Kaieteur News

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Thursday July 12, 2018

Kaieteur News

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

CARIBBEAN COURT OF JUSTICE VS THE PRIVY COUNCIL

T

he recent ruling against presidential term limits in Guyana by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) is revealing. The CCJ is the final court of appeal, replacing the Privy Council. Guyana is not the only country to be proud of the CCJ. Other CARICOM nations —- Barbados, Belize and Dominica— have made the CCJ their final appellate court since it was established in 2001 and began operating in 2005. The reason is these four leaders have viewed the CCJ as strengthening the regional integration process that began with the signing of the Caribbean Free Trade Area (CARIFTA) Treaty in Barbados in 1967. It is therefore instructive for the other eleven membercountries of CARICOM to join the CCJ and make it the official judicial arm of CARICOM. The CCJ was inaugurated on 16 April 2005 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. It has two jurisdictions: an original jurisdiction and an appellate jurisdiction. In its original jurisdiction, the CCJ is an international court with compulsory and exclusive jurisdiction in respect to the interpretation and pronouncements of treaties such as the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. This treaty established the Caribbean Community. In its appellate jurisdiction, the CCJ hears appeals as the court of last resort in both civil and criminal matters from those member states, which have ceased to allow appeals to the Privy Council. The birth of the CCJ came after a long and arduous period of planning by several countries and organizations in the region. In March 1970, the Organization of Commonwealth Caribbean Bar Associations first raised the issue of the need to replace the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as the court of last resort for the newly independent countries of the Caribbean by a regional Court of Appeal. In April 1970, at the Sixth Caribbean Heads of Government Conference held in Kingston, Jamaica, the Jamaica delegation tabled a proposal to establish a regional Court of Appeals to replace the Privy Council as the Anglophone Caribbean’s final appeal court. But ironically, Jamaica is not a member of the CCJ. One of the reasons for the establishment of an Appellate Court in the Caribbean was because several leaders, including the late Forbes Burnham had believed that the BritishPrivy Council had too much legal power over the countries of the Caribbean.They also lamented that the independent Caribbean countries are the only remaining ones in the former British Empire that relied on the British-Privy Council for appeals. Another reason was the refusal of the Privy Council to allow capital punishment for persons convicted of murder in Caribbean states, even though a majority of the people in the relevant jurisdictions supported the death penalty. In the 1993 case of Pratt v Attorney General of Jamaica, the Privy Council ruled that persons imprisoned on death row for more than five years should have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment. The above suggests that there was a clear need to have a legal permanent, regional institution to authoritatively and definitively interpret and pronounce on laws in the region. The Caribbean Court of Justice is intended to be such an authoritative institution. It is critical to the success of the CARICOM and regional integration. Many in the Caribbean have embraced the idea that a Caribbean Court of Appeal would enrich regional jurisprudence and is conceivably less expensive to access than the London-based UK Privy Council. However, over the years, many have grown despondent because it appears that the leaders of the Caribbean lack the wisdom to see the importance of making the CCJ the region’s final court of appeal. As a legal institution, the CCJ mirrors the confidence inspired by the Privy Council. No country in the Caribbean, which means well to the region would prefer the Privy Council over the CCJ.

Set up a boot camp for young offenders DEAR EDITOR, I love disciplinary organisations. I have a passion for them because they instill proper behaviour in young men and women and give them more control of their will-power so they have greater ability to become selfsufficient. I benefited from being a member of the Guyana National Service. My stint was short, but I am a better and stronger person because of it. My eye-opening exposure to a disciplined organisation when I was a young man taught me many valuable life skills. Of course, some who pass through disciplinary organisations fall by the wayside because of human failings, but I believe the majority learn controlled and orderly behaviour, self reliance and general strength of character. Most importantly, disciplined organisations also teach young men and women vocational skills. If they choose to, they can make use of these skills to make an honest living as they go through life. That is why, when I saw a video of a young gunman committing a robbery last week, I felt the need to call once again on the leaders of Guyana to establish an institution such as a boot camp for

young offenders. Many crimes are committed by young males. Some of the crimes are not very serious, but these boys and young men are sentenced to serve time in what I call the University of Crime, which is our prison system, where these vulnerable youths have no choice but to rub shoulders with ruthless hard-core, career criminals. These older criminals teach the young ones new tips and tricks of the criminal life so they are even worse criminals when they are unleashed on society again. In prison, youths are forced to learn strategies to survive in an oppressive, hostile, violent environment. This makes them become selfish, brutal, cynical, cunning and callous; the longer the sentence, the worse they become. As a society, we need to find revolutionary ways to save our youths before they get damaged and damned in our University of Crime. We have to think outside the box and find ways to intervene in young lives and put them on the right track. We have to give all young persons, even those like the youthful gunman in the video, an opportunity to redeem themselves. Our justice system cannot be focused on punishment alone; young offenders must get a fair chance to be rehabilitated and reinte-

grated in society. This is why I suggest setting up a boot camp for young offenders. When criminals like the young gunman in the video are caught, we need to have a detention centre where they are separated from hardened criminals and they can learn discipline and skills to earn a living. A National Service-type organisation would be an ideal detention centre for young criminals. National Service was a commendable initiative by the late President Forbes Burnham and what I liked about it was the strong paramilitary structure that incorporated hands-on agricultural work. If Guyana sets up such a boot camp for young offenders, the inmates can be made to plant crops and rear poultry and livestock for their own sustenance and, by the sweat of their brows, engage in various self-help projects to meet other needs they may have while in confinement. I recommend that those who are illiterate or undereducated can be taught basic literacy and numeracy skills and be helped to improve their general knowledge. There must also be an element of life-guidance, anger management and counselling. I believe counselling will make a boot camp successful

as a means of rehabilitating young offenders, because they often need professional help to deal with their psychological problems from all the many difficulties they faced in their young lives. In the highly disciplined environment of a boot camp for young offenders, the coordinators can inculcate a sense of patriotism in the youths. If it is properly organised and run, it can help youths develop self esteem, and motivate them to become better, productive members of society. At the very least, it will protect them from the perverted teaching they would be exposed to in the University of Crime. By being detained in a boot camp environment, they will have a much better chance of turning their lives around. Many young men and women, boys and girls who become involved in crimes grew up in broken homes where they were starved of food, affection, moral guidance and education. In many cases, those who get caught up in lives of crime today came from households where parents, relatives, or other people they spent a lot of time around, were involved in petty or major criminal activities, and these youths (Continued on page 6 )

The Scourge of Domestic Violence in Guyana DEAR EDITOR, I felt it absolutely necessary that I say something about this epidemic of domestic violence sweeping Guyana from one end to the other. This plague is not restricted to just one socioeconomic or educational slice of our country it is manifesting itself across the societal spectrum. Age, education, economic status or standing in the society pose no barrier to the perpetrators. This brings me to the story covered in the KN about the unfortunate death of a female at the hands of her male acquaintance in the Village of Rosignol, WCB. What is just as sad and troubling to me about the demise of this female, is the attitude of her neighbours and their gross lack of concern for this woman’s safety According to the reports, the Neanderthal she was associated with regularly abused her during their frequent alcohol binges. On the fateful day, during one of these sessions, he commenced his abuse sometime in the afternoon and continued well into the night stopping only after the screams of his victim ceased. ‘Neighbours from Hell’ is

my only description of those who heard the wailing and desperate screams for help and did absolutely nothing until after she was silenced forever. What kind of people are these? Apparently the abuser did this on a regular basis. Had the neighbours acted the first time he abused this unfortunate woman and called the police, she may have been alive today - not to negate her responsibility in any way. But instead they enjoyed the show and did nothing.

Is this what our society has degenerated into? A ‘none of my business’ attitude! My other concern is the courts, Magistrates and at times Judges. Their whimsical dispensation of justice is head-scratching. There seems to be no guidelines or structured sentencing. Justice seems to depend on which side of the bed the court officer gets up on. Domestic violence, the use of a weapon during the commission of a crime, murder and

corruption should attract the most attention. Not that the other offences should not, but the imbalances are glaring. It is my hope that the callous indifference displayed by the neighbours at Rosignol Village is not widespread. The least they can do is to attend her funeral and hope the flowers she can never smell soothe their seared consciences. Respectfully Claudeston Massiah Queens Village

YOUNG, INNOCENT WILDLIFE BEING SOLD ON FACEBOOK DEAR EDITOR, A facebook friend concerned with wildlife welfare in Guyana recently forwarded me a very disturbing picture of a capuchin monkey being marketed on facebook. It showed a baby capuchin in a very small circular wire cage hanging from a ceiling, as if it were a basket of flowers. The little monkey seems to be terrified, probably because of the woman with her cat

touching the cage; its fear can be seen in its eyes. Above this picture are the words: “Call GUYMAZON if you are interested in a Baby tufted capuchin $10,000. Same like the one in the picture.” Several critical comments from concerned Guyanese were posted on the Guymazon facebook page. This info was immediately forwarded to the Wildlife Division for investigation! Other relevant questions

for the relevant bodies: Ø Is this type of marketing legal? Ø What controls exist for sales of our wildlife over the Internet? Ø What institutions are responsible for monitoring this situation? Ø How can concerned citizens support their efforts? Ø Is our government doing enough to take care of our wildlife? Yours faithfully, Syeada Manbodh

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Kaieteur News

The Guyana Prize has done quite a lot to assist writers living here DEAR EDITOR, I take the time to reply once more to questions repeated by Rev Gideon Cecil in a letter in your newspaper on July 9, 2018. He asks why there has been such a long delay in the announcements of shortlist and awards for the Prize. By now Rev. Cecil ought to be aware that this is because the funding has not yet been made available to complete the process. He repeats yet again his refusal to accept that a writer is allowed to enter the Prize as contestants one year and be asked to serve as a judge in another year. He declares “no award in the world will ever allow such an act”. He is wrong. Other major awards around the world do allow it. In previous letters I have supplied the evidence to prove that former judges are not debarred from entering and winning, and former entrants, former winners are al-

ways asked to serve as judges. I gave several examples of these from the IMPAC Dublin, the Commonwealth, the OCM Bocas. These are not my opinions – they are facts that can be verified. There is no such clause in the eligibility rules of the Man Booker Prize, or any of those others. The rules of the IMPAC Dublin speak to persons being entrants and judges at the same time, it does not bar them from entering or from being a judge in the future. Clearly, if I am a judge in 2018, I cannot enter in 2018. But when I am not a judge in 2019, I am not barred from entering. I supplied factual evidence of this happening in that same IMPAC Dublin Prize. Rev. Cecil suggested “I believe regulations barring former judges from entering the Guyana Prize should be integrated into the award brochure.” That is a reasonable suggestion based on his opin-

ion. But it has not been the view of the major literary prizes around the world. He also objects to writers entering the Prize and winning on repeated occasions. Those international literary prizes do not disqualify winners from entering again. The former Whitbread Prize, now known as the Costa Book Awards is another of the major prizes. For the Best Novel, they have had winners repeating many times – Salman Rushdie, William Trevor, Kate Atkinson, Beryl Bainbridge. Poetry has been dominated by Seamus Heaney, Carol Ann Duffy, Ted Hughes. Incidentally, Duffy and Bainbridge have served repeatedly as judges a number of times for that same Prize, as have other winners including Susan Hill, Andrew Boyle and Paul Theroux. These are among many writers who reappear as winners and judges of the same Prize. If Rev. Cecil is still not sat-

POLITICAL VOLUNTEERS DEAR EDITOR, There was a bemusing ticklish call for “a Third Political Force” to fulfill a need in the political landscape of the country. This aspect of our political history should be well preserved in an Archival Museum as a matter of posterity for all generations to see and learn.A great deal of history comes through these LettersTo-The-Editor and these contributors and columnists ought to be accorded the title of Paper Senator to the Nation. As a matter of fact, Guyana cannot continue in the future without a Legislative Senate. Let us go to the Third Force proposition. Everyone knows the PPP as the first political Party in the then Colony. A few years later there entered the PNC. in between these two there was The National Front, followed by Mr. John Carter’s Democratic Movement.

