Wednesday January 31, 2018
Stakeholders’ involvement and buy-in to issues of national import is critical DEAR EDITOR, Last week at the observation of India’s Republic Day Anniversary, President David Granger, in his address at the function, acknowledged earlier statements made by former president Donald Ramotar that the Government of Guyana was indeed engaged in some bilateral talks with India on rehabilitating the sugar industry. By now it may be considered beside the point that the nation was initially confused, based on government’s responses, that such an engagement ever existed. A delegation led by Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge is in India to follow up on the issue. According to Ramotar, this rehabilitative programme would have included loans, technical assistance and possible investment by major sugar players, which this Government ignored. Governance and government’s business are continuous processes and while political heads may change, the institutions and records remain. Thus it was reasonable to expect that during transition from one administration to another, a handing over process would have included such things as inventory, not only for vehicles but also loans and programmes, including those in the pipeline. Whether this was done or not may be debated, though necessary to ensure the continuity in the system of governance and managing the people’s affairs. It is also instructive; knowledge of this engagement came after thousands of workers are already on the breadline, the future uncertain for others, and Wales redundant workers still catching hell. The concern here is the importance of respecting the inclusionary processes on decision-making and management as required by us consistent with Article 13 of the Guyana Constitution. Where the 2015 Commission of Inquiry and Special Committee addressing sugar did not see any meaningful involvement from the PPP/C, severance payment deferred/
denied, and on the other hand initiated input by other stakeholders ignored by Government, made a tenuous situation untenable. Whereas recent engagement between the sugar unions and the government marks a positive development in realising inclusionary approaches, such must mark a natural occurrence, initiated from the inception, not at the last moment when situations become untenable. What the nation is learning daily is that from the inception all the cards were not being placed on the table, reinforcing concern about a partisan approach and the absence of a commitment to deal honestly with the industry. The politicians’ salaries, pensions and other benefits are guaranteed whether GuySuCo sinks or not, sugar workers have a bright or dim future. Workers/citizens continue to be victim of the penchant to withhold and exclude, waiting for one’s rival to fail, or harbouring the false premise of knowing it all. There remain the lessons of history to be learnt in the treatment of issues, particularly that of the productive sector (sugar and bauxite) that has within unique race and political dynamics. The process of nationalisation as conducted in the 1970s saw the reliance on inclusionary approaches between stakeholders, and notably the Government and Opposition. This saw a cohesive and peaceful transition by the society even as the political forces were able to rally their constituents. The desire to seek opportunities for politicalupmanship and reign supreme at the expense of the livelihood and workers’ welfare much be eschewed. Let me make it very clear: it is not lost on me that a cashstrapped industry taking loans will not necessarily guarantee turnaround, but factors such as technical support and buy-in could be examined in the context of production, sustaining employment and other economic op-
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Kaieteur News
portunities. Ramotar’s accusation that the Government is pursuing a “discriminatory policy in regard to sugar”, and that this has to do with race, cannot be ignored. Such perception, real or conceived, can have dire implications for achieving social cohesion. At the same time, if the PPP/C felt so, the party should have laid its cards out from “jump-street” and stopped this drip, drip of information and playing on the fears of Indians. Considered their elected representatives, it must conduct itself in a more serious manner, initiate and meaningfully participate on issues that affect this constituency’s welfare. Mixed messages, from both sides of the political divide, will not help. Varied stories from privatising to closure, to right-sizing, to saving the industry, only add to the confusion, creating uncertainty and opportunities of division to thrive. Programmes to ameliorate the socioeconomic impact of affected workers are noted, but could have been developed and packaged better, even before the redundancy exercise commenced. Another lesson from history that can be learnt is that of the transition of the economy from state control during the late 1980s. Via the Structural Adjust-
ment Programme (ERP/SAP), institutions such as SIMAP and Basic Needs Funds were first put in place to aid the retooling of our human resource capacity. Though initially there was some measure of socioeconomic dislocation, the society was not as fractious and contentious as it is today. The point I am trying to get over is the importance of stakeholders’ involvement and buy-in to these issues of national import. The infrastructure that was put in place by the Desmond Hoyte administration to deal with sugar and bauxite were identical. This was torpedoed by the PPP/C government that refused to continue the treatment of equanimity. Since then the society has become more polarised. Averting this destructive path requires shrewd and deliberative judgment by the collective. For whatever is done today will have corresponding impact, good or bad, in the future and it makes sense to always strive to leave a legacy of integrity rather than dishonesty, of tolerance rather than intolerance, of unity rather than division. The Government (Opposition and Executive) has a moral responsibility to lead in the interest of the society and what is certain the workers/citizens want stability and progress in their lives. Lincoln Lewis
Much of the criticism... From page 4 to “excess” profit oil. Guyana’s take will shift from 12.5% towards 50% of production. Of course, while this increase is likely to emerge sooner rather than later (given the touted high rate of returns of the Liza development), the difficulties in auditing cost recovery and the spending of new money (e.g. on additional exploration and FPSO’s) will make the increase of Guyana’s share hard to project. Regardless, what is the
problem with a deal that guarantees you an increasing share of profits? We need a more grounded and balanced analysis of the 2016 PSA. Sherwood Lowe
There is no abuse of land at the Ogle Airport DEAR EDITOR, Within the space of seven (7) days, the Kaieteur News has reported stories (21st and 28th January, 2018) based on misinformation provided by unnamed sources targeting the Eugene F. Correia International Airport. The newspaper, of course, has violated the basic practice of professional and objective journalism by publishing its story without, at least, first, seeking a response from the company it has targeted in its report. The Kaieteur News report further, on this occasion, makes a personal, unfounded, false, and libelous attack on Mr. Michael Correia, Chairman of OAI. It accuses Mr. Correia of improperly leasing land at the Airport to himself. Mr. Correia neither owns, nor has leased for himself, any land at the Airport. All land leased from Ogle Airport Inc. is, in fact, leased under contract, reviewed by a Land Lease Committee appointed by the Board of Directors of OAI. The alleged source of the Kaieteur News, with apparent malicious intent, selectively and misleadingly quotes from a Sub-lease Agreement issued by the Airport on 18th February, 2010, to the Correia Mining Company Ltd. (CMCL). On 6th October, 2009, CMCL applied to OAI for the lease of non-airside
land “for vehicle parking and container storage” and not for the construction of a hangar. The CMCL application is perfectly consistent with the provisions of the Sub-lease Agreement issued to the company which allows for “suitable structures in accordance with plans submitted by the lessee and approved by the lessor”. It is entirely false, therefore, for the newspaper to report that this land “was permitted to remain undeveloped for seven years”. The land in question had to be drained and developed from a swamp and houses the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School and a car park. The remaining land to be developed is temporarily in use as a playing field providing recreational facilities for the over 350 employees of the Correia Group of Companies, until such time as the development is completed. We wish to point out that EFCIA is an Airport in a dynamic and growing state of development as a public aviation facility. The Airport is subject at all times to the obligations which are clearly set out in the Lease Agreement between the GOG and OAI, as a private Sector company with several shareholders, operating as a public/private partnership. It is precisely for this (Continued on page 6)
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Kaieteur News
Local govt. commissioners need to go back to the drawing board DEAR EDITOR, The last local government elections saw some private individuals and groupings running for position in the municipalities and NDCs. It meant that the commission on Local Government had some insight on what is needed, but it did not go the whole nine yards. The members of the commission, being MPs affiliated to various political parties, had to represent the common interest of their respective parties - making sure that LGE provides a census of the support for their respective parties in the communities across Guyana. Did that census improve the quality of local governance around Guyana? It did not. All it did was to install politically-affiliated people who have no real interest in improving conditions in their communities - into the hierarchy of the NDCs and the municipalities because the parties - not the people in the communities - wanted these people to be there and given our high polarisation, the people willingly contributed to their own demise. Look at the parking meter fiasco and other issues. Over the past year, the Mayor and City Council matched “oil and Gas” tit-for-tat in the news all for negative reasons. Georgetowners, like the rest of the country, were duped into putting politics before people - now they are reaping it. Team Benschop would have done better!
