Kaieteur News

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Missing NEWS UG student’s body floats up AIETEUR

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Saturday Edition July 09, 2016 - Vol. 10 No. 25

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

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Online readership yesterday 151,845

East Demerara Highway Expansion...

Report reveals...

Hundreds of $$M overpaid to contractors Boy, 4, runs into fire to save brother, 6 as both burn to death

What is left of the burnt building

GWI Board will Small contractors Modified on D’Urban US$150M CJIA soon decide Airport to be how to deal with Park project completed Shaik Baksh yet to be paid next year

Show the nation evidence that ...Forensic NEW GPC paid dividends Auditor says

PAGE 02

Brigadier Bruce Lovell presents report to Minister of State Joseph Harmon

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 09, 2016

Inquest into Barry Dataram allegations completed - Report handed over to Minister of State Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, yesterday, received the report of the inquiry into the allegations made against officials of the Customs AntiNarcotic Unit (CANU) by self-confessed drug lord, Mr. Barry Dataram.

The probe was conducted

by Brigadier Bruce Lovell, who was appointed by President David Granger, shortly after the allegations

were made.

Brigadier Lovell said that the allegations made by Dataram are of a very serious nature against officials of the State. As such it was incumbent on the Government to carry out an investigation, which he completed within two months.

“I am positive that the government will find favour with the recommendations as well as the conclusions and take the appropriate actions,” he said.

Minister Harmon said that quite a number of statements were taken by persons, who had information regarding the allegations.

“It is important for us to have these inquiries done.

The Opposition and several other persons keep saying we are having inquiry after inquiry, but this is the way that we will determine what the facts of a situation are.

That is what we do; we get to the bottom of things, we get the facts and then we deliberate on it and the actions taken subsequently are actions, which are to be

taken by the State.”

The report will be presented to the President and a copy will be handed over to Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan.

Earlier this year, Mr. Dataram spoke to reporters at H G P T V C h a n n e l 6 7 ’s Nightly News, confessing that he is involved in the drug trade and accused top CANU officers of being in cahoots with drug lords. (GINA)

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 09, 2016

PAGE 03

Boy, 4, runs into fire to save brother, 6 as both burn to death

What is left of the burnt building

T

wo brothers aged six and four, were burnt to death early yesterday after a fire, believed to be electrical in origin, destroyed the Children’s Drop-in-Centre on Hadfield Street, where they were temporarily placed.

The remains of six-yearold Joshua George and Antonio George, four, were found among the debris shortly after fire fighters extinguished the blaze which started around 12:05 hrs.

Kaieteur News was told that the two brothers along with three other siblings were taken into the Drop-in Centre around 05:30 hrs on Wednesday after Social Workers responded to a call of neglect and maltreatment.

Medical examinations d o n e at th e D iamo n d Hospital confirmed that the five siblings were indeed victims of neglect and maltreatment. They were temporarily placed at the Home until further investigations could have been done.

At the time of the fire, two Social Services Assistants, Rupert Hinds and Sharon Jones were on duty, monitoring 34 children.

Hinds was overlooking the boys, who were housed in the lower flat while Jones was supervising the females, housed in the upper flat. The two brothers were placed in the upper flat of the building.

When the fire started, the

children at the centre were asleep. Recalling what transpired early yesterday, Jones said that the girls went to bed as usual. Around 12:05 hrs yesterday, while sitting next to a door in the top flat of the property, she heard strange sounds coming from the wire on the wall.

“I look at the wire and saw blue flames coming out of the wire box and it running up the wall. I panicked and grabbed the girl who was next to me and called out for Hinds. The girls started to panic and scream and tug at me,” Jones revealed.

She added that she gave one of the girls the keys to open the door while she started to wake and to assist the other girls.

“There was a baby I had and I rest her down. Then I realized I didn’t pick up this baby so I run around the other side and I saw the little boy, Antonio, coming to me

from the other end,” the house mother pointed out.

She said at that point, objects started to fall from the top so she had to duck under a bed and grab the baby with one arm then collect four-year-old Antonio with the other arm.

“Same time, Hinds and one of the boys come and started to work (extinguish the blaze). By time I got to the door, I didn’t even realize the little boy wasn’t in my hands anymore. Sir (Hinds) tried his best (to save the little boy),” Jones recounted.

It is believed that fouryear-old George loosed Jones’ hands and went back to look for his older brother.

Also relating what transpired was Hinds. At a press conference held at the Ministry of Social P r o t e c t i o n ’s S t a b r o e k Market Head Office late y e s t e r d a y, t h e S o c i a l Services Assistant said that

Sharon Jones and Rupert Hinds

he learnt of the blaze after he heard the girls upstairs screaming.

“I had worked between 20:00 hrs on Thursday to 08:00 hrs the following day.

During that time, I was in

charge of 13 boys.”

He said that when the females upstairs started screaming, he wanted to know what had happened.

Before he could have got upstairs to inquire, his co-

w o r k e r, J o n e s s t a r t e d shouting for fire.

Hinds said that he immediately woke the boys and told them to vacate the building. “Some were (Continued on page 19)

Saturday July 09, 2016

Come clean with the public on the parking meter project DEAR EDITOR, There is much talk touching on the proposed parking meters for Georgetown, and I am making a few comments, seeking clarification. I think it is in the interest of the proponents of the project to come clean and be frank with the public.

1. Who are the signatories of the agreement on behalf of the City Council?

2. What is the name of the Company that entered into the agreement with the Council?

3. Who signed on behalf of that Company?

4. Would the meters be geared for half-hour intervals, or more or less?

5. Would there be slots on the meter where the money will be inserted?

6. If there are no slots, then one can only assume credit will be purchased and placed in an instrument.

7. When one goes to park, when will the credit commence?

8. Can a vehicle park there for umpteen minutes and the driver not activate the instrument?

9. Is it a correct assumption that a foreign company/ individual will come to Georgetown, take over the streets and parking spaces, and collect money which he/ she will repatriate overseas?

10. What is the basis for the City Council to get 20% of the foreigners’ collection?

11. When the foreigners send their funds overseas they will of course convert same to very possibly US currency. Are the Government, the Council, and the citizens prepared to accept the devaluation of the Guyana dollar in the process?

13. The President has issued call to overseas personnel to come and invest in Guyana.

The call is successful. We have the first — aided and abetted by four members of the City Council.

Guyana is great for business.

Kishore Deonarine

Annoying Dynamic Airways delays DEAR EDITOR, I don’t know what’s happening with Dynamic Airway s , but the airline seems to be having some serious delays of flights of recent, none of which seems to be publicized in the media.

Following the arrivals and departure information on the JFK and CJIA In t e r n e t platforms, one would see almost every single flight out of Guyana, and

e s p e c i a l l y, the 1a.m. scheduled flights out of JFK leave late. For example, the 1am flight last Sunday out of JFK did not leave NY until later that day.

It arrived sometime late afternoon at Timehri. There were angry crowds at Timehri that day I was made to understand.

What’s going on Dynamic? Are you guys having issues and you don’t

want passengers to know? I think they should charge passengers a little more and upgrade their tardy services, especially out of NY. I cannot understand almost every 1a.m. flight leaves 2 hours later or so—the earliest! And their Timehri flights sometimes leave an hour or so later than scheduled. I demand a response from the manager.

Leon Suseran

Local sponsorship of July 4; what’s wrong with that?

DEAR EDITOR, Kindly spare me a few lines to comment on a letter in Friday’s edition of your newspaper regarding the sponsorship by local businesses of the national day celebrations of friendly countries with diplomatic representation in Guyana.I have no difficulty with companies in Guyana sponsoring events put on by diplomatic missions, especially in cases where these companies may be local subsidiaries of a parent company domiciled in the country represented by the diplomatic mission whose events are being sponsored. Further, I am sure there are businesses in Guyana which are owned by locals who are US and other citizens and sponsorship of such events is one way of supporting the efforts of both their homelands….yes both their homelands….since as far as I know, and I stand corrected if I am wrong, the Guyana constitution provides for dual citizenship. And of course, there are totally Guyanese-owned companies for which foreign markets are key to their survival and therefore would see such sponsorship as cost effective marketing and promotion. So I see nothing “unsavory” about these sponsorships, which I am

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Kaieteur News

sure are made on the basis of sound business analysis, whether as “hard shell” or “prestige” advertising and promotion. And for anyone to believe that a foreign mission would have reprisals for those companies that don’t support is nothing but unadulterated hogwash. In my view, there are no implications or ramifications associated with such sponsorships.

Here in the US where I am based, the GuyaneseAmerican community, like other immigrant communities, rely on sponsorship of US businesses for the celebration of our Republic and Independence anniversary celebrations which are often held under the auspices of our embassy, consulate or honorary consulates, dependent on which city the celebrations are being held.

Many of these sponsored events are held either at Guyana’s diplomatic offices or at the residence of the top diplomatic representative.

Without these sponsorships there may very well be no celebration of Guyana’s Republic and Independence anniversaries abroad. I know there are many who would say we don’t need to celebrate, there are some who would say we have nothing

to celebrate, but I am confident that a majority does not share such views.

Despite the imperfections of our country, despite the myriad challenges faced by Guyanese and the lack of progress compared to some other countries that were behind Guyana at the time of our independence, we still have much to celebrate, just as we have much work to do to improve the quality of life of all Guyanese. I respect the views expressed by Mr. Robin Singh in his letter, and indeed am of the firm belief that issues such as these should be put on the table for discussion. I have exercised my right to join the discussion and to respectfully disagree with Mr. Singh.

Wesley Kirton

Guyana’s backward traffic laws DEAR EDITOR, On behalf of all the lesser mortals and “nobodies” in our dear land, I wish to enquire why, in the 21st century, we are required to appear before a Magistrate to answer charges related to minor traffic offences, and treated by officers of the Guyana Police Force as though we’re criminals.

On Wednesday, June 15, 2016, I was on my way to work so I could contribute to the taxes that pay Judges, Magistrates, Police Officers, the myriad other Public Servants, etc.

I decided to take a cell phone call when my vehicle had come to a stop at the junction of Mandela and the Houston bypass, where three Police Officers were directing traffic.

One Police Officer saw me on my phone and assumed I was using my cell phone while driving - a traffic offence I’m patently aware of - and alerted his colleague who escorted me down to the Ruimveldt Police Station where I was made to pay $10,000 station bail.

Much to my surprise, I was slapped with two charges, one regarding the use of the cell phone which I expected, and another one where I allegedly drove through the traffic lights.

Unless I’m a mad person, I

really cannot fathom how or why an Officer of the law would misrepresent the facts of a situation in such a manner.

In sum, I pleaded not guilty to both charges and the Magistrate set the hearing for another day.

Fearing that this may be an ongoing charade and an exercise in futility, I politely offered to pay whatever fines the court saw fit just to move on with my life. Fines amounted to $15,000.

You mean to tell me that in this 21st century, we cannot review the list of minor traffic offences and display conspicuously (a website, Facebook?) with a system that allows offenders to pay the related fines without subjecting them to such harrowing experiences? Isn’t there anyone with the administrative skills who could implement such a system?

We belabor the fact that the court system is so overburdened and backlogged, yet we contribute to its clogging with these trivial and minor cases. Is it a case of rocket science, lack of commonsense, or all of the above?

In my humble view, the only time one should appear before a Magistrate for a minor traffic offence is when

he/she is desirous of defending the matter, and frankly, if the fine is reasonable, people wouldn’t even bother with the trouble.

Otherwise, if one concedes that he/she may have offended the law and is prepared to pay for the transgression, why waste the person’s time in court?

For those of us who cannot seem to think beyond a curfew, here’s a free, very simple and commonsensical suggestion. The Police Force and GRA are both agencies of the state.

Well, the GPF should send all the ticket fines down to GRA, and let them assign the fines to the licences if people do not pay by a certain time. One will then have to clear all such fines before their revenue licence is renewed.

Alternatively, if anyone gets fined and refuses to pay, then the court should be apprised of such behaviour and take action against the person.

In that way, the Police don’t have to chase behind anyone for revenue, the Magistracy has more time to deal with more substantive matters, hopefully less bribes would be facilitated, and scores of Police Officers could then be assigned to fight crime.

Sheldon Hazelwood

Disappointed with GPHC’s Physiotherapy Dept.

DEAR EDITOR, I would like to express my disappointment on operations of the Physiotherapy Department of the Georgetown Public Hospital.

About three months ago I was referred by a doctor from the Outpatient Department to the Physiotherapy Department to receive treatment for my lower back problem — twice weekly from 9.30 am. After receiving my first treatment on Tuesday, April 5, 2016, when I returned on Thursday, April 7, 2016 I was told by an employee there that the treatment is given only on Tuesdays. I

was then given an unacceptable excuse.

Thereafter some Tuesdays when I arrived for treatment I was told by the Clerk that the person was not available. Sometimes I got a phone call the day before, not to go to clinic, because the attendant nurse would be elsewhere.

I became annoyed a few weeks ago when I arrived; I was told by the clerk that the nurse was on Annual Leave.

I asked the clerk whether arrangements could not be put in place for me to see someone else and she responded in the negative while adding that they do not

operate like that, and that I had to await the return of the nurse.

At present I am suffering from severe pains due to lack of treatment and I am just fed up with the entire situation.

Someone with influence needs to look into this matter; something needs to be done within this department.

Ivelaw Watson

PAGE 6

A tale of two Britains

DEAR EDITOR, Suddenly Great Britain is thrust into the spotlight and not in a publicly endearing manner. On June 23, 2016, the people in the United Kingdom voted on a referendum to decide whether or not to remain in the European Union, or quit the Brussels based institution.

This decision eventually gained the nomenclature, Brexit.

Despite the decision, unfavorable as it currently is, very few people the world over really understand the origin of the Union, events leading up to the vote and the significance and implications of the Brexit vote. Could Brexit slip into the annals of history as being Prophetic? Pathetic?

Or both? The idea of a European nation was conceived in the very country that now is out. Brexit is nothing new After all, it was Prime Minister Winston Churchill who in June 1940 with the full backing of his Cabinet announced the Declaration of The Union, stating, “The two governments declare that France the Union and Great Britain shall no longer be two nations, but one FrancoBritish Union Every citizen of France will enjoy immediately citizenship of Great Britain; every British subject will become a citizen of France.

Following the first British victory of the Second World War on October 21, 1942, Churchill wrote to his foreign secretary Anthony Eden, “Hard as it is to say now. I

Saturday July 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

look forward to a United States of Europe, in which the barriers between the nations will be greatly minimized and unrestricted travel will be possible”.

In his famous Zurich speech of 1946, he further postulated, “We must build a kind of United States of Europe. The structure of the United States of Europe, if well and truly built, will be such as to make the material strength of a single state less important. If at first all the States of Europe are not willing or able to join the Union, we must nevertheless proceed to assemble and combine those who will and those who can”.

These proposals clearly demonstrate, however, that Churchill was in favour of a political union between European countries, although he did not see Britain at its heart. According to him, France and Germany must take the lead together.

At the opening speech to the Congress of Europe in Holland in May 1948, Churchill reiterated that the drive towards a United Europe “should be a movement of the people, not parties”., and in October of the same year, he made it absolutely explicit that Britain was in a uniquely strategic position at the centre of three majestic circles: the ‘Empire and Commonwealth’, ‘the English speaking world’ and a ‘United Europe’, further describing the circles as, “coexistent” and “linked together”.

He said, ”We are the only country which has a great part in every one of them. We stand, in fact, at the very point of junction, and here in this Island at the centre of the seaways and perhaps of the airways also, we have the opportunity of joining them all together.”

Looking at Sir Winston’s speeches, it is clear beyond doubt to even the profoundly myopic or blatantly Eurosceptic that he desired

for the U.K. to be a vital part of the unification of Europe.

Notice the “we” must build a United States of Europe: not they. We, aim at the eventual participation of the peoples of Europe, not they. Sadly his vision of British participation met with some degree of skepticism and there were some who felt he was speaking with a forked tongue. Prime Minister Edward Heath in Churchill’s defence, said, ‘I readily accept that at that time Churchill did not envisage Britain being a full member of this united Europe’, but in gleefully seizing upon this point, Eurosceptics have misunderstood or misrepresented the nature of Churchill’s attitude to full British participation in Europe. This reluctance was based on circumstance; it was not opposition based on principle. In July 1957 Churchill made his last speech four months after six founding nations signed the Treaty of Rome thereby establishing the European Economic Community, wherein he welcomed the formation of a “common market” by the six, on the proviso that the whole of free Europe will have access. He also issued a warning—”If, on the other hand, the European trade community were to be permanently restricted to the six nations, the results might be worse than if nothing were done at all – worse for them as well as for us. It would tend not to unite Europe but to divide it – and not only in the economic field”. In the 1960’s Churchill’s health rapidly declined but his support for a

united Europe did not.

