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Eco Atlantic's share price appreciates 200% in 18 months Fishermen charged with Patterson's murder of colleague order is all that's needed to prove House-to-House will surpass September 18 - Jagdeo Arnold Bruce Kennedy

Tavish Mangra

Owner claims car allegedly used in 'Whistle' execution - had reported it stolen sometime ago

Richie Mahase

Appeal Court orders retrial for cameraman accused of raping girl, 13 $20,000 fine for man who threatened to cut up mom and put pieces in freezer

Attorney General hopes Opposition will grant two-thirds

majority to extend election deadline

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Kaieteur News

Thursday July 25, 2019

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 25, 2019

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Eco Atlantic's share price appreciates 200 percent in 18 months

By Kiana Wilburg

S

ince being awarded the Orinduik Block in 2016, one of the license holders, Eco Atlantic, is already enjoying some level of success even before a discovery is made.

According to Eco's CEO, Gil Holzman, the company's share price has appreciated around 200 percent in just 18 months.

But this is just the beginning of Eco's good fortune it seems. The CEO has indicated that things are only going to get better since the commencement of drilling activities on the block is expected to attract more investors.

In this regard, Holzman noted that the Stena Forth drill ship is already working on the first well called the Jehtro-Lobe and the results

are likely to be published in 40 days. “So we are looking at the middle of August,” Holzman said. He also said that the licence holders of the block which includes French oil major, Total, will have a better understanding of the block after the results are out.

He further noted that Tullow, the operator for the block, has a very experienced team operating the drill ship and one can certainly looking forward to increasing momentum on the Orinduik block.

Holzman said that a perfect result would naturally be a discovery with a good reservoir for the Jethro. But even if a discovery is not made with Jethro, Holzman noted that the Stena Forth will be moving immediately to the Joe prospect in mid-August.

The results for this well are

expected in September.

Holzman reminded that the license holders anticipate a d i s c o v e r y o f approximately 220 million barrels of oil equivalent reserve.

The Eco CEO added , “That is the best estimate but it can be more or less but we understand from the structure of this play (Jethro) that it can open additional series of oil pockets surrounding it, but we will know much more in August.”

Furthermore, Holzman said that while it is doing a two–well programme this year, it is funded for an additional six wells next year and the partners have already identified over a dozen possible targets. “...But regardless of the results, there is a lot of work to be done,” the CEO concluded.

Gail Teixeira notes absence of meeting between President, Opposition Leader

O

pposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, says it is unbelievable that one week has passed and no meeting has been scheduled for the continuation of discussions at the informal level either between the Leader of the Opposition and the President or with their emissaries. “ W e , i n t h e Parliamentary Opposition, thought that we were making progress in the informal engagement, albeit slow, with four names that are “not unacceptable” to the President.

“Despite the CCJ's ruling that the appointment of the chairman in accordance with the constitution is of 'utmost urgency,' and the President's statement on July 12 that the appointment could be done in a matter of days, the Leader of the Opposition's informal submission of an

Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira additional four names on July 18 for the President's consideration with regards to their acceptability to him remains unanswered.”

This is the “bad Faith” that the Caribbean Court of Justice warned about in their June 18th ruling and July 12th consequential orders, Teixeira said.

President Granger's

public statements must no longer believed, she said.

“On several occasions Granger changed his mind and in others openly contradicted earlier public statements such as those he made on July 12, and July 19, 2019 which are a complete reversal of the statements he made at his July 4 press conference following the meeting with the Leader of the Opposition with regards to the appointment of the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission.”

The Leader of the Opposition has on more than one occasion written to the President and declared publicly “his availability to meet at any time and daily” in order to conclude the informal process of finding s ix n ames “n o t unacceptable” to the President in keeping with article 161 (2), Ms. Teixeira added.

Just a few months ago, Holzman had disclosed that the entity was able to raise over US$17M which would be used to fund Eco's share of up to four potential new wells, in addition to the committed Jethro and Joe wells, as well as for general corporate purposes.

Eco Atlantic is traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange and is listed as an oil and gas exploration and production company with interests in Guyana and Namibia where significant oil discoveries have been made.

The Group aims to deliver material value for its stakeholders through oil exploration, appraisal and development activities in stable emerging markets, in partnership with major oil companies, including Tullow, Total and Azinam.

In Guyana, Eco Guyana holds a 15 per cent working interest alongside Total (25 per cent.) and Tullow Oil (60 per cent.) in the 1,800 km2 Orinduik Block in the

Eco Atlantic CEO, Gil Holzman shallow water of the prospective SurinameGuyana basin. The Orinduik Block is adjacent and up dip to the deep-water Liza Field and Snoek, Payara, Pacora, Tu r b o t , L o n g t a i l a n d Hammerhead discoveries, recently made by ExxonMobil and Hess Corporation.

The more recent discovery by ExxonMobil and Hess Corporation, Pluma-1, increased the estimate of recoverable resources for the Stabroek Block to more than five billion barrels of oil

equivalent, and the latest discoveries at Tilapia-1 and Haimara-1 are expected to further add to that estimate.

In Namibia, the company holds interests in four offshore petroleum licences totaling approximately 22,500km with over 2.3 billion barrels of prospective P50 resources in the Walvis and Lüderitz Basins. These four licences, Cooper, Guy, Sharon and Tamar are being developed alongside partners Azinam and NAMCOR. Eco has been granted a drilling permit on its Cooper Block (Operator).

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Thursday July 25, 2019

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

The Guyana Constitution – Scrap it and start all over again The constitution blankets Guyana in a suffocating vice.

It can’t breathe or move, actually live. Isn’t it time to amputate and cremate this poisoned limb that rots Guyana’s body?

The Guyana constitution is the longest-running, biggest fraud perpetrated here. It is kept relevant by self-serving politicians. Then there are those citizens - mighty and lowly, learned yet ignorant - who wipe away ashes from their faces to refer to it, stand for it, pretend at living with it. It is a pitiful living.

The Guyana constitution has one purpose: convenience; the convenience of a cloak of thorns that succeeds only in laying bare more disgracefully the utter nakedness of this society, and its hypocritical sons and daughters, who hold it shamelessly aloft as meaning something: presented as something to lift out of the grave, even when it buries deeper.

As a document, the Guyana constitution is a handbook for the unethical. Thus, it has been used by those empowered by the ballot, those advantaged by circumstances, and those who breathe and smell of the unpatriotic. There are these self-congratulating, believed masterly interpretations of what it means, should mean, and must mean. In fact, the Guyana constitution has been found to have so many meanings that, in effect, it has no meaning at all. This is so, regardless of “the names, battle slogans and costumes” (Marx) of its endless interpretations. This constitution is crutch to lean on, football to kick around, and pillow to dream on to varying degrees of satisfaction.

It has been flashed to exhibit heavyweight intellect, differentiating substance, and native wisdom; the lowest common denominator results.

And yet this self-destructive apparition, this enfeebling concoction, this entombing abomination is worshipped by men who rush to identify themselves as the most thoughtful in the midst: citizens proclaiming impulses towards the profound, the visionary, and possibly the forward march of a nation.

Against all of this, and when examined honourably, it becomes undeniable that the Guyana constitution aids cunning and selfserving elites in this nation in the same manner, and to an identical degree, that the formal existence of a home functions for betrayers of the domestic hearth. Like the imagined castle of a make-believe home, the constitution is there: a sanctuary in which to seek refuge as the spasmodic urges pulse to remind that there is just such a provision when the times are not so favourable.

Today, the door of this relied-upon current constitution must be slammed shut. Forever! This rotten-to-the-core edifice blown up. This is what the truly committed in this country would do; those tired of all the running around, the draining life experiences.

Blow up the constitution. Let the pieces scatter to the four winds.

Bring the final curtain down on what has filled with so much emptiness, so much weakness, while leaving so completely helpless.

Start over Guyana! Start with nothing. But start with simplicity, honesty, and the purity of a particular brand of ingenuity that, for once, gifts this crippled nation something special, something sacred, that it can clasp to its collective breast.

A clean start can only be thought of, tried, and delivered if there is the simple decency, the nationwide humility that for too long we have erred, through listening to selfish visions leading to troubled destinies. Calls have been for the two leaders to meet and reach for compromise. They must do so without reference to the constitution. Article this and clause that will only imprison longer in solitary.

Men must assemble with clear heads and a clean page: no preconditions. That’s a constitution of commonsense that could help to creep towards political consensus. Only then can Guyanese - leaders and populace - give energy, inspiration, and life to what could usher in the thinnest ray of light for a future tomorrow.

In the disasters of ongoing crises, this country has the opportunity to cease being dishonest with itself, and just this once embark on what could be life-giving.

Those who are doing the ignoble bidding of their political masters DEAR EDITOR, I have been following quite closely the different views that have emerged since the ruling and subsequent orders by the CCJ. Quite a few persons have expressed what I consider as reasonable views but then, u n f o r t u n a t e l y, t h e y a r e sadly the odd few who have taken outlandish views to unprecedented levels. In that process, they have descended to unfortunate levels and have eroded their credibility.

This grouping which, I recognise, as selfidentified champions of democracy; upholders of the rule of law, and fighters on behalf of the oppressed and exploited have today sold themselves for a few pieces silver and have become obvious agents doing the ignoble bidding of their political masters.

These now-former honourable individuals, who hold themselves out as leaders, are apparently hell bent on a campaign of misinformation, undoubtedly, to safeguard their cushy perks and posts. For me, this is particularly disheartening as some in this grouping were very much involved in the struggle for the restoration of democracy in our c o u n t r y.

It is particularly hard for me to imagine that these socalled comrades have today apparently sold-out their once cherished

principles and ideals. Well, they have, in that betrayed what they once stood for and, astonishingly, have joined in perpetuating actions they previously railed against. I wonder how they can really be taken at face value.

Swinging from one rickety limb to another, they have launched, more recently, an unconvincing defence of the just commenced house-tohouse (h2h) exercise. True to their new form, they have expressed critical views of those calling for a boycott of the exercise as they seek to justify the h2h alongside calls for a credible elections process.

I am sure right-thinking Guyanese are desirous of a credible, free and fair elections process. This is an achievement that our people won out of struggle.

But the misguided few want to have their cake and eat it too as they seek to promote electoral credibility to suit the whim and fancies.

While they seek to embellish a situation, democracy, constitutional respect and our people’s franchise are literally held hostage and judicial rule has become a mocking stock in the eyes of those in high positions. The shedding of crocodile tears does not wish away the h2h is a product of the ‘unfitand-improper’ Chairman of GECOM. Nor does the wailing erase that the Chief Elections Officer himself

publicly said that h2h is not necessary as the current list is more than suitable.

I see too the lamentations over Government’s “caretaker” status. It is laughable to see statements that CCJdeemed caretaker government must retain its full array of powers.

Arguments have been proffered to say there is really not any difference in the current status of the Administration. In the real world, this is just being disingenuous as one could possibly be but then it seems we have those among us living in wonderland. If this were really the case, the CCJ needed not label the Administration with the caretaker status. I am disturbed, yet amazed, to see how far the new minions are willing to bend over to defend their masters. It seems they have no backbone whatsoever and they have become puppets whose strings are pulled by their handlers with impunity. Of course, President Granger himself has thrown a wet towel on the matter and has recognised his Government has lost a full mandate to govern as he wishes.

I recognise too the almost consistent calls for dialogue between the main forces. I must admit on the surface this seems to be the right approach. But it is wisely said once bitten, t w i c e s h y. C l e a r l y, t h e

Coalition Administration is apparently showing no intention to engage in meaningful, good-faith discussions.

The immediate aftermath of the NCM vote saw expressions to engage in meaningful dialogue. The hope and optimism that sprung up were scuttled by the badfaith actions of the Administration. Certainly, had there really been a commitment to sincere interactions, we would not have found ourselves seven (7) months after the NCM without an election.

Undoubtedly, the matter of the GECOM Chairman would have been settled.

The imputing of tangential conditions, at best, would have never risen to the fore and bellowed calls for h2h would have been abandoned. In fact, the approach to the Courts for adjudication would have n e v e r e n t e r e d t h e f r a y.

While certainly attempts have been made to engage in dialogue, reasonableness on one side has been lacking and every attempt has been made to stall and procrastinate. One would have felt that following the CCJ’s ruling and orders the ploys would have ended but it appears that the plot is merely thickening.

Similarly, the calls for the Government to act unfettered after losing the NCM belies the notion of the NCM in the first place.

If that were the intentions (Continued on page 6)

A ‘pappy show’ worthy of an episode of ’Yes Minister’ DEAR EDITOR, A generation ago, a British sitcom captured the essence of the Westminster model of governance and dispensed with the polite fiction that Ministers are indispensable.

‘Yes Minister’ portrayed the attempts of a bumbling overpromoted politician (now Minister) to enact policies and handle crises. Each policy floundered as it met the impermeable ranks of the British civil service; each crisis was handled by civil servants with minimal input from the Minister. The source of the satire holds true wherever the Westminster model persists: Ministers are really just transitory figures at the helm of a permanent structure of government.

The model of a permanent, politically neutral Civil Service derives from our time as a British colony. Patronage,

always a feature of the colonial Civil Service, became entrenched postIndependence: much of our p u b l i c s e c t o r h a s since served as a repository for political acolytes through successive administrations.

The result? An Orwellian dystopia: a hopelessly bloated bureaucracy, a chronic shortfall of skill-sets and experience and a corresponding decline of trust in these public institutions and services among the general populace.

O u r s o l u t i o n ? Two strategies linked to A m e r i c a n - s t y l e governance have been adopted, perhaps a symptom of our unabashed reverence for all things American. The first is to hire contract workers at inflated salaries (either as an additional layer of patronage and cronyism or to fulfill key tasks or both).

The second is an insatiable a p p e t i t e f or ‘capacity building’ in all spheres of government. Presumably the donor agencies prefer to continually fund ‘capacity building’ than to insist that the entire system requires root and branch reform and not just periodic ‘tweaks’ and upgrades.

The current system is therefore an uncomfortable and unworkable hybrid of two competing models of governance from Westminster and Capitol Hill.

The bloat extends as far as our Cabinet, now the same size as Brazil’s, with few obvious gains other than an indexlinked rise in photo opportunities and travel junkets.

Neither Westminster nor Capitol Hill can be held up these days as infallible models of good governance. However, the ethos of the Westminster

model endures in our system of governance. No one is indispensable. No politician, no Minister, no civil servant. All are in place to serve the nation. Further, the politics of division has birthed a precarious situation where minority governments look set to continue indefinitely in Guyana. So no one, no particular party, no interest group, no cohort is assured a lasting grip on power. A plea, therefore, for all involved to adjust their mindsets and get on with the business of governance in a functioning democracy.

There is a compelling need for all parties to adhere to due process, to honour the CCJ’s recent rulings and to proceed with gravitas and dignity. What we have at present is a ‘pappy show’ worthy of an episode of ’Yes Minister’.

Yours faithfully, Isabelle de Caires

Thursday July 25, 2019

Who is in charge at GECOM? DEAR EDITOR, The continued insistence on a list of six candidates “not unacceptable” to the President, coupled with his naive connotation that “seeking consensus” in the appointment of a GECOM chairman, mentioned by the CCJ, gives him the right to contribute names on the list is a clear ploy to railroad the 90 days time frame for elections given by the CCJ consequential decisions.

Since only one person is required to be appointed.

The President’s insistence on a list of six “not unacceptable” to him while trying to insert a name of his choice on the list, is a classic method of gerrymandering on the issue of appointing a GECOM chairperson. In conjugation, the CEO of GECOM suddenly starting to execute house-to-house registration on the perceived orders of a CCJ constitutionally rejected GECOM Chairman, James Patterson, is viewed by the public as an act of collusion

by GECOM and the governing Coalition. The fact that the CCJ ruled that the

unilateral appointment of Patterson was illegal, logically nullifies his work – the initiation of house-tohouse registration. The truth be told, Patterson was squatting at GECOM. After he was pronounced to be illegal, his structures (houseto-house registration) should be demolished. Had the CEO of GECOM intended to lead an independent GECOM in compliance to the CCJ’s consequential orders elections in 90 days - he would not have harkened to the orders of an illegal GECOM Chairman for houseto-house registration. Surely, the CEO would be aware that house-to-house registration could not be completed and an OLE compiled for elections in time to accommodate the CCJ’s consequential timeline for elections.

This is a clear indication that GECOM, minus a chairman, under the tutelage of the CEO (Keith Lowenfield) has no intention of gearing GECOM to comply with the CCJ consequential decisions.

If you are not for, then you are against the CCJ’s decisions! Moreover, the CEO

would be aware that thousands of Guyanese in foreign lands who may wish to come and vote in the general elections would be disenfranchised because of the burden of making two trips - one to register and one to vote - to make a contribution to democracy in their homeland. I would not be surprise if GECOM in its present mode announced that it would be sending its officers to every Guyanese home overseas to register them. Ludicrousness knows no bounds in Guyana recently!

I can see no reason why an OLE which was deemed valid up to April 30 by GECOM’s CEO cannot be rectified by claims and objection, four months after March. Ironically, GECOM’s CEO recently attested that OLE from the last LGE could be cleansed through claims and objection for the holding of credible elections. So who is it at GECOM that ordered the commencement of houseto-house registration? Would that be Lowenfield? I am perplexed!

Rudolph Singh

PPP’s Zulfikar Mustapha’s letter to Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield I wish to bring attention to an aspect of your July 22, 2019, response to Mr. Gerald Gouveia, Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC). In the penultimate paragraph on page 2, it is stated that I “walked out” of a meeting held with you on May 02, 2019.

