Kaieteur News by GxMedia

Kaieteur News

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Sunday July 22, 2018

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

PRESIDENT AND OPPOSITION LEADER MEETING

few days ago, President David Granger and Opposition leader, Bharat Jagdeo met at State House to discuss the appointments of the Chairpersons for the Public Service Commission and the Police Service Commission. Based on protocol, the process requires the National Assembly to nominate persons for the positions and submit the names to the President so that consultation can take place. Despite the intense acrimony, partisan and racial politics that have been imbedded into the psyche of the people, especially during elections campaigns, the meeting between the two leaders was cordial, as expected. Regardless of their political affiliation, the people expect these two adults to be able to engage in political discourse without the conversation degenerating into belligerence, insults or nastiness. It has been a common practice for decades. After all, they were elected to promote unity and the greater good of the people and the country. This is the human phenomenon that may or may not be understood by all. This is not the first meeting between the President and the Opposition leader. They have met many times before beginning with the promulgation of the 1980 Constitution and continuing to today. As most of us are aware, the President is mandated by the Constitution to consult in a meaningful way with the leader of the opposition on important issues. The Opposition leader who invariably gets excessively and unreasonably feisty about the policies of the government and adopts a righteous position for most of them is also obligated by the Constitution to meet with the President. This is the unshakeable bond that glues the nation together and is the foundation of our democracy. The Opposition represents an alternative government and is responsible for challenging the policies of the government and producing different policies where appropriate. The Opposition should not just be about opposing the government. While one of its main role is to question the government and hold it accountable to the public, it is important for the opposition leader to meet with the president on issues that are soundly based and have wide public support. Another major role is for the Opposition to propose alternatives to what the government is doing so that the public can benefit from the political debate between parties. Many, including supporters of the PPP, are profoundly happy about the meeting, because they believe that the Opposition can influence policy outcomes and help the government resolve problems. Other than being critical of the government, it is most useful for the Opposition to define its own position. Despite the meeting, the people are concerned that the leaders of both parties are so detached from the problems and challenges facing the country that they are not up to the task to solve them and that the political posturing will continue. That said, there is need for serious introspection, analysis and planning by the government and the Opposition to find long-term solutions for the economy, crime, poverty and corruption. They should strive to unite the people in the best interest of the country and end the decades long divisive politics rooted in ethnic support. There is no doubt that the people want an end to the polarized politics and discrimination against those who identify with a party or political ideas opposing to both the ruling and the Opposition parties and restructure the country. But the biggest hurdle is for our leaders to discard for all times the pattern of ethnic political support, which sadly, is t h e c u r r e n t s i t u a t i o n i n t h e c o u n t r y.

Editor’s Note; If your sent letter was not published and you felt its contents were valid and devoid of libel or personal attacks, please contact us by phone or email.

Blacklist this imbecile Mr. Clifford Krauss’ for his ‘s…hole’ article on Guyana Dear Editor, In the bad old Burnham days, people had to get a tax exit certificate before they could leave the country. Journalists used to get harassed when they arrived in the country. And followed sometimes. But times have changed: The “Silver Fox”, aka Desmond Persaud. Jimmy Carter. Counting at the place of poll. Election observers. Facilitating 23 years of PPP rule as a result of free and fair elections. “The return of democracy” some called it. No recrimination, no witch hunt, no “winner takes all politics”. Yea right! And now (drumroll!!) oil, big oil, with the arrival of multinational behemoth, Exxon, and the prospect of salvation for the nation. Minister Trotman refers to the oil find as ‘providence’. And with that, Guyana landing frontally on the international scene, first in petroleum industry publications, and now squarely in the glare of international media, with the arrival of a journalist, Mr. Clifford Krauss, ‘a national energy business correspondent based in Houston’, writing a “s…hole” article, which begins by announcing to the readers that Guyana has only three

paved highways. What did this man do? Did he take a helicopter from CJIA straight out to the oil rig!!?? He could not have traversed the East Bank Highway, or over the West Bank Highway to see the rice fields and Hindu temples he wrote about, or gone up to the Corentyne to put his finger on the pulse of a significant section of the Guyanese populace, as he ought to have done to write such an extensive piece as this. He must have sent his staff photographer out alone. Yes, write about the potholes and unlit roadways and opportunistic crime - no kidnapping of oil execs like in Nigeria, for example but please be honest when you are counting paved roads! So what if the steps to Newell Dennison’s office need paint!? Venezuela is relegated to a solitary phrase - not even a sentence, much less a paragraph, being referred to as ‘the turbulent border’. A golden opportunity to internationlise our neighbour’s spurious territorial claim, including the ongoing efforts for a peaceful means of settlement, was missed: does he not want to take on Caracas? He is mixing up Guyana with a country like Equatorial Guinea, at the

same point in their developmental history, as if the number of unpaved roads is a factor when a major multinational is making an investment decision. Halliburton and Exxon are already here, Sir. Stuff and nonsense, all misleading and now entered into the annals of “responsible” mainstream journalism. Hello, fake news! May I recommend the following courses of action: a) We need to return to the Burnham days, just in this limited instance, and blacklist this imbecile. He has rendered irreparable harm and damage to our country, and should not be allowed to return to Guyana, neither as a visitor, nor tourist, much less as a journalist – Minister Felix, over to you; b) A published apology or explanation needs to be issued immediately by the Editorial Board of the NYT; c) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs needs to get on the front foot and step up its PR game - their PR person (?) clearly is asleep at the wheel - using friends in the media like Jacqui Charles of the Miami Herald, to counter this negative nonsense. Yours faithfully, Proud to be a Guyanese

Sunday July 22, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

THOSE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MEDICAL COUNCIL OF GUYANA DEAR SIR, The Medical Council of Guyana (The Council) as defined by the Medical Practitioner’s Act (Cap 32:02 of the Laws of Guyana - Sept 1991) is the official body tasked with the registration of medical doctors; to appoint examiners; and conduct examinations of persons desirous of being registered to practice medicine, maintaining a code of conduct of medical practitioners and effecting disciplinary measures when such code is not adhered to, and to advise the Minister on Medical Matters when necessary among other functions. The duration of a Council is two (2) years but may be extended in special cases. The current Council is made up of nine (9) members of whom one is elected Chairperson, six (6) being registered medical practitioners with at least five (5) years continuous service, a legal officer, the Chief Medical Officer (ex officio member) and any one member of the Public. The current members are: Dr. Navin Rambarran (Chairman) Dr. Frank Anthony (Member) Dr. Mahendra Carpen (Member) Dr. Bhiro Harry (Member) Dr. Ravi Motilall (Mem-

ber) Dr. Marissa Seepersaud (Member) Dr. Shamdeo Persaud (Chief Medical Officer/Ex Officio Member) Mr. Kamal Ramkarran (Member/Legal Advisor) Ms. Sylvia Conway (Member) Many reports have been made regarding the efficient functioning of this council, which has left much to be desired. A well read columnist (Freddie Kissoon) in an article recently questioned the makeup of the Council and its ability to deliver accurate justice to the public with reference to disciplinary measures against doctors/medical personnel who may have had infringements of the codes of conduct of their profession and them being tried and disciplined by “peers”. The Council in an effort to clear their good name has responded to most accusations and has greatly publicized their recent successes, such as the ability to have a matter involving a Cuban Doctor being settled at the Caribbean Court of Justice, level all within a short time span of less than six (6) months. Great work by the legal team of the Council, I may add. Why is this preamble important? It is because of the many other cases that have

reached the Council and for which the public is never made aware of the findings and or resolutions made at Council level. Take for example, the famous cases of the three (3) doctors accused of supplying the expensive and addictive drug (Pethidine) to the former PNCR member of Region 5. Were these charges ever fully substantiated? If yes, was a formal hearing given to the erring physicians, if they would have erred in their judgments in treatment of the patient? What was the final decision with regards to recommendations from the Council? The public was never given the resolution of these cases but they should know that one of the doctors accused is safely furthering his studies in China on a Government of Guyana Scholarship, another continues to practice medicine at the same hospital where he was before the incident and the third and chief accused, the former acting RHO is currently practising in the Internal Medicine Department at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. Again, I may add great work Council? I am sure there are many more cases but I recently learnt of two very interesting cases currently being heard at the Council level involving two young doctors. What is

different and amazing with these two cases is that they have been ongoing for over two years, dating back from the lifetime of the previous Council! These are two doctors who have been on the Council’s recommendation suspended from being able to practice medicine in Guyana, pending the decision of the Disciplinary Committee of the Council. This famed disciplinary committee as referred to me by a family member of one of the affected doctors has never been formed and as such for the entire duration of the life of the present Council, this doctor was never ever given a chance to explain his side of the case in front of the Council or members. The other doctor has had one session with a committee of Council members after more than a year waiting but has since had no follow up. Does it seem as if the Council and its members care about the well-being of these two doctors? From all evidence, no. These young doctors have seen their ability to earn a livelihood extinguished, they have been unable to further their studies in the field of medicine, and their right to work based on their qualifications infringed. This is not taking into account the great (Continued on page 6)

President Granger remains silent and shows no indication of firing Ms. Broomes DEAR EDITOR, I would like to dwell on a single statement of importance in a letter from Mr. Hinds regarding that “Minister Broomes incident is a clear case of official bullying of powerless citizens.” Mr. Hinds states that, “I am very certain that had she been a private citizen, she would have handled the matter differently”. I disagree with Mr. Hinds. I am pretty sure that she has bullied others as a private citizen even when she was not decorated with ministerial powers. It is only by chance that Ms. Broomes was caught on tape bullying her victims that the nation had a chance to see what she is like. We all know of private citizens who bully others. Only just a few days ago, citizens in Enmore on the East Coast of Demerara were bullied by private citizens to the point where their personal properties like their gas range, clothing, furniture and other valuables, were taken from their homes and thrown into the streets. The CCTV tape rescued these innocent victims.Ms. Broomes and the Enmore bullies have got to share poor values. Bullying is a big problem for Guyana. Because of cruelty and lack of empathy, bullies can’t feel the pain of another human

being. Of course, Ms Broomes and the Enmore bullies will continue to hurt others if they are not held accountable. Bullying is an abnormal behaviour, which is largely a product of ignorance. Bullies evaluate their victims as powerless based on a wide range of stereotypes about – ethnicity/race, sexual orientation, physical stature, social status, religion, culture and job status among others. In addition, in spite of such dysfunction by a Government Minister, President Granger remains silent and he shows no indication of firing Ms. Broomes. What bullies! Sincerely, Annie Baliram

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Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

SOLUTIONS TO GUYANA’S ALARMINGLY HIGH INFANT MORTALITY Please permit me to add my professional opinion on the recently released figures on the alarmingly high infant mortality. MR EDITOR you may be aware that a letter written by myself which you were kind enough to publish characterised the health services in Guyana, both public and private as, ‘ National Death Chambers’. Mr. Editor you may not be aware of this but I got lots of abuse for my characterisation. To begin with, I should define what constitutes a death chamber. The Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition defines a death chamber as a room in which condemned prisoners are executed. Simply put, it is a place where prisoners enter alive but their biggest fear is that they will leave in a body bag. And their fear is not unfounded or unreasonable. Speak to anyone going to the public or private health care services in Guyana and ask them what is their biggest fear. Most of them will tell you that they are afraid that they will leave those hospitals in body bags. Not because they have a terminal illness but mainly because health care professionals commit negligent acts with impunity and on many occasions resulting in patients’ premature deaths without any investigation. Now you understand why I view the health facilities as National death chambers. Patients are unnecessarily dying by the hundred every month.So now, we have this infant mortality figure and there is this big outcry. Fact be told that 2017-2018 is not a outlier year. This has been happening for decades with no action by the past or

present Government. Reason? If the President, his Ministers, Opposition leader or MPs sneeze, they will be medivaced out for overseas treatment. It is the Guyanese plebs who have to endure the terror at these death facilities. Mr. Editor, infant mortality is now topical but they are others. I am sure maternal mortality would be ridiculously high. I am sure unexpected deaths would be ridiculously high. I am sure that hundreds if not thousands of these deaths can be classed as ‘preventable deaths’. I am sure that infectious disease and coronary artery diseases are the leading causes of deaths in Guyana. This is a national disgrace. For those who abused me for calling the local health facilities national death chambers, I have a little homework for you. What is the life expectancy of Guyanese? How does this compares with the rest of the Caribbean and the wider world? So what can be done? I will humbly make the following recommendations, Ten Commandments, if I may. 1. The Government should set up an apolitical, independent and nonpartisan regulatory body to set minimal standards for hospitals in Guyana. This body should have powers to inspect hospitals both announced and unannounced using statistical matrices to grade hospitals as either excellent, good, satisfactory or poor. This body should also be empowered to close down poorly functioning hospitals. All information on hospitals should be made public. 2. Patients should have a say concerning the service they received. It should be made by law that all hospitals provide a minimal number of patients, family and staff

feedback. The feedback will help inform the regulatory body accreditation of the hospitals. The feedback should also be made available to the public and conspicuously displayed in the hospital. 3. The Government should start focusing on disease prevention. For example, controlling patients’ blood pressures, blood sugars, cholesterol, body weight, patient education, etc. Just forget about those ridiculous sophisticated treatment like coronary artery bypass surgeries, kidney transplants, electrophysiological studies etc. Get the basics right. The fancy stuff can follow. Simple things save lives. 4. All unexpected hospital deaths should be reported and investigated by the local hospital. This investigation should be undertaken by independent consultants who were not associated with the case. The regulatory body should be informed of unexpected deaths and steps taken and lessons learnt to minimise reoccurrence. The purpose is not to apportion blame but to learn lessons. This is important if we expect doctors and other health professionals to have a duty of candour. 5. All doctors and nurses should be trained in adult and paediatric advance life support with regular updating. All hospitals should have a cardiac arrest team to tend to patients with reversible cardiac arrest. In hospitals, cardiac arrests have better outcomes than out of hospital. 5. All Government hospital boards should be apolitical. Stop this ridiculous charade of hospital CEOs, managers and medical directors being political appointees. If they are political appointees, no one should be surprised when they feel they are only

accountable to their political masters and not to patients, relatives and staff. 6. The Medical Council should be apolitical and independent of doctors. They should have an independent investigatory body responsible for investigating complaints against doctors. Definitely no political appointees. 7. There should be a national register of medical doctors and medical specialists. Unless a doctor is on the specialist register, he/she cannot work independently as a consultant. A doctor who has done a one year masters is not a specialist. He/she lacks the required skills, knowledge and experience to function as a consultant. There should be an independent body that reviews doctors’ postgraduate specialist training to ensure that they are qualified to be added to the specialist register. It is because of these masquerading consultants that we are having such high mortality figures among our patients. Quite frankly, they do not know what they are about and playing with patients’ lives. 8. The Government should just abort those post-

graduate masters training for doctors . They are a complete waste of time and resources. Guyana does not have the facilities to train specialists. These doctors should be sent overseas for proper training. Forget what the Canadians are saying that the masters training is good. Ask the Canadians to have those very doctors tend to their Canadian patients and you will get their true opinion of these doctors’ postgraduate training. Knowing that the doctors will only be unleashed to the unsuspecting Guyanese plebs will make them say all good things. 9. We have a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) without a neonatal “intensivist” and we are surprised that the neonates are dying? How ridiculous! What is happening on that NICU is the blind leading the blind. We also need specialist neonatal intensivist nurses to work on the NICU. Frankly, whatever investigation that is being undertaken by the Government to investigate these 119 deaths, part of the solution would be to have the right staff in the right place. We need skilled

staff to operate the NICU, not doctors and nurses who are just guessing. 10. This is the most controversial recommendation of them all. The Government should shut down the NICU. It is not fit for purpose. Babies and infants are dying. It is not safe because of many reasons with the major reason being inadequately skilled staff. In the short term, our neonates and infants should be stabilised and then medivaced to the closest available NICU. Government should stand the expenses. If Granger, Jagdeo et al can go overseas for treatment paid for by the state, so should our babies. In the long term, the Government should focus on providing overseas training for neonatal intensivist, neonatal nurses and heavily invest in our neonatal service with a view to providing a safe neonatal service. Don’t tell me that we do not have money. They had monies to give themselves a 50% increase, to pay rent at the sum of $500,000 for their ministers and provide an exorbitant Presidential and Prime Minister pensions. Dr. Mark Devonish

Those unanswered questions about the ... From page 5 physical and mental stress they have experienced and the financial burdens themselves and families have suffered because of the lack of urgency of the Council to expedite their matters. Can the Chairman and the well studied (all senior doctors with public and private practices) members of the Council imagine their source of income taken away for two years? Do the CMO and other members of the Council have no heart or care for their fel-

low doctors? Has the legal expert not explained the wrongs of the Council, in giving inefficient justice to these two doctors? How long more will this situation prevail before the Honourable Ministers of Public Health look into the injustices suffered by these two doctors? I noticed in all the major newspapers, a call by the CMO for the submissions of candidates to be nominated as prospective Medical Council Board Members for 20182020. What struck me was the timeline given. One week of advertising time before submissions closed. How can the CMO expect the doctors working in the distant regions to get this information in a timely manner and then submit their desired candidate in less than a week? Was the logistics of same well thought out? Or maybe as we all know if the current members of the Council are desirous of seeking re-election then they are automatically candidates. Is there collaboration on the part of the CMO to keep the present Council in place with the hope that they improve in

their service? After hearing of the plight of these two young doctors and listening to other cases, I would strongly implore the current Council members to stay far away from representing other doctors or seeking re-election to public offices. They are all wonderful doctors in their own rights; some being amongst the highest qualified in their specific fields but maybe they should keep their services to the patients in their public and private practices. Let others who can champion the cause of being service friendly, efficient, caring whilst at the same time being resolute in fulfilling the mandate of their offices and giving all citizens of Guyana just reward in service. The government has made “change” their mantra and maybe we need to change the way we offer our services to the Guyanese Public, be it the man in the “212” or the man in the “Prado”. Let justice be given to all. Thank you. Yours sincerely Gustavo Kuerten (Advocate)

Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur M@ilbox Time to stop the nonsense that has been ongoing at the Maha Sabha DEAR EDITOR, I read with keen interest a letter that appeared in your newspaper on Sunday 15th July, 2018, captioned “Government Failing the Hindus”. The letter was a well-orchestrated attempt by Hindus from different parts of the country to call on the Government and the President to rescue the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha from the illegal cabal that has hijacked its operations. Editor, based on the things mentioned in that letter, I sought to gather information on the situation that has allegedly been suffocating the Maha Sabha for several years. Upon doing so, I was heartbroken to learn that an organization such as the Maha Sabha has been continuously neglected by this Government and the previous administration! Editor, many person who are aware of their history, knows the important place the Maha Sabha held in the hearts of Guyanese across this country, from advocating on behalf of Indo-Guyanese in times of hardship to settling and maintaining brotherhood amongst all races, the Maha Sabha has fought endlessly alongside politicians and religious leaders to build a nation born out of colonial-

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ism so that we the sons of this soil can enjoy the peace and prosperity we now do. It’s is therefore sad to know Editor, that such a prestigious organization, one that should be protected and upheld by the government is being ignored and left in the hands of a few self serving and power hungry persons, who only seek to fill their own pockets with whatever little the organization has to offer. I further learnt Editor, that the current executive body of the Maha Sabha has been in place from since 1995 and has continued function without holding general meetings or by- elections within the organization. A check at the high court will reveal that several times members of the organization would’ve petitioned the said executive to hold an election but this was never carried out due to a few rouge members filing several injunctions and court orders to halt any such move! This goes to show Editor, that these executive members do wish to bring the Maha Sabha to conformity with its by- Laws and will use any means whatsoever to remain in power so that they can continue to drain the coffers of the organization. Now, isn’t this enough evidence to warrant the inter-

vention of the Government?Since taking office in 2015, the Granger Administration has peddled the notion of social cohesion and the promise to support all religion and religious organisations that promote such, but in my humble opinion, Mr. Editor. The Government of this country has no concern for its Hindu populace nor can it claim otherwise because the Maha Sabha represents all Hindus and by ignoring the problems of the Maha Sabha inevitably, you are ignoring the Hindus of this country! It is time to stop the nonsense that has been ongoing at the Maha Sabha and look into affairs of the illegal cabal that calls themselves “executives members”! The harshest of penalties should he handed to these persons for depriving Guyanese of the benefits that the Maha Sabha has to offer to the poor and less fortunate of this country! Take warning, it is written in our scripture that one can run and escape the wrath of men but beware, one cannot run and hide from the wrath of God! Long live the Maha Sabha! Yours respectfully, Rickram Rishikesh.

Kaieteur M@ilbox A most troubling position by Government on this issue of workers’ rights DEAR EDITOR The National Assembly last Thursday, 19th July commenced the debate on the Motion, calling for the establishment of a Ministry that gives equal prominence and recognition to Labour. On the united trade union community’s behalf the Motion was brought by PPP/C Members of Parliament Gillian Burton-Persaud and Komal Chand, who are the proposer and seconder of same. This motion was only allowed presentations from the proposer and seconder and put in abeyance to be addressed at a future time. The National Assembly is controlled by the APNU+AFC and the fact that this side of the House used their position of privilege to defer, yet again, a matter of import to the workers of this countrywho for centuries with or without pay, whips raining down on their backs, toiling from pre-dawn to post-dust, worked or are working under arduous condition to build this nation- is most troubling. Labour’s position is not that of seeking a new ministry but that of calling for equal prominence and treatment, whereby the 189 International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions that attend to the welfare of workers- past, present and poten-

tial; unionised or not- can be addressed. Whereas Social Protection under the ILO addresses only 17 Conventions, the fact that the remaining more than 170 Conventions are not being given similar attention and treatment is not only a slap in the face of workers but a signal being sent that the value of workers’ struggles and their presence in this nation are not of consequence. The trade union community has proposed that Labour’s request can be accommodated in the Ministry of Social Protection where the ministry can be renamed, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection or, Labour can be equally accommodated in any other ministry as government so chooses . There exists precedence in our society. The motion comes at a time of growing concern that workers are being relegated to an era when their relevance was only seen as beasts of burden, incidental to the production chain and deserving only of the crumbs falling from massa’s table, not as equal and participating members of society. The industrial relations climate is at its nadir. Rumblings are increasing with regard to the disrespect for Collective Bargaining where

workers are unionised, the non-enforcement of Labour Laws such as the Trade Union Recognition Act, Termination and Severance Pay Act, the absence of any known national programme to tackle poverty, unemployment, increasing market prices, low wages, etc. No society can develop without the brains and muscle of its workers, and its workers being treated justly and fairly. The trade union community sees the debates and passage of this Motion as a defining moment of Government’s position as to how it intends to treat with the working class. It will say to all workers whether their struggle for representative government and equal treatment can realise unity by their elected representatives on a pivotal issue that influences their welfare. It will confirm whether trade union solidarity on this issue can see similar action in the political arena. Such will prove the right to freedom of association or the presence of diversity is no hindrance to being One People with common dreams, hopes and aspirations. Lincoln Lewis General Secretary Guyana Trades Union Congress.

