Kaieteur News

Monday July 30, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Clifford Krauss is not the problem When the truth is not acceptedSomething to not sit DEAR EDITOR, asked. guilt induces sabre-rattling Almost every person of He wrote, ‘’But there are comfortably with. At this turning point in Guyanese nationality welled obstacles. If history is any up with f u r y a t t h e ‘’alarming’’ description of Guyana by the American, Clifford Krauss. Who is he to denounce a country that he wasn’t born in? Well, like all outsiders, Mr. Krauss sees Guyana as an underdeveloped, uncivilized and corrupt nation. He didn’t consider that Guyana’s geographic location renders it ‘’a watery wilderness.’’ He didn’t consider Guyana’s unfortunate political past. Why should he consider Guyana’s setbacks? These are matters of no importance to him. He sees Guyana exactly how most or all international people do. Do you think he cares that Guyana is a cook up rice and chicken curry nation? No, he doesn’t. His focus is on our political structure, our economic status, our government policies and programmes, and our progressive ideas and plans for the future. Upon the release and circulation of Krauss’s article, almost every Guyanese became distracted and offended by his representation of Guyana that they missed the underlying questions. Is Guyana equipped to manage oil opulence? Will the leaders mismanage the ‘’incoming wealth?’’ Will corruption exacerbate? Will there be the creation of Swiss Bank accounts? Will criminal activities escalate? Wi l l t h e m o n e y b e squandered and stolen? Wi l l t h e w e a l t h b e unequally distributed? Will the wealth be hoarded by only the powerful and i n f l u e n t i a l ? Wi l l t h e political environment be facilitative for foreign investment? There are so many more questions arising when there is oil wealth on the horizon. Although these questions were not directly a s k e d b y M r. C l i ff o r d Krauss, his analysis of Guyana’s political, social and economic environments gave the implication that these are some of the questions to be

guide, countries that discover oil often waste their opportunity, as the resource blends seamlessly with corruption. Countries with weak political institutions like Guyana are especially vulnerable.’’ What untruth can be found in those statements? He then quoted Guyanese-born Finance professor, Floyd Haynes, who is a consultant to Business Ministry. Haynes said,’’ You have an alignment of money and power in the hands of the state, so the party in power controls the resources, and the money is usually squandered, misapplied or downright stolen.’’ So really what Krauss did was present a very objective and analytical article. So why the pettiness? Why the written attacks? What is the purpose of them? Does Guyana appear more couth to international spectators? This solves nothing. As a country of resilience, commentary like that of Krauss’ should elevate our nation to greater heights, to dream and do bigger things. Guyana’s been set back for too long and yes, we’ve made tremendous progress as a nation but we are still way behind. We who live here see it as nothing because we are accustomed to it, but to those on the outside, it is something.

our country’s economic landscape, we have the opportunity to install the policies to facilitate growth i n e v e r y s e c t o r, t o suppress corruption, open our economy to rewarding investment deals and to create the route to development for every citizen. The world is rapidly advancing and Guyana needs to be included in the race. Guyana’s future can be gleaming with smart cities and automation. We need the environment to realise this. Mr. Krauss’s dissection of Guyana appears negative but the truth has been overlooked. Guyana has not experienced the wealth that is now imminent and as history reveals, poor countries having grasped and tasted the rewards of oil discovery often become victims of the enricher. Another point to note is with the rise of renewable energy and climate policy agreements, the oil industry can become a falling one. So excitement is accompanied by contemplation. It is now left to Guyana to prove herself; to rise in her glory. She is poised to accelerating growth but she has to be erudite in her executions. So instead of expressing bitterness to Mr. Krauss, thank him and prove him wrong, Guyana. Althea Hoodith

UG started at Turkeyen in 1969 DEAR EDITOR, I wish to advise of an error in Mr Freddie Kissoon’s article of Sunday July 29 in the Kaieteur News. In his article, Mr Kissoon stated that the University of Guyana (UG) moved to Turkeyen in 1972. This is incorrect. The UG moved from QC to the Turkeyen campus and classes commenced for the first time there in September 1969. I am proud to have been among the first batch of students who started University at UG in its first year at Turkeyen in 1969. Sincerely Beni N Balkaran MBBS, DM

DEAR EDITOR, I was aghast to see the number of letter and comments on the Clifford Krauss article in the New York Times. Almost everyone seemed annoyed with Krauss. Some wanted him to apologize. One even suggested that our Foreign Affairs Minister lodge a complaint with the US ambassador here. Audacious! Everyone seemed annoyed with Krauss for writing, “Guyana is a vast, watery wilderness with only three paved highways. There are a few dirt roads between villages that sit on stilts along rivers snaking through the rainforest. “Children in remote areas go to school in dugout canoes, and play naked in the muggy heat.” In literary terms, this is a vivid description of Guyana through the eyes of an artist (Clifford Krauss). If you can picture what Klauss wrote on canvass you would know that you are looking at Guyana. None of the critiques could say that Krauss lied. I think Krauss was 90% correct and as such, in local parlance, I have to confess that he “nailed it”. Freddie K. writes for KN and on countless occasions he had called Guyana terms like ,”waste land” and “third rate banana republic” and not once had I seen a “squeak” in the form of complaint in the letter pages of KN by any of these critics of Krauss. Freddie should be concerned! It means that people don’t take him seriously. So even Freddie joined the fray, condoning the “vitriolic anger from Guyanese with the New York Times correspondent, Clifford Krauss, and rightly so”(Freddie’s words). Freddie wrote, “People like Krauss, though they come from rich countries, don’t necessarily have a perspective on life that is a healthy one”.

Personally! I cannot comprehend that in the context of Krauss’s missive! Most of the commentators meandered around definition of “watery wilderness” and express the joys they had enjoyed growing up in Krauss’s descriptive environment; lambasting Krauss for not appreciating what he sees in Guyana. One has to wonder if these people felt that their critiques were going to appear in the New York Times, granting them their 15 minutes of glory or are they like lemmings, one jump from the precipice and the others are prepared to follow. Our literary landscape in Guyana is so barren that our commentators just cannot comprehend that what Krauss did was to follow in the footsteps of a true artist. The tenet of true artistry depicts that a true artist does not attempt to please anyone, except his or her own self. In local parlance, it is as simple as saying that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. The Man saw Guyana through his own eyes and give his opinion; Freddie does that every day- what’s the big deal! I guess its “The- NewYork -Times”! When our own home grown literary giant like Bascom joins the fray, our literary landscape definitely looks more barren. Visions of fake versus brand names abound! A KN Editor (L. Gildharie) chimed in too. He quoted Krauss, “To visit the most senior oil regulator in Georgetown, one needs to climb an exterior staircase of

warped wood that could sorely use a fresh coat of paint. At the top is the tiny office of Newell Dennison, the acting head of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, whose desk is stacked high with folders beside a single metal filing cabinet. His office is spare of decorations, aside from two bouquets of artificial tropical flowers.”As far as descriptive writing goes, this is a masterpiece. I can practically picture the building and Dennison’s office from reading this. This is just a vivid description. I don’t see how this was intended to annoy. But Gildharie’s response was, “Really Mr. Krauss? Really? Guyanese would have some choice words for him, “Cross” likely to surface for those that don’t use the bad words.” Then Gildharie added, “Sadly, the New York Times has gotten it very wrong.” That was profane! Am I to suggest that the description given by Krauss of Dennison’s office and the staircase of “warped wood leading” to it as false? I just did not get the “story within the story”. If it is perceived that Krauss has placed a stigma on us (Guyanese) in the New York Times, fuming about it won’t make it go away. Neither do I think that Krauss is a practitioner in the occult to make that stigma stick on us. The commentators are channeling their energies in the wrong direction! We should look for the root cause of that stigma at home and” rattle our sabres” to redress it. Rudolph Singh

Habits are not the product of one decision — They’re the result of repeated choices that eventually become automatic responses. How can you know your true spiritual condition? By the company you keep and the choices you make. When you’re free to go, where do you choose to go? Whose company do you prefer?

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Monday July 30, 2018

Kaieteur News

Refreshing openness from ExxonMobil, but solid SWF urgently needed DEAR EDITOR, I must commend ExxonMobil for being open with us by releasing the exciting news that the Stabroek Block will yield over four billion oil equivalent barrels, an increase from an earlier estimate of 3.2 billion oil equivalent barrels. This is fantastic because ExxonMobil could have hidden this find, but it appears to me that they want to be open and fair with the Government and people of Guyana and I compliment and thank them for adopting this approach. Exxon has reported that Liza Phase 1, will produce 120,000 barrels of oil per day and Liza Phase 2 will have the capacity to produce 220,000 barrels of o i l p e r d a y. T h i s i s monumental. To put it in perspective, Trinidad and Tobago does not have the capacity to produce oil at this daily rate with a 100 wells. We have to understand what this means to Guyana economically. The Guyanese people need to prepare themselves for this flush of wealth and learn how to invest money wisely and make more wealth. I sincerely hope that Guyana’s oil revenue will trickle down to the ordinary man. I also hope money from our oil bonanza goes towards noble initiatives, such as upgrading the University of Guyana to the highest level to make it a world-class institution where people from around the world, even developed countries, will want to come and study.

I look forward to Guyana having modernised institutions of technology and top of the line schools with the best laboratories and equipment to produce sterling minds. I also hope it will be used to provide opportunities to those who have lost jobs through no fault of their own, such as the GUYSUCO workers who are now on the breadline. Some of the oil money should go towards improving and modernising struggling sectors of our economy. A primary beneficiary should be agriculture, which has been a significant contributor to our economy for decades and has provided several generations of people with food on their tables. It should be diversified and developed to a level that puts Guyana in contention once again to be the ‘bread basket of the Caribbean’. Our agriculture industry can benefit greatly from the incorporation of new initiatives such as hydroponics. We can also develop new breeds and seeds, initiatives to make agriculture more vibrant and efficient, so we can increase exports and get more foreign exchange, as well as create jobs in the sector for young and old persons. This will be a perfect opportunity to promote entrepreneurship among our people. Our manufacturing sector can also be expanded, allowing us to develop cottage industries and even larger manufacturing

operations so that we can make our own packaging materials and other inputs, which we are currently forced to import. However, I am concerned about politicians being in control of our oil revenue because I know how much some of them crave power and wealth. Just take a look at Equatorial Guinea, an oil producing nation in Africa that discovered oil about two decades ago. The average citizen is still poor while the politicians have filled their pockets. The country’s oil riches have not in any way improved the lives of ordinary Equatorial Guineans because the government has squandered enormous wealth on foolish projects like highways to nowhere and empty five-star hotels while filling the pockets of family. The president’s son, Teodorin Obiang, is reportedly filthy rich and his global assets are said to be in excess of US$300M while the people suffer. So, yes. Some politicians elevate their relatives and friends to positions of power and authority where they can benefit for themselves. Some establish fake industries and businesses that are really under the control of greedy political powerhouses in government who want all the nation’s wealth for their personal benefit. Equatorial Guinea also fell victim to the infamous ‘Dutch disease’, which refers to countries letting their economies become overly dependent on boomindustries and neglecting

other sectors. This leads to a massive imbalance in exports and extreme vulnerability to oil market trends, which is what happened to the Dutch after the discovery of rich natural gas deposits. They relied too heavily on petroleum exports and this reduced other exports disproportionately with dire consequences for other sectors, especially manufacturing. In the case of Equatorial Guinea, oil accounts for more than 95% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Secondary sectors represent about two percent of the GDP and manufacturing represents less than one percent. We don’t want this to happen here. We want the oil money to trickle down to the common man and we want a diversified economy with strong agricultural and manufacturing sectors. God knows, we deserve it after enduring many long hard years in Guyana despite our agriculture, despite our gold and other minerals. In raising the issues of corruption and maladministration, I must be fair because I am an impartial commentator. I am not saying that this Government will be corrupt or squander the oil money on worthless projects. But they seem to be following the path of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration, which was not completely dignified, as we all know. I believe there was corruption in the PPP realm, in the management and operation of State entities, and in my opinion, certain