Let me categorically state that by claiming I “walked out”, you are peddling a falsehood and, in the process, engaging in wanton deception. At no time did I take such action during the meeting in question. As a matter of fact, I remained and raised objections to the conduct of the house-tohouse registration and questioned why GECOM pushed to discuss same when the matter was at the time engaging the attention of the

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court.

I also pointed out and made clear that GECOM must always have a valid list of electors available given that the current one expired as of April 30, 2019. I urged that GECOM commence a Claims and Objections exercise to validate the list in the event of the outcome of the court matter. Interestingly, Mr. Lowenfield, during the said meeting, you stated that you are aware that the house-tohouse registration may have to be put aside based on the decision of the court.

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on June 18 ruled and issued consequential orders on July 12, 2019, that the December 21, 2018, noconfidence motion is valid and all actors, including GECOM, respect the constitution. In

such circumstances, elections are automatically triggered within three months.

I strongly believe that you have a responsibility and that you owe the nation an explanation why you proceeded with the house-tohouse registration despite being aware that it will not be in compliance with the ruling of the CCJ. Such actions clearly point to a deliberate defiance of the constitution and an attempt to grossly mislead on matters of national importance. I am, therefore, not surprised that you are now falsely claiming I “walked out” of the meeting alluded to.

Sincerely, Zulfikar Mustapha Executive Secretary/Chief Scrutineer People’s Progressive Party

These things don’t happen in the private sector DEAR EDITOR, The Public Service Minister recently announced that persons joining the Public Service would not have to wait until after three months for them to access their first pay cheque, but would have their salaries payable at the end of the first month.

I have known persons that had to wait as long as five months and more before they were being paid. One would now wonder why this system of payment was not introduced long before; it is certainly a welcome action for which the Ministry must be commended for and by extension the Government. But a few weeks ago, I visited a Government Department in Region # 2 as early as 8:45 a.m. to see a public official, only to be told that of the three persons who work in the office none was available, because they are all in the fields. I enquired diligently from the receptionist or secretary as to the time these officers are likely to be back at the office. Her reply was that she would not be able to say. I then asked if I could access their cell phone numbers that I can ascertain from them as to the time, which they are likely to be back in office.

The young lady went upstairs without giving me the officers’ numbers, which I may never be certain she knew, but when she came,

she gave me the number for the office and advice that I call the next time I am coming to the office, while I suspect that when the young lady went upstairs, she may have spoken to one or all of the officers who may not have reported for duty on that day. I am sure that other members of the public would have shared the same or similar experience when visiting public office particularly on Monday morning, I am refraining for now to name the Government Office in question, but if the powers that be are interested and I am contacted, I will certainly be willing to do so.

I am not sure that if you have three officers attached to an office, that all three of them should be in the fields at the said time knowing full well that Mondays at most office would be business day and as for Region 2, Fridays also.

There are other Government Offices where this negative pattern of behaviour takes place also.

For persons having to travel from way up and down the Pomeroon River and also from far up the Supenaam Creek to these offices, only to be told that all the officers are in the field and no one seem to be certain when they would be back is grossly unprofessional and uncaring. In the private sector, these things don’t happen.

Archie W. Cordis

The peaceful future of our nation is at stake DEAR EDITOR, It never ceases to amaze me the level to which egocentricity and narcissism in individuals can reach.

Many of those 26 persons who have allowed their names to be placed on lists for GECOM Chairmanship have such an inflated opinion of themselves that they believe that they can just parachute into an office with such complex processes and bound by such concomitant legal anchors, and hey presto, manage the partisan commissioners and the secretariat that is under immense scrutiny from so

many important onlookers.

Even the integrity of some of them comes into question.

How, having been cast aside as not being “fit and proper”, can they allow themselves to be again nominated - literally begging for the de wuk. Very tragic; very absurd.

Greatly comedic is also the situation where there already exists for the job, a battle-tested and proven Guyanese who spent almost 16 years at the GECOM helm, establishing and managing all those myriad of new systems, and demonstrating how a Chairman can be neutral at GECOM for 4 elections without having, what was heretofore, the usual cataclysmic turbulence

during and after General Elections.

Leaders of the major political parties and those of you who have the interests of our dear country at heart, I call on you to understand that not only is time of the essence, but the peaceful future of our nation is at stake.

Yours sincerely, A very, very concerned Guyanese citizen

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Something seems fishy about that money in M&CC vehicle story DEAR EDITOR, There is something very fishy about the story concerning money found in the vehicle assigned to M&CC’s Chief Constable Mr. Andrew Foo and the explanation given in a letter penned by Rayvonne P. Bourne who believes that Mayor Ubraj Narine should apologise for announcing the money found in Foo’s car and calling for an investigation into the matter.

Mr. Bourne, who I would assume works at City Hall given his detailed insider knowledge of this matter, said that the money had been left in Foo’s car since June last but was found three weeks later in July. All this time, he claimed, the Mayor had known about the money since he was informed along with other officials.

However, out of the ‘blues’ four weeks after allegedly being told, Mayor Narine decides to “do the unthinkable” and share the information with the citizens of Georgetown. The Mayor had not accused anyone of

Thursday July 25, 2019

Kaieteur News

wrongdoing; he expressed disappointment at not knowing about the matter and called for an investigation to ascertain how the cash got into Foo’s vehicle. I do not see this as staining the Chief Constable’s character or tarnishing the Council’s reputation.

I see this as transparency at work. I am not convinced that Mayor Narine was informed about the money incident.

Are we to believe that Mayor Narine received information in detail as given

by Mr. Bourne and still claimed ignorance of the matter and now makes the call for an investigation?

I would like to add to this letter that the ancient ones at City Hall whom have been there some four decades, have grown accustomed to doing things one way. It is that way that has prevented the city from reaching the potential it once had. I think Mayor Narine is doing a great job and holding those in authority responsible, something the Council has

lacked for a long time.

It may very well be from disallowing the Mayor from having a driver of his choice to now accusing him of deliberately trying to tarnish officials, but these very officials must be reminded that the Mayor is the head of the organisation, along with Councillors; they basically make up a board of directors.

He is the boss and must be given due respect, not to be bullied or undermined by longstanding officers stuck in their ways.

Mayor Narine was very correct to inform the Council and citizens about the money matter and calling for an investigation. Three weeks on and no one realised that a bag of money, citizens cash had never made it to the bank, what system is in place to ensure such things don’t happen? What if the money was not found by the rank?

The Mayor owes no one an apology; rather an explanation regarding the poor handling of citizen’s money is required.

Peter Joseph

Hello Ambassador Quinn: We are deadlocked DEAR EDITOR, The words of Ambassador Gregory Quinn suggested frustration with the “actors” (Granger, Jagdeo) that one month after CCJ’s ruling these actors haven’t moved one step towards complying with CCJ’s order, namely, preparing to hold elections before September 18 as report in a local newspaper.

Clearly, there is a deadlock right now. The Guyanese people, by and large have recognised this as a fact. Who will help to break this deadlock? In times like these, the nation needs credible mediators. Both Granger and Jagdeo should agree to invite mediators. That’s what CARICOM’S La Roque said.

Ambassador Quinn should

also offer his good offices to mediate.

Mr. Granger has approved a list of four “Not Unacceptable” persons who qualify to be the new Chairman of GECOM. That’s the deadlock point.

Constitution talks about six ‘Not Unacceptable” names.

What happens if the ‘Two Actors’ cannot find two more “Not Unacceptable” names?

Is the nation supposed to be stuck in deadlock mode for several months more? What is the big deal of - you must have six instead of four “Not Unacceptable” names - when anyone is just as qualified as the other is for the job?

This has become a matter of commonsense. A proper exercise of commonsense compels us as a nation to

move on with the four names.

Anyone of the four is fit and proper. Pick one of these names.

If we have a 4-sided object, spin it, whatever side (representing a name) shows up, let that person be the new Chairman or try, the names in a hat method. This is the fairest method known to man.

Absolutely no bias in favour or against a particular name.

I think it was Charles Dickens who said sometimes the Law (read Basic Law/ Constitution) can be an ass or did he mean the folks who interpret the law are asses?

We as a people can do better than to be hung up over an asinine law. Let us as a people use our best commonsense to get over a national impasse.

Mike Persaud

‘Me first’ is now the order of the day in international affairs DEAR EDITOR, On 24 July, 2019, Borris Johnson became the new prime minister of the United.

Kingdom (UK). He is known to be bombastic and was selected by his conservative party to get a better deal from the European Union (EU) or leave without a deal.

Conventional wisdom says that it would be disastrous for the UK if they leave the EU without a deal. I believe, like Mr. Johnson, that no deal is better than a bad deal. The deal the EU currently offers effectively leaves the UK

in the EU without any voting rights.

This discourages any other member from leaving. If the UK leaves without a deal, it will affect the UK negatively but it will hurt the EU much more.

The lesson Caribbean countries should learn is that the new paramount principle in international relation is ‘me first’.

When we complain about unfairly being blacklisted by the OECD or the EU, we should know it will fall on deaf ears. We should find loopholes to strike back such as crafty trade barriers and

conditional support in the international arena. ‘Me first’ is now the order of the day in international affairs.

The Caribbean and Guyana has not adequately adapted.

They have on many occasions sacrificed their interest for a strategic partnership with a big brother (powerful countries). I am a mathematician and the pattern is ‘me first’; whether it is China in the South China Sea, US with the Iran nuclear deal, Russia with Georgia or the EU with Brexit.

Yours truly, Brian Ellis Plummer

Those who are doing the ignoble bidding of their political...

From page 4 of the framers of the Constitution, wouldn’t it have been prudent to just not have recourse to an NCM in the first place?

The mere fact that the NCM was inserted says that a loss meant it could not be business-as-usual, as the current grouping seems to practice. Then, too, there are the calls for a return to the National Assembly to extend the current life of the Administration. I wonder how such a suggestion can be really realised when all

attempts at being reasonable have failed to begin with and previous commitments, some of which were recorded for p o s t e r i t y, h a v e b e e n thrown to the wayside without explanation or justification.

It is clear that there are those wolves among the sheep who will unashamedly seek to defend a situation that is indefensible. They, in my mind, are equally, if not more, guilty than those who seek to perpetuate the current situation in our

country and in which our people have found themselves in today. These individuals who themselves should know better and do better while offering crucial and critical leadership are today no longer practising what they preach.

Principles, consciousness and conscientiousness have departed their psyche and nowadays blind loyalty and unabashed support to preserve the status-quo are now blindly in charge.

Yours faithfully Liebert Alleyne

Thursday July 25, 2019

PAGE 7

Kaieteur News

Patterson’s order is all that’s needed to prove House-to-House will surpass September 18 Jagdeo Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo says that if lawyers want to prove that House to House Registration will go beyond September 18, 2019 three months after the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)s ruling on the validity of the December 21, 2018 vote of no confidence in the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government they need look no further than the Order made by former chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

During a discussion on a local radio show on Tuesday, last, the Opposition Leader recalled that, earlier that day, Attorney-at-Law and Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram, failed so far in his bid to secure a Conservatory Order against the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to stop the houseto-house registration process, which commenced last week Saturday.

Chief Justice, Roxane George-Wiltshire, had said that she was not satisfied based on the evidence in the affidavit that GECOM is not acting to complete the regis-

tration process to hold elections by the September 18 constitutional timeframe, Rams lawyer, Anil Nandlall, told reporters outside of the courtroom.

About that, Jagdeo said “I am sure that the PPP can prove to the Court that the House-to-House Registration is inconsistent with the timeline imposed by the CCJ and the Constitution.”

The text of the Constitution in focus is Article 106(7), which states that, if the Government is defeated by a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly, “… notwithstanding its defeat, the government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months.”

As the CCJ ruled on Governments appeal of the motion on June 18, 2019, the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) has requested that General and Regional Elections be held by or before September 18, 2019 three months past the ruling.

For proof that the Houseto-House exercise will exceed that timeframe, Jagdeo made reference to Pattersons order, dated June 11, 2019.

It states that all persons

qualified to be electors and have attained the age of 14 years on the qualifying date, October 31, 2019, “shall… be registered under the process of House to House registration with reference to 31st October, 2019 and the registration of those persons shall begin on 20th July, 2019 and end on the 20th October, 2019.”

Jagdeos contention is that, as the Order states October 20, 2019 as the completion date for the exercise, the proof is undeniable that the exercise will not allow for elections to be held before September 18, 2019.

According to Nandlall, “The Chief Justice did not grant the Conservatory Order which we sought to restrain the registration process. But significantly the Chief Justice emphasized that she understands that the CCJ ruled that the elections must be held by September 18 in accordance with Articles 106 and 107 of the Constitution.”

Furthermore, Nandlall said that Justice George said that she wants more evidence to persuade her that the registration exercise will take

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo elections beyond that timeframe. Nandlall indicated that he would be filing another affidavit in which he will lay out the evidence to support his contention that the registration exercise will collide with, and go way beyond the timeframe “which the Chief Justice said for the holding of elections is September 18.”

Ram has listed Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield; the Commissioner of National Registration; GECOM; and Attorney General Basil Williams as the

Respondents in his challenge.

The Respondents and the Guyana Bar Association, which was granted permission by the Chief Justice to be a party in the case, were given until month-end to file written submissions with the court. The Chief Justice has agreed to hear arguments on the constitutionality of the process which is set to begin on Friday, August 2, at the High Court in Demerara.

GECOMs Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward, had said days ago that GECOM already managed to register 20,000 persons in just two days.

Speaking briefly with Kaieteur News last night, Ward said that it is too early in the exercise to be able to assess its pace. Hence, its too early to predict just when it would end.

Meanwhile, the Opposition continues to urge its supporters to boycott the exercise.

PAGE 8

Thursday July 25, 2019

Kaieteur News

Wife killer’s 83-year sentence reduced to 30 Paul Anthony Lo-Hing who strangled his commonlaw wife Shoala Gilgeous was handed an 83-year jail sentence for her murder which occurred on August 6, 2012, at their ‘E’ Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown home.

That sentence has now been reduced to 30 years by the Court of Appeal which substituted his murder conviction with the lesser charge of manslaughter yesterday.

Time already served by Lo-Hing is to be deducted from the new sentence, the court ordered.

In setting aside the murder conviction, the Court of Appeal comprising Chancellor of the Judiciary Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Justices of Appeal Dawn Gregory and Rishi Persaud held that the trial was unsatisfactory due to the trial judge (Navindra Singh)’s failure, in his charge to the jury, to set out the defences of self defence and provocation, given the circumstances of the case.

The Court of Appeal held that this could have reduced the jury’s verdict to manslaughter.

According to the Court of Appeal, there was evidence that the couple had a visiting relation, and that on the day in question they were heard by neighbours arguing before the place went silent. It was revealed in court that the argument between the couple started after Lo-Hing inquired of his wife as to where she was going.

Shoala Gilgeous

Paul Anthony Lo-Hing

The Court of Appeal, therefore, said that it was for the trial judge to put, for one, the defence of provocation to the jury for it to consider whether an action or behaviour could have caused a temporary loss of self control on the part of Lo-Hing.

The Chancellor had this to say, “The appellant (LoHing) was robbed of the jury’s consideration of that defence.”

In arriving at a sentence for Lo-Hing, Justice Singh started at a base of 60 years.

The Judge added 10 years to the sentence for the cruel manner in which the woman met her demise; 10 years for evidence of an intention to kill and six years because the case was a domestic violencerelated matter. Three years was taken off by the judge for the time the convicted killer

spent on remand pending trial, bringing the sentence to 83 years.

Lo-Hing’s lawyer Everton Singh-Lammy argued that the sentence was excessive. In addressing this issue, Justice Cummings-Edwards said that while the basis for a base of 60 years was unknown, the trial judge did provide reasons for aggravating factors which led to an increase in the sentence.

The appellate court went on to enlighten that the nature and circumstance, degree of planning and premeditation, prevalence of the offence, antecedents, age, character of an accused person and time spent in pre-trial custody, are among the factors to be considered when considering an appropriate sentence.

“And the list is not ex-

16-year-old freed of murder charge The 16 year old who was on a charge of murder after he reportedly stabbed a man to death back in November 2018 has been released. He had the case against him discharged during the Preliminary Inquiry in the Magistrate’s Court due to insufficient evidence.

The teen, of Auchlyne Village, Corentyne, Berbice, was accused of murdering Desmond Sewdath, called “Bull”, 30, also

40

of Auchlyne. The incident occurred on November 17, at Auchlyne. The accused appeared before Magistrate Renita Singh in the Whim Magistrate Court. He was unrepresented.

It was reported that the teenager and Sewdath, were known to each other. They were among a number of persons imbibing in a shop at Auchlyne Village when an argument erupted between them. The teen, who was report-

edly armed with a knife, then stabbed Sewdath.

The man was picked up and taken to the Port Mourant Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The teen went home, but was turned over to the police by his mother.

A post mortem examination performed on the body of Sewdath concluded that he died from shock and haemorrhage due to a stab wound to the heart.

During the trial no murder weapon was presented and the teen reportedly gave a statement that he did not stab anyone.

The teen was said to be a known as a trouble maker and was a school dropout. He was reportedly released from the juvenile detention centre a few months before the incident. The two reportedly worked together as garbage collectors in the village.

hausted,” the Chancellor noted, adding that the trial judge erred in principle. Justice Cummings-Edwards said that from examining the records of appeal, the court found that no plea in mitigation was made on behalf on behalf of Lo-Hing, neither was a probation report ordered or requested.