Agitations and tensions within councillors are rife at the NDCs. The quality nor quantity of services to the people did not improve and will not improve under the present LG system. Political insularity into the system of Local Government (LG) defies the whole purpose of what LG should be. Local Govt. elections should be about people with interest in their communities vying for position to improve the living conditions and welfare in their communities. In my opinion, the names of political parties should not be on the ballot of LGE - the commissioners should have gone the whole nine yards - political expediency reigns supreme over their patriotic instinct. It is a reflection of how the politicians continue to poison this country by politicising every square inch for their own selfish or partisan purposes. Taking politics into every nook and cranny of our daily live does nothing more than polarise us deeper. Social cohesion will be nothing more than a dream if this continues. One people, One nation, One destiny will remain nothing more than a mirage. In the interest of unity, the commissioners need to be sent back to the drawing board to erase the names of the political parties from the local govt. ballots. That will not happen, given the configuration of the commission and the political
allegiances of the commissioners, unless the people demand it. As for the people, an estimated 80% supporters of APNU and the PPP will not entertain any ideas or thoughts unless it comes from the mouths of their political leaders. Does any one of the political leaders have the fortitude to “bell the cat”? I think not. This does not augur well for local Governance. I saw in the news, the AFC was undecided about going outside of the coalition to contest the LGE. Given their perceived performance in the coalition and the general lack of performance of the Coalition, their head count of support will be dismal. APNU’s support may wane somewhat. The PPP will be the only party benefiting from this head count. Will that do anything for Guyana? It will only help to polarise us further. The president or someone in parliament should get the local Govt. commissioners back to the drawing board to get the parties’ names off the LGE ballots. If not, people should boycott these elections until they do so. Rudolph Singh
Wednesday January 31, 2018
Our unsatisfactory and upsetting experiences at GPHC DEAR EDITOR, I feel compelled to share our experiences while our brother was an in-patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. Let me begin by stating that I did my internship at GPHC. I am presently working in the United Kingdom as a consultant in Acute Internal medicine.I visited Guyana during the Christmas holidays. I arrived on 22nd December 2017. While I was at the airport in New York, I received a message that my brother had to be admitted to the hospital. On arriving in Guyana, I immediately went to see my brother. What I was greeted by was very upsetting. My brother was on a bed with no bed sheet and a disposable diaper that was overflowing with faeces and urine. I went to the nurse and politely asked for some gloves to tidy him. I also asked for a bed sheet. The nurse who was on her phone, and obviously annoyed at being disturbed, rudely told me that the hospital has no bed sheets and then pointed in the direction of a box of gloves. I proceeded to take three pairs of gloves since my other two brothers also needed gloves. Her response
was ‘ wheh you going with all a duh’. We bought three sets of bed sheets for him to make him comfortable. On returning the following day, we discovered that the unused bed sheets were stolen; we also discovered that his mobile phone was stolen. We also found that our brother was without a bed sheet and his diaper was again overflowing with faeces and urine. I had to go through the same process of asking for gloves and was greeted with the same response. As a result, we decided to purchase a box of gloves. On the third day, we saw that our brother had a laceration on his arm which was sutured. On asking him how he got it, he was not sure. This was not surprising, since he was confused. We asked the nurse about the laceration and she hadn’t an idea. Of course on our arrival he had no bed sheet and his diaper was overflowing with faeces and urine. Of course we had to bring fresh bed sheets from home since the hospital hadn’t any bed sheets. On the fourth day, one of my brothers visited in the morning and found my brother on the floor in a pool of blood with a nurse not too
THERE IS NO ABUSE OF... From page 5 reason that the Lease Agreement between OAI and the Government of Guyana (GOG) specifically provides for the establishment of an Airport Review Panel (ARP) to review the progress and obligations of all the parties under this Agreement and to ensure that the responsibilities of the government and the responsibilities of the airport operators are complied with. It has been the consistent, if not persistent, appeal of the private operator to the government, past and present, to appoint the Review Panel in accordance with the terms of reference of the Lease Agreement. Had the Review Panel been in place and functioning, there would be little room for mischievous reporting in the media. Ogle Airport Inc. looks forward to the Minister of Public Infrastructure fulfilling that obligation. All of the major domestic operators: Air Services Limited (ASL), Trans Guyana Airways (TGA), Roraima Airways
Limited (RAL), Wings Aviation Limited (WAL) and JAGS Aviation, have substantial Sub-leases on the Airport in growing and varying stages of development. There are two (2) mining companies and one (1) timber company with leases on the Airport and all of these companies operate aircraft services. These companies are Correia Mining Company Ltd., Hopkinson Mining Company and A. Mazaharally & Sons Limited. As Ogle Airport Inc. has already stated, the Kaieteur News report that small aircraft operators “are still waiting a positive feedback from OAI” for applications for land is simply not true. Small aircraft operators are generally unable to finance substantial airside hangar facilities and, in some cases, even non-airside office facilities. Ogle Airport Inc., for this reason, at its own expense for some time now, has provided a light
aircraft parking apron and, in the case of two (2) operators, Hinterland Aviation Inc. and G Star Aviation, has provided terminal offices at concessionary rates. There is no aircraft operator, large or small, once meeting the financial, technical and administrative requirements of the Airport and the regulations governing the Airport, whose application for land has been refused. As already pointed out, there are a number of applications pending for the purpose of leasing land which are currently subject to the review of the processing of the leasing of state lands by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission. There is no abuse of land at the Airport. The Sub-lease of land by OAI is strictly in accord with the provisions of the Lease Agreement between OAI and Government, is subject to the review and approval of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission a n d must meet the technical, financial and administrative requirements which are clearly established and publicly available to any applicant. Ogle Airport Inc.
far away dispensing drugs. On politely making queries, he was advised that he was not on the floor long. That was clearly irrelevant, since it was obvious that he was in some discomfort and action should have been taken immediately. Of course on arrival, he had no bed sheet and his diaper was overflowing with faeces and urine. On the fifth day our experiences were no different. Our brother was without a bed sheet despite us bringing in several bed sheets and he was covered in faeces. That very day, I noticed his drug chart at his bed side. I read through it and found that he was not on a critical medication. I queried this with the nurse who rudely chastised me for reading the drug chart and told me I have to speak with the doctor. I was told the doctor was not available, but I should return early the following day and wait on the doctor until ward round was completed.On the sixth day I recognised that my brother was dying and had a few hours to live. We wanted to spend his last hours with him but were not allowed to. In the UK, our patients when dying are placed in a side room and the relatives are allowed to spend the last hours or days with them. I recognised that the ward does not have side rooms, but at the bare minimum we should have been allowed to be with him during his last hours. Of course on our arrival, he had no bed sheet and his pamper was overflowing with faeces and urine.Our brother died alone a few hours after we left. He was 34 years old. It is sad the way the hospital treated a terminally-ill patient. Also it was very embarrassing that a hospital that boasts of making progress, a hospital that boasts of performing renal transplant surgeries, a hospital that boasts of performing coronary angiograms, a hospital that boasts of renal dialysis, and a hospital that boasts of performing coronary bypass surgeries, did not have simple bed sheets during the period our brother was an inpatient and possibly beyond. I procrastinated in writing this letter because the pain was too much, but it had to be done. Patients should be allowed to live and die with dignity and comfort. Unfortunately this was not afforded to our brother Regards Dr. Mark Devonish Consultant Acute Internal Medicine Nottingham University Hospitals UK
Wednesday January 31, 2018
Kaieteur News
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SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK;Guyanapassport application. G r a p h i c s design, advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6004212: We create A/works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer-Call: 231-0655; 683-8734. Omar Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezer-Call: 610-5846 or 661-8158
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY- $19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-2274754. A 140 Toyota Corona manual black wheel drive, carburetor 3A engine. Good working condition. Price negotiable. #677-9077 or 651-6425 All size solar pannel & batteries lowest price guarantee. check us out @ Boodhoo’s General store @ Parika EBE. 1 long base canter, 4 ton GRR series, hydraulic tray lift, price 2.6million and 1 canter driver needed. #609-1040 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL 450 4matic SUV, like brand new, under 20,000 miles. Call: 6741781. Serious inquires only.