Former Presidents’ Responses to Underlying’ Charges DEAR EDITOR, Going to Guyana in the 1990s and wanting to impress my father-in-law, a lawyer, I asked if I could bring him a bottle of 10-year-old rum. Surprisingly, he declined and asked me to bring him copies of our newspapers. I realized my idealized Guyana was not going to be reflected in our newspapers. Frankly, I felt I was bringing him my family’s dirty laundry. Today, I am thankful that our dirty laundry is on the Internet every day and am grateful to everyone who makes this possible. All too frequently, we read the terrible news of troubling crimes that have influenced the exodus of our people. We read about the pointless deaths of the innocent by stupid and irresponsible drivers, murders, rapes, thefts, corruption, human trafficking, maltreatment of our women and the wanton disregard for

our country and our disrespect for each other. But what is equally vexing is reading the politicians’ responses to charges of corruption that occurred during their time in office. Our former President Jagdeo, in “Charges against Ashni Singh, Winston Brassington ‘frivolous’ –... http://demerarawaves.com/ 2018/04/12/charges-againstashni-singh-winstonbrassington-frivolousjagdeo/ declares: “In three years, that’s all you can charge for? Procedural errors and we don’t believe they are procedural errors,” Jagdeo told a news conference. Jagdeo’s statement attempts to taunt SOCU’s investigators by labeling the charges as being trivial. However, Jagdeo fails to see and acknowledge that the minister and executive officer have been charged, and any charges are the basis of proving whether they are

guilty for failing to conduct their duties honestly and with integrity that is becoming of a government official. It is necessary to remember that once someone breaks the law, the fact remains that he betrayed the trust that was bestowed on him. Stealing a paper clip is still stealing. Does “that’s all you can charge for” imply that Jagdeo knows more than SOCU’s investigators? The indiscretion of Jagdeo’s statement is rivaled by his successor, former President Ramotar. Upon hearing the charges of the minister and executive officer who served in their administration https:// www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2018/04/13/ashni-singhwinston-brassingtoncharged-with-fraud/..., Ramotar states: “As a former President who worked with these two outstanding Guyanese men, I can vouch for their uprightness,

professionalism and integrity while in public office.” It is not necessary to argue whether Ramotar is vouching for the men “while he (Ramotar) was in public office”. Nevertheless, former President Ramotar should let due process take its course. As citizens of our republic, our former Presidents, the former minister and chief executive officer should show more faith in the justice system that they took an oath to uphold while they were in office. It is as the US Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein states, “The rule of law is dependent on the integrity of the people who are responsible for implementing the law and the people who are voting”. The people have voted, and the Opposition (as they see and call themselves) has been replaced by a Coalition government. Now the rule of law must be implemented, as it should be. Stanley Niamatali

ministers were involved in skullduggery. Unfortunately, the same thing seems to be occurring under this Government. As I see it, there are enough questionable Government decisions and actions for patriots to be suspicious about allowing them to have total control of the nation’s oil wealth’ This is why I and other concerned Guyanese are so anxious for the nation to set up a proper Sovereign Wealth Fund that is not under political control, that is run by highly educated and experienced persons representing multiple interest groups and with appropriate checks and balances in place to avoid corruption and mismanagement of our oil money. In fact, I believe Guyana’s ability to put in place a wellcrafted and independently managed Sovereign Wealth Fund with full accountability and transparency and full public support across all ethnic, political, religious and other differences is the single most important factor that will save this nation from going down the same road as Equatorial Guinea and other nations infected with the dreaded Dutch disease. As I wrote several times before, Guyana’s vast

reservoir of oil revenue will definitely fatten the eyes of every corrupt politician and official. Even those who are not yet corrupt will be exposed to enormous temptation. How many would be unable to resist? We need to bear this in mind when setting up our Sovereign Wealth Fund or any other agency that controls or monitors our oil funds. ExxonMobil’s apparent transparency is commendable and they have the opportunity to etch their name in Guyana’s history and leave a legacy of honour and dignity, not only for the credibility and welfare of the company itself, but also for the prosperity and happiness of the Guyanese people. To do so, the company must be a good corporate citizen and assist any government in power to educate citizens about crime prevention and help put mechanisms in place to that ensure crime is not exacerbated like in Trinidad and Tobago where, I believe, oil riches became a curse and blight to the economy because it came with massive corruption and criminal violence that is now firmly entrenched. Sincerely, Roshan Khan Snr.

A look at Pakistan’s new Prime Minister DEAR EDITOR, Imran Khan, the just newly elected Prime Minister of Pakistan is pledging to help the poor, talk to the Taliban and try to end the decades of dispute over Kashmir. The former World Cupwinning cricket captain is set to be Pakistan’s new prime minister, following last Wednesday’s general election. His Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf party won the most seats, but not enough to form a majority government - so a coalition cabinet is most likely. He has defeated mainstream parties who have long ruled Pakistan. The ruling party of Nawaz Sharif, the former Prime Minister conceded defeat but is disputing the result, along with opposition groups. Some people say the vote was rigged. Moreover, they are threatening to call for nationwide protests if the demands for an election rerun are not met. Khan has promised to investigate the vote-rigging allegations, but has other major challenges ahead of him and his party. But can he deliver? By the force of his skills and

personality, the charismatic Imran Khan endured in the toughest job in Pakistan for a decade, as captain of the national cricket team. His crowning glory was to drive the team to its first and only Cricket World Cup triumph in 1992. He immediately retired from this Pakistan duty at age thirty-nine , opened a cancer hospital in memory of his dear late mother two years later, and launched his own political party, Tehreek- eInsaf (Movement of Justice) four years later. Overnight, Khan declared victory in Pakistan’s parliamentary election and vowed to run the country “as it has never before been run” by fighting corruption, seeking regional cooperation and forging a new relationship with the United States that was not “onesided.” He will become the first international cricketer in the world to be elected as a country’s prime minister, considered the second toughest job in Pakistan. Congratulation Imran; another victory for you! Yours, Rooplall Dudhnath

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Kaieteur News

Weak management systems can affect transparency - NRGI cautions for spending of oil money Fund said that training skills could be further built up in those institutions to provide sustainable ongoing training in years to come.

By Kiana Wilburg Without active management, the inflow of oil revenues can harm rather than help a country. As such, the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) is urging emerging oil producers like Guyana to improve its Public Financial Management System. NRGI notes that strong public financial management (PFM) systems are essential for effective and sustainable economic management and public service delivery. To cement the importance of strong PFMs, NRGI noted the case of Chad and Nigeria. The Institute said, “Much cash has flowed into Chad’s government treasury from resource extraction. In fact, 70 percent of government revenues come from oil. However, rather than translating this into human development, money has instead been spent on security services totaling 18 percent of the budget. The result is a growing stock of debt and 184th in the ranking of countries in the Human Development Index.” With regard to Nigeria, NRGI said that this African state reformed its public procurement process in 1999. Previously, on average, US$300 million was lost each year in corrupt practices. Since reform and strengthening of its PFM, the Nigerian government has saved an estimated US$1.5 billion between 2001 and 2007. With the foregoing in mind, NRGI said that improvement in public spending management is necessary and can take the form of both an increase in the capacity to choose appropriate spending plans, and incentives for institutions to make decisions without political interference. In countries with low institutional capacity, the Institute said that it may be politically easier to introduce improved, stricter management rules for new spending projects than to reform existing spending. It said that Governments should aim for several things such as their public financial management systems. It said that this would involve public, multi-year plans that allow coordination of spending projects, and greater certainty for the private sector; competitive, public and transparent procurement; oversight and internal controls; pre-approval measurement of the costs of major expenditures against their likely social and economic benefits; and public, independent audits of spending projects, for both oversight

and to help government improve its spending processes NRGI said that it would be in the interest of countries for the authorities to invest in public investment processes and in eliminating supply bottlenecks in the economy to reduce the cost of investment projects. IMF RECOMMENDS Guyana has been carrying out several assessments in an effort to achieve a strong PFM. While there were some improvements over the years, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently noted that there is still more, which needs to be done especially since the nation is preparing to be an oil producer by March 2020. During one of its recent assessments, the Fund noted that the limited capacity at all levels of the Ministry of Finance and even in various line agencies will pose significant constraints when the time comes for the implementation of needed reforms for Public Financial Management. To ensure success going forward, the IMF said that reform measures will need to be carefully prioritized and sequenced so as not to overload the limited capacity. The Fund said that the extent and wide-ranging nature of future PFM reforms perhaps requires a more coordinated approach to reform implementation. It said that many countries faced with an extensive body of work have formed a dedicated reform team to organize, coordinate, and facilitate the required reforms in many PFM areas. It said that the reform unit/ team will provide oversight, guidance and monitoring to the PFM reform plan and act as a coordinator of the overall PFM reform program. The Fund said that a substantial part of their work should be directed to up grading the

skills of staff in the Ministry of Finance and line agencies by developing a core PFM training programme. The Fund also stressed that capacity building in the Ministry of Finance and in line agencies is an important prerequisite for sustainable PFM reform. It said, “A comprehensive assessment of required skills is essential for successful implementation. It could be considered to appoint a small group to analyze the longterm capacity building needs, and to develop an overall plan for PFM capacity development, to be managed and coordinated within the reform unit in the Ministry of Finance.” The Fund added, “The results of the assessment could summarize the skills required in every function. For example, for budget office skills in preparing baseline expenditure are crucial or for macrofiscal division the analysis of fiscal risks.” The Fund further stated that capacity-building efforts could be coordinated with local training institutions. In this regard, the Fund said that the Ministry should explore further, the options to cooperate with local training institutions (e.g. recently opened Bertram Collins College of the Public Service; University of Guyana) and other partners to deliver necessary training programmes on a continuous basis. It noted that other costeffective and efficient solutions, such as developing a partnership arrangement with other countries in the region could be a viable option as well. The IMF also stated that new capacity building actions should be designed to channel appropriate training programs through these institutions, and to use staff to perform training. In this way, the

ONGOING ASSESSMENTS As of now, the Fund said that authorities here, in cooperation with the European Commission, are carrying out an assessment of PFM systems. The last integrated fiduciary assessment of PFM and procurement systems was carried out by a team of staff from the Ministry and three external consultants in 2012. According to the Fund, the team used the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) assessment methodology and the Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems (MAPS). The Fund said that the findings of the ongoing assessment of PFM systems will be used to update a PFM reform programme. In addition, several developments partners like the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), World Bank, and the Commonwealth Secretariat have recently conducted assess-

ments of PFM reform needs, which will provide inputs to the PFM reform program. The Fund noted that the Office of Budget in the Ministry of Finance has been a focal point for the PFM reforms. At present, the IMF said that the planning and coordination of the PFM reform process seems to depend heavily on Director of the Office of Budget and one or two heads of key departments.