Judge Singh, before whom Lo-Hing was tried in 2014, imposed the custodial sentence following a trial at the High Court in Georgetown.

Based on that which was adduced at trial, Lo-Hing and Gilgeous lived in Sophia where they shared a turbulent

one-year relationship. The woman was eventually killed; she was found dead by relatives who ventured into her home in search of her. Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh determined her cause of death to be asphyxiation due to manual strangulation, compounded by blunt trauma.

To prove its case, the State relied on circumstantial evidence, including a caution statement from Lo-Hing which confirmed that he was with the woman before she was found dead and evidence that the couple was heard by neighbours quarrelling. Fur-

ther, there was evidence that the couple lived together and from the post mortem report, the injuries Gilgeous sustained were consistent with those received by someone who had to defend herself.

While leading his defence, Lo-Hing denied killing the woman. He had told the jury that both of them were at home when Gilgeous told him that she was going out. According to him, she left and never returned. In another breath, he denied being at the scene of the crime, and insisted that he was at his father’s residence on the day in question.

Man’s murder conviction substituted with manslaughter A murder conviction against Clive Knights was yesterday substituted with the lesser offence of manslaughter by the Court of Appeal yesterday. In June 2015, Knights was found guilty by a jury of murdering Bert Whyte, 44, a former resident of Lot 79, Phoenix Park, West Bank Demerara, and Assistant Company Secretary at GTM. He was sentenced to 57 years in jail by Justice Navindra Singh.

Since the Court of Appeal has set aside the murder conviction and substituted it with manslaughter, the court imposed a 30-year sentence, from which time Knights has already served was ordered deducted.

In allowing the appeal, the court comprising Chancellor of the Judiciary Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Justices of Appeal Rishi Persaud and Dawn Gregory accepted Dexter Todd’s (lawyer for Knights) argument that the jury should have been given the option by the trial judge to consider a manslaughter verdict given the circumstances surrounding the killing. According to the facts, on May 14, 2012, Whyte dropped his niece, Rayshawn, off at school before leaving for work. Later that evening, Whyte’s brother received a telephone call from a friend. As a result, he went to the Accident and Emergency, (A&E) Department of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he found Whyte lying motionless on the bed.

He was dead with two puncture wounds to his chest and apparent bloodstains on his clothing.

Bert Whyte

Clive Knights

Forensic Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh confirmed that Whyte had died from haemorrhage and shock due to the perforation of the heart and lungs as a result of the stab wounds he sustained.

During the trial before Justice Singh, a caution statement was admitted into evidence. Knights’ statement was read aloud to the court

by Detective Constable, Kester Cosbert. In the document, Knights said that he met Whyte while they were both employed at the GPHC. According to the statement, Knights said that Whyte had revealed to him that he was a homosexual and expressed a desire to be in a relationship with him. However, Knights said he declined the offer, but decided to remain friends with him since he believed that his way of life had nothing to do with him.

The statement outlined that some time later, both men left their job at the hospital, but they continued to hang

out. The convict in his statement related that on the day of the incident, he went to a Main Street bar with Whyte and they had a few beers.

Knights said that he was tired, intoxicated and must have fallen asleep. According to the statement, Knights said that he remembered going to Whyte’s car but he awoke, after he felt someone’s finger at his anus. Knights said that he opened his eyes and found Whyte’s head between his legs; he was performing oral sex on him.

According to the statement, Knights said that he had an ice pick, which he said he used to stab Whyte before driving away with his car. He had, however, reportedly related to investigators that he was sorry for what happened since Whyte was his friend.

Knights was arrested at a roadblock along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway. It is reported that he gave his name as Troy David to the ranks.

Thursday July 25, 2019

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

Self-inflicted international isolation The APNU+AFC coalition government has a public relations challenge. It has no public relations. The Department of Public Information (DPI) and that squeaky outfit which works out of the Office of the President and is stacked by non-PR specialists, are doing more injury to the administration’s image than it is doing good.

The National Communications Network (NCN) and the Guyana Chronicle are state-owned agencies which have become so imbalanced

in their reporting that it is hard to distinguish their pre2015 performance with that of the post-2015 performance.

Both have become disgraceful mouthpieces of the ruling coalition.

NCN and the Guyana Chronicle are doing the government no favours. They are preaching to the converted; not to the unbelievers, which is the demographic which should be targeted.

DPI has had some promise but, like that inconsequential unit which sends out mis-

sives from the Ministry of the Presidency, both are generally reactive rather than proactive, and both have failed to convince the public of the worthiness of the administration’s actions.

Most of the time, they give more publicity to the opposition’s arguments when they try to counter. There is a rule in responding to criticism which the government has failed to appreciate: sometimes it is better not to say anything than to say something which will make you

Dem boys seh ...

Business growing in Guyana Is funny how things does develop right in front people eyes and people don’t notice till de things get very big or threaten to get out of hand. Was a time when people use to see dogs pon de road and out of de goodness of dem heart, dem use to scrape de pot and feed some of dem. Any leftover food was good enough fuh dogs. Of course, some of these same dogs use to move in wheh de food deh.

Today, dem boys don’t see nuff people scraping food fuh dogs. Of course dem use to see dogs moving in by de house dat feed dem de most. Now-a-days people fence up dem yard suh stray dogs can’t get in.

But it look like if everybody minding dogs. And it ain’t hard to tell.

De number of people selling dog food increase to de point dat at one stage dem boys was wondering whether people was really buying de food fuh dogs. Every corner dem boys turn dem seeing dog food selling.

At one time, dem boys use to hear a saying dat a man don’t like to punish alone; he always want something to punish wid him. But then again de crime situation might have something to do wid de dog food.

People frighten bandits suh nuff of dem start minding dogs. Some got couple riceeaters wha does mek noise

and wake up de whole household in case of anything. Then people wid money does get some big dogs wha dem got to feed.

Dem boys seh dat is why dem got so many people selling dog food. And de Finance Ministry happy because when dem do de survey on employment, it showing dat de number of unemployment going down.

De survey also showing a growth in business. Wid all de dog food sellers, put you pot pon de fire it mean dat business growing. But none of dem paying VAT and dat is wheh de problem gon come from.

Talk half and business growing.

appear foolish.

The APNU+AFC coalition should be worried. It is not as if they are facing a barrage of criticism from all over.

The PPPC is a one-man army.

It is Jagdeo alone. Yet, despite him being the only opposition figure of consequence, the ruling parties seem unable to handle him.

So, one man has the government on the retreat - just as how it took one man to cause the government to fall.

What is ironic is that when there is an election campaign, the PNCR and APNU hire expensive PR and advertising firms to get their message across. But if they would have spent a tenth of that money during their years in office; if they hired PR specialists to help boost their image when in government, they would not need to spend all those billions to help them win an election.

Instead of hiring trained and experienced specialists to do their work, the political parties, including the PPPC,

put more faith in amateurs and loyalists to try to burnish their image. Considering that talent is available to the government, it is often laughable, some of the persons who are chosen to help promote the image of the government while in office.

The situation is getting quite desperate now. The government is now increasingly isolated internationally because of its response to the No Confidence Motion and the verdicts of the Caribbean Court of Justice.

Even Caricom, which for months kept its mouth sealed and failed to comment on the problems in Guyana, has now been forced to say that it is monitoring the situation.

Caricom, of course, has been inconsistent when it comes to commenting on political situations. It has failed to offer any support for the resolution of the impasse which now exists. This is quite unlike the public positions it took in relation to the recent protests in Haiti and last year to the

protests in Dominica. But Guyana is home to the secretariat of the Community, and it may feel disinclined to involve itself in our political squabbles despite the obvious dangers to democracy in the Caribbean.

A strong, specialist-led PR campaign would have kept Caricom in line. There would have been no need for the Secretary General of the Caribbean Community to have made the comments he recently made. But without that PR element which would have emphasised that Guyana’s problems are our own and should be solved without external interference, the PNCR and APNU are being isolated internationally, and now regionally.

PAGE 10

Thursday July 25, 2019

Kaieteur News

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

Blackouts: There are still some good people left in Guyana In another column, I will offer my thoughts on what I consider the absolute nonstarter in the suggestion of giving individual members of the poor strata 5,000 American dollars from oil revenues when those vast sums could be put to making our country more modern and functional.

On reading about that suggestion, power generation came immediately into mind.

Blackouts are pushing people to leave this country in large numbers. Unless you are financially resourceful, blackouts are going to destroy the psychology of citizens who

cannot afford a generator. I was offered a generator by Stanley Ming, someone I respect immensely. It was a choice I had to make between my needs and my principles as a media practitioner. I know there would not have been any complications with Stanley; he is a decent fellow.

But the moral foundation of my journalism told me it was not the right choice to accept.

Of course I would take things from Stanley. I did when I was just released from the Brickdam police station lockup on December 23 and he brought garlic pork. I

would accept more servings of garlic pork from Stanley.

My advice to people who could afford it is to buy a generator. Blackouts are going to be with the young people of Guyana until they become grandparents. When my daughter was applying online to her university in England, blackouts came. She was angry. And I just stood helpless and couldn’t do a thing to calm her. My daughter got accepted and it was time to apply online for the visa. You are not going to believe it. She was about to conclude when blackout came. She had to

start all over again, the next day. Can one imagine what goes through the mind of a young person when that happens? Last week, blackout came in Turkeyen and what it did to me you will not believe.

Here is the story. Six of our windows had become dysfunctional. They had to be changed. They are to the east where the rains batter them.

They had to be changed. The company came, did their measurement and made the windows. My wife and I held back from the installation process because of the rain. They have to take out the old ones.

But suppose rain comes while doing that; they won’t be able to do the cement and silicone aspects.

We waited and waited until we got a hot, sunny day.

Such an opportunity came.

We called the company. They came and the installation process started. The six old ones came out and six new ones were being installed. After the first one was done blackout came. The windows have to be driven into the wall by an

electric gun. The scary thought that enveloped us was if the installation could not be completed, where were we going to find the large amount of plastic to cover the open spaces if rain came the night or the next morning?

And we would have to get lots of durable scotch tape. It was a nightmare facing me and my wife. There were only two solutions – cover the spaces somehow and hope rain doesn’t come. But who says the company was free the next day to return. The other option was close to being impossible. What if we ask the guys to wait until the electricity comes back. My wife and I were not going down that road. How can you make such a request? Why would they want to linger about for hours when they have other jobs? We didn’t put the question to them. The owner was with his employees and he decided he would stay until electricity came back. The lights returned two hours after and the job was done. We will always be

Frederick Kissoon thankful to that gentleman.

My wife and I met a nice Guyanese. And we both concluded that some good folks are still left here. My daughter wants to be in Guyana with her parents and I am not sure how she will take to blackouts on her return. After her experience with her online university application and visa application, I really don’t know how she will cope. How can anyone suggest that each year the treasury hand out 5,000 American dollars to thousands of persons, when over a period of time such a large sum could go to fixing the GPL? My arguments against the handout will soon follow. But for now, unless we fix GPL, only the rich side of Guyana will enjoy a modern life.

Thursday July 25, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

PAGE 12

Thursday July 25, 2019

Kaieteur News

Four persons granted bail on assault charges During yesterdays court hearings, a number of persons were charged with assault, they were all granted bail of less than $20,000.

Afron Marshall, 26, a Superbet Operator, from West Ruimveldt, and Niketa Parks, 27, a Food Vendor from East Bank Demerara, both appeared before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty in the

Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The two were charged with assaulting each other. It is alleged that on July 14, 2019, at Lot 8 Front Road, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, they unlawfully assaulted each other.

After the charge was read to both individuals, separately, Marshall pleaded

guilty and offered to explain to the court what happened.

She mentioned that she was in her shop when an argument ensued between two unidentified individuals. Parks, who was in the shop, came up to her and held her wrist tightly, but Marshall pushed off Parkss hand.

Parks then became annoyed after Marshall pushed

off her hand and told the two individuals who were fighting to get out of her shop. Parks then slapped Marshall and that started a brawl between the two women.

However, after hearing Marshall’s explanation, Magistrate McGusty stated that it sounded like she was defending herself, thus she entered a not guilty plea on Marshall’s behalf.

Parks, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Police prosecutor Seon Blackman made no objection to bail being granted to the

defendants, but stated that a further investigation needed to be carried out by the investigating rank in relation to the matter.

The two defendants were then granted bail in the sum of $10,000 each and placed on a keep-the-peace bond until the completion of the trial, when they would give evidence against each other.

Their matter is to be called on a date in August.

And two men also appeared before Magistrate McGusty on a similar charge.

Michael Skeete, 39, a taxi driver from Lodge,

Georgetown, and Troy McCrae, 45, a carpenter from Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, were both charged with assaulting each other.

The charge stated that on July 16, 2019, at Norton and Camp Streets, Georgetown, they assaulted each other in order to cause actual bodily harm.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty. Prosecutor Blackman made no objection to bail being granted to the defendants.

The men were granted bail to the tune of $15,000 each.

Oil steadies after global demand worries spark fall TOKYO (Reuters) - Oil ticked higher early today after falling in the previous session as more signs of slowing global growth added to demand concerns, with Middle East tensions underpinning prices.

Brent crude futures were up 6 cents at $63.24 a barrel by 0053 GMT, after dropping 1% overnight, falling for the first time in four sessions.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude were 12 cents, or 0.2%, higher at $55.99 a barrel, having dropped 1.6% in the previous session.

Sentiment in the oil market has darkened as investors worry that slowing global economic growth will weaken demand for oil.

A series of purchasing manager index readings in the

United States and Europe were weaker than expected, confirming concerns about slower economic growth amid a trade war between the United States and China.

“Global growth concerns are driving energy prices lower as forecasts keep getting downgraded even as the U.S. will be sending a trade team to China next week,” Alfonso Esparza, senior market analyst at OANDA, said in a note. Set against those worries are ongoing tensions in the Middle East following the seizure of a Britishflagged tanker in the Gulf by Iranian forces last week.

The military adviser to Irans supreme leader was quoted yesterday as saying that any change in the status of the Strait of Hormuz, which

Tehran says it protects, would open the door to a dangerous confrontation.

“Concerns about Middle East tensions are keeping oil prices supported as Iran has warned about the presence of naval ships out of the Persian Gulf,” Esparza said.

Britain, meanwhile, gained initial support from France, Italy and Denmark for its plan for a European-led naval mission to ensure safe shipping in the Gulf.

Sweden said yesterday it was holding talks with Iran, Britain and others over the seized tanker, which is Swedish owned.

The market shrugged off a bigger-than-forecast build in U.S. crude inventories, which fell nearly 11 million barrels last week.

Trump must face marketing scam lawsuit, escapes racketeering claims: NY judge NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge yesterday said U.S. President Donald Trump and his adult children must face part of a lawsuit alleging they used their family name to promote sham marketing opportunities, but dismissed racketeering claims at the center of the case.

U.S. District Judge Lorna Schofield in Manhattan said the plaintiffs, including investors in a Trump-endorsed business called American Communications Network, could pursue state lawbased claims of fraud, false advertising and unfair competition.

But the judge dismissed claims under the federal racketeering law known as RICO because of a lack of evidence that the

Trumps alleged misconduct was the proximate cause of, or directly related to, the investors alleged losses.

She said the losses could have simply reflected “the inherent challenges of multilevel marketing,” including the ability to sell products and recruit new marketers or a lack of customer demand.

ACN charged $499 for a chance to sell videophones and other goods.

The plaintiffs claimed that the Trumps received millions of dollars of secret payments from 2005 to 2015 to endorse ACN and conned them into thinking Donald Trump thought their investments would pay off, when the real goal was to enrich themselves.

Other defendants in-

cluded Trumps adult children Donald Jr., Eric and Ivanka, and an affiliate of the Trump Organization.

“We are delighted by the courts decision,” Joanna Hendon, a lawyer for the Trumps, said in an interview.

“The RICO claims were baseless and should never have been brought, and we look forward to dispensing with the rest of the case.”

Roberta Kaplan, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in an email she looked forward to continuing the case “to obtain justice for the plaintiffs, and thousands of other working Americans just like them, who each lost hundreds or thousands of dollars as a result of the defendants fraudulent scheme.”

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 25, 2019

Association of Caribbean States observes its 25th anniversary

P

ORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – T h e Tr i n i d a d based Association of Caribbean States (ACS) yesterday marked its 25th anniversary as the only organisation charged with the protection of the Caribbean Sea. “At the heart of the Association is the Caribbean Sea which constitutes the common patrimony of the peoples of the Caribbean.

All the thematic areas of cooperation are related to that Sea- including trade, transport, sustainable tourism and disaster risk reduction,” said ACS Secretary General Dr, June Sommer, adding other priority actions such as environment, culture and education are also included in the Work Programme of the 35 member grouping of English, Dutch, Spanish and French-speaking countries.

Sommer said as the only organisation charged with the protection of the Caribbean Sea it is committed to it being regarded as a zone of peace and a nuclear free zone.

“We advocate at the level of the United Nations on the Caribbean Sea as a Special Area in the context of sustainable development,' she said, noting that in the area of the environment, the ACS work programme in the Directorate of Disaster Risk Reduction, Environment and the Caribbean Sea focuses on monitoring sea level rise, as well as regeneration of coral reefs, addressing the threats posed by sargassum seaweed and plastics.

“We are the first region to develop and monitor targets for a sustainable tourism z o n e . O u r Tr a d e a n d Sustainable Development Directorate also manages our Artisan Project.