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Space for rent at Ashmin’s Building- suitable for salon or office- Call today! 683-7954 2-Bedroom for rental. Robb St, Bourda. Tel: 227-5367 Fully furnished apartment two & one bedrooms in Providence, East Bank, Tel: 672-1906/216-2299/682-6238 2 & 3 bedroom fully furnished luxury apartments to rent, long & short term. #666-7820, 6911432 Business place/Store for rent, located at Grove EBD.Contact 684-6331 2 Bedroom downstairs at 33B Anira St. Queenstown Georgetown $50,000/month contact Ramesh # 613-4375 , 617-6599 Honest individuals wiil be considered.
20 acres of farm with bearing citrus, coconut & avocado trees. Location: Linden Highway, contact #655-7933 One residential houselot (East Bank) Brand new air condition unit, brand new rattan 4 piece set $3.6M. Tel: 656-0701/6117223
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Wednesday January 31, 2018
Kaieteur News
LAND FOR SALE Uivlugt (100ft x 50ft) $3M Parafaite Harmonie $1.5M Herstelling $2M Farm $3M Eccles $7M. Tel# 651-1969/ 656-0701
Experienced curry cook, counter servers, drivers. Apply Hack’s Halaal, 5 Commerce St. Wanted in large quantities: moringa, corolla bush, soursop leaves(dried). Contact: 665-1397 1 Porter to work on vehicle in the interior 18-25 years old #699-4718 WANTED FULLTIME/PART TIME WAITER/WAITRESS TO WORK AT AAGMAN RESTAURANT, SHERIFF STREET. CALL;219-0158 Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252/674-4665 We would like to buy 20 ft & 40ft containers. Contact: 6876072 1-Serviceman/mechanic 2Skidder/loader operator 3Tree fellers. Contact: 656-8754 Wanted experience hire car taxi driver at Ramada Princess Hotel. Tel: 265-7076. Cell: 6165419
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Toyota premio PSS7517 1.8M 2005 model C light recorder Axio 2.5 Bluebird 2.6 Tida 2.2 #655-3400
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F150 late model GSS series no problem lifted suspension for $2.4 million on best offer, excellent condition. Contact:695-7676/676-3612
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Nissan Pathfinder Jeep 4WD Excellent condition $1.4M negotiable. Call: 609-7766/2258427 Allion, Primo, Fielder Wagon, Spacio, Bluebird, 212 Carina, NZE, Honda CRV, Toyota IST, RZ & Pit-bull – Call: 650-7501
Lot 15 Public Road, #2 Village, W.C.B. 49ft x 10,314ft $22M Negotiable Contact 648-7109/686-4818 Property located in secure and residential Ixora Avenue, Block AA Eccles EBD. $36M. Tel: 233-2793, 615-8502 Newly built @ Craig E.B.D land size 91x50 feet; house 40x28, 3 rooms, 1 self contained. Call: 718-213-6496/ 617-7691 House and land available @ La Parfaite Harmonie, Providence, Etc. Financing assistance available. Contact Pacific Development: 2236035/ 604-4909
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Security guard, Pastry maker, Cashier. Persons can submit applications to Beacon Cafe (127 Quamina & Carmichael Backhoe operator, woodmizer St) Tel: 225-9409/691-6348 moulder and edger operator, Needed porter boys at Stretch experience logging truck your dollar store/good salary, driver, call Richard: 609-7675/ 674-1705/233-2614 Robb Street #223-5897
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Wednesday January 31, 2018
Lindo Creek massacre COI to be sworn in today
- Harmon says ‘whistleblower’ legislation may be used to protect some witnesses A Commission of Inquiry is to be sworn in today to investigate the slaughter of eight gold miners at Lindo Creek ten years ago. The swearing in will take place at the Ministry of the Presidency.Questioned on whether protection will be offered to witnesses, Minister of State Joseph Harmon told Kaieteur News that the members of the Commission will make that decision.He suggested that the recently passed Protected Disclosures Bill 2017, sometimes referred to as the ‘Whistleblowers Bill’, “could come in useful,” during the ‘crime wave’ COI.“There are lots of people who have information…”The Bill seeks to protect persons making disclosures from detrimental action, while the Witness Protection Bill seeks to establish a programme for the protection of certain witnesses and others.The Lindo Creek COI is to be the first of several that Government has ordered into the 2002 to 2009 crime wave killings
The slain miners and disappearances. On June 21, 2008, the charred bones Nigel Torres, Bunny Harry, Clifton Wong,
Dax Arokium, his uncle Cedric, Compton Speirs, Horace Drakes and Lancelot Lee were discovered in their
camp at Lindo Creek, Berbice River.Commissioner of Police, Henry Greene had said that the killings were the work of
the notorious Rondell ‘Fineman’ Rawlins and his gang.Police had said that evidence of an eyewitness,
who was also a member of gang, supported this. That ‘eyewitness’ was a teen who was found in a trail days after the ‘Fineman’ gang was allegedly uprooted from its hideout at Christmas Falls, Upper Berbice River. The youth has remained in protective custody since then.All the other alleged gang members on the massacre are now dead. But Leonard Arokium, who owned the camp, has repeatedly insisted that he believes that individuals other than Rawlins and his gang massacred his men.He accused the members of the joint services who had been in the area of carrying out the attack. The joint services vehemently denied this.The police also said that ballistics tests on spent shells recovered at the scene matched one of the weapons that was recovered from Cecil Ramcharran called ‘Uncle Willie’ and Robin Chung called ‘Chung Boy’ who were slain at Goat Farm during a confrontation with ranks.
50-year leases granted by ... From page 18 Aviation has done on its acres of land is not in keeping with the lease agreement. According to the agreement, a land cannot be considered subleased unless approval is given by the Lands and Surveys Commission. The 2004 letter from Guyana Lands and Survey Commission informing OAI that subleasing of lands for longer periods than the master lease is legally insufficient is now irrelevant according to OAI. Yesterday, OAI said that it did not have a copy of the letter. When presented with the letter, the company stated that this letter was dated since 2004 and has little relevance now. Further OAI's Chief Executive Officer, Anthony Mekdeci, said that that letter was sent in the very initial stages and other leases have been made out further to that. The referenced letter stated, “We have received
your proposed sublease to be issued to users of Ogle Airport Property, and have found that it is legally sufficient, except for the following: We have noted that you intend to issue subleases for a term of twenty-five years. Please be advised that the term of subleases shall not extend beyond the expiration date of the master lease. As you have indicated, the master lease between the Government of Guyana and Ogle Airport Inc. commenced on the 17th July, 2003; it is for a term of twenty-five years, it will therefore, expire on the 16th July 2028. Any ending term of a sublease must therefore be not later than July 15, 2028.” The master lease states, “In the event of a sublease of any portion of the Airport, such sublease shall contain a provision stating that all covenants, promises, conditions and obligations contained in this Agreement or covenants running with the land shall
bind the sub lessee and its respective heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns to the obligations set out in this agreement.” One of the obligations is that the lease will last for only 25 years with an option to extend.Other issues have been addressed at the meeting. INCEST OAI addressed the issue of leasing lands to Correia Mining Company. It was noted that Kaieteur News published that Michael Correia who is an original investor in OAI issued land to himself. OAI said that this is incorrect. OAI said, “Mr. Correia neither owns, nor has leased for himself, any land at the Airport. All land leased from Ogle Airport Inc. is, in fact, leased under contract, reviewed by a Land Lease Committee appointed by the Board of Directors of OAI.” When asked, Michael Correia admitted that he is indeed a shareholder in the mining company. He said that it is still not correct to say that land was leased to him. It was just leased to a company in which he has shares. Nicole Correia, who was present at yesterday's meeting, is also a member of the Land Lease Committee that the company referenced.