Time has certainly not served Britain well over the years as the level of Euroscepticism has risen.

Basically put, the Brits wanted out of their chains.

The very things that integrated them into the European Union are the ones that have caused them to sever the union.

Underpinning the recent Exit argument was that Eastern European migration rules along with other economic regulations let in too many foreigners and as a consequence infringed on British sovereignty. The Brits wanted their country back.

Brexit has caused a likely chain reaction, wherein other countries may be equally encouraged to call for exit referenda, an instability that would not only affect Europe but also destabilize the global economy. The incentive for conflict is reduced when major powers are united politically and global markets are kept open. Brexit has produced a ricochet effect— one shock to the system begetting another. The global order becomes slightly frayed with each shock, making people poorer and angrier, and giving rise to more xenophobia and international tensions. As the latter rises, markets panic making everything worse.

The Brits have spoken albeit that they have brought about the biggest selfinflicted wound in the country’s history. Time has a way of changing things let’s hope it does for Britain’s sake, especially with the forthcoming elections.

Yvonne Sam

Fragile race relations in the USA

DEAREDITOR, The shooting in Dallas in which five police officers were killed and several others wounded is indicative of the fragility of race relations in the United States, especially between Whites and African Americans. There can be no doubt that a fair measure of ethnic tension still prevail in the American society which is fueled by the wide income disparities and access to education and job opportunities between Coloreds and Whites.

The United States is perhaps one of the most diverse and multi-cultural countries in the world, but it is still a far way from being cohesive.

The differentiated and discriminatory manner in which immigrants and minorities are treated serve as a hindrance to the evolution of what sociologists referred to as the ‘melting pot’ society in which

the several sub-cultures morph into something transcendental and culturally distinct.

The killing of law enforcement officers by civilians is unfortunate and completely unjustifiable and if not properly managed could turn ugly and lead to a new spiral of attacks and counter attacks as happened in the past. President Obama has spoken out strongly against the killing of the five security officials and urged that there be calm and restraint on the part of those involved and affected one way or the other.

The Dallas killings ought to be a reminder if not a lesson for all ethnically diverse societies, including ours, that race relations should not be taken for granted and that no effort should be spared to create a society that is fair to all regardless of ethnicity or political affiliation.

Hydar Ally

Why is it so difficult for females to enter law enforcement?

DEAREDITOR, I have observed that there is a small percentage of women within the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force, although there are a large number of females applying and evening calling to find out the procedures for entering the force and the date they (the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force) will be recruiting females.

There is still a small

amount of females within the law enforcement community despite their qualifications and passing the entrance exams.

I don’t know the reason(s) for this problem and I’m not going to speculate, but I think that our organizational attitude towards females needs to change, because I think they can be just as effective as their male counterparts. I would really appreciate if the relevant authorities look into this matter.

Collin Saunders

This bank does not accept the new driver’s licence DEAREDITOR, A few weeks ago I went to cash a cheque at one of our banks. I could not find my Guyana national ID card, so before I left home I grabbed my newly issued drivers’ licence. I have been using my new drivers’ licence to conduct financial transactions. However, my brother and several other persons had told me of the horrors they experienced at that particular bank, so as a precaution, I also took with me

my Barbados national ID card. When I arrived at the counter I presented the cheque and my drivers’ licence.

The young lady told me that the bank does not accept the new drivers’ licence as ID. I then gave her my Barbados national ID card. Much to my dismay, I was told that the bank does not accept national ID cards from other countries. At this point I asked to speak with a supervisor.

The supervisor told me just what the teller had told me. So I asked

the supervisor to please explain the rationale for these decisions.

She told me that she does not make the rules.

In an effort to have the cheque changed, I suggested that she call the issuer (they have his number), so as to verify that the cheque was indeed written to me. I was thinking that with two pieces of ID and a phone call to the account holder, that would have been sufficient to prove that I was who I said I was.

I was told in no uncertain terms that I would not be allowed to cash the cheque without my Guyana national ID card or my passport. I had to leave the bank and return with my passport. Last week I heard that one man had hundreds of millions of illegal money on his account. I would not be surprised if I heard that his account was at the same bank.

These pathetic rules are only smoke screens.

Pastor Wendell Jeffrey

Saturday July 09, 2016

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Kaieteur News

Show the nation evidence that NEW GPC paid dividends –Goolsarran

By Kiana Wilburg In his forensic audit report on the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Chartered Accountant, Anand Goolsarran noted that Government has not collected any dividends on its 10 percent shares in New GPC. Goolsarran, on Page 55 of his audit, stated, “In relation to the New GPC Inc., by Cabinet approval of October 1999 and September 2001, the Government had sold 60 percent and 30 percent respectively of its shareholding in the predecessor organization, the Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation, to Queens Atlantic Investments Inc. for $658 million.

However, there was no evidence that the New GPC paid any dividends to the Government for its 10 percent stake in the company.”

One day after Kaieteur News carried an article highlighting same, NICIL produced a statement contradicting the forensic auditor.

Based on its documents, the controversial entity said that since privatization, NICIL has in fact received $6.9M in dividends for its 10 percent minority shares in New GPC Inc. NICIL said that for 2007 it collected $495, 000.

The entity noted, too, that in 2010, it received $2,665,000.

Strangely, for the years 2011 to 2014, NICIL has received the same amount of dividends from New GPC. This, according to NICIL, was some $1.9M. NICIL acknowledged that

This is the chart NICIL sent to KN showing the years for which New GPC paid dividends

NICIL Chairman, Dr. Maurice Odle

Forensic Auditor, Anand Goolsarran

it is still owed some amount of money from the company and has since requested New GPC Inc. to pay dividends to the tune of $3.8M for 2013 and 2014.

The entity also agreed that no dividends were received for the periods 2000 to 2006 and 2008 to 2009.

Kaieteur News contacted Goolsarran last evening to ascertain whether he had missed this information during his audit. The auditor made it clear however that this information was never presented to him and as such he believes that NICIL should come forward and produce the evidence of the dividends collected.

Goolsarran said, “I have read the statement from NICIL about dividends received from New GPC. But I must make a few things clear. In response to a questionnaire that I had submitted, NICIL provided me with a schedule of dividends received for the

years 2002 to 2014 for all entities in which the Government has shares.

“It is on the basis of that schedule that a table was prepared showing total dividends received amounted to $15.443 billion.”

The Forensic auditor added, “That schedule which was provided to me by NICIL did not reflect any dividends received from New GPC. My working papers files have been handed over to the Police as per instruction from Cabinet, and therefore I am unable to double-check the schedule with the statement provided by NICIL. “Nevertheless, I note from the statement that NICIL did not receive any dividends from New GPC for the years 2000-2006, 2008 and 2009.”

The Chartered Accountant said that this is consistent with his forensic audit report.

Goolsarran noted that the disagreement, however, is in

AG prepares for FATF visit with sensitization project Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General, Basil Williams, is seeking to make adequate preparation for the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) on-site visit.

The Attorney General will be leading Guyana’s AntiMoney Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) compliance team to conduct sensitization meetings with the agencies that were the subject of the FATF Action Plan. The sensitization meetings will be held during the period July 21, to August 4, next.

The agencies to participate in these meetings include the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU).

Attorney General, Basil Williams Supervisory Authorities like the Bank of Guyana, the Guyana Securities Council, Gaming Authority, Guyana Revenue Authority and the Guyana Gold Board will also participate in the meetings.

All banks, money transfer agencies, licensed cambio dealers, securities companies, licensed gold dealers and pawnbrokers will also partake; these are considered, reporting entities.

Princess International Casino will also be invited.

At the recently concluded meeting of FATF which was held in Busan, Korea, the FATF reported that Guyana has fully addressed at a technical level, all the items on the Action Plan which was agreed with the FATF. In this regard, the FATF has decided to conduct an on-site visit to Guyana by September 2016 to confirm that the process of implementing the required reforms and actions is underway to address deficiencies previously identified by that body.

relation to the years 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012 where NICIL is now stating that it received dividends totaling $6.968 million.

As regards 2013 and 2014, Goolsarran said that NICIL’s statement is also consistent with his report in that NICIL did not receive any dividends for these years.

“We now learn that the New GPC is indebted to NICIL in the sum of $3.8 million in respect of dividends declared for 2013 and 2014. But this might have been a post-audit event,” Goolsarran added.

Goolsarran said that what is important to note is that

NICIL had an opportunity to correct any perceived inaccuracy in his report. He emphasized, too, that the said entity did not dispute his observations on the New GPC when he submitted his draft report for comments.

With the aforementioned in mind, Goolsarran insists that NICIL must provide the evidence to show how it arrived at such a conclusion regarding the payments of dividends.

This publication made contact with NICIL’s Chairman, Dr. Maurice Odle, to ascertain what documents informed NICIL’s conclusion that it was paid dividends and

that it was now owed some.

Odle said that while he may have signed the press release sent to this publication refuting the newspaper’s initial article, it does not mean that he was the person who had gathered the financial data to support it.

He said that this was done

by NICIL’s financial analysts.

The NICIL Chairman advised that contact be made with that person for further clarity on the matter.

But all efforts to make contact with the “financial analyst” proved futile and so did calls to Odle so as to provide assistance with the process.

PAGE 8

Saturday July 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

Guyana concludes 4th round of political dialogue with European Union The fourth round of European Union-Guyana political dialogue in the framework of Article 8 of the ACP-EU Cotonou Agreement has concluded with two sides expressing their satisfaction on its usefulness in the context of EU-Guyana relations.

The discussions took place on June 27, 2016 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guyana.

The “Partnership Agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States of the one part and the European Community and its Member States of the other part” was signed on June 23, 2000 in Cotonou, Bénin – hence the name “ ACP-EC Partnership Agreement” or “Cotonou Agreement”.

The Cotonou Agreement is an introduction important changes and ambitious objectives while preserving the ‘acquis’ (EU regulations) of 25 years of ACP-EC cooperation.

The previous rounds of political dialogue between Guyana and the EU took place in 2009, 2010 and 2014.

The objectives of the dialogue are to exchange information to foster mutual understanding and to facilitate the establishment of

Participants of the 4th round of European Union-Guyana political dialogue agreed priorities and shared agendas, in particular by recognising the existing links between the different aspects of the relations between the parties and the various areas of cooperation as laid down in the Cotonou Agreement.

The Guyana delegation was headed by Second Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, and included Ambassador Audrey JardineWaddell, Director General (Ag) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as other Senior Officials of the Ministry.

The EU side was headed by the Ambassador of the European Union, Mr Jernej

Videtiè and included British High Commissioner Mr Greg Quinn, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany Mr Lutz Görgens, Ambassador of the French Republic Mr. Michel Prom and Political Counsellor of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mr Maurice Pourchez.

The issues discussed at the political dialogue were multifaceted and dealt with bilateral, regional and international matters of mutual interest.

Discussions included many issues of common interest for both parties such as political developments and economic affairs; EU-Guyana

and regional development cooperation; human rights and governance; security; climate change; and regional integration.

The EU is the main provider of grant funding to Guyana which has been significant since cooperation began in 1976. The EU has

contributed to the development of several sectors in Guyana including the Private Sector with regards to agro-processing, the Linden Economic Advancement Programme (LEAP), ChildLink, Poverty Reduction Budget Support Programme, Help & Shelter,

and the Muritaro Village Council.

The dialogue concluded with the two sides expressing their satisfaction on its usefulness in the context of EU-Guyana relations; they have agreed to hold the next round of Political Dialogue in one year’s time.

CJIA expansion progressing - Minister Patterson ..squatter relocation on track The process to relocate residents who are affected by the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) is progressing.

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson said that the Ministry has committed bigger lots to the affected residents.

“The residents we relocated would have the bigger lots in front of the other residents.” The Minister was addressing the media, yesterday, during a tour of the ongoing works of the CJIA site where ground work was in progress to raise the low areas. There will be a total of 57 house lots along with the installation of electricity and water for the new relocation scheme near the airport.

The Minister explained that the residents have signed on to the agreement with the government. “We are currently replacing two homes and let the residents inspect to ensure they are not short changed. You will see we’re replacing what you have, no expansion or

deduction.”

The valuation department had visited the affected homes to inspect their dimensions. Following that, the team met with residents and confirmed that the inspection made was correct.

“They (residents) will be the first persons to legally occupy certain areas”.

The Minister pointed out that the residents are satisfied with the relocation process.

One resident said, “Everything is good, I’m happy I’m waiting right now, to get into my property. The Minister is great; I give thanks for the Ministry of Public Infrastructure.”

The CJIA expansion project commenced on January 16, 2013 and is expected to be completed on December 1, 2017. The project was delayed due to unforeseen ground conditions, relocation of utilities of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) among others. During today’s site visit, Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s Project

Manager, Carmichael Thorne, explained that US $37M of the project’s US$138M cost has been expended thus far.

“These payments are the payments actually paid and confirmed received by contractors,” Thorne explained.

The CJIA expansion project is a design-build model. It is being constructed by China Harbour Engineering Company Limited. The Government procured supervisory consultants to provide technical and other support to MMM Group & CEMCO Incorporation.

The project cost is grouped into three broad areas: the Design Build Contract for US$138M, Supervision Consultancy Services for US$3M and the Relocation of Airport Facilities for US$1.275M. The north east and south west ends of the runway of the airport would be extended to accommodate larger aircraft.

There will be a parking area to facilitate the aircraft.

A new arrival building will be constructed whilst the existing terminal will be rehabilitated for additional space for departures only.

A New Diesel Generator Room, a Fire Pump Station, and a Boarding Corridor with Boarding Bridges will accompany the works.

A bridge will also be constructed for arriving passengers to have easier access to the terminal. “They would no longer have to walk to the terminal but they will be able to use an escalator or carrier,” Thorne said. (GINA)

Saturday July 09, 2016

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

TIGER BA Y SHOULD BE TURNED INTO A BUSINESS DISTRICT BAY One of the areas that the government has not addressed is ghetto communities. A lot of attention was paid in the past to regularizing squatter settlements. But not much attention has been paid to existing communities that have over time been turned into ghettos.

These communities have become infested with criminal activity. Drugs and other forms of criminal activity are part of the sub culture of such communities which have attracted a negative stigma.

These communities are invariably overcrowded.

Many people live without basic social services. Water and electricity are not paid for. Living conditions are horrible. These communities are sometimes described as ghettos, not because of the people who live in it but because of the stigma that is

attached to these places.

Businesses in these areas cater mainly for residents because persons do not wish to venture into these communities which end up being neglected. A solution has to be found to deal with the mushrooming of slums within cities.

A solution is necessary because you cannot have tourism in an area where there is a slum. Tourists are going to be mugged and this will destroy the tourist industry.

In some countries there has been an attempt to reclaim slum areas by turning them into business districts. It is called slum upgrading and where the upgrade is substantial it is called urban revolution.

It is different from regularizing. It involves a complete makeover of these areas. In some countries, the rich are moving in to buy up

property in slum areas. They buy the property, hold it and then eventually begin to develop an entire area into businesses.

Slums are bad for any city.

They are bad for the image of any area. They are often overrun by criminal gangs.

They are hotbeds for illegal activities.

The Central Housing and Planning Authority should designate Tiger Bay and Albouystown as commercial zones. In this way, they will be able to save these two areas from becoming ghettos, if they are not already so unofficially classified.

The idea may seem at first outrageous. You may ask why would anyone go into low-income communities and establish businesses given the fears about crime in the communities.

There is good reason why businesses will want to

buy up property in such communities for future business use. For one, the property can be had very cheaply. Property values in ghetto communities are extremely low and many property owners, once they get a decent price would willingly part with their properties.

It makes good business sense to buy cheap and then have the value of the property appreciated by converting a ghetto into a commercial zone.

It will do no harm for the central planning authorities to assist this process by designating areas considered as ghettos as commercial districts. The real estate value would immediately rise.

Owners will sell and businesses will buy. The homeowners will sell and move on to better communities. Many of them would like to love to get out

of the ghetto.

There is a lot of brotherhood and sisterhood in the ghettos. The people are genuine and helpful to one another. If you live in a ghetto and have a problem, people will help you and not expect a favour in return. They will help you in ways that rich folks would never do.