Our Cooperation and Resource Mobilisation Directorate keeps us focused on effective collaboration with partners, results based management and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals,” the St. Lucian-born diplomat said.

Barbados, which is chairing the grouping, said it is pleased with the considerable work and accomplishments the ACS has been able to achieve within the Greater Caribbean, as it seeks to solidify the region not only

as a significant economic force but also as a peacepromoting geopolitical entity, despite considerable differences in geographical size, language, economy and culture. “ H i s t o r i c a l l y, t h e Caribbean region has endured a myriad of challenges. It is therefore highly praiseworthy that the ACS, throughout its 25 years of existence, and buttressed by effective and focused leadership, has sought to ensure that the work programme and budget of the Association has always r e m a i n e d t a rg e t e d o n objectives that are truly critical to the survival and sustainable development of our region and its people, “Prime Minister Mia Mottley said in a statement.

She said the Caribbean Sea is one of the great bases and instruments of regional integration due to its multifaceted purpose,” for not only does it sustain us economically, but it also unifies our Greater Caribbean region.

“It is therefore important that the ACS, through the Caribbean Sea Commission, has sought to accomplish not only the fundamental objectives of the Association, but to develop ways in which this critical resource must be preserved and conserved. “ Host Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley said the ACS was conceived to widen the regional integration process and bridge the gaps between the States of the Greater Caribbean – whose shores are washed by the Caribbean Sea. “There was a vision of improved transport and communications links among those countries, along with a myriad of other possible fields for cooperation. The regional organisation has made significant strides in establishing its presence and it is heartening that member states continue to believe in the ability of the Association to be effective and results generating,” he said.

Rowley said that the current global political situation reaffirms the importance of the ACS to facilitate regional dialogue, adding “it is important to delve into the repository of experiences of the ACS during its existence to help chart the course forward.

PAGE 13

GTU “happier” with School Boards' - but still advocates for promotion process role to be handed to TSC

A

lthough it still h a s s o m e reservations about the role played by the Ministry of Education's School Boards Secretariat, the Guyana Teachers' Union [GTU] is “a lot happier” with its operation.

GTU President Mark Lyte said that this is owing to the fact that the union has been able to work closely with the Secretariat in the appointment of public school teachers. Just recently the Secretariat released a final list of promotions and, Lyte said, “we were part and parcel of the process, so in our view it was authentic and all the prerequisite criteria were followed in relation to arriving at the names.”

In fact, Lyte shared that when it comes to the promotion process, “we have participated fully last year and fully this year as well, so the union is a lot happier with the process.”

Nevertheless, Lyte made it pellucid that the union still embraces the position that all matters of promotions, transfers and disciplinary

actions should be the sole responsibility of the Te a c h i n g S e r v i c e Commission [TSC]. He added, however, “until such time, we are ensuring that we participate fully in the process in relation to observing what the School Boards Secretariat is doing and ensuring that the rules that are set out by the Te a c h i n g S e r v i c e Commission are being followed”.

A more cordial relation with the School Boards Secretariat and the union materialised following a move by the union, a few years back, to head to the courts to have its concerns about the promotion process by the Secretariat and the TSC addressed.

The GTU's agreement was found favourable in the eyes of the court and ever since that ruling, Lyte said that the union hasn't had to raise further concerns in this regard. “ We h a v e s e e n a difference in how the promotion matter is dealt with...TSC has been

ensuring that we attend all its sessions so we participate in interviews by observing; we don't ask questions, but we observe what goes on,” he shared.

He disclosed, too, that the union is also integrally involved in the sessions for the placement of teachers.

According to Lyte, “We ask questions, we seek clarity, and files are sent for, if necessary, to ensure that it satisfies the union in every regard.

At the Boards Secretariat, they have a Commission with a staff as well as the coordinator...and we are fully involved in that process. We participate in the interviews, we are able to ask questions and participate in the scoring process. It is a lot more transparent than what it used to be and we ensure that the same rules that govern the Teaching Service are the same rules that govern School Boards”.

In the past, Lyte said, the union was faced with situations whereby the Boards at respective schools opted to name their own

heads and deputy heads. That state of affairs has since been eradicated.

“They [Boards reps] don't have that [independent] say in the process...the person [teacher] with the most points is awarded the school, that is how it is p r e s e n t l y, ” t h e G T U President asserted. He however noted that even with the heartening way things are done, “we are still interested in seeing all matters pertaining to promotion, discipline transfers go back to the TSC, which is the authorised body that should be conducting those things...we are still pursuing that.”

For this reason, Lyte said, the union had made a submission in this regard in its salary proposal which was presented to the Education Ministry earlier this year.

This is particularly important, the GTU President said, as, “a lot of things happen and if the union is not vigilant people's whole careers can be affected.”

Kaieteur News

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Thursday July 25, 2019

New UNAIDS director takes up post

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r. Michael Gboun is the new Country Director of UNAIDS for Guyana and Suriname.

During an introduction to the Minister of Public Health, Hon. Volda Lawrence, Dr. Gboun has committed to ensuring that the progress made in the area HIV/AIDS prevention and control is intensified.

The outgoing director, Dr. Martin Odiit, served a successful four-year tenure.

His work with the agency came in for high commendation from the incoming director who noted the successes made within recent years. Dr. Gboun, who met briefly with the Public Health Minister and D r. O d i i t , a n t i c i p a t e s continued improvements.

The Ministry of Public Health and the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) welcomed the new UNAIDS director who is eagerly prepared to get to work in his new capacity.

During an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), the new director stated that he is aware of the current status of HIV/AIDS interventions in the country. He has since made a comparison with other countries he has previously worked and notes that reaching 100% coverage is achievable for Guyana.

The focus will also be directed in the area of mother-to-child transmission of the virus.

This is of importance since it

Minister of Public Health, Hon. Volda Lawrence meets with UNAIDS' incoming Director for Guyana and Suriname, Dr. Michael Gboun (L) and his replacement, Dr. Martin Odiit has been noted that in 2016, over 100 babies were born with HIV in Guyana.

“The status, so far, is so impressive. Guyana may more than likely be one of the countries that will achieve the 90/90/90. So, my role is to reinforce the progress made and to ensure that the last mile is achieved; that is my biggest priority…

The second priority will be to ensure we address motherto-child transmission as a human rights issue,” Dr. Gboun explained, expressing confidence in the work, which has been ongoing in Guyana.

Outgoing Director, Dr.

Odiit, highlighted that Guyana's progress has intensified since 2016. “In 2016, the country committed to what we call the UNAIDS 90/90/90 target, and the country is doing well on that front. He further explained: “The first of the three 90s the country is now at 93% – meaning it has achieved the 90%. The second one – it's at 73% and the third one at 81%, but we hope that by December 2020, when we are supposed to achieve those targets, we shall have achieved those targets.”

The UNAIDS 90–90–90 treatment for all targets, to which Guyana has agreed,

aims to diagnose 90% of all H I V- p o s i t i v e p e r s o n s ; provide antiretroviral therapy for 90% of those diagnosed; and achieve viral suppression for 90% of those treated by the end of 2020.

Minister Lawrence, while meeting with the incoming and outgoing directors, commended UNAIDS for the successes of their partnerships coming from HIV/AIDS prevention and control initiatives and programmes. She also shared her expectation that the attention given in the area of HIV/AIDS must come from a collaboration of all stakeholders. (DPI)

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 25, 2019

PAGE 15

Ministry to launch support groups for persons with mental health issues

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hrough its Mental Health Unit, the Ministry of Public Health will next month launch three support groups to help anyone struggling with depression and substance and alcohol misuse. This announcement was made yesterday by Director of the Mental Health Unit, Dr. Util Richmond-Thomas.

Dr. Richmond-Thomas explained that the support groups will help provide confidentiality, shared experiences and social interaction for group members in need of mental health support. “Support groups are additional sources of encouragement for persons with mental health issues across Guyana, and it will assist in empowering those individuals to improve difficult areas,” she explained.

The Mental Health Unit Director said the three

professionals to manage the support groups to provide d e p r e s s i o n , a n x i e t y, substance misuse and trauma counselling which will function as a bridge between medical and emotional needs.

For Dr. RichmondThomas, self-harm and substance abuse are two major concerns among Guyanese.

“Self- harm occurs as a result of social stigma and

Dr. Util Richmond-Thomas support groups – depression, narcotics and alcohol - when operational will work five days per week, three hours each day [5pm – 7 pm] out of the Unit's Quamina Street, Georgetown headquarters.

Each group will function for 12 weeks.

The Mental Health Unit has already trained 20

Bus driver slapped with two counts of causing death Typhon Sampson

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yphon Sampson was on Monday last slapped with two counts of causing death after he was allegedly on the run following an accident that occurred two months ago.

The 31-year-old bus driver of Supply, East Bank Demerara was arraigned in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan where he pleaded not guilty to the charges after she read them to him.

It was alleged that on May 5, 2019, at the Garden of Eden Public Road, East Bank Demerara, Sampson

drove a route 42 mini bus, BXX 3014, in a manner which was dangerous to the public and thereby causing the deaths of Linden Charles and Michael Cozier.

Facts of the charge alleged that the incident took place around 22:50hrs on the day in question. The bus driver was reportedly speeding south along the eastern side of the road in the route 42 minibus, when he lost control and crashed into a trench on the western side of the road. After the accident, the alleged driver, Sampson, and his conductor made good their escape leaving (continued on page 17)

discrimination, which can worsen mental health problems and prevent persons from receiving the help they need. Many individuals who suffer from mental health conditions may have experienced substance abuse disorders,” Dr Richmond-Thomas explained.

She said participants will benefit through practical feedback about treatment options, increased

knowledge about health, social and economic resources, and will improve their coping-skills to handle their individual life's challenges.

Historically, mental health problems have continually attracted social stigma which have affected the financial, emotional and social stability of patients, she emphasized.

The Ministry of Public Health has planned visits to

far-flung hinterland areas to provide mental health treatment to those in need.

The mental health specialist said substance misuse is prevalent in hinterland communities due to the lack of economic and social activities in those areas.

Regular exercise, relaxation and healthy eating are some coping strategies to help achieve positive mental health and well-being, Dr. Richmond-Thomas said.

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 25, 2019

Owner claims car allegedly used in 'Whistle' execution - had reported it stolen sometime ago

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olice have identified the owner of the car that is believed to have been used by the gunmen who executed Leon Duncan, also known as “Whistle” and “World Boss” last Sunday night.

A senior police official said that the owner of the vehicle has come forward to claim it.

Police established that it was reported stolen sometime ago.

The car was reportedly found abandoned a few corners away from the Williamstad Street, North Ruimveldt area where Duncan was gunned down.

Police recovered 31 live rounds, a bullet casing and a magazine from the vehicle.

While there have been no arrests, the official indicated that investigators were looking for known individuals.

According to reports, Duncan, 29, of Lot 2692 Manatee Place, South Ruimveldt, was gambling with others near a culvert in Williamstaad Street, when the occupants of a car discharged several rounds at them.

Duncan sustained multiple gunshot injuries to the abdomen and succumbed shortly after.

Also wounded were Duncan's brother, Shaquel

Leon Duncan aka “Whistle” Duncan, called 'Lil Shaq,' who sustained gunshot injuries to the left arm and left thigh; Lawrence Simon, 34, called 'Plait Hair,' shot in the left knee, and Orandy Gordon, 28, who sustained gunshot injuries to the left arm and right knee.

In 2018, Leon Duncan was shot at Leopold and Breda Streets after he was traced by an off duty police rank who reportedly witnessed him robbing and gun-butting a woman. He had faced several charges last year for robberies, and an attack on cops.

Duncan was also accused, then freed, of the murder of businessman Intaz Roopnarine, who was executed at Cool Square Hotel, Marigold St., West Ruimveldt in January 2013.

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 25, 2019

PAGE 17

Appeal Court orders retrial for cameraman accused of raping girl, 13

By Feona Morrison

A

man jailed for 25 years for raping a 13year-old girl, had his conviction overturned at the Court of Appeal yesterday. A retrial has since been ordered by the court.

The three-judge court presided over by Chief Justice Roxane George and Justices of Appeal Dawn Gregory and Rishi Persaud quashed the man's conviction for rape after holding that his trial was unsatisfactory due to the trial Judge (Navindra Singh) admitting prejudicial

evidence.

The evidence, the Court of Appeal said, is that of the virtual complaint's grandmother, who said that the young girl had been previously molested by Hetsberger, prior to the rape offence for which Hetsberger was charged and tried. The Court of Appeal reasoned that the evidence was prejudicial on the basis that it had absolutely nothing to do with the matter for which Hetsberger was on trial. In fact, the appellate court also noted that the grandmother was never called to testify during the trial.

Holding for Hetsberger's lawyer, Dexter Todd, was Adrian Smith, who inquired as to whether the court was minded to grant Hetsberger bail pending the hearing and determination of a new trial.

Justice George, however, advised the lawyer to make a formal application for bail before the High Court.

Meanwhile, Senior State Prosecutor Natasha Backer pointed out that arrangements will be made to have Hetsberger retried at the October session of the Demerara Criminal Assizes.

Now 40, Hetsberger was convicted on a unanimous jury verdict at the Demerara

Bus driver slapped with two counts...

From page 15 the passengers in the crashed vehicle.

Among the passengers in the vehicle was police constable Linden Charles, 43, who was stationed at the Mocha outpost, East Bank Demerara. The injured passengers were assisted out of the minibus by publicspirited persons who had quickly rushed to the scene. They were taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where Cozier, 34, of

Charlestown, Georgetown, was pronounced dead on arrival.

The other passengers were treated and sent away, while Charles and another passenger were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, because of the severity of their injuries. The police constable later succumbed to his injuries.Sampson was granted bail in the sum of $700,000 while the matter was adjourned to August 6.

High Court in early 2016 for rape committed on the 13year-old girl on October 17, 2 0 1 4 . H e t s b e rg e r h a d initially denied the allegation. In contesting the conviction and sentence, Attorney Todd had argued that the prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, and the testimony of the virtual complainant who insisted that Hetsberger penetrated her one day.

Furthermore, Todd had argued that Justice Singh admitted evidence by the prosecution which was highly prejudicial to his client, and more so refused to admit evidence which supported his client's defence. In this regard, the lawyer submitted that the trial judge failed to put his client's case adequately, or at all, to the jury for consideration.

During arguments, Todd pointed out that a medical certificate, which indicated that the virtual complainant showed no signs of penetration was tendered into evidence by the

prosecution. On the other hand, he said that there was the virtual complainant's account of what transpired, in that she was penetrated by his client. According to To d d , t h e v i r t u a l complainant's testimony was inconsistent with the medical certificate, and as such, the trial judge should have relied on the latter.

The Court of Appeal in its ruling, however, held that this ground of appeal had no merit, since corroboration between the medical evidence and the virtual complaint's testimony was not necessary in accordance with the Sexual Offences Act. Senior State Prosecutor Backer had earlier on asked the Court of Appeal to dismiss Todd's argument that corroboration was needed.

She argued that the virtual complainant's testimony cannot be discredited since the Sexual Offence Act allows for evidence of such nature. According to the prosecutor, it is possible for someone who was sexually penetrated to not show signs of injuries.

Moreover, Todd had contended that the sentence

Andre Hetsberger imposed on his client was severe in all the circumstances. In support of this argument, he took issue with the fact that no probation report was prepared on his client's background. However, Prosecutor Backer told the court that she was not aware that a probation report could have caused Hetsberger to receive a lighter sentence.

In light of these, Todd had insisted that the verdict of the jury was unreasonable and cannot be supported with regard to the evidence, and sought for it to be set aside and/or reversed.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 18

Thursday July 25, 2019

Anti-money laundering committee to undergo training to enhance administrative capacity The AML/CFT/CPF National Coordinating Committee at its monthly statutory meeting.

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he Attorney G e n e r a l ' s Chambers and the Ministry of Legal Affairs' Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and CounteringProliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) National Coordinating Committee (the Committee) held its

monthly statutory meeting.

The meeting was chaired by Basil Williams, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs.

During the meeting, the Committee affirmed that supervisory authorities are duty bound to ensure that all reporting entities become compliant with the

AML/CFT/CPF legislation.

Effective AML/CFT/CPF regimes promote financial transparency and encourage the rule of law. In this regard, the Committee maintains that any reporting entity that is operating a business in Guyana must comply with the law.

The Committee

therefore, stressed if a licence is required for its operation and they have failed to acquire such licence, they are in breach of the Laws of Guyana.

The Committee noted that in an effort to enhance its supervisory capacity its members must be trained. In this regard, several of its members will soon receive assessor training conducted by the Caribbean Financial A c t i o n Ta s k F o r c e (CFATF) in Barbados.

The applicants will be

trained to conduct a mutual evaluation using the revised Financial Action Task Force recommendations and methodology.

In addition, these persons will receive premutual evaluation training which will prepare them to conduct a sectoral review of the legal, financial and regulatory framework.

The meeting also discussed Guyana's recent contribution to the Caribbean Financial A c t i o n Ta s k F o r c e Secretariat, the

Committee's preparations to conduct another national risk assessment, the plan to strengthen its regulation of beneficial ownership applications as well as the operationalising of the national strategic plan to prepare Guyana for another round of mutual evaluation

by CFATF. The Committee concluded that a collaborative approach remains an integral aspect for supervision and enforcement of an effective AML/CFT/CPF regime.

Fishermen charged with murder of colleague

T

hree fishermen, who were jointly charged with the murder of a fellow fisherman, yesterday stood in the prisoners' dock before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts, where the charge was read to them.