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Wednesday January 31, 2018
Venezuelan fined for illegal entry Bisram awaits court date in last... A Venezuelan national, who was arrested in relation to a murder investigation, was yesterday fined $30,000 with an alternative of eight weeks imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to entering Guyana illegally. Dnesimo Quiyado, 39, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and admitted that on January 13, at Eteringbang, Essequibo, he entered Guyana by sea and disembarked without the consent of an immigration officer.During his appearance in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, Quiyado, through a Spanish interpreter, told the court that he was given permission to enter Guyana and sell fuel once he paid taxes. Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield told the court that on January 25, last, ranks from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, conducted raids at Canal Bank, Port Kaituma, where six persons including Quiyado were arrested in relation to a murder probe. According to the prosecutor, further checks were conducted and it was discovered that the Venezuelan had entered Guyana illegally. As a result, the prosecutor added that the foreigner was escorted to CID
Dnesimo Quiyado Headquarters and charged for the offence. The Chief Magistrate ordered that Quiyado be escorted to the nearest port of exit after paying the fine or serving the default prison term.
Guyana heads to Int'l Court to settle ... From page 3 has concluded that significant progress has not been made toward arriving at a full agreement for the solution of the controversy. “Accordingly, the Secretary-General has fulfilled the responsibility that has fallen to him within the framework set by his predecessor in December 2016, and has chosen the International Court of Justice as the means to be used for the solution of the controversy.” The statement said that the decision, has also con-
cluded that Guyana and Venezuela could benefit from the continued good offices of the United Nations through a complementary process established on the basis of the powers of the Secretary-General under the Charter of the United Nations. “The Secretary-General, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations, remains committed to accompany both States as they seek to overcome their differences regarding this border controversy.” The decision to go to the
ICJ would also have to do with the oil that Guyana has found. While boasting one of the biggest reserves in the world, Venezuela is facing runaway inflation. The border controversy has been seen as an attempt by President Nicolas Maduro to shift the attention away from the internal turmoil, which has seen widespread protests, and shortages of food and medicines. President David Granger last evening addressed the nation on the matter.
Natural Resources Ministry appeals ... From page 13 the indigenous communities. “We can confirm that of the 70 operators who were active when the mediation agreement was signed, just 39 now remain. It will be recalled too that this Ministry just announced that a number of blocks of land have been set aside for displaced miners, including women miners - in an effort to ensure that their economic livelihood is preserved. We ask that miners continue
to exercise patience as we work towards solutions.” The ministry noted that at the last mediation conformity meeting on Friday, September 8, 2017, it was said that in the apportioning of available lands, preference will be given to those individuals who were cooperating with the conformity process. “Finally, we ask that miners prospect the lands allocated before pronouncing on the geological viability of
those lands, in the spirit of the agreement they signed in 2016. For its part, the Ministry will ensure that the GGMC supports the process of prospecting the lands to ascertain geological viability and will also be engaging miners shortly to discuss and agree on a way forward,” the ministry urged. The miners had clashed with the exploration company forcing authorities to step in.
From page 12 citizens to Guyana. Guyana, on the other hand, has done so in a number of cases. The case would signal closer relations between Guyana and the US.An extradition hearing was held on October 2, and according to Judge Kuo, after considering the evidence, in particular, the certified and authenticated documents submitted by the Government of Guyana, and the pleadings and the arguments of counsel, she has determined that her court has the jurisdiction to handle the proceedings. Bisram's lawyers had questioned whether there was indeed a treaty allowing the US to send back their client. Bisram, according to filed court documents, was found and arrested on July 4, 2017, in the New York district based on a complaint filed by the United States in response to the request of the Government of Guyana. Judge Kuo found that the extradition treaty between the US and the Government of Guyana- Extradition Treaty Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Kingdom of December 22,1931,47 Stat. 2122, (“Treaty”) was entered into force upon Guyana's independence on May 26, 1966, and was in full force and effect at all times relevant to the Bisram action.Acting United States Attorney, Bridget Rhode, representing the Department of Justice, Guyana's equivalent to the Ministry of Public Security, wasted no time after the Judge's order earlier this month.In a filed letter to Bisram's lawyers, Gallucci and Michael DeSantis, Rhode listed the next steps that will clear the way for the businessman to be sent back to Guyana. Rhode explained that now the extradition order has been issued, the Secretary of State then has to determine whether to surrender the fugitive to the requesting state. It was explained that typically, the fugitive is surrendered within two months of the issuance of the order. Other arrests Bisram's alleged actions in November 2016 in Berbice,
caused four men to be charged for the murder of Narinedatt. Radesh Motie, 39, an excavator operator, of Lot 124, Number 78 Village Corentyne, Berbice; Diadath Datt, 18, of Lot 98, Number 71 Village, Corentyne, Berbice; Harripaul Parsram, 49, of Lot 164, Number 71 Village, Corentyne, Berbice and Niran Yacoob, 37, of Lot 65, Number 67 Village, Corentyne, Berbice were remanded to prison when they appeared before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan, in November last year. Also charged was Bisram's mom, Shermella Inderjali, 45, a mother of two, of Number 71 Village, Corentyne, Berbice. She and Maryanne Lionel, 25, a bank teller of Republic Bank, also of Number 71 Village, Corentyne, Berbice were arrested during a sting operation.They were charged for willfully attempting to pervert the course of justice. The Preliminary Inquiries are ongoing in the local court with the High Court set to make a key ruling. It was alleged that on November 19, 2016, at Eve Leary, Georgetown, they contacted a Detective Corporal and offered him $4M in cash to forgo charges against the four murder accused, who were at the time in custody pending investigations into the matter. Bisram, described as a multi-millionaire and the founder of the Marcus Brian Bisram Foundation, is said to have donated $2M to a Berbice community policing group late last year and pledged $200M annually to the needy of the Ancient County. It is alleged that Narinedatt was murdered between October 31 and November 1 at Number 70 Village,
Corentyne, Berbice. According to reports, on the day of the killing the overseas-based Guyanese had a party at his home, which Narinedatt and a few others attended. At some point Narinedatt went to the back of the yard to urinate. The overseas-based Guyanese allegedly followed Narinedatt and began making sexual advances towards him. Narinedatt reportedly slapped and pushed away Bisram who allegedly ordered his friends to kill the carpenter.It was reported that several men beat Narinedatt at the businessman's premises. He was then taken to a roadway and beaten until he fell into a drain. The men reportedly took the carpenter by vehicle to Number 70 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, where they dumped the body and drove over it with a car. Narinedatt had a son with wife, Pooja Pitam. His daughter was born after his death. Pitam travelled to the US and was in front of the Brooklyn court in early July when Bisram was arraigned, two days after his arrest. She was in tears while calling for justice during a television interview. Bisram's fall would shock friends and family. Living the dream life, he reportedly had a luxury apartment in the pricy Manhattan area and was very active on the social circuit and in the mandirs. He reportedly left Guyana when he was a teen. He is 28 now and would have spent his August 20 birthday in jail, pending his extradition hearings. He was reportedly close to a number of high-ranking police ranks in Berbice. Some of them allegedly, were fingered in attempting to cover the murder up.