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Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

APA completes training sessions on the revision process of the Amerindian Act 2006

he Amerindian Peoples Associa tion (APA) supported training sessions on the revision process of Amerindian Act 2006 this month, with three meetings already completed in the vil-

lages of Santa Rosa, Region One; Kako, Region Seven; and Kopinang, Region Eight. These sessions are to build capacity in reading and analyzing the 2006 legislation in order that communities make their own recommenda-

tions on strengthening the Act. These training sessions are spearheaded by the Steering Committee for the Revision of the 2006 Amerindian Act, comprising the APA, the National Toshaos Council (NTC), the Amerindian Action

Movement of Guyana (TAAMOG), the Guyanese Organization of Indigenous Peoples (GOIP) and the National Amerindian Development Foundation (NADF) as well as representatives from the various indigenous villages and district councils. The APA collaborated with the Moruca District Council (Region One), Upper Mazaruni District Council (Region Seven) and North Pakaraimas District Council (Region Eight) to conduct these sessions with the help of facilitators from each region who are trained to understand the current Act as well as international and Constitutional human rights guarantees. Once sessions are completed, villages will make their own recommendations on the revision of the Act. These are expected to be submitted in written form to the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs. The Committee’s plan is to ensure that as many Indigenous Villages and communities, as possible, through collaboration with their District Councils, are prepared to make recommendations that are informed by actual knowledge of what the current Act says and what their rights are under international law and the Constitution. The APA recently completed a series of such training sessions at the Moruca District Council Meeting (June 30 – July 2), Kopinang Village (July 5 – 7) and Upper Mazaruni District Council (July 9 – 12). The Kopinang training included six villages of the North Pakaraimas sub-district and was the second session hosted by the APA. This session facilitated discussions on the Act as it relates to human rights, national law, village governance, land tenure and other relevant topics to the country’s indigenous peoples. The Toshaos, councillors, and residents present at the

meeting made clear that securing the right to land tenure and the effectiveness of the land titling process continue to be areas of high priority and should be addressed when revising the 2006 legislation. The meeting familiarised Toshaos and villagers with the 2006 Act, especially as it relates to international human rights law and indigenous peoples’ rights, including the right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and self-determination and autonomy, as well as the Constitution. Initially, the consultation in Kopinang was planned as part of the North Pakaraimas District Council Meeting, which would have gathered the 17 villages of the sub-district in the village. However, due to bad weather conditions said meeting had to be postponed at the last minute. Despite these unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances, the APA managed to effectively bring together representatives from Kopinang, Karisparu, Kaibarupai, Kamana, Waipa and Maikwak to join in on discussions about the Act and will work to ensure the other villages in the NPDC will receive similar training. Many of those present in Kopinang expressed impassioned stories about the importance of their lands, leading the facilitators to conduct exercises to ask the participants how they felt about the current Act failed to protect their rights to their lands and how they might want to see the Act revised. Newly electedToshao of Kamana, Bonita Xavier, said that land titling and Amerindian culture were the most important aspects of the meeting to her. She said that land remains an important topic for indigenous peoples because they are still not recognised as the people of their land. “Land is important because from the beginning this

was where Amerindian people lived,” shared Xavier. The degree to which land is important to indigenous peoples of the region was reflected in a recently published APA study entitled Our Land, Our Life: the Land: A Participatory Assessment of the Land Tenure Situation of Indigenous Peoples in Guyana Report for Region Eight. The study found that of the 17 villages of the sub-district, 16 of them were in favour of a collective territorial block that recognizes both titled and customary lands of the Patamona and Macushi peoples who have historically occupied the region. The single territorial block was a topic of repeated interest for those at the meeting, as many persons felt that separate demarcated villages contributed to more conflicts rather than resolutions as it related to the sharing of forest resources, collective ownership, use of hunting and fishing grounds. Toshaos and villages will be given time to compile their recommendations for the improved Act. After these recommendations are completed and approved by the villages, they will be collected by their respective District Councils. Following their collection, these recommendations will be analysed by legal experts who will translate their recommendations into legal language that will be incorporated into a final report that will be used as a lobbying tool during the Act’s revisions process. Support for the revision process comes from a larger APA project, Protecting Forests through Protecting Right in Guyana. This project was embarked upon with funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) through a partnership with the Rainforest Foundation US and the Forest Peoples Programme UK in 2016.

Sunday July 22, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Resistance to accessing info from banks!

Judiciary needs urgent training to understand seriousness of SOCU’s work –SARA Director By Kiana Wilburg

ne of the biggest challenges facing institutions like the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) is access to information from the commercial banks. When SOCU officials turn to the Magistrates’ Court to compel banks to provide information, they are often times, left wallowing in disappointment. SOCU has been told; for example, that Magistrates do not have the power to issue orders that would force banks to open their books and/or make copies of certain documents. Even if SOCU is successful in obtaining such orders from the court, the banking institutions are slow to com-

ply, if they do at all. So what does this mean for the State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA), an anticorruption body that will have to turn to the judiciary as well as to the same banks for information to prove its many cases? Weighing in on this poignant question recently was SARA’s Deputy Director, Aubrey Heath-Retemyer. The official said that SARA is paying attention to the manner in which SOCU is being treated. Based on his observations, he believes that there is a stark disconnection between the judiciary and the thirst of the nation for an end to corruption. He said, “We can’t say if the requests SOCU made for

orders from the Court were prepared properly but we think that we have technically competent people to prepare these things in a manner where we would be able to dot all i’s and cross all t’s. “At the same time, we believe that the courts of this country seem not to favour (such requests by entities).” “There are times when the society of a country demands so much of the legal system that there is a wave of change and the legal people are far more inclined to see justice prevail than they are to apply the law to stop legitimate progress in the direction of fighting corruption. In other words, there are some countries like Brazil and

Dem boys seh...

A police driver is a dangerous person People does go to dem police station to mek a report and de police always telling dem dat dem ain’t got no vehicle. Nuff people had to push dem hand in dem pocket to pay fuh transportation fuh de police to come to people house to investigate a crime. Dem had times when dem boys see police borrowing somebody bicycle to check out a crime scene because de station didn’t have vehicle. Thank de Man above fuh de police patrol but heaven help you if de patrol deh at Soesdyke and de crime happen at Eccles. De Chinee Embassy see wha happening and dem realize dat de Guyana Police Force need help. Besides, de country now got nuff Chinee business and dem criminal

could target dem. Dat’s HOW DE Embassy give nuff vehicle and motorcycle. Dem boys seh is just like if de force ain’t got vehicle. De government deh buying a whole heap and now de Chinee give another set. But nobody don’t cater fuh Guyana policemen. Dem would bruk up anything. Ramjattan decide dat who crash de vehicle gon pay. Is just like if he she, ‘Crash de vehicle and don’t pay.” Imagine Georgetown got more speed hump than any place in de world. Nobody can’t drive fast. Yet a policeman not only drive fast; he crash and tun over de vehicle. Dem boys want to know if is de same police does charge people fuh reckless driving. Ram Jattan did mek it

a rule dat only people who get special training can drive de vehicle. He don’t know dat once a policeman deh pon de road, like de devil does tek over him.Suh once again people got to push dem hand in dem pocket to get de police to respond. Of course if is a shooting, de police wouldn’t come till de shooting done and dem sure de gun men gone. Dem have a group of bicycle police but you does only see dem when dem sheltering from rain. Dem boys don’t know de answer. Soulja Bai contemplating giving dem war tank to drive but everybody know dat and all gon crash. Talk half and mek sure yuh stop when yuh see a police vehicle coming.

SARA’s Deputy Director, Aubrey Heath-Retemyer

Argentina where the court is highly trained and far more in tune with what the national psyche is, what the people really yearn for.” Heath-Retemyer reiterated his position that there is a disconnection in Guyana between the judiciary and what the people want.

He said, “I feel that sometimes, the legal system here, it doesn’t seem to want to be in step with the honest desire of the law enforcement people (like SOCU) to ensure they get the job done. I feel that if there was a greater sense of urgency and understanding on the part of

the legal people and the system, they may be more willing to facilitate what SOCU or SARA would be doing.” For the time being, the Deputy Director said he is not worried about the push back from the banking sector and the posture of the judiciary on such matters. H e n o t ed, however, that SARA will be cautious in its approach. Heath-Retemyer stressed that the legal arm of the country needs to be trained so that they are more in favour of seeing justice being rolled out rather than being pushed back. The Deputy Director added, “You know, I feel the push back is simply because they don’t seem to regard the urgency with which SOCU has to work and the climate in which we have to work. But training is necessary.”

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Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

Govt. willingly defends Exxon’s contract but ignores Berbice Bridge - Chris Ram says that toll issue will come back to haunt us The Berbice Bridge

Minister David Patterson

ccountant, Christopher Ram, is warning Government to rethink its stance on the Berbice River Bridge. The bridge recently appealed for permission to increase it tolls, claiming that it has been running at a loss. Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, who has responsibilities for transportation and roads, said that Government will not countenance any toll increase.However, the bridge company, which is chaired by Dr. Surendra Persaud, had

Accountant, Christopher Ram insisted that the Concession Agreement that exists between Government and company allows for periodic increases. Persaud is also Chairman of the National Insurance Scheme.The bridge company has been insisting that it is a private one. This forced Government step in and lower rates by introducing a subsidy system about two years ago. Recently, the Board again appealed for an increase. Over the weekend, Ram, an outspoken activist, via his blog www.chrisram.net, said

Dr. Surendra Persaud: Chairman of the Berbice Bridge and the NIS that the outcome of not addressing the looming crisis can lead to problems down the road. “I sincerely hope that the Government will understand the iniquity and urgency of this situation and move quickly to address it. If the Government persists with this inaction, it may very well find that when it inherits the bridge in another few years, the bridge will be in such a state of disrepair that it may regret its shortsighted action.”The bridge was built

during the last term of Bharrat Jagdeo and commissioned in 2009 using a public/private partnership model. However, the project, considered a boon to Berbicians, became a scandal after it was disclosed that a few companies, including Queens Atlantic Investment Inc., a company close to Jagdeo, had taken control of the bridge, installing a few of their directors. It was disclosed earlier this year that the bridge, since its commissioning, did very little to maintain the pontoons, which keeps the structure afloat. According to Ram, he has taken note of statements by Patterson that the Government is not contemplating any increases to the Berbice Bridge tolls. “Minister Patterson seems to believe that it is that simple and simplistic. He must not only be familiar with the Provisions of the Berbice River Bridge Act but also the Concession Agreement dated June 26, 2006 under which the bridge operates, and over which he exercises ministerial responsibility and has certain obligations to the Bridge Company and its investors.” Ram, a lawyer also, explained that the Concession Agreement was made under the laws of Guyana and obligates the Minister and the Government to grant periodic increases to tolls based on specific indications and circumstances as computed under Schedule 4 to the Concession Agreement. “The Bridge is a public/ private partnership in which the Government made a contribution of land and access roads and the private sector provided the capital funding and the management of the Bridge with financing and operating costs being met out of user tolls. “From very early, questions were raised about assumptions on traffic flows and the expectation that the investors would have fully recovered their investments and re-

turns by the time the concession period ends in 2026 and the Bridge is handed over free of cost to the Government.” Ram wrote that in the early years, instead of allowing toll increases, when the bridge was unable to meet certain obligations, the PPP/ C Government waived certain sums receivable by NICIL as holder of $950 million worth of preference shares. Roosting Chickens “Fortunately for the then administration, the installments of several tranches did not become due until later but the chickens have now come home to roost and that reality now confronts the bridge company and the current administration.” Ram believes that the situation has moved from bad to worse, from difficult to dire and in the case of just one investor, the decision by the Minister can seriously jeopardise its financial stability. “That single investor has a total investment in the bridge company in the form of ordinary and preferred shares and loans of $2,367 million . Additionally, the company owes that investor unpaid preference dividends, unpaid interest and unpaid bonds in the sum of $938.3 million, making a total of $3,305.3 million.” Ram said that while there are other domestic investors who are also owed significant sums, there is something particularly important about this investor: it is the National Insurance Scheme. NIS belongs “The funds of the scheme really belong to the workers of the country and the eventual loss of such magnitude will make the tenuous situation of the scheme disastrous. Mr. Patterson and his colleagues in the Government must therefore consider whether they desire such an outcome.” Commendably, Ram said, the Government does not

wish to impose further hardship on Berbicians with the estates closure and a slowing economy already hurting many communities. “But a government’s functions include not only its social obligations but its duty to comply with the laws – the very essence of the rule of law, the foundation of our constitution.” Ram said that over the years, he has written extensively and frequently on the economics of the bridge and the tolls charged to its users and has made a number of recommendations. “Among these was a recommendation that the Government buys out the investors and takes over the bridge which serves a public function. By strangling the company and its investors, the Government is not only depriving them of their rights under the law and the Concession Agreement but is bullying them to provide at significant losses, a public good and service which is the duty of any state.” He said that it does not escape the notice of many Guyanese how willingly the Government is prepared to defend vigorously the highly flawed Petroleum Agreement with Esso on the basis of sanctity of contract (what is sacred about a flawed and immoral contract?) but is prepared to disregard and consciously ignore the laws of Guyana in respect of domestic investors. “Seems a clear case of servility to foreign investors but contempt for domestic investors,” he wrote. The bridge was estimated to cost about US$40M. To help the bridge, the previous government had halted the operations of the ferries that plied the Berbice River, forcing the use of the facility. As part of the subsidy arrangement to lower tolls about two years ago, the administration had introduced river taxis to cater for students and senior citizens.

Sunday July 22, 2018

Govt. scraps proposed site for NTC headquarters …New location under consideration

President David Granger with Government officials and NTC leaders at the sod turning event in 2017. After a sod turning event attended by President David Granger and a promise to soon hand over the proposed site at Sophia for the secretariat of the National Toshaos Council (NTC), the Government has scrapped those plans.Minister of State Joseph Harmon at his post Cabinet media briefing on Friday disclosed that the President Granger in reviewing the proposed site felt that the land was ‘very small’. He shared that there are current discussions underway with the NTC leadership and the Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, to use a larger plot of land previously owned by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). The matter has been a hot button political issue for several years. It took centre stage at the opening ceremony of the NTC conference last week with

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Kaieteur News

Indigenous community leaders lamenting the Government’s failure to deliver the title for the promised plot of land. In August 2017, President David Granger had turned the sod at the Sophia land raising expectations that the Government would have fulfilled its promise. The previously identified land was said to have been processed through the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission with a 50-year lease.

The Indigenous Community continues to plead for the establishment of a Lands Commission, land rights, revision of the Amerindians Act and Constitutional Reform, among other issues. The NTC is also awaiting a promised meeting with the President.Under the NTC’s new Chairman, Nicholas Fredericks, and Vice-Chair Paul Pierre, the ball is in their court to ensure that their political concerns addressed in a timely manner.

SOCU completes Pradoville .. From page 3 every aspect of the transaction without recourse to the Authority. While the minister has considerable powers under the Housing Act, his role in the issue of titles was well outside of his functions and powers,” the final report, said. The report added, “No files were maintained by CHPA for any of the plots allocated by a process that can be described as lacking transparency at best,” it further said. It was stated that of the 28 lots, totalling 12.1187 acres, only 3.9693 acres remain unallocated. Over two dozen persons, including former president Bharrat Jagdeo and some of his former ministers were questioned by SOCU officials in the early stages of the investigations.

AFC, APNU looking to use combination of approaches to Local Govt. polls

he Alliance For Change (AFC) and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) are considering a political approach to adopt as the parties seek to find common ground to contest the November 12 Local Government Elections (LGE). AFC Leader, Raphael Trotman explained that so far the two sides have agreed that they will not campaign or compete against each other as was the case at the 2016 LGE. “We both said that we are going into it as a Coalition and the talks have not defined how that is going to be done. But what is important for me is that we have stated up front that it will be done. The modalities and the manner in which the parties will campaign together is still to be worked out, but whatever, we do we recognize that we will not be in opposition to each other and neither will we do anything to affect our Coalition Government,” Trotman stated. The AFC Leader acknowledged that LGE presents some challenges to formulating a shared system, which is quite different to what was pursued at the national elections 2015. The Coalition then agreed on a formula to share Government ministries using the Cummingsburg Accord as a basis for cooperation. According to Trotman, because of the political challenges, the two sides will have to devise a combination of systems to define how they proceed together. “It could be that we take different geographic regions or we agree not to campaign in a particular area and support a private citizen or a civic group. It will take

…could see parties not field candidates in some areas different forms,” Trotman explained. He stated that he does foresee APNU and AFC using their respective party symbols on the ballot. With last week’s announcement of the date for LGE, Trotman stated that the two sides will have to work faster and harder to hammer out an acceptable definition. Results provided by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) showed that countrywide, the PPP/ C gained 123,564 votes under the PR component of the elections compared to 98,670 for APNU+AFC. This is 24,894 votes more than APNU+AFC. The figures provided above are minus the results for the Good Hope/ P omona NDC for which GECOM had erroneously posted the figures from another NDC on its website. This was not corrected up to press time. Although the Coalition had won the national elections, the Coalition secured victory over the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), they lost a large percentage of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC). The Coalition however, won six of the nine municipalities. Following the 2016 LGE, APNU and AFC agreed to work together at the local level, but some deep-seated divisions have emerged, especially at the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) where the AFC lost the post of Deputy Mayor under contentious circumstances. Trotman appeared to

downplay these issues, noting that by definition coalition politics is always a bit of a minefield to navigate through. “I think what is most important is the intent and desire, but in any part of the world, having a coalition of forces or political parties getting anything achieved always takes some degree of effort but what is interesting, on the side of the PNC (People’s National Congress) we hear regularly that they feel that the AFC has too much influence so it is a subjective matter, it is not one that we will ignore or are ignoring,” Trotman noted. He said that the AFC believes that some things could have been done better; however, they believe that the leadership of the APNU recognizes all the parties could achieve better together and that is what we they are holding out on. “I think the Coalition has work to do. I believe it has delivered in many respects. Of course, it has not performed as credible as it had hoped in some respects but if one is to take; for example, recent Toshaos elections where we have made tremendous gains in the hinterland and a lot of the work that is being done in the urban sectors; I am quite comfortable that we will do well in the Local Government Elections,” Trotman noted.

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Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

Govt.’s security sector approach below par…

Nandlall offers recommendations to Ramjattan Former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, is disappointed with the government’s overall approach to the security

sector. In his most recent writings, he reminded that the last time the Government spoke of a crime fighting plan

was nearly three years ago. But since then, the state of affairs only seems to be getting worse. Nandlall reminded too,

that Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, had informed the nation that the Government was in the process of acquiring horses and dogs to boost the Police Force’s crime fighting capacity. Nandlall said that this is yet to be seen. He said, “When one adds to this equation two of the largest prison fires in the English-speaking Caribbean resulting in the death of at least 18 prisoners and a prison break from which nearly a dozen prisoners escaped - all occurring just over a year, it forms a formidable basis for the removal of the subject Minister.” Since there has been no new initiatives emanating from the Government, which are designed to tackle the crime situation, Nandlall has offered a few recommendations of his own. The former Attorney General said that there is a need for immediate statutory reforms specifically designed to increase the severity of penalties in relation to crimes of violence, robberies, break and enter, and burglaries. He said that Ramjattan should work on comprehensive sentencing guidelines with an emphasis on mandatory c u s t o d i a l sentences and against the imposition of concurrent sentences for all offences for example robberies, break and enter burglaries, etc. The enactment of a Bail Act, which permits the granting of bail in respect of the aforementioned offences, only in exceptional circumstances, was also recommended by Nandlall. He said, too, that branch offices of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) should be established in the counties of Berbice and Essequibo to be manned by an Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions and State Prosecutors, preferably from that county. Nandlall opined that these persons can advise on matters within the County in consultation with the DPP in Georgetown. He stressed the importance of ensuring that there is a Commander of each Division equipped with a legal advisor resident within the Division. Nandlall said that the advisor should function under the supervision of the Senior Legal Advisor to the Police Force stationed in Georgetown and in collaboration with the nearest

Former AG and Opposition Member, Anil Nandlall

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan office of the DPP. Another one of his recommendations highlighted the fact that the Guyana Police Force is under strength by over 1000 persons. He pointed out that this has been so for the longest while. “Yet, there are more than a thousand trained Police Officers within the Force who are performing non-police functions. These Officers should be transferred to active duty. For example, the drivers, the dispatchers, the messengers, the secretaries, the clerks, the office assistants, even the persons who feed and bathe the horses and dogs are all trained Police Officers. These functions can easily be performed by civilians.” Concomitantly, Nandlall said that the entire Immigration Department is manned by Police Officers. He opined that there is no good reason why the Immigration Department cannot be disengaged from the Guyana Police Force and staffed with civilians. He said that this should also apply to the Department which issues Certificates of Fitness, driver’s licence and indeed the entire

administrative machinery of the Police Force (for example Accounts Department etc.). Nandlall said, “These are all civilian functions which can be performed by civilians rather than trained police officers. Indeed, so it is d o n e , in most countries. So within the Force itself, one can easily find sufficient human resources to bring the Force up to strength, immediately. All these trained police officers who perform nonpolicing functions should be incorporated into active duty in the Police Force and be unleashed in the battle against crime.” As for the matter of roadblocks, Nandlall said that these should only be erected when a particular emergency requires. He asserted that Traffic Police randomly stopping road users capriciously and then embarking on a fishing expedition to establish whether they have committed an offence, at roadblocks and elsewhere, is absolutely unlawful, unconstitutional, constitutes harassment and is an exercise used to extract money from road users. With regard to the facilities at Police Stations, Nandlall said that these must be improved. He said that simple facilities, like more telephone lines, should be installed. The former Minister opined that police station numbers should be posted at conspicuous places within the communities and each station must be equipped with the ability to attend to calls and reports made in a timely fashion. He opined as well that the 911 emergency call system must function efficiently 24 hours a day. Nandlall noted that the a f o r e m e n t i o n e d recommendations will not constitute an undue burden on the Treasury. The former Minister said, “In any event, the Guyana Revenue Authority has surpassed its target for revenue collection for this half of the year by $40 billion. The implementation of these recommendations will cost a mere fraction of that sum. “I am aware that my critics will ask, and perhaps rightfully so, why were these reforms not implemented under the PPP administration. Some had begun, but I will concede, more should have been done.” In any event, Nandlall said that nothing is stopping the Government from fully implementing them and taking the credit. ”After all, it is their time now.”

Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Sunday July 22, 2018

Transplant Surgeon eager for introduction of cadaveric surgery at GPHC Even as the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation [GPHC] basks in the glory of successfully expanding its Kidney Transplant programme to offer paired exchanged kidney transplant surgeries, talks have already commenced about expanding the programme even further.Kidney Transplant Surgeon, Dr. Kishore Persaud, has expressed his eagerness to see a move in this direction brought to fruition at the soonest possible time. The expansion which was alluded to at a press conference on Friday at the public hospital is that of cadaveric kidney transplant surgeries. Cadaver is a medical terminology which refers to a deceased body. Cadaveric surgery therefore means the use of organs of a brain-dead person for the purpose of transplant. This practice is not by any means innovative as it has been oc-

curring in several countries for years. It is, therefore, the expectation of Dr. Persaud that Guyana would shortly join the bandwagon in hopes of catering to even more kidney transplant surgeries. “It is my dream to do cadaveric transplant here in Guyana,” said Dr. Persaud at Friday’s press conference. He, however, informed that moving ahead in this direction will require legislative moves at the Government level through the Ministry of Public Health.But even with legislative blessings, Dr. Persaud revealed that such a programme would require an immense amount of preparation before it materialises. Adopting a cadaveric kidney transplant programme, he said, is an intricate undertaking but has been proven to be successful in countries where it has been introduced. “You take brain dead patients who

want to donate their kidneys and this can help our situation,” said Dr. Perasud. With such a programme in place, he is convinced that the GPHC can help to address the situation which currently exists whereby some patients are unable to find suitable matches to facilitate needed kidney transplant surgery. Helping to advance the conversation on the importance of having legislation in place to harvest organs was earlier this year pushed by the United States-based George Subraj Family Foundation. The Foundation, which was founded by the late Guyana-born philanthropist, George Subraj, is one that has been lending its support toGuyana especially in the area of health care for a number of years. As part of its support to the local health sector, the (Contiued on page 65)

Dr. Kishore Persaud and team conducting a kidney transplant surgery at the GPHC.

Sunday July 22, 2018

Early Savers benefit from ... From page 14 be broadcast on TVG Channel 28 from today. Robin St. Marthe o f T V G ’s K T LT Te l e v i s i o n Programme lauded the Bank for the initiative and for providing the opportunity to the kids of the KTLT to be exposed to the activities provided during the camp. Mr. Shawn G u r c h a r r a n , S e n i o r M a n a g e r, F i nance and Accounts, G B T I , s a i d t h e e v e n t h a s become a part of GBTI as the bank unders t a n d s t h e n e e d s o f i t s E a r l y S a vers Club Members and its other Customers. Musab Hassan and Jhonathan Boodram, two participants sharing their experience also t h a n k e d t h e B a n k f o r a d d i n g t o t h e i r “ S u m m er Fun” and are excited for next year’s participants. The GBTI Annual Summer Camp is part of the perks members of its Early Savers Club enjoy. Other privileges include Bursary Awards, higher interest rates, and discounts at various retail outlets among others.