Arnold Bruce Kennedy, 19, Tavish Mangra, 19, and Richie Mahase, 26, all of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, were not required to plead to the indictable charge. It is alleged that on July 18, 2019, at Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, they murdered 20-year-old Alvin Seenarine called 'Chockoloo', of 820 'G' Zeelugt North, East Bank Essequibo.

Police prosecutor Gordon Mansfield released the facts of the charge to the court which stated that on the day in question, Seenarine and the three accused had a misunderstanding and the men then armed themselves

Accused: Richie Mahase (front) and Arnold Bruce Kennedy with cutlasses and inflicted several chops on Seenarine.

The victim was then picked up in an unconscious state and rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The three suspects then made their escape but they were later apprehended by the police

Accused: Tavish Mangra and subsequently charged.

Prosecutor Mansfield then mentioned that the file is almost completed - the only thing outstanding is the post mortem report. The three men were then remanded to prison and will make their next court appearance on August 6, at the Leonora Magistrate's Court.

Thursday July 25, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 19

GPF's 180th Anniversary celebrations….

Surroundings of Kingston bandstand get much needed facelift

Scenes from the day's events

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he Guyana Police Force (GPF) continues to celebrate its 180th anniversary and yesterday ranks took to the Kingston Seawall to clean up the beach front and do some painting.

The band stand wasn't left out, as its surroundings were transformed to look less like a jungle.

The Finance Department collaborated with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure to host the Force's Environmental Clean Up Day in keeping with the Green State Development Strategy.

Ranks turned out in their numbers neatly dressed in khaki t-shirts and jeans to aid in the clean-up and 11aluminium drums were placed on the seawalls to act as garbage receptacles. Ranks were seen hauling huge bags of solid waste that they picked up from the seawalls.

They were also seen raking the grass to remove garbage and other debris. Employees

of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure also joined in the clean-up and they were all observed talking with the ranks during the exercise Police Commissioner Leslie James also attended the clean-up, he walk around inspected the work of the ranks and

complimented them on a job well done. He also said that “At least you can see the police engaging in part of its duties, specifically the police finance officer, and he asked to engage in a project, as with all the divisional commanders and department heads.”

He went on to say that the Finance Officer

chose the project to clean up the general area of the Georgetown seawall, and to include himself as well as the staff.

He also took the opportunity to call on the general public to take note and follow the initiative.

He also said that the country has a lot of large companies and he was challenging then to engage in similar clean-up activities to keep the city looking fresh.

All divisional commanders were tasked with undertaking a project and the initiative of the Finance Officer was praised, as he did what wasn't expected and it turned out exceptionally well.

After all the cleaning was done, groups took up their brushes and buckets of paint to renew various traffic symbols as well as spruce up the vicinity of the Band Stand and steps of the sea walls which were cleaned, swept and painted in bright colours and the grass in its surroundings trimmed.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

Thursday July 25, 2019

AFC will not compromise Govt's position on CCJ ruling - Ramjattan

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eader of the Alliance for Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, has said that the AFC will not compromise the Coalition Government's position as it relates to the ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) administration had announced that it is prepared to comply with every ruling of the CCJ. The CCJ had upheld the no confidence motion which was passed against the government on December 21, 2018. The Constitution stipulates that notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months. After a lengthy period of litigation in the Courts, the CCJ made a final determination last month.

The Coalition had said that it would abide by the CCJ ruling, but pointed out that the

ultimate decision of when elections would be held, lies with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), as an autonomous agency.

The government had said that GECOM must declare its readiness.

The Commission has so far commenced house-tohouse registration to prepare a new voters' list in the lead up to election – a position that the Opposition is utterly against.

The People's Progressive Party (PPP) has claimed that the exercise is part of a deliberate act to delay the holding of elections. The party wants elections by September 18, 2019.

In a recent radio interview, Ramjattan in his capacity as leader of the AFC, noted that the Coalition does not think that the September 18 deadline by the Opposition is a plausible date for the holding of credible regional and general elections.

According to Ramjattan, it

is virtually impossible that GECOM could be ready for general elections by that time.

“I recall that GECOM, prior to the decision of the CCJ, had indicated that it would take some months before you get a credible list of voters.” During the interview, the AFC leader reminded too that $3.4 billion was put aside in the budget specifically for the house-to-house registration exercise.

“If you recall, the PPP had not opposed that budgetary allocation…”

Ramjattan, who currently holds the post of Minister of Public Security, was adamant the government has done nothing unlawful.

According to the Minister, those in Government will continue to hold office and are doing so lawfully.

“We will not resign…This Government is in a process whereby, by virtue of necessity, we will remain in government.”

F u r t h e r, R a m j a t t a n contended it is my legal argument that these deadlines being used are not mandatory but directory, since they depend on so many other administrative matters in the country.

The AFC leader reasoned that that is why the CCJ never endorsed the demand of the lawyers of the Opposition to call elections on before the 18th of September.

“Because we have other political actors to consider; GECOM must first state its readiness for the elections, the President must make a declaration for the dissolution of parliament…” Ramjattan said too that Government's position on house to house was taken since 2017.

“We had indicated in 2017 that we are going to have a brand new house-to-house registration, but we did not have the monies at that time.

The monies had to go for the severance pay of sugar workers - even the PPP accepted that indeed we are

AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan going to defer the house-tohouse for the time period leading up to the general elections slated for 2020.”

Ramjattan stated further that the decision was supported by Dr. Steve Surujbally, a former GECOM Chairman, who he claims had indicated in a letter that we must hold elections based on a brand new list.”

He added “There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. We would like an election where nobody is disenfranchised.

And I don't mind the difference in opinion from that side of the fence… In a democracy we are always

g o i n g t o h a v e disagreements…”

Ramjattan stressed too that GECOM is an autonomous body.

“We are also in the position of getting a new GECOM Chairman and if that new chairman has a different position that he feels elections could be held with a claims and objections period, then fine!”

“But if the new Chairman supports the position of house-to-house, what happens then?”

“So there are other parties' positions to consider besides the government and the opposition,” the AFC leader added.

Jagdeo files response in Charles Ceres $200M libel suit - other respondents granted time

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pposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has filed an affidavit in response in the $200M libel suit brought him by businessman and prominent engineer, Charles Ceres. Ceres had filed a lawsuit against Jagdeo, Kaieteur News, and Guyana Times due to information publicised as it relates to the massive land giveaway claims.

Following a hearing of the case yesterday, Jagdeo's lawyer, Anil Nandlall spoke to reporters briefly outside the courtroom.

He said that the opposition leader will be relying on the defence of justification, fair comment and qualified privilege. In his capacity as leader of the Opposition, the People Progressive Party's General Secretary and Member of Parliament, Mr. Jagdeo has certain responsibility to speak publicly on certain things.

“We feel that the matters

of which he spoke about at the press conference were among the things that he can speak about as part of his responsibilities and duties.

We are relying on those technical, legal matters as a defence.” Nandlall said. He noted that the Court is at present considering the injunction which Ceres requested.

The Court has also granted time to the other respondents to file their responses. The matter has been adjourned to August 5 at 3:00pm.

Ceres, and his wife, Ndibi Schwiers, have filed a lawsuit claiming in excess of $200 million each for libel from the respondents.

In the statement of claim, Ceres and his wife are seeking damages in excess of $200M from Jagdeo for statements he made for claiming inter alia that Schwiers, through her husband, obtained public lands at Canje Creek, Bohemia and Liliendaal by

corrupt, illegal and criminal means.

The parties are also seeking damages in excess of $200M for the publishing of the unsubstantiated and defamatory statements via the People's Progressive Party's FaceBook page and YouTube channels.

The applicants are also seeking in excess of $200M each from publications, Kaieteur News and Guyana Times, for publishing articles based on Jagdeo's claims that the couple might have obtained the said lands via immoral, improper, illegal and criminal means.

In addition to the sum worth in damages, the claimants are also seeking retractions and apologies from the news outlets.

In the interim, the parties also asked the Court to consider granting them an injunction against the newspapers to prevent them or their servants from publishing further defamatory statements.

Thursday July 25, 2019

Attorney General hopes Opposition will grant two-thirds majority to extend election deadline Government has not given up hope that the political Opposition, the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP), will grant them the support that is needed in the National Assembly, to postpone the deadline for General and Regional Elections.

Because a motion of No Confidence was passed against the Government on December 21, 2018, the provisions of article 106 have been activated. The final appeal brought to the Judiciary by Government had received a ruling from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on June 18, 2019.

The Court had ruled that the motion was validly passed, and the Opposition Leader consequently requested that elections be held before September 18, 2019 three months after the ruling.

This, the Opposition purports to be in accordance with Article 106(7), which states “… notwithstanding its defeat, the government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.”

Jagdeo has said time and time again that the Opposition will, under no circumstance, support an extension of the deadline. He has said, as well, that the Opposition will not go back to Parliament, and

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams that all thats left for the legislative body is its dissolution.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, said that he hopes there will be a change of heart.

“The Leader of the Opposition [Bharrat Jagdeo] has been saying hes not going back… Lets hope that good sense prevails.” Williams said.

Further, the Attorney General said that such an extension shouldnt be for just another three months.

“You must note that theres nothing in the Constitution that says, when you go for the two-thirds extension [that] it has to be for another three months. That wouldn t

Minister upset at use of pictures of young women on internet ST. JOHN’S, Antigua CMC – A senior government minister has warned against positing sexually explicit and other “degrading” videos and photos on the social media, saying the practice is “killing our young leaders”.

“I am very, very passionate about this because I have seen what it has done to our young women and I see how it is destroying families,” Gender Affairs Minister Samantha Marshall said, as Parliament debates the Electronic Crimes Amendment Bill 2019.

She told legislators that the police should move

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

swiftly to stamp out what she described as a growing problem here after a video showing two homeless people engaging sexual activity being circulated on social media.

She said the “vulnerable homeless people” were exploited and “we laughed at it.

“But the truth be told those persons need help. It is time that we stop this and I am appealing to the police do not let this that empowers you to truly carry through an investigation and to arrest those who are guilty of the offences. Do not allow this to just sit on a shelf,” she said.

make sense.”

He said that, since there s no legal precedent to dictate the period of such an extension, “theres no limit on the period of extension when you go for two-thirds.”

To decide on a period of extension, Williams said that Government will have to get together with the Opposition, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and any other relevant stakeholders to “arrive at a definitive date for elections.”

“So when you go to Parliament, you know, youll get a definitive date. Not go and fix a three-months and then next thing you cant make the three months, and you get a Constitutional crisis,” he added.

But in the event that Government doesnt manage to get the support of the Opposition, Williams said that President David Granger will have to decide when to issue a proclamation to dissolve Parliament, and name a date for General and Regional Elections to be held.

“Fortunately for us, were under 106(7) and if theres no two-thirds majority, you fall back on the President, who happens to be the person who has the power to name an election date, and also to dissolve Parliament.”

Bauxite workers union, RUSAL continue labour talks The Russian Aluminum (RUSAL ) - c o n t r o l l e d Bauxite Company of Guyana (BCGI) and the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers’ Union (GB&GWU), are c o n t i n u i ng negotiations towards the realisation of a new Collective Labour Agreement, (CLA).

Giving an update on the talks, the GB&GWU noted that following the settlement of the dispute on 20th March, 2019 between BCGI and workers of Aroaima and Kwakwani, there has been engagement with the BCGI management and the Union on the day-to-day differences.

In a statement, the bauxite union noted that it has been able to date to conduct its activities in an uninhibited atmosphere.

“Workers are however still mobilised and are anxiously awaiting the outcome of a new Collective Labour Agreement which is to be realised from the ongoing negotiation which will continue on Friday 26th July 2019.

So far, GB & G W U ’s negotiation team has been led by Lincoln Lewis, General Secretary along

with BCGI Branch President Ephraim Velloza and Secretary Leslie Junor.

According to the statement, the union is asking for, among other things, improvement in vacation benefits, increase in wages and salary, as well as education allowances for workers and family.

Further, the release said that both the GB&GWU’s and the BCGI management are expected to continue the negotiation in good faith. GB&GWU has affirmed its commitment to upholding its end of the agreement, but at the same time the union said it will not shy away from holding BCGI accountable for same.

“We are committed to ensuring a new CLA being realised within the shortest possible time.”

The negotiation was preceded by a gruelling struggle for respect for the recognition by the employer of the Union, even though the Union was recognised by the Trade Union Recognition and Certification Board since May 2007.

The struggle to bring the Union and the BCGI management together was

the longest struggle of such nature in the history of independent Guyana, lasting for nine-plus years, and spanning three political regimes.

In April, workers at RUSAL’s Kurubuka mine site clashed with management after they noticed a mere one percent increase. After a standoff, the company fired 91 workers and ordered them off the Aroaima area.

The workers had refused to move from Aroaima, which forced the government to step in. The workers had blocked the Berbice River, and refused to allow bauxite and other vessels to pass.

After a three-week-old standoff between staffers and the company, the latter agreed to sit down with the workers’ union to discuss issues. It was a major breakthrough, as the bauxite company has been for years refusing to recognise the union.

The decision was taken after government intervention, and meetings and plane flights by ministers to the mining area, along with a conciliation meeting involving Chief Labour Officer, Charles Ogle.

PAGE 22

Thursday July 25, 2019

Kaieteur News

$20,000 fine for man who threatened to cut up mom and put pieces in freezer

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, G R A D U AT I O N , W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisements, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535.

ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6006887: We create A/works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included.

FOR SALE Combines 7300 John Deere (2000hrs), Fiatagri L413 (2500hrs), Laverda 132 & Tractors: Massey 399, Fiat 110/90, Ford 6610, 290 Massey # 695-2220 30x48 Sash windows, black & white (Regular size) casement and awning windows. $12,000 each. Tel#679-3325 IMPORTED Pure breed rottweilers for sale. Contact S.S Royal K9 @ 638-1111 Locust Lumber 400BM/ 2"x6" - 20' $350/BM Variety Woods Greenheart Ltd. Ph#226-8556

450-Honda ATV, Cat 215 Excavator, Cat 215- Excavator Stove Repairs. Tel#627-7835 spares, Cat 428 Back-hoe Skylines Architecture- #683-7225/275-0367 Tel#647-1500- we offer house plans, interior & exterior Double steel wheeled 8-tons designs, construction roller, 9 wheel pneumatic roller.

Mack concrete Mixer truck- 8 drawings and much more. cu. Yds, 650-Gals spray kettel. #683-7225/275-0367 Installation, Repairs and parts for AC, Fridge, Pure bred German Shepherd Washing Machine, Stove for sale. Contact#697-1141/ etc. Call Nick 630-1600, 627612-6672 3206

House and land available at Parfaite, Tuschen, Diamond etc.

Contact Pacific Development Inc. 223-6035/ 604-4909 (1) 3 bedroom house located at Stewartville. Tel#625-3299/ 268-3129 Grove Public Road. Tel#6177678

DOLLYS AUTO RENTAL CALL: 225-7126 & 2263693 -DOLLYS AUTO RENTAL@ YAHOO.COM/ W W W . D O L L Y SAUTORENTAL.COM AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MINI BUS, GOOD FORAIRPORT & FAMILY OUTINGS, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 (2) bedroom top flat apartment in Riumveldt Tel#227-8529

One male to look after layer birds in the interior. Tel#6693162 Brush cutter operators, Landscaping workers. Tel# 656-1326

Driver/Salesman wanted, Automatic van. Please contact# 231-6256

One Four bedroom concrete cottage, unfurnished for rent, located at 26 Continential Park, Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara. Tel#233-5808

Bus and Car Driver. #225-3234

One bedroom apartment, Middle Rd La-Penitence $35,000 monthly. Contact# 666-9534 One Penthouse, Fully furnate apartment, Quiet atmosphere.

Tel#688-4525/649-9595 Two bedroom fully furnished apartment for rent in Eccles, five minutes from Texila. Call: 665-6406/624-1218 Camp St for Offices or other type of business. Commercial spaces available, Enmore Mall. #609-7675/674-1705/233-2614

Transported land 11.6 acres, Lot 15 Public road #2 Village W.C. B/ce 5 mins from B/ce 1 Honda CRV. includes TV, Bridge. Contact# 686-4818/ music system, alarm, reverse camera, sproiler, crash bar, 648-7109 Low mileage. PTT Series Farm main road (East Bank) (First Owner) Contact #649- $7M Schnoord $3.6M 0956 (100ftx50ft) Dairy $2M Parfaite Harmonie $1.5M Tel#648-1635 1-Toyota Tundra 4 wheel drive $1.9M, 1 BMW 3181 $1.4M, 1 Audi Convertible $2.8M, 1 -416 Cat Tractor loader $3.5M Contact#6500402/603-1402 VEHICLE FOR SALE

1 Nissan Pickup. #653-1347/ 231-0877 New model Sylphy, driven by lady. #614-9742 HEALTH HERBAL REMEDIES: DIABETES, INFERTILITY, MENSTRUAL DISORDERS, ENLARGED PROSTATE, KIDNEY, GALL STONES & SKIN DISORDERS ETC. CALL SPARMAN #676-5924

Experienced domestic 3 days per week. Excellent salarynegotiable. Call: 500-5519

2 bedroom, central AC unit, garage, hot & cold shower in gated community, Blankenburg. Contact# 6505345

Houselots 3 mil. New Development, payment plans available-no interest #2336997/667-0140

New model premio, pearl white 2009 registered $2.3M , Toyota Vitz 2010 Black unregistered $1.8M . Tel#2235615/600-4212 CAR RENTAL

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LAND FOR SALE

PROPERTY FOR SALE House for sale, Eccles Housing Scheme. 7 bedrooms, 3 toilets and bathrooms enclosed. $28.5M. Call 642-0391/ 001447587233657/ yasharabhola4@gmail.com

FOR RENT

EDUCATION STEWART’S ACADEMIC INSTITUTE- SUMMER PROGRAMME: 22nd JULY16th AUGUST 2019) For more information, Contact Mr. Stewart Cell# 697-3801

Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252/674-4665/6493750

Outdoor & Inside Sales Rep & Admin assistants. Email applications to demerara.parts.service @gmail.com or 222-1315 for more info VACANCY General Domestic to cook and clean for East Bank. Call: 6144358 Female cleaner office & home.