But life in the ghetto is still harsh and brutal. Parents do not want their children to grow up in the ghetto. They want a way out and if by selling their properties for sufficient to give them a better life elsewhere, they will do so.

One of the things about slums in Guyana is that a lot of persons live in them illegally. Squatting on private property is widespread in slums. Most of the squatters in Tiger Bay are living on lands owned by private individuals.

These individuals do not know

whether they will ever regain their properties. They do not know where to start.

They cannot even go and inspect what they own because the properties are overrun by squatters.

One way to regularize slums is to give those who own properties in slums, an incentive to sell. But they can only sell if those buying have an incentive to buy.

The incentives for both buyers and sellers are to turn these areas into business districts. Property values will rise and the slums will disappear faster than you think.

Defective $350 M Hope Canal Bridge now being addressed Patterson

The sinking of the western approach leading up to the bridge has resulted in a depression which is aggravating commuters and vehicle operators.

Police prosecutors…

Questions have recently been raised about the need for the state to bring on board experienced State Counsel i n o r d e r t o p r o s e c ute complex, high profile cases.

This especially came to the fore with the prosecution of former Public Service Minister, Dr. Jennifer Westford and her assistant Margaret Cummings.

Westford, who is a current Member of Parliament (MP) for the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and Cummings, are facing 24 simple larceny charges.

The charges allege that between August 2011 and April 2015, while being employed in the Public Service of the Government of Guyana, they stole the sum of $639.4M belonging to the state. They allegedly received

The two-year-old, $350M Hope Canal Bridge which has been causing headaches for the commuters, vehicle operators and even Government engineers is now in the hands of the Minster of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson.

The Minister was contacted last evening to inquire what his plans were to rectify the bridge where massive sinking t o t h e western and eastern approaches were occurring.

The Minster stated that the Hope Canal and the bridge design and construction did not fall under his Ministry but rather, under the Ministry of Agriculture.

Patterson pointed out that this was “just another” strange thing that the former regime – the P e o p l e ’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) did to justify the building of the canal.

He continued that he is now looking at the bridge on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture to resolve the problem.

Meanwhile, an Engineer when contacted yesterday, provided several theor i e s about what might be causing the problem.

One that he elaborated on was the possibility that the approaches were “now settling”. He pointed out that rectifying of the problem will cost millions of taxpayer dollars.

However, this engineer

said that he will expand more on the topic after he does a complete assessment of the bridge.

A plaque plastered on to the bridge shows that it was constructed by Dipcon Engineering and was commissioned by former President, Donald Ramotar during the tenure of former Ministers of Agriculture, Leslie Ramsammy and Alli Baksh.

The name of former Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Lionel Wordsworth, was also inscribed on the plaque.

The supervising Consultant was labelled as CEMCO, SRKN’gineering.

There are many projects like this one that are being plagued by defects throughout the country.

State Counsel needed to prosecute big cases- Ram the money by virtue of their employment.

The duo, whose trial started on Wednesday, is being represented by a panel of seven Attorneys- at- Law Rex McKay, SC; Keisha Chase, Eusi Anderson, Dexter Todd, Neil Boston, Bibi Shaddick and Brandon Glasford. The state is being represented by Police Prosecutors.

Yesterday, former President of the Guyana Bar Association Christopher Ram was asked about Police Prosecutors. Ram stated that indeed, there was a need for greater use of special prosecutors in high profile cases.

The Attorney-at-Law pointed out that state appointed Special Prosecutors brought special expertise to such cases. It was

also pointed out to him that the case had been adjourned after the defence raised objections about the Prosecutor’s files being in disarray.

After the first witness, Chief Accountant of the Ministry of the Presidency’s Department of the Public Service, Andre Dazzell, took the stand on Wednesday; the defence team drew the court’s attention to a mismatch of files among the opposing teams.

Following objections by Defence Lawyer, Neil Boston, City Magistrate Judy Latchman gave the Police Prosecutor until July 26, to present to the court, copies of the files in proper order before the first witness continues to testify.

Ram said that there should not be any reason why

a Special Prosecutor cannot be brought on at this stage of the proceedings.

Back in January, the Government of Canada, through its Anti-Crime Capacity Building Programme (ACCBP) had come on board to help train local police and State Prosecutors. The group had provided funds for the Justice Education Society (JES).

The JES is a Canadian non-profit organisation that has been visiting Guyana since last year. The allocation was to the tune of C’dn$750,000. The project was touted to “develop the technical capacity of the Police and State Prosecutors to collect analyze and present forensic evidence.”

What is not clear is if such training is enough to make up for the legal qualifications,

Director of Public Prosecutions Shalimar Ali Hack skill, experience and tactics needed in individual Prosecutors handling high profile cases such as fraud, which might also involve

them having to liaise with investigators and forensic auditors.

Back in 2011, after the collapse of cases in the courts which were attributed to poor police prosecuting, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud in defence of the Prosecutors had been quoted in sections of the media as saying that Police Prosecutors were not trained lawyers.

Yet, they are tasked with the responsibility of leading the state’s case, sometimes against battalions of experienced defence lawyers who would have not only acquired their Bachelor of Law (LLB) degree, but would have also passed the Guyana Bar examinations.

Efforts to make contact with Director of Public Prosecutions Shalimar Ali Hack yesterday were futile.

PAGE 10

Saturday July 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

Two white women; the democracy Guyana yearns for The vortex of bifurcated confusion creates a permanent vertiginous existence living in the Third World where the anti-colonial discourse is never-ending. I use the peculiar combination of words, “bifurcated confusion” because there is this binary of criticism of the colonial rampage and the post-colonial barefacedness.

What we have in the Third World is the constant reminder of how bad the colonial master was, how he stole our legacies, inventions, resources and our souls.

Juxtaposed against this, is the practice of politics by the post-colonial establishments the past sixty years. Have we learnt from the mistakes of the colonial epochs? The White man was imposing and authoritarian; the White man was elitist and class driven; the White man ensured we were kept in backwardness.

Have we learnt anything from those ruthless European

colonial regimes? But more importantly, did the European rulers practice any form of morality that is objective and universal and not derived from any cultural context but are simple fundamental values of civilization?

One such value that comes to mind is the possession of power? Did the colonials teach us that power had Machiavellian usage and that violence had pragmatic purposes and so power must be used for the consolidation of one’s self-perpetuation? If the answer is yes, then shouldn’t the post-colonial establishments use a higher moral value and extirpate from the body politic the negative political values the colonials imposed on us?

Even more important is the question that every postcolonial citizen must ask him/ herself. Why is it that the former rulers do not treat their own people with the cruel insensitivity as the post-

colonial governments do? So we come now to the caption of this article, “Two White women; the democracy Guyana yearns for.” Right now playing out in the ruling party in the UK is a race to succeed the Prime Minister who felt it was his moral obligation to resign after he lost the vote against Brexit.

Three contenders competed for the votes of the parliamentarians of the ruling party, the Conservatives. The third candidate, a male lost out, leaving the next British Prime Minister to come from the female gender because the other competitors are two women Ministers. But here is where post-colonial society becomes far more repugnant than what obtains in the 21st century in the very European countries that colonized us.

These two women now go in front of the grassroot (I like the Guardian’s use of the word “grassroot” to describe the ordinary members of the

Conservative Party) members of their party to win their votes. What it means is that the next British Prime Minister would have been voted in by the membership of her party rather than being anointed by a select group in a secret meeting at party headquarters. This is what happened in February 2011 at Freedom House of the PPP. Mr. Ralph Ramkarran, expecting a secret ballot, anticipated his election to be the PPP’s presidential candidate for the 2011 General Elections.

The President, Mr. Jagdeo anointed Mr. Donald Ramotar.

The rest is history. Most humans in and out of Guyana believed when Cheddi Jagan died, his logical successor would have been Moses Nagamootoo. That Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo became President of Guyana over Mr. Nagamootoo is a Mephistophelean chamber of Faustian conspiracies that

would never happen in any European country in 1999, the very European states that colonized us and that we continue to lament about what they did to us and will lament until time dies. We never seem to lament on what we are doing to our citizens.

Mr. Burnham is the favourite son of the anticolonial preachers. Every time they meet in their favourite fora to extol his splendid virtues, they tell us he was the ultimate anti-colonial artist.

Missing from the repertoire is the Guyana Constitution 1980. A constitution that PNC leaders, past and present; Guyanese thinkers both past and present; Guyanese citizens, both past and present have described as a document that made the President of Guyana an office-holder virtually above the law.

Most interestingly, a vote to retain that constitution may not even garner five

Frederick Kissoon percent. It is most intriguing to note that no former colonial power anywhere in Europe has a constitution similar to the 1980 Guyana Constitution. In the case of Guyana, our former colonial ruler was Britain. Great Britain does not have a written constitution.

This meant Burnham could not have borrowed from the British when he was drafting his 1980 document. Readers may be interested to know that in Guyana, some people are heads of their respective organizations for over twenty five years. I call that the longevity of power.

Body of missing UG student found in Demerara River - friends to remain in custody until post mortem The search for missing University of Guyana Civil Engineer student, Harris Anthony Persaud, ended shortly after 17.00 hrs yesterday, with the discovery of his body in the Demerara River. Persaud’s uncle, Bobby Sookdeo, found his nephew’s remains, clad only in underwear, in the vicinity of Vriesland, West Bank of

Demerara.

Ranks from the Marine Police Division brought the corpse ashore at Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara, before it was taken away by hearse.

‘A’ Division Commander, Clifton Hicken, said that while the body bore no marks of violence, police will await the results of a post mortem before releasing the

two UG students in whose company Persaud was reportedly last seen.

On Thursday night, the students, aged 19 and 20, had accompanied police to areas on East Coast Demerara where they had disposed of Persaud’s clothing, haversack and other belongings.

Persaud’s haversack was reportedly found near the Enmore Railway Embankment. Some of his clothes were reportedly dumped in a trench at Turkeyen, while his iPad and cell phone, which were not found, were reportedly disposed of near Buxton.

“We are still questioning

them…There are some inconsistencies in their statements, and the fact that they moved the clothing from one place to the next is suspicious,” Hicken said.

Persaud, 19, of Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara, vanished on Wednesday after leaving classes at the University and visiting two of his colleagues, who were renting an apartment at Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara.

The student’s father, Nandkumar Persaud, said that after his son failed to arrive home, he contacted the two students, who confirmed that they had seen Persaud.

But the friends claimed that Persaud subsequently left for Mahaica, where he is on a three-year-attachment at

Dead: Harris A. Persaud H. Nauth and Sons Civil Engineering Contractors.

“On Wednesday night I called them and they said that my son left to go to work,” Mr. Persaud said.

But the woman who rented the two friends the Turkeyen apartment told Persaud’s relatives that the three friends had left together on Wednesday in a car.

Acting on this information, detectives on

Thursday took the two students into custody. Under intense questioning, the youths reportedly told investigators that Persaud had accompanied them to the Kingston seawalls, near the Marriot Hotel. They claimed that they were all swimming in the Atlantic when a wave swept Persaud away. One of the students recalled clinging to a rock.

It is alleged that the friends then panicked and disposed of Persaud’s clothing, haversack and other items on the East Coast of Demerara.

Mr. Persaud yesterday appeared convinced that his son met his demise while swimming.

“I don’t think that it is foul play. I think they (the students) became afraid and panicked. But I blame them, because I know them. They should have said something.

They should have shouted out to persons in the area (when the mishap occurred.)”

Saturday July 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

Granger’s focus on selfemployment is confusing – Teixiera The APNU-AFC government had on many occasions stressed the importance of entrepreneurship and selfemployment as vehicles to alleviate poverty in Guyana.

Chief Whip of the People’s Progressive Party Civic, Gail Teixeira, has described this approach by government as confusing.

Speaking at a press conference held last Wednesday. She was at the time responding to a question about a statement made by President David Granger on his recent public interest show concerning employment.

“If we take his words at true value then one has to wonder why is the government through its elected bodies, such as the City Council, harming jobs of vendors.”

Teixiera stated that the government is contradicting itself when it wants people to become entrepreneurs while at the same time it has not made any efforts to help citizens along this direction.

She noted that vendors are self-employed people.

Further she highlighted that the majority of vendors are women.

According to her there is a contradiction between what the government is saying and

PPP/C MP, Gail Teixiera what it is doing.

She said, “You can’t be doing in one hand, having training programmes for women in entrepreneurship and at the same time making life horrendous and difficult for people, particularly women who are vendors.”

Teixiera pointed out the displacement of vendors from the Stabroek Market Square.

She noted that since there are a large percentage of households headed by women, the government should not be taking money out of their mouths.

The Chief Whip disclosed that during her party’s tenure, programs were conducted

which revealed that there was a skills mismatch within the country. She noted that this was done by the National Working Group on Public Private Partnership for the Millennium Development Goals.

This group was a partnership between the government, private sector and educational institutions.

Coming out of these programmes, she noted, the training programmes which were offered by institutions had undergone a shift to meet the needs of the private sector.

She noted that for Government to create an atmosphere for entrepreneurship to flourish, persons need to know what the market needs.

According to the Chief Whip it is essential for there to be a connection with goinvest, the marketing bodies and Government in order to ascertain what are the specific needs of the market. This is necessary so as to generate the skills and persons who have the required skills to meet these needs.

Teixiera is of the view that President Granger’s position lacks comprehensive appreciation of what is needed to be able to create economic activity.

$$Millions in overpayments to Contractors for East Demerara Highway Expansion …contractual terms for payments were breached

Incomplete work in Lot Three of the ECD Highway An audit report for the fiscal year 2014 by the Auditor General of Guyana, Deodat Sharma, has revealed several overpayments which were made to contractors for works done on the East Coast Demerara Highway under the former PPP administration.

The project which began in 2011was aimed at expanding the road network from Better Hope to Belfield villages. The project had two

components (i) highway improvement work and (ii) supervision. According to the report, $1.610 billion was budgeted to complete all the road works. A total of $622.161 million had been expended as at December 2014. The project had been split up into several lots but unrecovered overpayments were recorded for works done in two; specifically Lot three and Lot four. The area from

La Bonne Intention to Beterverwagting Villages was tagged as Lot Three while Beterverwagting to Triumph was tagged Lot Four.

Courtney Benn Contracting Services was contracted to perform works in Lot Three while Compustruct Engineering Inc. was contracted for Lot Four.

Lot Three According to the audit report the contract sum for (Continued on page 23)

PAGE 11

omanaged, he Ministry aul Sharma,

erview with Information ), Sharma “the Boards ndent. We e a political ee many of ed to, or in system. In overnment, ers of the em such as etaries and ment sitting re we have side sitting

ccurrences at munications surrounding ef Executive roadcasting aid that, “… rd member use he felt ereas the Board had ur of that rnment did e Minister

the Board will take the responsibility.”

According to the Minister, the forensic audits were commissioned by Government to examine statutory bodies, companies and entities that government has direct interest in, with regard to funding, to understand their operations and check their efficiency.

“The audit would have pointed out alarming things like persons not taking leave.

In one case at the (National) Frequency Management Unit, the individual was paid $9 million because he didn’t take leave for about eight years. “Reviewing the audit to see the most common deficiency, believe it or not, people not taking leave was one of them and it’s important because if you are head of a department and you are not taking leave, it’s an audit risk, it could mean you are doing something you don’t want anyone else to know about.

These are cause for suspicions,” Sharma explained.

Additionally, the Minister

Minister Jaipaul Sharma noted that State Boards are responsible for the corporate governance of the agencies for which they have oversight. Failure to ensure proper execution of such oversight can result in criminal charges being laid, “Because you have been given that oversight role and you are allowing all these things to pass.”

Referring to the breaches which occurred under the previous administration, Sharma said, “We wanted to focus on the efficiency and the performance of the Boards because we wanted to ensure that when we appoint our Boards they know exactly what they must do. They must not do the corrupt things like the past government. If they should do the same, it is directly criminal and they will face charges [prosecution].”

He said that the audits will make that very easy because the auditors are going to marry the Boards’ activities with the law, a disincentive not to commit breaches.

(NGSA) the top spot was successfully achieved by Anthony Ferreira of Mae’s Under 12 with 568 marks.

Anthony was joined by several of his classmates who were all in the top One Percent of students who did exceptionally well at the 2016 NGSA. They included Divya Nandalall, Riley Nurse, Joel Singh, Vinaya Chatterdeo, Ayushi Nandall, Joshua Gulab and Keshav Doodnauth. The pupils were honoured by their teachers, parents and fellow classmates at their annual graduation ceremony at the Ramada Princess Hotel, Providence, yesterday.