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St. Lucia re-states plans to write EU as opposition criticises slo wness in de-listing ef ts slowness efffor orts CASTRIES, St. Lucia CMC – The St Lucia government says it will submit another letter to the European Union as the island moves to join two other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries that were recently removed from a global list of tax havens. “We are sending that letter again to them to reiterate St Lucia’s position. There is a review committee, I believe, in the early part of February and once the committee accepts St Lucia’s letter, then the process of coming off the list and going into what’s called a grey list starts. “And then there’s continued dialogue about what they find offensive and hopefully we could get this thing sorted out,” Prime Minister Allen Chastanet told reportersThe EU wants the island to sign the letter of commitment before discussions can begin on removing the island from a list of nations blacklisted for allegedly facilitating tax avoidance practices. Once the letter is submitted, St Lucia will then be placed on a so-called “grey list” which is made up of countries that have committed to change their rules on tax transparency and cooperation. The EU earlier this month announced that Barbados and Grenada were among eight jurisdictions that had been removed from a new list of global tax havens following commitments made at a high political level to remedy EU concerns.
Kenya opposition leader Raila Odinga swears himself in as ‘president’
Opposition Leader Phillip Pierre (Left) and Prime Minister Allen Chastanet The decision by the European Council leaves nine jurisdictions including Trinidad and Tobago and St. Lucia, on the list of non-cooperative jurisdictions out of 17 announced initially on December 5, last year Caribbean countries have in the past been very critical of being included on these lists insisting that they have done everything as outlined by various European organisations like the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).The EU finance ministers had claimed last month that the countries on the blacklist were not doing enough to crack down on offshore avoidance schemes. The list excludes a number of British Overseas Territories such as the Cayman Island and Bermuda that were on a previous EU blacklist from June 2015. Complaints about the methodology of that last list saw it scrapped and replaced with the new register. Opposition Leader Phillip
J. Pierre has accused the Chastanet administration of dragging its feet on the issue saying that when the matter was first raised the “the government’s response was ignorance of the fact and then to make excuses and attack the opposition”.Pierre also questioned why the government did not take the necessary steps like Barbados and Grenada to ensure that St. Lucia’s reputation is protected.“The answer is simple the government does not have its priorities right and engages in pettiness and vindictiveness while the important matters that would improve the economy and image of St. Lucia are neglected. “Grandstanding, towards the United States and the EU threats, vindictiveness and intimidation by the government and its surrogates will not hide the negligence and incompetence of the government. The reality of the blacklisting of St. Lucia and the implications of the Leahy law will not disappear with idle talk or propaganda.”
Cuba tourism slides in wake of Hurricane Irma, Trump HAVANA (Reuters) Tourism to Cuba, one of the few bright spots in its ailing economy, has slid in the wake of Hurricane Irma and the Trump administration’s tighter restrictions on travel to the Caribbean island, a Cuban tourism official said on Monday. Although the number of visitors rose nearly 20 percent in 2017, it fell 10 percent on the year in December, and is down 7-8 percent this month, Jose Manuel Bisbe York, the president of Cuban state travel agency conglomerate Viajes Cuba, said. Arrivals from the United States, which had surged in the wake of the U.S.-Cuban detente in 2014, took the worst hit, dropping 30 percent last December, he told Reuters.
Wednesday January 31, 2018
“Since Hurricane Irma, we’ve seen arrivals shrink,” Bisbe York said on the sidelines of the event organized by U.S. travel agency insightCuba to dispel tourist misperceptions about Cuba. Irma hit in September, just as the tourism sector was taking reservations for its high season from November to March. Images of destruction put many would-be visitors off although Cuba had fixed its tourism installations within two months, said Bisbe York. Arrivals of Canadians, the largest group of tourists to Cuba, were down 4-5 percent. “But we see this as a temporary thing and what we are seeing is that arrivals are recovering from month to month,” said Bisbe York, adding that Cuba would go ahead
with its plans to launch more than 15 hotels island-wide this year. “The first trimester will be the most difficult, because logically the change in the public perception takes time.” Occupancy rates at the hotels in Cuba managed by Spain’s Meliá Hotels International S.A. were down around 20 percent on the year in December and January, said Francisco Camps, Melia’s Cuba deputy general manager. “From February though, we are already reaching figures similar to those we had in previous years,” he said. Republican President Donald Trump’s more hostile stance towards Cuba than his Democratic predecessor Barack Obama looks set to have a more lasting impact than Irma.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga holds a bible aloft after swearing an oath during a mock inauguration ceremony at Uhuru Park in downtown Nairobi, Kenya. Nairobi, Kenya (CNN) Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga, who boycotted the country’s disputed election last year, swore himself in as the “people’s president” at a mock inauguration ceremony yesterday in protest against President Uhuru Kenyatta.Thousands of opposition supporters gathered at Uhuru Park in central Nairobi, chanting slogans and waving tree branches at the symbolic “swearing-in”
event, which was organized by Odinga’s National Super Alliance (NASA).The event was largely peaceful, and the throngs of supporters quickly left the park after proceedings had concluded. In what appeared to be an isolated incident, police fired tear gas to try to disperse crowds pulling down signs near the park. Authorities had earlier said they would put a stop to any illegal meetings, but Reuters reported that no uni-
formed police could be seen in the park and no anti-riot officers or vehicles were visible.Afterward, the biography on Odinga’s verified Twitter account had been updated to read: “This is the official account of His Excellency Raila Amolo Odinga, President of the Republic of Kenya.”Kenyatta won a second presidential term with 98% of the vote following a controversial election rerun in November.
Kaieteur News
Wednesday January 31, 2018
Br azil’ s Lula da Silv a ffiles iles Brazil’ azil’s Silva request to a void prison av Brazil’s Lula da Silva files request to avoid prison RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Lawyers for former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva asked a high court yesterday to block his arrest for a graft conviction that was upheld last week. Attorney Cristiano Zanin asked the Superior Court of Justice in the capital of Brasilia to prevent arrest of the left-leaning leader until all his appeals have been heard. A three-judge panel last week unanimously upheld da Silva’s corruption and money laundering conviction and raised his sentence from nine and a half to 12 years and one month in prison. One of the judges said then that the former president should be arrested as soon as the court explains details of the ruling to the defense, a proceeding that usually takes a month. Prosecutors say da Silva was promised an apartment as a payoff from a construction company in return for contracts. He denies any wrongdoing and says the trial, which was one of the fastest to go
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva through the court based in Southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre, was rigged. Da Silva’s appeal could ultimately be heard by the country’s highest court, the Supreme Federal Tribunal, also in Brasilia. Lawyers for the former president, who is also the front-runner for this year’s O c t ob e r p r e s i d e n t i a l elections, say his conviction is unconstitutional and argue there was no evidence that links him to
the promise of receiving the apartment where he never lived and visited only once. Even if the once-hugely popular leader avoids jail for now, he is less likely to run in the elections now that the conviction has been upheld. Brazil’s electoral law says candidates should be barred if they have criminal convictions maintained by courts like the one that heard da Silva’s appeal last week.