After a furor of sorts, a social stirring brought The United Force to life. Their presence created the scenario which made Independence possible. Right now we have Third-Party-ism running the country. Since that time there came a plethora of Parties covering the complete spectrum of theories and ideologies. Around 15 to 20 years ago there were no less than 28 parties listed to contest the General Elections. There may be more germinating right now. This tells us uncountable stories. The recent past PPP government amalgamated with a group called CIVIC. Government at present is an amalgamation of two “Third” parties namely APNU-AFC. It is left to another day to put these groups in their chronological order. Thus we see third parties having run their full course. Party politics promote

a One-Man Rule opinionated with prejudice. For the next and future elections, do not be surprised to see a conglomeration of individuals aiming to create a revolution in representation of the people, providing the Constitution permits this possibility. This is the only avenue to true participatory Democracy. The charismatic flattery by party leader has no appeal in this day and time. Try the Peoples’ Force. John De Barros

isfied, I can name other examples from the famous Pulitzer Prize. If this is acceptable practice around the world, why is it wrong in the Guyana Prize? Has the Guyana Prize helped emerging writers living and writing here in Guyana? Rev. Cecil says “no”. He argues that local residents do not win because there is no publishing house in Guyana; overseas writers always have an advantage over the locals because they have opportunities for good editing, publishing and other facilities. We have, during the past week, heard two overseas writers declare that that is a myth. The lack of local publishing houses is indeed a problem, but that has not condemned all local writers to oblivion. Harold Bascom, while living in Guyana, had his first novel, Apata, published by Heinemann. Rooplall Monar from his home in Annandale, had Backdam People published in England. Ryhaan Shah published her novels overseas without leaving home, as did a few others, including Moses Nagamootoo (Hendree’s Cure) and Deryck Bernard (Going Home and Other Stories). But what has the Guyana Prize done to assist writers living here? 1. The Prize was established for the best of Guyanese writing at home and abroad, and it was for published books only. The Committee listened to comments from the local writing commu-

nity and decided to assist locally resident writers by allowing them to submit unpublished manuscripts. Self-published works were also admitted. 2. This gave them a chance to be in the competition. It motivated several writers to produce, to compete and to grow as writers. 3. It opened the gate for several of them to be shortlisted and to win the Prize. 4. Several local residents won both with manuscripts and with published books. 5. Several workshops were conducted by locally resident and visiting writers. 6. These workshops were not sufficient, so, something more thorough, regular and lasting was needed. This resulted in collaboration with the Department of Culture. Courses in Creative Writing were created and run at the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama. Any of these courses in Fiction, Poetry or Playwriting can be taken free of cost by any emerging or developing writer. Substantial training was thus made available. 7. Five student writers were awarded Diplomas in Creative Writing from that programme in 2017. There was a public reading of selected work. 8. In collaboration with the Drama School, A National Creative Writing Competition in Poetry, Short Story and OneAct Plays was held for local emerging writers and nine

prizes awarded in honour of the 50 Independence Anniversary. 9. An Annual National Poetry Slam was created for writers and performers of spoken word, performance poetry and hip-hop in cooperation with the Drama School. Writers were challenged to create compositions on social issues and patriotic pieces to generate a volume of meaningful compositions in a very popular art form. 10. Writers were invited to read their work publicly. 11. The Caribbean Press was established and one of its mandates was to fill the gap and have a good local publishing house available. This press published several local writers, and had started to pay attention to Guyana Prize winners. Here is a Prize established for the highest quality of Guyanese writing that took on things not normally managed by literary prizes. The Guyana Prize, however, took them on because it saw the need for developmental programmes to help writers living in Guyana to develop to create the excellence in literature demanded by the Prize. Yours faithfully Al Creighton

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Rice cultivation down in Berbice DEAR EDITOR, In Guyana while the Ministry of Agriculture is spending $40 million this year on improved rice varieties, enhanced rice production and improved quality, huge acreage of rice is being spoiled in the fields in Region 6. But the slashing of the Agriculture Budget by $3 billion has signaled the Government’s intention that they do not care much about this sector. In the last crop in Region 6, rice farmers were unable to harvest more than 200 acres of rice due to impassable dams, which have gotten worse due to the rainy conditions. But this is an ongoing natural phenomenon; it is not as if the rains have been extra spiteful this year! The rain falls every year, but the major downfall is the continual decreasing emphasis on repairs of the dams and other infrastructural repairs and maintenance in the Agriculture Sector in Region 6. These have been on a downward trajectory since this Government took office. This administration feels that oil is the answer to all our economic woes, as is evidenced by the insane and inane haste to close the four sugar estates and the downward scaling of the sugar industry.

Unfortunately, this crop in Region 6 is marred by the continuous degradation of the dams to the extent that nearly 15,000 acres of rice lands have not been cultivated. This was highlighted at our last statutory meeting at the RDC. The Vice Chairman, Mr Dennis Deoroop estimated that it will take nearly $200 million to get these dams back in shape, and this is not possible in the short-term. He also highlighted the fact that the bulldozer fiasco has severely dented the Region’s ability to do proper repairs and maintenance of the dams in the farming areas. What is most disappointing is that the dams have never been in the current state they are now in. Tractors, hymacs and graders are literally drowned on some of these dams and it is a huge challenge for farmers to transport vital inputs and labour. This will definitely affect the level of production and our export market, especially at a time when we are trying to expand our markets abroad. We may definitely lose some of these. This was highlighted at the RDC meeting as well. A few days ago, I spoke to a cash crop farmer at Maida, and he showed me pictures of what was taking place at his

ten-acre farm situated only about three miles into the back dam. Thousands of limes, oranges, cherries and bananas were strewn below the trees. It was a most pitiful sight to look at the horrendous wastage and the income it could have generated. The gentleman who operates a tyre shop told me that he also has a thriving cane juice business, but he cannot transport the canes out of the area, thus placing a halt to that business as well. The dam has completely disappeared in some areas. He is just one of the many farmers who accepted the challenge to expand farming into the more remote areas, and the others like himself are suffering in a similar manner. Who will compensate these enterprising farmers? How can we ask our farmers to produce and when they do, they perish as well? The $3 billion from the budget could have gone towards fixing the dams and infrastructure and done much more. It is conclusive that this Government has failed the Agriculture sector badly; they have destroyed sugar, now it seems that rice is a similar work-in-progress! Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf RDC Councilor Region 6

Set up a boot camp for young ... From page 4 were under bad influence from the time they were babies. Bad parenting in families with both parents can also be a serious cause of crime among youths, although there are those who grew up with good hardworking parents, but nevertheless turned to a life of blue collar or white collar crime because they wanted easy

Thursday July 12, 2018

Kaieteur News

money. Let me say, though, that some single parents have done amazing jobs in raising children who are shining examples in our society today. As a society, we have to take full responsibility for guiding our young people away from lives of crime and punishment to situations in which they have the best

chances of becoming decent people living good lives. Maybe if the gunman who robbed the supermarket had been exposed to a boot camp and had received proper counseling for whatever issues drove him to a criminal life, he would not have done what he did that day. I am therefore appealing to Governmental and non-governmental organisations, diplomatic institutions and others to assist in establishing boot camps and institutions that can positively help our youths on the wrong track. A life is a terrible thing to waste, especially that of a youth with intelligence, potential and energy. We should do everything we can to ensure they become positive serving members of society. Sincerely, Roshan Khan Snr.

The Guyanese people know this procurement isn’t right DEAR EDITOR, The APNU+AFC administration has been caught again, with its pants down. After more than a year of promises that there would be no solesourcing of medicines, it is now revealed that the Ministry of Public Health procured $367M (US$1.8M) worth of medicines through ugly orchestrated sole-sourcing. The medicines were brought as an emergency supply from a company, HDM Labs, with a NY address. This company has no record of being a medicine supplier before and was established after May 2015. It has no medical warehouse, no cold-chain facility and it has no experience in medicine supply. Yet it miraculously met all the standards and requirements established by the Ministry. It is noteworthy that the Ministry’s excuse for seeking a sole-sourcing for this significant amount of medicines is that the Ministry conducted a restrictive bidding among six companies - Ansa McAL, International Pharmaceutical Agency (IPA), Global Healthcare Supplies, Ic., Caribbean Medical Supplies, Meditron Inc., and HDM Labs. The Ministry claimed that only HDM Labs fulfilled all requirements to submit a bid. This is remarkable for several reasons. First, the largest medicine supplier in Guyana, the New GPC, was omitted from the bidding. Why? Secondly, since May 2015, the largest single medicine

procurement contract ($605M in 2016) was given to Ansa McAL and since May 2015, Ansa McAL, IPA, Meditron have supplied medicines to the Ministry of Public Health and GPHC. This begs the question - what makes these companies ineligible suddenly? Something is amiss. According to its letter to the National Procurement and Tender Board, the Ministry of Public Health conducted a restrictive tender for an emergency supply of medicines and this tender was opened on May 23, 2017. The six companies named above were invited to tender. None were qualified. Those companies in the restrictive tendering included HDM Labs. If none of these six companies were qualified, how suddenly did HDM Labs become qualified for sole-sourcing the medicines? But then miraculously, HDM Labs was written to on June 16th to provide a quotation for more than $367M worth of medicines. The very next day, on June 17th, the Ministry wrote to the National Procurement and Tender Board for approval to solesource the medicines from HDM Labs. We have to assume that HDM Labs, a company with no experience and no history of being a medicine supplier, was able to immediately provide a quotation and a supply date for a complicated list of medicines. This stretches credibility, even for experienced suppliers. On June 19th, the Ministry informed HDM

Labs that they were approved to supply the medicines. The evaluation process, on May 23, which disqualified all the selected companies including HDM Labs, and the subsequent fast fast-tracking to award a contract raise grave suspicions. Someone must also explain why it was necessary to provide a 100% advance payment to this supplier. The Auditor General must immediately audit this procurement to ensure that all the medicines were supplied and in keeping with the contract requirement of two weeks, and that the supplier provided medicines that met all standards. I can ask where SOCU is, but I know I am wasting my time. But where in heavens name is the Public Procurement Commission? The Public Procurement Commission (PPC) is abrogating its responsibility of being a watchdog for public procurement. After its big splash at the commencement of their work in late 2016 when it committed to scrutinize all public procurement contracts and promised to hold public officials accountable, without fear or favour, the Public Procurement Commission has vanished. Will it examine this case? Who will examine this case? Whether SOCU, the PPC or the Auditor General scrutinize this case or not, the Guyanese people know that this procurement is not what it is supposed to be. Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

This lack of customer service from GTT is utterly disrespectful DEAR EDITOR, Allow me some space in your newspaper to vent my frustration with GTT. It has been over a month since my landline service was disrupted because the telephone pole upon which the GTT cables were mounted, fell. Numerous calls to GTT to remove the cables from the road proved futile. Three weeks later, my frus-

tration turned into desperation and I made a complaint to the Public Utilities Commission seeking recourse. Within three days the cables were removed, however my landline service was not restored. Daily calls to GTT’s customer service have proved fruitless, since the only person who can assist me in getting my service restored is the mythical fault supervisor, who as it seems is never

available/in office to take my call. As a paying consumer, I find this lack of customer service from GTT utterly disrespectful. More needs to be done for customers and I fully support the Honourable Minister Mrs. Cathy Hughes’ call for the liberalisation of telecommunications in Guyana. Guyanese deserve better! Regards, Frustrated Customer