It stressed that there is no dedicated reform unit or team in the Office of Budget or the Ministry to coordinate and guide the PFM reform efforts. At the same time, given current levels of staffing, the Fund observed that most of the staff is fully engaged in day-to-day operations. It said that many of them are learning how to perform operations on the job as the staff turnover tends to be high.

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Dad murdered after rescuing daughter from violent spouse An irate Port Kaituma man allegedly murdered his fatherin-law in a most unusual way after the 67-year-old victim rescued his daughter from a beating. Police said that Dennis Williams, a farmer, died at around 06:30 hrs yesterday, after the suspect rammed his engine-powered vessel into Williams’ small paddle boat. According to reports, the suspect and two of his friends were consuming alcohol early Saturday morning and he eventually invited them to spend the night at his home. Shortly after, the suspect’s wife and daughter went outside to use a washroom. This infuriated her husband, who allegedly accused her of wanting to see his friends. After seeing his wife coming from the washroom, the suspect began to beat her. On hearing the commotion, the woman’s father, who resided nearby, crossed a river with his boat and rescued his daughter. Williams then remained with his daughter until daybreak. According to information, Williams was returning home in his boat at around 06:30 hrs when his son-law hopped into his engine powered boat and in “a fit of rage” drove over Williams’ boat, causing the elderly man to fall overboard. Williams’ body, which bore injuries to the head was

Monday July 30, 2018

Kaieteur News

- suspect allegedly rammed father-in law’s boat with high-powered vessel later recovered, while his sonin-law was detained. The remains are presently at the Port Kaituma Hospital Mortuary awaiting a post mortem examination. Just last month, a Port Kaituma carpenter, was recently charged and remanded on an allegation that he murdered his wife. Thirty-six-year-old Tyron James is alleged to have punched his wife Evadnee Baptiste to the head after he saw her dancing vulgarly with another man. James had later made an appearance before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman who read the murder charge to him. The charge against James stated that on July 15, at Port Kaituma, Waterfront, North West District, he murdered Evadnee Baptist, 37, of Oronoque, Port Kaituma. He is currently on remand for the indictable offence. It was reported that on the day in question, James found Baptiste dancing with another man and upon seeing this, he became annoyed and dealt the woman a cuff to her head, causing her to fall to the ground. James then reported what had transpired and the woman’s body was taken to

the Port Kaituma Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The cause of her death was given as a brain haemorrhage due to blunt trauma. A man was also recently charged for murdering a Venezuelan who he saw beating his spouse for dancing with another man. This killing occurred at Black Water, Cuyuni. Francisco Hosea De Matos, 27, a gold miner of Monkey Mountain and Lot 87 Grove Public Road, Demerara, is currently on remand for the offence. According to information reaching this publication, Rafael Prieto, 27, and his partner, 32-year-old Laurens Susana Rodriguez Cabrera, a Venezuelan, went to a restaurant and bar at Black Water, Cuyuni, where he found her dancing with another man. Annoyed at this, Rafael pushed the woman to the ground and sat on her chest, and then proceeded to use a knife to cut off her hair. Upon seeing this, Francisco went to the woman’s rescue. The suspect then dealt Rafael several stabs about the body with a knife. The victim received injuries to his upper lip, upper left arm and his abdomen, causing his intestines to protrude.

You will need the “enemy” to be reelected to Office - Lewis reminds President Granger

Trade Unionist and Columnist, Lincoln Lewis

GPA President, Nazima Raghubir

President David Granger

Whatever the reason President David Granger has decided to function without opening himself to steady and sustained accountability to the people of Guyana through the media, Trade Unionist, Lincoln Lewis has reminded him not to burn the bridge he crossed. Lewis thinks that while Granger seems to have made the media the “enemy,” his success at the next election will be significantly hinged on the willingness of the media to give him coverage when he needs it most. Lewis made his views known in his most recent column published in this newspaper. Read entire column: h t t p s : / / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2018/07/29/is-presidentgranger-being-well-servedby-his-advisors/. Lewis said that there is a perception that the government is floundering in the making of policies, and not serving the people’s best interest due to an absence of vision that would impact coherent thought processes and direction. He said that the views as to what or who is responsible for this are mixed. Lewis said that some hold the view that President David Granger is not taking advice. While, others are contending the problem is his advisors –

“i.e. the ministerial team – and that many lack the strength and capacity to do what is expected of them, including honestly advising him. The ultimate responsibility for the performance of the Executive is the President, and as he expresses satisfaction with the performance of his team, continuous evaluation is being made by the man in the street who sees it differently.” Lewis noted that the media community is clamoring for the President to hold press conferences and the Press Association has even referred to the level of access it had when he was in the Opposition, comparative to now. The Trade Unionist said that in opposition, “Granger was not expected to account as Leader of the Executive but as Leader of the Opposition, and that saw him addressing issues, making promises/commitments that the society yearned for and pulling the right cords. As President holding press conferences and facing the media, he will be rightly asked questions to account for the stewardship of his administration.” Lewis continued, “the absence or paucity in engaging with the media has caused a deterioration of a relationship relied on when in Opposition, and will be needed should he be seeking re-election. Obvi-

ously, the President would desire coverage, positively more likely, to be told far and wide in the process of securing another term. Non-engagement with an institution, once considered vital to getting your messages out, has reached the point where strong perception is being held that the media has become enemy.” Lewis pointed out that while Granger dodges holding press conferences, the Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo’s weekly press conference has filled the political space of the people needing to hear from the nation’s premier political leadership on policies and other critical issues. Further, Lewis noted that post-Cabinet press conferences cannot be equated to a press conference that speaks to policy issues, which is the forte of the presidency. “In fact, at the Cabinet press conference, the Minister defers on critical issues.” The Coalition rode to power promising more transparency, but since becoming President in 2015, President David Granger has hosted a mere two official press conferences. Even after official trips overseas, and numerous official engagements, the President has not faced the nation, (Continued on page 23)

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NEW LETTING-GO POLICY? The recent high turnover of senior technical staff at the Ministry of Finance has raised eyebrows. After all, this is one of the country’s most important Ministries, which controls the country’s purse strings and which is supposed to set the country economic strategy and execute the annual Budget. In all of the aforementioned areas, there have been serious problems, which has cast aspersions on the country’s financial management. It is this context that one has to pay attention to the problems of succession, which are likely to develop following reports, last week, in another newspaper that a number of senior officers of the Ministry of Finance were being let go. This has raised the issue

about the retirement age policy in that Ministry and in the government in general. We are now being advised that the Ministry of Finance does have such a retirement age policy, at least it does so now. The Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Finance has announced that it is the policy of the Ministry (not necessarily the government) that employees who reach the age of retirement, 55-60 years, will be let go unless they have a special skill or there are no suitable replacements within the Ministry (she did not say within the government or society). According to the Ministry’s spokesperson, this is part of a policy of giving younger civil servants a chance. She also professed

that the public service is not a rest home and having public servants employed after the age of retirement is counterproductive to government’s vision. She related that the Ministry is investing in employees who both by their achievements and commitment have demonstrated that they are keen to contribute to Guyana. These are nice-sounding arguments but they need to be cross-examined for consistency and validity. The Ministry’s profession of faith in civil servants who have demonstrated the capability and commitments needs to be tested. Based on the announcement by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Finance, it is soon to be expected that civil servants, that is, those persons who are

DEM BOYS SEH

Soulja Bai playing wid teachers’ money

Soulja Bai got a serious problem when school open. He might find dat he ain’t got no teacher in de school. He set up a committee to look at de pay de teachers getting and de committee agree to pay de teachers more. De increase was big suh de decision was to pay de increase in installments. But when de time to pay de first installment de Finance Minister seh dat de money too much fuh de treasury. De teachers get vex and dem seh dem ain’t going to school every day. Dem boys remind Soulja Bai bout de Armstrong report which pay public servants nuff money. Jagdeo seh dis gon create a problem but he pay. Then he push up inflation. After three years, de public servants was back right wheh dem started. But if de money too much fuh teachers, people want to know how come de very government keep paying billions of dollars to sugar

workers. Now dat de money cut from de sugar workers, dem can pay de teachers. People know how important de teachers can be. Already dem got nuff people pon de road who ain’t learn nutten in school. Dem is de young gunmen. Dem boys worried dat if Soulja Bai don’t pay de teachers, Guyana gon get more young gunmen. Jagdeo already blaming Soulja Bai fuh de crime situation. When is election time, he gon tell de people how Soulja Bai bring crime and people gon believe him. Dem was de same people who live through de crime wave when Jagdeo was president. Dat was a time when

government people use to sleep in hotel and lef dem house while de ordinary people had to stay home and face de music. But people got short memory. Soulja Bai should pay de teachers before school open. And de teachers better hope so because if Jagdeo people get back in power, dem gon seh dem never promise any money so dem wouldn’t pay. De teachers gon strike and Jagdeo people gon pay and tek credit fuh mekking teachers better. Soulja Bai giving laptops but if he don’t pay, de people gon send strike message over dem same laptop. Talk half and don’t play wid people money.

tenured and have been employed with the consent of the Public Service Commission, whether past of present, should expect to be soon appointed to the positions of Chief Planning Officer, Deputy Finance Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the National Procurement and Tender Administration, provided that they are committed and capable. Given this strong insistence of giving young public servants a chance, it is not to be expected that they will be bypassed in favour of contracted employees for these posts. However, why is this policy only now operational? Moreover, why only at the Ministry of Finance? The Ministry of Finance could have promoted civil servants ahead of contracted employees since May 2015. Why, in other words, was this policy of retiring persons at age 55-60, not applicable since 2015? Why now when its sudden implementation is

going to see a denuding of experienced senior staff and likely problems with succession? The Ministry of Finance is responsible for a number of other agencies in which there are political appointees who have long reached the age of retirement and who are being favoured over younger, capable staff. Is the retirement policy of the Ministry of Finance going to be applied to those agencies over which the Ministry has responsibility? Alternatively, will the retirees be retained on the basis that they have special skills? No one is indispensable in the workforce. There are no persons with special skills, just special connections. Whatever skill is desired can be found in the labour market, providing you are willing to pay for these skills. In addition, the only way the government will know whether it can afford those with the special skills is to advertise the position requiring those skills. Of

course, this is still no guarantee that the best candidate will get the job. A position can be advertised and the job still handed to a crony. Since May 2015, persons have been known to be handpicked for jobs within government without any public advertising. The government must now state whether there are two letting-go policies within the government, one at the Ministry of Finance and one for the rest of the public service. It should state whether it is the general rule that persons who have reached either 55 or 60 years of age are required to retire unless they have special skills. The government must state how such special skills are determined and what measures are to be put in place to ensure fair employment practices.