“Mae’s Under 12 stands out like a beacon,” declared the Minister within the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry. That declaration was greeted by resounding applause from the many elated parents. The Minister recognized that over the years the institution has been faced by many challenges but has been able to make a positive impact on the lives of the students who attend the school.

“I’m sure everyone knows from their science class what a seed is. When you plant a seed in healthy soil, you don’t get a seed but a plant. The harvest is always greater than what is planted as long as you nurture them properly. This principle applies to you right now,” she said.

Minister Henry urged the students to remember the encounters they had while at the school as these would

Best graduating pupil, Ant Ferreira receives his aw have helped them to be better people. “Bear in mind the promises you made to yourself and others, and keep in contact with those who have touched your lives,” the Minister added.

After recognizing that all the students did well, with some being awarded the schools they wanted and others did not, Minister Henry noted that their disappointment should make them stronger. “Tough times never last but tough people do,” she emphasized.

“I ask each of you to keep your dream alive, and take time today to thank the people

behind the momentous for their e unconditi support; yo discussed lesson pla lessons of classmates moulding and who considerate times,” M advised.

NinetyMae’s Und NGSA. Fo were award the seni schools.

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 09, 2016

PAGE 13

Mother of victims raises concern over sloth of prosecution Muslim scholar accused of sexual molestation...

A

lmost five years after he was initially charged for engaging in sexual intercourse with underage boys, accused Islamic Scholar, Neezam Ali, is yet to face a trial in the High Court.

Neezaam Ali, also known as ‘Mufti’, an Imam of Lot 268 Section ‘C 5’ South, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, was committed to stand trial in the High Court on nine counts of engaging in sexual intercourse with boys under the age of 12 back in 2013.

Following a preliminary hearing at the Magistrates’ Court, Ali was committed to stand trial at the High Court.

But, the Imam challenged the paper committal on several grounds, including a claim that the Magistrate acted in excess of his jurisdiction when he failed to consider the expert opinion of Dr. Walter Ramsahoye, who testified that it was impossible for him to commit the act, since he is impotent.

Last year, then Chief Justice (Ag) Ian Chang ruled in favour of the order for which Ali was committed to stand trial for sexually assaulting the nine boys.

However, there hasn’t been any word on the status of case since then. The mother of three of the victims has come forward expressing her frustration at the sloth in which the matter is being handled.

The woman (name given) spoke to Kaieteur News earlier this week. She told this newspaper that she has been seeking answers on the status of the case.The mother expressed fear that the case may be at a standstill. “I am afraid that

the matter will be dragged out because this thing happened when my sons were small. My biggest son is 14 years old now and we ain’t hearing nothing about the case,” she said.

The woman said that she made numerous calls to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) but to no avail.

“They pushing me around. I does sell to make ends meet. I was trying to bring my children up in the right way by sending them to Masjid and that is what happened, the single mother stressed.

She claimed, too, that since she lives a short distance from the Masjid in which the Imam, who molested her son teaches, it has brought additional torment to her family.

“We does try to avoid passing the Masjid because it is not easy for my children, especially the big boy. The Imam is still teaching children there and if he see we passing he does throw he hints.”

Pressed by her need to know the status of the case, the mother recently visited the office of the Child Protection Agency, (CPA).

An official of the CPA is said to have contacted the DPP for information on the matter.

According to the woman, the information conveyed by the CPA official, is that the matter is still in the system but is yet to receive a date for trial.

When Kaieteur News contacted the DPP‘s office seeking to verify the information, officers noted that the Communications Officer, is on leave and they were not at liberty to give information on the matter.

Ali, 33, was alleged to have sexually assaulted the

Muslim Scholar Neezam Ali nine boys where they usually go to take Quran and Arabic lessons from him, between December 2011 and January 2012. The virtual complainants allege that Ali had penetrative anal intercourse with them while they were minors.

The Muslim Scholar was charged with several counts of sexual activity with a child by abusing a position of trust. The preliminary inquiries into the allegations were heard before Magistrate Alex Moore at the Sparendaam Court.

In 2013 after perusing the evidence brought before him during the preliminary inquiries, Magistrate Moore found that there was sufficient reason to send Ali for High Court trial. But Ali, through his lawyer Nigel

Hughes, applied to the High Court to quash the committal. Magistrate Moore had ruled that a prima facie case was made out against Ali and committed him to stand trial at the subsequent sitting of the Criminal Assizes.

Hughes’ application was made on several grounds, including that the Magistrate acted in excess of his jurisdiction when he failed to consider the expert opinion of Dr. Walter Ramsahoye, who testified that it was impossible for him to commit the act, since he is impotent.

According to court documents, Dr. Ramsahoye testified that “The individual whose physiological systems are severely compromised, cannot have

sex with boy, girl, man or woman as he cannot have an erection.”

This statement was highlighted as the essence of Ali’s defence, one which the defence claimed was ignored by the prosecution and the Magistrate.

The defence had stipulated that there was no statement provided to the court to rebut the expert’s evidence, neither did the prosecution indicate or represent to the court that they intended to call any expert witness to give a rebuttal.

Responding in a sworn affidavit on behalf of Magistrate Moore, Inspector of Police Hatty David, testified that the statement laid over by the medical practitioner exceeded the specified period prescribed in paragraph (2) under the Sexual Offences Act. Consequently, the officer further claimed that Dr. Ramsahoye’s opinion was formed from information provided by Ali, and was not one which came as result of doctors treating and attending to a medical condition, which the accused suffered, over a period of time. The officer deposed that no expert evidence was adduced by the prosecution.

He denied that there was a defence, since the statement of Dr. Ramsahoye was laid over outside the statutory

time limit, (some seven months after the prescribed period for doing so).

He therefore held that evidence of witness or expert is a question for the Jury.

“Although the Magistrate did not consider t h e s t a t e m e n t o f D r.

Ramsahoye, it was for the Jury (to consider), whether his expertise, in the matter was sufficient and if so, whether they would be prepared to accept and rely on his statement,” the respondent outlined.

Hence in a ruling dated July 31, 2015 Chief Justice, (Ag) Ian Chang upheld an order in which Islamic Scholar, Neezaam Ali, was committed to stand trial for sexually assaulting nine boys

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Saturday July 09, 2016

Modified US$150M CJIA Airport to be completed next year - New Arrivals Terminal Building to be constructed Passengers who utilise the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) will soon be able to breathe a sigh of relief as the Airport is currently going through a transformation, specifically in the area of accommodation.

During a media briefing and tour conducted yesterday, top officials of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, accompanied

by Minister David Patterson and Junior Minister Annette

Bishop Juan Edghill; and officials of the construction company – the China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC) among others.

Cost incurred thus far The US$138M Contract for the expansion of the CJIA was signed on November 11, 2011 between the Government of Guyana and China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHECL). The project is

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson (centre); Minister within the Ministry, Annette Furguson (left); PPP/C’s Member of Parliament, Bishop Juan Edghill and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s Technical Advisor, Walter Willis during the media briefing.

Ferguson, announced that a new Arrivals Terminal Building will be constructed.

This building is scheduled to be completed

by March of next year.

The existing terminal building will be renovated to accommodate departures only.

Meanwhile, the entire project has been slated to be completed by December 1, 2017. These works detailed in the project, also include the extension of the runway; the construction of a new diesel generator room; construction of a new fire pump station; the implementation of a new boarding corridor with boarding bridges and several relocation exercises which are currently ongoing.

The tour saw members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF); members of the Av i a t i o n A u t h o r i t y ; a member of the Main Parliamentary Opposition –

being funded through the EXIM Bank of China.

The Government of Guyana procured the services of engineering consultants - the MMM Group and CEMCO Inc. taking the total cost of the project to US$150M. Payments for services thus far, stand at US$37,336,277. However, it was explained that monies are currently in the process of being certified. When this process is completed, the total will be approximately US$54M. The Project commenced on January 16, 2013 and works were expected to last for 32 months making the initial completion date September 16, 2015.

However, due to several delays, this has now been extended to December 1, 2017.

The runway extension, Apron and Taxiway The runway, currently

A section of the runway still under construction measuring 2270 metres (m), will be extended by 710 metres (m) to the north-east and 840m to the south-west.

The initial design of the runway was to have one end of the runway extended.

However, there were some issues with the terrain and as a result, the design was amended to accommodate extensions on both ends.

This was explained by the Ministry’s Project Manager, Carmichael Thorne, during his presentation where he provided an overview of the project.

During his presentation, Carmichael provided a stepby-step breakdown of the works that were completed along with the ongoing works.

He stated that the excavation of humus was completed on April 3 this

year while ground improvement works are expected to be concluded in the next three months.

C u r r e n t l y, s a n d backfilling is being done at the site. Thorne stated that by the end of this year, 90 percent of the filling will be completed. The remaining 10 percent will be completed

by February.

Airside ground lighting works will also be completed

by October next year.

The construction of the Apron and Taxiway is another vital aspect of the project, Thorne said.

He added that the main objective of extending the runway is to accommodate the landing of larger aircraft therefore the apron and taxiway should be large enough to accommodate (Continued on page 17)

One of the houses under construction and which will accommodate one of the relocated families

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 09, 2016

PAGE 15

Lindeners want monument to Son Chapman Martyrs Son Chapman memorial site

By Jacquey Bourne Fifty-two years ago more than 40 Lindeners died on the Demerara River as they travelled home on the Son Chapman launch on Monday, July 6, 1964. An explosion rent the boat in the vicinity of Hurudia.

It has been said that ‘To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.’ How very true! The men, women and children who died on the Son Chapman 52 years ago live on in the hearts and minds of their families and friends and the people of Linden.

“Many of us alive today never knew the men, women, and children of the Son Chapman massacre. Yet, we remember them and reflect on their experience because - by their deaths - we have an example of what hatred and brutality can lead to...senseless loss of life and endless suffering,” said Charles Sampson..

Chairman of the Commemorative Committee

Charles Sampson speaking to a small gathering at Hurudia on Wednesday on the anniversary of the Son Chapman tragedy, said that all kinds of conspiracy theories were peddled but he doesn’t believe any of it.

He said Son Chapman was blown up purposely.

“Son Chapman was blown up at the instigation of people who didn’t like us in t h e c o m m u n i t y, t h e community of Linden.”

He said that he is disappointed that after 52 years nobody has stepped up to treat the Son Chapman tragedy in terms of commemoration with the kind of treatment it deserves.

“I have no apologies to make.”

“Sometimes you have to stop thinking what is politically correct and do the right thing. Son Chapman caused the death of about 43 people and you know we had a population of about 10,000.

“It is one of the most serious acts of terrorism in the world and we seriously

need to commemorate this thing in a bigger way. It must rank as the worst tragedy if not in the world, in the Caribbean and it has to get the attention it deserves.

“I usually ask myself if black lives matter. Are we serious? There are other instances where we celebrate national events where a sprinkling of people die and (the issue) is blown up.”

Sampson said that he hopes that in 2017 some sort of structure will be put in place to accommodate those w ho vis it H urudia to commemorate the death of those people who were slaughtered.

According to Sampson, in spite of the various writings on the Son Chapman tragedy it wasn’t the intention of the residents of Wismar to kill anyone.

“Lives were lost. What is the price of a life? Can we buy that?

Forty-three lives were lost,” “The ‘disturbance’ at Linden was finished when the Son Chapman was blown

apart by terrorists. People were going about their business normally when ‘Boom” Son Chapman exploded.”

Sampson said that he thinks a disservice is done to the people who died and their families and friends by not ‘bigging up’ the commemoration. He hopes there will be some kind of infrastructural work done at the site According to him it is a national occasion. He also said that such a tragedy should not happen again; that racism should be a thing of the past.

Sampson wants the tragedy to be likened to other events. “It is high time a tragedy like this is celebrated in a way that is equal to the Enmore Martyrs. Enmore Martyrs were five; this is 43.

“I hope we tickle those in authority to do something significantly better than what is happening now to commemorate the death of the 43 people who were blown all over the place.”

He also urged those present that although they should not forget, they should be forgiving but should not forget that it is one of the most terrible things to happen to Linden and to the country. “The perpetrators may escape from man but not from God.” Attorney at Law Llewellyn John, who is responsible for maintaining the Hurudia site for the

commemoration every year told the small gathering that the Son Chapman arose at a time when there was serious challenges for launches to ply the route from Georgetown to what was then Bacura- the Mackenzie/ Wismar/Christianburg.

John said that the Son Chapman tragedy was created ‘on purpose.’ “It was designed to punish the people of Mackenzie/ Wismar/Christianburg in those days.

It was designed to punish those who felt they should not be discriminated against.

It was an explosion in the (Continued on page 19)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 16

Saturday July 09, 2016

GWI Board will soon decide how to deal with Shaik Baksh “It is not within my power to decide what to do in this case,” said Dr. Richard Van West- Charles when asked how the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) is addressing the findings of the forensic audit; particularly those relating to blatant fraud perpetuated by Shaik Baksh.

Dr. Van West- Charles is GWI’s Chief Executive Office (CEO). Baksh is his predecessor.

Baksh, who was sent home shortly after the new administration took office, l a s t y e a r, h a s b e e n recommended to face disciplinary actions.

Auditors also recommended actions against other officers where applicable in accordance to GWI policy and procedures.

The audit report said in several instances that Baksh breached established company policies and procedures and abused his authority while executing his functions.

Asked how the GWI is dealing with all that has been revealed, Dr. Van West-

Charles said that this is all in the hands of the Board. “The Board will have to deal with it,” he said.

The GWI boss said that each department has been asked to produce a report based on the findings of the audit where applicable.

Dr. Van West-Charles said that those reports have already been prepared and submitted. The reports will then be handed to the Board soonest.

Dr. Van West-Charles said that within two to three weeks the Board will meet and discuss how it will proceed. However he said that he “doubts” that anyone who has been fingered in the audit report is still on the job.

The Board will have to decide whether it wants to follow up Baksh’s actions in the court or explore other possible options. But Dr. Van West-Charles sought to make it clear that that decision is not within his authority.

Baksh’s transgressions “include misappropriation of cash advances for sites visits,

GWI boss, Dr. Richard Van West-Charles informed that neither the Board of Directors nor senior management was aware of this visit.”

Another case had Baksh submitting bills dated Former GWI boss, Shaik Baksh December 4, 2014 totaling $200,000.

“These were abuse of authority in using p r o v i d e a n y c o n t a c t t h e c o m p a n y a s s e t s , information for the persons proven to be fictitious as overriding company policies issuing same; no other security logs showed that the etc,” the audit report official from GWI was stated Chief Executive was at Head disclosed. accompanying the Chief Office instead of the T h e l e g i t i m a c y o f Executive on the claimed locations claimed.”

Auditors also flagged an expenses and field trips official visits; and the advance Baksh took days could not have been verified purposes of the visits were before the General Elections, since bills produced did not not stated, the report said.

Baksh submitted a claim on April 30, 2015, for for US$400 ($84,000) on an $300,000. It was for visits to invoice for “Hire of taxi Upper Pomeroon Region Piarco – POS San Fernando and Santa Rosa and Villages Chaguanas/ POS”. This was in Moruca Sub Region.

Baksh’s employment to clear advance of $105,000 contract dated September 17, taken on September 4, 2014.

2012 does not provide for Auditors stated, “We were

compensation for medical expenses.

However, an instance was noted where monies were reimbursed for a “claimed” on the job accident.

“This accident was never reported to the Occupational Health and Safety Officer or the Human Resources Department nor was there any accident report prepared to justify payments. The total value amounted to $29,000 which was approved by the Management Accountant, S. Tiwari and paid on April 24, 2015.” There were other “medical” bills submitted by Baksh.

There were also instances where Baksh received refunds for entertainment.

Alpha Hotel bust….

Cops recover 5 kilos of coke, seize car Four persons, among them three hotel employees, remained in custody yesterday following Thursday’s drug bust at the Alpha Hotel at Ogle, East Coast Demerara, in which one man was slain.

Nigel Joseph, 52, of North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was shot dead during a confrontation with ranks from the Police Narcotics Branch.

Police said that they recovered 5.5 kilograms of cocaine and a Smith and Wesson 9mm firearm.

Kaieteur News understands that the weapon was licensed to a business establishment at First Avenue, Bartica. Sources said that the alleged shooter also had a permit to carry a firearm.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said that the Police

-handgun used by victim licensed to Bartica business Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is investigating the shooting.

A police release issued yesterday stated that about 16.40hrs on Thursday, the police, acting on information that a large scale drug transaction was being conducted at a hotel at Ogle, ECD, went to the hotel to investigate and as they were approaching the suspects with a view to arresting them, they came under fire.