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$366M sole-sourced drug contract is another campaign payoff by Coalition Govt. – Jagdeo The decision by the Ministry of Public Health to sole source $366M in drug supplies from New York-based HDM Labs Inc. has drawn criticisms from Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo. At a press conference yesterday, Jagdeo labelled the decision by the Ministry as part of an ongoing plan to financially reward close supporters of the Coalition Government. ‘This is another payoff,” Jagdeo stated. Speaking directly to Government supporters, Jagdeo said, “You’re not going to get any help from this govern-

ment if you are poor.” Jagdeo stated that HDM Labs Chief, Dr. Hardatt Singh, hosted campaign meetings for the Coalition in his home in the U.S. before the 2015 elections. Dr. Singh’s name had surfaced in 2016 in relations to a $400M-plus fertilizer contract with Government. “We have pictures with him and the others. All of that will surface,” Jagdeo noted. According to sources at the Ministry of Health, HDM Labs apparently had little or no experience in supplying pharmaceuticals to the Ministry of Health. In fact, HDM Labs beat

out a number of experienced suppliers- Ansa McAl Limited, International Pharmaceutical Agency, Global Healthcare Supplies Inc., Caribbean Medical Supplies and Meditron Inc. From indications, the contract was hurried through in a matter of days. Under the rules, sole sourcing must meet the criteria that the items are emergency in nature and that only that one company has the possibility of supplying the items. According to Jagdeo, there is double corruption in the award of the contract. He

Child rapist gets third life sentence in five months A weeping Sheldon Lynch was locked away, yesterday, in the dark prisoner’s holding area where he maintained that he did not sexually penetrate an 11-year-old girl. He also claims that the little girl lied on him. This was moments after a 12-member mixed jury convicted him for the crime at the High Court in Georgetown. He was given a life sentence by Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry. This is the man’s third life sentence in five months for the offence. On August 22, 2015, Lynch, 46, of Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, engaged in sexual penetration of an 11year-old girl. Lynch, who was represented by Attorney-atlaw Clyde Forde, had initially pleaded not guilty to the charge. Kaieteur News understands that the two are known to each other. On the day in question, the girl, who is now 14, went over to Lynch’s house where he forced her onto a bed and inserted his penis into her vagina without a condom. After the act, the little girl complained to her mother, who in turn, reported the matter to the police. Investigations were carried out and Lynch was arrested and charged for the crime. Back in March 2018, Lynch was given two life sentences, which are to run consecutively. A jury, then, had convicted him for raping a 10-year-old girl on two occasions. The events occurred between December 7, 2010 and January 25, 2013 in Essequibo. He only becomes eligible for parole after serving 35 years. It was Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall who had

JAILED FOR LIFE: Sheldon Lynch imposed those life sentences. The victim in this case had revealed that Lynch raped her on several occasions. The young girl said that he would rape her when no one was at home and would then warn her to keep it a secret. “I feel like my life is hopeless. I feel terrible. After I told the Welfare about what he did to me, the children at school would laugh at me,” the young girl confided to a Social Worker. The Social Worker said that the child told her that as a result of taunting from her peers, she dropped out of school. The rape survivor had also told the Social

Worker that on numerous occasions she would consider committing suicide whenever she reflected on what Lynch had done to her. The young girl added that she is afraid to be in a relationship. In handing down the life sentences on the previous occasion, Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall chastised Lynch for his actions. She told him that he treated the minor like his “woman.” “You violated her trust and took her innocence. You have scarred her for life,” Justice Ramlall had said to a crying Lynch who expressed no remorse after the jury’s decision.

noted that the Government did not go to open tender. Jagdeo, while in Government had faced similar criticisms for sole-sourced contracts, which were issued to the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (New GPC), which is run by his friend, Dr. Ranjisingh ‘Bobby’ Ramroop. According to Jagdeo, in every case they had a competitive process to prequalify the people that were shortlisted. “They came up with a list of their own; shortlisted them without any competitive process to get there and that is critical if you have a competitive process…Even the people that they shortlisted, they shafted them too,” Jagdeo noted. The Opposition Leader said that one of the persons shortlisted has ‘an old house with a broken down fence over the river’ as his place of business. In listing the payments made to Coalition supporters, Jagdeo pointed to Larry Singh, who benefitted from the contract through the Ministry of Public Health for the controversial drug bond.

HDM Labs Chief, Dr. Hardatt Singh It was recently revealed that Government has already paid $265M to rent the bond, which Singh purchased for $25M.

Speaking directly to APNU supporters, Jagdeo said, “You’re not going to get any help from this government if you are poor.”

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Billion-dollar lawsuits cast doubt on Exxon’s environmental guarantee to Guyana USA Oil and Gas giant, ExxonMobil, has told Guyana on several occasions that it is more than equipped to deal with the eventuality of an oil spill. In fact, Exxon’s Country Manager, Rod Henson went on record this week stating that all systems are in place to prevent any occurrence of an oil spill off Guyana’s shores. He said that if one were to take place, then ExxonMobil would be able to respond within hours. But in the face of Henson’s words, there continues to be a shadow of doubt over ExxonMobil’s guarantees to the citizenry. This is especially when one takes into consideration, the number of lawsuits the company has faced with regard to environmental degradation. Below are just a few of those cases. 1. NEW YORK CITY LAWSUIT In 2009, ExxonMobil was found liable for its role in groundwater contamination

in New York City. A federal jury awarded US$104.7 million to the city for compensation. The city had five wells located in Queens. They had been contaminated with M.T.B.E., a water soluble, but a highly potential carcinogen. The lawsuit presented by the city was one of 23, which held oil companies responsible for M.T.B.E., which was contained in fuel which had leaked from gas station storage tanks. All of the companies, except Exxon, had settled with the city. The compensation was welcomed as money, which would be used to install and upgrade water treatment stations to remove M.T.B.E. from the drinking water supply. 2. MARYLAND ENVIRONMENTALLAWSUIT In 2006, an underground gasoline leak in Maryland contaminated the water supply and required residents to monitor their health medically for years. The problem was

concealed for some time because ExxonMobil put up a sign indicating that the gas station, which caused the problem was closed for upgrading. The public was not immediately warned about the spill. But in 2011, a Maryland jury awarded compensatory damages in the amount of US$500 million to the families and businesses which were affected by the Exxon spill. 3. ARKANSAS TAR SANDS SPILL In March of 2013, the Pegasus Pipeline belonging to ExxonMobil ruptured. The 67year-old pipeline was filled with diluted bitumen when the 22-foot-long breach appeared, and more than 200,000 gallons rushed through the streets past homes, and a shopping plaza, to end in Lake Conway. Though ExxonMobil motioned to dismiss, U.S. District Arkansas Federal Judge Kristine Baker refused, indicating that the company had committed numerous violations of water, air, and hazardous materials regulations in Arkansas and the Clean Water Act. Both Arkansas and federal governments brought the lawsuit, which stated that ExxonMobil should pay approximately US$4,300 per oil barrel spilled, with a cap of $21.5 million. The suit also indicated that the company should pay civil penalties of up to US$45,000 per day, post

ExxonMobil’s Country Manager, Rod Henson spill. Mayflower residents struggled to retain their homes and town, but the chemicals in the crude oil caused multiple cases of nausea, vomiting, dizziness and headaches. The stench lingered and was so overwhelming that Exxon tore down a few houses, bought 20, and offered to buy out 62 area homes. 4. TEXAS AIR POLLUTION SUIT In 2010, Sierra Club and Environment Texas filed a lawsuit claiming that the Exxon oil refinery operating

on the Gulf coast, the largest in the United States, violated federal air pollution laws by emitting over eight million pounds of air pollution during five years of time. It was the third lawsuit filed by the environmental groups. The lawsuit sought to get a court order which required Exxon Mobil to end violations against the Clean Air Act. The company faces penalties of $37,000 per day for each Clean Air act violation. The Texas Sierra Club members, approximately 24,000 had joined the approximately 5,000 state members of Environment Texas to file the suit against ExxonMobil. 5. POLLUTION CASE IN NEW JERSEY The Bayway Refinery became another environmental legal hotspot when the State

Department of Environmental Protection in New Jersey filed suit against ExxonMobil for the loss of, and contamination of 1,500 or more acres of marshes, wetlands, waters and meadows in the northern area of the state. The lawsuits were filed in 2004, and had been litigated since then. The suit had spanned the administrations of four governors before coming to trial. At that point, nobody was disputing Exxon’s liability, leaving the issue remaining of how much money could be recovered for damages. There had been decades of petrochemical refining and operations at the site, and the staggering amount of pollution and contamination encompassed not only the Linden and Bayonne refineries, but the land and water surrounding them. The damage had begun in the 1870s at the Bayonne site and in the 1900s at the Linden site, continuing until the present day, when the collective area became known as Bayway. Pipeline ruptures, tank overflows and failures, spills and explosions had spread petroleum waste into sediment, soil and groundwater, leaving widespread contamination. The state originally set the amount of US$8.9 billion for damages, which ExxonMobil contested vigorously. Ultimately, settlement talks ensued, and the state settled quietly for the sum of about $250 million. (SEE FULL MORE DETAILS AT : https:/ /moneyinc.com/exxon-mobillawsuits-you-should-knowabout/)

Thursday July 12, 2018

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Kaieteur News

How hard is it to say sorry! There are good reasons why persons patronizing the New Thriving Restaurant at Providence are required to not park in the pathway leading to the entrance of that facility. It affects the safety and security of both patrons and users of the adjoining gyms. It makes sense to park in the parking lot and then walk the short distance, which takes no more than ten seconds, to the entrance of the parking lot. What can be so difficult about that! The compound in which the restaurant is located is private property. The owners

of the facility have a right to set their own rules of where people should park and what areas will be designated as “no-parking” zones. Those who do not like those rules should stay away but not try to violate the rules which are laid down. These rules apply to everyone. Someone, because of their standing in society, should not be feel that those rules do not apply to him or her. Rules are there to be followed. Those who do not like them can stay away. This column had argued before against the practice of

civilians, in the name of preventing trafficking in persons, invading private mining camps in order to effect ‘arrests’ of persons suspected of trafficking in persons. This column had argued that this work should be done by the law enforcement since the owners of the private mining camps would have a right to expel anyone who unlawfully and without authorization enter their private property. There is going to be a total breakdown of law and order in this society if people feel that they have a right to not follow the rules. They do

Dem boys seh ...

Berbice toll gon mek Jagdeo jump overboard wid a crankshaft When de government announce dat it wasn’t raising de toll fuh de Berbice Bridge, nuff people panic and de whole Berbice laugh. When dem boys hear de press conference wha de private investors in de bridge keep, dem was certain dat de people who controlling de bridge woulda get vex and just shut it down. Imagine de govt got de bulk of de money in de bridge but Jagdeo and ee friends who got de private money in de same bridge calling de shots. Dem is de people who want to raise de toll. Dem boys remember when de Bridge open and people couldn’t afford to pay toll. Jagdeo stop de boat service to force de people to use de bridge to enrich he and ee friends.

When de Berbice people kick up a fuss and private people put dem private boat pun de river, Jagdeo ban dat too. Dem boys seh, imagine if he was still in office de 150 per cent increase woulda sail through like when Kwame drink soup. Yesterday, one of dem send message dat if de government ain’t raising de toll, de least dem could do is sit down wid de private investors and talk. Dem boys wan know, “Talk what! To full dem pocket more?” Is when Jagdeo hold ee press conference yesterday instead of Thursday, dat is when dem boys know wha happen. Jagdeo got money in de bridge and ee friends got money in de bridge. Dem hide demself through some commercial bank here in Guyana.

Jagdeo now telling Soulja Bai dat he should give back dem private investors dem money dat dem got in de bridge if he don’t want to increase de toll. He is de one who sign de arrangement; he know dat de deal was dat after 20 years de government would get de bridge. Twelve years done pass and dem was getting all de dividends from dem investment. De govt never get a cent. Eight years lef before de handing over and dem want to scrape everything. Dem boys seh, give dem a chance and dem would scrape de paint from de bridge before Guyana get it. Dat’s how greedy they are. Talk half and beware of de wolves in sheep clothing.

not have to agree to the rules but they should respect the purpose and function of the rules. Guyanese have developed a habit of wanting to be dropped off at spot. Passengers in minibuses want to be dropped off at the entrance to where they are going. But if everyone does this, then it will lead to mass confusion. Suppose at the Providence branch of the New Thriving Restaurant, every customer decided that he or she must park in close proximity to the entrance and should have the right to put off passengers at the entrance. What will result is mass confusion. If anyone feels that the

security guards manning ingress and egress to that location are restricting their movement, then that person can go and speak directly to management but not try to overturn the directions of the guards. The recent incident in the parking lot muddies the image of the APNU, the government and the President whom many expected would have at least called for some form of apology. But he has not said anything so far. This entire affair can be diffused and damagecontrol become successful if a simple but sincere apology is offered. We all make mistakes. What does it take to say sorry?