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Sunday July 22, 2018

Dr. Kishore Persaud and team conducting a kidney transplant surgery at the GPHC.

Sunday July 22, 2018

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Kaieteur News

---Hinds’ Sight by Dr. David Hinds---

Ethnic Imbalance in Guyana: A clear and present danger that will eventually consume all of us

ome people have condemned me for raising the issue of ethnic control of decision making in Guyana’s cricket. Not for the first time I seem to have touched a raw nerve. Many people have stopped me in the streets or written to inquire about my response to the interview given by the secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board. The fact is that I did respond, but only one of the daily newspapers carried it. I argued in that response that cricket is our national sport—it is part of our shared heritage. It is played by all ethnic groups in Guyana. It is one of the few areas of life that our competing ethnic groups have found some common purpose and joint nationalism. It follows that its management should not be dominated by one ethnic group. The management institutions should not be monopolized by one ethnic group. Stakeholders, representative of the broad spectrum of the game’s participants, should not be systematically marginalized or excluded from management of the game. I contended that a group of Indian Guyanese men, selected by Indian Guyanese clubs and stakeholders cannot effectively represent the interests of African Guyanese stakeholders and players, and other ethnic groups. I further contended that what we have had for the last decade is a reproduction of ethnic control, with the same group of individuals rotating the top positions among themselves. I also observed that those associations representing areas of the country where African Guyanese players and clubs abound are not part of decision making in Guyanese cricket. They do not benefit from the funds and resources the GCB receives from the West Indies Cricket Board. Only players and clubs which submit to the control of the so-

called GCB can benefit—patronage at its best. I called on the GCB to agree to fair and open elections in which all memberboards and associations participate, and to agree to a neutral cricket ombudsman to mediate between the factions. African Guyanese have a right to be part of management of a sport in which they have contributed beyond the call of duty. Their contribution to Guyanese, West Indian and global cricket has helped in no small way to humanize the sport and transform it into a source of empowerment, pride and culture for all Guyanese and West Indians. I want African Guyanese boys and girls to once again aspire to be President and Secretary and Treasurer of the GCB. Cricket in Guyana is better when it is a source of ethno-racial harmony rather than ethno-racial dominance. My decision to tackle the cricket question was not to stir up trouble, but to draw the country’s attention to the ethnic imbalance in our society, and to urge that something be done about it. Such imbalance is a clear and present danger to Guyana. No society survives for long under such conditions. I am arguing that that ethnic imbalance is at the heart of the volatility in our society. Ethnically divided societies such as Guyana have proven to be very difficult to manage politically, economically and culturally. Guyana is especially difficult because two of the groups are large enough to induce fear in each other when they hold the levers of political power. During the PNC’s reign, its ability to totally dominate the state and society was always hampered by Indian Guyanese control of the private commercial sector and its dominance of both the public and private agricultural sectors which were key to the country’s economic survival. This gave the PPP a serious political weapon, which it

used both as leverage and as a tool of economic sabotage. The PNC’s resort to electoral malpractice, militarization of the state and public ownership of the commanding heights of the economy were rationalized as a form of ethnic counterbalance to the Indian Guyanese control referenced above. The problem with the PNC’s strategy was that it was premised on overt antidemocratic foundations and could only be sustained by an authoritarian regime. That that regime eventually crumbled was due in part to its inevitable assault on the civil liberties and rights of all Guyanese, regardless of ethnicity. African Guyanese had to make a choice between ethnic loyalty and democracy—the dilemma which Africanist leaders in the WPA such as Kwayana and Rodney faced. When the PPP assumed political power in 1992, its decision to pursue an agenda of dominance is critical to understanding where Guyana is today as far as ethnic power is concerned. The party was able to merge its newly acquired political power with the existing Indian Guyanese grip on key sectors of the economy to completely tilt the balance of power in the society in favour of one ethnic group. Unlike the PNC, the PPP did not have to resort to overt anti-democratic methods. It won successive certified elections and avoided the authoritarian tag, even though it governed in the most anti-democratic manner. What the PPP also did was that it used state patronage and ethnic engineering to neutralize African Guyanesedominated state institutions such as the military, police and public service. Soon the leadership of these institutions were no longer loyal to the PNC and to African Guyanese ethnicity—Desmond Hoyte’s “kith and kin” had vanished. The PPP simultaneously

The Baccoo Speaks The police have been able to clampdown on the roaming motorcycle bandits but like everything else, a few succeed. One group will attack a businessman with dire consequences. One would be shot, while the other would crash into an oncoming vehicle during the escape bid. ** Swimming is a beautiful pastime, but there is always a disaster, as would be the case in the coming days. A

miss him and make a quick recovery. Artificial respiration would save the day.

boy would become another victim. His colleagues would

But another accident at a resort would put a damper on the picnic. ** The roads continue to pose a challenge for the safe user. A crazy motorist would crash because he would try to overtake into the path of an oncoming vehicle. The mess would be horrific.

cultivated a small African Guyanese group within the commercial sector and at the top echelons of the public service. Finally, they facilitated the formation of paramilitary militias comprising mainly African Guyanese exmilitary men and unemployed youth. In the meantime, the party used the government to transfer economic wealth to mostly Indian Guyanese elites and party supporters, mainly through government contracts and other questionable methods, worth an estimated 500 to 700 billion dollars. The granting of land, scholarships, grants and special contract employment in the government sectors were also part of this grand agenda of ethnic domination. The deliberate strategic placement of party supporters and ethnic “kith and kin” in key institutions of government and state. including the police and the military. en-

sured control of the decision making even in institutions over-populated by African Guyanese. This lopsided transfer of economic resources and institutional power has had dire consequences for all areas of the society. Today African Guyanese, for example, perform substantially worse than their ethnic counterparts in an education environment that is driven by money—the wealthier the parents are, the more likely the child will do well at exams. These performances in turn determine how the various groups view education as a tool of upward mobility. Just look at the private economic sector and you see the great ethnic disparity in ownership of businesses. It is no secret that access to capital is indispensable to getting loans from banks to start businesses. Those with established businesses and access to

Dr David Hinds capital are in better positions to bid on contracts. Wealth reproduces wealth and poverty reproduces poverty. More of Dr. Hinds’ writings and commentaries can be found on his YouTube Channel Hinds’ Sight: Dr. David Hinds’ Guyana-Caribbean Politics and on his w e b s i t e www.guyanacaribbeanpolitics.news. Send comments to dhinds6106@aol.com

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Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

THE AERODROME MURDERS By Michael Jordan The tracker dog led the sweating policemen down the Ogle Aerodrome runway. To the journalists looking on, the dog was of no distinguishable breed, but the detectives appeared confident that the animal they had trained would lead them to the suspects who had snuffed out the lives of two defenceless men. They were seasoned police ranks, hardened by a crime wave that showed no sign of abating. But surely the detectives had hoped to take a break on April 17, 2006. After all, it was Easter Monday. Even cops like to laze in the sun and watch the girls and try their hand at raising stubborn kites. But their Easter plans had gotten ruined just before daybreak that Monday, when an Air Services Limited (ASL) employee arrived at the Ogle Aerodrome at around 05:30h and saw something that filled him with dread. Two radio sets and two batons lay on the ground. He knew that they belonged to the night-shift guards, but the two guards were nowhere in sight. The employee immediately summoned other staffers. Venturing further into the

Hemraj Saroop

Chandradeo Arjun

Air Services Limited premises, the staffers eventually came upon a sickening sight. The bound, gagged and battered body of one guard lay on the washroom floor. There were signs of a struggle and a toilet bowl had been yanked out. His companion, also bound, gagged and battered to death, was found in the hangar reserved for Air Services Limited aircraft. The victims were Hemraj Saroop, 60, of Lot 33 Industry, East Coast Demerara, and Chandradeo Arjun, 50, of Crown Dam, Industry. They’d had Easter plans, too. Saroop, who had two

children, was a certified electrician who moonlighted as a security guard to bring in extra money. He’d left for work on Easter Sunday in his Toyota Carina. There was no sign of the car. Arjun, who had also left for work on Easter Sunday, had asked his wife to prepare food for the following day when he would carry their two children to fly their kites. An autopsy would later reveal that Saroop had been strangled with a rope while Arjun was strangled manually. From all indications, the men were slain between

22:00h on Sunday and 05:00h on Easter Monday. They had still been alive when the Chief Security Officer had checked on them earlier in the night. A third guard who was to have worked the night-shift had reported sick. By the time relatives of Saroop and Arjun arrived, the investigators had cordoned off the crime scene, while porters from Lyken Funeral Parlour had wrapped the bodies.Ignoring the pleas of the police and Air Services Limited officials, Saroop’s wife, Leila, clambered over the barrier to get a glimpse at her slain husband. She got one look at the body before fainting.Checking the scene with detectives, the Air Services officials discovered that the killers appeared to have had more than just a little knowledge about the layout of the company. They also had a key to one of the offices, from which they had stolen a firearm, the computer which controlled the flight simulator, and another computer which monitored the surveillance cameras. The killers had also gained entry to the accounts office after removing a few louvre panes. However, they had failed in their attempts to break into a safe containing a substantial sum of cheques accumulated over the previous three days. Evidence at the scene indicated that the robbers had tried to chisel out the safe from the wall in which it was

embedded. The bandits had apparently used Hemraj Saroop’s Toyota Carina to transport their loot. Detectives believed that the killers had come from a nearby burnt canefield, since footprints of burnt ash were visible at the crime scene. It was surmised that they had then entered the ASL premises from an unfenced section of the compound. Detectives hoped that they would be able to track down the suspects. One of the police force’s tracker dogs was brought to the scene. The animal led the police ranks to the end of the runway, where it apparently lost whatever scent it had been following. At around 08:00h the following day, Saroop’s green Toyota Carina, PHH 3445, was found in Drury Lane, near the Campbellville Secondary School. Residents could not recall seeing anyone exit the car. It was subsequently revealed that security personnel who were stationed at the entrance to the Ogle Aerodrome that Easter Monday recalled seeing Saroop’s car leaving the compound at around 03:00h on the morning that the slain guards were found. It is unclear whether

the guards knew how many occupants were in the vehicle. Police dusted the vehicle for prints, but found no clues to the killers’ identities. They also drew a blank after questioning employees at ASL. To date, no one has ever been arrested. “Nothing you nah hear,” Hemraj Saroop’s wife, Leila, had lamented to me. “How they ain’t hold anybody up to now?” More than anything else, the loved ones of Hemraj Saroop and Chandradeo Arjun yearn to know the identities of the persons who sneaked into the Ogle Aerodrome twelve years ago and brought them unimaginable grief on Easter Monday. If you have any information about this or any other unusual case, please contact Kaieteur News by letter or telephone at our Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown location. Our numbers are 22-58473, 22-58465 and 2258491. You need not disclose your identity. You can also contact Michael Jordan at his email a d d r e s s : mjdragon@hotmail.com or kamarangnight@gmail.com, or his mobile phone: 6452447

Sunday July 22, 2018

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Kaieteur News

==THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN==

Envelope ugliness in a shithole country

he past year, one of the persistent com plaints I have received from members of the public is the cruel mistreatment of low-income people who have to interface with financial houses over proof of address request. The commercial banks have been singled out for sadistic insensitivity. I have written so much on this envelope ugliness that I truly do not think I have the mental energy to continue on this subject. Its ugliness has disgusted me to the core of my psyche, simply because of its asinine nature, and if I had to cite evidence of Guyana being a shithole country, it is the demand by financial houses for a post office stamp on an envelope as the only criterion as proof of address. The post office corporation has joined the stupidity. To post a parcel, you must produce a post office stamp on an envelope as proof of address.What is revolting is that the demand is not backed by law. Last week I had a deluge of lamentations on this damning edict by the commercial banks for an envelope with a post office stamp. Most of the victims were

low income people who have not received a mail through the post office for years. Two victims were young UG students who had no envelope whatsoever to show the particular bank, simply because they have not received correspondence through the post office, because UG now has an online system. Months ago, I spoke to seniors at the Bank of Guyana and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) at the Ministry of Finance about this envelope insanity. Mr. Langevine, head of the FIU, told me the antimoney laundering act has no stipulation about an envelope, and further advised me that the Bank of Guyana is the place that interfaces with financial houses about adherence to the law. I contacted the relevant personnel from the central bank and they all said that the Bank of Guyana’s guidelines to financial houses do not mention envelope requirement and the bank has accordingly advised the commercial banks. I did a column on what Mr. Langevine and the Bank of Guyana told me. But officials at the central bank lied to me.

Two managers from two prominent commercial banks informed me that their institutions never received any written material whatsoever on the envelope request from the Bank of Guyana and they will continue to stick with that criterion as proof of address. Because of what happened last week, I spoke again with Mr. Langevine and seniors at the central bank. Here is what I received from the central bank. It is their guidelines to financial houses in keeping with the anti-money laundering Act. I reproduce it in full; “4.2.2 Verification of KYC Details The onus is on the financial institution to verify the customer’s identity and to be satisfied that a prospective customer is who he claims to be prior to establishing a business relationship. Satisfactory evidence of identity according to Regulation 2 (2) (b) shall be determined by the FIU and includes among others: (i) the production of an official or identifying document, one of which shall be a national iden-

tification card or passport; (ii) proof of address. For a document to be considered adequate as evidence of proof of address it must be a document issued or obtained from an independent and reliable source. The proof of address must be of such a nature that it would eliminate as reasonably practicable, any suspicion of counterfeiting or being obtained illicitly. The document obtained should be current, i.e. issued within the last 6 to 8 months. Where doubt exists, the name and permanent address and employment/business details of a customer should be verified by an independent source,

other than those provided by the customer, as per the following examples: (a) a current utility bill for the customer’s place of residence or business. In some cases where the customer is considered low-risk, a bank statement from another bank may be used, but it is strongly recommended to guard against forgeries that only originals should be accepted; (b) independent confirmation of national identifications with the relevant government authorities.” As you can see, there is nothing here that stipulates that an envelope with a post office stamp must be produced by the customer. Please note these words once

Frederick Kissoon again “For a document to be considered adequate as evidence of proof of address, it must be a document issued or obtained from an independent and reliable source.” A police clearance and a TIN certificate from the GRA meet this standard. They constitute legal proof of address. The commercial banks do not accept them. Why not? Because we are a shithole country.

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Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

Hinterland residents have much to look forward to

f you were listening to the opposition PPP in recent weeks, you probably would have started to believe that life in our Indigenous communities is bad, gone to the dogs, crumbling since 2015. People who live in interior regions, however, know that their lives have been getting better and they now have a lot to look forward to. Despite the PPP’s doomsday rhetoric, the reality is that the Coalition Government in-

herited a truckload of national problems created by the criminally poor performance of the PPP during its two decades in office. Fixing it is taking time, and while it doesn’t seem fair to ask the people of Guyana to wait for bigger benefits from proper Governance, that unfortunately is our reality. The problems created by the PPP’s mismanagement were more than anybody imagined, including the many unresolved issues in our Indig-

enous communities. Party acolytes in the various Indigenous Councils held up progress, but there is now a rainbow on the horizon. A new Chairman for the National Toshaos Council (NTC) was elected last week. He is Mr. Nicholas Fredericks. From the get-go, he said in no uncertain terms that the NTC recognizes the Coalition as the duly-elected Government. The NTC and its communities should also believe that

they remain a priority on the national development agenda, and the plans and programmes that have not yet been activated will be in place sooner rather than later. We are confident that it will become clearer to the Indigenous peoples that the PPP has provided them with only empty promises based on nothing. While this party was in government, they did precious little for indigenous peoples, except when it suited them, generally in the run-up to national elections. While accepting this tremendous responsibility as leader of all Indigenous nations, Toshao Fredericks urged his fellow community leaders, more than 200 village captains who came to the City for the annual conference, to get ready to work with the Government, so that their plans and projects for community development would improve quickly. “We have a lot of work ahead of us. We have to realise that leadership or being a Toshao is a very broad responsibility,” he told the captains. Some of the speakers at the opening ceremony on July 16 used the platform to lambast the Government for not ‘doing enough’ for Amerindians and for not keeping promises. President Granger strongly refuted this assertion and presented supporting facts. He cited the turning of the sod at the site of a new NTC secretariat that the NTC itself had chosen. One speaker asserted that absolutely nothing was happening on the land, and accused authorities of reneging on the promise to headquarter the Council. It turned out to be a storm in a political teacup.

The delay was created by bureaucratic hiccups rather than malfeasance. Work has begun and in a few months, the Secretariat will become a thing of beauty. Going forward, all eyes will focus on Toshao Fredericks and his team to observe how they interface with Government since it surely makes no sense for the NTC, or the disruptive elements within, to try to play out the PPP’s agenda of destruction and non-cooperation. The Toshaos should also be working out ways and means of “getting in” on the opportunities coming to Guyana through oil and gas. Some Guyanese entrepreneurs are preparing to start; others have already opened new businesses that are changing Guyana’s industrial landscape. We were able to catch a strange accusation made by a ranking member of the PPP recently. Without mincing words, the member accused the Government of wasting money to charter a plane to visit remote Amerindian communities. It appears that this is something that the PPP’s ministers never bothered to do, and it says loudly that the indigenous peoples didn’t matter enough to them for a personal visit to see how they live, and to do what has to be done to improve their circumstances. One of the first actions that President David Granger undertook after his inauguration was to institute the highly appreciated Five Bs Initiative that provides boats, buses, bicycles, breakfast and books to schoolchildren in interior and remote areas. This initiative has given children easier access to school

and provides some basic school needs. As an officer in the GDF, as an Historian traveling across the country for research, and as Leader of the political Opposition, President Granger confessed to having felt pain when he saw children going to school without shoes, without food, without books, and having to walk for many miles to get there. That was his inspiration for the 5Bs initiative. The community infrastructure improvement project is repairing their roads and bridges; young people are being trained/prepared for meaningful (self) employment; and despite the loss of the fibre optic cable from Brazil on which the PPP government had squandered G$2Billion then gave away to a civil contractor, Government is doing everything possible to bring internet connectivity to the hinterland. Actually, most of the materials and personnel are now in place for the National Data Management Authority and the United Nations Development Programme to begin the US$17Million ICT Access and e-Services project in Hinterland, Poor and Remote communities. The project was given the green light to begin the connectivity programme that will bridge the coastland and the hinterland; and the hinterland with the rest of the world via the internet. Some communities are already connected to the worldwide web, like Masekenari in the Deep South Rupununi and the Pakaraima Mountain valleys. Life is easier there and everything is all new. Our indigenous peoples do have a lot to look forward to in coming weeks.

Sunday July 22, 2018

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Kaieteur News

My column

An American insults Guyanese and fools the world I have heard and read many things about Guyana. Many conflicted with what I know, having lived here all my life. I have read about Georgetown being a quaint town because of the wooden structures described as beautiful architecture; I have read about the tree-lined streets and the canals that drain the city. But I never read about the country having only three paved highways. I racked my brains to find the other unpaved highways and could find none. I am familiar with the roadway linking the city to Berbice; the other linking the city to Timehri; one linking the city to Parika; the one linking New Amsterdam to Crabwood Creek; the roadway linking Timehri to Linden; and the others that run through the city. The only unpaved roadways are those leading to the farms aback of the villages. I live in Tucville and I drive all the way on paved surfaces to get home. Even if I try I cannot find an unpaved surface. I drive in Sophia; I drive in many communities and the only unpaved surfaces are those tracks made by people taking shortcuts to their neighbours. Perhaps the writer of an article about Guyana in the New York Times, can tell us about our vehicles that are ubiquitous; about the way our children look as they go to school. I am certain that he never saw a barefooted school child in this “impoverished” country. Earlier, I spoke about choosing to remain in Guyana. In 1994 my family migrated because of the pull

factor. My wife’s mother had moved to the United States and she sponsored her children. I left, spent six weeks and returned, because I was comfortable in that country. Over the years, many of my colleagues migrated as Guyanese were wont to do. I taught and trained many and some have migrated, again because of the pull factor. Yesterday I read a piece by a man named Clifford Strauss, who says, “A vast majority of college-educated youths emigrate to the United States or Canada, while those who stay behind experience high rates of H.I.V. infection, crime and suicide.” If what he says is true, then I am experiencing a high rate of HIV infection, crime and suicide. Mr. Strauss has condemned all resident Guyanese to being HIV infected, a criminal or a victim of crime and a potential suicide. I suppose he saw our sick people all over the place. He saw many people walking around with vials of poison or a length of rope. He saw many gunmen or other criminals robbing people. When last I checked, Guyana had a lower HIV infection rate than many developed countries and the figure was declining. Guyana’s crime rate is lower than many big cities in the United States and it is no longer the suicide capital of the world. It would be interesting to note how many of Exxon’s employees have been victims of crime. But people who read Mr. Strauss and who never heard of Guyana would now see my beautiful country through

darkened lenses. They are going to believe him. They are going to look at Guyanese in their neighbourhoods and say to them that they have escaped HIV infections. If that is not bad enough, Mr. Strauss talks about villages sitting along rivers that snake through rainforests. Indeed, there are Amerindian communities that sit alongside rivers but this writer, in his ignorance, contends that the drainage canals in most of Guyana are in fact rivers. I am willing to bet that most Guyanese live in homes that are better than many people in the country in which Mr. Strauss lives. Not only are they living more comfortably, but they are also more intelligent than the people around him. This could be put to the test. He knows that Guyanese who leave to reside in his country are so much better than his kinfolk that his country is now being goaded by these Americans to keep out immigrants. My sisters, my brother, my children after just a few years not only own their homes. They have other homes which they rent to Mr. Strauss’s fellow Americans. There are Guyanese shooting laser beams into space with NASA; some being among the best surgeons in his country; they teach his irascible and rude children, fashioning them to be better citizens. It is common knowledge that our riverine Amerindians use canoes, but what does he expect people to use if the waterways are the only link with other communities? I am certain that much of what he writes are embellished anec-

dotes. Then he says that most of the country is without electricity. What year is he talking about? We were challenged, given our landscape, but we have taken electricity to every community where the population is concentrated. Even the United States has communities that do not have electricity and that is a filthy rich country. If that is not bad enough, this pompous man from his pedestal decides that we Guyanese would be drowned in money. We do not know about money so the few dollars that we would get from

Exxon would make us giddy. This is a country that is firmly rooted in agriculture. It has been this way for some two centuries. Why he believes that will change is anybody’s guess. We do not have the sports facilities that the United States has, but that does not mean that we are backward. Our athletes are making waves in his country. We do not play football in muddy patches. Two boys may kick a ball on any plot of land that is convenient, but so do Americans with a baseball or a basketball. He has exposed me to

Adam Harris what Donald Trump calls fake news. I expect him to return and I would like to meet with him to give him a tour of my country at my expense. And I expect him to write the truth if he ever returns.