“The police then returned fire during which suspect, Nigel Joseph, 52, of North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was fatally shot.

According to reports, when ranks of the Police Narcotics Branch arrived,

they saw Nigel Joseph, running in a southerly direction in the hotel parking lot.

It is alleged that Joseph ignored orders to halt, and instead discharged three rounds at the ranks.

The police returned fire, shooting Joseph, who later succumbed. In addition to the cocaine and the pistol, 14 rounds of ammunition and a car were impounded.

Those detained include a 46-year-old driver from Alexander Village; a 16year-old boy who is employed as a hotel cleaner, a 56-year-old cook and a 30year-old South Ruimveldt resident. One suspect reportedly fled the scene.

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 09, 2016

PAGE 17

Small contractors on D’Urban Park project yet to be paid

M

inster of P u b l i c Infrastructure , David Patterson, said yesterday that he does not deny that persons were not paid for their services rendered to the construction of the Durban Park Arena, G e o rg e t o w n , a n d h a s assured that he will look into the matter.

The Durban Park Project was assigned to Patterson at a time when the completion date was drawing near. His Ministry was able to complete the project within the given time frame and the venue was christened during the Golden Jubilee launch back in May. Contractors, who carried out works at the Park, are complaining that they are yet to be paid. These contractors, mostly truckers and importers, have complained that they were recruited not as volunteers but as service providers and to date they have not received any word on when they would be paid.

One businesswoman who supplied materials to the tune of $20M is still to be paid. Others are owed sums ranging from $5 M to $15M. The Minister yesterday explained that that most

contractors would have remained on the job when he took over the project and the monies that were appropriated through central government for him to pay, was paid to these contractors; the contractors that were under his watch.

However, he added it still needs to be determined whether, prior to that, if previous contractors were paid.

Asked if the matter would be looked into, the Minister responded with an “Of course.”

Meanwhile, Larry London, the Coordinator of the project back in February, had indicated that the project is a Government and private sector partnership with meetings being held with a number of businesses for possible support.

Several businesses have reportedly donated services, with some pledging cash.

Others have extended credit.

London had emphasised that they “have not collected a cent yet from any businesses”, as it was the intention to put transparent systems in place to ensure no questions are asked as to how monies are spent.

Efforts to contact London yesterday were futile.

Modified US$150M CJIA Airport to be...

From page 14 parking. Apron and Taxiway works will be completed by August 24, 2017.

Personnel and Equipment Minster Patterson said that there are currently 11 contractors tasked with the shuttling of sand and other equipment. He added that of this number, two are Chinese contracting firms.

One of these firms is the controversial Rong An Inc. There are currently 260 workers of which 188 are locals and the remainder are foreign workers.

In terms of equipment, Thorne could not give specifics on the equipment being used in the construction process due to the frequent recruiting of sub-contractors.

However, during the tour, it was revealed that there were 125 dump trucks operating on a 24-hour basis shuttling sand from the sand pit to the construction site.

Most of these contractors

have set up camp and reside close to the sandpit.

Relocation The relocation of residents and buildings in and around the Camp Stevenson Base was also done to accommodate the expansion of the runway.

During yesterday’s visit, workers were seen carrying out works on one of the two homes that are being built to accommodate the relocated residents.

As a gesture, Minister Patterson said that the water pipes will be extended to avoid residents from walking long distances to get water.

Meanwhile, it was business as usual for the law enforcement officers whose facilities were also relocated and completed.

The Minister added that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved the diversion of a number of creeks to allow the expansion of the runway.

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson and the Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry, Annette Furguson during a media tour back in May this year.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 18

Saturday July 09, 2016

GPHC, St. Joseph Mercy receive dialysis machines

T

he Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital yesterday received key dialysis machines valued at US$40,000 from an overseas medical school.

Eight of the machines were handed over to the GPHC while the private hospital received two from the University of Vermont Medical School during a brief ceremony in the public hospital compound.

The University’s Division of Nephrology and Hypertension made the needy contribution. Dr. J.R Deep Ford, a former Professor of the medical school, and now an employee of the United Nations, handed over the machines.

According to Ford, the donation of the dialysis machines was initiated by a few Guyanese and their friends having a conversation about the Health System in Guyana.

During the conversation which took place in 2015, the need for dialysis machines was highlighted.

Ford explained that Dr. Virginia Hood, a Professor of Nephrology at the medical school, was present during that conversation.

She was the main architect in identifying and organising the donation of the machines.

He said that the dialysis machines will increase-in no small way-the capacity of Guyana’s health system to serve the many citizens suffering from damaged, dysfunctional or missing kidneys.

Public Health Minister, Dr. George Norton expressed gratitude to the medical school for the generous donation.

He said that the machines will go a long way toward strengthening Dialysis treatment at the GPHC. The Kidney Dialysis Center at the GPHC has been in operation for four years and offers both Peritoneal and Haemodialysis.

Currently, 25 patients are receiving Peritoneal Dialysis and 22 patients are receiving Haemodialysis at the centre.

The centre has two specialists in Peritoneal Dialysis and three registered nurses along with four nursing Assistants involved in the administering of Haemodialysis.

Dr. Norton noted that with the addition of the eight machines, more patients needing dialysis can be accommodated at the centre.

Three of the dialysis machines “The GPHC Dialysis Centre continues to provide this lifesaving procedure free of cost.

However, there still exists a need to further build the capacity of the centre, and the Ministry of Public Health is committed to ensuring that this is done. We cannot do this alone, and therefore we are grateful for the support of the University of

Vermont’s Medical School with the donation of the Dialysis Machines,” he stated.

The subject Minister gave his assurance that proper care will be taken of the machines.

He took the opportunity to urge persons to strive at all times to maintain healthy kidneys by having their blood and urine

checked for kidney disease, and properly managing their diabetes, high blood pressure and heart diseases.

Acting Chief Executive Officer of the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, Helen Browman, said that they are grateful that the hospital was chosen to be the recipient of the two dialysis machines.

Guyana among 36 countries using bivalent oral vaccine G

uyana has been listed among the 36 countries of the Region of the Americas to have switched from Oral Polio Vaccine (tOPV), containing types one, two and three polio viruses, to the bivalent oral vaccine (bOPV), containing only types one and three.

The decision for the switch in vaccine was made through the Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) in June 2015.

All 36 countries successfully switched within the established time frame, that is, between April 17 and May 1, 2016.

This, according to information disseminated by the Ministry of Public Health, represents a significant milestone for the global eradication of polio and a unique experience in global public health,

with over 155 countries across the world switching during the same time period. This has essentially brought countries one step closer to global polio eradication, the Ministry announced yesterday.

The Region has progressed significantly with Phase One of containment, and some countries have already initiated Phase Two activities.

Guyana has been able to realize success with its Immunization Programme over the last decade, the Public Health Ministry has asserted. This has come about with the strategies used to combat preventable diseases in children.

In the 1970s, the programme started to vaccinate against six diseases namely measles, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, diphtheria, tuberculosis and in 2012 additional antigens were introduced to fight

against yellow fever, Hepatitis B, mumps, heamophilus influenza, rubella, rotavirus and pneumococcal, meningococcal and the human papilloma virus.

According to the Ministry, there have been significant progresses towards this end in protecting the public from vaccine preventable diseases. “We have moved from a childhood programme over the last decade to include adolescents, and now the entire family,” outlined a statement from the Ministry yesterday.

Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccines was introduced in 1995, in 1998-Hepatitis B to health workers and other high risk groups, in 1999Yellow Fever, in 2000 and 2001Pentavalent vaccines, in 2010Rotavirus, in 2011 Pneumococcal vaccines. The Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine was introduced in

2011. This vaccine works as a preventive measure to fight against cervical cancer and is being administered to young girls, 11-13 years of age.

Active Surveillance is maintained for poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella and tetanus including neonatal and adult, diphtheria, whooping cough (pertussis), tuberculosis and yellow fever and all other diseases. “We are constantly monitoring the signs and symptoms of any vaccine preventable disease,” the Ministry has highlighted.

Testing and confirmation for these vaccine preventable diseases is being done in collaboration with PAHO/WHO. Towards this end, there has been significant achievement in the EPI programme in Guyana. The last reported case of whooping

cough was in 2002. Before that there were no reported cases since 1962.

Added to this, Guyana has maintained a polio free status, since 1991, no reported case of Measles and the last case of yellow fever was in 1968.

Vaccination coverage has always been maintained at over 90 per cent in the antigens administered to children under one year of age over the last five years at the national level.

Even though the national coverage is over 90 per cent, there are still regional areas which will be targeted to ensure that the coverage is maintained.

“This illustrates the government’s commitment to ensure that the children are protected against the vulnerable diseases and reduce childhood mortality,” the Ministry has announced.

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 09, 2016

Brothers burnt to death...

PAGE 19

Proposals for Green Bartica Plan in second stage

T

CPA and Ministry of Social Protection officials

From page 3 sleeping so I asked those who were up to wake them.” According to the house father, he armed himself with a fire extinguisher and with the help of one of the older boys, he went up to assist the girls. “While going up, Miss Jones was descending the step along with the other girls. We tried to extinguish the fire but the flames got bigger.”

He said that they then exited the building and he made numerous calls to 911 and the Fire Service but failed to get onto anyone.

“While in the street, my colleague said two of the smaller boys were upstairs. We tried to get there but couldn’t. Shortly after the fire service came and went in action,” Hinds

Lindeners want monument to...

From page 15 days when you couldn’t go to the houses in Watooka. The time has come when those are the issues which I hope the leaders of local democracy will continue to inspire in the people of Linden.

They continue to inspire that the people must not only hear there was a mass killing here, with bodies floating in the water.”

John said that he is happy that people seem to recognize the importance of the function and all children must come up to understand that the beginning of the revolution of Guyana began in Wismar/Christianburg, began in the bowels of the Upper Demerara. He also urged them to preserve the history of struggle so that children will learn.

John also reiterated Sampson’s statement that there is a need for a monument to be erected for the Son Chapman victims.

“Monuments that are lasting.

We must campaign; we must agitate for statues where events took place so they will always be remembered.”

recounted.

Head of the Child Care Protection Agency, Ann Greene, said that the Ministry of Social Protection takes full responsibility for the tragedy and will bear the full cost of the funeral arrangements.

“In the long term, CPA will work with this family to ensure the other three siblings, and their ailing mother, receive all the support and help they need,” she said, adding that the Guyana Fire Service is still conducting investigation to determine the cause of the fire. According to the CPA head, the Drop-in Centre was recently refurbished and a fire extinguisher installed with advice from the Guyana Fire Service. The Centre also acquired fire blankets and a fire alarm system.

“Ironically, the handing-over ceremony for the just-renovated boys’ dorm was scheduled for (yesterday).

Ironically too, a family member of the deceased brothers was also scheduled to meet with CPA officials for the five children to be placed in family-based care with support from our foster-care programme.”

Kaieteur News was told that the other 29 children from the Drop-in Centre are housed at the Sophia Care Centre and the Half Way Home, located in the Care Centre’s compound and are currently receiving therapy provided by specialists from the Georgetown Public Hospital. Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence, expressed her sympathy to the George family.

he second stage of the Request for Proposal (RFP) component for the ‘Green Bartica Plan’ has begun. This is according to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure. Assisting the Ministry in this leg of the RFP were the Hinterland Electrification Company Inc. and the Guyana Energy Agency.

The first component of the RFP occurred in February. Those proposals particularly looked at the u s e o f s o l a r e n e r g y.

Proposals during the second stage will focus on wind energy, hydropower energy, biomass, waste-to-energy and tidal energy.

Two companies have submitted tenders for this stage of the project as Independent Power Producers (IPP). They are SelvaGlobal of the United Kingdom and GP Energy Ltd. of Trinidad and Tobago.

When the entire process is completed, a shortlist of qualified firms will be created. These firms will be asked to submit a full comprehensive proposal.

The selected company will be tasked to design and develop a power generation scheme which is powered by renewable energy sources.

It is the intention that the relevant technology will be employed under a Build Own Operate and Transfer (BOOT) system to supply power to the Bartica grid.

According to the Ministry, the objectives of the project is ultimately to reduce Guyana’s carbon footprint in power generation, agriculture, transport, tourism, construction, waste, manufacturing and other sectors.

Currently, the Guyana Power and Light supplies power to the Town. The power supply is currently produced from dieselpowered thermal generators. Bartica consumes approximately 11,760 MWh annually. The peak demand in Bartica is 1.8MW as of December 2015.

The facility which the Ministry wishes to have set up should produce at least 2,140 MWH of energy per annum.

PAGE 20

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 09, 2016

Saturday July 09, 2016

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

CARICOM Arrest Warrant Imbert: $b payment for Clico policyholder Treaty Expected By Year End

Colm Imbert Trinidad Guardian - Finance Minister Colm Imbert says some Clico policyholders are to benefit from a billion-dollar payment shortly.

He said that while making a ministerial statement Wednesday in the Senate on the Clico resolution plan.

Clico and other companies owned by CL Financial collapsed in 2009 and was given a bailout by the then government. Additional funds were subsequently allocated to the financially troubled company.

Imbert said despite the fact that “not all of the assets of Clico have been disposed of; it is now proposed that all outstanding resident statutory fund short-term investment products be paid in full.”

He said that “will result in a cash payment to the Government of about $1.3 billion for the balance of the EFPA and the payment of about $100 million to other policyholders.”

He said that initiative had the advantage of “resulting in a positive cash flow for the Government while also enabling a positive statement to be made that all outstanding resident statutory fund policyholders were now able to access all their funds.”

He added: “Clico can now repay the $400 million due to third party policyholders in advance of making payments to the Government on its $2.1 billion liability,” adding that it “will not affect the amount which Government will re-

ceive on this liability but will slightly change the timing.”

He told legislators: “Government will be paid upon the sale of Methanol Holdings International Ltd or given value on the completion of the valuation of Home Construction, whichever comes first.”

He also said the non-assenting policyholders “will now all be paid the remaining 15 per cent value of their policies owed to them.”

Imbert said the Clico resolution plan was ongoing and further resolution would be made on a regular basis as it unfolded.

Measures proposed for other creditors will be announced in due course.

He said Wednesday: “The auditors have confirmed that the amount expended by or due to the Government on the Clico bail out is close to $22 billion.”

The minister said the Government was “hopeful at this stage that it can recover a significant amount of this sum, but this will depend on the success of the disposal of the remaining assets of Clico and Clico Investment Bank, among other things.”

He insisted: “Clico is still insolvent with an excess of liabilities over assets of the order of $1 billion and as a result has indicated that it is not in a position to relinquish control of Clico at this time.”

Venezuela opposition leader’s appeal postponed Caracas (AFP) - A Venezuelan court postponed a sensitive appeal hearing Thursday for a prominent jailed opposition leader, his lawyer said, sparking accusations of political interference.

The postponement came at a time of high political tension as President Nicolas Maduro resists opposition efforts to drive him from office.

Leopoldo Lopez, 45, was convicted in 2015 of inciting violence in deadly anti-government riots the year before.

A prosecutor in the case later fled the country and alleged Lopez’s conviction was unsound.

Lopez is a senior leader of the centrist opposition to Maduro, a socialist.

He is one of scores of people the opposition says are being held by Maduro as political prisoners.

Lopez has appealed against his 14-year sentence

Leopoldo Lopez

and was scheduled to go before a judge on Thursday.

His lawyer Juan Carlos Gutierrez said the hearing was postponed because a protest blocked the route from the prison to the court.

“That was not the fault of Leopold Lopez or his defense team. In consequence, he should be immediately released,” Gutierrez told report-

ers.

The leader of the opposition majority in the legislative assembly, Henry Ramos Allup, called the postponement a “ruse” to draw out a “political” legal process.

Lopez’s family alleged last week that notes he had prepared for the defense hearing were confiscated from him in prison.

The Gleaner - Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries are later this year expected to sign a treaty to establish an arrest warrant regime for the region.

The treaty decision was one of several taken by leaders who met in Guyana for three days for the 37th heads of government conference, which ended on Wednesday.

CARICOM chairman and Prime Minister of Dominica Roosevelt Skerrit told journalists at a closing press conference that the treaty is a matter of priority.

The treaty was first opened for signature in 2008 and the first stage of ratification agreed on in Trinidad and Tobago a year later in 2009.

Roosevelt Skerrit Only Antigua and Barbuda, Trinidad and Tobago and Surname have

signed the treaty.