Call: 642-9823 Waitress & Cook, preferably carnegie trained & Cashier/ Waitress #225-7933 or visit 172 Sheriff St Driver, Factory worker, must have a sound secondary education, for more information. Please call: 2230090 General domestic. 3 Days work. Must know to cook.

Apply with 2 references.

KeyFood McDoom village Looking for a job & educational services? Contact The Job Centre 43 Croal & Alexander Street or call 5024002/600-8457 Vacancy for 1 Manager to work at Dollar Stretch Variety Store, Lot 16 Robb St, G/town.

Contact#231-7138

VACANCY Industrial Sales Representative, 5 Subject CXC Age 25+ Experience in Sales, must own vehicle, email r e s u m e : vacancy@josarltd.com 1 experienced driver, must have license for car/van/ minibus & motorbus, residing in G/town between ages 24-50 yrs old. #225-1429/ 641-5075 Experienced Male Porters & Salesgirls with 2 yrs experience. CXC maths & english. Apply @ Christine’s Variety, Lombard St. Contact: 227-8529 Vacancy for 1 massage therapist, 1 hairdresser & 2 nail technician at Natural Beauty Salon & Spa. #652-5800

Salesgirl. #668-0159

DemBake @ Land of Canaan is seeking experienced Motor Lorry drivers & Sales agent.

Email CV: admin@demerarabakery.com / call: 266-5848

LT 40 wood miser operator to work at Mango landing. Call: 609-7675/674-1705/233-2614

1 experienced cook (live in or out) ECD, 1 Live in cleaner 3045yrs, Salary $25,000 wkly. #610-3974

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1 Sales representative preferably with motor-cycle $20,000 weekly & comission.

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N. Outar Driving School, Learn to Drive the right way @ Cuffy Square. Affordable package. Call: 644-5166/6912561

Wanted Live-in maid 40-45 year, must have police clearance & reference.

Contact# 688-4525/649-9595

Care for elderly, care for children. First Aid & CPR. #227-4881

A man was yesterday fined $20,000 or in default will serve two months imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to using threatening language towards his mother.

Robin Mohan appeared before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts where the charge was read to him. The charge stated that on July 20, 2019, at Howes Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, he used threatening language towards Satyawattie Mohan.

In the explanation that the defendant gave to the court, he stated that he had some problems with his mother and thats why he told her certain things. Moreover, the man told the court that he loves his mother “more than God” and he is sorry for what he had said to her.

Accounts Clerk. Contact#2235273/223-5274 Receptionist. Contact#2235273/223-5274 Surveyor. Contact#223-5273/ 223-5274 1 Secretary 28-45 yrs old. #2310655/683-8734

Police prosecutor Seon Blackman then released the facts of the charge which stated that Robin Mohan is the son of the virtual complainant (Satyawattie Mohan) and he suffers from drug addiction. In 2016, the mother was forced to restrain the son from her home due to his smoking habits and abusive behaviour. However, the son still turned up at the womans home and abused her verbally.

On the day in question, the mother was at home when her son started to verbally abuse her for unknown reasons. She then asked the man to leave, but he refused and threatened to cut her up into pieces and put her in a freezer.

The matter was then reported, and when the police showed up at the address mentioned in the charge, a search was carried out on the man and a steel pipe, determined to be a smoking utensil, was found in his waist.

Mohan was told of the offence and he then admitted.

He was subsequently arrested and charged.

Thursday July 25, 2019

Talks begin on maritime economy plan Guyana is working to develop a maritime economy plan, which will involve strategies for the effective management of all economic activity involving its seas.

The government is receiving support from the Commonwealth Maritime Economics Programme in the crafting of the plan. The first stage, consultation, was held at the residence of the British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn, on Tuesday.

Commissioner of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC), Trevor Benn, who was in attendance, said, “We dont have, as a country, a good understanding of how to treat with these [maritime] issues. It is my hope that, through this consultation, we will begin the process of understanding how to deal with those issues and to be able to formulate plans going forward.” “So this is only the first but a very small step in getting there. We have a lot of work to do in our country in relation to issues relating to surveys.”

Benn said that Guyana has not been remapped in over 50 years, and that the lack of comprehensive, updated mapping has an effect on Governments ability to make informed decisions about what to tell investors. The consultation was a one-off event, but Benn said that the process doesnt end there.

“There will be one on one conversation with each of the agencies before the plan is finalized. Of course, when we have a draft, we will circulate for input from all of the various sectors.”

During the opening Ceremony, Quinn noted that the goal is to encourage sustainable

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Kaieteur News

GLSC Commissioner Trevor Benn marine development.

In an address to various stakeholders in the public sector, Quinn said “I believe this reflects the vision of the government and all its agencies. They are aware of the fact that the future of Guyana must rest in its effective use and conservation of all sectors of the countrys economy,” the High Commissioner stated.

He further said: “The plan aims to identify sectors of the maritime industries that foster sustainable development and to prepare a tailored action plan to address gaps, overcome obstacles and build capacity to grow those sectors. In the process, it will consider the governments short, medium and longterm priorities.”

High Commissioner Quinn said the plan will be tailored to meet Guyanas specific needs and priorities. It will also be aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources.

The joint work on the development of the Maritime Economy Plan began back in 2016. Stakeholders were drawn from all sectors of the country.

Consultants Jonathan McCue and Felipe Stiegler are leading the consultation process.

Annual Drug Report provides comprehensive info on 2018 interventions The Ministry of Public Security published its A n n u a l R e p ort of the Guyana Drug Information Network (GUYDIN) for 2019 and the report is said to have comprehensive data on interventions done during the year 2018 Its main aim is to support the development and expansion of evidence-based policies and programmes that will aid in combatting the drug problem.

A number of agencies collaborated on the numerous drug prevention and reduction ventures in the year 2018, as specialists from both the government and Non-Governmental Organisations worked together to reach over 3,000 persons countrywide, to educate them about the consequen c e s o f substance use.

It is a situation that doesnt only have an impact on the individual themselves but also on those around them; being their family and the community at large. At the seminars and outreaches, individuals were equipped with the necessary tools to make well-informed deci-

sions when it came to substance use. A majority of the programmes targeted youths that were both in and out of school as they were the most vulnerable group to fall prey.

The Ministry of Public Health, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, also initiated a number of training programmes that had the capacity exceeding 600 persons who were trained in the areas of drug prevention and treatment interventions, so that they will be able to effectively address and possibly reduce the drug problem.

In addition, the report highlights that there were 100 persons who have received specialised treatment for problematic drug

use through the Phoenix Recovery Project and the Salvation Armys Mens Social Service. All of these are measures put in place to address the Public Health Impact that the drug problem has on society.

The report also highlights the fact that for 2018, law enforcement agencies conducted in excess of 300 seizures of illicit drugs and over 20 eradication operations, a majority of the latter along the Berbice River areas.

A total of 579,412 kilograms of narcotics were eliminated from the market and over 500 persons were charged in connection with them over that period. Drugs seized included cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, and methamphetamines.

PAGE 24

Mueller says Trump was not exonerated but Trump declares victory WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller emphasized on Wednesday he had not exonerated Donald Trump of obstruction of justice, as the president has claimed, but his long-awaited congressional testimony did little to add momentum to any Democratic impeachment ambitions and Trump heartily declared victory.

“This was a very big day for the Republican Party.

And you could say this was a great day for me, but I don’t even like to say that,” the Republican president said after Mueller’s lengthy testimony in backto-back hearing s o n h i s inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election to boost Trump’s candidacy.

During a day of sometimes dramatic high-stakes political theater, the former FBI direc t o r a n s w e r e d q u e s t i o n s p u b l i c l y for the first time on his investigation, with Democrats

Thursday July 25, 2019

Kaieteur News

and Republicans taking familiar positions at a time of deep partisan divisions in the United States.

Mueller faced a rapidfire succession of questions and sometimes struggled with his answers or sidestepped queries in hearings that lasted seven hours from start to finish.

The marathon televised hearings apparently left Democrats who control the House of Representatives no closer to launching the impeachment process to try to remove Trump even as he seeks re-election in 2020.

Mueller, for his part, refused to discuss the “impeachment issue.”

“The Democrats had nothing,” Trump told reporters outside the White House as he was leaving on a trip to West Virginia.

“And now they have less than nothing. And I think they’re going to lose the 2020 election very big, including congressional

seats, because of the path that they choose.” Mueller spent 22 months investigating what he concluded was Russian interference in a “sweeping and systematic fashion” in the 2016 U.S. election to help Trump as well as the president’s actions to impede the inquiry.

Mueller defended the inquiry’s integrity under repeated attacks by Trump’s conservative Republican allies during the hearings before the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees. The president lauded those lawmakers as “incredible warriors.”

Democrats who wanted Mueller to bolster their case for impeachment or provide game-changing testimony about the president, and Republicans who wanted to show that the investigation was a politically motivated hit job on Trump engineered by his enemies, may have come away frustrated.

British Prime Minister Johnson promises a bold new Brexit deal LONDON (Reuters) Boris Johnson promised in his first speech as prime minister to lead Britain out of the European Union on Oct. 31 with “no ifs or buts” and warned that if the bloc refused to negotiate then there would be a no-deal Brexit.

Johnson, who has been hailed by U.S. President Donald Trump a s B r i t a i n ’s Tr u m p , i s sending the strongest message yet to the EU that he will be taking a distinctly tougher approach to negotiating a revision of the Brexit divorce deal.

He took over from Theresa May at one of the most perilous junctures in post-World War Two British history - the United Kingdom is divided over Brexit and weakened by the threeyear political crisis that has gripped it since a

2016 referendum vote to leave the bloc.

“We are going to fulfil the repeated promises of parliament to the people and come out of the EU on October 31, no ifs or buts,” Johnson, 55, said after arriving at the p r e m i e r ’s o ff i c i a l r e s i dence, No.10 Downing Street.

“We can do a deal without checks at the Irish bord e r, ” h e s a i d . “ I t i s o f course vital at the same time that we prepare for the remote possibility that Brussels refuses any further to negotiate and we are forced to come out with no deal.”

Just hours after arriving in Downing Street, the new Conservative Prime Minister began work with one of the biggest culls of senior government jobs in recent British history, changing all of the main ministers.

Most of his appointees

were Brexit supporters.

Johnson’s bet is that the threat of a no-deal Brexit will persuade the E U ’s b i g g e s t p o w e r s Germany and France - to agree to revise the divorce deal that May agreed last November but failed to push through the British parliament.

The gambit, an admission that three years of Brexit talks have failed, sets the United Kingdom up for a showdown with the EU and thrusts Johnson toward a potential constitutional crisis, or an election, at home.

While his strategy could get support from Trump, who had advised May to take a much tougher line with Brussels, he has just 99 days to renegotiate and ratify the so called Withdrawal Agreement that the EU has repeatedly refused to amend.

Thursday July 25, 2019

Kaieteur News

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Thursday July 25, 2019

Thursday July 25, 2019

Organizers unveil Tokyo 2020 medals a year before Games TOKYO (Reuters) - The medals for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics were unveiled yesterday with exactly one year to go until next year’s Games.

The unveiling of the medals, designed by Junichi Kawanishi, was the main attraction of an extravagant ceremony in the Japanese capital to commemorate the landmark.

The event was attended

by International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The medals, which are 85 millimeter in diameter, feature Greek goddess of victory Nike in their design along with the Olympic symbol and are made from recycled metals, collected

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Kaieteur News

from 6.21 million electronic devices donated across Japan.

Abe said he hoped next year’s Games would have a similar impact as the 1964 Summer Games held in Tokyo.

“Sports brings the world together and it affords equal opportunities to all. That is what sports are about,” said Abe. “Fifty five years ago we learned that when we hosted it in Tokyo before.

“Next year we want to demonstrate that again and we want this to be an opportunity where we can do that.” Bach reiterated that Tokyo is the best prepared city he has ever seen ahead of an Olympic Games.

“It will be a wonderful and unique moment for our gracious Japanese hosts. For

you to show the world the best of Japan,” added Bach.

Organizers believe they are on track to deliver a world class sporting event next year and with 3.22 million tickets already sold and over 200,000 people applying to be volunteers, engagement in Japan is unprecedented.

The only reminder of the issues in the build-up to the Games on Wednesday was the presence of new Japanese Olympic Committee President Yasuhiro Yamashita on stage with Bach and Abe. Yamashita took over at the JOC last month, following the resignation of Tsunekazu Takeda, who is being investigated for suspected corruption related to the Tokyo 2020 bid.

Thursday July 25, 2019 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Stop being an enabler to someone you care about.

You may let someone continue a dangerous addictive behavior simply because you want to avoid a confrontation.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Stop hiding behind your intellectual barrier, Libra. Playing games will get you nowhere. True strength is standing up and demonstrating that you can say what you feel in any situation.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) You may have some issues with food, Taurus. Maybe your sense of self-worth isn't at its highest, and you're trying to make up for this by sabotaging your relationship with your body.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Stop trying to feel everyone else's emotions and focus on yours. Being empathetic is certainly laudable, but at some point you need to face the music and look in the mirror.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) If there's an issue with your partner that needs airing, this is a good time to do it, Gemini. Don't hold back just to maintain the equilibrium in the relationship.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) The intensity of the day may bring unexpected opposition, Cancer. Whether it's verbalized or not, the confrontations are quite real.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Give your loved ones the attention they need today, Leo. Don't let another day go by without saying you love them. Life is short and getting shorter with each passing day.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Don't run away from the tension today, Virgo. Any emotional stress you feel will be compounded if it isn't dealt with right away.

Be in the moment while the moment is here.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) It may seem like neither side of the bed is the right side to wake up on today, Sagittarius. The only solution may be is to just go back to dreamland if you can.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You may feel like you're being double-crossed by a loved one today, Capricorn.

Maybe your words are being used against you in such a way that makes you look like the bad guy.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You may say one thing one minute and the opposite the next, Aquarius.

Most of the time you jump from one issue to the next with no hassle, but today people probably will call you on it.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) The tension in the air might be what you need in order to become more aware of subconscious issues that affect your behavior, Pisces.

Bon ice-cream Junior Summer...

From page 29 practical sessions. In addition, local coaches who work with the junior programmes of each club have been invited to participate and observe.

President of the GHB, Philip Fernandes, once a student of Jagday during his early visits, indicated that Shiv brings such a wealth of experience and sound technical knowledge that the young players of Guyana will benefit greatly from this exercise.

Fernandes went on to thank ANSA McAL, the distributor for Bon icecream, for being supportive of hockey and all sports in general as the company is one of the local leaders in supporting activities for the youth of Guyana.

ANSA McAL, the sponsor of the hockey camp, is adding some happiness to Guyana with the introduction of Bon Ice cream to the Guyana Market.

Bon Ice Cream is made in the Dominican Republic

by Caribbean people for Caribbean People; with real, fresh Caribbean fruits.

The range includes Novelties such as Bon Ice Cream Sandwich; Fruit Bars made with real fruits; Popsicles; Fudge Bars and Cream Bars along with mini cups and take home sizes in in a wide variety of flavours.

Andrews Supermarket...

From page 31 support from Andrews Supermarket will sponsor the Female Javelin Event. Each event carries a total purse of $80,000 with the winner carrying home $40,000, second place $25,000 and third place $15,000 along with memorabilia medals.

A total of $2 million will be handed out directly to the athletes in Linden. In addition, the Champion Male and Female athletes will benefit from $25,000 worth in Under Armour Sports Gear and $25,000 cash along with trophies. The top three finishers in the school boys and girls 150m will take home Hampers and medals.

As it relates to patrons, 10 gate prizes will be up for grabs. Founder of the Classic, Edison Jefford indicated that there will be something for everyone at the event this year.

He said he will be sticking to the prize structure since he has already secured the athletes prize monies. He said that the athletes will collect their prizes immediately after each event.

West Indies A (228) vs India A 70-1 – 1st day, 1st “Test” NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – India A, replying to West Indies A’s 228, reached 70 for one in their first innings on the opening day of the first four-day “Test” at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground here yesterday.

Scores:

WEST INDIES A 228 (Rahkeem Cornwall 59, Jermaine Blackwood 53, Roston Chase 25; Shahbaz Nadeem 5-62, Mayank Markande 2-40, Siraj Mohammed 2-61).

INDIA A 70 for one (Priyank Panchal 31 not out, Easwaran Abhimanyu 28).

Guinness Georgetown...

From page 29 fixtures, North East La Penitence match’s skills with Back Circle from 22:00hrs and Sparta Boss lock horns with Albouystown-B at 22:30hrs.

Winner of the event will collect $500,000 and the championship trophy, with the second, third and fourth place finisher copping $300,000, $200,000 and $100,000 respectively and the corresponding trophy. They will also automatically seal a place in the National Championship in August.