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Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

Deepening democracy…developing neighbourhoods

he Ministry of the Presidency in col laboration with the Ministry of Communities will on Thursday 26th July host the inaugural National Conference of Local Democratic Organs (NCLDO) under the theme “Catalysing local gov-

ernment leadership for community and national development”. This initiative will bring together the policy and administrative arms of all the local democratic organs (currently 10 regions, 9 municipalities and 62

Neighbourhood Democratic Councils - NDCs) to discuss their challenges of public service delivery; to examine the relationship among local, regional and central government; and most importantly, to consider the budgeting process for the 2019 financial

year. The President, following an earlier engagement with representatives of NDCs in East Berbice-Corentyne region, is quoted as saying: “I am committed to local government, because I believe that the whole system of administration in this country rests on the NDCs, at the local level… this is the level at which true democracy prevails” The question, perhaps, arises as to why government’s emphasis on local governance? Local government is the form of governance that is closest to the people. It is essential to the democratic credence of the State and is vital for the meaningful involvement of people in the development of their communities. With the involvement of a large number of persons at the grass root level as its primary objective, it is one of the means by which the ideals of a truly participatory democracy can be realised. Local government also has an extensive area of responsibility that directly impacts on the quality of life of its constituents. Local government has a long history. In Guyana it dates back to the establishment of Georgetown in 1837, the village movement that was set in motion with the purchasing of Plantation Northbrook by the freed Africans, the enactment of the Local Government Act 1945 and related legislation to the enactment of the new Constitution in 1980 which introduced a revamped system. Not only does local government have a long history, but it is in a defining moment of history. This administration has resolutely and strategically embraced Local Government as an important partner to the national development agenda. Our work programme acknowledges this as a necessary condition and, in collaboration with local and international partners, have focused on strengthening the capacity of all local democratic organs (LDOs) to rise above the challenges and effectively service the demands of the community. In embracing a decentralised approach to governance, we embrace the

vision of local organs moving beyond the conventional regulatory and maintenance functions, and entering into the wider and vital arena of development as articulated by the State Paper No. 4 of 1980 introducing the new system. This approach is validated by global trends which place local government increasingly in the centre of the global development agenda. Further, it is accepted in some quarters that vibrant local governments are an important part of a well-governed and responsive public sector in economically successful countries. However, among developing countries, local governments have been found to be challenged by a variety of (governance) issues, and as a result have not been well-governed and responsive to local needs as they ought to be. Guyana unfortunately is not immune from these challenges, some of which were self-inflicted with the intent of hoarding power and micromanaging communities countrywide. Despite the fact that we have a progressive legislative framework that is enshrined in our Supreme law, a feature which is absent in other Commonwealth Caribbean states, local government organs had been ignored and their capacities severely degraded to the point of irrelevance. Guyanese may recall the wanton disregard for democratically elected councillors through the imposition of Interim Management Committees (IMCs), the intimidation of administrative staff who resisted political manipulation, and the fact that a generation of Guyanese was denied exposure to local governance (a constitutional right) until 2016, all combined to deepen public distrust and disinterest in the system of local government and ultimately reduce the capacities of these organs to deliver vital services. It was against this backdrop that this administration set out on a course to shift the trajectory of governance. Our mandate as set out by President Granger is to reverse the culture of control and dominance by the Central government and replace it with the attitude of collabo-

ration and facilitation to ensure that local organs deliver effective, efficient and sustainable services. Governments’ investment of $ 2.9 bln, to enable the holding of LGE in 2018 inter alia, represents both a political commitment to democratic governance and a development commitment to consolidate the LG agenda. This entails LDOs to be better resourced, organised and structured to be effective to achieve a consistent level of performance. In pursuit of this objective it is generally accepted that local democratic organs must enhance (their) capacities continuously. The global and national priorities, compounded by the absence of LGE (democratic renewal) for over two decades, have exposed the weaknesses of LDOs to effectively respond to the demands of the provision of public services at the local level. In fact, for too many LDOs it is a dayto-day struggle to perform at a minimum standard. Combined with these are the troubling gaps existing in the coordination and coherence of policy formulation and project implementation. Closing these gaps can release significant resources to LDOs, to expand service provision and improve effectiveness. Improved efficiency can also result from better coordination among LDOs and between the local and national governments. The NCLDO is therefore designed to facilitate dialogue and development of local government leadership. It is intended to afford the opportunity to leaders and LG actors to identify and recommend solutions to the challenges of effectively responding to their mandate. We are cognizant that simply devolving power without the necessary resources and support will not do. Central government is putting money into realising this process of local government renewal and restoration. Through the rebuilding and strengthening of the system of local democracy, Guyanese can look forward to enhanced public service delivery, regardless of where in Guyana they may live, as we seek to realise the good life for all.

Sunday July 22, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Indigestion: When we can’t stomach it anymore By Dr Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine

ndigestion, also known as dyspepsia, is a common condition in which your body has trouble digesting food. It occurs in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The GI tract is a sequence of organs that play a part in digestion; from your mouth down to your stomach and through your intestines. Anyone can get indigestion. It can be occasional, or it can be an ongoing problem. The symptoms and causes vary by case. We all may have experienced a bout of indigestion in our life. It’s an uncomfortable time and can become long term issue if it’s not managed properly. The more you know the better it is for you when it comes to tackling indigestion. WHATARE THE SYMPTOMS OF INDIGESTION? Indigestion can feel like a stomach ache. You can have a range of symptoms including: · pain, discomfort, or a burning feeling in your chest or stomach · burping · bloating

· gurgling stomach and/or gas · acid reflux · nausea and/or vomiting. Talk to your doctor if symptoms continue for more than two weeks. Seek medical care right away if your symptoms are severe, such as: · shortness of breath · trouble swallowing · ongoing vomiting · throwing up blood · sudden pain in chest, arm, neck, or jaw · cold sweats · thick, black, or bloody stool. WHAT CAUSES INDIGESTION? One or more of the following factors can cause indigestion: · eating certain foods that are hard to process, such as foods that are high in spice, fat, acid, and/or fibre · overeating · eating too late in the day · smoking · drinking alcohol · getting too much caffeine · taking certain medicines · a lack of sleep · stress. Problems in your GI tract or other health issues also can cause indigestion. These include:

· Acid reflux, gastroesophageal reflux (GER), or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): This is a reaction to food and drink where contents come back up from your stomach. The acid can come up into your esophagus, the tube-like organ connecting your mouth and stomach. Acid reflux also can produce vomiting. This condition causes heartburn because of the high acid contents. · Irritable bowel syndrome: A disorder that affects your intestines. Symptoms include stomach pain, bloating, gas, constipation, and diarrhea. · Infection: A bacterial infection from Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) can cause indigestion. · Gastroparesis: This is when the muscles in your GI tract stop working. We spoke about this 3 weeks ago. · Ulcer: A sore on the lining of your stomach (peptic ulcer), small intestine, or esophagus. · Gastritis: Inflammation of your stomach lining. · Stomach cancer: This is a rare condition, but indigestion can be one of its signs. HOW IS INDIGESTION DIAGNOSED?

To start, your doctor will review your symptoms and examine you. If there are warning signs in your history or during your exam, your doctor may order tests to determine the cause of indigestion. Those tests can include blood work, urine/stool tests, or an X-ray or ultrasound. Sometimes the doctor will perform an upper endoscopy to see inside your stomach. Your doctor will insert a thin tube with a camera on the end into your esophagus. CAN INDIGESTION BE PREVENTED OR AVOIDED? There are ways to prevent indigestion. To start, you need to know your body and how it reacts to different food and drinks. Spicy and acidic foods and carbonated drinks can trigger indigestion. Try to avoid those things when possible. Eat smaller meals throughout the day, and don’t eat too late at night. Don’t lie down too soon after eating. Limit the use of tobacco and alcohol. Stress and lack of sleep also can worsen symptoms. HOW IS INDIGESTION TREATED? The prevention methods for indigestion also are forms

of treatment. These include changing your diet and the way you eat. Getting more sleep and reducing stress also help. In addition, you can try to avoid or take certain over-thecounter medicines. Check with your doctor before starting something new. Pain and anti-inflammatory medicines, like Advil, Aleve, Diclofenac and Ibuprofen do not help with indigestion. They can worsen your condition, especially if used often. Antacids are meant to work against the acid in your system. Brands such as Tums or Alka-Seltzer can help reduce some symptoms of indigestion. You may need other treatment, based on the cause of your indigestion. Medications such as omeprazole and

Dr. Zulfikar Bux ranitidine are commonly prescribed medications in Guyana that help with indigestion. Most people who have indigestion lead a normal life. You might need to make some lifestyle changes to help prevent indigestion. Or you may need medicine to prevent and treat symptoms. Work with your doctor to treat and manage any problems that cause indigestion.

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Attorney-at-Law, Charles Ramson SUNDAY HDM Labs never did business in Guyana before landing $367M contract from Govt – Transaction tied up within 24 hours Usually, ‘one creeps before one walks.’ But, HDM Labs Inc. has been able to defy the odds. This company’s first business transaction was a $367M deal to supply drugs to the Government of Guyana. Last week Saturday, Attorney-at-Law, Charles Ramson, revealed that according to its financial statements, HDM Labs never did any business ever since it was set up in 2012. Ramson said, “This deal stinks of corruption.” HDM Labs is owned solely by US-based Guyanese Hardatt Singh. In June 2017, the Ministry of Public Health sole sourced $366.9M worth of ‘emergency’ drugs from HDM Labs. This was after other known suppliers, including Ansa McAL Trading Limited were disqualified by Ministry of Health officials for various reasons. These companies bid hundreds of millions of dollars less than the sum Singh was handed. The highest bid was made by Ansa McAL — $190.6M. (See Chart) HDM Labs was not one of the companies that bid for the contract. But, on June 19, 2017, the Ministry wrote HDM Labs requesting that the company, which has no experience, submit quotations and availability for the supply and delivery of pharmaceuticals. On that same day, Public Health Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Collette Adams, wrote the Chairman of the National Procurement and Tender Administration (NPTAB) Berkley Wickham, seeking permission for the company to be allowed to sole source the required pharmaceuticals. She told NPTAB that this became a requirement after

Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

Owner of HDM Labs, Hardatt Singh

the companies that bid for the supply failed to withstand a “restrictive tendering process” that is employed by the Ministry of Public Health. The companies failed various requirements. Interestingly, one of the needed requirements was technical capacity. Companies needed to have carried out similar transactions before. It is not clear how HDM passed this requirement. But from all indications, the evaluation that disqualified other companies was not applied to this company. In her letter to NPTAB on June 19, Adams, the Permanent Secretary, vowed, “HDM LABS INC. HAS GREAT CAPACITY in delivering Supplies to the Ministry of Public Health’ within two weeks’ time frame. For Exxon to be successful here it must be transparent, embrace scrutiny – Outgoing PR Brasington Is ExxonMobil opposed to scrutiny? –It’s the question most Guyanese have been asking when one considers the company’s global image as a ruthless predator with pockets the value of more than 100 economies combined. During an almost one hour interview with Kaieteur News on July 13, outgoing Head of ExxonMobil’s Public Relations Department, Kimberly Brasington, was questioned about the entity’s alleged opposition to transparency. Brasington said she wished it didn’t come across that way. ”To be scrutinized is to be held accountable…I think I tried to do that. I said to you guys, ‘Let’s talk about the tough questions.’ Scrutinize us and let me answer but I am just one person, just one voice…Exxon is a huge international company and with that comes this air, unfortunately.” She continued, “In our history and previous leadership in our company, we have gone through times where we

were notorious for saying ‘no comment’. We thought that was acceptable…So I think a little bit of that is a holdover on our reputation to do was ExxonMobil Guyana.” The ExxonMobil employee added, “We are allowed to have our own identity and be who we want and for us to be successful in this country, we have to be transparent. We have to communicate. We have to take the scrutiny and be willing to talk about it because we are all learning together. ”So I don’t like that perception that we don’t like to be scrutinized. I think that might come with a bit of human nature because you (ExxonMobil) get scrutinized and you get defensive and gosh, if we could not do that; if we could just show a little empathy because scrutiny comes from a true place of concern.” Brasington emphasized that people scrutinize because they are genuinely concerned about something. She insisted that the company must make a genuine effort to understand where the concern of the people is coming from. She said, “If we can see that and appreciate that and understand why these questions are coming to us, it is not because Exxon has done anything to you. We are leading by example, doing the right things, and we are being ethical. We are being transparent here and we are going to continue to do that.” Company that never read Exxon contract says Guyana will get massive returns Rystad Energy, a research firm based in Norway, predicts that Guyana will get massive returns from its proven oil reserves in the Stabroek Block. But the Norwegian entity’s forecast was made without an analysis of the GuyanaExxonMobil Production Sharing Agreement (PSA). That contract notes that Guyana will benefit from a two percent royalty and a 50/50

No trading since 2012

split of profit oil. But Guyana’s share of the profit oil can be lessened by several factors when one considers the terms of the contract as well as the loopholes available for abuse by the oil company. Rystad’s Senior Analyst, Sonya Boodoo, said that the company did not look at the contract for its assessment of the government take. The official confirmed that the entity’s deductions were based on “bits and pieces of information in the public domain”. She made this revelation following the conclusion of her presentation at an event hosted recently by the Private Sector Commission (PSC) at Duke Lodge. There, Boodhoo spoke about her company’s views on Guyana’s revenue share from oil production. Boodhoo said her company predicts that Guyana’s total oil production will surpass 600,000 barrels per day by the end of the next decade. Rystad believes that these volumes could generate total annual revenue of $15 billion from the oil and gas industry. After all costs are paid, the company noted that around $10 billion of profit could thus be split between the companies and the government. Boodhoo faced several questions from Kaieteur News about the trustworthiness of her company’s assessment. But Wanita Huburn, Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Finance, was quick to remind that the Rystad report/analysis is only one party’s “assumptions.” She also pointed

out that she is quite sure that the company never saw Guyana’s oil deal with ExxonMobil. Questioned about this, Rystad’s Senior Analyst said that she was never privy to the contract. Kaieteur News then asked Boodhoo to explain how an analysis of Guyana’s oil future with ExxonMobil can be done when all the variables that can affect the government’s take (especially those listed in the contract) have not been considered. Boodhoo simply said, “We compare contracts based on government’s take and project profitability.” MONDAY Rystad Energy part of Exxon’s lobbying machine – Dr. Mangal Former Petroleum Advisor to the Government, Dr. Jan Mangal, is not surprised by the glowing reports of Rystad Energy, a Norwegian research company, which predicts that Guyana will get massive returns from its oil deal with ExxonMobil. That’s because Dr. Mangal says that Rystad Energy is part of ExxonMobil’s lobbying machine. In his Facebook page, Dr. Mangal said, “I had discussions with Wood Mackenzie (A UK Company that also foresees massive oil wealth for Guyana) and Rystad in Houston regarding possible support for a country like Guyana to challenge a company like Exxon. After a couple months of discussion

with Wood Mackenzie, they called me and were very apologetic.” He added, “They could not continue to talk with me. Their executives were worried their interaction with me would annoy Exxon, and most of their revenue comes from oil companies (including Exxon). So Guyanese, please always apply the rule of ‘follow the money’ when assessing the information being provided to you (i.e. check if your source could be biased, and remember money is one of the strongest drivers for bias).” Dr. Mangal pointed out, too, that Rystad and Wood Mackenzie are competitors for Exxon’s business; hence, they will compete to please ExxonMobil. ”But Rystad is the newer and smaller of the two, the upstart, thus it will be more aggressive in its actions to please Exxon, that is, to curry favour with Exxon. That is why Rystad is prepared to produce drivel like this.” It was on Sunday that Kaieteur News exposed how Rystad Energy’s pronouncement on Guyana’s future oil wealth from the Stabroek Block was not informed by an analysis of the GuyanaExxonMobil Production Sharing Agreement (PSA). Cops to exhume body that may be missing Rose Hall man’s remains – as grandson and wife released on station bail Detectives from Berbice (Continued on page 33)

Sunday July 22, 2018

From page 32 hope that the body of an unknown man that was buried in 2015 may be a major clue in the disappearance and suspected murder of 76-year-old Percival Johnson. The decomposing remains, which are to be exhumed today, were buried in the Hampshire Burial Ground after no one came forward to identify the victim. The victim was reportedly found with brown boots on and a black bicycle nearby. Some of Johnson’s relatives say the bicycle and footwear match items that belonged to the missing pensioner. Meanwhile, a grandson of Johnson’s and the grandson’s wife, who were held for Johnson’s disappearance have been released on substantial station bail. Percival Johnson disappeared on April 13. It was only recently that the cold case was re-opened based on new information given by a relative, the new details led to the arrest of the man’s grandson and wife. ”They are not admitting that they played a part in his disappearance but they admitted to taking the money from the man after he went missing,” a senior police official said. Some $900,000 was reportedly taken from the missing man’s room. Percival Johnson who was 76 at the time of his disappearance, lived at Lot 36 Sir David Street, Rose Hall Town with his grandson and grand daughter-in-law. The pensioner lived in the upper flat of the two storey wooden building while the couple lived in the bottom flat. According to reports, the elderly

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man left his home on April 13, 2015 and was never seen again. The grandson who stayed with him had reported his disappearance to ranks at the Rose Hall Town Outpost. However, ranks reportedly received conflicting accounts about the last time that Johnson was last seen. Three years later, the stepdaughter of Johnson made an appeal approached the police the police reopen the case after she reportedly received new information. Her concern led to the arrest last Wednesday of the missing man’s grandson and wife. Region 3 procurement process riddled with corruption – PM Rep. Following numerous complaints from contractors, the Prime Minister’s Representative for Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Harrynarine Deokinanan, has called for sweeping changes to the procurement process in the region. As reported by Kaieteur News, an office set up by Regional Executive Officer (REO) for Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Denis Jaikaran, is said to be selecting which bids get evaluated at the regional tender board. Millions of dollars is said to be lost to the current regional system because it lacks the necessary checks and balances to safeguard the process. Deokinanan is a member of the regional tender board and indicated that several contractors have complained that the process is unfair. “As it stands now, the procurement system is riddled

The effects of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico

An oil spill that Shell was responsible for in Nigeria

with corruption. I know this because of the information I have received as the Prime Minister’s representative,” Deokinanan explained. According to contractors, they are being asked to submit their bids in the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCS) through a Local Government Office set up by Jaikarran. ”Over 15 contractors have complained to my office of being sidelined. Several of the contractors have entered tenders by submitting them through the regional office and not to in a closed box. These bids are then taken up to tender board for consideration. This should not be and makes the system very unfair,” Deokinanan told

Kaieteur News. The tender board meets on Thursdays and comprises Jaikaran as chairperson, Deokinanan, Leroy Levans, Nazeer Ahmad and P. Nelson. Deokinanan explained that all contracts should be advertised at the NDC offices through the region. He stated that all tenders should be placed in a sealed box and a receipt from the local government office should be given to every contractor who submits a bid. He stated that the tender box should be opened at the tender board meeting and all members of the board must sign all the tenders being evaluated. Deokinanan also noted that there is need for changes at the evaluation

committee. TUESDAY Conservation Int’l is funded by world’s largest polluters…Utterly silent on crimes of corporate partners like ExxonMobil There is the age-old saying “you never bite the hands that feed you.” With that in mind, what if it is found that that ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) were taking money from the deep pockets of high profile criminals? Would it still enjoy the trust of the nation? By the same standards, what if it is discovered that Conservation International (CI) was being funded both

locally and internationally by the very companies that cause harm to the environment? What if CI calls such companies its “corporate partners?” Should Guyana trust CI to look out for its best interest as it relates to the operations of oil companies here—particularly ExxonMobil? BG Group, BHP Billiton, ExxonMobil, Chevron, CocaCola, Shell, Toyota Motor Corporation and United Airlines are just a few of CI’s 84 corporate partners internationally. (See full list here: h t t p s : / / www.conservation.org/partners/pages/default.aspx) These are some of the biggest companies in the world, responsible for appalling levels of pollution. CI is listed as an American nonprofit environmental organization. Its goal is to protect nature as a source of food, fresh water, livelihoods and a stable climate. Since it was founded in 1987, the outfit has spearheaded countless conservation and climate programmes. However, critics say CI is hopelessly compromised, and it represents the worst of what the old-guard environmental movement has become: fat, wealthy, and addicted to the largesse of polluting corporate donors. Many have noted CI’s utter silence with regard to the many environmental crimes of their corporate partners. For example, it has been silent on Total’s tar sands extraction in Madagascar, or even BP’s in Canada, which has been described by Greenpeace as the greatest environmental crime in history.A few years ago, (2011) Redd+ noted that journalists from the Londonbased magazine Don’t Panic (Continued on page 34)

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From page 33 decided to find out whether CI was “anything more than a green PR company.” They went undercover to see just how far CI would go to help polluting industry. Given the list of corporate polluters that CI is already working with, the first challenge was to find a company sufficiently heinous to make the point that CI will work with just about anyone. Alleged $200B procurement fraud under PPP…‘How come SARA can’t charge someone for $1M?’ – Jagdeo Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo is questioning the assertions made by the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) of $200B in state assets lost under the previous People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration. SARA’s Chief Executive Officer, Aubrey HeathRetemyer recently indicated that through procurement fraud, the state lost between $28B and $35B every year between 2010 and 2014. ”If so much money was stolen why is it you can’t charge someone up to now for $1M of the $35B that was stolen per year?” Jagdeo questioned recently. As it relates to illicit capital flights, Heath-Retemyer outlined that some $90B was lost, while the underground economy accounted for about $100 billion. He outlined ‘that and the underground economy are now almost nonexistent’. Jagdeo reasoned that the underground economy is larger than drugs and, for example, comprises taxi drivers and vendors who are not paying taxes. The Opposition Leader indicated that the formal economy is tanking because of the policies of the Government and not because efforts to clean up the underground economy are working. Heath-Retemyer has indicated that SARA is working on a number of activities to change the culture and behaviour of people as it relates to corruption. He added that the anti-corruption legislation will be strengthened, since corruption is corrosive and impairs good governance. Heath-Retemyer said that to date, over two million acres of lands have been retrieved; there was also the seizure of some amount of gold, He noted that some people complain that the government should “let the drugs flow” because they would get jobs. ”But, if drugs were al-

lowed, and the underground community continued to flourish, you could have lost your sons and daughters to kidnapping and ransom. We were at the point where there would have been serious problems,” Heath-Retemyer reflected. He noted that the international community also informed the agency that the country was losing 15,000 ounces of gold per week, so the efforts to reduce corruption are well worth it. $366M drug contract… Company traced to two NY homes- PS reneges on interview with K/News One week after questions were raised over the awarding of a multimillion-dollar drug contract in June last year to New York-based HDM Labs Inc., there is deafening silence from the authorities. Neither the Ministry of Public Health nor the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board have commented. And there has been no comment from the regulator which oversees State contracts – the Procurement Commission. Not only are questions unanswered about the process used by the Evaluation Committee that made the members decide that HDM had emerged head and shoulders above the rest, but there are other details emerging now about the company.