Under the treaty, member countries would be able to request the arrest or surrender of persons for criminal prosecutions.

The treaty will also establish a system for warrants to be issued for persons who have fled justice after a sentence was imposed on them.

Political offences and matters under military law are not covered under the treaty.

Meanwhile, CARICOM leaders have approved a review of the crime and security strategy for the region.

Skerrit did not say when that review is to be completed.

Stanford seeks review of conviction and sentence from US Supreme Court MIAMI, USA — The Antigua-Barbuda offshore banker/Ponzi schemer R Allen Stanford, whose conviction and virtual life sentence was affirmed by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, has, through counsel, filed a petition for a writ of certiorari, in the United States Supreme Court.

It is up to the highest court to decide whether to

accept the case, as Stanford exhausted his appeals as a matter of right when the Fifth Circuit ruled against him.

In an indication of how poor his chances of success are, the US Department of Justice served notice that it has waived its right to respond to the petition. Of course, if the court accepts the case, the government will most certainly appear.

Similar certiorari petitions of two senior Stanford Bank executives, who received 20year sentences for their involvement in the Ponzi scheme, were denied earlier this year. The case is scheduled to be distributed, in conference, to the justices on September 26, 2016. Most court observers do not expect the court to take up the case.

(Caribbean News)

US cuts off funding for Haiti elections PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Add one more headache for officials planning Haiti’s presidential elections.

The United States says it’s not putting one more cent into funding the electoral rounds planned for later this year and early next year.

But US State Department spokesman John Kirby is insisting that it doesn’t mean the US is no longer supporting Haiti.

“Suspension of US electoral financial assistance does not signal a reduction in US support for the people or development of Haiti; rather, we believe it allows us to maintain assistance in other priority areas such as health, economic growth, and infrastructure. This decision enables the United States to retain vital humanitarian and development programmes that help ordinary Haitians improve their lives,” he said at a press briefing Wednesday The US provided US$330 million in assistance for the 2015 electoral cycle.

But Kirby says the gov-

John Kirby

ernment had notified officials in Haiti at the beginning of the month that it has suspended its assistance toward completion of the presidential electoral process. He said it was a decision the government had been considering “for quite some time”.

Kirby was pressed about whether the US decision not to fund the upcoming polls had anything to do with the fact that it was not pleased that electoral officials had scrapped the previous election results instead of just restaging the runoff vote.

He admitted that the administration was concerned about the way the process

was unfolding, but dodged the question about whether the funding cut decision was a signal of “a disapproval of the specific policy”.

Asked whether he was concerned that undemocratic principles may come into play as a result of the decision, Kirby responded: “These are decisions Haitian leaders have to make.

And again, we’ve made clear what our concerns were about the electoral process thus far. We’ve been nothing but candid and forthright about that. But ultimately, these are decisions that they have to make, and we want to continue to urge them to make the right ones.”

Saturday July 09, 2016

Border controversy…

Only viable path is a diplomatic one - Belizean Foreign Minister With some questioning the clout of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on the world stage when faced with situations like the Venezuela/Guyana border controversy, Foreign Minister of Belize, Wilfred Elrington, is encouraging everyone to recognize the need for diplomatic solidarity.

Elrington was responding to questions on the final day of the 37th Heads of Government meeting in Guyana. According to Elrington, it was very important to realize that for small countries, the only path to take was the diplomatic one. “And this entire region has been declared a region of peace,” He said. “No wars. So that the intention is that all disputes in the area are resolved diplomatically.”

While he made it clear that it was important to get support from the international community, he added that the support of local citizens was also crucial.

“The media has a huge responsibility to make sure that every single Guyanese understands the importance of this issue,” he said.

“Because this is an existential issue, one country seeking to take away another country’s (maritime zone).”

He was also adamant that CARICOM had the clout to influence international bodies such as the United Nations to take action.

“I have no doubt about that. We have had the United States President visiting CARICOM to speak to us.

The European Union wants to talk to CARICOM. I think everybody is becoming more and more aware of the

From left: Carl Greenidge, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Guyana with his Belizean counterpart Wilfred Elrington indispensable nature of the relationship.”

“We are inter-related and what affects me will ultimately affect you. It is only a matter of time. That realization makes it imperative for every nation, every grouping to think of peace and harmony in every region of the world.”

He made a reference to the refugee crisis, whereby Syrian and other refugees fleeing a region destabilized by war are being taken in by European countries.

The situation, however, is believed to have been a source of major dissatisfaction for the British, causing them to vote to leave the European Union in an unprecedented referendum.

“It is only a matter of time for disputes to get out of hand,” Elrington said.

“They are seeing what is happening in Africa, where people are going into Europe in droves. That, perhaps, could have been avoided if

more attention was placed on them in Africa.”

“That realization is becoming more and more apparent and it is for that reason that countries of the world are looking to CARICOM leaders for leadership, to ensure that CARICOM leaders are able to provide for their people.”

President David Granger, during the closing Press Conference of the 37th Regular Meeting of the Conference of the Heads of Government of CARICOM at the Pegasus Hotel on Wednesday, had said, “This conference was an iteration of Caribbean solidarity.”

“CARICOM gave its support to Guyana’s demand that the matter be settled peacefully through a juridical process. The community stands united behind Guyana.

“We hope that by the time the United Nations SecretaryGeneral demits office at the

end of this year, we would have had information confirming that we are going to court to settle this long standing dispute that has affected us for the last 50 years.” CARICOM, in reiterating its support for a juridical settlement through the office of the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations, acknowledged in its Communiqué issued at the close of the conference that a resolution would not only serve the interests of Guyana but also CARICOM, as this is a regional issue.

The Communiqué states that CARICOM “signaled their full confidence in the Secretary-General to exercise urgently his authority under the 1966 Geneva Agreement for a choice of options that would bring the controversy to a definitive and judicious conclusion that would be beneficial not only to Guyana but the Caribbean Community as a whole.”

$$Millions in overpayments to Contractors...

From page 11 Lot Three was $349.007 million. Payments made at the time of the report totalled $278.346 million.

The contract completion date expired on June 17, 2015 and at the time of the physical verification on September 18, 2015 works along the roadway were incomplete.

It was noted that the contractor had submitted bonds for two Advance Payments. Those bonds expired in 2014 and it is unclear whether the advance payments were recovered at the time the physical verification was performed.

Only an advanced payment of 50% was allowed under the contract, however, according to the audit, the contractor received advance payments of $174.504 million (50%) and $37.415 million

PAGE 23

Kaieteur News

(10%). This represented 60% of the contract sum which was a clear breach of the contractual terms.

After the advance payments were made, additional funds were spent on the project.

This took the total payments to $278.346 million.

At the time of the physical verification, the value of the work done on the site was $157.663 million. Therefore there was an excess of $120.683 million in payments to the company.

Lot Four The audit report stated that the contractor for Lot Four was also paid two advance payments which amounted to 60% of the total contract sum. This was another breach of the contractual terms since only an advance payment of 50%

was allowed. A bond was submitted for the first payment which expired in 2014. No bond was presented for the second payment.

The contract sum for Lot Four was $322.369 million.

Total payments made at the time of the report totalled $209.215 million.

At the end of the physical verification conducted on September 18, 2015, the work done at Lot Four was valued at $76.954 million. Therefore the contractor received an overpayment of $132.729

million. According to the report, on the date of the physical verification by the Audit Office, the works on the sites were incomplete and had been abandoned. A drive along the highway shows clearly the abandoned outskirts of the roadway.

After making contact with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure concerning the matter, this newspaper was informed that it is currently before cabinet and the Ministry has not received a response on the matter as yet.

LEGAL NOTICE 2013-HC-DEM-CIV-D-1151 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE DIVORCE AND M AT R I M O N I A L JURISDICTION(DIVORCE) BETWEEN: COUCHMAN (LINDON GILLAN) Petitioner -and COUCHMAN (CAMILLE ANDREA) nee LYNCH Respondent CITATION: TO: CAMILLE ANDREA COUCHMAN nee LYNCH 1904 Cordola Street, University Park, Chicago, Illinois, 71904, United States of America.

WHEREAS LINDON GILLAN COUCHMAN of 744 South Amelia’s Ward, Linden, Demerara, Guyana, claiming to have been lawfully married to you CAMILLE ANDREA COUCHMAN nee LYNCH of 1904 Cordola Street, University Park, Chicago, Illinois, 71904, United States of America has filed his Petition against you in the Registry of the High Court praying for a dissolution of marriage wherein he alleged that you have been guilty of Malicious Desertion.

AND UPON APPLICATION in person or by letter to Ms. Shaunella Glen, Attorney-atLaw of Lot 35 North Road & King Street, Lacytown, Georgetown, Guyana (email: shaunellaglen@gmail.com Tel: 592:226-2256) a sealed and certified copy of the said petition and sealed and certified copy of the citation will be delivered or sent to you.

NOW THIS IS TO COMMAND you that within 42 (forty-two) days after the service thereof on you, inclusive of the day of such service, you do appear in the said Court, and then to make an answer to the said Petition, a copy whereof sealed with the seal of the said Court is herewith served upon you.

AND TAKE NOTICE that in default of your so doing the said Court will proceed to hear the charge proved in due course of law to pronounce sentence therein your absence notwithstanding.

AND TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that for the purpose aforesaid you are to attend in person or by an Attorneyat-Law at the Registry of the said Court at the Law Courts, Georgetown, in the County of Demerara and State of Guyana, and then and there to enter an appearance in the book provided for that purpose without which you will not be allowed to address the Court either in person or

by Attorney-at-Law at any stage of the proceedings in this cause.

Dated at Georgetown, Demerara. This 26th Day of February 2016

From page 22

WANTED OFFICE CLERK MUST BE EXPERINCED IN COMPUTERS (EXCEL) & GENERAL OFFICE WORK WITH CXC @ RUIMVELDT – CALL: 231-8529 EXPERIENCED CHINESE CHEFTO LIVEAND WORK IN THE BVI, ACCOMMODATION WILL BE PROVIDED. CALL: 6149522; (1)284-496-7797 Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252/674-4665 Experienced waitress 1830yrs -$70,000 monthly, boarding & lodging free. Call: 610-5043 Domestic wanted-Call: 6000051 Night Manager, Security, DJ, waitresses, bartenders, 1 experienced secretary between ages 18-25, must have CXC –Call: 668-8332; 638-5303 Female domestic worker to work in Trinidad. age 21 to 40 years. Call 1868- 268- 5177 Experienced male salesperson must be able to multitask, communicate well & have computer skills @ KeyFood Trading McDoom.

One experienced cook to work in snackette & bar, must be able to clean –Call: 6477432; 223-5798

ACCOMMDATION Harmony Inn: clean, comfortable & affordable apartments/rooms, long & short term – Call: 668-0306; 218-1400; 694-7817

PAGE 22

SERVICES

SALON

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

- Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc.

- Cosmetology Courses: $120,000 - Technician Course: $45,000.

Call: 647-1773/660-5257

Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana p assport application.

Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 6267040; 265-4535.

Register now for summer courses in cosmetology and nails between 2nd -25th August – Cost $15,000 Call Abby:619-7603

INNOVATIVEMARKETING& PUBLISHINGINC–TEL:6004212: We create A/works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included.

Register now! Summer cosmetology courses @ Diamond E.B.D, 15th JulyAugust. Call: 216-1549; 602-9373

Repairs at low cost: Fridges, air- conditioners, washing machines, TVs, microwaves, freezers- Call:6294946 or 225-4822 RAMDASS VISA APPLICATION & immigration services, room A-4, Maraj Building, Georgetown. Call Samantha: 227-0295; 615-9295 Narine’s Trucking Service for sand, loam, stone etc.

Delivery-Call: 641-2477 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer-Call: 231-0655; 683-8734. Omar Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Guytec Repairs Services & Spares to washing machines, pressure washer, dryer, stoves, refrigerator, treadmill, vacuum, etc –Call: 680-2377 Are you looking for a babysitter or someone to do light chores? Then call: 6467368 Passport, permanent & visitor visa application, Professional Immigrant Consultant – Sabita Immigration Services. Call: 225-6496; 662-6045

LAND FOR SALE Land in La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.3M, $1.4M, Tuschen (front) $3.5M with house, water & light -Phase 2- $1.2M. Call: 642-1252 Gold & Diamond mining land for rent in the Ekereku Puruni & Siparuni area. Call: 668-3100 Herstelling 110ftX60ft, 2nd Bridge -$4M, 4th Bridge 100ftX50ft -$3M, La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.2M &$1.6M, Bartica -$3M. Call: 611-7223; 604-2207 Give away prices! Linden Highway, 21 Acres at Hararuni -$900,000 per acre, good for housing scheme/ agricultural development.

Call: 600-3486; 692-8216 TOURS

VEHICLE FOR SALE

PROPERTY FOR SALE

2010 IST -$2.6M, 2011 BLUEBIRD -$2.7M, 2011 RACTIS -$2.6M, 2009 AXIO -$2.4M, 2009 BELTA -2.4M. CALL: 617-2891

Corner property in Grove, 1 block from Main Road- Flat House, price negotiable. Call: 1905-626-2572

One Silver Premio excellent condition, PRR 3854 -$1.7M negotiable. Call: 682-4742 1 Black CRV, 2004 model, PNN series, female driven & in good condition. Interested person call: 624-1614, 225-0884 Toyota Runx, AT212, AT192, AT170, L-Touring Wagon, Raum, new model Tacoma, Nissan pickup, Honda Capa.

Call: 644-5096; 697-1453 AT192, 212, Allion, Premio, Hilux Surf, BRR, RZ & Pitbull, Pajero Junior, Spacio: Cash / terms- Call:680-3154 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 Tacoma- Call: 680-3154 Leyland Daf twin steer extra cab dump truck, in immaculate condition, later GVV series -$11,000,000-Call: 672-4092; 689-3616 Toyota double cab pick-up black 2L Diesel Turbo, late PVV series, best offer $2,600,000- Call: 672-4092; 689-3616 1 Lister Diesel generator with panel, breakers and a lot more features -$300,000 - Call: 6724092; 689-3616 1 Jailing scooter 150 -$75,000, 1 Leyland Daf twin steer 1260 dump truck in superb condition -$6,800,000. Call: 672-4092; 689-3616 2005 F350 Ford Pick-up truck, extra cabs, 4X4 diesel, in excellent condition, 4 inch, lift kit, 35 inch tyres. Call: 610-5370 Honda Civic M/Car “SS” series -$1.4M. Call: 696-2815 1 L-Touring Wagon (yellow) for sale $750,000 negotiable.

Call: 614-5962

Shiba Kaleko Rain ForestResort: school children f o r N a t u r e To u r i s m experience @ Rockstone, 45mins from Linden. Call: 618-4499 CAKES & PASTRIES Courses in cake decoration, pastry making & cookery; also edible images and Wedding dresses for sale.

Call: 670-0798

CAR RENTAL

CAR RENTAL

DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM

PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS& SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 , EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL @YAHOO. COM

Aidan’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up, cheapest rate, low security- Call: 698-7807

Saturday July 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

Wing’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up rental- Call: 690-6494

LEARN TO DRIVE Soman, Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997

High value transported land and 2 bedrooms newly built house, Greater Diamond E.B.D -$16M negotiable. Call: 265-4338 Two family house at Lot 32 Ann’s Grove Housing Scheme E.C.D -$20M negotiable- Call: 623-5423 2 Storey house, 5 bedrooms semi-furnished, 65 Palmyra Village, East Canje Berbice, price negotiable. Call: 6706688; 621-2066 Property @ Block 8 Mon Repos E.C.D, newly built 3 bedrooms concrete house $14.7M negotiable. Call: 6544312; 657-5330 Transported property @ Grove and Diamond $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461 1-Two bedrooms house in Diamond New Scheme, on main road. Call: 697-9140; 6803813; 216-0578 40X32 House @ Anna Catherina, W.C.D –Call: 6462341; 225-7164

FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.

MIX BREED PUPS –CALL: 615-0146 Zeelugt well fenced, water & light -$2M, Uitvlugt -$2.2M 50X105,(1) -2 Storey newly built concrete building -$26M Tuschen-Call: 642-1252 One shed boat with a 200HP Yamaha Engine and turn system, Parika –Supenaam route. Call: 680-5539 1 Wooden, deep sea fishing boat, complete with seine, engine, GPS, etc. Call: 6562496; 672-0014

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 1 complete 3 storey building for rent at 68 Pike St. Kitty Call: 615-8176 1-4 Storey building @ Charlotte Street Georgetown.

