sponsorship cheque to RHTY&SC’s Hilbert Foster in the presence of another club official.
Police Force (GPF) which succumbed to the Tigers in the feature match of the night. The ultra fit Police side which had ran riot in the earlier stages of the competition finally met their match as the rampaging Tigers which had also been destructive in their preceding matches of the championship, cooled down the lawmen. The Tigers, one of the teams that have shown a high level of organisation in offence and defence in their matches, again replicated that discipline which eventually brought them over the line after enduring a stern test by the cops. Western it were which took the lead on 35 minutes, Dwayne Mc Lennon tucking his shot past Police’ goalie, Darius Frank. The Tigers kept the momentum going even as the Police unit made a few enterprising runs into Western’s final third and looked the most dangerous from the crosses. It was not until the 61st minute that the GPF were rewarded for their efforts when Quincy Holder s u r p r i s e d We s t e r n ’ s custodian Troy Carrington with a well placed shot to neutralize their advantage, at 1-1, it was game on. At times it looked like the GPF would have overpowered the Tigers with their robust play, substitute Junior Gordon who was introduced in the 60th minute making rings around the Tigers with his pin point crosses into the box; one
Delon David such cross narrowly kept out by the cross bar after one of his teammates had already beaten Carrington with his header. Regulation time did not see anymore goals and the 11 stalemate which was taken over to extra time remained the same when that period also expired. Kicks from the penalty mark were the next option to decide the winner and at the end of the first five, the score was locked at 2-2 with both sides missing three shots. The respective goalkeepers doing excellent, especially Tigers’ Carrington. Jamal Pedro and Cleon Forrester were the players to score for Western whilst Police’ Rawl Turnell (sub) and Dwayne Charles
were on target to keep their team in the hunt. The sudden death period where the first team to miss was sent packing, saw We s t e r n Ti g e r s b e i n g flawless as they scored four with Police missing their fourth, Travis Jones being the culprit. His teammates, Kester Dundas, Attio Wallace and Keron Boston (sub) tucked their chances away but it was all to nought. Scoring for the victorious Tigers were Shane Morris (sub), Darren Benjamin, Joshua Britton (sub) and Ryan Adolph. Saturday is championship day when Western Tigers face Santos, while Police will play Riddim Squad in the third place match with $500,000 and $300,000 up for grabs.
Tuesday January 31, 2017
Black retained as Achiever’s Youth and Sports Club President David Black was retained as President of the Achiever’s Youth and Sports Club when the body held its annual general meeting recently in West Berbice. The position of Vice President will be filled at the first executive meeting which will be held shortly since there was no on the floor nomination. Carol Nurse was elected Secretary, Rockquell Bobb Assistant Secretary, Keon J o s e p h Tr e a s u r e r a n d Sherwyn McPherson the Assistant Treasurer. The club also nominated Captains and Vice Captains for its various teams.
Krishna Sewlall was selected as Captain of the U15 team with Odel Miller as his deputy. Christopher Harry is the U17 skipper and Adrian Samaroo the Vice Captain. Kris Ramnarine will lead the U19 side with Trevett Carmichael deputising. The club’s second division captain is Rennision Mitchell. President Black said that the executive members are currently working on a programme of activities to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The club was founded on July 17, 1997 by Black.
Kaieteur News
Calvin Ming continues winning streak in Mexico
Calvin Ming stands atop the podium with the other top finishers and officials following one of his victories last weekend. On Sunday in Merida, Mexico Guyanese Calvin Ming continued his impressive showing from last year when he turned in an outstanding drive to win two races in the FIA NACAM F4 Championship. Ming christened the reconstructed circuit with victory. He returned for the second event and according to an online post, he had to start from the back of the grid but stormed through to record his second victory of the day. He noted that the car was
Jeffrey keeps ‘Golden Arrowhead’ flying high in B/dos
Radical Winter Series winner Kristian Jeffrey (2nd left) along with Brian Ten-Pow (left), Father Kevin (eight) and crew member after his triumph. G u y a n a ’s K r i s t i a n Jeffrey produced two days of top class driving over the last weekend to be crowned champion driver at the R a d i c a l Wi n t e r C u p Challenge Series, at Bushy Park in Barbados.
The former two-time Caribbean Motor Racing Championship title holder was in dominant form on both days, registering four first places, a third and seventh place to wrap up an outstanding display at the
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start of the new season. According to his father Kevin, who spoke with Kaieteur Sport yesterday, the young Jeffrey’s performance was impressive as he beat some of the top drivers in the (Continued on page 25)
strong over the weekend and he was pleased with the work of his team. However, in the final race he and his teammate suffered a mishap with disappointed the young Guyanese racer. He noted
that he had slowed to get into formation on the grid but his teammate did not realise he had and crashed into him sending his car flying into the wall. It caught fire and both drivers were unable to start the race due to the
extensive damage. He was grateful that they were both ok and put the misfortune down to part of racing. He expressed thanks to Team Ram and all who aided in a successful outing last weekend.
t r o Sp Jaguars win by 5 runs on DL system as Beaton, Johnson, Fudadin shine
Greaves now to serve 4-years for Anti-Doping Rule Violation WADA successfully appeals against Caribbean RADO RMC decision to CAS
Alanzo Greaves
Leon Johnson sweeps Dutta for four in his delightful knock yesterday. (Photos by Sean Devers)
Marian Academy host successful Schools’ Relay Championships
Linden’s Mackenzie High School poses for a photo opportunity after winning Marian Academy’s Relay Championships at Police Sports Club Eve Leary last Saturday. Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210