The Evaluation Committee comprised Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, Collette Adams who is the coordinator of the committee; Dr Shamdeo Persaud, Chief Medical Officer of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and Jewel Sears, Deputy Director, Food and Drugs Department. There were six bidders for the contract awarded using the sole sourcing method in June last year – Ansa McAl Limited, International Pharmaceutical Agency (IPA), Global Healthcare Supplies Inc., Caribbean Medical Supplies, Meditron Inc. and HDM Labs Inc. Ansa McAl, for one, had been awarded a $600M contract just weeks before. However, evaluators disqualified Ansa McAl for this contract valued $366M. IPA and Global Healthcare all had annual sales in the hundreds of millions. There is very little evidence to suggest a track record of HDM with the Ministry of Public Health or in Guyana for the supply of drugs and other related items Background checks on HDM said it was the only company located at 153 Kingston Boulevard, Island Park, New York. This is an upscale Long Island residential neighbourhood. US records indicate that the organization primarily operates in the Medical Diagnostic Systems, Nuclear busi-

ness/industry within the Measuring, Photographic, Medical and Optical Goods and Clocks sector. It had been operating for approximately 25 years. HDM Labs is estimated to generate US$799,937 in annual revenues, and claims it employs approximately five persons at this single location. This organization is engaged in manufacturing activities at this facility, records said. HDM was also listed as being in the manufacturing business. The facility’s size was estimated at 1,600 square feet. The website (URL) for HDM Labs is www.hdmlabsinc.com. WEDNESDAY Health Ministry defends $366M drug contract… Procedures were followed; company was only one that tendered The Ministry of Public Health has come out, defending the award of a drug contract last year worth over $366M to New York-based HDM Labs Inc. There were questions about the procedures used in that award, with HDM, which is owned by US-based Guyanese, Hardat Singh. On Tuesday, Permanent Secretary, Collette Adams made it clear that the sequence of events as carried in the media recently was not

reflective of the true picture. She explained that early last year, it was recognized early that there was a shortage of drugs and a decision was taken for the emergency ordering of a quantity. In April, six companiesAnsa McAl Limited, Caribbean Medical Supplies, Global Healthcare Supplies, International Pharmaceutical Agency, Meditron Inc, and HDM Labs Inc. all responded. However, according to Adams, none of the companies met the criteria. The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) then turned down a request in late June for the award to be made via sole tender. NPTAB recommended that the Ministry go back a new tender instead. On July 12, the Ministry said it wrote the six companies telling them that they have been selected to be part of the retendering process for emergency pharmaceutical supplies. The companies were issued with the preliminary checklist for evaluation for the previous tender. They were told to uplift hard copies from the Ministry’s Procurement Department, at its Brickdam office. The tenders were opened the following week. According to the PS, who said she was embarrassed by the recent coverage, the only

company, which responded to the retendering was HDM Labs. The NPTAB in August recommended HDM Labs and the Cabinet noted the award on August 29. According to Adams, the contract was awarded on August 31, 2017. Tuesday, Health Minister, Volda Lawrence, in a statement, said that she will provide further and complete details in the National Assembly on this matter. She said that she has taken note of the “curious timing” of this non-story, almost an entire year after the contract was awarded and, importantly, when a certain critical political decision is imminent. ”Minister Lawrence trusts that this issue is not part of what would be a sinister campaign to influence this decision.” ExxonMobil moves ahead with plans for major office complex US oil giant, ExxonMobil, is moving ahead with plans to construct a two-building office here. The company has kick started the process by advertising online and in the daily newspapers. It is making Requests for Information (RFI). The oil operator said that the RFI is geared at gathering information on the market for contractors who can provide all of the following (Continued on page 35)

Sunday July 22, 2018

From page 34 services: construction of two buildings for 250 seats; an outdoor pavilion; paving; landscaping; fill and storm drainage; site utilities; plumbing utilities; and electrical works. ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), said it will provide the designs and blueprints of the buildings. The RFI, according to the advertisement, will only be used to gather information which the EEPGL will use to select qualified suppliers for a future bid. Campbellville double murder…. Man charged with killing Pandit, son A 30-year-old man who is accused of the gruesome killing of a Pandit and his son was Tuesday charged and remanded to prison after he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Orlando Douglas, of Campbellville, who appeared to be calm throughout the court proceeding, was slapped with two counts of murder. The first allegation stated that between July 7 and July 10 at Craig Street, Campbellville, Georgetown, he murdered Deonarine Liliah, a Pandit, during the course of a robbery. It was further alleged that during the same period, he murdered Gopaul Liliah, the Pandit’s son, during the course of a robbery. Douglas was not required to plead to the charges after they were read to him by the Magistrate. Attorney-at-law Melvin Duke claimed that his client was held for two consecutive 72 hours without being allowed a lawyer. The lawyer went on to tell the court that his client was never linked to the murders. On the day in question, he was merely at the scene watching the undertakers re-

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move the bodies. Duke further stressed that police officers picked out his client from the crowd and told him he ‘look like a suspect’, and arrested him. Police Prosecutor, Gordon Mansfield who prosecuted the matter told the court that Douglas was arrested at the crime scene after police were able to track one of the phones that belonged to the deceased. The stolen phone was found in his possession. The prosecutor went on to tell the court that while in custody, Douglas gave police a caution statement admitting to the offence. He was also placed on an identification parade and he was pointed out by someone who saw him entering the home. The Chief Magistrate after listening to the prosecutor remanded the defendant to prison. He was instructed to make his next court appearance on July 31. THURSDAY $366M drug contract to HDM Labs… Dissatisfied Opposition threatens police action – demands Minister detail company’s track record to National Assembly The Parliamentary Opposition says it is considering complaining to the police about a multimillion-dollar drug contract awarded last year to US-based HDM Labs Inc. The $366M contract has raised eyebrows, because the company seems to have little experience in supplying pharmaceuticals to Guyana. On Tuesday, Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Public Health, Collette Adams, and Minister Volda Lawrence defended the award, saying that it was all done transparently and in keeping with procurement regulations. However, Wednesday, former Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Juan Edghill, now in the OpposiExxonMobil’s Country Manager, Rod Henson

Charged: Orlando Douglas tion chairs, said that he was awaiting Minister Lawrence’s promised statement on the details in the National Assembly. ”I await the Minister’s promised statement in the National Assembly and wish to advise her that under active consideration at this time is a report to the Guyana Police Force, the Audit Office of Guyana and the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) for investigations.” He said that the minister must tell the House where HDM Labs, owned by New York-based Guyanese, Hardat Singh, supplied drugs to. The PS had disclosed that she is aware that HDM supplied drugs to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation last year. GECOM rejects PPP’s request for continuous registration extension There will be no extension of the continuous voter registration exercise which ended on July 8th. The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has rejected a request from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to extend the exercise. The party made the request in a letter to the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Mr. Keith Lowenfield. When the matter was brought to the Commissioners for a vote at Tuesday’s meeting, there was a tied vote 3-3 with the Government Commissioners voting against the extension. GECOM Chairman, Justice James Patterson (ret’d), cast his vote against it. The request was therefore denied

Murdered: Deonarine Liliah and his son Gopaul Liliah

by majority vote. In its request, the PPP pointed out that the exercise was initially scheduled to commence on May 07, 2018. However, it actually began two weeks after that date, thereby truncating the desired period for registration. ”The PPP firmly believes that the request for an extension was crucial and reasonable given that a number of eligible registrants were unable to engage in the process due to insufficient time. The disadvantage resulting from the shortened period was further compounded by an inadequate and ineffective public relations support mechanism,” the PPP stated. Given the importance of this process, especially in the context of openness and to prevent disenfranchisement, the PPP expressed disappointment that Justice Patterson, despite his recent public assurances of a free and fair election, was opposed to a short extension of the continuous registration exercise to allow persons who were unable to register and carry out other related transactions, including transfers, to do so. “This latest action by the Chairman is fast becoming a trend of partisanship following his earlier casting vote for the appointment of the Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO) which denied the highest ranking candidate the position,” the PPP stated. Former Gold Board accountant charged with fraud, theft from entityreleased on $300,000 bail The Special Organized

Crime Unit (SOCU), an arm of the Guyana Police Force, has unearthed fraud-related activities and even theft at the Guyana Gold Board. As a result of its investigations, Rosanna Ramnarine, a former employee at the State entity was Wednesday charged and placed before the courts. She was slapped with six charges—all of which alleged that she stole monies and engaged in fraudulent activities during her tenure there. Ramnarine, 35, a mother of one, of Lot 46 Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara was arraigned before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, where she pleaded not guilty to all charges. She was released on a total of $300,000 bail, after her Attorney-at-Law Jed Vasconcellos made a successful application. FRIDAY Govt. has no agreement yet with Exxon for gas to power project – Company still thinks it’s best Guyana re-injects its associated gas The Government is steaming full speed ahead in preparation for its proposed gas to power project. But is this a case of putting the cart before the horse? The entire project is essentially dependent on ExxonMobil and the decisions that that company has to make. But the oil giant is still to make any final decision on that front. The Production Sharing Agreement that exists between Guyana and

ExxonMobil clearly gives ExxonMobil the right to re-inject associated gas into the oil producing wells. Therefore, the company cannot be forced to do otherwise. Indeed, the contract provides for alternative arrangements like the gas to power project. But, that sort of arrangement is predicated on a feasibility study that the contract states, has to be done by ExxonMobil. ExxonMobil’s Country Manager, Rod Henson, revealed that the study is yet to be done. He revealed this to the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources during a recent meeting. Chairman of the Committee, Odinga Lumumba, asked Henson about ExxonMobil’s active involvement in the project and about “studies and agreements” that the company will be guided by. Henson said, “There are no agreements to date and this gas to power project is essentially under discussion. We have done our own study work on this. Currently, the development plan for Liza Phase-One is that all the gas gets re-injected into the reservoir and the reason we do that is reservoir management.” Henson said that the reinjection method is a “very common, normal way to do these sorts of developments. Ultimately, you get the most value for your resource by doing that. So, Guyana would get more value by re-injecting that gas. Because it helps reservoir pressure and ultimately it helps you recover more oil.”Henson said that (Continued on page 36)

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From page 35 while this is generally the case, ExxonMobil has taken into consideration the uniqueness of Guyana and its needs. Businesses warned against trading in foreign currencies-Central Bank threatens raids Authorities are clamping down on the rampant acceptance, especially among city businesses, of foreign currency as a payment for goods and services. The Bank of Guyana is expected in the coming days to launch a number of sudden visits at known spots, including Regent Street, as part of the crackdown, says Governor, Dr. Gobind Ganga. In an advertisement Wednesday, the Bank, which is the regulator of commercial financial institutions and Cambios licensed to trade in foreign currencies, said it has received credible information of use of foreign currency. “The Bank of Guyana notes with concern that some businesses are accepting foreign currency for the purpose of settling payments for transactions- instead of Guyana dollars.”

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Kaieteur News

While Ganga would not immediately go into details, Kaieteur News has learnt from Government officials that authorities have been paying close attention to the Cuban traders in Guyana. With Chinese retailers and wholesalers in recent years growing in number especially along the Regent and Robb Street, Cubans especially have been coming here with the precious US dollars. It is believed that upwards of US$2M alone in trade is being done with the Chinese stores each month. This does not include transportation to and from the Timehri airport and accommodations. About 1,000 Cubans are said to be coming monthly, shopping accessories, clothing and other things. There have been complaints that the Cubans, unwilling to visit a Cambio or bank because of safety concerns, would hand over their US cash to the willing store owners.It is believed that a significant part of the monies are making it out of country, outside the normal channels, knowledgeable banking sources admitted. However, Dr. Ganga stressed that he is not saying

that it is only the Chinese stores that are involved. Local Content must not serve to enrich selected few in business community –Dr. Mangal Guyana is in the process of putting together a robust Local Content Policy. This document is expected to guide the manner in which locals will be able to benefit to a significant degree in the oil and gas sector. While former Presidential Advisor on Petroleum, Dr. Jan Mangal, sees this as a commendable move, he recently cautioned that not all local content efforts are good. He warned that it can be bad as well. The Oil and Gas Consultant said that “good local content” will get Guyanese employed, something that will help the poor. He said that bad local content efforts will make wealthy and well-connected Guyanese business people and officials much wealthier without helping the rest of the citizenry. He said that this will create many local middlemen who add minimal value to the oil and gas operations. Dr. Mangal said that it will also add minimal value to the economy and wellbeing of the

country. SATURDAY Controversial sedition clause removed as amended Cybercrime Bill passed… Opposition says not enough done to protect freedom of speech The Cybercrime Bill which attracted widespread attention was on Friday evening passed by the National Assembly with several amendments, including the removal of the controversial clause on sedition. Although the Bill prior to its passage had received two Cabinet reviews, a Parliamentary Special Select Committee review, public consultations and input from experts, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) MPs urged Government to delay its passage, because the new amendments did not go far enough to protect free speech and the rights of citizens. Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, who tabled the Bill, indicated that two crucial amendments were made, a demonstration that the government is receptive and responsive to criticisms and committed to the democratic process. “We recognise that passing of laws affect society and therefore those who will be affected should have an input in the legislative process,” Williams told the National Assembly to kick start the debate that lasted well over five hours. The overall thrust of the Bill is to make illegal, certain activities using a computer and over the internet, such as child pornography, cyber bullying, theft of data, and revenge porn among others. However, there were concerns about aspects of the

NPTAB Head, Berkley Wickham Bill. The most contentious was Section 18 (1) (a) of the Bill which indicated that a person commits the offence of sedition if he brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the Government established by law in Guyana. According to the original Section 18 (1) of the Bill, a person can commit the offence whether in or out of Guyana by intentionally publishing, transmitting or circulating by use of a computer system or any other means, a statement or words, either spoken or written, a text, video, image, sign, visible representation, or other thing. The penalty proposed ranged from four months in prison to a life sentence where death occurs. Three years later… Govt. still to establish committee to blacklist errant contractors Since 2015, the coalition

government promised the establishment of a Debarment Committee which would blacklist companies that take on big projects only to deliver sloppy work. But this is yet to be done. Earlier last year, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure initiated the process of creating a database to keep a track record of the number of projects awarded to local contractors and their performance with respect to each. This process was also intended to support the debarment initiative. But even the work in this regard has not been completed. Head of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), Berkley Wickham told Kaieteur News that the Debarment Committee is a necessary element in the area of procurement, but its establishment is no longer in the hands of NPTAB. He said that it is with the Public Procurement Commission. This body was created since 2016. Considering the fact that Guyana’s procurement system is not only plagued by a culture of corrupt practices, but also the acceptance of slapdash work provided by contractors, former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran has been a staunch advocate for the implementation of the Debarment Committee. He says that it is one of the sure ways to ensure that companies bring themselves in line with international best practices and that the country gets value for money. Debarment mechanisms are practiced by various Caribbean countries such as Jamaica, and international agencies like the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Guyana’s laws also provide for the installation of a debarment committee but under the previous Government, this was never given priority.

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How beneficial was... From page 24 individual and collective independence. In the event, many heads of government have privately indicated that the July meeting was one of the best in the last five years. New energy and interest were displayed, and significantly, while there was some argument that the 'E' in 'CSME' should be abandoned because it has no realistic possibility of accomplishment in the foreseeable future, many leaders insisted on its retention as a legitimate aspiration of the Caribbean people and, therefore, a necessary goal of Caribbean governments. The 'E' in 'CSME' embraces the creation of a single 'economy', going beyond a single market. It would include a single currency, a single Central Bank, common financial legislation and regulation, restrictions on governments from printing money, limitations on incurring debt and constraints on careless spending of foreign reserves. It would also remove the necessity to change currencies to travel around the Caribbean and to pay for goods and services. Indeed, what the 'E' in CSME would do is to replicate across CARICOM, the successful project by the coun-

tries of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) in establishing a single currency, and deeper and supportive integration arrangements that have saved their individual states from greater economic hardship and facilitated movement of Caribbean people within their own region. Steps are being taken to stay on the path to a single economy. They are baby steps such as completing work on a financial services agreement and an integrated capital market. But, they are nonetheless important steps, and they indicate that the meeting of heads of government, rather than being sidetracked by narrow national interests, appeared to have moved â€“ albeit not leapt â€“ to a more regional approach to dealing with the issues confronting them regionally and collectively. It is important to note that, by its own choice, the Bahamas is not part of the CSME arrangements and many of the observations in this commentary do not apply to it. (The writer is Antigua and Barbuda's Ambassador to the U.S. and the OAS. The views expressed are his own) Responses and previous c o m m e n t a r i e s : www.sirronaldsanders.com

Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

The judge and the felon From page 38 Science. He is said to have told friends he wanted to be a doctor (a neurosurgeon no less) when he grew up. The article goes on to tell of how Booth left Nautilus in 1980 as an honour roll student with glowing reports, and, like Glazer, attended Miami Beach Senior High School. He however dropped out in the 11th grade. By then, he had become addicted to gambling. A cousin told the newspaper that Booth gambled on anything and at any time. “It just took over his life. He didn't have a job, so the only way to get money was to steal. He would break into warehouses or empty homes. He was never violent to anyone. He just needed money quick and that is how he got it,” she explained. At the age of 18 he is jailed for grand theft, after which he is in and out of prison, unable as a felon to land a job or rent an apartment, and now addicted to crack cocaine. He eventually kicks the habit while incarcerated. But the gambling continues and with it burglary and theft. The new millennium sees Booth back in prison, then in and out again until December 2014 when, according to relatives, he finds work with a construction company. But just seven months later he is back in court - this

time across from his old classmate. While Booth had been sparring with the law, Glazer had become the law. She graduated from the University of Miami with a BA in Arts then studied law at St. Thomas University School of Law, graduating JD (Juris Doctor) in 1991. She was then admitted to the Florida Bar, after which she went back to law school and got her Masters in Estate Planning. She ran her own law practice until elected to the Florida 11th Judicial Circuit Court in 2000 where, 15 years later, she was 'reunited' with Arthur Booth. Although it was obvious that the judge was touched by the tears of her old classmate, she dealt him a dose of tough compassion, setting his bond at a hefty $43,000. Her parting words to him were, “Mr. Booth, I hope you're able to change your ways. Good luck to you sir, I hope you're able to come out of this okay and just lead a lawful life.” ('Sir' – deference or politeness?) There is a hint of a happy ending to this story. Ten months after their first encounter, as Arthur Booth is released from custody, family members are there to greet him. So too is Judge Mindy Glazer. They hug. Both of them are smiling and Booth seems anything but a prison-hardened

ex con. Glazer tells him to take care of his family, get a job, and stay clean. “You're going to do something good for somebody else,” she concludes. Booth responds, “You better believe it; you better believe it.” He describes his former classmate as incredible, and a huge inspiration to him, '... cause I know where I could've been, but I'm not giving up on life. It's just a new lease on life for me right now.' Their final exchange – Glazer: “This is (with family members) a group effort to see you succeed. Don't let us down.” Booth: “I won't. I promise not to.” Life has too many convolutions; too many variables, to pass judgement on why two gifted children such as Mindy Glazer and Arthur Booth had their lives take such divergent paths. Self-confidence, willpower, family support, and a host of socio-economic factors intermingle to either propel or thwart individual aspirations, or do both at different times. There are more than a few Arthur Booths and Mindy Glazers out there, and we do have the power to choose which path to tread. But a single word; a gesture of encouragement or compassion, can help someone get there – or at least help smooth the way.

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Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

An inexplicable reliance on... From page 39 political leaders to uphold and respect their constitutional responsibility. More importantly, what does this say about this nation whose people, for centuries, have fought for the right to selfdetermination and marked major achievements in 1838, 1966 and 1970, that there still exists the reliance on others to determine for us what we have written for ourselves? The truth is, by actions within recent years, the nation has been taking one step forward and three backwards in the advancement of solidifying our freedoms. Jimmy Carter has brought the leaders to the table. We the people must find ways to

make sure they remain there. Of immediate concern is the importance of engagement being facilitated on internationally acceptable principles. It is every leader's responsibility to determine the composition of his/her negotiating team. A negotiating team is not akin to selecting a jury panel where the other side can object to who participates. You don't have to like my team to respect the principle of the right to identify how it is composed and who participates. It is the issue that must determine the relationship, not the person. Civil and human decency is built on respecting the rights of others, and should the nation start out from this premise, it stands to

eliminate the destructive, personality-driven politics that determine engagement, benefits, and entitlements. Since leaving the presidency, Carter has created for himself the image of an international humanitarian and activist. And while Guyana and Guyanese must acknowledge and respect his work/ contributions, it's a shame to rely on him to tell us what is within our Constitution and what is expected of us. In the coming days, society must resolve to hold the President and Leader of the Opposition's feet to the fire to make sure meaning is being given to our desire for peace, harmony and structured development.

Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

Madness, Violence and Survival... From page 42 started wailing.” And throughout this tormentous existence, slaves are promised salvation through Christianity. This is a feature of Kennedy's work that captures the psychodynamics of oppression. Slaves born in Africa (salt water negro), in particular, display perplexity at the strange faith foisted on them. They desperately protect what's left of their ancestral roots, while creole clergymen are the fiercest of apologists. “Jesus, Oh Jesus, Jesus is near,” they pray. “Hallelujah...Dear sweet Jesus. When you are covered with His Blood, the enemy don't like you. Call the name and you will be healed.” Sharpe, too, finds comfort in his new faith. Initially, though, he wrestles with his warring thoughts. In this psychosis there is healing, an outlet, in the form of visions, where evil is slain by the forces of light. It is a victory that, while unattainable in reality, offers hope and solace. Amid the brutal crackdown on suspected insurrectionists, Sharpe's biblical orations speak volumes: “Father, I ask you to forgive them all, for they know what they do. Forgive me mine own trespasses, as I forgive all those who sin

against me and my brothers too.” Sharpe's seamless rise as a formidable, revered leader appears predictable. He is introspective, perspicacious and mature, beyond his years. “Many people tell me that I will do great things one day. So I guess I must wait for the spirit to move me,” he confides. His providential gifts of intuition and leadership will serve him ably in time. But languishing in prison, he's woeful: “There is no escape, no mastery of my destiny.” Kennedy's work is h a r d l y a h a g i o g r a p h y. Sharpe's character is bedeviled by inner turmoil and vacillation. In this compelling saga, Kennedy poses the question that has wrestled with many political philosophers: Is religion an opiate? “There is no bigger cause than fighting fi freedom,” one freedom fighter barks. “Is you, Sam, you is de one who bring me to dis, you and yuh preaching.” For Sharpe, the Bible is the catalyst for liberation, but he concedes its mixed messages. “They jus see religion in a different way,” he says, referring to white missionaries And what of fellow slaves who invested in

Sharpe's leadership? Would they have been better served by a revolutionary unmoved by Christianity? We struggle to respond. Still, the words of Sharpe's first love and mother of his child prove prophetic: “Too much reading of the Bible confuse up yuh head...If you continue with de preaching, dem gwine beat you and lock you up.” In this imaginative work, Kennedy captures a moment in history that continues to breathe with abandon. Etched in the collective unconscious of a deviant world are sentiments driven by superiority and inferiority. They travel in unison - in lock step - along a beaten path of madness and destruction. Feedback: glenvilleashby@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter@glenvilleashby. Dr Fred W. Kennedy is available for lectures and seminars on this life and impact of Daddy Sharpe on Caribbean History. A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Samuel Sharpe, A West Indian Slave Written by Himself, 1832 by Fred W. Kennedy Publisher: Ian Randle Publishers, Kingston ISBN: 978-976-637-3436 Available at Amazon Ratings: Essential

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Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

Offset Back Home With Cardi B and Baby After Gun Possession Arrest Offset was released from a Georgia jail on Saturday morning and has returned home to Cardi B and their newborn daughter, Kulture after spending the night behind bars following his arrest on gun charges, while his lawyer says the rapper is innocent. His wife posted a photo of the two on her Instagram Story, writing, “Home.” Offset, 26, was pulled over on Friday evening while driving in a 2014 Porche 911 Carerra with his bodyguard outside of Atlanta after allegedly making an improper lane change. Police detected an odor of marijuana after approaching the vehicle and after a search, found three handguns, less than an ounce of marijuana and more than $107,000 in cash, the Atlanta JournalConstitution reported.

Offset, whose real name is Kiari Kendrell Cephus, was arrested for alleged possession of a weapon during a crime and possession of a firearm by a felon, as well as possession of less than an ounce of marijuana and the alleged traffic violation, which are both misdemeanors, police records show. Offset was released from Clayton County Jail in Jonesboro, Georgia just after 10 a.m. after posting a $17,000 bond and has returned home to his wife and child. He is set to appear in court on Sunday. “Offset is home with his wife and newborn daughter,” the rapper’s lawyer, Drew Findling, told E! News on Saturday. “His most important focus right now is to be with his wife, children and family.” “Having been educated on this case in the last 24

hours, he did not commit any traffic offenses besides being a young African-American man in a flashy car wearing

Jason Mraz Opens Up About His “Two Spirit” Sexuality One month after Jason Mraz penned a love poem to the LGBTQ community, the “I’m Yours” singer is opening up about his experiences with men and women. In honor of Pride Month in June, Mraz wrote a poem that was published by Billboard, ending the piece with the line, “I am bi your side.” Now, Mraz is sharing his thoughts on the reaction to his poem and that line specifically. “Honestly, I didn’t realize it was going to be so telling,” Mraz shares with Billboard. “But I’ve had experiences with men, even while I was dating the woman who became my wife.”He continues, “It was like, ‘Wow, does that

mean I am gay?’ And my wife laid it out for me. She calls it ‘two spirit,’ which is what the Native Americans call someone who can love both man

and woman. I really like that.” Mraz married girlfriend Christina Carano in Oct. 2015 in an outdoor ceremony in Virginia. “Today I was made the luckiest man in the world,” Mraz wrote on Instagram on his wedding day, along with a photo of Carano.The couple first met in 2007, but didn’t start dating until 2011. Carano opened up about their relationship in an interview with The Osider, sharing, “After several years of crushing on him, the stars finally aligned—and now he’s my stud. We’ve created a really awesome life together and we make a great team.” “He’s the most loving, generous, and most hardworking man I know,” she continued. “These are the most attractive qualities I could ever ask for in a partner. He inspires me and empowers me everyday to live my best life and he cares so deeply about the things that really matter. We’re truly blessed in so many ways.”www.eonline.com.

nice jewelry,” the attorney said. “He has a security team that have licenses to possess firearms and he did not physi-

cally have any firearms in his possession. We will have to deal with this in court and address these legal issues. I am confident in telling you he is 100 percent innocent.” Cardi gave birth to Kulture, her first child and Offset’s fourth, on July 10. She has not commented on her husband’s arrest. Findling had previously told local reporters at the jail that Offset “didn’t commit any traffic offense and more importantly, he wasn’t in possession of any weapon whatsoever.” “And so, we’re just gonna have to address these charges,” he said. “I think it’s completely unfortunate and really questionable the way this case has moved forward, but that’s what I’m here for, to defend and stand in the way of what, to me, was obviously an improper arrest. So we shall forge

forward but I believe in his innocence and we’ll take care of that in court.” In 2015, Offset and fellow Migos rappers Quavo and Takeoff were arrested following a concert at Georgia Southern University. Offset was charged with felony possession of a narcotic and felony possession of firearms on school property. He was later charged with felony battery and inciting a riot after getting into an altercation in jail. He ultimately spent almost eight months behind bars. Offset was given five years of probation after reaching a plea deal. In 2016, Offset was arrested for having a suspended license. His lawyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the rapper is currently not on probation, as it was terminated early.www.eonline.com.