Call: 668-8332; 638-5303 Furnished luxury 2 & 3 bedrooms apartment for rentCall: 665-3505 1-2-4 Bedrooms new house to rent @ West Coast Demerara–Call immediately 276-0818

Rambutan seedlings plants $2,000 per plant. Call: 621-4778

Two bedroom house lot to rent @ Herstelling- Call: 6610420; 617-8739

German Shepherd puppies, 1 adult German Shepherd, 2 adult Rottweiler. Call: 2202277; 220-8904; 629-1471

1 Bedroom apartment to rent @ Queenstown –Call : 6768605; 656-5991 (serious enquiries)

110 Land Rover GSS 5539Call: 231-6322; 692-2521

3-Two bedrooms apartments for rent, serious enquires only-Call: 654-4110

New 17 KV generator- Call: 231-6322; 692-2521 220 & 240 volt, LDV Nissan diesel van- Call: 231-6322; 692-2521 New model land rover, engine, 5 speed gear transfer for 110- Call: 231-6322; 6922521

TO LET

FOR RENT

Pelican Inn Hotel, self contained & air conditioned rooms reasonable price- Call: 231-6322; 692-2521

VACANCY One nanny to take care and tutor a 1yr old baby boy.

Apply at Alabama Trading Georgetown Ferry Stelling.

Furnished 2 bedroom apartments in Nandy Park, parking available. For further information – Call: 619-4824; 233-5560

One 6 base music set with QSC amps, RCF speakers.

Call: 622-0503; 689-9932

One bedroom apartment, self contained & fully grilled, unfurnished @ Land of Canaan E.B.D. Call: 692-3617 (Navo), 642-0867 (Bob)

30’ Feet, aluminum jet boat, complete with all spares & accessories (financing available). Call: 668-3130

Clerical Staff/ inventory clerk apply in person with written application @ Nirva Supermarket. Call: 227-5771/ 49 Sheriff & Craig Street

Property for sale @ North Road Queenstown, bond in Eccles also 1 Toyota Fortuna for sale. Call: 226-9177 & 666-3303 EDUCATIONAL

Professional cosmetologist at Natural Beauty Salon & Spa, 110 Grove, Market Street E.B.D– Call: 652-5800

Fully furnished apartment @ South Park Place: 2 Bedroom long & Short term, unfurnished apartment in Benn St. -$40,000 monthly.

Call: 689-5877 2 Bedrooms bottom flat apartment EBD -$42,000. Call: 687-3017 One flat house, two bedrooms with toilet & bath at Grove, East Bank Demerara –Call: 266-0892; 681-1047 One three bedrooms house for rent @ Crane Housing Scheme -$50,000 monthly.

Call: 614-5962

Electronic Course. Starting 9th August. Hands-on training repairing all types of TVs,etc.Call:226-6551;225-0391 Phonics, reading, spelling classes for slow learners etc for summer classes, special private tutoring available.

Call:675-4379

One furnished room -$40,000 and one bedroom furnished apartment -$60,000 monthly.

Call: 665-7474; 612-3152

Summer Classes: Phonics, Reading, Language, Mathematics, Art & Craft & fun day (4-12yrs) July 18thAugust 12th @ Roxanne Burnham Gardens-Tel:2182076; 619-4355

Newly renovated 3 bedrooms house in safe and healthy environments-Call: 677-6638; 622-6512

Poor Grades or need reinforcement in modern language and mathematics then call: 671-2066/ 669-0525

Cashiers, Sales clerks & cleaners, apply in person with written application @ Nirva Supermarket. Call: 2275771/ 49 Sheriff & Craig Street

Control Room Assistants and Visiting Officers. Massy Security (Guyana) Inc. Lot 0 Ruimveldt, Georgetown.Tel: 225-5573/6 Popular East Coast Gas Station (Non-Pareil) Day/ Night: pump attendants, sales clerk & office assistant.

Contact: 695-9880 Salesman, must have experience and a valid truck licence. contact 624-0092 or info@fernandesgy.com Driver /Porters @ Telles Steel & Hardware. Call: 226-6771; 231-3265 One Trainee A.C, Refrigerator, Technician – Call: 231-0655 Continue page 23

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Saturday July 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

India’s Modi in South Africa for May and Leadsom vow to make EU talks with Zuma, trade summit immigration harder after Brexit Reuters - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma yesterday to discuss boosting investment and trade, in a continent where India is playing catch-up to its Asian rival China.

Modi in October hosted the leaders of 54 African nations, including Zuma, in the biggest India-Africa summit, promising $10 billion in credit to back a “partnership of prosperity”.

Modi, who arrived from Mozambique, is also due to visit Kenya and Tanzania.

“Indian companies hold strong business interests in South Africa. About onefourth of our investment in Africa are in this country and there is potential to expand our business ties,” Modi told a media conference before a business summit between the two countries in the capital Pretoria.

China’s annual trade with the continent is three times larger than India’s $72 billion.

South African trade statistics show that India’s exports to South Africa increased by 86 percent to 54 billion rand ($4 billion) in 2015 from 2011, while exports to India jumped 70 percent to 41 billion rand in the same period.

As well as trade and tourism, Zuma said the two countries would identify areas of cooperation “including the

South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma gestures next to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) during his state visit at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa yesterday. REUTERS/ SIPHIWE SIBEKO defence, deep mining, renewable energy and health sectors”.

Modi thanked Zuma for supporting India’s aspiration to join a club of countries controlling access to sensitive nuclear technology. “We know we can count on the active support of our friends like South Africa,” Modi said.

The 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group aims to prevent the proliferation of

nuclear weapons by restricting the sale of items used to make them. It was set up in response to India’s first nuclear test in 1974.

Opponents argue that granting India membership would further undermine efforts to prevent proliferation.

It would also infuriate India’s rival Pakistan, an ally of China’s, which has responded to India’s membership bid with one of its own.

Reuters - Both candidates seeking to become Britain’s next prime minister vowed in interviews published yesterday to impose tougher rules on EU citizens newly arriving in Britain, as they face a ballot of party members to choose David Cameron’s successor.

Just over two weeks since concerns over immigration pushed many Britons to back Brexit in a referendum, Home Secretary Theresa May and energy minister Andrea Leadsom both promised to restrict free movement of citizens from the EU. “People going on holiday or travelling on business or to collaborate on science will be able to do that but the right to reside and the right to work here will be under work permits,” Andrea Leadsom told The Times newspaper.

She also appeared to suggest that any EU citizen arriving after Sept. 9, the date a new leader will be chosen, might not have their ability to remain in Britain protected under EU rules: “Under free movement you don’t have to guarantee free movement for ever.”

Theresa May, who gained more support from Conservative MPs in a vote on Thursday, said she would change freedom of movement rules.

“If I am prime minister, we

Theresa May, Andrea Leadsom will come out of the European Union and part of that will be control of free movement,” May told The Daily Telegraph newspaper.

Controlling the number of new arrivals to Britain was a major driver for many of the 52 percent of Britons who backed leaving the European Union but Britain may have to accept EU citizens in return for access to the single market.

When Britons were asked to choose between the two, 48 percent of voters said they favoured keeping market access compared to 37 percent who said capping immigration from Europe was more important, according to a survey by ORB for The Independent newspaper published on Friday.

Around 150,000 grassroots members of the ruling Conservative Party will choose a successor to Cameron by Sept. 9.

In what could turn into a increasingly personal contest between the two candidates, Leadsom mentioned the fact that Theresa May does not have children in an interview with The Times newspaper.

“She possibly has nieces, nephews, lots of people, but I have children who are going to have children who will directly be a part of what happens next,” she was quoted as saying in an article headlined: “Being a mother gives me edge on May”.

She tweeted late yesterday: “Truly appalling and the exact opposite of what I said.

I am disgusted.”

South Korea, U.S. to deploy THAAD NATO agrees to reinforce eastern missile defense, drawing China rebuke Poland, Baltic states against Russia

Reuters - NATO leaders agreed yesterday to deploy military forces to the Baltic states and eastern Poland for the first time and increase air and sea patrols to reassure allies who were once part of the Soviet bloc following Russia’s seizure of Crimea from Ukraine.The 28-nation Western defense alliance decided to move four battalions totaling 3,000 to 4,000 troops into northeastern Europe on a rotating basis to display its readiness to defend eastern members against any Russian aggression.

However, they also underlined their willingness to pursue a dialogue with Moscow and revive confidencebuilding measures that Russia has spurned since its 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for Russian-speaking rebels in eastern Ukraine.

“These battalions will be robust and they will be multinational. They make clear that an attack on one ally will be considered an attack on the whole alliance,” NATO

Barack Obama Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference after the summit’s first working session in Warsaw, the Polish capital.

President Barack Obama said the United States would deploy about 1,000 soldiers in Poland under the plan “to enhance our forward presence in central and eastern Europe”. Germany will lead the battalion in Lithuania,

Britain in Estonia and Canada in Latvia. Other nations such as France will supply troops.

White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters that what he called continued aggression by Russia would provoke a response by NATO and a greater alliance presence in Eastern Europe.

Obama said earlier that Britain’s referendum vote to leave the European Union, an outcome he sought to avoid, should not weaken the Western alliance but raised “significant questions” about the future of European integration. America’s “special relationship” with the UK would survive, the president said.

Obama discussed the procedure for Britain’s withdrawal with the heads of the main EU institutions, Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker, and was assured there would be an orderly transition to as close an economic relationship as possible and no punishment of Britain, Rhodes told reporters.

Reuters - South Korea and the United States said yesterday they would deploy an advanced missile defense system in South Korea to counter the threat from nuclear-armed North Korea, drawing a sharp and swift protest from neighbouring China.

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, anti-missile system will be used only as protection against North Korea’s growing nuclear and ballistic

missile capabilities, South Korea’s Defence Ministry and the U.S. Defense Department said.

“This is an important ... decision,” General Vincent Brooks, commander of U.S. forces in South Korea, said in a statement. “North Korea’s continued development of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction require the alliance to take this prudent, protective measure to bolster our ... missile defense.”

The announcement came a day after the U.S. Treasury Department blacklisted leader North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for human rights abuses. North Korea called this “a declaration of war” and vowed a tough response.

Beijing said yesterday it lodged complaints with the U.S. and South Korean ambassadors over the THAAD decision. It also criticized the decision to impose sanctions on the leader of its ally North Korea.

U.S. military veteran aimed to ‘kill white people’ in Dallas police ambush Reuters - A black U.S. military veteran of the Afghan war who said he wanted to “kill white people” opened fire in a sniper attack in which five police officers were slain at a protest decrying police shootings of black men, officials said yesterday. Seven other police officers and two civilians were wounded in the ambush in downtown Dallas on Thursday night, officials said. Po-

lice killed the gunman, identified by authorities as 25-yearold Micah Johnson, with a bomb-carrying robot after cornering him in a parking lot, ending an hours-long standoff.

The sound of gunfire sent a panicked crowd of hundreds of protesters screaming and running for their lives near the end of an otherwise peaceful march to protest police killings of black men this week

in Minnesota and Louisiana.

Police officers patrolling the demonstration at the time believed they were under attack by several gunmen.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told reporters in New York that “at this time, there appears to have been one gunman, with no known links to or inspiration from any international terrorist organisation.”

Saturday July 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

Cuba parliament meets amid fiscal woes, energy restrictions HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s parliament convened yesterday for one of its twice-annual plenary sessions amid warnings from government officials that the country needs to cut energy use and as hopes among many islanders for deepened economic reforms.

The National Assembly is expected to approve an economic roadmap that emerged from a spring Communist Party congress. The reforms begun six years ago under President Raul Castro have allowed a smattering of private-sector activity, although the state still controls crucial areas of the economy.

Officials warned last week that falling prices of exports and other economic problems mean Cubans need to adopt power- and fuel-saving measures. So far those have included reduced bus services, cutting back on airconditioning at public offices, reduced work days at some state buildings and slashing fuel allotments for government vehicles by half.

Cuba’s President Raul Castro, left, talks with Vice President Miguel Diaz Canel during the opening of the National Assembly session in Havana, Cuba, yesterday. (Ismael Francisco, Cubadebate via AP) The official website Cubadebate said Castro and 505 members of parliament opened the full session at a convention centre in Havana.

International media were not allowed access to the gathering.

Lawmakers have been meeting in committee during

the week to discuss matt e r s s u c h a s C u b a ’s chronic housing crisis, food quality and customs regulations.

Cuba’s is not a professional parliament. Instead, members keep their normal jobs and gather twice a year to approve laws.

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Saturday July 09, 2016

Saturday July 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

Iraqi PM dismisses top Baghdad security officials after huge bombing Reuters - Iraq’s prime minister fired three officials in charge of Baghdad’s security yesterday after last weekend’s bombing that killed nearly 300 people and caused public outrage over the inadequacy of the emergency services and security apparatus.

The bombing, claimed by the ultra-hardline Sunni militant group Islamic State (IS), was the deadliest in Iraq since U.S.-led forces toppled Saddam Hussein 13 years ago.

Islamic State has lost ground since last year to U.S.backed government forces and Iranian-backed Shi’ite Muslim militias advancing into territories they control in northern and western Iraq, but IS retains the ability to strike the heart of Baghdad.

A statement posted on Prime Minister Haider alAbadi’s Facebook page said he had dismissed the commanders of military operations, security services and intelligence in the capital.

“The sacking of the Baghdad Operations Commander was due to accumulated mistakes that cannot be overlooked,” one senior security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“It is a difficult decision and came at a critical time because we are engaged in a

Haider al-Abadi tough battle with Daesh, but it had to be made because of the catastrophic failure,” he said. Daesh is a derogatory Arabic acronym for Islamic State.

The commander of the Joint Operations Command, General Talib Shaghati alKenani, has been put in temporary charge of security in the capital, the security official said. The Joint Operations Command coordinates Iraqi armed forces and U.S.-led coalition air support used in military operations against Islamic State.

The official said the bombing was clear evidence of the weakness of the security apparatus in Baghdad.

“The car bomb came from

outside the capital, crossing dozens of checkpoints before reaching the target. All of them answer to the operations command,” he said.

Interior Minister Mohammed Ghabban resigned on Tuesday, after blaming the bombing on a lack of communication between the various forces in charge of security in Baghdad.

Abadi approved Ghabban’s resignation on the same day he tendered it, according to a statement on the premier’s website.

Iraq’s top Shi’ite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, yesterday criticised the Abadi government’s failure to deal effectively with the threat Islamic State poses.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday July 09, 2016

Saturday July 09, 2016

PAGE 29

Kaieteur News

West Indies stalwarts perplexed by Denesh Ramdin exclusion Cricbuzz - Renowned former West Indies wicketkeepers, Jeff Dujon, Deryck Murray and Jackie Hendricks, have stated their surprise and disappointment at the news that Denesh Ramdin will be excluded from the West Indies Test squad for the upcoming home series against India.

Although the West Indies are yet to announce the squad for the India Tests, Ramdin alerted the public on twitter of his axing by new chairman of selectors, Courtney Browne.

“While I can vaguely understand the explanations by selectors regarding his average, especially when comparing it to other keepers

around the world, but in the current context of the West Indies team, his exclusion, at this time, doesn’t make sense,” Dujon, who averaged 31.94 in 81 Tests as part of the legendary West Indies 1980s team, told Cricbuzz.

“If this is true, I’m very disappointed and confused.

(It) brings into the question what really is the selection policy and their understanding of the importance and role of a wicket-keeper”, said Murray, who held the gloves with distinction for the Caribbean side for 17 years from 1963-1980.

“Call me old fashioned, but I maintain the belief long after my playing days that you always pick your best

keeper first - even more so in Test cricket. All other factors regarding batting ability or otherwise is secondary,” he added.

“Recently, the CPL game that the Trinbago Knight riders were playing, Umar Akmal, a makeshift keeper, missed a stumping from Sunil Narine to dismiss Chris Gayle before he scored a hundred.

How do you equate that moment when a wicket-keeper makes such a blunder against how much runs you want from him when batting?” he reasoned.

Ramdin’s inconsistent run-scoring needed to be taken into proper context and the three legendary former keepers stressed that point.

Saturday July 09, 2016 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Being unappreciated by your boss could make it hard to do your work effectively. Your charm and generosity will bring new friends and romantic opportunities.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Go out with friends or family. You can make new friends who could turn into intimate connections if you join clubs or take creative courses.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Don't jump as quickly as you usually do. If you haven't already, consider starting your own business. You can certainly gain popularity; however, don't do it by paying for everyone else.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Do not confront situations unless you are sure you have a good understanding of the dilemma. You may have taken on a little too much, but you will enjoy every minute of it.