Monday July 30, 2018

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

SBB highlights need for small businesses to access Govt. contracts The issue of small businesses not having an opportunity to access Government contracts has engaged the attention of the Small Business Bureau (SSB). In its most recent report tabled in the National Assembly last week, the Bureau pointed out that the Procurement Act (2003) provides for small businesses in Guyana to access government contracts. According to the report, which detailed the performance of the entity in 2016, the Small Business Bureau has met with representatives of the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Business, the Small Business Council and other stakeholders to implement the provisions set forth in the Act.

Loan comparison-approved vs. actual disbursement for 2014-2016. However, the report noted that there are concerns relating to some contrasts between the Procurement Act (2003) and the Small Business

Act (2004), which will require constitutional amendments. SBB has to ensure a guarantee and commitment of 20% Government

Success man who stabbed girlfriend, mother-in-law for court today A 36-year-old labourer, who allegedly stabbed his wife, her mother and a fouryear-old girl last Saturday, is expected to be arraigned before a City Magistrate today to answer to several charges. Julian Sergeant of Success South Squatting Area, East Coast Demerara, is said to have injured his reputed wife, 19-year-old Tiffany McBeth, his motherin-law, Lorraine McBeth, 64, a housewife of Peters Hall, East Bank Demerara, and her granddaughter, Nathania Browne. According to reports, the suspect woke up Saturday morning and began chucking Tiffany McBeth’s four-yearold niece. Tiffany intervened and the suspect then began

The suspect: Julian Sergeant to beat and choke her. The woman’s mother heard the commotion and went into the room where she saw her son-in-law assaulting her daughter and

Victim: Maggie McBeth is badly scarred

granddaughter. The elderly woman intervened and the suspect armed himself with a knife, which he used to stab both Tiffany and her mother multiple times. The women however put up a fierce fight, which caused the man to run out of the house. When Sergeant left, the women locked the door and called 911. Sadly, their calls for help were not heard since they claimed the emergency services staff put down the phone on them. They only received help after calling a family member who is a policeman. The women were treated for multiple stab wounds. They have since been released from the medical institution.

Tiffany McBeth shows some of the stab wounds she received.

procurement from small

businesses. “Nevertheless, discussions will continue to ensure the smooth implementation of the Procurement Act, which will provide an opportunity for small businesses to be guaranteed, access to government contracts. While work is being done on the development of the Small Business Procurement Policy. The Small Business Bureau encourages, ministries, and other government agencies to buy from small business,” the report noted. Further, the report highlighted that entrepreneurs in Guyana can be classified as necessity

entrepreneurs, that is, individuals that are pushed into entrepreneurship because they have no better alternatives for work, reflecting the scarcity of decent wage-labour opportunities in the economy. However, the report noted that despite the importance of entrepreneurship, there is an absence of a National Entrepreneurship Strategy or direct policy to support entrepreneurship. The report noted plans to start preparation for this National Entrepreneurship Strategy. During reporting period, the SBB stated that it Continued on page 22

PAGE 12

Guyana long way off from Skype system that allows inmates to communicate with kids Guyana is a long way from setting up an audio-video project which allows some selected inmates to communicate with their children and even help them with schoolwork. Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels gave this response recently after Kaieteur News enquired whether such a programme can be set up in Guyana, as Trinidad is preparing to do. Samuels said that this may be possible “in years to come when we have the infrastructure and other support systems in place." He also said that security measures would have to be put in place to ensure that the system is not compromised. He revealed that the issue was discussed at a recent conference. That possibility would have been further set back with the devastating fire that razed the Georgetown Prisons. According to a recent Trinidad Newsday article, selected prisoners in Trinidad “will soon be able to have face to face conversations, help with homework and even read stories to their children, all while behind bars, as part of a new initiative launched by the Prison Service in collaboration with the National Library and Information Service (NALIS).” The report stated that the project was launched by acting Prison Commissioner Gerard Wilson at a function celebrating the 180th anniversary of the prison service on Friday at Prisons Sports Club in Arouca. It stated that Wilson underlined the importance of inmates maintaining an active presence in their children's life and said the programme is testament to the continuous

Monday July 30, 2018

Kaieteur News

Poor dams, roaming cattle, weather affecting Berbice rice production

- Director of Prisons

- PM representative

Cows left roaming in rice fields in East Berbice are causing major damage to the crop.

work of the prison service in not only housing inmates, but promoting restorative justice. According to the article, the Skype project seeks to reconnect incarcerated parents who have been in the system for at least one continuous year, displayed good behaviour and who have been involved in rehabilitation programmes approved by the prison service. Each session lasts half an hour between parents at a prison and any NALIS Children's Library. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Vel Lewis expressed support for the initiative and said the Ministry remains committed to providing the prisons with neces-

sary infrastructural upgrades to improve the quality of life and service behind bars. According to a 2015 story in the Mirror, Prisoners in Northern Ireland are being given access to Skype to make video calls - in a UK first. Over 70 approved inmates at Magilligan jail in Co Londonderry are being allowed access to the audio-visual technology as part of a new rehabilitation project. Governor of Magilligan David Eagleson said, "We know that when prisoners have strong family support, they are in better shape for reintegration to family and community and we see this as an important part of the rehabilitation process."

The current rice crop is under siege from cattle farmers especially in Region 6 with only about 60 percent of the lands currently under cultivation. This will mean that there will be a sharp decline in rice production in that East Berbice/Corentyne region this crop, according to Gobin Harbhajan, the Prime Minister’s representative in Region Six. Other factors which will contribute to this decline are the refusal of persons to work rice cultivating areas and the extremely impassable conditions of the dams. According to the official, rice farmers and members of the Water Users Association along with the President of the Rice Producers Association, Leekha Rambridge, have been making regular complaints to his office, of a festering situation with no apparent solution in sight.

“It has been reported that the rice damage is mostly due to gross negligence by some cattle farmers who failed to control their animals. Furthermore, the rice farmers are at a disadvantage to take legal actions since nearly 80 percent of these big cattle farmers reside abroad, leaving workers (young boys) to manage their ranches.” The official said that the cattle farmers would only come from US, Canada and the United Kingdom from time to time to sell off their bulls, “make a hefty tax free profit and depart back to overseas”. “In addition, when these animals are involved in accidents, it is difficult to trace the brands which would have gone back to three generations. Sometimes, the brand owners have long been deceased leaving the accident victims with no option. It is time that the Minister of Social Security recalls these ‘out-

dated ‘brands and have the current owners do the necessary registration.” Harbhajan suggested that the registrations should be publicly placed at the NDCs and the police stations for public verification if needs be.

local currency. The father of three died at the scene, while his killer fled with an undisclosed sum of

cash and a quantity of gold jewellery. Three men were subsequently charged.

PM representative in Region Six, Gobin Harbhajan

Bike bandits shoot, rob America Street money-changer Bandits on a motorbike escaped with an undisclosed sum of cash after shooting 60-year-old money-changer Rickford Richardson, called “Bigga,” in the left leg in the vicinity of America and Longden Streets at around 13:15 hrs yesterday. According to reports, Richardson, who had been plying his trade for over three decades, was on the pavement near Fazia’s Collections Store when two men rode up on a motorcycle and stopped in front of him. The rider then revved the motorcycle, but Richardson just assumed that the men were waiting to pass a car that had stopped on the road. The pillion rider then dismounted, drew a handgun from his waist and pointed it

at Richardson. According to the moneychanger’s son, his father immediately handed over the money that he had in his hand at the time. Nevertheless, the bandit opened fire, shooting Richardson in the left leg. One witness said that other money-changers who were nearby ran for cover on hearing the gunshot. An eyewitness said that the pillion rider was wearing a white jersey and had it pulled up over his face as he rode off. His accomplice was described as a Strapping, browncomplexioned individual from a well-known area in the city. Richardson was up to late last night awaiting surgery at the Georgetown Public Hos-

The location where Rickford “Bigga” Richardson was robbed and shot yesterday. pital Corporation. Just last October, America Street money-changer Shawn Nurse, called ‘Fabulous’, was

shot in the face during a struggle with a gunman, who was attempting to relieve him of a large sum of foreign and

Monday July 30, 2018

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

Guyana must boost Better Hope man dies after fire razes home its transparency Firefighters and police ranks at the scene. mechanisms for accounting oil money – NRGI Transparency is central to the aim of transforming natural resource wealth into sustainable economic and social development. But for this to happen in emerging oil producing countries like Guyana, the local authorities have to be prepared to boost its transparency mechanisms for the accounting of oil money. This is according to the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to

significantly reduce the secrecy that prevails in commodity trading since jurisdictions like these have a large market share of companies involved in this corner of the natural resource sector. NRGI said that resource rich countries that sell commodities, like Ghana and Nigeria, have also committed to pursue greater transparency in this area and EITI now includes related disclosure requirements on commodity trading. It noted

improving countries’ governance over their natural resources. NRGI noted that many countries like Guyana can pass laws or begin transparency initiatives that go beyond what is called for with the international mechanisms. It said that some of these national initiatives may have standard-setting power or apply to multiple jurisdictions, giving them the reach of international initiatives. In this regard, NRGI said that many countries have created extractive related transparency processes that go beyond what may be required for compliance with international standards, such as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). It said that in Ghana, for example, the Petroleum Revenue Management Act (PRMA) created a Public Interest and Accountability Committee (piacghana.org). The Institute said that this independent multistakeholder group is charged with monitoring and enforcing government compliance with revenue management regulations. Turning its attention to commodity trading, NRGI said that countries like Switzerland and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Commission, have committed to enhancing payment disclosure on the sale of oil, gas and minerals. NRGI said that this will

that Guyana can do the same. Further to this, NRGI spoke to the need for contract transparency. In this regard, it pointed out that many countries have adopted a policy to publish some or all of the contracts signed between the host government and the extractive company. “For instance, Article 150 of the constitution in Niger requires the government to publish all new extractive contracts. The availability of contracts, even if they are not confidential per se, varies from country to c o u n t r y . ResourceContracts.org makes hundreds of resource contracts available to the public and the Open Contracting Data Standard creates a common contract data model to enable disclosure at all stages of the contracting process.” NRGI also noted that mandatory payment disclosure rules are excellent transparency mechanisms. The Institute said that mandatory payment disclosure rules are legal requirements for companies to systematically disclose the payments they make to governments. It noted that some countries make disclosure rules for companies involved in a contractual relationship with the government. It said too that other countries require disclosure for all companies that are listed on stock exchanges or incorporated within their country.