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Wednesday January 31, 2018
JCC forging national consensus to develop credible crime plan KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) says the business sector is in the process of forging a national consensus to develop a credible strategic plan to tackle crime in Jamaica. JCC President, Larry Watson, speaking at a Board of Directors meeting this afternoon, said the consensus being forged with the Government, Opposition, civil society and security experts, seeks to transform Jamaica to a safe and secure society, specifically reducing the present 58 murders per 100,000 population to no more than 18 per 100,000 by 2025. “In addition to a tangible transformation plan are the intangibles of agreement on the buy-in on the way forward and commitment to implement the agreed actions. “Key performance indicators (KPI’s) will be agreed and it is expected that an EPOCtype model of public-private oversight will be employed,”
JCC President Larry Watson he expressed, adding that the JCC will also encourage citizens to engage in the process. Watson suggested that the country could be benefitting form an additional four per cent each year if crime is contained.Noting areas of lawlessness that must be addressed, the JCC president highlighted the rampant breaches of road traffic laws. “No civilised country can have drivers who accumulate hundreds of traffic tickets not pay the fines and yet be still
free to cause mayhem on our roads,” he said. He further pointed to the thousands of unregistered businesses operating in Jamaica and the high level of corruption in society. “If the laws are too weak to function as a deterrent to corrupt practices let’s change the laws but until then let’s make the sanctions more severe,” Watson said. He expressed that the JCC will support moves to ensure laws are enforced and endorse measures that deter corruption.The Government has, in recent times, made amendments to the Road Traffic Act and passed other legislation to tackle crime, including the Zones of Special Operations (ZOSO) legislation. Its latest attempt at arresting the crime monster is the declaration of the state of public emergency in St James, which recorded some 335 murders last year, most tied to gang violence and lottery scam. (Jamaica Observer).
Opposition party claims PMs ‘memory slipping” BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - CMC – The main opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) has dismissed a statement by Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart in defending the stewardship of his ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP) as it prepares to face the electorate in a general election later this year. “No amount of pleading and muddying of the waters by the Prime Minister at this 11th hour will convince Barbadians that the present Democratic Labour Party Government is not the most inept and incompetent administration we have had to endure since Independence and possibly since modern settlement,” Opposition and BLP Leader Mia Mottley said in a statement issued late Monday night. She said Prime Minister Stuart has zapped Barbadians of their pride and that he must stop “fiddling” and follow the lead of his Grenada counterpart, Dr. Keith Mitchell who announced March 13 as the date for fresh general elections in his country. Stuart, who will lead the party into a second general election since taking over the leadership of the party following the death of then Prime Minister David Thompson in 2010, said that the DLP has had to deal with a challenging global environment that has affected the socio-economic well-being of Barbadians.
Mia Mottley “For the last 10 years therefore we in Barbados have been running a country that has been in the heat of a global crisis,” he said as he brushed aside the promises being made by the main opposition party. “The World Bank says it is coming to an end for the first time,” he said, with a warning that “even though you are getting back to precrisis level for the first time in 2018 there’s no time for complacency because you could slip back into a low growth situation very very easily”. Stuart, who was speaking at a DLP meeting on Sunday to endorse Labour Minister Dr. Esther Byer-Suckoo as the party’s candidate for the St. George South constituency, said it was necessary to invest more in physical and human resources.
He said his party intends to go after all 30 seats in the general election. But in her statement, Mottley, seeking to become the first woman to lead a government here, said “Stuart made a wishy-washy attempt to defend his government’s dismal record by declaring that his hands were tied by debt he inherited from the BLP Administration. “His comments were for the most part inaccurate and misleading. It is clear that t h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r ’s memory is slipping,” she said, referring to some national projects that are likely to feature prominently during the election campaign. In the last general election, the DLP won 16 of the 30 seats.
Wednesday January 31, 2018
Everest Masters overcome Shellen Park of Suriname in T20 fixture
The victorious Everest Masters following their win. Everest Masters defeated hosts Shellen Park of Suriname by nine wickets in a T20 fixture played recently. Batting first, the home team were undermined by some steady bowling and were bowled out for 63 in 19.4
overs. Sunil Singh made 17 as Rakesh Gangaram captured 28 from three overs, while Ucil Armstrong claimed 2-10 from three overs and skipper Rajesh Singh 2-13 from three. Everest Masters reached 64-1 in 12.5 overs in reply.
Man-of-the-match opener Sahadeo Hardaiow struck 39 and Basil Persaud 11 not out. The Everest Masters trip to the neighbouring country is part of their preparation for their upcoming tour to Holland.
Wednesday January 31, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) A social event or group rally could put you in touch with some new and exciting people in interesting fields, Aries. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Today you could be hit with some exciting news, Taurus. It could involve new people and new equipment coming onto the scene. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Information that you receive from others and from within your own heart could compel you to participate in some ambitious projects, Gemini. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Some exciting visitors could come to your door today, Cancer, perhaps bringing Earthshaking information that could impact your life in a great way. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Group activities or social events in your neighborhood could put you in touch with new and exciting people who eventually become friends, Leo. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Have you been looking to branch out in a new direction, Virgo? If so, this could be the day you get the lead of a lifetime. Or you might receive some unexpected information indicating possible new sources of income that you could pursue on your own.
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LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Unusual circumstances could arise that change the course of your creative orientation, Libra. This could involve modern technology in some way, and it’s highly likely that it concerns the gathering, sharing, and use of information. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You could explore ways to harness your natural healing ability, perhaps through Reiki, massage, or other hands-on disciplines. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Insights and revelations could come to you that blend well with what you're learning from outside sources. Write down your thoughts. You'll want to put them to work for you later. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Surprising news about your own finances and the world economy in general could cause you to feel confident and secure about your financial future, Capricorn. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Some fascinating new information, possibly about spiritual or metaphysical matters, could come your way today via books, magazines, TV, or the Internet, Aquarius. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Dreams and meditation could lead to insights regarding how best to handle your finances and make your money grow, Pisces.
Jaguars begin campaign... From page 39 make use of the power-play overs, while Shimron Hetymer should bat at three and Johnson four. Anthony Bramble is in wonderful form and should bat at five with Kemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, Raymon Reifer and Romario Shepherd following in that order. Both Devendra Bishoo and Veerasammy Permaul could contribute with the bat and will give the Jaguars plenty of firepower on paper. A 300 plus total is now the norm in 50-over cricket and all of the Guyana batsmen, except Chanderpaul, Johnson and Reifer, are capable of scoring at an explosive rate and sensible batting and good shot selection should get the Jaguars a 350 total on a track which should slightly favour the English seamers. The Jaguars’ bowling will bank on Reifer, Shepherd, Paul and Rutherford who will provide the pace while Bishoo and Permaul are expected to take care of the spin, while good fielding is crucial in the 50-over game. Kent is a very experienced and professional side which will be led by 31-year-old Joe Denly, who has two fifties in nine ODIs for England and includes 35-year-old James Tredwell, who played the last of his two Tests against West
Fitzburg day ... From page 38 Spearheading the list so far is National distance runner Joshua Williams of Port Kaituma Secondary. The top three finishers will receive cash prizes, while participants are to register with Mr. Sherlon Rodrigues and Ms. Grace Frazer on or before January 31. Athletics and food exhibition will continue throughout the day and according to chief coordinator Jason Ramjohn a 10/10 floodlights tapeball and football competition will be held. Mickey’s CI, Canal Bank, Matthews Ridge and PK united are among the teams slated to take part. Coordinator Sherlon Rodrigues said that the sporting events will help keep the youths meaningfully occupied and help them to develop their skills. He added that they are looking forward to support from the business community so the athletes can be rewarded for their efforts. All the events are organized to raise funds for Fitzburg community projects. Bullet Soundz will provide musical entertainment while lots of food and local beverages will be on sale. Patrons are asked to come out early and support the event.