Beacons [Bartica Champion], Melanie-B [East Coast Demerara winner], Brothers United [West Demerara/East Bank Demerara winner], Trafalgar [Berbice champion] and High Rollers

[Linden champion] have sealed automatic berths to the National Championship.

Below features the fixtures for the final round of group stage matches.

Thursday 25th Berlin Tarmac (1)Alexander Village vs Charlotte St-19:00hrs (2)Broad Street vs John Street-19:30hrs (3)Albouystown-A vs Future Stars-20:00hrs (4)Sophia vs Rising Stars20:30hrs (5)LA Ballers vs Gold is Money-21:00hrs (6)Leopold Street vs Tiger Bay-21:30hrs (7)North East vs Back Circle-22:00hrs (8)Sparta Boss vs Albouystown-B-22:30hrs

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Thursday July 25, 2019

Kaieteur News

Trentin wins Tour de France 17th stage as tempers flare GAP, France (Reuters) European champion Matteo Trentin won the 17th stage of the Tour de France, a hilly 200-km ride from the Pont du Gard as tempers flared in the peloton yesterday.

Te a m I n e o s ’s L u k e Rowe and Lotto JumboVisma’s Tony Martin were both kicked out of the race following an altercation, just under 14 kilometres from the finish.

Italian Trentin jumped away from a reduced group of breakaway riders at the foot of the last climb and powered clear in the descent to claim his third stage victory on the Tour after previous wins in 2013 and 2014.

It was another good day for the Mitchelton-Scott team following on from Simon Yates’ two stage wins and Daryl Impey’s victory on stage nine, which goes some way to make up for Adam Yates’s failure to contest for the overall victory.

The Briton stunningly dropped out of contention in the first high mountain stage, but the Australian outfit have since then bounced back with individual wins.

“This win is worth two wins because after stage 10 to Albi, I thought my chances to win a stage were today,” said Trentin.

“I had stage 12 to Bagneres-de-Bigorre in mind and it went well because my team mate Simon Yates won it from our breakaway group.

“Today was definitely my last possibility before three days that are extremely demanding. My mentality helped me win even more than my legs. I would have never imagined to win solo.”

Today’s 18th stage is a 208-km mountain trek between Embrun and Valloire featuring three climbs above 2,000 metres.

On another searing hot day in southern France, the top contenders stayed quiet,

finishing in the peloton, just over 20 minutes off the pace behind Trentin, as France’s Julian Alaphilippe retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey.

He leads defending champion Geraint Thomas by 1:35 in the general classification.

Trentin made his move with 14 kilometres left and never looked back to beat Denmark’s Kasper Asgreen by 37 seconds and Belgian Greg van Avermaet by 41.

The main bunch rode the end of the stage at a leisurely pace but there was some tension between the top teams as German Martin, one of Steven Kruijswijk’s domestiques, appeared to push his way past Thomas’s team mate Rowe.

The Briton put a hand on Martin’s neck and the race stewards decided to disqualify both riders.

The incident prompted Alaphilippe to ask the riders

Cornwall, Chase to benefit from spin camp ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – West Indies A offspinning all-rounder Rahkeem Cornwall is one of several regional slow bowlers called up for an ongoing spin bowling camp here in Antigua.

Cornwall, the region’s leading off-spinner with 256 wickets from 53 first class matches, has been joined by Test all-rounder Roston Chase – who also bowls offbreaks – along with leftarm spinner Khary Pierre who has played three Twenty20 Internationals.

The camp, which began July 20 and runs for a week, is one of two being staged, with the second one scheduled to run from July 29 to August 3 in Trinidad.

Legendary Pakistani legspinner Mushtaq Ahmed will preside over both camps, a move director of cricket Jimmy Adams believes will be a filip for the players

involved. “ To h a v e M u s h t a q involved in our spin bowling programs is invaluable,” Adams said.

“His past record as a world class player and coach points to someone who can make a tangible contribution to the development of our spinners and the coaches who work with them. “ We h o p e t h a t t h i s relationship with Mushtaq can be extended beyond the current term for the benefit of our regional players and coaches.”

Mushtaq, who serves as a consultant to the West Indies senior side, said the focus during both camps would be on bowling during the critical middle overs in one-day cricket.

“We are looking for spinners that can play a role in one day cricket bowling in the middle overs, while also

making the slow bowling bench strength strong,” he noted.

“So the whole point is not just to focus on national team spin bowling options, but also in domestic cricket where having improved quality spinners will also help the local batsmen.

“The potential effect here will be when West Indies play in the sub continent, their batsmen will play spin more confidently and bowlers will develop wicket taking skills.”

Nineteen-year-old left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop, a former Young West Indies player, is also a part of the ongoing camp along with Gudakesh Motie, Keron Cottoy, Larry Edwards, Akim Frazer and Chaim Holder.

Only Trinidadian spinners will comprise the second camp with Imran Khan, Yannick Cariah, Yannick Ottley, Akeal Hosein and Kissoondath Magram all set to feature.

Mitchelton-Scott rider Matteo Trentin of Italy wins the 200-km Stage 17 from Pont du Gard to Gap. (REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes) to calm down.

“At some stage today, there was tension in the

peloton and I tried to calm the situation. I told the other riders to not take any risks

because I was not going to attack,” Alaphilippe told reporters.

Hungary’s Kristof Milak, 19, shatters Michael Phelps’ signature 200m fly world record

Hungary’s Kristof Milak set a world record in the 200M butterfly, shattering Michael Phelps time. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) Yahoo Sports - A 19-yearold from Hungary holds the new 200M butterfly world record after shattering the pace set by Michael Phelps a decade ago.

Kristof Milak came in as a favorite to win gold at the world championships in Gwangju, South Korea, yesterday and while there was talk he could break the record, it seemed unlikely.

Even commentators were amazed when Malik clocked in at 1:50.73, shaving .78 seconds off Phelps’ 2009 World Championships time.

It’s exactly one year out from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The 200M fly was the signature event for Phelps, who retired after the 2016 Rio Olympics. Phelps’ record was set at the 2009 World Championships in Rome, when he finished in 1:51.51. It was a drop of three seconds over eight years.

Phelps has five world championship golds in the event, his last coming in 2011.

He made his Olympic debut in the event in 2000, placing fifth, and went on to win eight Olympic medals in the 200M fly. He broke his first 200M record in 2001 at age 15 (1:54.91) and continued to lower his time over the years, holding it for 18 years until

Milak broke it.

Milak came out running in second, a full body length behind South African Chad le Clos, who finished third in 1:54.15, and came in at the half in exactly the time of Phelps.

At the split Milak was .36 seconds under the world record pace and pulled away from the pack on the final lap.

Japan’s Daiya Seto finished second in 1:53.86.

Milak has a 200M fly gold medal from the 2018 European championships and is also the current world junior record holder. His previous fasted time was 1:53.19 at the professional level and 1:52.71 at the junior level, according to Swim Swam.

Thursday July 25, 2019

PAGE 29

Kaieteur News

Woeful England destroyed by Ireland’s Murtagh AFP - Ireland ended England’s World Cup honeymoon in dramatic style yesterday, bowling out the host nation for a derisory 85 on the first day at Lord’s as they eyed one of the biggest shocks in Test history.

Tim Murtagh took five wickets on a ground where he plays for Middlesex and at tea Ireland’s batsmen were cruising at 127 for two in replay — a first-innings lead of 42 runs.

Andrew Balbirnie and Paul Stirling, also both Middlesex players, were 51 and 35 not out in a match only scheduled to last four days rather than the usual five for a Test.

Ten days after winning won the World Cup at the same ground against New Zealand and a week ahead of the Ashes, Ireland exposed England’s batting fragility in brutal fashion.

Just three England batsmen made it into double figures — Joe Denly, who top-scored with 23, Olly Stone

and Sam Curran — in an innings that was over inside 24 overs on a baking day in London.

But of those only Denly is a top-order player, with fast bowler Stone making his debut in the first-ever Test between England and Ireland.

It was the fourth time in 34 Tests that England had lost all 10 wickets in a session — a worrying sign ahead of the five-Test series against Australia.

Much of the pre-match talk had contained warnings about Murtagh’s ability but a return of five wickets for 13 runs in nine overs was the stuff of schoolboy fiction.

The 37-year-old seamer, who recently took his 800th first-class wicket, gave a classic demonstration of his skill after England captain Joe Root won the toss and batted on an emerald green pitch prepared by Irish groundsman Karl McDermott.

- ‘Fantastic session’ “I’m not quite sure what’s happened in the last two

Tim Murtagh leads Ireland off after his five-wicket haul. (Getty Images) hours,” an elated Murtagh told Sky Sports during the lunch interval.

“It’s a dream just to play

Want to stay relevant? Fight me, Pacquiao tells Mayweather AFP - Manny Pacquiao challenged Floyd Mayweather to face him again in the ring yesterday as the retired American star taunted the Filipino great about fighting on into his forties.

Pacquiao, 40, who beat Keith Thurman on a split decision at the weekend, bit back at Mayweather on social media after the American accused him of trading on his name.

“You come to my fight and then use my name in a post but I’m the one that is trying to stay relevant? if you want to be relevant again... #MayPac2,” Pacquiao

tweeted.

Mayweather, who retired at 40 in 2017 with the unprecedented win-loss record of 50-0, had earlier claimed that Pacquiao’s “entire legacy and career has been built off its association with my name”.

“It’s about time you all stop using my brand for clout chasing and clickbait and let that man’s name hold weight of its own,” he posted on Instagram.

“When we finally fought, I won so easily that everyone had to eat their words!” added Mayweather, alongside a picture of his 2015 defeat of

Pacquiao.

But Mayweather, who was ringside in Las Vegas as Pacquiao became the oldest welterweight world champion in boxing history, stayed silent about a rematch as he answered the Filipino in a later post. “Bottom line, I make more money than you... I beat you mentally, physically and financially!” he wrote.

“Remember, you fight cause you have to, I fight when I want to!”

Mayweather is one of just seven pro fighters to have beaten Pacquiao, the only boxer to have won world titles in eight weight divisions.

Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao became the oldest welterweight world champion in boxing history when he beat Keith Thurman in Las Vegas. (AFP Photo/John Gurzinski)

here in the first place. But to get on the honours board....

It’s a fantastic first session for us.”

“I should know how to bowl on this ground — I’ve been here long enough,” added Murtagh, a Middlesex player for more than a decade.

England’s collapse followed their 77 all out against the West Indies in Barbados in January.

The home side were soon in deep trouble despite Root’s insistence they did not want to “sleepwalk” into this match, with bigger challenges ahead.

Test debutant Jason Roy, fresh from his World Cup heroics, fell for five when the Murtagh, short of express pace but remorselessly attacking the top of off stump, squared him up, with Stirling holding the ensuing edge low

down at first slip.

Debutant Mark Adair (3-32) had his first Test wicket when Denly was leg before wicket and he also captured the prize wicket of Root, plumb lbw for two.

When Jonny Bairstow was bowled for a duck — one of three noughts in the England innings — off an inside edge by Murtagh as he attempted a booming drive, England were 42-5.

And when Murtagh had Moeen Ali caught behind for a duck, the seamer had a place on the honours board for all those who take five wickets in a Test innings at Lord’s.

Stone stylishly drove three fours in four balls of Stuart Thompson before he was bowled by Adair to end a stunning morning’s play.

Ireland openers William

Porterfield and James McCollum made a steady start before skipper Porterfield, hit on the head by a Stone bouncer, pulled Curran to midwicket on 14.

Curran also bowled McCullum but Balbirnie had a reprieve when, on 10, he edged Stuart Broad between Bairstow and first slip Root for a chance that belonged to the wicketkeeper.

Stirling had made 17 when Root, compounding a miserable day for the captain, dropped a low slip catch off the unlucky Broad.

Balbirnie, driving impressively, rubbed salt into England’s wounds with a 56ball fifty that included nine fours.

Scores: England 0 for 0 and 85 (Murtagh 5-13) trail Ireland 207 (Balbirnie 55) by 122 runs.

Ireland’s Tim Murtagh celebrates taking the wicket of England’s Chris Woakes on the first day of the one-off Test at Lord’s. (AFP / Ian Kington)

PAGE 30

Thursday July 25, 2019

Kaieteur News

BCB to host Tournaments for Chesney and Whim Clubs as - Former President Somwaru to be honoured countywide visits continues The Berbice Cricket Board on Wednesday 10th July, launched a countywide programme to visit all thirteen clubs and three SubAssociations who are members of the Board.

President Hilbert Foster, Vice President Albert Smith, Asst Secretary Ameer Rahaman and Administrator Angela Haniff launched the project by visiting the Rose Hall Canje Cricket Club and Port Mourant Cricket Club on Wednesday 10th July, and Thursday 11th July, while the President visited the Chesney Cricket Club and Whim National Cricket Club on Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th July. The President is expected to visit three other Clubs - Guymine, Mt. Sinai and Mental Hospital before the end of July.

At the clubs visited, Foster stated that the objectives of the visits are to inform Club Members of the county of Berbice, achievements made over the last eighteen months, unveil plans for the future, discuss areas of cooperation, and to listen to suggestions from the Clubs on the development of the game. Foster encouraged the Members of the Clubs to offer constructive criticism and to be frank with their assessment of Berbice Cricket.

The Foster led Berbice Cricket Board has raised

BCB President hands over trophies to Narine Deonarine of the Chesney Cricket Club. over $18M in cash and kind after taking over a Bank Account of less than $50,000, hosted numerous developmental programmes and assisted Clubs with millions of dollars worth of items. Foster urged all the Clubs to invest heavily in the development of new cricketing talents and pledge the Berbice Cricket Board’s assistance by providing coaches. He also urged the Clubs to make sure that they increase their membership, promote the importance of Education,

Discipline and to get involved in social work to make a positive difference in the lives of Youths. The Clubs were informed that the Berbice Cricket Board would assist them with balls, water pitchers, scorebooks, Cricket T/Shirts and Youth Information Booklets. Some Clubs would also benefit from donation of bicycles, batting gloves, educational materials, school bags, trophies and medals as the Board strives to assist its members to fulfill their mandates.

BCB President Hilbert Foster poses with Members of the Whim National Cricket Club At the Whim National Club, the President was able to solve an internal problem by getting Club members to host an Annual General Meeting on Saturday 27th July, 2019. The Whim National Cricket Club would also be hosting a four team cricket tournament cosponsored by the Berbice Cricket Board and the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, MS. The four teams would be Whim, Tain Block Four, Tamarind Root and Belvedere United. The Chesney Cricket Club would

also host a special four team tournament as a tribute to Chesney resident Mr. D. Somwaru, a former Berbice Cricket Board President and Umpire. The teams would be Chesney, Toopoo, Jai Hind and Albion Open. The President also committed to assisting the Chesney Club with three rolls of mesh to undertake repairs to their ground.

The President’s commitment of a bicycle, school bags, educational materials and batting gloves have already been fulfilled to

Rose Hall Canje, Whim and Port Mourant. Members of all of the Clubs visited to date, expressed gratitude to the Berbice Cricket Board President for his visit and praised the outstanding work of the Board. The Clubs were delighted that the Berbice Cricket Board is willing to listen to their views and most importantly to offer areas of cooperation.

Foster committed to visiting the Clubs on a regular basis and to upholding the high standard the Berbice Cricket Board has set itself.

Ex Guyana Captain supports Western Union Malteenoes Academy Fifty-nine year-old former Guyana Captain Jerry Angus played 14 First-Class matches as a left-arm spinner between 1980 and 1990 (seven of them for Berbice) and three Regional 50-over games.

Angus, who hails from West Berbice, now resides in England and led Guyana in January 1988 on his Regional First-Class debut against Jamaica at Albion.

Angus has sponsored four participants who cannot afford the registration fee but wants to attend the Western Union Malteenoes Cricket Academy and ironically his contribution was sent through a branch of the Academy’s main sponsor.

The Malteenoes Sports Club was formed in 1902 and it is considered one of the oldest institutions of its kind in Georgetown. There are several sports programmes being housed at the MSC including Cricket, Table Tennis and Darts.

In k e e p i n g w i t h i t s obligation to develop cricket in Guyana, the Club is hosting its annual Cricket Academy.

The planned event of activities is not just focused on the cricket, but on personal and educational development which are also equally important. Buildi n g o n previous years’ success, activities and training sessions anticipated for 2019’s event are: Etiquette

Training, Public Speaking, Anti-Drug Awareness and Interactive and critical thinking sessions.

These are a few of the events that will be administered by Guyana’s finest personnel coupled with cricket development skills from the best coaches and former players of Guyana.

The event will run from July 29 to August 9, Monday to Friday, 09:00hrs to 15:00hrs daily. The clinic caters for males and females between the ages 6-18 years old.

Registration fees for Girls between the age 6-12 years cost G$2000, Boys age 6-12 years G$3000, Girls age 12-18 G$3000 and Boys age 12-18 years G$4000.

Angus (3rd from left standing) was a member of Guyana’s 1987 team that won the Shell Shield under Roger Harper.

Dress Code is long track pants and white Tee-Shirts and 70% White Sneakers.

Application Forms are

available at Malteenoes Sports Club, Thomas Lands, between the hours 15:00hrs and 20:00hrs daily.

For further information, please contact Troy Lewis on telephone Number: 592613-2575. (Sean Devers)

Thursday July 25, 2019

PAGE 31

Kaieteur News

Ketley win second Girls Windball More sponsors and horses on board PMTC Centenary Horserace meet Semi as they hunt first title Ketley are to play in their first final after defeating former champs Saint Pius in the 2nd semi as play continued in the A. Munroe organised AL Sport & Tour Promotions National Sports Commission 22nd Edition End of School Year Edward Cobenna Memorial Primary Schools Windball Cricket Champions Trophy tournament.