The charred remains of 64 year old Fazel “Zole” Ally was found yesterday after a fire gutted his home at Lot 10 Bissoon Street, Better Hope South, East Coast Demerara (ECD). The fire which witnesses claim started around 12:40 hrs yesterday, destroyed the one room wooden house that Ally lived in with his partner Anita Looknauth, a 54 year old vendor, and his grandson, Randy Ameer. The man who is said to be

an alcoholic, was home alone when neighbours noticed smoke and fire coming from the house. They contacted the Guyana Fire Service and formed a bucket brigade in an attempt to douse the fire and save another house that was in the same yard. One of the neighbours remembers hearing someone wailing inside Ally’s house when the fire had first started, but then the cries ceased. Firefighters eventually brought the fire under

control. By then, only the charred remains of Ally could be seen at the top of the stairs that led to his home. This suggests that he was attempting to get out but was overcome by the flames. One neighbour claimed that she last saw Ally between 08:00 and 09:00 hrs yesterday, when he was peering out his window watching her clean her yard. Representatives from the fire department who were at the scene were looking at the

possibility that the Ally might have been using a kerosene stove and may have left it unattended. Others suggested that he may have fallen asleep while under the influence. Residents claimed that Ally was also in the habit of threatening to burn down the house when he was drunk. The Guyana Fire Service and the Guyana Police Force have since initiated investigations and the findings should be forthcoming soon.

Patrons laud local Agro-processors at UncappeD Marketplaces – over 65 agro-progressors display products – next event to be held in Berbice

One of the agri processing products. Patrons on Saturday once again turned out in their numbers to support and discover products being made by local agroprocessors at the UncappeD Marketplace and food festival. The event was held at the Leonora Synthetic Track, West Coast of Demerara. Exhibiting products at the event were Diekah’s Spices, Sherl’s Cosmetics, Morning Glory Cereal Factory, Lisa’s Manufacturing and Country Style Delicious biscuits to name a few. Patron, Suraiya Ramkisson said she was amazed by the range of items

local agro-processors exhibit at these homegrown food festivals. “I think this is a really good opportunity for agro-processors. It is a really good forum for the highquality agro-processors to display their products, and for the other to come up to that standard.” Sharing the same view was Sunil Oudit, “This is a wonderful initiative, I would encourage people to support local. I saw many local products on display that I have not seen before. There were some wonderful products.” Also taking the opportunity to purchase

several of the local goods at the event was Miss Earth Guyana 2018, Xamiera Kippins who commended the initiative. “I think it is a perfect opportunity for the locals to showcase what Guyana has to offer. It shows how blessed we are, and we are very much capable of producing the exact things that we would buy in the store from other countries.” This is the second UncappeD Marketplace event to be held by the Guyana Manufacturing and Service Association (GMSA) in 2018. First Vice-President of GMSA, Ramsay Ali said the association is aiming to host the event throughout various regions in the country. “This forum was created as an avenue to sell their product. We recognise they (agro-processors) need some support in financing, product development, which includes packaging, pricing and market support. So far, it has been successful. This time, we invited store owners on the West Coast to come and meet some of these local manufacturers in order to garner support for the sale of local products.”

Miss Earth Xamiera Kippins was among the enthusiastic visitors. He commended improvements made by a number of agro-processors after participating in the event. “If you were to look at the businesses here today and you were to look at them a year ago, you will see the difference. They have made improvements to their packaging and their products. We will continue with events like these.” According to the Ali, the next UncappeD Marketplace will be held in Berbice in October as part of Agriculture month activities. He said the Association will have a meeting with the government and agroprocessors to discuss the way forward in 2019. (A DPI feature)

PAGE 22

Monday July 30, 2018

Kaieteur News

SBB highlights need...

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK;Guyanapassport application. G r a p h i c s design, advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6004212: We create A/works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Installations, Repairs and parts for AC, Fridge, Washing machine, Stove etc. Call Nick 627-3206, 630-1600 Untouchable Pawn Shop 23 John and Norton Street, Werk-en-rust. Tel#681-9948/ 625-3915 Need your fence, yard, house to wash and yard to weed and maintain. Call: 666-2326 HEALTH Herbal remedies: Diabetes, Hypertension, Infertility, Menstrual disorders, Enlarged prostate, Kidney,Gall stones & Arthritis etc. Call Sparman #676-5924 Lose 10 pounds in 10 days. Personal effective workout sessions & meditation. Guaranteed results-Diet plan. Get started today. 602-2407 ACCOMMODATION Secret Villa & Harmony Inn, Fully furnished, Airconditioned apartments. $6000-$9000. #225-6337/2181400/266-5243/602-8769 LEARN TO DRIVE N. Outar Driving School, Learn to Drive the right way. Affordable package. Call: 6445166/691-2561

FOR SALE 1 45ft fishing boat- 48HP with 400lb seine & 3000lb icebox. Negotiable water pump (never used) $15,000. Call #648-7606 Parts for Tacoma Tundra Titan for sale. Tel#686-9608. One complete Water dragger Excellent condition, Ready to use, Equipped with satelite TV. Tel# 671-4019 One Excavator, Minor repairs, engine in excellent condition. Tel# 671-4019 Generac Pressure Wash for sale 3100 PSI. Tel#654-5267/ 652-2244/220-4203 1- Honda 450 ATV. Contact # 275-0367/683-7225 Foreign used commercial gas deep fryer $125,000 Commercial Indoor Salamander/Broiler gas grill $60,000. #220-1716 Unregistered DAF trucks: Flat bed $5.4M, Hauler $6.8M, Dump trucks $5.2M- $7.9M. Call: 222-0675 for more information. TO LET Newly constructed apt in a safe and healthy environment. Call: #698-6496 1 room apartment bathroom and living room @ 294 4th Field Cummings Lodge ECD, Job letter required #222-0401/ 673-2467 Preferably UG students. Business Space, Upper flat @ 177 Charlotte & Alexander, Georgetown, Very spacious, suitable for lessons. #6443555/689-3462/679-1579 LAND FOR SALE Parafaite Harmonie, Eccles, Uivlugt, Tuschen, Covent Garden, Herstelling, Diamond, Providence, Zeelugt. Tel# 686-9608 Parfaite $1.4M Farm 55x110 $4.5M Tuschen $1.5M House $6M Diamond $4M Uitvlugt $2.7M Providence $3.5M Call: 666-2326 Zeelugt - $2.3M Tushen $1.5M. Tel# 697-6311

EDUCATION CXC English Classes 56 Church St Stanleytown, West Bank Demerara, Enrollment: MondayThursday. Call: 657-9653/ 681-7261/669-8963

Land of Canaan $5.5M an acre, Herstelling front $5.5M, Sophia $5M, Support river front. #618-7483

FOR RENT

WANTED

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620

1 Air compressor 5HP 3 Phase 230/220 volts. Call: 628-1486/698-1134.

One (1) House in Lamaha Gardens, Four (4) Bedrooms, furnished US$3000, Unfurnished US$2,500. Call: Tel#675-1430 1 flat concrete house, 3 bedroom & 1 master room, PVC ceiling, tile, grill, Parfaite Harmonie, Onderneerming #662-6818 Two Bedrooms cottage house at 97 Fourth St, Pearl, EBD Call: 219-5462/625-3981 2 bedroom apartment, unfurnished & Furnished (AC, Parking, WiFi etc.) Eccles. #667-2536 2 Bedroom apartment in 1 BB Eccles. Tel#609-5548

Live in or live out babysitter/ domestic - Call: 223-7500 Monday to Saturday 8:15am4:15pm Models Wanted Urgent. Call: 592-682-0611 Wanted land to buy in Parfaite Harmonie, Uitvlugt or East Bank. Tel# 642-1252 6x6 or 8x6 Logging truck for hire. Contact #218-3399 One Live in General Domestic, must know to cook $20,000 (20-35 yrs) 1 Waitress living on the ECD. #610-5043 Contract cars, drivers & dispatchers. Tel# 231-0002/ 231-0316 Land to buy in Parafaite Harmonie, Eccles, Uitvlugt, Tuschen,Covent Garden, Herstelling, Diamond, Providence & Zeelugt. Tel#686-9608 Domestic help wanted. Female @ Vreed-en-hoop, light house keeping $3000 daily. Call 682-5230/615-4414 serious enquiries only.

CAR RENTAL DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL:225-7126/ 2263 6 9 3 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL @YAHOO.COM/ WWW.D OLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS FROM $4000 & UP, SUV’S PER DAY- CALL:643-5122/ 6 5 6 - 0 0 8 7 , ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MINI BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPORT & FAMILY OUTINGS, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807 WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP RATES,SPECIALOFFERS! . CALL: 690-6494 PROPERTY FOR SALE 3 storey commercial buliding. Location- Lot 1486 Plot B Herstelling (2 Bridge) EBD. Suitable for school/ apartments. Contact #6093777/686-0522

Land located in Tucville. Price $16Million. Call 672-1920

Lot 15 Public road #2 Vill. WCB 3 House Lots, Rice cultivation 49ftx10,314ft length. Price $18M. Contact# 648-7109/686-4818

531 Cornelia Ida West Coast Dem $3M Price Negotiable. Contact# 614-4506

4 Bedroom house located in Section ‘K’ Campbellville. Price $48Million. Call 672-1920

From page 11 continued to administer the Micro and Small Enterprises Development (MSED) Project resulting in the approval of loans for 63 businesses, which amounted to $237,743,000. Under the MSED programme, the government of Guyana provides small business grants of $300,000 maximum, to small businesses. This is mainly provided for start-up businesses, but may be

VACANCY Plant/Garden Personnel 1825 years, Literate, physically fit. Tel# 608-0215 Porters/Salesmen, apply in person with application to ARK Enterprise/The Container House. 17 Lombard Street, Werk-EnRust. Urgent vacancy exist @ Natural Beauty Salon & Spa. For experience Nail Technician Located @ Grove EBD. Contact Ms. Rasharie #652-5800 DemBake at Land of Canaan is seeking experience Bakers, Drivers, Male Sales Agents. Tel: 266-5847 Jos-el Educational Institute seeks Grade 1 & 5 teachers, science teachers & abeka trained teachers. Phone: 2267868

VEHICLE FOR SALE

Cook/Baker & Kitchen assistant for interior location. Call: 618-2020 for details.

1 Nissan Pathfinder Jeep and 1 Nissan Laurel car in excellent condition- Final sale bargain, call to view: 2258427/609-7766

Looking for a Job or Educational Services. Call: 233-6997/600-8457/622-1957 www.Jobfairworldwide.com

2006 Suzuki Escado (White) Excellent condition. Price $3.6M Neg. Contact #6093777/697-4557

Needed workers for in the interior. Boys & Girls, Salary $80,000. Contact Number #674-1767

2008 Mazda Demio, Manual Transmission. Price $1.9Mil. Contact # 664-3300 for serious inquiries only.

Technician to repair and service packaging machine. Apply at Alabama Trading 65 Robb Street, Bourda.