Christian Bale Loses All the Weight He Gained to Play Dick Cheney When the director yells cut, it may be time to lose the weight. As soon as Christian Bale signed up to play former Vice President Dick Cheney in the upcoming movie Backseat, the actor knew he was going to gain some weight for the role.But with shooting officially done, Christian appears to have already lost the weight he had to put on to perfect his character. In pictures obtained by E! News, the actor was spotted roaming the streets of Italy during a family vacation. Wearing black shorts, a denim blue button-down and purple sneakers, the proud dad looked like your average guy enjoying some well-deserved time away with his kids and wife. So what exactly is the new project that Christian has been working on? Backseat tells the story of President George W. Bush’s right hand man. It also explores his policies that had an impact on the world. “I had never before gone to a doctor or a nutritionist about gaining or losing weight for my roles,” Christian told Star2.com. “But eventually that caught up with me. So, finally for Backseat, I decided that maybe somebody knows better than I do; so I went to somebody and they managed to get me up a good 40lbs. It’s never healthy to

put on that amount of weight in a short amount of time, but I did it in the healthiest manner.”Steve Carell plays Donald Rumsfeld while Amy Adams will play Dick’s wife in the film hitting theatres December 21. Ultimately, this isn’t the first time Christian has undergone a physical transforma-

tion for a movie role. When a p p e a r i n g i n American Hustle as a 1970’s con-artist, the actor packed on some pounds. Later on, he shriveled down 60 points to play Trevor Reznik in The Machinist. And he nailed the superhero jacked look for The Dark Knight trilogy.www.eonline.com.

Sunday July 22, 2018

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Kaieteur News

9 things a registered dietitian wants you to know about weight loss The latest stats show that more than 70 percent of Americans are overweight or obese, and while many regain that weight, an important study that tracked successful dieters via the National Weight Control Registry found that over a ten-year period, the majority kept it off. I’ve spent much of the last two decades helping people on their weight-loss journey, and through my endless hours of research and writing, plus one-on-one coaching, I’ve picked up some important insight and great tips. Let me share them with you! 1. FORGET WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT CALORIE MATH I’ve spent much of my career talking about the calories in vs. calories out equation but I now know that you can’t rely on this paradigm. Instead, what the science shows is that as people lose weight, their metabolism changes so the calorie rule doesn’t hold up. This cool online tool is based on that research, and shows you how you would need to adjust your calories over time in order to maintain the weight you lost. The other thing I’ve learned about calories is that there are plenty of high-calorie foods that can help a dieter out. For instance, there is good evidence that the Mediterranean diet, with unrestricted nuts and olive oil, can lead to improvements in body weight over a five-year period compared with a low-fat regimen. And while nuts themselves are high in calories and fat, studies show that they are helpful with weight loss. Importantly, nuts taste good — even indulgent — so including them on your menu may help you stick with it. 2. EAT MORE VEGGIES The one thing all diets have in common is veggies, and if you want to lose weight, you should start eating more of them. You may say, as many have said to me, that you hate vegetables, but I challenge that assumption. In my view, you just haven’t found ways to enjoy them yet! If you grew up rejecting steamed broccoli, perhaps broccoli roasted with garlic and olive oil might be more enticing. Or maybe you’d like to try riced cauliflower in place of grain with your favorite stir-fry. If you can’t live without pasta, maybe you’d consider blending spaghetti or linguini with spiralized veggie noodles. (You can buy the prespiralized noodles in many supermarkets if you don’t want to invest in the gadget.) I’m not saying you need

to eat like a rabbit — munching on carrot and celery sticks. You don’t. Instead, try new ways to cook veggies or experiment with fresh, filling, and seriously delicious salad combos. The key is to keep exploring the wide world of veggies until you find ways to enjoy them every day. 3. DON’T BE AFRAID OF CARBS Sure, a low-carb plan can help you lose weight, but plenty of research also supports carbohydrates — even whole grain wheat — for slimming down. One recent study comparing grain avoiders to grain eaters found that the people who ate grains were less likely to be overweight or obese, and had a lower risk of metabolic complications, like type 2 diabetes. By contrast, avoiding grains was linked with a higher BMI and waist circumference, despite the fact that it was also linked with consuming fewer calories. Another recent study showed that people who eat whole grains burned close to 100 more calories per day compared to people consuming similar calories but eating refined grains instead. What I’ve learned is that you don’t need to take an allor-nothing approach to grains. Most often, I consider grains a side dish rather than an entrée, but I still eat them every day. What is important is that you consistently choose whole grains over their refined counterparts. That means eating brown rice instead of white, whole grain bread over the pillowy, white sandwich bread you may have grown up loving, and choosing whole grain cereals, whether cold or hot, over hyper-processed refined versions. 4. DON’T ATTEMPT TO OUT-EXERCISEA BAD DIET Exercise has many benefits, and everyone needs to do it, but the truth is, your workout routine may not be helping you slim down, and even worse, it may be stalling your weight loss. There are a few things at play here. First, we tend to drastically overestimate how many calories we burn while exercising, particularly if we’re doing something intense, like spinning or running. Even our high-tech watches and other devices can overestimate the calories we’ve spent working out. That can lead to the reward mentality. Put another way, it’s that voice in your head that tells you, “You can have that cookie, you worked your butt off during spin!” Personally, I’ve never given myself permission to go for it (pizza! ice cream!) as often as when I was

training for a half marathon. And though I was logging more than 30 miles in weekly runs, I put on a noticeable amount of weight. Women, in particular, tend to eat what we expend in exercise, according to research on the matter. In plain terms, our bodies are well-regulated to know when we’ve done a session of HIIT or spent time on the elliptical. Unknowingly, we put a little more food on our plates or have a heftier snack in order to replenish what we burned off. Other notable research found that for those new to exercise or those exercising less frequently, there may be a slight impact on energy expenditure, meaning it might provide a small (but meaningful) drop on the scale. But here’s the bad news: Workouts among people doing the most exercise didn’t show up on the scale. They likely experience other benefits — improved mental health, lower risk of heart disease, for instance — but they don’t have an edge when it comes to weight loss. I’m not saying you should take a lifelong pass on fitness in order to slim down. What I am saying is that if you’re killing it on the cardio machine merely to burn calories and squeeze into your extra-skinny skinny jeans, you may need to re-think this strategy. When it comes to losing weight, it’s more about what you put in than what you’re burning off. Among participants in the Weight Control Registry, walking is the most frequent form of exercise, and there was no difference in weight maintenance after three years among people who participated in the most physical activity compared to those exercising the least. 5. MAKE PEACE WITH THE SCALE For most people, I recommend weighing yourself often — even daily, and no less frequently than once a week.

Your scale provides great data points, allowing you to recognize when you’re trending in the wrong direction. At that point — let’s call it the 5pound mark — it’s time to analyze where you may have gotten too relaxed. Have you eaten out more frequently? Are you skimping on the veggies? Perhaps you’ve had a few extra causes for celebration lately. Whatever the case, once you’ve noticed that you’ve put on 5 pounds, it’s time to take action. You don’t need an expert to recognize that it’s easier to lose 5 pounds than it is to lose 10 or 20. 6. REDEFINE YOUR IDEAL WEIGHT When I’m meeting with clients, I not only ask what their goal weight is, but when was the last time they were at that weight. If the answer dates back to the first time shoulder pads were in fashion, it’s time to rethink the

ideal. You get massive benefits, like reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, by losing just 5 percent of your weight, according to research. Consider aiming for this goal, and when you achieve it, you can take it from there. 7. BE PREPARED FOR HARD WORK Anyone who has lost weight, or even those who have maintained a healthy weight, knows that it takes some effort. But with time and practice, it becomes much easier. For those who have struggled with past attempts, I’ve found taking a micro-step approach works well. Start by setting mini goals, like adding a fruit or vegetable to your menu each day. With each success, take a moment to recognize your accomplishment. The satisfaction you gain from accomplishing these micro goals helps to strengthen your determination to tackle the next one. These mini successes add up over time and can lead to sustainable habits. 8. IF YOU VEER OFF COURSE, DO AN IMMEDIATE U-TURN Tripping up — say, by ordering the plate of nachos at happy hour — is part of the journey. We all give in to the occasional indulgence. Where I’ve seen people go astray is to take that tiny slip and turn it into a massive binge. But I ask: If you took the wrong turn while driving, would you keep going? No! Nor would your GPS shame you for going in the wrong direction. Instead, the GPS

provides a gentle reminder to get back on track. Take that mentality to your next food detour and remind yourself to do a u-turn at your next eating occasion. 9. DON’T GIVE UP — EVEN IF IT SEEMS INSURMOUNTABLE No matter how many times you’ve tried losing weight in the past, there is still hope. People who have successfully lost weight tend to continue to manage those behaviors and foods that got them there. In other words, they continue to practice. Too often, I find people treat dieting like a hop-onhop-off bus. After reaching their goals, they hop off the bus, reverting back to the foods or behaviors that led them to gain weight in the first place. They may hop back on the bus and lose some weight again, but over the long-term, there is a yo-yo pattern. To be successful at weight loss, you need to make sustainable changes. It’s less about what diet you follow (low-carb, Paleo, Mediterranean, etc.) but more about what works for you so you can stick with the changes you’ve made. So the next time you’re hopping back on the weight-loss bus, consider where you’ve struggled in the past. Make sure to address those issues by making adjustments this go-around. Otherwise, you’ll be back on the bus in no time. ( https:// www.nbcnews.com/better/ health/9-things-registered-dietitian-wants-you-knowabout-weight-lossncna777231)

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Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

Country

Russia

ussia - the largest country on earth - emerged from a decade of postSoviet economic and political turmoil to seek to reassert itself as a world power. Income from vast natural resources, above all oil and gas, helped Russia overcome the economic collapse of 1998, but the oil price slump of 2014 ended the long run of prosperity. The state-run gas monopoly Gazprom still supplies a large share of Europe's needs.Vladimir Putin - Russia's dominant political figure since 2000 has enhanced his control over state institutions and the media - a process supplemented more recently by an emphasis on fierce nationalism and hostility to the West. Russian F e d e r a t i on Capital: Moscow Population 142.7 million Area 17 million sq km (6.6 million sq miles) Major language Russian Major religions Christianity, Islam Life expectancy 63 years (men),

75 years (women) LEADERS

President: Vladimir Putin

Profile

ladimir Putin h a s b e e n R u s s i a ' s dominant political figure since his election as president in 2000, serving two terms and then a fouryear stint as prime minister, before resuming the presidency in 2012 and winning re-election in 2018. Since his re-election against only token opposition, Russia's authorities have further tightened control over the media, thereby muffling an embryonic opposition movement. He has also and adopted a stridently nationalist

course and appealed to memories of Soviet-era power to shore up domestic support. The president presents himself as a strong leader who took Russia out of the economic, social and political crisis of the 1990s, and defends Russia's national interests, particularly against alleged Western hostility. Opponents and critics at home and abroad accuse him of undermining Russia's institutions, stymying democratic development, and entrenching rule by a narrow, wealthy elite. MEDIA Russian TV is dominated by channels that are either run directly by the state or owned by companies with close links to the Kremlin. The government controls Channel One and Russia One - two of the three main federal channels - while state-controlled energy giant Gazprom owns NTV. TV is the main news source for most Russians. There is a fast-growing payTV market, led by satellite broadcaster Tricolor. The government is undertaking a project to bring digital TV to every Russian home. TIMELINE Some key dates in Russia's history: 1547 - Grand Prince Ivan IV of Moscow (Ivan the Terrible) is the first ruler to be proclaimed Tsar of Russia. 1689-1725 - Peter the G r e a t i n t r o d u c e s f a rreaching reforms. 1798-1815 - Russia takes part in the European coalitions against Revolutionary and Napoleonic France, defeating Napoleon's invasion in 1812 and contributing to his overthrow. 1853-57 - Russia suffers setback in attempt to seize territory from declining Ottoman Empire through its defeat in Crimean War. 1904-05 - Russian expansion in Manchuria leads to war with Japan - and the 1905 revolution, which forced Tsar Nicholas II to

grant a constitution and establish a parliament, the Duma. 1914 - Russian-Austrian rivalry in Balkans contributes to outbreak of First World War, in which Russia fought alongside Britain and France. 1917 - Nicholas II abdicates. Bolshevik revolutionaries led by Lenin topple the provisional government and take power. 1918-22 - Civil war between Red Army and anticommunist White Russians. 1922 - Bolsheviks reorganise remnants of Russian Empire as Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. 1945 - Allied victory over Nazi Germany is followed by swift establishment of Soviet hegemony in Central and Eastern Europe, and Balkans. The end of the war sees the start of decades of Cold War rivalry with the West. 1953 - Death of dictator Joseph Stalin ushers in less repressive rule at home, although Communist Party political dominance is firmly upheld. 1991 - Russia becomes independent as the Soviet Union collapses and, together with Ukraine and Belarus, forms the Commonwealth of Independent States, which is eventually joined by most former Soviet republics. 2000 - Prime Minister Vladimir Putin takes over as president on the resignation of Boris Yeltsin, begins steady re-orientation of Russia away from democracy and cooperation with the West towards a more nationalist and authoritarian politics. 2014 - Russia seizes Ukrainian region of Crimea, prompting the biggest EastWest showdown since the Cold War. 2015 September - Russia begins armed intervention in Syria to support ally President Bashar al-Assad. 2018 - Vladimir Putin elected to fourth term as president in contest minor candidates.

Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

Utility-scale solar farms for 10 hinterland villages in 2019 Ten hinterland villages will be equipped with utilityscale solar farms. The use of ‘rooftop’ solar panels in hinterland communities will be terminated and will be replaced by utility scales solar farms which are more viable. This was revealed during the week by Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, at the final day of the National Toshaos Council meeting at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. The Minister was at the time responding to concerned village leaders on the status of improving their electricity supply.“Small areas will be looked at next year. The solar farms will be large enough for all villages in one area. President (David) Granger already signed a $3.2Billion (US $15Million) line of credit with International Solar Alliance (ISA) for this,” Minister Patterson explained. The Minister noted that the villages will be identified by the Ministries of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and Communities. This initiative

forms part of the government’s move to a green economy and will aid in reducing the negative effects of fossil fuels while mitigating climate change effects. Guyana signed and ratified the framework agreement of the International Solar Alliance on January 30 2018. The ISA Framework Agreement was launched on November 30, 2015. It is an action-oriented international and intergovernmental organisation that aims to maximise the harnessing of solar energy potential, modernise energy systems, universalize access to energy, accelerate economic development and alleviate poverty. About four megawatts of electricity will become available under this programme. Last month Minister Patterson announced that several solar and hydro projects are on track to be completed by the end of 2020 at a total capacity of 30 megawatts. Lethem, Mahdia, Kato and Bartica are some communities expected to benefit.

Transplant Surgeon ... From page 16 Foundation, now headed by Subraj’s wife, Gloria, and children, Tony and Jasmine, has been continuing the advocacy for Guyana to implement an organs harvesting system. The principals of the Foundation see this move as particularly important if Guyana is to retain a sustainable transplant programme. In February representatives of the Foundation met with officials of the Ministry of Public Health on the issue. Among those engaged in the discussion on the Foundation side were reputable Transplant Surgeon, Dr. Stephen Guy, of the Drexel University Medical School in the United States. The Subraj Foundation has been instrumental in helping Guyana undertake a number of kidney and corneal transplants. For the latter surgical procedure, the Subraj Foundation has been able to furnish Guyana [the GPHC] with corneas from the United States. But the representatives of the Foundation are convinced that Guyana could be able to harvest its own corneas and other organs too, for transplantation once legislation is in place to facilitate this.“All along we believe that Guyana can sustain itself and that would be possible if we were to get working on a legislation to start to do organ harvesting locally, not just for cornea, not just for kidney but hopefully for everything [organs],” said Tony Subraj.

Speaking of the moves in this direction, Dr. Guy said, that he, through the Subraj Foundation, will be willing to lend his expertise to Guyana. “On the surface, it seems relativelystraightforward...when a person passes away from a stroke or trauma. In the United States and most of the countries in Europe they are considered brain dead and that is one of the things that we are looking to find out if that will work here.” He pointed out that although a person is declared legally dead, harvesting organs requires that their body be kept alive complete with a beating heart. This is imperative if the organs are to be useful to another body in need of them. But putting such a programme in motion would require legislative backing even for the simple process of harvesting corneas which, according to Dr. Guy, does not require that the body be kept alive. “Corneas don’t need to have a beating heart to remove them. So the person could have already passed, their heart could have stopped beating, I think up to 12 hours after, and you can to take the cornea. So I think this is the first place Guyana can start in harvesting organs...setting up an eye bank,” Dr. Guy said.He is convinced that if the suitable infrastructure and personnel for the harvesting of organs are in place, it could essentially help to bolster GPHC’s kidney transplant programme.

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Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

TRAFFIC CONTROL AT BERBICE BRIDGE…

Inspector transferred after refusing to take Top Cop’s call on civilian’s phone A senior Berbice policeman who refused to take a call from a passenger’s phone after stopping a minibus at a checkpoint in March has been transferred. It turned out that the call on the civilian phone allegedly came from Commissioner of Police (ag), David Ramnarine. Inspector Godfrey Playter was transferred from East Berbice and was reporting to the Cove and John Police Station, East Coast Demerara, since April, before going on leave. Every day, he would travel from Albion, East Berbice, to that “C” Division police station, East Coast Demerara. The inspector had written to Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan in April, appealing the matter. The Minister has promised to investigate. According to a copy of the letter sent to Minister

Ramjattan, on April 16, by Inspector Playter, a grave injustice was meted out to him by the Guyana Police Force administration. According to Playter, the injustice was mainly by the ‘Top Cop’. “The genesis of the issue is when I was the officer in charge of other ranks manning the ‘B’ Division checkpoint located at the eastern end of the Berbice River Bridge on Thursday 22nd March, 2018 about 11:30 hrs during the 06:00-18:00 hrs schedule.” Playter claimed that the team was mandated by Lyndon Alves, Commander of ‘B’ Division, to stop, search and if possible detain persons and vehicles traversing the checkpoint. On that day, they were carrying out their duties. One of the vehicles stopped was a minibus zoned with Number 45 driven by a male with three other persons.

“Whilst I was perusing the documents, it was found that the bus pass permitting the said bus to traverse the Number 63 route was deficient and there was no road service licence produced. This was brought to the attention of the driver who was warned to have it corrected in the future and I sent him away.” The inspector in his letter said that before the bus could have left, the other occupant, came up to him, holding a cellular phone and while attempting to hand it, was saying, “Talk to yuh boss man”. “I refused to do so while questioning who was the “boss man” but no name was given. They subsequently left. A short while later, I received a call on my cellular phone and after confirming that it was Mr. Lyndon Alves, Commander of ‘B’ Division who queried the encounter with the occupants of the said

Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

Commissioner of Police (ag), David Ramnarine

Inspector Godfrey Playter

bus and I answered in the affirmative. “He then instructed me to send the bus away and upbraided me for not taking the cell call stating that it was Mr. David Ramnarine.” Playter said that he then informed the Commander that the driver was warned and sent away prior to his call. The police team said that they continued their duties. “On Wednesday, 11th

April 2018 having received previous instructions to see Assistant Commissioner Mrs. Maxine Graham at her office at 08:00 hrs, I did so, accompanied by Sergeant 19676 Ali and Lance Corporal 19560 Nagasar. “On arrival, we were told that an inquiry will be conducted pertaining to what took place on Thursday, 22nd March 2018.” Playter said that the

inquiry was conducted by Assistant Commissioner Mr. Clifton Hicken and all the parties concerned. “Upon conclusion, I was again upbraided by both Mr. Hicken and Mrs. Graham for not talking to Mr. Ramnarine on the civilian’s cellular phone and my action was deemed to be disrespectful to him.” The policeman said that his refusal to take the said call Continued on page 72

Speedboat overloading at Parika/ Supenaam comes under spotlight

Speedboat operators at the Parika Stelling. Passengers who usually commute between Supenaam and Parika root via speedboat, are questioning the competence of the Maritime Administration [MARAD], especially since the overloading of water taxis is becoming quite rampant. Based on reports, water taxi operators continue to overload their vessels at both the Supenaam and Parika Stellings, despite ‘strict’ supervision by MARAD at both locations. One passenger, who is a Councillor of the Regional Democratic Council of Region Two, related his experience to this publication a few days ago. The councillor explained that on three separate occasions he was seated in a speedboat that was overloaded. The most recent happening, he said, was just a few weeks ago at the Parika Stelling. “I had to object to what was happening on these speedboats… There was no clear writing indicating the seating capacity, not even on the external of the boat. “When I objected to the overloading of the boats, one sailor at Parika started to throw derogatory remarks at me. It is my right to ask as a passenger because if an accident should occur, who will suffer?” Kaieteur News understands that MARAD has appointed monitors at both stellings, to

ensure that all operations are in keeping with the Administrations requirements. It is customary for MARAD’s monitors to conduct a head count before every speedboat departs a port. The passenger mentioned earlier noted, however, that only when he called out to the MARAD monitor, was the vessel inspected. It was then revealed that that the speedboat was indeed overloaded by three passengers. Interestingly, no penalty was applied considering MARAD has a strict policy against overloading. President of the Supenaam/Parika Speedboat Association, Arnold Adams, said that the recommendation by MARAD is that the vessel’s maximum capacity be indicated on the front, and/or side. He further noted that when proven that monitors are in collaboration with ‘underhand business’, they are ‘normally’ suspended. Adams said that there is a strict policy by MARAD against the overloading of vessels. He added, “Based on a document presented by MARAD, an operator found guilty of overloading for the first time will be suspended for two months; the second time for four. On the third time, his licence will be suspended.”

Sunday July 22, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Sting operation lands driver Court of Appeal resolves dispute in jail for unlicensed firearm over Shanta’s Puri Shop A taxi driver who was allegedly busted with an unlicensed firearm in the backseat of a car was remanded Friday to prison by a City Magistrate. Jason Prince, 25, of 753 South ‘B’ Field Sophia, appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. It is alleged that on July 17, last, at Georgetown, he had in his possession one .32 pistol when he was not the owner of a firearm license enforced at the time. He denied the allegation after it was read to him by the Magistrate. Attorney-at-law Dexter Todd, in an attempt to secure bail for his client, told the court that his client was not in the vehicle when the gun was allegedly found. He added that his client

REMANDED: Jason Prince was standing next to the vehicle conversing with the two occupants in the vehicle when the police arrived. However, facts presented by Police Prosecutor, Sanj Singh, differed from those of

the lawyer. The prosecuted stated that on the day in question, ranks from the Narcotics Branch conducted a sting operation and intercepted a silver grey Toyota at Sophia. At the time of the search, the vehicle had three occupants and the defendant was the lone occupant in the backseat of the vehicle. The ranks searched the back seat of the vehicle and they saw the defendant sitting next to the firearm. He was then told of the offence and he denied ownership of the gun, hence he was taken into custody and charged for the offence. Magistrate Daly after listening to the prosecutor remanded the defendant to prison. He was instructed to make his next court appearance on August 24.