The longer this apology is deferred, the more mud will accumulate. A simple apology would end this matter. Without an apology, it will only convince people that power and influence reign supreme in Guyana. And that is not good for a country in which people are beginning to fear that some persons are more equal than others.

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Thursday July 12, 2018

Kaieteur News

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

What I saw at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital I visited Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital on Tuesday morning and this column is about two observations. The first one is the influx of Cubans applying for American visas to travel to the U.S. The Georgetown Embassy is facilitating Cuban applicants because the Trump Administration has curtailed consular services in Havana. Cubans then went to Colombia but that country has visa requirements for Cubans. Guyana does not. The U.S. then moved its service to Georgetown. But though the no visa policy of Guyana is good for the Cubans, it has its downsides. Language is a problem. I know a Cuban young man working in Guyana who speaks not a word of English. There are additional problems for the Cubans in Guyana. Readers can get the information by perusing the article

from the Miami Herald by Doreen Hemlock of June 28, captioned; “Cubans are flocking to Guyana for economic reasons –but there’s a twist.” I read that article before I saw the Cubans at the hospital and I felt sorry that they are in that plight. To think they have to travel from Cuba way into Guyana, with a language problem and have to find money to stay in hotels. Surely, the cruel Guyanese exploitation machinery is at work as the article implies. I am absolutely sure that those guest houses are overcharging these Cubans. There were dozens and dozens of Cubans at the hospital who were waiting to take their medical. As I watch them going about their business, my heart went out to them. And that is because I am Guyanese. Guyanese have to travel to Suriname if they

want an EU visa. It is not offered here. Canada does not offer visa facilities in Guyana. Guyanese then should empathize with the Cubans. It is a hassle free process to just walk into a foreign embassy in your own country and apply for a visa. I watched those Cubans queuing up outside the doctors’ doors and my mind went back to the bad days in the eighties when Guyanese were running all over world for a better life after Guyana began to suffer a devastating economic decline. Barbados and Trinidad began to mistreat Guyanese at their respective airports. As my wife and I were at the airport in Trinidad in 1984, checking in for our flight to Guyana, there was a big rush towards us by Guyanese, mostly women, asking us to put foodstuff in our suitcases

Chinese Ambassador calls on President

President David Granger, met with China’s Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Cui Jianchun, yesterday, to discuss a wide range of issues as the two countries recommit to working closely to further diplomatic relations. The

meeting was held at State House. Over the years, Guyana and China have developed a strong, mutually beneficial partnership in areas of common interests. Building on an already excellent dip-

lomatic relationship, the President and Ambassador discussed strategies to improve economic and cultural cooperation at the bilateral level and deeper collaboration at the multilateral level. (DPI)

to take home to Guyana. At that time, there was no internet, so if you lived outside the Caribbean you were not aware of the “vendor phenomenon” that was sweeping Guyana. What I saw back then at the Trinidad airport was the “vendor phenomenon.” This was a group of people preserving the lifeblood of Guyana. They were bringing in all types of food items and related products that though available in any normal country, were totally non-existent in Guyana. When I think of those days, I feel that I cannot be convinced to accept diaspora Guyanese filling vacancies that locals should be given. The Cubans on Regent Street that I see daily remind me of the “vendor phenomenon” of the eighties. They are buying up stuff to take back to Cuba to sell, the identical thing that our vendors

did almost forty years ago. I hope we treat the Cubans with immense hospitality as they wait in Georgetown for their appointment with the US Embassy. One of the sad ironies of this country is that we were like the Cubans and Venezuelans forty years ago. And how do we treat the Venezuelans when they come here for food? Well, the least said of that the better. Finally, I saw something at the Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital on Tuesday that is a tragic reflection of the failure of fifty-two years of Independence. As I walked past the Xray department, I saw about twenty Cubans in the waiting room. I went upstairs, came back down ten minutes after and the room was empty. Guess what happened. The Xray technicians were taking three patients at a time. In a

Frederick Kissoon jiffy, twenty patients had their X-rays and were gone. Go to the X-ray section (a part of the hospital that I seriously dread) of the Georgetown Hospital on any given day and you will see a waiting room of fifty persons with one technician at work. I saw that myself on three occasions. You go in the morning; you come out in the afternoon. Just to remind you - both President and Prime Ministers went abroad recently for medical reasons.

High-powered rifle, 9mm gun & ammunition recovered in Abary River chase An operation, yesterday, by officers of the Guyana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) Law Enforcement and Investigation Division (LIED) led to the recovery of two firearms and a quantity of ammunition in the Abary River, Region Five. Officers were conducting a surveillance exercise in the area at the time when they noticed a boat and decided to follow the vessel. The law enforcement officers caught up the boat after it ran aground on a sand bank. The wooden boat contained one high-powered rifle, a 9 mm pistol a quantity of ammunition and a red bag. Officials are still conducting investigations. There were no immediate reports of arrests. GRA has been keeping a close eye on the eastern corridor. Last month, three LEID Officers were the target of gunfire during an antismuggling operation in Beehive, East Cost Demerara. Two of the officers sustained injuries and were subsequently treated at a private hospital. GRA with the assistance of the Guyana Police Force, apprehended four persons in connection with the shooting The perpetrators arrested and charged were Ravindra Ramdeo of Lot 217 Section D Non Pariel, ECD; Stephon M o t i e l a l a n d T revor Motielal of Lot 30 Green Field Bee Hive, ECD; and Andrew Motielal of Lot 11 – 12 Helena, Mahaica.

The guns and ammunition recovered by officers of GRA.

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Kaieteur News

2014 cop killer gets life sentence Delon Abrams, the man who admitted yesterday that he shot and killed Police Corporal Silburn Elias, who was trying to apprehend him after he escaped from the Georgetown Public Hospital, was given a life sentence for the crime. The judge said that Abrams will be without the possibility of being released on parole. Abrams, 29, appeared before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the High Court in Georgetown where he pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge. Initially, he was indicted for murder. He admitted that on January 6, 2014, he unlawfully killed Corporal Elias, a member of the security forces acting in the execution of his duties. Corporal Elias had joined the Police Force sometime in the 1990s. According to State Counsel Abigail Gibbs, on January 6, 2014, Abrams was dealt a sound thrashing by

residents of Sophia, Greater Georgetown after it was suspected he had done a wrongdoing. But luckily, a party of policemen who were passing at the time rescued him. The prosecutor added that as a result of the injuries he received, Abrams was taken to the Sophia Health Centre and later referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital. While at the hospital, t h e p r o s e c utor said that Abrams requested to use the washroom, and his handcuffs were released by the police rank who was guarding him. Prosecutor Gibbs added that Abrams then r e q uested to use the washroom for a second time, and was again, escorted there by the police rank. But this time around, Abrams overpowered the rank and relieved him of his firearm, before making good his escape.

Consequently, other ranks were summoned and Abrams was found hiding out in a yard at Fourth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown. According to the Prosecutor, all the police ranks were unarmed, and when Corporal Elias approached Abrams, two rounds were discharged at him. The injured rank was transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he succumbed. Corporal Elias was shot twice—in the chest just below the left breast and in the left side of his abdomen. During his address to the court, Abrams said that he apologized to Corporal Elias moments before he passed away. He said, “I told the officer sorry before he died. Is not like I take the gun and shoot he. We had a scuffle and the gun went off.” The confessed killer maintained that he only

Worrying mercury levels detected in Region One potable water supply - GWI taking action to address dilemma Tests are ongoing to assess the extent of elevated levels of mercury in potable water supplies in Region One. This is according to Managing Director of the Guyana Water Incorporated [GWI], Dr. Richard Van West Charles. “We have just come out of Region One where we have seen, based on the samples that we have taken and tested in the Kaizen Laboratory in Trinidad, that there are elevated levels of mercury. We are doing more testing.” He added, “We have done some analysis of some samples taken, this is in Port Kaituma and those results have shown levels above the accepted levels for the World Health Organisation [WHO]. We are taking other samples now from up-stream and down-stream in the Port Kaituma River and we are also going to be trying to get any fish in the river to check the levels of mercury that may exist.” Based on WHO guidelines, the normal mercury level in water should be .0006 milligrams per litre but the results of the tested water reflects a level of .016 milligrams per litre, according to Dr. Van West Charles. According to Dr. Charles, GWI has also been in contact with the Institute for Applied Science and Technology [IAST]. New samples will be sent to them to undertake heavy metal analysis that is required.

Dr. Richard Van West Charles This move, the GWI Managing Director said, is very important. “That is why the water quality strategy in GWI becomes very critical across the country and we are monitoring what is going on in the hinterland as well as on the coast as well as in urban communities.” “We have an MOU with IAST linked to Trent University so we are trying to have a discussion in which we may need a more in-depth study even to look at where the wash-off is coming from on land, and mining activities

into the river,” said Dr. Van West Charles. GWI has already started to investigate the operations of some illegal miners who might be responsible for the presence of mercury in the water. Dr. Charles said, “We now have to look at these levels of illegal mining and the run offs and so forth into water sources where people are accessing water for human consumption.” Tests for the mercury level were first done in May and Dr. Van West Charles said that (Continued on page 23)

MURDERED: Police Corporal Silburn Elias

JAILED: Delon Abrams

discharged one round and that a police rank fired the other round. But Justice Kissoon after perusing a ballistic report told Abrams that the two spent shells recovered from the crime scene were discharged from the gun he had. Abrams expressed that he is anxious to be reintegrated into society. It was pointed out by the

Judge that some time after the shooting, Abrams gave a statement to police indicating that he escaped from the hospital because he did not want to go back to prison. In arriving at an appropriate sentence for Abrams, Justice Kissoon considered that at the time of the police rank’s death, he was fulfilling his mandate to serve and protect the people of this

nation. Based on the evidence, Justice Kissoon stressed that there was no indication that Corporal Elias meant to hurt Abrams, since he was unarmed. The Judge told Abrams that Corporal Elias merely wanted to arrest him, but in turn, he took a firearm that he had disarmed another rank of, and shot and killed him. “The court cannot turn a blind eye on the facts and circumstances in this matter. This is a remorseless crime,” Justice Kissoon told Abrams in a stern voice. After considering the facts of the matter, the mitigating circumstances and Abram’s version of what transpired on the day in question, Justice Kissoon found no mitigating factors and stressed that the killing was a remorseless one. Abrams was represented by Attorney-at-law Maxwell McKay. Prosecutors Abigail Gibbs and Mandel Moore represented the State.