Pickup truck from Canada, double cab 2005 Tacoma $2.1M, Ford F150 sport $1.5M, Ford ranger sport $1.2M. Call: 682-5230, 6154414 Tractor (foreign used) Massey Ferguson excellent condition 165 $1.5M MF 135 $1.1M MF 265 $2.1M 165 loader, tractor $2.3M @ Vreeden-Hoop. Call 682-5230/6154414 PROPERTY FOR SALE 5 Bedroom house with A/C & hot & cold water system. Located in Bel Air. Price $66Million. Call 672-1920

Female cleaner office & home. 233-2745 Immediate vacancy exists for operators to work shifts @ Del Ice Co 25 yrs up. Call: 6429191/231-1408 For one female cleaner. Apply at Alabama Trading, 65 Robb Street, Bourda 1 Female to work in a mobile food van @ J’s Fast Food. Call Renie 689-4339 FOR SALE 2010 Suzuki GXR600 for sale. 950K Negotiable. Whatsapp 718-696-7608 or call 665-6164

extended to existing businesses based on their needs. The Grant Committee also approved 73 grants totaling $21,900,000. SBB noted that through the grant scheme and mutual guarantee scheme approximately 373 jobs were directly created and sustained. According to the report, the SBB also established training agreements with several partners. “Through these arrangements coupled with internal resources, a total of 1,353 persons were trained across Guyana, in various areas including business management fundamentals and hands-on technical skills training,” the report notes. Among the recommendations was for more fiscal incentives for small businesses. These incentives, according to the SBB, play a pivotal role in the strengthening of the country’s economy by boosting the growth of the small business sector. The report highlighted the need for tax breaks for startup businesses for at least five years of operation and reduced duty concessions for small businesses. The report also noted internal efforts being made to serve clients better. Based on the report, a review was done on the governance model employed by the SBB to ensure effective management both in its external engagements and internal management practices. The report noted that the review and strengthening of an accounting policy and procedure manual to assist in strengthening the governance framework of the Bureau was undertaken.

Monday July 30, 2018

Kaieteur News

Customs urges closing of ranks to topple corruption Jamaica Observer Commissioner of Customs Velma Ricketts Walker says that all agencies of the State involved in customs administration and border protection must continue to close ranks to stamp out corruption, as this should not only be seen as a customs issue but a national imperative. “Criminals work together, so we have to ensure that we are a step ahead of them and collaborate accordingly to prevent these things. While there must be accountability, the blame game sometimes doesn’t help — sometimes it worsens the situation, and that is why our approach at Customs is to work with and together with the other entities to get it right,” the chief executive officer stated in a Jamaica Observer interview on the ramping up of mechanisms at the Jamaica Customs Agency to tighten internal control, border protection, and ultimately help bolster national security. Ricketts Walker said that while Customs often bears the brunt of accusations about corruption or misconduct, the public must become cognisant of the fact that keeping the ports secure is the responsibility of multiple other agencies, not just Customs. She pointed to the container of counterfeit cigarettes valued at more than $400 million, which the police seized at a house in St James in mid-June, as an example of a breach for

which the blame was laid squarely at the feet of Customs. “The cigarette container that left the port was a trans-shipment container. That container had no business on the road. It’s a container that came from X country and should find itself in another country. The fact that it left tells us that there is indeed weaknesses within the system… which we have already identified and flagged,” she said. “Port-wise (internal collusion) is a very difficult thing to deal with because it’s about people. You’re unable to know who are the persons involved. While Customs ensures that there is a certain level of vetting, we have to also ensure that the other areas that operate on the port are mandated to do such vetting of their staff as well, and that that vetting is ongoing,” she said. The Customs commissioner added that the agency also has to ensure that the technology other stakeholders use, is also reliable to offer a certain level of assurance as well. “ We have found ourselves in a position where we are the entity being blamed, (and) I do understand that because when persons go to the port or the point of clearance their last interface most times is with Customs, so we become t h a t f a c e . We h a v e t o ensure that since we are the ones being blamed that we play an even greater role in ensuring that the security

apparatus is within the port system and the all other warehouses that we operate. That is one of the things that we have been working on, to ensure that partnership and coordination is there and even go beyond that and be enforcers to ensure that things are done the right and proper way to prevent these things from happening,” Ricketts Walker outlined. Director of Cargo Imaging, Kingsley Henry made the point also that along with its law enforcement partners, Customs has made significant strides in detecting illegal or corrupt activities. “One thing we can tell you is that our systems work and had it not been, for example, the policy of 100 per cent scanning, we can confidently say that our situation in terms of illicit items entering the country would be far greater,” he stated. At the same time, he noted that the port environment is not perfect. “What happens within the large space of the port with all the different players (is) there is the issue of collusion. Corruption isn’t a customs issue, it is a national issue that we have so all the players on the ports and the port environment would be subjected to the same influences that our officers would be subjected to. So people in organised crime, for example, would be able to find their way around and through the mechanisms that you have,” he elaborated.

You will need the “enemy”... (From page 8) opting to use the Department of Public Information (DPI) for the release of information. DPI releases leave no room for questions from the press. Earlier this month, President of the Guyana Press Association (GPA), Nazima Raghubir, told Kaieteur News that too many issues of national importance are going unaddressed. “The lack of engagement does no good to any Government’s role to be accountable and transparent. The Guyana Press cannot continue to meet the President on the sidelines of events. “We have already had to deal with limited access during the Public Interest programme,” Raghubir stated. She added that the GPA has raised the need for more frequent engagements with the Head of State since 2015. According to Raghubir, the GPA raised the matter again at the President’s media brunch in January and as recent as May during World Press Freedom Day. Following General Elections in May 2015, President Granger hosted his first press conference in October 2015. Initially, there was the Public Interest programme where selected media houses were

invited to sit and question the President, then that ended. There were no press conferences in 2016 and it was only after public criticisms that the President hosted another press conference more than a year later, on December 14, last. It is now seven months since the last press conference and again the President is facing sharp criticisms. On the sidelines of the ICT Road Show earlier this month, President Granger told reporters that he has been busy. “It can be very challenging and as soon as I get the opportunity, I will engage with the press, but I have been travelling quite a lot and I have to deal with domestic issues,” the President said in response to a question on the issue posed by the GPA President. “I am asking the media to be tolerant. My heart is in the right place, but right now, I have had a really difficult period of public engagements and overseas travel. “In fact even last year, I missed a few CARICOM appointments to be able to stay at home to pay more attention to domestic issues,” Granger said before he was hurried away for a photo opportunity.

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Protesters chant anti-Putin slogans at Moscow rally against retirement age plan

People attend a protest over the government’s decision to increase retirement age in Moscow, Russia, yesterday. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin MOSCOW (Reuters) - Thousands protested in central Moscow yesterday against a proposed increase to the retirement age and the crowd chanted slogans critical of President Vladimir Putin whose approval ratings have been dented by the bill. The rally organized by the opposition Libertarian Party chanted “Putin is a thief” and “away with the tsar,” slogans common at anti-Putin and anti-government protests. The retirement age proposal is politically sensitive for Putin, who was re-elected in March, because it has prompted a series of protests across Russia since it was announced on June 14, the day Russia played the first match of its soccer World Cup. Around 90 percent of the population oppose the bill, according to a recent opinion poll, and a petition against it has attracted 3 million signatures online. More than 6,000 people came to yesterday’s rally some 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) from the Kremlin, according to White Counter, an NGO that counts participants at rallies using metal detector frames. Police put the number at around 2,500. People held placards with slogans against the higher retirement age and one read: “stop stealing our future”. Authorities detained two

protest organizers, Vladimir Milov, a former deputy energy minister and now an opposition campaigner, told Reuters. The proposal to raise the retirement age, to 65 from 60 for men and to 63 from 55 for women, is part of an unpopular budget package designed to shore up government finances that is backed by lawmakers. Putin, who once promised not to raise the retirement age, has tried to distance himself from the pension plan. This month he said he did not like any of the proposals. He said Russia could avoid raising the retirement age for years, though a decision would have to be made eventually. “We have to proceed not from emotions, but from the real assessment of economic conditions and prospects of its development and (the development of) the social sphere,” Putin said. On Saturday, more than 12 thousand rallied on the same street in Moscow, according to the White Counter data. The changes to the retirement age would be introduced gradually, starting in 2019, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said when presenting the plan. Officials said the measure should help to raise an average pension in Russia, now at around 14,400 rubles ($229.52).

Monday July 30, 2018

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Monday July 30, 2018

Monday July 30, 2018

Gymnastics: Biles wins comeback after two-year break

Simone Biles of USA competes in the women’s vault final at the 2016 Rio Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 14, 2016. (REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo) (Reuters) - Competing for the first time since winning four gold medals at the Rio Olympics, Simone Biles recorded the top score in the vault, balance beam and floor exercise to win U.S. Classic in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday. While Biles was just 10th in the uneven bars she still had enough to prevail in the city where she was born. Her return to competition represents the start of what she hopes will culminate in further Olympic glory in Tokyo in 2020. Biles, 21, is among more than 100 gymnasts who say they were abused by former Gymnastics USA team doctor Larry Nassar. Nassar received a prison sentence of up to 175 years after pleading guilty to criminal sexual conduct.

Athletics: Integrity unit backs new IAAF anti-doping rules (Reuters) - The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has welcomed new anti-doping regulations in the sport that put greater responsibility on national federations. Following an International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) council meeting, national federations will be divided into three categories with differing obligations based on their level of success and the perceived risk of doping. “For too long the strict requirements of the anti-doping rules have fallen largely onto athletes,” AIU chairman David Howman said in a statement. “The IAAF Council should be congratulated for adopting innovative new rules that also make all of its member federations accountable on anti-doping matters. This will help ensure lasting and meaningful change in athletics.” The doping scandal involving Russian athletes, which saw the country’s track and field team banned from the 2016 Rio Olympics, has cast a long and enduring shadow over athletics. The AIU was set up a year ago as part of the IAAF’s effort to separate itself from anti-doping and corruption and rebuild athlete and fan confidence in the sport. The AIU first raised the idea of the new rules with the IAAF council in November and after discussions with all stakeholders recommended the amendments at this week’s meeting in Buenos Aires. The IAAF said four member federations - Kenya, Ethiopia, Belarus, Ukraine - would constitute the current watchlist of Category A, which includes the members most at risk of doping. Athletes from those countries will have to undergo at least three out-of-competition doping tests in the 10 months prior to a world championships or Olympics. The power to categorize members into one of three groups will rest with the AIU board and the new rules will come into effect from 2019, a year before the Tokyo Olympics.