STANDARDS IN FOCUS

More jewellers can benefit from GNBS Product Certification Scheme Over the years, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) has been promoting standardization in the Gold Industry through the development of a Standard for Gold Articles and the provision of the necessary support to stakeholders for its implementation. This has allowed jewellers who are adhering to the standard (Specification for Gold Articles (GYS 50: 2010) to consistently produce these items to specified quality which has also enhanced the confidence of their customers. This national standard, which is also a CARICOM standard, specifies requirements for gold, alloying metals, solder, settings, base metal parts, alloyed gold, manufacture, sampling, tolerance and marking. Adherence to these requirements is crucial if jewellers are to produce gold articles to the specific karat content desired by consumers. To ensure that gold jewellery and other products for which there are standards available consistently meet the requirements of these standards, the GNBS has established a Product Certification Scheme. Under this scheme, the Bureau has been working with manufacturers and goldsmiths to have them implement the requirements of the standard. As a result, some of these stakeholders have benefited tremendously from technical assistance and training geared to build the capacity

of their operations so that the final product is just what consumers need. Despite GNBS’s support however, not enough jewelers have made it onto the PC Scheme to garner its benefits. Product Certification and its benefits Product certification is simply a process where a third party gives written assurance that a product meets certain requirements. World over, thousands of manufactured products including household electrical appliances, computers, and cellular phones are certified by Certification Bodies such as the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and the European Commission (CE). These certification marks are usually affixed to the back of these products. By certifying gold articles under GNBS Product Certification Scheme, goldsmiths and jewellers can garner some worthwhile benefits, which include: 1. Third party assurance of the quality of their gold jewellery. 2. Permission to use the National Standards Mark on gold articles. The mark can be used as a marketing tool. 3. The ability to produce gold jewellery that experience a competitive edge on the local and overseas markets, and ultimately, increased revenue. 4. Increased consumer confidence with respect to quality and reliability. 5. Ensured consistency in

the manufacturing process through the monitoring and implementation of quality control procedures. 6. Reduced risk of legal actions. 7. Reduced risk of producing substandard products. 8. Creation of a positive impact on the Tourism and Manufacturing sectors. Conforming to the requirements of the Gold standard also prevents fraud and deception arising from misleading labels. The standard gives guidance to manufacturers and helps them to provide adequate labelling information, which guides consumers during purchases. Consumers can also benefit when jewellers implement the standard. Generally, conformance to the standard allows consumers to access the right quality of gold articles, and overtime confidence is built on the fact that they are receiving value for their money. Hence, there will be a reduction in the need to make complaints or return items. The GNBS is encouraging more goldsmiths and jewellers to participate in its Product Certification Scheme which is voluntary and aff o r d a b l e . B y f a r, t h e benefits outweigh the costs of being a part of the PC Scheme. For further information, please contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 2190065 or 219-0066 or visit the GNBS website: www.gnbsgy.org

A long standing property dispute between two siblings and another relative was resolved on Friday when the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of one of them, and awarded cost in the sum of $200,000. The dispute between the two brothers concerns the ownership of the popular Shanta’s Puri Shop situated at the West Half of Sub Lot A 225 Camp and South Cummingsburg, Georgetown. The business which was established in the 1960s has become part of Guyanese culinary history. Operations were started by Parbatie Persaud, who is now dead. Persaud had migrated to England in 1966, where she lived until her death in 2003. However, Deodat Persaud had challenged his brother Premdaat Persaud and nephew Mikhail Persaud’s attempt to convey the property to them pursuant to an agreement of sale allegedly executed by their mother Parbatie. Premdaat and Mikail had also claimed specific performance of an agreement of sale for the property and for an order that the Registrar convey transport of the property to them. Consequently, Deodat, in his capacity of executor of the estate of Parbatie, mounted a challenge against the claims of his brother and nephew. He was represented by lawyer Devindra Kissoon of London House Chambers. Mikhail and Premdaat were represented by Attorney-at-law Stephen Fraser. After conducting a trial,

Attorney-at-law Devindra Kissoon of London House Chambers High Court Judge Rishi Persaud in 2011, found that Mikhail and Premdaat’s claim for equitable and specific performance was bound to fail for on the face of it, their case consisted of several material contradictions and inconsistencies. On the basis of these contradictions, Justice Persaud concluded that their case was material conflicted, inconsistent, untruthful and wholly unbelievable. He accordingly dismissed the claim for specific performance without considering Deodat’s defence. Deodat had contended that the agreement of sale was a forgery. Mikhail and Premdaat then moved to the Court of Appeal asking that the Judge’s decision be overturned. In their notice of appeal, they contended that the decision of the trial Judge was

unreasonable and cannot be supported by the evidence; the trial Judge made findings of fact not disclosed in the evidence; the decision could not be supported having regard to the nature and quality of the evidence of the appellants and the law relating to specific performance. The duo further argued that the decision was bad in law and against the weight of the evidence and the trial Judge failed to consider, evaluate and put in legal perspective the evidence of the Appellants and their witnesses. At the conclusion of the appeal hearing, which was presided over by Chancellor Yonette Cummings, and Justices Arif Bulkan and Rishi Persaud, it was announced that the appeal was dismissed. The Court of Appeal in dismissing the appeal stated that there was no reason to interfere with the trial judge’s finding of fact and that the trial judge did not err in dismissing the claim. The Appeal Court further found that based on the legal authorities and the evidence; there was no reason to interfere with the findings of the trial Judge. It was noted by the appellate judges that the evidence produced by Mikhail and Premdaat was manifestly inconsistent, conflicting, untruthful and not credible. The Court disagreed with the appellant’s arguments that the agreement of sale was properly validated by the Evidence Act, and awarded costs to Deodat Persaud in the amount of $200,000.

Shanta’s Puri Shop

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Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

CONSUMER CONCERNS

SPORTS GENERATE NATIONAL UNITY By PAT DIAL

With the advent of the World Cup Football, a massive wave of interest has been generated, not only in football but in sports in general. In ancient times, for example, among the Romans, Sport was regarded as a pastime to develop the body and mind, a concept which was captured in the wellknown Latin phrase: “Mens sana in corpore sano”. Roman sport included athletics, boxing and wrestling, but the gladiatorial contests were not regarded as sport but rather theatre. In the modern world, numerous other sports have made their appearance and modern Man has realized that Sport has many positive social, physical and mental dimensions. An example of this could be seen in West Indian Cricket. In 1950 when England was defeated for the first time by the West Indies, the West Indies victory broke the

mystique of colonial dominance. The inferiority complexes, which had been engendered by slavery and indenture began to fall away and a new sense of dignity and equality was manifested in West Indians. Owing to cricket and the formation of a West Indies Team, a sense of West Indian identity grew up. This was strengthened when West Indian teams played against foreign adversaries. The teams being multi-racial, led to greater racial integration in the Society as a whole since the nation identified with them. In addition to breaking down racial barriers leading to greater racial integration, cricket helped to weaken class exclusiveness when players of all classes were teammates. Breaking down of class prejudices was clearly evident in Barbados more than in other West Indian territories. In Europe, Sports was shown to be an amazing integrating force and morale

builder. For over two centuries, the nations of Europe fought bloody civil wars all over the continent. These culminated in World Wars I and II where the cream of European youth was killed off, where their cities and economies were destroyed and their worldwide Empires lost and the Continent lay in prostrate ruin. Western and European Civilization was very nearly destroyed. The Europeans discovered two things, which would save their Continent from destructive wars. The first was the Movement for European Unity and the other was the stimulation of Sport. The main Sport, which swept over the Continent was football or soccer which dwarfed every other including lawn tennis. Football allowed the clash of competing nationalities to be fought out on the football field rather than the battlefield. Competitive and adversarial feelings were released not only in the playing teams but in the

nations which they represented and normality returned when the matches ended. Football teams became friendlier and so were their nations. Later, players were employed to play in other national teams than their own. Football could share in the honour of preventing war and bringing European nations closer and helping them to better understand each other. Another country where Sports, and in particular cricket, is playing a remarkably striking role of unification and integration is India. India is probably the country with the greatest diversities. It is multi-racial,

multi-religious, multi-lingual and numerous competing political units. All these different groups are more often than not adversarial to each other and presents the Indian State with the constant challenge of dealing with these fissiparous tendencies. Cricket has proved itself to be a great unifier and integrator and this role of the game is fully recognized and respected. This accounts for the fact that India spends far more money on cricket than any other country in the world. There have been many writers and films in many languages celebrating and analyzing the

positive role of the game. Guyana, like India, is a country of diversity but it is only its racial differences, which challenge national unity and the integration of the society. Sports could play an important role in unifying the country. Cricket, as the most widely played game in Guyana, has always had the potential of breaking down racial and cultural barriers. In the schools, for instance, children of all racial and cultural backgrounds are members of the school cricket teams. Children of all races become friends and begin to appreciate different cultures Continued on page 69

Days after (ag) Commissioner spoke to police recklessness…ranks topple bus

The taxi and police vehicle that were involved in yesterday’s accident.

A bus belonging to the Guyana Police Force turned turtle Friday after hitting a taxi at the junction of Fourth and Light Streets in Alberttown, just days after Commissioner of Police (ag) David Ramnarine, spoke to the recklessness of some police ranks when using the Force’s vehicles. Witnesses claim the police vehicle was driving on Fourth Street heading in the westerly direction, at a fast rate of speed, while the taxi was on Light Street heading in the Southern direction. The vehicles collided as the taxi attempted to cross Fourth Street. The witness said the police vehicle made an attempt to swerve from the taxi, but was unable to avoid a collision which resulted in the police vehicle flipping over, and coming to a halt some 50 feet from the corner in Light Street. The Top Cop on Wednesday last had particularly stern words for ranks who were involved in reckless driving. He noted that the traffic situation remains one of serious concern, “exacerbated not only by the careless, dangerous, reckless behaviour of civilian drivers…but by some of our very own who should know better, having received higher learning and training as law

enforcement officials.” “Our membership needs to quickly and constantly appreciate that the rules of the road are for all road users…” He revealed that from July 2016 to June 2017, 18 members of the Force were involved in traffic accidents while driving Force vehicles, while 23 were involved from July 2017 to June 2018; a total of 41 ranks, seven subordinate officers, and 34 constables. “Add this to another 18 ranks over that two-year period, being involved in accidents with their private vehicles. The occurrences cannot be ones that we can be satisfied with.” On 18 occasions this year, where ranks driving Force vehicles were involved in accidents, the damage totaled $2,394,000. “They have been made to pay for the cost of repairs. Ten have completed payments, while others have some more time to do so.” With all that being said, it seems the Commissioner’s lecture had fallen on deaf ears. The rate of speed that this police vehicle would have had to be going to turn turtle after hitting the Crown taxi, must have exceeded the speed limits for streets in a residential neighbourhood like Alberttown.

Sunday July 22, 2018

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Kaieteur News

SPORTS GENERATE NATIONAL... FOR RENT

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From page 68 and discover a sense of unity when they play as teams against each other. The same kinds of unification and integration are reflected in the adult world’s sports activities. Though politicians and the public do have some understanding of the social value of sports, the Ministry of Sport, the clubs and even NGO’s with an involvement in sport, have never adumbrated a philosophy which could guide and inspire their activities. Those who are responsible for organizing sports activities must have a philosophy of action to guide them. The governmental authorities need to subsidize and spend more money on Sports.

Bartendercomputer knowledge, Blue Martini 169 Lamaha & De Abreau St. Call: 656-5544 5pm- 6pm Room attendant, Female supervisor, Male deskstaff 25-50 yrs. Tel# 225-0198 233 South road, Lacytown Jos-el Educational Institute seeks Grade 1 & 5 teachers, science teachers & abeka trained teachers. Phone: 2267868 Cook/Baker & Kitchen assistant for interior location. Call: 618-2020 for details. Cosmetologist, Maintenance worker, Carpenter/ Mason,Travel agent #2653586 PROPERTY FOR SALE Lot 15 Public road #2 Vill. WCB 3 House Lots, Rice cultivation 49ftx10,314ft length. Price $18M. Contact# 648-7109/686-4818 Property for sale (1) 3 story building at 97 Sugarcane street S/Rvldt Gardens. Price US 1.5M neg. Tel: 695-1356 & 6878445 Business Spot 27 Public road, Bagotstown, next to Bakewell. Contact #662-3837,664-7663

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LAND FOR SALE

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Kaieteur News

Sunday July 22, 2018

Land titles, $25M in Presidential Grants handed over - as 12th Toshaos Council wraps up

Toshao of Yarung Paru Village, Region Nine Shevnarine Cyprian receiving the presidential Grant from Minister of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Sydney Allicock

Toshao of Kato Village, Region Eight Clifton Perreira, receiving the presidential Grant from Minister of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Sydney Allicock

Toshao of Tuseneng Village Region Eight, Sebastian Scipo receiving the Village land title from Minister of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Sydney Allicock Minister of Indigenous Peoplesâ€™ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, brought the curtain down on the 12th National Toshaos Council Conference with the distribution of several Land Titles and Presidential Grants to indigenous communities. Receiving land titles were, Tuseneng Village, Kato and

Karisparu in Region Eight, Batavia, Region Seven, Sawariwau Region Nine. A total of $25,322,202 was handed over in Presidential Grants. The Toshaos and Senior Village Councillors were called upon by the Minister Allicock to make good use of the land

titles and presidential grants to ensure their communities progress. He charged the leaders to build bridges and relationships with their fellow indigenous brothers and sisters as they cannot afford to be divided in the quest for development of their communities.

Sunday July 22, 2018

Nightclub owner remanded for ganja in cupboard A popular nightclub owner was Friday remanded to prison after police found over 42 pounds of marijuana hidden in a cupboard in the kitchen of his nightclub. Clyde Barrett, 40, of 183 Calendar Street, Albouystown, and the owner of City Vibes Club appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. He denied the charge which alleged that on July 17 at Albouystown, he had in his possession 19.288 kilograms of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. Attorney-at-law Mark Conway in an application to secure bail for his client, told the court that his client has no previous matters and no conviction. He added that his client spent in excess of 72 hours in custody and fully cooperated with the investigators. The lawyer went on to tell the court that if bail is granted to his client, he would subject himself to any conditions by the court. Police Prosecutor, Neville Jeffers, objected to bail being granted to the defendant citing that no special reason was outlined by his lawyer. He added that on July 17 last, ranks from the Narcotics branch went to the popular nightclub and conducted a search in and around the premises. While the prosecutor told the court that no marijuana was found in the nightclub, he added that a search was conducted in the kitchen where the narcotic was found in a cupboard after the defendant provided them with the key. The court heard that a black bag containing a quantity of leaves, seeds and

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Kaieteur News

Remanded: Clyde Barrett

stems suspected to be marijuana was unearthed in several transparent plastic bags. Barrett when told of the offence, denied possession. He was arrested and taken into custody. The Magistrate after listening to the prosecutor submission told the court that she found no special reason to grant the defendant bail; hence, she remanded him to prison. He was instructed to make his next court appearance on August 8.

Cobra for new High Court trial From page 18 the panel regarding the evidence in relation to the identification parade. In delivering the ruling, presiding Judges, Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Rishi Persaud and Arif Bulkan noted based on the review of the case against Rowe, the conviction is set aside. The Court however ordered that the accused face a new trial for the murder at the High Court at the October session of Demerara Criminal Assizes.Earlier this year, Defence Attorney George Thomas addressed the Court of Appeal on a number of points, which he claims formed an erroneous basis on which Rowe was convicted and sentenced. He raised a number of points in which he believes the trial Judge erred or misdirected the jury towards the end of the trial in the High Court.In addition to severity of sentence, Thomas addressed the Court on five additional grounds, which he claims led to the erroneous conviction and sentence of his client. During his address, Thomas pointed out, inter alia, what he claimed is a “conflict”

in the evidence of the two main eyewitnesses. He stressed that the trial Judge, at the summing up of the evidence, only underlined the strength of the testimony provided by eyewitness and police constable, Neil Thornhill. Thomas told the court that while constable Thornhill said he recognized one of the men involved in the crime to be Rowe, he also said that there was a light, which cast a shadow on the faces of the men at the time of the incident. Thomas noted that the Judge failed to point out the latter to the jury. The lawyer said, too, that that the policeman claimed that he recognized Rowe, because of encounters with him when he was 14 years old. However, Thomas said, at the time when the crime was committed his client was 17 years old. “His features would have been notably changed by age seventeen. You cannot say that the person you knew at 14 years would look the same way three years later,” he argued.He claimed a failure to highlight such weaknesses added to his detriment of his client's case.Pointing out what he described as conflict in the

evidence, Thomas told the Court that he believes the testimony of Chandrika Datt, another eyewitness, was not handled in the same manner. Expounding on the issue of severity of sentence, Thomas argued that the Judge administered a lengthy, “term of years” sentence, without taking into consideration the time the crime was committed. He noted that in August 2010 (the time of the alleged murder), there was no amendment to the law as it relates to the legal punishment for murder; it was still the death penalty.“No amendment was made to the legislation at that time to allow for a term of years sentence.”While he agreed that the imposition of the death penalty could not be less severe than the term of years, the lawyer argued that the excessiveness of the sentence should be viewed in the same manner as a mandatory death sentence.Emphasizing that the law cannot be retroactively administered, Thomas held that it was a wrong determination by the Court to hand down a term of years sentence without taking into consideration the amendment took effect until October of 2010.

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Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

Ex-cop gets two years’ suspended sentence A former member of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Friday got off lightly when City Magistrate Annette Singh gave him a suspended sentence for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. Kwasie Maloney was on trial before Magistrate Singh in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts since last October. According to the charge, on October 12 last at the route 44 minibus park, Maloney had in his possession, a .9mm pistol when he was not a licensed firearm holder. It was further alleged, that on the same day in question, he had in his possession 19 rounds of ammunition along with a component of a spent shell.He had denied both charges. At the commencement of the trial, Attorney-at-law, Dexter Todd, argued that the witness’ evidence were whimsical and

lacked common sense. However, the attorney subsequently advised the defendant to change his plea to guilty. The lawyer then made a plea of mitigation seeking the Court’s discretion in sentencing his client. He told the court that there are a number of special reasons, which ought to move the court to hand down a suspended sentence. The court having accepted the plea in mitigation granted a two years’ suspended sentence with a fine of $60,000.At the conclusion of the trial in relation to unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition, the Magistrate instructed the defendant to attend counselling, which will be conducted by a probation officer. According to reports, on the day in question, police officers conducted a search of the defendant and found the articles.

Inspector transferred after refusing... From page 66 was premised on the fact that his Commander had given clear instructions which were adhered to in the execution of duties. “In addition, yet precisely stated, that should anyone complain that they can be directed to call him and he will give further instructions. Furthermore, I would like to state that in my thirty-four (34) years of service in the Guyana Police Force, I was never disrespectful to any of my superiors, which would have warranted a reprimand for such conduct however because of the prevailing atmosphere that existed at the time of having an audience with Mr. Ramnarine. “I extended an apology

in the presence of the other two senior officers mentioned above even though I did so with a heavy heart.” Playter said he was under the impression that the matter was finished there. However, on Friday 13th, April 2018 about 16:20 hrs while performing similar duties at the checkpoint, he was the recipient of a letter signed by the top cop. “…and upon reading the contents, it was informing me that I was posted to ‘C’ Division (East sector Demerara) effective from the 16th April 2018. This caught me by surprise for it was done with haste and in full breach of the public service rules applicable to me as an Inspector of Police and one

that is family oriented, as my family would be adversely affected also.” The inspector, in his letter to Minister Ramjattan, said that he believed Ramnarine “abrogated” upon himself to sanction him. “…In my humble view, it was a breach of natural justice and further, the sudden posting would have given one the impression that it was as a result of gross misconduct by me which resulted in him taking such an action.” Playter pointed out that there are other worse situations involving other ranks, which are met with little or no sanction. “…And therefore as a rank who understands the fundamentals of justice to an extent and w o u l d h a v e sought to dispense same in performing my duty became a victim of such miscarriage. In this context, I, therefore, seek your intervention to halt such callus conduct of my superiors in future instances.” The Minister who was apprised of the matter promised to investigate it. Playter is currently on leave.

Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

Cybercrime Bill lacks provisionfor international cooperation – Frank Anthony …says Guyana handicapped in investigating multinational crimes

ormer Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, has expressed the view that the Cybercrime Bill passed Friday evening in the National Assembly should have included a clause on how Guyana will work with the international community. During the debate of the Bill, the Opposition MP while supporting the need for cybercrime legislation outlined that the Bill contained several standard provisions that can be found in any Cybercrime Act around the world. He noted that most of its provisions have their genesis in the 2001 Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. The Convention’s primary goal is to establish a “common criminal policy”, to bette r c o m b a t c o m puter-related crimes worldwide through harmonising national legislation, enhancing law enforcement and judicial capabilities, and improving international cooperation. Dr. Anthony said comparing the two leg a l i n struments, he found that the Coalition Government borrowed most of the provisions from the Budapest Convention. According to Dr. Anthony, ‘the Government to its discredit’ has made two fundamental changes. Firstly, they dropped the section dealing with international cooperation and secondly, they added the section dealing with sedition. He explained that the Budapest Convention speaks to international cooperation and collaboration. Dr. Anthony noted that Guyana unfortunately has

not joined the Convention, and the Bill does not make provision to partner with other international agencies to deal with multi-jurisdictional issues for some cybercrimes. “So in effect, we are still handicapped in investigating some of these crimes, that might emanate from outside of Guyana. Or where our computer systems might have been used as a routing point to commit crime in another jurisdiction. This deficiency ought to be corrected,” Dr. Anthony outlined. He pointed out that the interconnectivity of the internet has made it possible to seamlessly pass through borders without a visa, almost instantaneously. This advantage of the internet, he shared, is one of its most significant vulnerability. Dr. Anthony pointed to the 1994 internet bank robbery carried o u t b y Vladimir Levin, from his apartment in Russia. Levin was accused of hacking the accounts of several of Citibank’s corporate customers in New York and making off with $10.7M. He moved the monies to accomplices around the world, including Finland, the US, Netherlands, Germany and Israel. “The big question was who had jurisdiction in this matter? Which one of the countries? Or is it all the countries? If there is no collaboration, how would these matters be adequately investigated?” Dr. Anthony questioned. The strengths of the Bill Dr. Anthony noted that it pro-

tects against fraud and forgery, child pornography, copyright infringements and security breaches such as hacking and illegal data interception. However, Dr. Anthony expressed concerns about the entire Clause 18, which deals with crimes against the state, expressiving the view that the Government could use it to censor free speech. “There is no doubt that the government must be aware of the powers of social media to bring geopolitical change. Citizens’ expressions on so c i a l m e d i a a n d o t h e r online outlets are now part of 21st-Century democracy. Instead of behaving like troglodytes, we must embrace the citizen’s social media expressions as part of the vibrancy of our democratic culture. This Section 18 has no place in a modern democratic Guyana,” Anthony declared. The Bill has been subject of widespread debate, especially with the inclusion of Sedition as an offence in under Clause 18. The Government deleted the sedition Clause through amendments before the passage of the Bill. It will now go before President David Granger for his assent.