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Thursday July 12, 2018

Kaieteur News

Security guard gravely affected by Minister Broomes’ actions

Minister Broomes and her driver. Sunday night’s incident between the Junior Minister in the Ministry of Natural Resources Simona Broomes, her driver and two security guards at a Providence Restaurant, saw the Minister making claims that one of the guards cocked a gun and pointed it at her. This has since had adverse effects on the security guards. Robert Goodluck, the security guard who the Minister claimed cocked and pointed a gun at her, has found the Minister’s accusations disturbing. He says the whole incident has had a negative effect on him so far. After the incident was highly publicized, and accusations were made against him, persons had concluded that he was guilty. He was also detained for sixteen hours. Later, video footage of what really transpired has come to light. But by then, the damage was already done. Goodluck said the whole scenario was very unfortunate. He said that he has always been very respectful in executing his job. On the day in question, Goodluck said that a heavily tinted black SUV pulled up to a “no parking” area, that was stated with signs. The vehicle stopped and the driver disembarked. He then removed the “no parking” sign and

returned to the vehicle. I shouted out to him that he could not do that because that was a “no parking” area. At the same time, I (Goodluck) walked up to the vehicle and replaced the sign. “This caused the vehicle that was just about to move off to come to a halt again. The driver exited the vehicle once again and removed the sign once again and was asking me, if I knew who he was. “I was telling him that he could park where the security can see his vehicle. There was a back and forth between us after which a woman exited the rear left door of a Black SUV, and proceeded to throw two “no parking” signs to the ground. I realized that things were escalating; and moved aside. I followed them to the restaurant door, while the driver parked the vehicle. The woman called the police who came and took me and my colleague to the station and locked us up, until the next day around 13:00hrs. Goodluck said he learnt that the woman was Minister Broomes. He was told by his superiors that, the woman and her driver never said anything that would have suggested that she was a Government official. The video footage of what transpired can be viewed at this link: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=2_nOg7_2uIA

Thursday July 12, 2018

Kaieteur News

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FOR RENT

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Thursday July 12, 2018

Kaieteur News

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Thursday July 12, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Infrastructural development high on Government’s agenda Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon, said, yesterday, that the Government of Guyana has prioritised infrastructural development because it recognises that improved infrastructure is the cornerstone of socio-economic progress. “It is through construction that vital infrastructure, like roads, bridges and airports are put in place… Great importance and priority must, therefore, be given to construction and infrastructure as has been made clear by His Excellency, President David Granger on several occasions,” he said. The Minister was commissioning the Fourth Road Project, a ceremony which marked the culmination of an over US$46M rehabilitation project on the West Coast Demerara Road. The project was jointly funded by the Government of Guyana and Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). The commissioning was held at the De Willem Tarmac, West Coast Demerara. Minister Harmon said that improvements in road networks will give Guyanese easier access to natural resources. “The Government recognises infrastructure as a key element in our development, linking our coastland and our hinterland, our rural and urban communities, and enabling us to access our natural resources. This importance in priority is also reflected in the 2018 National budget… where $32B was allocated to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, of which $14.3B is devoted to the construction, rehabilitation, upgrading and maintenance of our national road networks,” he said. Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, said that the completion of the Fourth Road Project will boost the economy of the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara Region. “The completion of the re-

habilitation of this road is timely. The West Coast of Demerara and Region Three as a whole, is a growing hub for sectoral development. These developmental activities are only as good as the ability to access locations within and on the outskirts of the Region. “This highway provides this opportunity to link communities, reducing travel time, and increasing economic activity,” he said. Minister Patterson also announced that Region Three will also see the execution of a number of other environmentallyfriendly development projects. “Residents will be pleased to know that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure envisions Region Three as being earmarked for the installation of renewable energy technology in the coming years. This will potentially add to the ongoing initiatives in which the Government has embarked on to promote ‘green’ and clean energy,” he said. Representative from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Mr. O’Reilly Lewis said that the CDB will continue to help Guyana pursue infrastructural development. “We are in this for the long run… we have an unwavering commitment to the Government and people of Guyana and we look forward to continuing a long and fruitful relationship with you as we seek to reorient and diversify Guyana’s economy,” he said. Regional Executive Officer of Region Three, Mr. Dennis Jaikarran encouraged the residents of Region Three to be good stewards of the improved road network afforded them. “I am reminded that the Government [does] not only make promises, but [delivers] on the promises [made]… This road project is one that will surely encourage and advance the economic development of this country. “There is an equal and corresponding duty for those of us who use the road… [That is to] ensure that we are a part of the

The symbolic ribbon cutting to commission the West Demerara Roadway maintenance and sustainability of what is given to us… so that we can continue to benefit from it,” he said. Minister within the Ministry of Public infrastructure, Ms. Annette Ferguson made a similar appeal to the residents of the Region. “I would like to make a public appeal to road users, especially drivers of motor vehicles. Kindly exercise the five C’s- care, caution, consideration, common sense, and courtesy. Let us avoid reckless driving on our roadways, which will aid in the reduction of deaths… I ask that you work with your Government as we seek to improve our infrastructure as the good life beckons,” she said. Mayor of Bartica, Mr. Gifford Marshall, who was also present at the event, said that those living outside of Georgetown will also benefit from the expansion as Region Three connects Georgetown to many other Regions of Guyana. “Hundreds of Barticians traverse this road on a daily basis. Bartica is basically two hours travelling time from the Capital City, now. “ The development of this road will definitely aid in getting to Parika much faster… It’s a fantastic piece of infrastruc-

Felix dodges another Parliamentary ... From page 20 Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, noted that Haitians who come here are usually en route to French Guiana. He queried how the Foreign Relations Committee could conclude that hundreds of Haitians are hiding here. “Where are they? They are such a big population that if 20 people appear in Georgetown, everybody knows what their name is; whose house they are staying at; and what they ate,” the Minister reasoned. According to Minister Greenidge, over the

years, there has been “irregular migration” or a vast number of foreign nationals moving throughout the region. The Foreign Affairs Minister reminded of the age-old issue of monitoring Guyana's long and porous borders, citing the “backtrack” route. “If there is that facility, you'd have one number for persons coming in and those leaving differing.” These facts, Minister Greenidge said, are known by the Committee.

Worrying mercury levels detected... From page 11 advisories were issued. He added further tests were required since “you can’t go on one sample, you have to verify...so we have taken a number of samples...we want to ensure that we have a sense of where mining activities are taking place.” In light of this development, the Managing Director said that moves have been made to reach out to the regional administration, the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils,

among other entities in Region One, which have all been alerted that GWI will not be pumping. “We are seeking to use other sources [of water] and have made a decision to drill another well in Turn Basin,” said Dr. Van West Charles. He added, “We have made contact with the Lands and Surveys staff up there and a site is identified which is about 800 feet from Turn Basin, a location that we are seeking to rehabilitate now.”

ture. It really improved the aesthetics of [Region Three] and it can just get better from here,” he said. The Fourth Road Project

was carried out by BK International Incorporated and Surrey Paving and Aggregate Company Limited of Jamaica.

The event was also attended by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Minister of Finance, Mr. Winston Jordan.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday July 12, 2018

Thursday July 12, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Warner Park Cricket Stadium being refurbished ahead of two ODIs

BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – After hosting the St Kitts Music Festival, the Warner Park Cricket Stadium is being refurbished to ensure the pitch and outfield are in pristine condition for the two upcoming ODIs between the West Indies and Bangladesh. According to Anthony Wiltshire, Director of the Department of Sports, attempts to reduce damage to the field during the three-day festival were mostly successful. A special matting was placed on the grass to protect the playing surface from the thousands of patrons who packed the facility to see some of the best from the local, regional and international music industry. This measure was particularly important given that two ODIs will be played on July 28 and 31 be-

tween the West Indies and Bangladesh. Wiltshire said staff had performed exceptionally well in preparing the playing surface for international matches after the festival in the past, and he was confident they would live up to their reputation. The cricket pitch was also rebuilt a few months ago by the department’s staff and Ken Crafton, a pitch consultant with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), who inspected the work during a recent visit to St. Kitts commended the work done. “He [Ken Crafton] was here just a week or so ago and he has submitted a very good report on what is happening,” Wiltshire said.“In fact, he is satisfied with the work being done on the pitch. [There] are

The grounds crew at Warner Park are tackling areas like this in the aftermath of the St Kitts Music Festival. just a few areas that we need to work on and he is highly satisfied that we will be ready for the matches at the end of

Tuesday July 12, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) The fantasy world that you've built for yourself is a pleasure to behold, Aries. People frolic in your world and have a grand time. Your presence delights people with pleasure. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) It may be difficult to stay grounded today with all the information flying around and the emotions roiling in your heart. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You may get pushed around by two very powerful camps today, Gemini. Since you're the kind, diplomatic, and sensitive one, you make the perfect target for more abrasive and opinionated people. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You're apt to trend a bit more on the wild side today, Cancer. There's a wave of powerful energy working to give strength to your ego and self-confidence.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You may be seduced by fantastic promises that offer wonderful things and fanciful rewards. But beware of anything with lots of bells and whistles, Libra. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) People are apt to be quite emotional when it comes to the appearance they wish to project today, Scorpio, so be careful where you step. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Sagittarius, don't be surprised if some of your fantasies and dreams are put on trial today by a harsh force that cuts right to the truth of the matter. People are apt to be extra passionate about things. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You've reached an emotionally climactic point right now, Capricorn, and you could find some harsh opposition coming at you for no apparent reason..

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) A good tactic for you today would be to convert your fears into motivation for positive action. There's a great deal of energy at your disposal, Leo, so don't waste it..

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Be careful not to be too cavalier today, Aquarius. It would be wise to adopt a more serious tone than you normally would. You might be inclined to be careless with your words, but people are going to take you very literally.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You're likely to face conflicting repo r t s t o d a y, Virgo. Information may be tainted with emotion, so be careful about going with the choice that shouts the loudest.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You have the sensitivity to pick up on what's going on in every situation today, Pisces. What you're apt to find are powerful emotions coming into conflict with extremely strong opinions.

this month.”Refurbishment is also taking place in some of the skyboxes where pigeons had made their home.“The contractor is here ensuring that all the areas that these pigeons might have been able to get into are blocked up and the roofs for the various boxes

have been repaired. We have not had any issues with the birds,” Wiltshire added.Other cosmetic repairs are being performed at the facility and Wiltshire said he was looking forward to welcoming patrons to the stadium for the aforementioned “Windies”

matches and the home stand of the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots during the 2018 Caribbean Premier League Twenty20 (CPLT20) tournament.Matches will be held at Warner Park on August 28 and 30, as well as September 01, 02 and 04.

Reifer’s five wicket haul helps ... From page 27 invaluable runs for the last wicket, with Shankar blasting a whirlwind 30 from just 17 balls, to frustrate the Windies bowlers for just over half an hour. Thomas, who finished with the respectable figures of 3-66 from his 12 overs, returned to ensure the damage done was not too significant, having Shankar caught behind by wicketkeeper Devon Thomas to bring an end to the innings. In their second innings Windies openers John Campbell and Thomas once again gave them a good start, posting 51 runs in an opening stand. Once Thomas lost his wicket for 25, caught behind off the bowling of Gurbani, Jermaine Blackwood came to the crease and ensured there would be no further drama. Campbell is unbeaten on 43 and Blackwood is 23 not out. Scores: West Indies A 302 (Shamarh Brooks 122 not out, John Campbell 41, Devon Thomas 27; Mohammed Siraj 3-67, Shahbaz Nadeem 3-42) and 96-1 (John Campbell 43 not out, Devon Thomas 25, Jermaine Blackwood 23 not out). India 192 (Ankit Bawne 43 not out, Karun Nair 42, Abhimanyu Easwaran 23; Raymon Reifer 5-20, Oshane Thomas 3-66).