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Kaieteur News

Series loss highlights Windies deficiencies, says Holder BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – Captain Jason Holder on Saturday conceded West Indies still had much work to do in order to ready themselves for next year’s ICC World Cup in England, after they slumped to a 2-1 series defeat to Bangladesh. In the decisive third OneDay International at Warner Park, West Indies were undone by Tamim Iqbal’s second hundred of the series (103) as Bangladesh piled up their highest-ever score against the hosts – 301 for six off their allotted 50 overs. West Indies then came up short by 18 runs as not for the first time, they found acceleration difficult in the middle overs and the innings stalled. This left them requiring 109 from the last 10 overs which proved a mountain too high to climb. “This is something we have to play special attention to [because] the way world cricket is, you have to get 300 runs as a par score and I just believe we should’ve gotten the runs …,” Holder lamented afterwards. He added: “We lost momentum in the middle. Credit to Chris (Gayle), he played an outstanding innings and credit to Rovman (Powell) there at the very end. “I think he gave all that he possibly could to give us a chance but we were a little slow in the middle and we weren’t able to tick over the scoreboard as quickly as we would have wanted to and then the scoring rate kept going up.” Veteran Gayle was superb at the top of the order, stroking 73 from 66 balls with six fours and five sixes. He put on 53 for the first wicket with Evin

Lewis (12) and 52 for the second wicket with Shai Hope who made 64. However, once Gayle departed in the 22nd over, the innings slowed to a crawl as Hope consumed 94 deliveries in his knock, and Powell’s late flourish – an unbeaten 74 off 41 balls – came a little too late to save the Windies. A 48-run defeat in the opener in Georgetown last Sunday had seen the Windies trail the series and even though they snatched a thrilling three-run result in the second ODI three days later, the hosts were not good enough to overcome the final hurdle. “We struggled to put together a complete game throughout the series. We did well to get back in the series in the last game but we just weren’t good enough … in chasing the runs,” Holder explained. “I felt 300 runs was a par score and I think the bowlers did as much as they could possibly do on a surface like this and an outfield like this but we still didn’t bat well enough in the middle period and gave ourselves too much work to do at the end.” The loss was the 12th for the Windies in 17 ODIs inside the last 12 months and left them without a series win in four years. In spite of the disappointment, Holder said there had been some positives, especially the batting of 21-year-old lefthander Shimron Hetmyer who topped the home side’s scoring charts with 207 runs at an average of 69, including a hundred in the second ODI. “We’ve got a lot of work to do obviously but there

Superstar opener Chris Gayle celebrates reaching his 49th ODI half-century in the final match against Bangladesh on Saturday. (Photo courtesy CWI Media) were still a few bright sparks,” Holder noted. “Shimron Hetmyer played outstandingly in the series, young Keemo Paul came into his own as well and Chris is still going as strong as he possibly can go and

obviously Rovman in the last two innings that he played, so a few positives there but we’ve still got a lot of work to do.” West Indies face Bangladesh in the threematch Twenty20 series beginning here Tuesday.

Hamilton in holiday... From page 28 that infuriated both driver and team boss Christian Horner. “We pay multi-millions of pounds for these engines and for first class, or state-of-the-art, product and you can see it’s quite clearly some way below that,” said Horner. Bottas ended up fifth, and was handed a 10 second post-race penalty for the Ricciardo collision, with French driver Pierre Gasly sixth for Toro Rosso. Kevin Magnussen was a lapped seventh for Haas, lifting the U.S.-owned team to fifth and ahead of Force India, with double world champion Fernando Alonso eighth for McLaren on his 37th birthday. Carlos Sainz took two points for Renault in ninth and Romain Grosjean made sure of another for Haas.

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Kaieteur News

Monday July 30, 2018

Hamilton in holiday mood Rabada, Shamsi set up South Africa’s five-wicket win after Hungarian victory

Kagiso Rabada is mobbed by his mates as he sends back Kusal Mendis ©Getty Images DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka, (Reuters) - Fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and spinner Tabraiz Shamsi picked up four wickets each to set up South

Africa’s five-wicket victory against Sri Lanka in the first one-day international at Dambulla yesterday. Rabada, who took 4-41,

Tabraiz Shamsi wheels away after snaring a wicket ©AFP

Letter to the Sports Editor

Nostalgia Moment DEAR EDITOR, Please permit me space to share my view on a nostalgia moment. Myself and wife happened to be in Trinidad for the Regional U17 50-over tournament which concluded recently. Prior to Guyana’s opening match against Windward Islands I witnessed a grand feat whereas members of the Guyana team huddled with the presence of their manager and coach and in front the Golden Arrowhead took their right hand and placed it to their left chest and recited the National Pledge of Guyana. To me this reflects how patriotic Guyanese can be in an out of their country. It took me a little while to regain my composure and I will always remember that where there is unity there is strength. Kudos to Manager Nazeer Mohamed and coach Orin Bailey. Yours Truly, True Ambassadors

inflicted the early damage while left-arm spinner Shamsi provided the late breakthroughs with his 4-33 as South Africa bundled out Sri Lanka for 193 under 35 overs after the hosts won the toss and opted to bat. Off-spinner Akila Dananjaya picked up two early wickets to give Sri Lanka hope but the touring side, who were mauled 2-0 in the test series, recovered to reach the target in 31 overs and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Opener Quinton de Kock and captain Faf du Plessis hit identical 47s to steady South Africa’s chase during a 86-run stand for the third wicket before the wicketkeeperbatsman became Dananjaya’s third victim. It was left to JP Duminy to take South Africa home with an unbeaten 53 off 32 deliveries. Earlier, Kusal Perera hit a 72-ball 81 to provide some respectability to Sri Lanka’s innings after the hosts were reduced to 36-5 in the face of a devastating opening spell from Rabada. Kusal and Thisara Perera, who made 49, added 92 for the sixth wicket during a counterattacking partnership before Shamsi separated them by dismissing the latter, caught behind to wicketkeeper de Kock. Shamsi also dismissed Kusal, who was out caught trying to play a reverse sweep, after an entertaining innings that included 11 fours and a six. The second match of the series will be played at the same venue on Wednesday. Scores: South Africa 196 for 5 (Duminy 53*, de Kock 47, du Plessis 47, Dananjaya 3-50) beat Sri Lanka 193 (Kusal Perera 81, Thisara Perera 49, Shamsi 4-33, Rabada 4-41) by five wickets.

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton celebrates on the podium after winning the race alongside second placed Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and third placed Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen. (REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo) BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton was living a dream yesterday after winning the Hungarian Grand Prix from pole position to take a 24-point lead into Formula One’s August break. The four-times world champion’s fifth win of the season for Mercedes left him on 213 points to 189 for Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who finished second, and relishing the prospect of a stress-free family holiday. “I really could only have dreamed that we would be in the position that we are in right now,” he told reporters. “I’m really happy, going into the break, particularly with back-to-back wins. “I think that boost will last a long time for our team and it’s encouraging for everyone so I’m excited for the break,” added the Briton. Vettel took the chequered flag 17.1 seconds behind, after surviving a late collision with Hamilton’s team mate Valtteri Bottas who also banged bodywork with Red Bull’s Australian Daniel Ricciardo. Ferrari, mourning the death of former chairman Sergio Marchionne, had Kimi Raikkonen finish third to complete a podium of champions on a dry and sweltering afternoon at the Hungaroring outside Budapest. The victory was Hamilton’s record sixth in Hungary and 67th of his career. In a race effectively decided by Saturday’s wet qualifying, when Mercedes locked out the front row of the grid against expectation, Hamilton was never challenged. “We came here knowing Ferrari would be really quick this weekend so to come out with these points, we’ll definitely take it as a bonus,” said Hamilton in a pitlane interview after embracing team members. “I’m really happy with how strong it’s come in the last couple of races. We’ve got

Lewis Hamilton won the Hungarian Grand Prix from pole position.

to come strong in the next half,” added the 33-year-old, who won in Germany from 14th place on the grid a weekend earlier. Tyre strategies were also crucial at a relatively slow and twisty circuit where overtaking is always difficult, with track temperatures hovering around 50 degrees Celsius. Vettel started on the softs and went for a longer first stint than Mercedes, worried by Ferrari’s quick getaways, who opted for ultrasofts that were quicker at the start but faded more rapidly. Lining up in fourth place on the grid, Vettel grabbed third from Raikkonen immediately but could not find a way past Bottas who slotted in behind Hamilton as a defense against the red threat. “We were out of position. I think we could have gone with Lewis today with the race pace,” said Vettel. “P2 is not really what we wanted this weekend but I think it was the maximum today.” ANGRY VERSTAPPEN Raikkonen, without water during the race after Ferrari forgot to connect the bottle, made two stops and agreed third - his fifth successive podium finish - was the best he could have hoped for in the circumstances. “We caught up with Bottas after the first stop but there was no chance to overtake. So our option was to stop again and try again. At least we got one place back but far from ideal,” said the Finn. “I think we had pretty good speed today. But what can you do? Sometimes it’s like that, but you take the points and go on to the next one.” Ricciardo, starting 12th, finished fourth but his Dutch team mate Max Verstappen retired early on with a Renault engine failure Continued on page 27

Monday July 30, 2018

ICC to help Zimbabwe Cricket settle outstanding player dues

Blessing Murzarabani celebrates a wicket with his team-mates. (AFP) ESPNcricinfo - The ICC has confirmed the release of funds to Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) to enable the board to pay outstanding dues owed to its players and staff, including the players’ match fees. This payment, announced via a ZC release yesterday, is part of the ICC’s package of measures to help the debtstricken board get back on its feet. ZC and the ICC are still working out the full details of the payment plan, which was first announced at the ICC’s

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Kaieteur News

annual conference in Dublin earlier this month. “Payment plan proposals will be discussed and communicated to all outstanding creditors once this process has been concluded,” the release said. “This brings welcome relief to the current staff and players and is the first step in the recovery process of cricket in Zimbabwe to its former health and strength.” Zimbabwe played their two most recent series - a T20I triangular involving Pakistan and Australia, and an ODI

series against Pakistan without a number of senior players, who made themselves unavailable for selection after ZC failed to meet the players’ June 25 deadline for a payment plan for two months’ outstanding salaries and their match fees dating back to their tour of Sri Lanka in 2017. ZC will now hope the players return to the fold ahead of Zimbabwe’s next international assignment, a tour of South Africa starting late September for three ODIs and three T20Is.

Lloyd Britton Enterprise lends massive... From page 32 “He readily came on board as his primary objective is to fuel youth and community development, so he is willing to lend support and assistance to any event or project that achieves that. This is a businessman who puts his money where his mouth is. Therefore, we at 8thof May are very happy with his investment into this competition,” one of the organising members said. Ms. Stuart disclosed that the primary aim of the competition is to involve a number of communities along the East Coast, thus aiding in bringing about cohesion and a healthy sporting spirit among teams and supporters. As such, the teams competing are village teams as clubs are restricted from being a part of the competition. It was noted that the primary reason for including village teams as opposed to club teams is that only bonafide members of the competing villages can compete, while in the club teams’ membership may be drawn from several villages. Further, it was disclosed that no player in the Elite League can be a part of the competition and this was disclosed that it was a condition by GFF in endorsing the competition. The villages slated to compete are Plaisance, Vryheid Lust, BV, Better Hope, Buxton, Golden Grove, Victoria and Ann’s Grove along with some association teams such like Upper Level, Police and an a team representing 8th of May among a number of

others. The 8th of May Chairperson said that all the matches are slated to be played under floodlights with patrons being asked to pay $500 to view the matches, which will all be played at the BV Community Centre Ground. Stuart said that they foresee the competition having a total of twelve teams, stressing, that while the villages have confirmed participation, they are still awaiting confirmation from the invitational teams. She further disclosed that each team will be paying an entrance team of $20,000, noting that each team will consists of 18 players, a manager and coach. She added that significant work has gone into the planning for the competition. “The support given by Mr Britton has set the ball rolling and we remain confident that a number of other persons and companies would step forward to play a part as we are certainly in need of support,” she said. It was revealed that one of the primary goals of the competition is to ensure that there is community participation at all levels, thus forging inter village relationships. This, the chairperson stressed will further help in fostering the level of cohesive partnerships that that exists among them all. The competition kicks off on August 3rd and is expected to conclude on September 3 with all matches to be plated at the BV Community Centre ground.