Indies in 2015 and has 60 wickets with his off-spin from 45 ODIs for England. Apart from the two players with International experience, 24-year-old Daniel BellDrummond has nine FirstClass tons and four 50-over centuries, while 29-year-old Alex Blake is regarded as a brutal 50-overs batsman and has a hundred and eight fifties at this level, 19-yearo l d Z a k C r a w l e y, w h o scored 62 on his First-Class debut last year against the touring West Indies and South African born Sean Dickson who scored 318 for Kent last year will be depended on with the bat. Will Gidman has four fifties and 51 wickets at this level along with all-rounder Calum Haggett will expected to contribute with both bat and ball for the English side, while Wicketkeeper Adam Rouse, who was born in Zimbabwe, can also contribute with the
bat.Aussie born Mitchell Claydon, at 35, has 122 wickets at this level with on target seamers and will expect support from Aussie Grant Stewart and Ivan Thomas, while Left-arm Spinner Imran Qayyum and off-spinner Adam Rileywill lend support to Tredwell. Teams: Jaguars: Shimron Hetymer, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Shiv Chanderpaul, Leon Johnson (Capt), Ricardo Adams, Sherfane Rutherford, Anthony Bramble, Raymond Reifer, Kemo Paul, Davindra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Ramaal Lewis, Romario Shepherd and Clinton Pestano. Kent: Joe Denly (Capt), Daniel Bell-Drummond, Alex Blake, Mitchell Claydon, Zak Crawley, Sean Dickson, Will Gidman , Calum Haggett, Matt Hunn, Imran Qayyum, Adam Riley, Ollie Robinson, Adam Rouse, Grant Stewart, Ivan Thomas and James Tredwell.
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Fitzburg day of sports set for February 3rd in Region One
Joshua Williams
Wednesday January 31, 2018
Kaieteur News
As part of their Mashramani celebrations, the residents of Fitzburg will soon launch their first ever village day which is set for February 3rd at Fitzburg ground Port Kaituma. A day of sports and food exhibition as well as a 5 km marathon which is schedule to commence from 06:00 hours with top local athletes in the area are among the activities scheduled to be held. (Continued on page 37)
Jaguars Coach disappointed with no practice due to rain Wants more positivity in 50-over cricket By Sean Devers in Antigua Head Esuan Crandon says it was disappointing the his charges did not have any meaningful practice session ahead of today’s opening round of the Regional super50 against Kent here in Antigua. A tropical storm resulted in rain all day Monday and intermittent showers yesterday morning but sun came in all its glory around 11:00hrs. However, due the watering of the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium the Jaguars team were prevented from doing their warm-up and fielding drills in the area designated by Head Coach Crandon and his assistant Rayon Griffith who is also the team’s Manager. They were asked to move their gear and training equipment due to presence of a sprinkler on the ground, while the bowlers run-up in the nets being the Stadium were wet although the pitch was covered resulting in the team having to wait longer than their 9-12 practice period for that area to dry. Some of the players were unhappy with some aspects of the conditions of the
Team’s hotel where they claimed there we no telephones in the rooms, TVs were not working properly and the Gym was also not working. Six players in the team have played International cricket at highest level. Both the Coach and Manager declined to comment on the ‘condition of the hotel’ issues although saying that ‘things’ were far from perfect. “We were disappointed not to have that opportunity to practice on Monday due to heavy rainfall overnight and during the day. We have no control over the weather, so we utilised the time to have a team meeting and to have some amount of work today (yesterday),” Crandon lamented. “We were fortunate to play here at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium last November in the Antigua and Barbuda T20 tournament. That would’ve given us the opportunity to get to understand the conditions here batting, Bowling and fielding. The reality is that we still have to assess the conditions on the day of the game and make the necessary adjustment. If the conditions are as
close to what we experienced last time here we will definitely utilise that knowledge gained and execute accordingly,” the Guyana pacer added. Crandon disclosed that everyone was fit and healthy and hopefully the backroom staff can manage the players work load well and have them ready for the games. “Well I think we have got to play better all-round cricket than we did for the past couple of years. We all acknowledge the importance of executing our plans well and we have asked players to stay focus and play their role…we have got a lot of young and exciting players who are still learning and developing,” Crandon said. “I think we want to play a more positive brand of cricket but at the same time we have got to understand that alot of mental and tactical work must be done for us to be successful at it,” Crandon added. “I’m very optimistic and confident of our chances but at the end of the day we all have to do a better job than we did over the years to make a positive impact and be able to win cricket matches,” the Berbician Coach concluded.
CAVE HILL, Barbados, , CMC – Kjorn Ottley’s halfcentury and veteran Ryan Hinds’s three-wicket haul proved enough for Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners to start the Regional Super50 with a 115-run thrashing off Windward Islands Volcanoes here yesterday. Sent in at 3Ws Oval in the curtain-raiser of the tournament, Marooners were dismissed for 228 in the penultimate over, with Ottley top-scoring with 60, opener Kyle Corbin getting 44 and Hinds chipping in with 27. West Indies limited overs specialist, Kesrick Williams, claimed four for 70 with his right-arm seam while left-arm spinner Larry Edward picked up two for 35. In reply, Volcanoes were turned over for a paltry 113 off 29.3 overs, with tail-ender Delorn Johnson leading with 28, Kyle Mayers scoring 27 and Andre Fletcher getting 25. Hinds led the Marooners attack with three for 22 to claim Man-of-the-Match honours while Yannick Ottley finished with two for six, with his left-
arm spin. Marooners were handed a solid start when Kjorn Ottley and Corbin put on 94 for the first wicket. The left-handed Ottley faced 89 balls and struck four fours and two sixes while the right-handed Corbin produced a brisk 55-ball knock, which included two fours and three sixes. When Corbin fell in the 18th over, Ottley combined with young brother, Yannick (19) to keep the innings flowing. However, both brothers fell in the space of three balls in successive overs with the score on 130, leaving Hinds and Vikash Mahon (20) to rally the innings in a 42-run, fourth wicket stand. The left-handed Hinds was busy in his 31-ball innings, striking four boundaries.Left with a relatively straightforward run chase, Volcanoes lost West Indies batsman Johnson Charles to the second ball of the innings without a run on the board, and never recovered. Hinds trapped him lbw and fast bowler Jermaine
Levy also accounted for Devon Smith, also lbw without scoring in the following over, as Volcanoes limped to 14 for two. Fletcher threatened briefly in a 18-ball knock which included five fours before he was bowled by Hinds, and three wickets then fell for one run in the space of 12 deliveries, leaving Volcanoes in turmoil at 58 for seven in the 17 th over.Barbadian Mayers and Johnson combined in the best stand of the innings, as they put on 34 for the eighth wicket. The left-handed Mayers faced 46 balls and counted four fours while Johnson belted a couple of fours and a six in a lively 31-ball knock. Once the stand was broken, the resistance ended as the innings folded quickly. Scores: MAROONERS 228 off 48.2 overs (Kjorn Ottley 60, Kyle Corbin 44, Ryan Hinds 27; Kesrick Williams 4-70, Larry Edward 235). VOLCANOES 113 off 29.3 overs (Delorn Johnson 28, Kyle Mayers 27, Andre Fletcher 25; Ryan Hinds 322, Khesan Ottley 2-6).