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Thursday July 12, 2018

Kaieteur News

Anderson stuns Federer in quarter-final cliffhanger LONDON (Reuters) Roger Federer’s hopes of a ninth Wimbledon title bit the dust as South African Kevin Anderson recovered from two sets down to win a quarterfinal cliffhanger 2-6 6-7(5) 7-5 6-4 13-11 on a tension-filled Court One yesterday. The 36-year-old Swiss, not playing on Centre Court for the first time since 2015, displayed his usual panache as he strolled through the opening two sets to stretch his streak of consecutive sets won at Wimbledon to 34. But after squandering a match point in the 10th game of the third set Federer’s game frayed at the edges and an inspired Anderson powered back to claim victory in four hours 14 minutes. It was the biggest shock in a tournament already brimming with surprises, especially as Johannesburg Anderson had not even won a set in their four previous meetings. While top seed Federer was only at his scintillating best in the first set nothing could be taken away from Anderson, who will become the first male player representing South Africa to con-

test a Wimbledon semi-final since Kevin Curren in 1983. The 32-year-old, who reached last year’s U.S. Open final, will face either Milos Raonic or John Isner in the semis. “Down 2-0 I tried my best to keep fighting and was able to scrape through and by the end I thought I did a great job. I was in the flow of the match,” eighth seed Anderson said. “Beating Roger Federer at Wimbledon will be one I remember. As the match went on, I gave it my all. I’m very ecstatic.” CHANCES BLOWN It is the second time that 20-times Grand Slam champion Federer has lost at Wimbledon from two sets ahead, suffering the same fate against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the 2011 quarter-finals. “It just wasn’t one of my best days,” Federer, who won the first set in 26 minutes, told reporters. The Swiss refused to blame his surprise defeat on the decision to play the match on Court One rather than his customary Centre Court stage at the All England Club. “I don’t think it really mattered, to be honest. I had my

South Africa’s Kevin Anderson celebrates winning his quarter final match against Switzerland’s Roger Federer. (REUTERS/Andrew Boyers) chances and blew them, so... That’s my problem really, the 36-year-old said. “I had my chances and I blew it.” Federer had breezed into the quarter-finals and was imperious in the opening set. Anderson, the first South African to reach the last eight since Wayne Ferreira in 1994,

was steadfast though and did what no man had done at Wimbledon since last year’s semi-final when he broke Federer’s serve early in the second set. It snapped an 85-match run of holds by the Swiss but he did not flinch, hitting back to take the set on a tiebreak.

MATCH POINT Federer’s match point arrived when Anderson served at 4-5 in the third but, with the South African looming at the net, he made a hash of an attempted backhand pass. The escape energized Anderson and he broke in the next game with a bludgeoning

backhand off a weak second serve and then battled back from 0-40 to seal the third with an ace.Federer seemed rattled and his forehand began to look vulnerable and it was that stroke which allowed Anderson a decisive break of serve at 3-3 in the fourth. Anderson had Federer down 0-30 twice on serve in the early stages of the decider but the top seed’s survival instincts kicked in and with the advantage of serving first it seemed inevitable that his opponent would crack eventually. Six times Anderson was required to hold serve to stay alive and each time he was equal to the task. It was Federer who faltered at 11-11, double-faulting to hand Anderson a break point which he converted when the defending champion’s weary forehand smacked the net. There was still the small matter of holding serve but a 28th ace helped settle Anderson’s nerves and be brought up match point with a massive forehand before completing a remarkable victory with a first serve that Federer could not handle.

Magic waited outside LeBron’s Uitvlugt CDC 7th annual Emancipation house for free agency to start run set for August 1st Magic Johnson is nothing if not punctual. The Los Angeles Lakers’ president of basketball operations sat in a car for an hour outside LeBron James’ Southern California home on the night of June 30 before the NBA’s free agency period opened. The meeting started promptly at 9:01 p.m. PT, and the next day, James announced that he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to sign with the Lakers. Johnson told Spectrum SportsNet on Tuesday of his talk with James, “We had a great time of going back and forth, here we are, two guys, similar. Both from the Midwest. Both grew up poor. Both love to compete. Both love to win, and I think both excel at the highest level. We connected right when I walked in the door. Just two guys that talk free to each other, and talk basketball, and that’s what I love about LeBron.” James didn’t need to be sold on the Lakers, according to Johnson.“He already knew the team. Almost better than I did,” Johnson said. “He broke the roster down right in front of me. ‘Kuz likes to do this, so and so likes ... oh I can’t wait,

Former NBA basketball player Earvin Magic Johnson poses at the premiere of the movie “The Legend of Tarzan” in Hollywood, California, June 27, 2016. (REUTERS/Danny Moloshok) this guy is this.’ I was like, man, he knows the entire roster. Loves (coach Luke Walton’s) system. He said Earvin, you know, I just want to come and be able to just play basketball and be me. And you have the type of roster, I think, that I think I can do that.” In the same Spectrum SportsNet interview, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka detailed how he learned the franchisechanging news that James was joining the club. “I was outside around 4 or

4:30 p.m. (on July 1), saying, ‘I wonder when we’re going to find out the answer?’ because LeBron and his camp was meeting with another team that day,” Pelinka said. “At about 5 p.m., I got a text from LeBron’s agent, Rich Paul, and the text just said ‘Congrats.’ And it had balloons. “It was one of those moments in life you’ll never, ever forget. Everything went into slow motion. ‘Does this mean what I think it means?’ He called seconds later with the official news.”

From left, Gary Hartog (competitor) with Carlton ‘Corn Man’ Stephenson and Errol Giddings (committee member) pose for a photo.

S

even years ago, Carlton ‘Corn Man’ Stephenson embarked on a one man 24-mile marathon from ‘Red Shop’ Sophia to Uitvlugt to celebrate the abolishment of slavery and now, seven years later, the tradition continues under the title of the Uitvlugt Community Development Committee (CDC) seventh annual Emancipation run. The run, which has gained traction with scores of competitors, has turned into a mini-rivalry between ‘Corn Man’ and Gary Hartog; who won the race last year in a meet record time of 2hours 58 minutes.

This year, the race begins at 03:30hrs at ‘Red Shop’ and organiser of the run, ‘Corn Man’, noted that transportation will be available for those desirous of following the race from the starting point while there will be Police escorts from the Demerara Harbour Bridge to the finishing point at Uitvlugt’s Liberty Square. Prizes include trophies and medals and will be handed out to the top performers while registration for the race is free. For registration persons can contact Gary Hartog on cell phone 691-9823 or Errol Giddings on 690-3122.

Thursday July 12, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Mandzukic sends Croatia into first World Cup final MOSCOW (Reuters) Mario Mandzukic scored in the 109th minute as Croatia came from behind to beat England 2-1 after extra time yesterday and reach their first World Cup final, where they will face France on Sunday, and send the Balkan nation into raptures. England, appearing in their first semi-final since 1990, had looked on course for their first final since 1966 as they led through Kieran Trippier’s fifth-minute free kick and totally dominated the opening half. Croatia, in their first semi since 1998, levelled through Ivan Perisic after 68 minutes and then looked the more dangerous side. It stayed level at 90 minutes, meaning Croatia faced extra time for the third successive game, having got past Denmark and Russia on penalties. But just when it looked as if they would become the first team to appear in three shootouts at a single World

Cup Mandzukic struck with a well-taken low shot. England had got off to a flying start when Trippier curled a superb free kick into the top corner. It was his first goal for his country, England’s 12th of the tournament and ninth from a set-piece, but they should have added more from open play as they revelled in the space they were being given in the first half. Harry Kane shot weakly at Danijel Subasic when through, then forced the rebound against a post and Raheem Sterling was a constant thorn in the Croatia defence, though again his final ball was too often astray. The best chance for a second goal, however, was wasted by an unmarked Jesse Lingard when he curled wide when a goal looked certain. Croatia had been desperately poor but started to get a foothold in the game as the match rolled past the hour mark and Luka Modric’s influence grew.

England’s John Stones shoots at goal during the match. (Reuters Kai Pfaffenbach) England paid the price for those early misses when Perisic showed great determination to get in front of Kyle Walker to meet a curling Sime

Keep Your Five Alive’ Indoor Competition

Finally action kicks off this evening Following the forced rescheduling of opening night, action in the sixth Annual ‘Keep Your Five Alive’ Indoor Competition organised by Kevin Adonis will kick off this evening with five matches, at the National Gymnasium. According to Organiser Kevin Adonis, the forced rescheduling was due mainly to his adherence to a mandate from the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) that cautioned the appearance of players participating in the current Elite League. Adonis said he received a letter from the GFF, which among other regulations governing the tournament, barred all players who’re participating for clubs in the Elite League from appearing for their community teams in his indoor competition. “This recent development ordered by the GFF ultimately forced me to reschedule the opening night from last Saturday to today to ensure that teams have the opportunity to discuss the directive set by the Federation in order to avoid any consequence (s) of their decisions,” Adonis said. He added that while he would have liked the notification to be delivered earlier to avoid the unfortunate cancellation of the scheduled first night, all systems are in place

Avocado Ballers, Xtreme Cleaners new entrants for a prompt start this evening and fans can be assured that riveting action is anticipated as teams battle for survival to the next round. Teams have been drawn from Georgetown, Linden, Berbice, West and East Demerara and the East Coast of Demerara and prize monies in excess of $1million will be up for grabs. He added that thirty-two of the best teams in the country have been assembled including defending champions West Front Road ‘Gold is Money’ and beaten finalist Future Stars. Among the other teams making the shortlist are: Sparta Boss, Bent Street, Leopold Street and most of the zone champions of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Competition.In opening night action: Rhythm Stars (Mocha) tackle recently-crowned Berbice Guinness champions Trafalgar and this encounter will be followed by the clash between Agricola and Broad Street.Kingston then square off against Swag Entertainment out of Linden, before Avocado Ballers take on

Sophia. In the final game of the night, Leopold Street play host to East Coast Melanie Damishana.The fixtures for the next two playing days are seen below.Buxton Diamond engage West Demerara Showstoppers, while the young Uprising team from the East Coast go up against Linden’s Silver Bullets. Xtreme Cleaners then collide with East Coast BV, before Ann’s Grove and North East La Penitence take to the court.The rejuvenated Tiger Bay unit then face California Square, before Sparta Boss and Tucville bring the curtains down for the evening. The fixtures for the third night of action are as follows: Albouystown and Upsetters get things going, before Future Stars and Alpha Warriors square off. Back Circle then tackle Kitty Hustlers, before Linden’s Dave & Celena All Stars go up against Bent Street. The reigning champs West Front Road then close the night with a clash against Alexander Village.

Vrsaljko cross and though his boot was arguably high, Walker was stooping and there were few complaints. Perisic should have added another three minutes later when ragged defending presented him with a great shooting chance but he cannoned the ball against a post.

It was a different game from then on, with Croatia suddenly playing with accuracy and purpose as England lost their shape and composure, though Kane missed a chance to win it in stoppage time when he headed wide from a free kick. Vrsaljko cleared a John

Stones header off the line midway through the first extra period. But it was Croatia who struck in the 109th minute when Perisic won a header on the edge of the box and the ball dropped for Mandzukic whose firm low finish beat Pickford.

Reifer’s five wicket haul helps Windies A take control of second “Test” Raymon Reifer snagged five wickets to put India on the backfoot

AUNTON, England, CMC – A five-wicket haul from Raymon Reifer has put the West Indies A in firm control after the second day of the second four-day “Test” against India. Reifer ran through India’s lower order, snagging 5-50 – his fifth first-class five-wicket haul – to help dismiss them for a paltry 192 in reply to the Windies first innings total of 302. With a healthy first innings lead of 110, the Windies closed on 96-1, an overall lead of 206.