Playing at the National Gymnasium, St Pius after been sent in to bat made 59-2, with Talisha Taylor hitting 31.

Ketley in replied with 641, Naquisha Fraser 30 (6s-3.

4s-3) and Tia Flower 24 led the victory charge.

The Port Mourant Turf Club being whipped into shape for the PMTC Centenary horserace action on August 1st Emancipation Day.

Naquisha Fraser

Talisha Taylor

Ketley Primary are through to their first final.

Guinness Georgetown leg quarterfinals start tomorrow With the group stage in the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Georgetown Championship slated to conclude today, the quarterfinal round will commence tomorrow at the National Cultural Centre Tarmac.

The top two finishers from each group will advance to the knockout round. The quarterfinal and semi-final section will be staged on the same night. The grand finale will occur on August 3rd.

According to an official release from tournament coordinator Three Peat Promotions, “The quarterfinal round is expected to be highly contested as several of the former champions and emerging sides are expected to contest for the coveted title. Any team can walk-away with title and unlike previous editions an unpredictable air surrounds the event. This bodes well for the overall quality and viewership of the

tournament.”

The release further said, “To date, several of the teams have displayed their championship credentials and intentions which indicates that a highly completive knockout round is expected.

Once again we have to thank the fans for their continued support of the event which has grown from strength to strength with each edition.”

Meanwhile, the final group stage will conclude today at the Berlin

Tarmac. Alexander Village will tackle Charlotte Street in the opening game at 19:00hrs, with Broad Street opposing John Street at 19:30hrs and Albouystown-A tackling Future Stars from 20:00hrs.

The fourth showdown will pit Sophia against Rising Stars at 20:30hrs, while LA Ballers engage defending champion Gold is Money from 21:00hrs and Leopold Street opposes Tiger Bay at 21:30hrs. In the final two (Continued on page 25)

With the organisers of the Port Mourant Turf Club (PMTC) Centenary horserace meet focusing on local content a bevy of sponsors and numerous horses are racing to be on board and be a part of the historic event.

With less than two weeks to go before race day preparation are heating up for the meet.

The event is organised by the 4-Horse Man Promotion Group in collaboration with the Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club (RCMTC) and is set for the PMTC, Big yard, Corentyne, Berbice on Emancipation Day, August 1st.

Apart for being staged in observance of the historic milestone, it is also being held in memory of the achievements of the late Attorney at Law and Senior Counsel, Marcel Crawford for the enormous amount of work he did at the PMTC during his lifetime.

Crawford, who owned his own race track at Alness on the Corentyne, was a stalwart in the horseracing fraternity as a horse owner, breeder, importer, trainer, promoter and sponsor.

The late horserace magnate was a leading light in the up keep and maintenance of the PMTC over the years.

A total of seven races are slated to be contested with over $5M in cash and trophies and other incentives up for grabs. The racetrack is said to be in excellent shape.

Over 50 horses have been entered for the once in a life time event the likes of The Republican, Cat Ruler, Mahaica Star, Victoria, Marryann, Kentucky Woman, Not This Time, Catch a Glimpse, Silver Charm, First Prince, Up Top Boss, Flo Jo, Byron, Up Rising Star, Orian, Pick A Chue, Princess, Village Prince, Princess Emma, Touch Down, Delilah, Royal Progression, Prince Celine, Massapequa Dr, Lucky Lucky and Stolen Diamond.

Sponsors such as Banks DIH Limited, Dequan Trading, Attorney at Law Senior Counsel Rajendra Poonai, Sankar Auto Works, Cumming Electrical Company, Valvoline, Just Water, Colin Elcock Delmur Company Limited, Toolsie Persaud and Habibulla Meat Center are on board so far. Banks DIH will

have a well stocked bar at the event.

There are three feature events on the programme with the 1300M race for animals classified 3 years old Guyana-bred racing for a winning purse of $300,000 and trophy the main race.

The H3 and lower race over 1300M for a winning take of $220,000 and trophy and the two-year-old Guyana-bred animals 1000M for a winning take of $220,000 and a trophy are the others.

The other events are for horses classified J and lower, K2 and Lower, L class open and L1 and lower.

The races will be run under the Guyana Horse Racing Rules and no late entries will be accepted.

Interested persons can make contact with Bobby Vaughn on 624-6788, 2235097 or 227-7061, Marcel Crawford Jr on 678-5342 or 600-7690, Fazal Habibullah on 657-7010, Compton Sancho on 691-1174 or Loresa Mohabir on 624-0453 for further information.

Veteran horse race stalwart Colin Elcock is the Coordinator. (Samuel Whyte)

Bon ice-cream Junior Summer Camp run

by FIH Coach Shiv Jagday underway For the third year in succession, FIH hockey Coach Shiv Jagday is visiting Guyana to run what has become the Bon ice-cream junior hockey camp for under21 boys and girls from July 21 to 29. Shiv has been conducting clinics and coaching teams for the past 40 years after learning his hockey in his native India

before migrating to Canada as a teenager.

Shiv first visited Guyana in 1988 to conduct a Pan American Hockey Federation coaching course and fell in love with the country. Now that he is semi-retired, Guyana is one of his chosen destinations to visit and conduct clinics. Apart from his clinics in the USA and

Canada, Shiv now spends his time in Melbourne, Australia and Punjab India.

Thirty boys and thirty girls, making up the current national under-21 squads will be exposed to Shiv’s clinic which is being held twice per day at the Georgetown Cricket Club. The schedule includes both theory and (Continued on page 25)

PAGE 32

Thursday July 25, 2019

Kaieteur News

Guyana Police Force – RFA 5-A-Side Futsal Tournament

6th Mohamed’s Enterprise Futsal tourney

Sky Kings Sports Club and Bumper to Bumper continues support The best of the best in Fustal will be presentation last week and promised to keep Guyana Rush Saints FC crowned dusting the cobwebs off as the sixth edition the event in Linden for years to come.

Over $2million in cash and prizes will be of the New Era Entertainment/Mohamed’s up for grabs by the respective top performers Enterprise annual futsal tournament kicks off female and male champions tomorrow at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) and the tournament that has three teams Lethem: Sky Kings Sports Club and the Guyana Rush Saints FC were crowned female and male champions of the recentlyconcluded 5-A-Side futsal tournament on Saturday last at the Tabatinga Sports Ground, Lethem.

This inaugural tournament, witnessed by a crowd of approximately 2000 patrons, was held in observance of the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) 180th anniversary and hosted by the Lethem branch of the GPF in partnership with the Rupununi Football Association (RFA).

The Guyana Rush Saints players were among the recipients of the special awards including brothers Franklin Parks, who secured the Most Goal Scorer trophy, and Terrance Parks who achieved Best Goal Keeper.

The tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) among the male teams was Luciano Brown from Tabatinga FC, while for the females, the MVP and Best Goal Keeper came from Sky

Kings Sports Clubs by way of Lenadra Simon and Ruth Peters respectively.

At the conclusion of the tournament, Officer-In-Charge Kiethon King congratulated the teams and said the tournament will have more participation next year: “We would love to thank all the teams for coming out and congratulations to the winning teams. Come next year we will extend this to all the districts and bring out the winning teams to play here.

Of course with collaboration of RFA”.

The one-day activity featured 16 teams – five female and 11 male teams. The male teams were Moco Moco FC, Guyana Police Force (GPF), Rising Stars FC, Snatchers FC, Gladiators FC (A & B teams), Guyana Rush Saints FC, Terminators FC, Far East Sports Club, Potarinau Sky Kings FC and Guyana Defence Force. The female teams were the Guyana Rush Saints, Gladiators FC, Far East United FC, Snatchers FC and Potarinau FC.

Pan Am games 2019

Guyana open campaign with squash today

By Calvin Chapman in Peru The last time Guyana won a Pan American games medal was in Mexico, 2011 when Nicolette Fernandes copped the silver medal, and today, Guyana, which has a contingent of 40 that will be contesting in eight disciplines, will look to emulate or go better in the sport when they begin the 2019 edition with Squash.

The Guyanese pair of national female champion; Ashley Khalil and Mary Fung-AFat will be on the squash courts today against two Chilean opponents in Videna, Lima.

Khalil with be pitted against Giselle Delgado (Chile number 1 seed) from 09:00hrs, while Fung-A-Fat will be pitted against Ana Pinto at 09:45hrs.

Khalil and former Caribbean junior Squash Champion; Taylor Fernandes will meet the familiar Chilean pair tomorrow again, to play the women’s doubles and a win against the Spanish nation will guarantee the Guyanese at least a bronze medal since there are only eight teams competing in the women’s doubles.

During their training session yesterday at the Squash courts in Videna, Kaieteur Sport took the opportunity to speak with the squash team. Coach, Ramon Chan-A-Sue, explained that although Lima is much colder than

Guyana, the athletes have adjusted quickly while Fung-A-Fat, who resides in the U.S. and has trained recently in the United Kingdom, is accustomed to the cold weather.

“We are using a 17-inch tin for the singles which is a lot different than what we have in Guyana so I guess that is more of a challenge than the temperature,” Chan-A-Sue explained.

The team is being touted by the coach to do well, especially after medalling at the CAC games in 2017.

The 18th Pan American games that is being hosted in Lima, Peru is set to have its grand opening ceremony tomorrow but action got underway yesterday with Beach Volleyball.

The “Green Machine”, Guyana’s national ruggers will have to get past a mighty USA team tomorrow when they open their rugby 7s campaign at 10:00hrs.

All of Guyana will be behind Commonwealth games Silver medalist, Keevin Allicock, who will enter the boxing ring on Saturday, while the Golden Arrowhead will also be represented in Taekwando on Saturday.

The Ramdhani sibling will square off on the badminton courts on Monday, while Chelsea Edghill will be on the Table Tennis court on August 4th, while Athletics and Swimming (August 6th) are last.

Basketball court.

Although Mohamed’s Enterprise is the flagship sponsor and Heineken has signed on as a major sponsor, the event has seen usual supporter, Bumper to Bumper services signing on for the sixth edition.

Aubrey Major Jr.; co-director of the organisers, New Era Entertainment, thanked the sponsors for their support during the

invited from region four will follow a group round-robin/knockout format. There are a total of four groups with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarterfinals.

The curtains will fall on the event on August 17th when the winning team will pocket $600,000, second place $250,000 and teams finishing third and fourth will take home $100,000 and $55,000 respectively.

From left, Shareef Major, NEE co-director Kenrick Noel receives the sponsorship from Bumper to Bumper’s Adieola Cordis, while Aubrey Major Jr. looks on.

Kumar Rampat delivers strong evidence based CWI Level One Coaching Course Material The Trinidad and Tobago based Academy Cricket Coach, Kumar Rampat, who is also CWI cricket tutor, delivered a strong evidence based four day CWI Level One Coaching Course which was held in Guyana at the National Stadium – Providence over the period 18 to 21 July a release informed.

Rampat, who was ably assisted by GCB’s Territorial Development Officer, Colin Stuart, presented coaching information that postulated the recommended ways of performing various cricket skills, which were validated by scientific evidence to support their claim.

In examining the relating biomechanics, Rampat was able simulate situations in the execution of various cricketing skills to provide the candidate coaches with a clear insight as to why the recommended approaches may be preferred over other applications which were likely to produce inconsistent outcomes.

Nevertheless, he made reference to the value of individuality and the capability and ability for

good coaches to be able to support individual excellence where such deviated from the conventional or recommended way of performing a skill.

Kumar Rampat was high in praise for the course, and indicted the fact that the participants displayed high levels of maturity and interest.

He asserted that he was delighted to be able to tutor such good mix of participants, some with international, national and domestic playing experience.

He indicated, that their experience, coupled with the knowledge sharing that took place during the course, their enthusiasm and demonstrated levels of commitment was likely to place a positive impact on the coaching education programme in Guyana, and as such was likely to ripple off to benefit the West Indian region.

The individuals who participated in the CWI Level One coaching Course, which concluded on 21 July were: Akshaya Persaud, Anthony D’Andrade, Travis Dowlin, Steven Jacobs, Vishal Singh, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Leon

Johnson, Veerasammy Permaul, Antony Adams, Jermaine Neblett, Ryan Hercules, Kenroy Joseph , Marvin Fitzalbert, Kwasi Maltay, Kavita Yadram, Subrina Munroe, Debra Daniels, Anil Persaud, Darien Best, Kumar Bishundial, Fitroy Culley, Yeuraj Kemraj, Jitlal Jowharilall, Rayburn Gonsalves, Dhanpaul, David Baird, Clive Grimmond, Kern Saunders and Darnell Douglas.

Meanwhile, 27 CWI Level One Coaches are schedule to undertake the CWI Level Two Coaching Course from tomorrow Friday 26 July to 29 July. These coaches are: Andre Percival, Floyd Benjamin, Nicholas Fraser, Saeed Zaheer Mohamed, Travis Harcourt, Tremayne Smartt, Bevan Butts, Ravindranauth Seeram, Garvin Nedd, Latchman Yadram, Jeremiah Harris, Quasen Nedd, Travis Dowlin, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Leon Johnson, Veerasammy Permaul, Vishal Singh, Steven Jacobs, Jermaine Neblett, Antony Adams, Akshaya Persaud, Anthony D’ Andrade, Anil Persaud, Ryan Hercules, Clive Grimmond and Subrina Munroe.

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 25, 2019

PAGE 33

Aurora Gold Mine Inc supports RHTYSC, MS Cricket Teams Say No/Say Yes Programme

RHTYSC Secretary/CEO receives sponsorship from Delon Brathwaite of AGM Inc in the presence of the other Executives.

T

he highly successful Say No/Say yes Campaign of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, M S o n Tu e s d a y l a s t , received a major boost when the Aurora Gold Mine Inc (AGM) handed over a Cheque for $500,000 during a simple presentation ceremony at the St. Francis Community Developers Training Centre. This is the second year that the Company, whose parent Company is the Canadian based Guyana Goldfield Inc, is supporting the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation.

The Club under the well

organised programme targets over 70,000 youths in Region 6 to Say No to Suicide, Drugs, Crime, Alcohol, Tobacco, Pre Marital Sex and Yes to Education, Sports, Culture, Life, Religion. The programme is directly managed by the RHTYSC nineteen years Asst Secretary Simon Naidu with support of the Club’s ten cricket teams and the Over 35 Section. The Campaign involves Educational Scholarships, donation of Sports and Educational materials, Magazines, Youth Information Booklets, Television Programmes and Commercial posters, educational competitions,

Andrew’s Supermarket supports Jefford Track and Field Classic X

Supervisor at Andrews Supermarket, Stacy Burnett (left) hands over the sponsorship to Edison Jefford at the entity’s Aubrey Barker Road, South Ruimveldt Gardens location.

Andrews Supermarket is the latest entity to join a list of reputable sponsors to offer support for the upcoming Jefford Track and Field

Classic X scheduled for Sunday August 11 at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground, Linden. The (Continued on page 25)

sporting tournaments, C a r e e r F a i r s , Yo u t h Inspiration Session, Educational summer Camp, Cricket Academy, Rallies among others.

Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster, MS stated that the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club was very grateful for the donation as it would be used for three main Projects as agreed with the sponsors.

Te n y o u t h s a t t e n d i n g Secondary and Primary Schools would be provided with bicycles in an effort to get them to stay in school.

The Club in 2019 has already assisted dozens of less fortunate students with bicycles under its Patron’s

RHTYSC Vice President Mark Papannah hands over gift to Ms Miranda La Rose, Aurora CSR Coordinator.

Fund Programme. Fifteen hundred Say No to Suicide Posters featuring the images of RHTYSC National Youth Players would be published for distribution to schools across the Region.

The main objective is to educate youths that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. The third project would be the hosting a Youth Inspiration Session for students and young sportsmen. The session would be held at the St. Francis Centre and would involve hundreds of school children from across Berbice when school reopens in September.

A panel of positive Role Models and Inspirational Leaders would

be invited to speak to the Youths. Foster stated that the major problems facing youths in Berbice are lack of job opportunities, suicide, drug abuse, high involvement rate in crime, school drop out at the Secondary level and a lack of positive role models to emulate.

He expressed gratitude to the Company for its annual support, made special mention of Senior Manager P e t e r B e n n y, C S R Coordinator Ms Miranda La Rose and Delon Brathwaite.

He assured them that the three programmes would be well organised and achieve all of their objectives.

Ms La Rose stated that

she was well aware of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club record of outstanding service and the effect it has made to youths in Berbice. She committed the Company to working along with the Club and urged the Executives to uphold the high standard they have achieved in the past.

The Aurora Gold Mine Inc CSR Coordinator also expressed confidence that the three programmes would be successful. Vice President Mark Papannah handed over a special gift to Ms La Rose on behalf of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, MS along with a Certificate of Appreciation.

Pan Am games 2019

Guyana open campaign with squash today

t r o Sp From left, Ashley Khalil, Mary Fung-A-Fat and Taylor Fernandes during their training session yesterday.

The athletes along with Coach Ramon Chan-A-Sue (left) and Manager David Fernandes (right).

Guyana Police Force – RFA 5-A-Side Futsal Tournament

GPF-RFA Futsal Tournament Male Champions Guyana Rush Saints FC.

Sky Kings Sports Club - female champions of the GPF-RFA Futsal Tournament.

Sky Kings Sports Club and Guyana Rush Saints FC crowned female and male champions

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