Marooners crush Volcanoes to win opener
Wednesday January 31, 2018
Kaieteur News
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Regional Super50
Jaguars begin campaign against Kent today By Sean Devers in Antigua In association with Vnet Communications, Bounty Farm, Noble House Seafoods & Playter’s Enterprise In was here in Antigua in 1980 that Guyana won the first of its nine 50-over titles when Skipper Roy Fredericks’ 119 powered them to 101-run win against the Leewards. But since 2005 when Guyana, led by Shiv Chanderpaul, beat Barbados in near darkness at Bourda, Guyana has not won another title despite reaching the semi-finals seven times and the final twice (2009 & 2015) with T&T winning on both occasions. In 2015 Sunil Narine’s 6-9 destroyed Guyana who were bowled for 65, their only double digit total in the history of Regional 50-over Championships which began in 1976 as the Gillette Cup. The Jaguars failed to reach the semi-Final in the last two seasons. Clive Lloyd in 1983 and Roger Harper in 1993, (title was shared with the Leewards after the final was washed out at Albion) are the only Guyanese Captains to win both the First-Class and the 50-overs titles in the same year and Leon Johnson will hope to join them this year. Johnson will also want to join Fredericks (1980), Lloyd
(1983), Milton Pydanna (1985), Harper (1993), Hooper (1998 & 2001) and Chanderpaul (2003 & 2015) as Guyana’s winning 50-over Captains. Today from 09:00hrs at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium the Guyana Jaguars battle English County Kent, who became the first County side to participate in an overseas tournament when they played in last year’s competition. Rain has affected the Jaguars preparation with them not getting in any work at all on Monday and just physical training and ‘throw downs’ yesterday since the nets at today’s match venue where the Jaguars were scheduled to practice could
not accommodate bowling since the bowlers’ run-up was wet. A lot will expected from Chanderpaul, who is the only surviving member of the 2005 team and needs to open the batting and let the other more aggressive batsmen, bat around him and share in partnerships in a team which includes six players who have played Test cricket. Chanderpaul, who has 11 ODI tons, Captained Guyana to its last two titles and was the only Guyanese to get a century last year. Chanderpaul Hemraj has to continue batting in his usual attacking manner and (Continued on page 37)
Skipper Leon Johnson and Senior player Shiv Chanderpaul at training yesterday.
Foster debut strike earns Reggae Boys draw ANTALYA, Turkey, CMC – Maalique Foster scored on debut as Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz came from behind to grab a 2-2 draw with South Korea, in their international friendly at Mardan Sports Complex here yesterday. With Jamaica down 2-1 heading into the latter stages of the contest, the 21-year-old forward netted in the 72nd minute, to earn the Caribbean side a share of the honours. Dane Kelly had earlier handed the Jamaicans a 1-0 half-time lead when he scored in the fourth minute of the game. He got on to the end of a long ball out of the back, shook off his marker before burying a left-footed volley into the upper left-hand corner of the nets, from 12 yards out. Lee Keun-Ho and Kim Shin-Wook then came close to finding the equaliser for South Korea but spurned good chances. On resumption from the interval, however, Kim Shin-Wook blew the game wide open for South Korea as he scored twice in the space of nine minutes, early in the second stanza. He grabbed his first in the 53rd minute, producing a superb diving header past goalkeeper Amahl Knight from seven yards out, after right back Choi Chul-Soon sent a searching cross into the box. In the 63rd minute, Kim Shin-Wook was on target with another header, this time evading
Reggae Boyz forward, Dane Kelly defenders Fabian McCarthy and Ladale Richie to nod home Jung Woo-Young’s cross from the right. Now chasing the game, Jamaica responded nine minutes later when Shaun Francis set Foster free with a through ball, for the Portmore United hitman to drive a right-footed shot past goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu from just outside the 18-yard box. Knight was then forced to make a sharp double save late in the contest to keep the scoreline intact.
Phyiso Ernest works with Bishoo during yesterday training session
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Wednesday January 31, 2018
Kaieteur News
Pride beat Red Force by 171 runs – Group A BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Barbados Pride defeated Trinidad and Tobago Red Force by 171 runs in the day/night second Group A match of the Regional Super50 at Kensington Oval here yesterday. Scores: PRIDE 278 for nine off 50 overs (Kevin Stoute 74, Roston Chase 50, Shai Hope 47, Jonathan Carter 37; Sheldon Cottrell 3-52, Sunil Narine 2-29, Roshon Primus 3-70). RED FORCE 107 off 21.3 overs (Sunil Narine 51; Miguel Cummins 4-35, Kemar Roach 333, Carlos Brathwaite 2-32).
GBTI sponsors RHTY&SC Annual InterSecondary School Tapeball Competition The Port Mourant Branch of the Guyana Bank of Trade & Industry on Monday renewed their sponsorship of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, MS Inter-Secondary School Tapeball Cricket Competition for schools in the Lower Corentyne area. The Tournament would be the 6th Edition of the popular event which is eagerly looked forward to every year by the students. Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster stated that the Annual Tapeball Tournament is organised by the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club under its highly successful Say No/Say Yes Campaign. This Campaign seeks to get school children to Say No to Drugs, Crime, Suicide, Alcohol, Premarital Sex, Tobacco and Yes to Education, Life, Culture, Sports and Religion. The Tournament would be played on a Knockout basis and would involve both male and female students. The females would be involved in an eight overs per side tournament while the males’ tournament would be a ten overs event. The schools to be involved in the tournament would be the Lower Corentyne Secondary School, J.C. Chandisingh Secondary School, Port Mourant Secondary School and the Corentyne Comprehensive Secondary School. All of the Teams would be involved in a Say No/Say Yes Parade around the venue, which to date has not been named due to restoration work being done at the Area ‘H’ Ground. Foster stated that if the Area ‘H’ Ground is not
Parmanand Leonard of GBTI presents sponsorship to RHTYSC Organising Secretary Ravindranauth Kissoonlall and Asst Secretary Simon Naidu. available, then the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club would look to use either the Port Mourant or Albion Community Centre. The Winner, Runner-up and Player of the Finals for each category would receive trophies and medals. Each student from the winning team would also receive a collection of education materials from the ten cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, MS. The ten cricket teams are organising the Tournament and would also use the opportunity to share educational materials before the start of the tournament, while a Senior Police Officer would be invited to address the students on the danger of Drugs. Foster, the only Club Of-
ficial in Guyana to ever receive the prestigious Sports Personality of the Year Award, expressed gratitude to the Management and Staff of GBTI for their continued confidence in the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club and stated that both tournaments would be well organised. Manager of the Branch, Mr. Ghoeblall Mahadeo, stated that GBTI was proud to be associated with the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club and noted that the Tournament over the years has been well organised. GBTI, Mahadeo stated, is fully aware of its corporate responsibilities and as a matter of policy invests heavily in Education, Sports and Social Activities.
Berbice Selects Under-15 Team for GCB Inter County Newcomers eager to retain title The Berbice Cricket Board has announced that after 3 weeks of intense training and assessment, a formidable squad has been selected to represent the county at the upcoming Guyana Cricket Board’s Inter County Under-15 competition set to bowl off on February 6, 2018. The Team will comprise mainly of newcomers to the Inter County scene, but who are capable of making their mark in this their maiden tournament. The selectors have, over the past 3 weeks, been identifying the talent of the players, and from an initial group of 32 players, a shortlist of 24 was done. The players were after engaged in 3 trial matches after which the final selection was done. The Berbice Under-14 team reads: Vettorie Lathman, Rampertab Ramnauth, Mahendra
Gopilall, Tomani Ceaser, Zeynol Ramsammy, Antoine Alexander, Jonathon Rampersaud, Darius Joseph, Jeremy Sandia, Isia Thorne, Latchman Dhanna, Matthew Pottaya, Pavanand Ganesh and Boodram Lakeraj The Stand Byes are: Hemendra Goordial, Vikash Singh, Tameshwar Mahadeo, Saffie Shazad, Shreedat Roopnarine and Rudra Goderdhan. Chairman of Selectors, Mr. Leslie Solomon has announced that the players have been showing a tremendous amount of commitment and progress during their sessions, and he is optimistic that with such talent and determination, the lads will once again win the title. A final practice match was set for yesterday, at the Jai Hind Cricket Club Ground in Albion.