Resuming on their overnight total of 301-9, the Windies added just one run to their total, with skipper Shamarh Brooks finishing unbeaten on 122. Windies pacer Oshane Thomas then struck twice early, claiming the wickets of Ravikumar Samarth for 10 and Hanuma Vihari (4) to limit India to 40-2. Reifer, a left-arm pacer, then got in on the action, accounting for the wickets of Abhimanyu Easwaran (23) and captain Karun Nair for 42, to leave them in even bigger

trouble at 114-4. A fighting, unbeaten knock of 43 from Ankit Bawne tried to steady the innings for India, but Reifer sliced through the lower order to ensure there was no fightback. He dismissed Shahbaz Nadeem for 11 and Mohammed Siraj and Rajneesh Gurbani who both scored ducks, for the addition of just three runs to leave India in tatters on 149-9. Bawne, though, found a good partner in last man Vijay Shankar. The pair added 42 (Continued on page 25)

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CWI Regional U17 tourney

Guyana face Leeward Islands at Brian Lara Stadium today

By Zaheer Mohamed in Trinidad and Tobago in association with V Net Communications, Regal Stationery and Computer Centre, Mike’s Pharmacy and Bel Air Rubis. he adage ‘regardless of U19 tournament in April, their perhow much talent one team formance in the first round seemed has, the team that plays as if they lacked preparation. Howbetter on the day will come out suc- ever, the team has the ability to betcessful’ was evident in Guyana’s 59- ter their performance but must get run defeat to the Windward Islands the basics right and execute on the in the opening round on Monday at day. National Cricket Centre (NCC). Guyana defeated the Leeward However, the Guyanese will look Islands by one run when they met to rebound when they take on Lee- last year in a game that was affected ward Islands at the Brian Lara Sta- by rain at this venue. Skipper Sachin dium in South Trinidad as the Cricket Singh and Seon Glasgow looked in West Indies Regional U17 50-over fine touch in their first game with half centuries and again a lot is expected tournament continues today. The Guyanese had a practice from them. Singh and Navindra session at the said venue yesterday Persaud gave their team a decent and Coach Orin Bailey will be look- start in their chase, but following the ing for an improved performance departure of Singh, the run rate defrom his charges. clined. Dwain Dick, Nigel Deodat, Guyana’s fielding looked way below par in their opening encoun- Yeudistir Persaud, Leon Swami and ter with balls easily eluding the field- Andre Seepersaud have the capabilers on its way to the boundary while ity to set decent totals, but the the bowling was inconsistent. Even bowlers must play their part as well. Pacer Silvan Williams picked up though the team participated in the Guyana Cricket Board inter county a wicket in his first over and Guyana

T

seemed in control as they restricted the Islanders to 45-3, but then a double century stand by Terry Bishop and Garvin Serieux, which was assisted by the below par bowling and fielding turned the game. Leg spinner Niran Bissu can pose problems for the opposition, however he has to bowl with control as his line and length was off target on Monday. Spinners Deodat, Seepersaud, Dick and Glasgow must improve with their consistency for Guyana to limit the opposition batting taking into consideration Leeward Islands tend to struggle against the slow bowlers somewhat. Apart from Sheldon and Charles and Williams, the other pacers bowled way too short on the pitch tailor-made for batting at the NCC. The pitch at the Brain Lara Stadium has some grass which may provide early help for the pacers, but otherwise it is expected to be good for batting. Speaking with Kaieteur Sport, Guyana’s Coach Orin Bailey said he is looking forward to an improved performance, especially from his

Djokovic into Wimbledon semis like a man on a mission LONDON (Reuters) - Three times Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic was a man on a mission after the former world number one beat Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-3 3-6 62 6-2 yesterday to reach the semifinals for the eighth time. “I feel like I’m peaking at the right moment,” declared the 12th seeded Serb after joining Americans John McEnroe and Pete Sampras in fourth place on the list of most Wimbledon semi-final appearances in the Open Era.The 31-year-old will play either second-seeded Spaniard Rafael Nadal or fifth-seeded Argentine Juan Martin del Potro in the last four. Djokovic had looked in control after the first set on a sunny Centre Court but lost both his cool and concentration in the second after a heated exchange with umpire Carlos Ramos. With his 24th seeded opponent saving three break points to hold serve at 2-1, Djokovic bounced his racket off the baseline in frustration and then seethed after he was given a code of conduct warning. “You think I ruined the court for just throwing my racket (down)? Do you think that or not? Be honest.” the Serb exclaimed, shaking his head. Nishikori promptly broke serve and then held to go 4-1 up before leveling the match at 1-1 but any sense of a fightback, and the possibility of a first Japanese man in the Wimbledon semi-finals since 1933, was short-lived. LOSING STREAK Nishikori, playing Djokovic on grass for the first time and seeking to end a 12-match losing streak against the Serb, held to 3-2 in the third set before running out of steam

Thursday July 12, 2018

Kaieteur News

Coach Orin bailey makes a point to his fast bowlers during practice. (Zaheer Mohamed photo) bowlers. He noted that due to the lack of preparation for the game they didn’t get to put out the necessary work that was needed heading into the competition. “Most of the players were rusty, just a few of them were preparing themselves and those are the ones who contributed. Even though we had a programme in place to keep the players active and asked that the players be supervised it was evident that most of the players weren’t following the programme during the break which he said was too lengthy following the inter- county tournament,” he added. Bailey, a former first class batsman, stated that the batters gave a good account of themselves even though they didn’t succeed in the chase. “We had a decent start to the chase but didn’t capitalise, however I am positive that the players will give a better account of themselves in the

second and subsequent rounds,” he posited. Play stars at 09:30hrs. Teams: Guyana - Sachin Singh (Capt.), Andre Seepersaud (Vice Capt.), Dwain Dick, Navindra Persaud, Leon Swami, Badesh Parsotam, Hrithik Singh, Gevon Schultz, Sheldon Charles, Silvan Williams, Nigel Deodat, Niran Bissu, Seon Glasgow and Yeudistir Persaud: Orin Bailey coach and Nazeer Mohamed manager. Leeward Islands - Rasheem (Capt.), Demari Benta, Clinton Reece, Jahiem Africa, Kenny Sutton, Hilroy Andrew, Jaylen Francis, Antonio Fernandes, Taeiem Tonge, Aidan Livan, Kelvin Pitman, Tariq Newman, Essan Warner and Solomon Gokrran: Steve Liburd Coach and Rishi Singh manager. In other action today, the Windward Islands will take on Barbados at Gilbert Park and Trinidad and Tobago will battle Jamaica at NCC.

FIFA to take legal action against pirated sports channel Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his quarter final match against Japan’s Kei Nishikori. (REUTERS/Andrew Couldridge) against an opponent in merciless form.With the Japanese serving to stay in the match, Djokovic wrapped things up after 2-1/2 hours on the first match point to secure his first Wimbledon semi-final since 2015. “I thought it was unnecessary to get the warning,” Djokovic said as he came off court.“I didn’t harm the grass, I know how I threw the racket. He even threw the racket in the fourth set and the umpire said he didn’t see him so I get the warning, he doesn’t,” added the Serb. “So I think it’s not fair but it is the way it is, in the mix of emotions and a tough match it happens.” The semi-final will be the 32nd of

Djokovic’s Grand Slam career but he has had to fight to get there. Now ranked only 21st in the world, with his career stalling since his 12th Grand Slam title at the 2016 French Open, last year’s Wimbledon saw him retire in the quarter-finals with a season-ending elbow injury. Asked whether he was a “man on a mission” to get back to where he left off, the Serb could only agree: “Of course, that’s why I’m here,” he said.“I’ve worked very hard and very smart to get myself in the best possible shape for the biggest events and it doesn’t get any bigger than Wimbledon. So hopefully I can keep going.”

DUBAI (Reuters) - Soccer’s governing body FIFA said yesterday it has engaged legal counsel to take action in Saudi Arabia against television channel beoutQ, which is widely available in the kingdom, for continuing to illegally broadcast the 2018 World Cup. F I FA l a s t m o n t h w a r n e d that it was expl o r i n g a l l o p t i o ns to stop the infringement of its rights over beoutQ’s airing of the opening games of the soccer tournament taking place in Russia. Saudi Arabia says beoutQ is not based in the kingdom and that it has “relentlessly” combated the channel’s activities and is committed to protecting international property rights. “FIFA has observed that the pirate entity named ‘beoutQ’ continues to use illegally the 2018 FIFA

World Cup™ broadcast signal,” the governing body said in a statement. “Accordingly FIFA has engaged counsel to take legal action in Saudi Arabia and is working alongside other sports rights owners that have also been affected to protect its interest.” BeoutQ could not be reached for comment. It is unclear who owns or operates the channel. Qatar-based beIN Sports holds the rights to broadcast the 2018 World Cup in the Middle East and North Africa. It is blocked in Saudi Arabia under a trade and diplomatic boycott imposed on Qatar a year ago. “FIFA urges the authorities of Saudi Arabia and of the different countries where these illegal activities have been observed to support us in the fight against piracy,” the statement said.

Thursday July 12, 2018

Chandimal, Hathurusingha out of SA Tests ESPNcricinfo - Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal, coach Chandika Hathurusingha and manager Asanka Gurusinha have accepted they will not participate in the Test series against South Africa, after the ICC concluded its hearing on the trio, who had guilty to a level three spirit of cricket offence. The ICC tweeted ten hours before the start of the first Test that the judicial commissioner would announce his decision in “due course”. In the interim, Chandimal, Hathurusingha and Gurusinha will serve a two-match suspension at least. The hearing, which began at roughly 6pm Sri Lanka time on Wednesday, went for more than five hours. That the trio will sit out the Tests is no real surprise - they had pleaded guilty to an offence that carries a minimum punishment of four suspension points, which corresponds to two Tests. They will hope, however, that judicial comissioner Michael Beloff hands out no more than four suspension points. He could slap them with as many as eight points, which would rule them out of four further ODIs as well. One suspension point corresponds to a ban of one ODI. In fact, Sri Lanka had hoped to talk the ICC down from even the minimum suspension of two Tests, citing several mitigating factors for their refusal to take the field on the third morning of the St. Lucia Test last month. They had argued that the entire two-hour delay that morning was not solely their fault, and that a miscommuni-

Dinesh Chandimal has a chat with head coach Chandika Hathurusingha. (Randy Brooks/AFP/Getty Images) cation with the match officials had lengthened the delay. But with the three men having already pleaded guilty to the offence, a two-match suspension at least was always likely to be imposed. The spirit of cricket charge relates to Sri Lanka’s refusal to resume play in St Lucia. After initially having reacted with shock at a ball-tampering charge against Dinesh Chandimal, which was laid only ten minutes before play on that third morning, Sri Lanka had refused to take the field in protest. They had then briefly walked on to the field, believing that no five-run penalty for tampering would be incurred, and that the ball that was used the previous day would not be changed. But upon realising that the umpires were in fact changing the ball, and that the five-run penalty was indeed added on, they left the field again, delaying play for another forty minutes.

Chandimal has already served a one-match suspension for tampering, but this punishment for the spirit of cricket offence will extend his ban. He is allowed to be in Sri Lanka’s dressing room throughout this South Africa series, but is not allowed to take the field. Hathurusingha, meanwhile, cannot be in the players’ dressing room at any s t a g e d u r i ng the Tests, though he may attend the match via other means. He can also continue his coaching duties as normal in between the matches he is suspended for. Gurusinha will face the same penalty as Hathurusingha. The loss of Chandimal is a substantial blow to Sri Lanka. He averages 52.47 as captain, and had also led Sri Lanka to creditable results in the UAE (against Pakistan), India and Bangladesh. Suranga Lakmal is likely to lead Sri Lanka in his stead.

Medas-King strengthens his argument for College readiness

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ontinuing his argu ment that young athletes needed to be college and university ready in order to gain available scholarship, Andy Medas-King noted that both academics and sports needed to be at a high level. “As we would have discussed in part one of my awareness programme in educating the public about the importance of being ready for College and University, the mind set of parents needs to change with that of the 21st century. In Guyana, parents can only tell their kids what they know and that has its pros and cons,” Andy Medas-King opined.

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“Preparing for College/ University is a long term plan and it is something that every parent should have in mind and the best way to approach this is long term planning. Parents and coaches should know that in order to get an athlete into a division 1 College/University that it is going to be hard work.” “Many times I spoke with parents and try to tell them what is a good pass score for the SAT (College Entrance exam) and they would share that their child have a score of around 900 usually, which I believe is too low.” The US based athletics coach pointed out, “Any stu-

dent that scores the minimum of 1410 on the SAT exam would be able to get an Academic Scholarship into one of the top 50 Colleges/Universities in the USA. In addition, a score of 1600 on the SAT will see a student-athlete gaining entry into a top 25 ranked institution.” “The reason why I’m sharing this information is because I would like the potential athlete/student to have a benchmark to work with. In my next article I will be addressing what can be done to improve athletes’ chances of getting into a College or University and where you can access this.”