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Sunday July 22, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Windies hoping to execute in change of... From page 79 We’ve had many of the guys playing in T20 leagues around the world, some guys have played Ateam cricket and some other guys have been involved in Test cricket so everybody has been playing cricket. “I think everybody is ready to go and hopefully we can start this series well tomorrow.” T h e Wi n d i e s ’ r e c e n t ODI record is hardly stellar. In fact, last year alone they registered a mere three wins in 23 outings – whitewashed by New Zealand last December and hammered 4-0 by England in a five-match series four months prior. Though they reached the final of the World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe, they were hardly convincing either, twice losing to

Afghanistan, just edging minnows Zimbabwe, and needing the luck of Duckworth/Lewis to beat lowly Scotland in an all-important second round match. West Indies, though, have beaten Bangladesh in seven of their last 11 meetings, sweeping them 3-0 the last time they meet in the Caribbean four years ago. However, Holder said improvement would be necessary if his side were to come out on top in the series. “I think all three departments we’ve got to tighten up on,” said Holder, adjudged Man-of-the-Series in the recent Tests. “Rotation of strike in the middle overs is key for us – we’ve fell down in the past there and they’ve got a lot of slow bowlers as well which we’ve probably

struggled to rotate the [batting against]. “Obviously our fielding can also improve as well and our death bowling – these are the areas that I’ve pinpointed in the dressing room and hopefully our fellas can go out and put things right from the last time we would have played.” From the Test series, the Windies have also retained stroke-makers Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer and Kieran Powell, leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo and rookie pacer Keemo Paul, whose only four ODIs came in the World Cup qualifiers. Russell, who served a year-long anti-doping drugs whereabouts ban in 2017, is also back in the squad for the first time in three years, with fast bowler Alzarri Joseph also returning after recovering from a stress

Sunday July 22, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Things may roll along nicely in love and romance and then suddenly run into a snag, Aries. Perhaps you failed to recognize an important birthday or anniversary. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Here's a reminder that it's OK to be you. You may feel more centered than usual, which encourages you to stand up for yourself and say the things you must to people who need to hear them. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You may have that awful feeling that you really need to get down to work yet something seems to stand square in the way of progress. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You're anxious to take action, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. Be careful about acting too hastily. It's important that you and your loved one be on the same page first. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) It may feel as if something or someone is trying to keep you from moving ahead with your ambitious goals and aggressive nature, Leo. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You're apt to feel more talkative than usual, Virgo. There are many times when you may shrink from a situation in disgust or perhaps boredom. You're usually anxious to move from one scene and get on with the next.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You may be anxious to try an uncharted path that speaks to your sense of risk and adventure. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Other people are likely to be anxious to get up and moving with their plans, Scorpio. It might be better for you to hang back a bit and see how things pan out before you take action. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Your heart has been active, and you're probably feeling the need to take charge of a certain relationship. Instead of being too hasty in your pursuit of this romance, you should probably do more planning. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) There is solid grounding to your emotions right now that is helping you stabilize your sensitive feelings. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Your relationships are going well from an intellectual perspective, Aquarius, but from an emotional one, you might feel like they aren't as fulfilling as you'd like. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) oncentrate on nurturing your needs right now instead of trying to accommodate the needs of others, Pisces. There is a difficult tension that arises when you try to comfort someone who really doesn't want to be comforted.

fracture which sidelined him since last December. The second ODI is also carded for the National Stadium on Wednesday, with the third set for Warner Park in St Kitts next Saturday. SQUADS: WEST INDIES – Jason Holder (captain), Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Shai Hope, Kieran Powell, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Mohammed, Rovman Powell, Keemo Paul, Andre Russell, Ashley Nu r s e , Devendra Bishoo, Alzarri Joseph. BANGLADESH – Mashrafe Mortaza (captain), Shakib Al Hasan (vice-captain), Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Liton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman, Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Nazmul Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Hider, Abu Jayed.

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Platinum Auto Expo set for August 5 at GMR&SC Absent from the list of entertainment for some time, Platinum Promotions will be hosting a massive Auto Expo on August 5, at the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC), Thomas Lands. According to Organiser Mahendra Boodhoo, the event is expected to attract some of the best vehicles in terms of glitz and glamour, while those with the fancy lights, shining rims and cleanest sound system will all have the opportunity to win prizes. Boodhoo, a former racer and President of the GMR&SC said the occasion is for the family to enjoy, especially those with a deep appreciation for excellent looking vehicles and those who just love to compete in such competitions. Boodhoo added that the Expo is open to all and over $1million in cash prizes and trophies will be up for grabs for winners in the respective categories. Participants will compete in over 27 categories and word

Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

Raj Boodhoo

is that competitors are currently working feverishly to excite the fans with their thorough preparations. Among the categories to contested are: Best Antique bike, Mini Extreme Face Out Cars, Best Rims, Best Graphic Bus and Car, Cleanest SUV, Best Technician, Biggest Bike and others. Additionally, Boodhoo disclosed that fans will be entertained throughout the day with displays set to commence at 14:00 hrs, while gates will be open from 12:00hrs. Patrons wishing to buy tickets in advance will be sold at a cost of $1,500. Advanced

tickets cost just $1,500 per person. Also, a star-studded lineup of local entertainment talent is anticipated to grace the stage including Granny Ivelaw, Chiney Man and Chow Pow. Interested persons can contact the organisers on 6172651 or 627-2369. Some of the sponsors on board are: A. Ali & Sons, GT Motorsports, Stag Beer, Caribbean Motor Spares and Ramchand Auto Spares. Meanwhile, the Launch of the event will be conducted on Tuesday, at the GMR&SC from 15:00hrs.

Kanhai’s Electrical, Goodwood Racing Service on board with Guyana Cup 2018 Sponsors are continuing to support the Guyana Cup 2018 horserace meet, which has over $15million in cash and prizes on offer for the August 19th event at the Rising Sun Turf Club in Berbice. Latest to come on board are Kanhai’s Electrical and Goodwood Racing Service. Both business entities presented sponsorship cheque’s to the organisers of the mega horseracing event. Miss Sharmilla Ramdhanny representing Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee , collected the sponsorship from Compton Sancho who filled in for the Goodwood Racing Service during the past week. Goodwood has been proud sponsors of the event for over 5 years now.Meanwhile, Gaitree Tulsidas of Kanhai’s Electrical, also a continuous sponsor of the meet, gave her contribution to Sancho, who represented the race

Sharmilla Ramdhanny of the organisers collects the sponsorship from Compton Sancho for Goodwood Racing Service. organisers on this occasion. The latest entities have joined Superbet Guyana, Discount Store, Hand-in-hand Insurance, Gizmos and Gadgets and Mazi nightclub of the USA.

Gaitree Tulsidas (right) of Kanhai’s Electrical give their contribution to Compton Sancho.

The C Class event is the main attraction and the race programme will show 10 events: 1) C class and lower, 1600m. Total purse: $3,875,000 2) 3yr old Derby 1100M purse: $2,000,000. 3) G1 and lower 1400M purse: $1,550,000. 4) H3 and lower 1100M purse $1,350,000. 5) 2yrs old Guyana Bred 1100M - purse: $680,000. 6) I class and lower 1400M - Purse: $581,000. 7) J3 and lower 1400M. Purse: $485,000. 8) L class 1400M - purse $390,000. 9) L class 1400M - purse $390,000. 10) L class 1100M – purse $290,000.

Sunday July 22, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Elite referees officiate in Central More thoughts on College and American and Caribbean Games University preparation for athletes

Gladwyn Johnson

Maurees Skeete

Kevin Stephens

Three Guyanese match officials are among those officiating at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games being held in Barranquilla, Colombia from July 18 – 31. Among the officials are Referees Gladwyn Johnson and Maurees Skeete and Assistant Referee Kevin Stephens. According to Stanley L a n c a s t e r, H e a d o f t h e Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Refereeing Department, this is an achievement for the Concacaf Tier Two referees whose participation sig-

nals an opportunity for further technical assessment and development: “This is the second time, if my memory serves me correctly, that match officials from Guyana have been invited to participate in the CAC Games. This is certainly encouraging and shows the confidence bestowed on the match officials from Guyana to sustain the rigors of competition. This opportunity will also contribute t o e n hanced technical development considering the expected networking and level of competition.”

Johnson is also part of the Concacaf ’s Targeted Advanced Referee Programme (TARP), which seeks to foster the technical growth and development of select referees. The female leg of the CAC Games began on July 18 and will conclude on July 30, while the male competition is from July 19 – 31. This year’s CAC Games have 38 participating countries involved in 40 disciplines including athletics, field hockey, football, cycling, swimming and beach volleyball.

Teams continue to confirm participation for Caribbean Schoolboys boxing C/Ship Teams are continuing to confirm their participation in the Caribbean Schoolboys and Junior Boxing tournament fixed for the National Gymnasium from August 17th to 19th. President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Steve Ninvalle, informed that Jamaica heads the latest on

the list of country’s confirming their participation in the leading Caribbean junior boxing tournament. Ninvalle informed that Jamaica will be sending four boxers, three male and one female to these games. Grenada has indicated they will also send four, while Trinidad and Tobago is the

largest contingent to date with 12. St. Lucia and Cayman Islands are the other countries who have also confirmed their participation so far. Word is still being awaited from Antigua, Barbados, US Virgin Islands, Bahamas and Suriname on their participation.

In sharing more thoughts on young athletes’ preparation for College and University scholarship programme, Guyanese US-based athletics coach and sports organiser Andy Medas-King offered a bit more information on the subject. “In educating the public about the importance of being ready for College and University, parents and Athletes need to know what subjects they must do in high School in order for them to enter top Colleges and Universities. For instance Mathematics have 1, 2, & 3 likewise English is the same, there is also a misunderstanding with history, where some Colleges and Universities ask for American History and you must do a Foreign language. These simple steps can disqualify any athlete or student who would like to enter the system.” “Now as I move onto the most important part is preparing to write the SAT. The SAT’s score determines what College and University you get into and now with Technology it can be accessed from your phone and

computers. Today there is an app name Khan’s Academy or you can just Google it and open an account, this should be every student’s best friend. The thing about Khan’s Academy is that it teaches everyone from pre-k to University level and it’s so amazing that most of the world’s leading experts and students have expressed thanks to this app,” MedasKing opined. “For me I discovered this app about 8 years ago and I have to say thank God for Mr. Khan because he changed the world. I’m order to pass the SAT or to become better in almost every subject you need to use Khan’s Academy, because there is no other place that teaches you every topic there is in every subject. My advice to every parent in Guyana please make Khan’s Academy part of your life and I can assure the entire country that we will get much better results at every Examination be it CXC, CAPE, SSEE or the Nurses Exams say good bye to failing grades. I will be more in-depth in my next piece.”

Finals for Sir Garfield Sobers Int’l Schools’ (Dambuka Nqgando 39 tournament set for tomorrow overs not out, Rajendra Singh 21, The 360 Cricket Academy of Australia and Barbados’ Combermere School will battle each other tomorrow at the Kensington Oval after winning their semi finals in the 32nd Annual Sir Garfield Sobers International Schools Cricket tournament in Barbados Friday. Two of the three Guyanese schools closed off their campaign with victories, while Queen’s College lost their 19th place play off to Dominica Schools. POSITION 11 - At James Bryan: Eletra Institute (Guyana) beat Presentation College (T&T) by 6 wickets. Presentation College 98

all out in 25.2 overs (Brandon Ali 45, Sanjay Jawahir 18, Quentin Sampson 5-23, Alphius Bookie 4-26) . Eletra 99-4 in 25 overs (Alphius Bookie 29 not out, Matthew Cheong 29, Qadir Mohammed 2-27). POSITION 15 - At Gall Hill: Nations Inc (Guyana) beat BCL Juniors by 2 wickets. BCL Juniors 151 all out in 29.2 overs (Shakeem Boyce 48, Shaquana Glasgow 43, Josiah Bailey 16, Shakera Parris 15, Darrius Andrews 418, Dambuka Nqgando 4-46, Tathesh Shivrattan 2-31). Nations Inc 152-8 in 32.2

Darrius Andrews 15, Tuen Hicks 15, Tathesh Shivrattan 13, Josiah Bailey 4-36, Shakeem Boyce 3-44). POSITION 19 - At Briar Hall: Dominica Schools beat Queen’s College (Guyana) by 5 wickets. Queens College (Guyana) 172-8 in 37 overs (Brandon Jaikarran 58, Ronaldo McGarrell 32, Vikash Jaikarran 14, Bhedesh Persaud 10, Malakai Xavier 4-22, and Neo Davis 4-37). Dominica Schools 176-5 in 26 overs (Nigel Jno-Lewis 54 not out, Malakai Xavier 42, Lincoln Durand 35, Stephen Pascal 15).

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Sunday July 22, 2018

Kaieteur News

ExxonMobil under-14 football

GFF Elite League Season III

Charlestown and Chase Tigers win to go top; Ann’s Grove and Academy take top honours New Amsterdam play to stalemate

From left, Donna Lowe and Shania Fraser were on the scoresheet for Charlestown Secondary during their 3-0 victory. Vurlon Mills has been the most successful youth coach in recent years and the Chase Academic Foundation Manager added another title in the bag after orchestrating the star-studded school to the boys’ title of the Inaugural ExxonMobil under-14 schools’ football tournament, yesterday afternoon at the Ministry of Education (MOE) ground on CARIFESTA Avenue.

The boys’ champions triumphed in emphatic fashion with a 6-1 steamrolling of losing finalists North Ruimveldt Multilateral. On the score sheet for the private school were Devon Padmore (second minute), Sealon Sue (sixth), Jaheel Alexander (23rd), Renaldo Abrams (36th), Shaquan Liverpool (41st) and Kevin Mullin (48th) minute. Orland Dikie was the lone goal scorer for ‘Multi’. It was a very lopsided affair and after Chase had gotten past their true rivals for the boys’ title; Buxton, Chase who had a squad which comprised of seven national under-15 players were destined to lift the crown. In the girls’ final, eventually winners Charlestown Secondary were actually knocked out by East La Penitence during last Saturday’s semifinal round but La Penitence were found guilty of breaking the tournament rules and Charlestown gained the final berth. Given a second opportunity, Charlestown made use of it and defeated East Ruimveldt 30 in the final. Shania Easton, who eventually finished the girls’ tournament as the highest goal scorer, scored a brace with her first strike putting the champions ahead in the eighth minute. Donna Lowe then doubled the lead in the 25th minute before Easton completed her brace in the 40th minute. The first placed teams received $300,000 towards a project of their schools’ choice, while second received $200,000, third $100,000 and fourth $50,000.

Ann’s Grove William Europe (number 10) whips in one of his many crosses from the left wing during another one of his dazzling performances on Friday evening. Three goals in the first half ensured Ruimveldt based Western Tigers Football Club (FC) an eventual and comfortable 3-1 victory over eighth place Cougars FC on Friday night at the National Track and Field Center (NTFC), Leonora. Playing in the feature match of the double header, the handful of fans that comprised mainly of players had much to cheer about as Western Tigers (27 points) were 3-0 up as early as the 27th minute after Keron Solomon (5th minute), Pernell Schultz (7th minute) and Daniel Wilson had each scored a goal and the prospect of an embarrassing score line for Cougars seemed imminent. However, Cougars who are in the bottom three of the league table; battling the prospect of relegation, fought back after conceding three early goals. Cougars FC played with more intent against a lackadaisical looking Western Tigers team who were too comfortable with their three-goal lead during the second half and the Berbice-based club was unlucky to only pull one goal back through Romella Johnson in the 74th minute. Nevertheless, Western Tigers collected

their three points and are on course to win the league.In the opening game, table stragglers Ann’s Grove United (ninth) and New Amsterdam United (10th) that are last in the league, played to a disappointing draw. The game was disappointing because both had excellent opportunities to pick up a win which would’ve granted a much needed three points in the desperate battle against relegation. After a goalless first half, Maxton Adams fired Ann’s Grove ahead in the 54th minute but the East Coast men couldn’t hold on to their lead and Egbert Simon equalised in the 71st minute. New Amsterdam played great attacking football after leveling the score but they lacked the finishing quality on numerous opportunities afterwards and had to settle for a draw. The league continues with a triple header tonight at Leonora beginning with Buxton versus Victoria at 16:00hrs, Ann’s Grove against GDF at 18:00hrs and the feature match between Den Amstel and Fruta Conquerors at 20:00hrs. Admission to the venue is $500; women and children are free. (Calvin Chapman photos and story)

Western Tigers’ Kelsey ‘Neymar’ Benjamin (left) squares up against Okifi Patoir for possession during the Tigers’ 3-1 win on Friday.

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 22, 2018

PAGE 79

Windies hoping to execute in change of format GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Fresh from their domination of Bangladesh in the recent two-Test series, West Indies will switch formats but hope to sustain their winning momentum when they take on the tourists in the first of t h r e e O n e - D a y Internationals starting here today. While neither of the two Tests went the distance as B a n g l a d e s h ’s b a t t i n g capitulated w eakly in Antigua and Jamaica, the Tigers are expected to put up a stronger showing in the shorter format in which they are more at home and are ranked seventh – two places higher than the Windies. They were good enough to reach the final of the TriNations Series involving Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe last January, and also clinched a semi-final spot in last year’s Champions Trophy before bowing out.West Indies Jason Holder told reporters here yesterday he was under no illusions about the danger posed by the Bangladeshis but stressed the importance

of executing team plans. “We know they are a better white-ball team probably than a red-ball team and they’ve got some quality in players in their line-up,” Holder noted. “But I think we’ve got to just plan well for them. I think we’ve done a bit of thinking and a bit of planning towards where we want to go and accomplish, so it’s about executing. I think execution plays a big part of it and hopefully our guys can come tomorrow and execute from ball one.” West Indies will also need to shake off their own rustiness, having not played an ODI since the World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe last March. The likes of superstars Twenty20 superstars Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis and Andre Russell have returned to the 13-man squad while Jason Holder and Rovman Powell are fresh off the Windies A tour in England. And Holder believes with most of the squad having played competitive cricket over the last four

months, West Indies should not be at any disadvantage with the change of formats.

“The mood in the camp is pretty good. Obviously we have had some time off since

the last ODI series which would have been the World Cup qualifiers,” he

explained.“The guys played some cricket before then. (Continued on page 75)

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Kaieteur News

Sunday July 22, 2018

GFF is first CONCACAF MA to adopt FIFA DTMS - FIFA Officials Facilitate

The FIFA Facilitators seated from left, Hector Narvarro, Maria Stracke, Semira Jawdat, GFF President Wayne Forde and Competitions Coordinator Rev. Ian Alves joined the MA and Federation Secretariat Staff for a pic on the opening day of the Seminar.

ith the aim of professionali sing football here, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) on Friday last became the first Member A s s o c i a t i o n o f CONCACAF top adopt the FIFA Domestic Transfer Matching System (DTMS). The first group of officials exposed to the DTMS training which was facilitated by three experienced FIFA Officials at Olympic house were federation secretariat staff and Member Associations representatives which included Upper Demerara, East Bank, West Demerara, B a r t i c a , Essequibo/Pomeroon, East Demerara and Berbice. Friday’s final session catered for Club Representatives. The facilitators, Maria Stracke (Training & Support Coordinator), Hector Narvarro (Legal Counsel TMS Compliance) and Semira Jawdat (Project Coordinator) took the participants through the all day session where they were lectured to as well were able to do mock transfers to get a feel of how the process is done. A quiz was also done at the end of the day to test the participants newly acquired knowledge of FIFA DTMS which is a system developed by FIFA TMS to provide an online platform for domestic transfers and to compliment the International Transfer Matching System (ITMS). TMS, Transfer Matching System was established by FIFA to transform the international transfer market. TMS provides a digital

standard process; centralization of all transfers and related documents; transparency of all payments; efficient information flow within the association. Benefits of the system: Increases transparency and improves the credibility and standing of the transfer system; Helps safeguard the protection of minors; Provides associations and clubs with a web-based data information system designed to administer and monitor international and domestic transfers. During the opening ceremony, GFF President Wayne Forde declared that it is the vision of the federation to professionalise football and to achieve this, the body will invest the time and energy towards accomplishing this. Forde also noted that it would be done in a structured and transparent manner. Project Coordinator Semira Jawdat noted that it is a new chapter for the federation and its members associations stating that Guyana is the first MA of CONCACAF to adopt the DTMS. Her colleague, Maria Stracke echoed her sentiments positing that it was a big achievement. There are some 9,800 active ITMS users worldwide representing 7,000 participating clubs from 211 Member Associations, 6 Confederations and 4 FIFA Departments. There are over 4,000 active DTMS users representing 11 MAs – Iran, Cambodia; Ecuador; Nigeria, Malawi, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Sudan; Holland, Bulgaria; Guyana.

Malteenoes cricket Academy ready... From page 81 made his contribution in US dollars. The Academy caters for both Girls and Boys from 6-18 years and registration fee is $3,000. Forms can be picked today from the Malteenoes’ caretaker. Girls are encouraged to join, while the ‘Babies’ of the National Girls team just back from Jamaica, have registered for the Academy on the recommendation of their Coach Bharat Mangru who is also an International Scorer and will conduct scoring sessions to the 13-18 age group. Essequibo Franchise Coach Ryan Hercules attended the very first Academy in 1999 and returned the next year. He went on to represent Essequibo at Senior Inter-County level. Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sports Dr George Norton will deliver the feature address tomorrow.

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 22, 2018

EBFA / Juicy Juice U-13 League

Four matches on today; Timehri remain unbeaten; KK Warriors & Agricola win

ay five rivalry in the East Bank F o o t b a l l Association (EBFA) / Juicy Juice Under-13 League today at the Timehri Red Ground will see four matches being played from 10:00hrs; Diamond Upsetters and Swan FC setting the pace for the day. This would be followed by Samatta Point/Kaneville opposing Soesdyke Falcons from 11:15hrs after which Agricola Red Triangle will challenge Herstelling Raiders in the main supporting match. The day’s final game brings together Kuru Kururu Warriors and Diamond United in what is anticipated to be a keen tussle with Diamond United currently in second place chasing down their third win in as many matches. The Warriors notched their first points yesterday as a result of a walk over from Soesdyke and are eager to take another three today to cap off what would be a productive weekend. Meanwhile, yesterday’s play saw Timehri Panthers Sports Club sailing to their fourth win in as many matches when they defeated Swan FC 3-0 on account of a double from the boot of Keyron Williams who has

now taken his tally in the league to seven (7). Williams netted in the 17th and 45th minute with the other goal coming from Joshua Clenkian in the 27th minute, his third of the league. Agricola Red Triangle in their first competitive match clipped the wings of Hararuni Eagles 7-0 and in the process recorded the second joint fastest goal of the competition (1st minute) scored by Eon Daniels who achieved a helmet-trick in the match. D i a m o n d U n i t e d ’s Shaquan Braithwaite also scored for his side against Herstelling Raiders in the first minute. Daniels rocked the nets again in the 30th, 40th and 60th minutes and was well supported by Floyd Boyce who converted in the 31st minute, Dangelo Dick in the 36th and Jonathan Andrews in the 56th minute to seal an emphatic win. Timehri are well poised at the top of the points table with 12 points from four wins from as many starts and are followed by Diamond United and Diamond Upsetters on 6 points apiece from two wins each, both unbeaten but United ahead on a goal difference of +9 to Upsetters’ +4.

Malteenoes cricket Academy ready in event of rain - Ex MSC youth Coach Waldron ‘gives back’ to club As Malteenoes get ready for possible rain and an unplayable ground, contingency plans are in place for the staging off the Malteenoes Cricket Academy which starts tomorrow. According to the club if the rain continues and the ground can’t be used, the tarmac at the Transport Sports Club ground and the one in the National Park will be used for the outdoor sessions with tape balls being used until the ground dries. Meanwhile, as support for the Academy continues to grow 59 year-old for MSC youth Coach Oswald Waldron made a timely contribution to the club he called home for 17 years before he migrated to the

Oswald Waldron played a key role as youth Coach at Malteenoes. USA in 1999. ‘Ossie’ worked with the youth section in the 1990s when cricket in Demerara was still strong and said he was pleased to give back to a club he still loves and will never forget. The Coach who also worked with the Scotia Bank Kiddies cricket programme (Continued on page 80)

Agricola Red Triangle’s Eon Daniels (2nd right) scores the first of his four goals in the first minute against Hararuni Eagles yesterday.

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Champions! Charlestown Secondary girls’ under-14 team who won the Exxon Mobil under-14 school competition yesterday at the MOE ground.

ExxonMobil under-14 football

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Charlestown and Chase Academy take top honours

From left, Petra’s President Troy Mendonca, Vurlon Mills (Coach of Chase boys’ under-14) and ExxonMobil’s Deebra Moe pose with the championship winning Chase Academy Side with ExxonMobil’s Nicholas Yearwood at the extreme right.

Windies hoping to execute in change of format

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