Thomas takes maiden title as Sky extend Tour reign PARIS (Reuters) - Geraint Thomas tightened Team Sky’s grip on the Tour de France when he handed the British outfit their sixth title in seven years yesterday and there is no sign that their domination will end anytime soon. Thomas produced a near flawless performance to become the third British and Team Sky rider to triumph after Bradley Wiggins (2012) and Chris Froome (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017). Dutchman Tom Dumoulin finished second for Team Sunweb after also taking the runner-up spot in the Giro d’Italia won by Froome, who ended up third overall. Norway’s Alexander Kristoff won yesterday’s final stage, largely a 116km procession from Houilles to the Champs-Elysees, during which Thomas enjoyed some champagne before heading to the finishing line in a bunch sprint. “I got into cycling because of this race. I remember running home from school to watch the end of the Tour de France and the dream was always just to be part of it and that came true back in 2007,” Thomas told the crowd during the victory ceremony. “Now I’m stood here in the yellow jersey and it’s just insane. It’s incredible and it’s a dream come true. “To be riding round (the Champs Elysees) and winning it, you’ve got to pinch yourself. It won’t really sink in probably for a few months. Right now it’s like a whirlwind. I seem to be floating around on cloud nine.” Froome’s failure to beat Thomas also showed how difficult it is to complete a Giro-Tour double, with Marco Pantani being the last man to achieve the feat in 1998 during the doping-tainted era. Thomas, who won two mountain stages - including one on the top of the iconic Alpe d’Huez - emerged as the strongest man in the race as he gained ground on his two rivals after taking the yellow jersey at the end of stage 11. ABSOLUTE STRONGEST Only in the final time trial did he lose time on Dumoulin and Froome, but he had already virtually wrapped up the title in the mountains. “Thomas was the absolute strongest over the last three weeks,” said Dumoulin. “He didn’t make any mistakes, he was never put into trouble by anyone – including me – in the

mountains or in any stage.” “The strongest rider won the Tour de France,” Froome said. “It was clear once we hit the Alps, Geraint was in better condition than I was.” Thomas’s victory will come as a relief for Sky, especially in the wake of Froome’s popularity nosediving in France after he was cleared of a doping offense months after testing positive for excessive levels of an asthma drug. Froome and other Team Sky riders, including Thomas, were booed by the crowd standing on the side of the road throughout the three-week race. The four-time champion was the main target of the jeers, with one spectator even slapping his shoulder in the climb up to l’Alpe d’Huez. DREAM BIG While team principal Dave Brailsford hit out at the locals, saying booing and hitting the riders was ‘a French thing’, both Froome and Thomas kept their composure. Thomas, who was cheered during the podium ceremony, also had a message for riders aged 5-18 at the Maindy Flyers Cycling Club in Wales. “Dream big and go for it. Don’t let anything hold you back,” he told them. “You’re going to have ups and downs but keep the faith and keep fighting. If you believe in something, just go for it and don’t let people put you down. “If people don’t agree

with you, just shut it out and get on with it. With hard work everything pays off in the end,” added Thomas, whose victory was marked in his home town with Cardiff City Hall being illuminated in yellow. Thomas and Froome focused on bike racing over the past three weeks, making no mistakes and being well protected by the strongest team in the field. Pundits agreed that the 21-year-old Egan Bernal, who produced some amazing work in the mountains for his leaders on his Tour debut, would probably soon win the race. Sky’s domination left the others picking up crumbs. Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe, a one-day classic specialist, confirmed his huge potential by winning two stages and taking the polka dot jersey for the mountains classification. World champion Peter Sagan ground through the last days after a heavy crash to secure a recordequalling sixth green jersey for the points classification and France’s Pierre Latour emerged as a possible podium finisher in the near future by winning the white jersey for the best under-25 rider. It was, however, a disappointing race for France as Romain Bardet showed his limits when he ended up sixth overall after two podium finishes in 2016 and 2017. No Frenchman has won the race since Bernard Hinault took his fifth title in 1985.

Toshao forges relationship... From page 32 monies in securing gears and equipment for substantial amount of monies, but unfortunately those using it tends to forget that they are responsible in ensuring that it is taken care of properly so that many persons can benefit from them. I am urging the Toshao to ensure that those using these gears recognises that they should take great care of it so that as many persons can benefit from them,” he noted. The businessman stressed that he is seeking to build a long term relationship, committing to helping in a number of other areas. “As a businessman I am giving my commitment that whenever and whatever that I can do to help in enhancing the community that I would certainly do. It is my humble wish that the youths primarily of Pakuri would be able to use these gears in further developing their skills and I trust that other persons, companies and organisations would come on board in helping them too because together we can help in developing sports stars,” he opined. Declaring that he will continue to give back to several communities and villages which he has been donating to over the years, the SKI Managing Director stressed that he firmly believes in giving back as it helps in building stronger communities. Toshao Clenkian admitted that she was overjoyed with the noble gesture of businessman Alex Mahaica. She thanked him and stressed that her community would certainly benefit significantly from the gears, while promising to ensure that they are used properly and most importantly responsibly.

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Monday July 30, 2018

Kaieteur News

Lashley, Subhan, Haniff category winners in Heineken Annual Golf Tourney

The winners pose with Heineken Managing Director Troy Cadogan, Club President Aleem Hussain and Captain Chatterpaul Deo. From left, Aleem Hussain, Troy Cadogan, Bholawram Deo, Maurice Solomon, Ayube Subhan, Nazeem Haniff, Richard Haniff and Chatterpaul Deo. Professional and exCoach, Nazeem ‘Papo’ Haniff, performed well to win the tie in the Championship Flight, while Ayube Subhan won the tie in his B Flight, and Mark Lashley was clear winner in the C Flight, in the Heineken Annual Golf Tournament of Saturday last at the Lusignan Golf Course. Played on the much appreciated Flights Format, the golfers competed fiercely for one of the top two places in their category as prizes

were awarded for 1st and 2nd Best Net performances in each of the three categories: A or Championship Flight, handicap 0 - 9; B Flight, h/ cap 10 – 18; and C Flight, h/ cap 19 –28. Prizes were also awarded for the Longest Drive and the Nearest to The Pin. Winners in the day’s play were: C Flight - 1st Mark Lashley 75/24; 2nd Maurice Solomon 82/22; B Flight – 1stAyube Subhan 70/18; 2nd Bholawram Deo 70/18; A Flight – 1st Nazeem Haniff 71/

GCB donates to West Berbice Cricket Association

7; Richard Haniff 71/9. Longest Drive was won by Richard Haniff and Nearest The Pin by Ayube Subhan. Papo Haniff, prior to his departure to Suriname as a Coach several years ago, was 9 times Guyana Open winner and also 5 consecutive times winner of the Lusignan Open. He explained that having been off of Golfing for some five

years, he began playing again in December last year and has been steadily regaining his professional form. Meanwhile, Richard Haniff expressed that he was “…very happy to be in the A or Championship Flight,” and considered it “ a great achievement to be in the single digit handicap group, and even more impressive to

compete and lose to a former pro only on the back 9.” Ansa McAl (Guyana) through its Heineken Brand has been supporting the Lusignan Golf CLub and sponsoring tournaments for five consecutive years. Manager Troy Cadogan, who celebrated his birthday the same day of the Tournament, has been distinctively

unfailing in causing the Company to continue to be of great support to the Club over the years. Tracing its beginning to Trinidad and Tobago in the early 1880’s, the ANSA McAL Group has grown beyond the borders of the twin island Republic to over 50 companies in about eight economic sectors in Guyana, Grenada, Barbados, St. Kitts & Nevis and the United States of America, making this dynamic enterprise one of the largest and most profitable conglomerates in the Western Hemisphere. The Group has been supportive of sports in many disciplines and continues to do so via whatever brands it services. LGC President Aleem Hussain thanked Heineken (and Ansa McAl) for their continued support and expressed appreciation for the initiative the Company has taken throughout the years in helping sports in Guyana. Manager Troy Cadogan was on hand to congratulate and encourage the golfers, and welcomed them to share in his birthday celebration at the Club immediately after the tournament.

BCB provides financial stipends for National Under-19 Players and Coach

The youth cricketers pose with Officials of the BCB.

President of WBCA, Mr. David Black and Hon. Secretary of the GCB, Anand Sanasie. The West Berbice Cricket Association held a two weeks cricket academy at the Fort Wellington Secondary School during the month of July which catered for youths from age 10 to 19 years. The two week academy included lectures and cricketing activities which kept kids engaged in the programme. The GCB on Friday last assisted the WBCA in their efforts to mold aspiring cricketers from a young age in West Berbice. Hon. Secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board, Mr. Anand Sanasie, made a financial donation on behalf of the GCB, to the President of the WBCA, Mr. David Black at the GCB office at Regent Road, Bourda. The GCB hopes that this donation goes a long way as the GCB supports the sporting initiative and wishes the WBCA all the best in their efforts to keep cricket alive in West Berbice.

“The Berbice Cricket Board under my Presidency would spare no expenses, to make sure that our players are well looked after and I would like to reassure that the Board would always be on friendly terms with our Players as you are the reason we exist.” Those were the reassuring words of President of the Berbice Cricket Board’s Hilbert Foster at a simple presentation of financial stipends to the six Berbicians selected on the National Under-19 Team and Coach Julian Moore. The Berbice Cricket Board handed over a combined US$350 to the seven Berbicians under a scheme which was launched earlier this year, to provide stipends to every Berbician selected on a Berbice Team at the Junior

and Female level. The Berbice Cricket Board had earlier provided stipends at the Under-15, Under-17, Under-19 Female, Female Senior and now Under-19 Male. The combined package of financial stipends for the year is worth US$2,000 with most of it coming from the Berbice Cricket Board and some from sponsorship. The hardworking President proudly announced that Berbice was the only county Board that provides stipends for its player and this would continue as long as he remains at the helm of Berbice Cricket. He stated that he has gone out of his way to make sure that every player feels a part of Berbice Cricket and most importantly is given

equal opportunity to excel. The Berbice Cricket Board has unveiled a comprehensive development campaign for its youth cricketers. Among the programmes in the Campaign are Training of Coaches, Dr. Tulsi Dyal Singh Coaching programme, Coaching Clinics, Educational Posters, Cricket Academy and Elite Training Sessions. The Berbice Cricket Board has also worked very hard to assist Clubs with cricket balls and has implemented a series of other programmes like Inter-county Caps, Intercounty MVP, Inter-county Man of the Match in an effort to encourage better performances from its players. Special effort is currently being made to assist all First Division Clubs by the end of

2018 with Coaching kits, so that they can have full time coaches to work with their players. The six players receiving the financial stipends were Kevlon Anderson, Kevin Sinclair and Junior Sinclair of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, Alex Algoo of Young Warriors Cricket Club, Javed Karim of Blairmont and Kevin Umroa of Albion Cricket Club. Coach Julian Moore is the seventh Berbician that would be a part of the Guyana Team seeking to defend both three days and 50-overs titles that they won last year. Each of the players expressed gratitude to the Berbice Cricket Board for the stipends and the role the Berbice Cricket Board is playing in their careers.