Tour de France: Peter Sagan takes second win in first hilly stage

Peter Sagan showed his versatility as he won a hilly stage with an uphill finish in typically buccaneering style. (AFP) BBC Sport - World champion Peter Sagan outstayed his rivals to win a dramatic uphill sprint finish in Quimper on stage five of the Tour de France. He made his move with 200m to go, beating Sonny Colbrelli and Philippe Gilbert for his second stage win. Greg van Avermaet stayed in the yellow jersey, extending his overall lead with a twosecond bonus during the stage. He came seventh, behind Ireland’s Dan Martin, while Chris Froome finished safely in the peloton. In an impressive performance from Team Sky, Froome’s team-mate Geraint Thomas came home 12th. The Welshman is fourth in the general classification, five seconds off Van Avermaet. Sagan’s skills to the fore On a rolling, twisting 204km stage, which demanded

technical skills throughout and canny tactics at the finish, Sagan’s ability came to the fore. The 28-year-old, who has represented his country in mountain biking at the Olympics, plotted his path to the finish superbly, overhauling Colbrelli in the final few metres.Excluding Monday’s team trial, Sagan has two second-placed finishes and two stage victories from the Tour’s five race days so far. He won five successive points classifications until 2016 before his run ended last year with disqualification following a crash involving Mark Cavendish. With a 33-point lead over second-placed Colombian Fernando Gaviria and nearly 100 points over the rest of the field, he may well carry the green jersey all the way to Paris.

Thomas to be unleashed for second week? Thomas claimed before the start of the Tour that Team Sky would permit him to compete as a contender for the overall title - rather than as support for four-time champion Froome - until at least Monday’s first rest day. The plan is apparently to review the situation from there. So far the 32-year-old has done his best to ensure he is given longer to chase yellow for himself. His current contract with Sky expires at the end of 2018. And, although he is rumoured to be close to a renewal, a strong showing as a lead rider, combined with his recent win in the Criterium du Dauphine, would only strengthen his hand in negotiations with them or other teams.

Mashrafe Mortaza likely to miss Bangladesh’s ODI series in the West Indies ESPNcricinfo - Mashrafe Mortaza is unlikely to travel to the West Indies for the ODI series that begins on July 22, since his wife is ill. Bangladesh’s selectors, however, will wait until tomorrow, the day before the ODI specialists’ departure from Dhaka, to name his replacement. “Mashrafe’s involvement in the ODI series is in doubt,” chief selector Minhajul Abedin told ESPNcricinfo. “I spoke to him last night. His wife is really sick. I don’t think he will be able to go to the West Indies.” If her condition improves, however, Mashrafe could fly out, especially given the length of time remaining before the series-opener. If he stays at home, Shakib Al Hasan will take over the ODI captaincy.

Mashrafe Mortaza addresses the media in Dhaka. (Getty Images)

Shafiul Islam, meanwhile, suffered an ankle injury during Tuesday’s training session. The injury is likely to rule him out of the second Test, which begins on Thursday in Jamaica. Bangladesh’s squad

only contains four fast bowlers in all, which means they will be unable to make any changes to the pace attack that featured in the innings defeat in Antigua, should they stick with three quicks.

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Thursday July 12, 2018

Kaieteur News

Pele FC to celebrate 47th Anniversary with football and Fun Day on Saturday Four former players to be recognised

Denis Ivor Carrington Pele FC Alumini Director

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amed after the Bra zilian and world legend King Pele, local football club side Pele FC will be celebrating its 47th birthday in traditional style on Saturday, with a day of what is anticipated to be enticing ball weaving action. The venue to soak up all the action where the future stars as well as those who would have made their mark ever since the club was birthed is GFC, the Mecca of the sport in Guyana. But apart from the on-field happenings, the club has dis-

closed that as is the norm of recognising their stalwarts, they will be paying tribute to four former stars of the club including the late Gregory ‘PT’ Stewart along with the USA based duo of Clyde ‘Olier’ Watson who is still involved in active coaching and Pele Alumini Executive, Patrick ‘Labba’ Barton. Local based stalwart Vibert ‘Durdy’ Butts is the other individual to be recognised. Action on Saturday would get started from 07:00hrs and culminate under lights. Matches slated are Under-15 ‘A’ team

taking on their ‘B’ counterparts, the same match-ups will follow at the Under-12s, seniors and masters. To bring the curtains down on the day’s activities would be an All Star shindig featuring players from all the teams. At stake would be attractive trophies for the respective match winners, while individual trophies would be presented to respective MVPs, Highest Goal Scorers and outstanding players during matches. Additionally, there would be a prize for the largest family attending the event. Expected

to be on hand for this occasion would be the USA based duo of Patrick ‘Labba’ Barton and fellow Pele Alumini Director, Dennis Ivor Carrington. Earlier this year, the Pele Football Club Alumni Corporation, a 501(c) 3 registered NonProfit Organization in the USA, hosted its 2nd Annual 2-day Educational Development Programme which targeted some 90 youths. The youths were exposed to topics including Dental Hygiene, Public Speaking, Career Guidance, Conflict Resolution, Benefit of Sports, Prepar-

Patrick ‘Labba’ Barton Pele FC Alumini Director

ing for the Future, Goal Setting for a Positive Life, Etiquette, Basic Table Manners/ Use of Cutlery/Crockery Practice and Information Technology-Today’s Needs. Pele Alumini, with a mission to empower children whilst helping them to overcome poverty by building their confidence, self-esteem and ambition, through the power of sports, has also partnered with the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and is in the first year of a fiveyear contract where it is sponsoring for the first time ever

an Intra Association Under15 league in memory of Pele’s first President, Frank Watson. Over the past seven (7) years of its existence, Pele FC Alumni Corporat i o n h a s made a significant impact on the Guyanese community by sponsoring annual youth soccer/educational tournaments. But it has now changed gear and is focusing more on providing educational opportunities for youth soccer players, who are in need of noncash support as they pursue their academic endeavors.

CASA Junior Squash C/Ships

Guyana Boys & Girls team register 4-1 wins O

n the third day of action at the Caribbean Area Squash Association’s (CASA) Junior Championships at the Liguanea Club in Kingston, Jamaica only 14-year-old Shomari Wilshire who successfully defended his Boys U-15 title and U-13 Michael Alphonso won Gold Medals for Guyana, while Abosaide Cadogan had to settle for Silver in the individual Category. The South Americans lost three of the six playoff games on Tuesday but produced a much better performance yesterday when the team event began by beating the OECS in the Boys division, while the Girls got the better of the Cayman Islands with both teams winning by 4-1 margins. Guyana’s Michael Alphonso, fresh off a Gold Medal performance the previous day, dominated Jaydon Williams 11-2 11-2 11-3, while Rithew Saywack beat Mikhail Quashie 11-0 11-4 113 and double defending U-15 Champions Shomari Wiltshire won by Walkover after the OECS opponent failed to show up. Guyana’s only loss came when Daniel Islam was defeated by Kai Bentick 4-11 3-11 5-11. Alexander Cheeks beat Mikal Quashie 11-8 11-13 11-8 12-10. In the Girls division Abosaide Cadogan beat Shaelah Henry 11-3 11-2 11-4, team Captain Rebecca Low got the better of Emma Turnbull 11-5 15-13 11-5 and Kirsten Gomes won a hard fought game against Kali Maclean 11-4 10-12 11-9 6-11.

Team Guyana at the opening ceremony march on during the assembly of teams.

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 12, 2018

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Fitness 53 supports Malteenoes Cricket Academy When Fitness 53 contributed funding to the Malteenoes Cricket Academy it was just an appreciation gift from its CEO Ramnaresh 'Ronnie' Sarwan who was among the eager youngsters at their inaugural Academy in 1993. On Tuesday last, Supervisor of Fitness 53 Kavita Goberdhan presented the sponsorship cheque to PRO of Malteenoes Sports Club Sean Devers to demonstrate that Fitness 53, located in Providence East Bank Demerara, is a good Corporate Citizen. The two-week Academy starts at 09:00hrs on July 23 at the club's Thomas Lands Venue. Registration is fee $3,000 and can be picked up at Malteenoes and Lunch will be provided each day which ends at 15:00hrs. Registration closes on July 20 and more information can be had by calling Malteenoes on 225-6509.The 38-old Sarwan has 15 tons and 31 fifties from 87 Tests at an Average of 40.1. He has played 181 ODIs, 18 T20 Internationals and scored 33

tons from 220 First-Class matches. Sarwan said that the Academy taught him not only the skills to kick start his cricket career but also lots of life skills which has made him a well-rounded person, which has served him well, much later in his life when he captained Guyana and the West Indies in all three formats. Sarwan left Wakenaam and moved to Campbellville where he attended Primary School and then the Malteenoes Cricket Academy and encouraged youngsters to register quickly and make use of an opportunity which he said could be the first preparation for a successful career in cricket.Sarwan' 291 against England is the highest Test score by a Guyanese; he is youngest Guyanese to play First-Cricket at 15 and he is the youngest West Indian to reach 5,000 Test runs. Sarwan is one of two Test players produced by the Academy; the other being Ryan Ramdass. Sarwan said it felt good to contribute to the

Sarwan says Academy taught him a lot as a kid

Ramnaresh Sarwan is a product of the Malteenoes Cricket Academy. development of youngsters in the formative years of them learning about cricket.

Supervisor of Fitness 53 Kavita Goberdhan presents the donation to PRO of Malteenoes Sean Devers at the Gym at Providence.

Sarwan is presently in Canada and wished Malteenoes well as the club

Sabina Park in pristine condition ahead of final Test match

provides a nursery for children who could one day be the next Sarwan,

15th annual P&P Insurance Brokers 11-stage cycling meet on Saturday

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he 15th annual P&P Insurance Brokers and Consultant Limited will stage a cycling meet on Saturday July 14 at the inner circuit of the National Park from 09:30hrs. P&P of Lamaha and Thomas Street CEO, Bish Panday and other representatives, will be there to witness the race and present the prizes after the conclusion of the Hassan Mohammed organised event. Last year, Mario King of

Sabina Park will host the final Test between West Indies and Bangladesh KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Jamaica Cricket Association’s (JCA) chief executive officer Courtney Francis has given the assurance that the Sabina Park’s pitch and outfield will be in top condition for today’s second and final Test match between West Indies and Bangladesh. West Indies, who ended 1-1 with Sri Lanka in their recent three-Test series, have a one-nil lead against Bangladesh after sweeping to an innings and 219run victory in the opening match in Antigua. The Windies, ranked ninth in the

ICC Test team rankings — a place below Bangladesh, can leapfrog their Asian opponents if they can secure a series win. “The preparation has been excellent, and we are confident that we have done all that we can under the circumstances,” Francis told the Jamaica Observer. “There are some standards set out and we have met all the standards. We met with the [Cricket] West Indies representatives this morning and they were impressed with where we are,” he said while insisting that all operational

personnel are aware of their roles. Francis said proper security measures will be in place and urged West Indies cricket supporters to throw their weight behind their team. “We want people to come out and lend some support, seeing that West Indies are showing some consistency and winning some matches. “While we curse them when they are not doing well, when they are doing well we need to lend the support to ensure we give them that morale boost and hope they can climb the rankings,” Francis said.

Chanderpaul or Hooper, the last three outstanding Guyana's Test batsmen.

We Stand United out rode Alonzo Ambrose of Team Alanis in a thrilling two-man sprint finish to cart off the spoils of the feature 35-lap in a time of one hour, 18 minutes and 21 seconds. In the other events, the winners were Jonathan Ramsuchit (BMX Boys and Girls 12-14 years), Gerard Barrington (BMX Boys 6-9 years), Ryan Canterbury (Mountain Bike), Brighton John (Juveniles), Jaikarran Sukhai (Veteran U-50 years) and Andy Spencer (Veteran O-50 years).

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Mandzukic sends Croatia into first World Cup final P.27

Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic scores their second goal in their World Cup Semi Final versus England at Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow. (REUTERS/Darren Staples)

CWI Regional U17 tourney

Guyana face Leeward Islands at Brian Lara Stadium today

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Members of the Guyana team going through their paces yesterday. (Zaheer Mohamed photo)

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CASA Junior Squash C/Ships... Guyana Boys &

Girls team register 4-1 wins Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.