Do not let others exhaust you financially.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Property investments, insurance, tax rebates, or inheritance should bring you financial gains. Put your thoughts into some trendy new ideas.

You will be ready to jump on anyone who gets in the way of your progress today.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Your versatile mind and common sense will allow you to come up with various solutions. Travel opportunities look positive, but be cautious while driving. You can expect sorrow to evolve from the information you discover.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Look at your options before making commitments that could jeopardize your financial position. Cutbacks at work will be a cause for worry.

Take a second look; difficulties with appliances, water, or electricity in your home may be evident.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Your charm will attract members of the opposite sex.

Things have been moving so quickly that you need to do something physical to release your tension. Focus your efforts on details, and keep to yourself in order to finish your work.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Dead end projects could plague you. Those you care about may oppose your ideas.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Plan some family outings.

Opportunities for new partnerships will develop through the organizations you encounter. If you take on too much, you will find yourself in martyrdom.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Be on your best behavior.

Problems with appliances or electrical gadgets will drive you crazy. Opportunities will come through behind the scenes activities.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Group endeavors will provide you with entertainment. Be aware that joint financial ventures could fall apart. Your reputation may be at stake if you partake in gossip.

He has at times been asked to bat out of position at number six, whereas in the One-Day Internationals and T20 Internationals, he’s even been asked to bat at number five.

“Considering how experienced an opposition India is, his experience and his value as a good player versus spin are still key,” Dujon said. “He is the best equipped keeperbatsman right now in West Indies, the batting and balancing of the team has been weakened for a long time by them placing him to bat too high in Tests.”

“So to drop (him) before this series, you are in effect making the batting line-up more brittle. (I) don’t know if the new chairman is trying to make some statement, but it’s clearly not wise,” added Dujon.

“I’ve been a little bit at sea at what the selectors are doing for a fair while now”, noted Hendricks, the West Indies keeper during the 1960s. “The teams are so unbalanced, which is forcing Ramdin to bat out of position.

So if the issue is not with his wicket-keeping, the selectors need to focus more on the toporder batsmen who aren’t scoring runs consistently” “You asking him to bat in positions that specialist batsmen should be in and when he struggles - you drop him because he not making runs?” queried Murray. “I hope to hear a clear explanation from the selectors on this, however such things are usually not forthcoming from WICB, but that’s another story.”

As one of few senior West Indies players who is still contracted by the WICB - this dropping caps off a difficult 18 months of alleged ill treatment by the Caribbean cricket administrators towards Ramdin, following the abandoned 2014 tour of India.

On return from that tour, the Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board controversially took away his domestic captaincy. The board jumped to conclusions claiming he displayed poor leadership in India. The WICB-appointed task force then had completed its investigation and concluded that the players, WICB & WIPA were equally at fault.

In 2015, he was then stripped of Test captaincy after the home series loss to Australia, despite leading the Windies to a 1-1 draw against England in the previous series.

To top it all, the WICB’s unusual decision in February to prevent contracted players from being able to sign up for Caribbean Premier League (CPL) teams will cost Ramdin financially now that he won’t

The lack of a steady batting position has been central to Denesh Ramdin’s indifferent performances. © Getty be part of the Test team either.

Only weeks before CPL 2016 began, the board released players mainly due to coach Phil Simmons’s intervention. This indecision by the WICB meant that Ramdin was unable to continue his role as captain of CPL team, Guyana Amazon Warriors, and get a full franchise contract. Due to this, the Warriors

decided to name New Zealander Martin Guptil as their captain.

Ramdin is now signed up for the St. Lucia Zouks franchise on a pay-per-play contract and unless Zouks firstchoice keeper, Andre Fletcher, is dropped or injured, Ramdin is unlikely to play and will end up missing out on significant Test and CPL remunerations.

(Cricbuzz)

Permaul pleased with...

(From page 28) it is going to be a good game, every game is going to be tough e specially away from home, so will try and get the momentum

ba c k o n t r a c k a n d steal a win in Barbados,” he said.

The Warriors will take on St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots today.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 30

Saturday July 09, 2016

Cummings wins as Pinot cracks on chaotic stage LAC DE PAYOLLE, FRANCE (Reuters) Briton Stephen Cummings powered away on the Col d’Aspin to claim a second career Tour de France stage win as overall contender Thibaut Pinot cracked in a seventh stage that ended in chaos on Friday.

As Team Dimension Data rider Cummings celebrated his stunning solo win, back down the road the inflatable arch marking 1km to go deflated and slowed down the bunch, sending fellow Briton Adam Yates crashing.

Organisers said they were taking into account the times at the 3km mark.

B e l g i a n G r e g Va n Avermaet retained the

overall leader’s yellow jersey at the end of the 162.5km trek L’Isle Jourdain.

Cummings, who last year won in Mende, jumped a h e a d o f t h e d a y ’s breakaway and held off 2014 Tour champion Vincenzo Nibali on the Col d’Aspin, the first big climb of this y e a r ’s r a c e , b e f o r e descending safely to the Lac de Payolle to give his African-based team their fourth stage win this year.

Mark Cavendish had already won three sprints and Cummings showed again that Dimension Data could also play a role in the mountains as the Tour entered the Pyrenees.

MASK OF PAIN “Of all my victories, I

Quarterfinal battle for Mayor’s Cup starts tomorrow at Victoria Ground Quarterfinal action in this year’s Mayor’s Cup football championship will commence tomorrow evening at the Victoria Ground with a double header starting from 6:00pm as teams intensify their hunt for the Aruwai Resort first and Ansa McAl second prizes among others on offer.

The opening game is not a quarterfinal encounter, however, the winner secures a place in the quarterfinal round.

That opening contest pits Eagles of Linden coming up against Uitvlugt of the West Demerara.

The night cap set to start from 8:00pm will see Ann’s Grove of the East Coast Demerara taking on Cougars in the first quarterfinal of the tournament.

Led by midfielder Andre Murray, Ann’s Grove are expected to go for the jugular as they plan to claim that place on offer. Cougars on the other hand, as their name suggest, will come out fighting, tooth and nails, and a keenly contested match is in the making.

The teams are battling for the top prize of $700,000 and a trophy donated by Aruwai Resort. The second place team pockets $300,000 and the Ansa McAl trophy, while the third p l a c e t e a m c a r t s o ff $200,000 and the John Fernandes trophy.

The fourth place finishers will receive $100,000 and the Ministry

Andre Murray of State trophy. Ricks and Sari has also donated hampers which will go to the winning team, while tournament’s top goal scorer will get a three piece suite compliments of AH&L Kissoon Furniture Store.

Top Brandz of Broad and High Streets, distributors of Interstate vehicle batteries, is among the key sponsors on board assisting the tournament. Aruwai Resort of the Essequibo River is also another main supporter of this year’s event and Coordinator Lennox Arthur has expressed thanks to all t h e s p o n s o r s .

Apart from Aruwai Resort and Top Brandz, among others on board include: Ansa McAl, Minister of State Joe Harmon and his ministry, John Fernandes, Ricks and Sari and AH&L Kissoon.

Due certain unforeseen circumstances, the organisers had to change the scheduled matches fixed for today at the GFC ground.

think it’s the best one.

The Tour is the Tour, it’s special,” said Cummings, who was overlooked by British Cycling for this year’s Rio Olympics that will be held on a course suiting his profile.

“The Olympics is the Olympics, they made the selection. I’m over it, as an athlete you just deal with disappointment. This (the Tour) is the biggest show, it’s much bigger Team Dimension Data rider Stephen Cummings of Britain than any O lympic wins on the finish line in the Tour de France cycling race, 162.5 km (101 miles) Stage 7 from L’Isle-Jourdain to Lac de Games.”

In the main bunch, Payolle, France. (REUTERS/JUAN MEDINA) Pinot’s FDJ team pulled in front at the foot of mask of pain.

S p a i n ’s D a n i N a v a r r i Aspin, a 12km ascent at an He crossed the line more (Cofidis) took third place average gradient of 6.5 than 2-1/2 minutes behind 1:05 behind Cummings. percent, but the Frenchman, the other top guns.

Cummings was part of a third in the 2014 Tour and South African Daryl 29-man breakaway that split one of the main favourites, I m p e y ( O r i c a - B i k e into several groups with was then dropped, his face a Exchange) was second and about 30km left. He attacked

with 27km remaining and never looked back.

Van Avermaet, who managed to be in the day’s break, took fifth place, over a minute ahead of the top favourites, to extend his lead to 6:36 over F r a n c e ’s J u l i a n Alaphilippe and 6:38 over Spain’s Alejandro Valverde.

D e f e n d i n g champion Chris Froome and last year’s runner-up Nairo Quintana stayed fifth a n d s e v e n t h respectively, both 6:42 off the pace.

Va n Av e r m a e t , however, is unlikely to retain his lead after Saturday’s eighth stage, a gruelling 184km ride featuring three top climbs including the iconic Col du Tourmalet.

Jebon Crawford whips field to win URP 45 miles cycle race in Berbice Jebon Crawford continued his dominant performance in the cycling arena in Berbice when he distanced himself from the field for a dominating performance to win the feature 45 miles cycle road race organized by the Flying Ace Cycle Club and sponsored by The United Republican Party (URP).

The event, which was held on Sunday last for cyclists in Berbice only, began in front of the Calypso Hut at Friendship, Corentyne, Berbice proceeded to Esplanade, New Amsterdam and return to its place of origin.

Crawford, who has been in good form, was in a class by himself as he took control in the vicinity of the Canje Bridge on the return journey and never looked back as he extended the lead for a convincing win in 1hr:51 minutes.

Following home in second place some two miles behind was Brian Harris.

The evergreen rider Samuel Mootoo rose to the occasion for his best placing of third, while Andrea “Padlock” Green rode in fourth ahead of Syborne Fernandes in fifth.

When the race began the U16 riders were given a five minutes head start which gave then a good advantage with Zaman Khan and

Dr Bandhu presents the winning trophy to Jebon Crawford as other outstanding performers and organisers pose for a photo opportunity.

Damion Bowman taking the lead for an early duel. They were soon caught by the main pack consisting of Jebon Crawford, Romello Crawford; English based Franco Crawford and Fernandes.

Despite the keen competition with each rider looking for the break the leading pack stayed together until the turn back point.

Again the riders went at each other looking for the break and as the cyclists descended the Canje Bridge on the return journey Jebon Crawford made his move as the riders separated. It was a one man show after.

Taking advantage of the head start U16 rider Zaman Khan continues to show

progress as he took a big lead. He was however caught in the Fyrish area by Crawford and Hicks who made an early break from the main bunch.

The three cyclists rode together for a while before Khan was dropped.

In the U16 category Khan took first place with Cameshwar Dhani second ahead of Bowman who placed third and Corwin Collins fourth.

Among the females Tamika Teixeira won ahead of Whitney Poyer.

The sprint point prizes were shared between Khan who grabbed the first two, while Jebon Crawford took four, Romello Crawford one and Mootoo one.

The female cyclist rode from NO1 Road to the finish line.

Speaking at the ceremony organizer and c o a c h o f t h e FA C C Randolph Roberts thanked the URP and its leader Dr. Vi s h n u B a n d h u f o r sponsoring the race. He also urged others to come on board and assist persons to be involved in productive activities.

Dr Bandhu who was on hand to do the presentation expressed delight in being given the opportunity to assist the club and the cyclists to stay away from illicit activities.

He plans to be of assistance in the future.

(Samuel Whyte)

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 09, 2016

Fitting tributes as veteran weightlifter, Sydney ‘Sandow’ Paul laid to rest He spent sixty-eight years of his life ‘pumping iron,’ the term used for the noble, demanding sport of weightlifting. Even after his active years were over, Sydney Paul aka ‘Sandow’ continued to render service to the sport he loved and eventually constructed a gym where young lifters honed their skills to perfection.

Yesterday afternoon several of Paul’s protégées joined family members, friends and other sympathizers to bid a final farewell to Paul who was called to higher plains on June 28 last at the ripe age of 96.

Mourners convened at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue, to have a final glimpse of their fallen hero while reminiscing on his life. Family members cried openly while members of the weightlifting community bravely withheld their tears though their

countenance failed to truly camouflage their feelings.

Shortly after the culmination of the ceremony, friends of Paul joined family members at the St Pius RC Church for scripture reading. Mourners also paid tribute to the weightlifting stalwart in song while Father Malcolm Rodrigues delivered the final commendation. A short ceremony was then held at the graveside, at the LeRepentir cemetery where family members and friend sent Paul off with the fitting hymn ‘God be with you till we meet again.’

As the inscription on the memory card fittingly advocated, “I was truly blessed; continue traditions no matter how small, Go on with your lives don’t stare at the wall. I miss you all dearly so keep up your chin. Until that final day we’re together again.”

The remains of the late Sydney ‘Sandow’ Paul being moved at the St Pius RC Church during yesterday’s proceedings.

Global Health Services and RHTY&SC cricket teams assist schools Global Health Services of Alberttown, Georgetown and the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club’s cricket teams have teamed up to assist schools in Berbice with trophies, prizes and medals for their graduation ceremonies.

They also assisted the New Amsterdam Secondary in honouring a Retired Teacher and another five Outstanding Teachers for service of the highest standards.

The eight cricket teams donated over $100,000 worth of trophies, medals and hampers to several schools in the Lower Corentyne and Central Corentyne areas.

The schools are Rose Hall Town Primary, Rose Hall Town Nursery, Tain Primary, Port Mourant Primary and Fyrish Nursery.

The Club also hosted the Global Health Services Tribute to Outstanding Teachers Programme at the New Amsterdam Secondary.

The five teachers honoured for outstanding performances during the last y e a r w e r e Ta m e s h w a r Mohabir, Roseann Williams, Nasrudeen Ally, Lucieann Lagadaau and Erica Hooper.

RHTY&SC Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster hands over trophies to representatives of the three schools.

Outstanding educator Leon Hooper was also recognised on his retirement after serving over 31 years.

Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster stated that the club was quite passionate about making sure that every child in Berbice fulfils his/her potential in school and sports.

The club and teams along with the active Educational Committee as part of this effort, regularly assists schools, NGO’s and sports organisations to fulfil their respective mandates.

Foster expressed disappointment that no other sports organisation in Guyana especially cricket clubs is following the RHTYSC and its teams’ example of serving others that are not members of their entity.

He expressed gratitude to Mr. Deonarine Etwaru of Global Health Services for his assistance towards the RHTY&SC’s Say Yes to Education Campaign.

Representatives of the schools expressed gratitude to the club and teams for

their assistance.

The teachers also congratulated the club on its achievements over the years and on becoming the first youth and sports organisation to receive a National Award.

The teams making the donation were the Rose Hall Town Farfan and Mendes Under-15, Bakewell Under17 and Second Division, Pepsi Under-19 and Intermediate, Metro Females and Gizmos & Gadgets Under-21 and First Division teams.

PAGE 31

Digicel Schools Football Championship

Chase Academic Foundation hammers GITC to advance to next stage Kelsey Benjamin fired in eight goals as Georgetown champs Chase Academic Foundation inflicted a crushing 24-0 win over Guyana Industrial Training Centre (GITC) as play in the Digicel Schools Football Championship continued on Thursday, at the Ministry of Education ground.

The margin of victory was one goal short of matching the largest ever scoreline in the tournment history and featured ten different scorers.

Benjamin netted in the 23rd, 36th, 38th, 61st, 69th, 80st, 81st and 83rd minute, while the next best scorers were Jeremy Garrett with a hat-trick in the sixth, 21st and 32nd minute and Daniel Floy, who also scored three

times in the fifth, 11th and 29th minute.

Shomol Smith, who netted in the fourth and 78th minutes, Stephon Reynolds in the 25th and 76th minutes and Job Caesar in the 50th and 64th minutes scored a pair apiece.

Completing their tally w e r e Ry a n H a c k e t t , Reshawn Ritch, Marvin Carter and Timothy Alberts, who scored in the 19th, 26th, 74th and 78th minute respectively.

Meanwhile, over at the Tucville ground, South Ruimveldt edged East Ruimveldt 1-0.

At the Leonora Sports F a c i l i t y, Ve r g e n o e g e n Secondary defeated Stewartville 4-2 on penalty kicks after normal time finished 2-2.

Guyana Association of Women Police, Rising Sun stage Charity Horserace meet July 17 The Rising Sun Turf Club is expected to come alive on Sunday 17th July when that entity in collaboration with the Guyana Association of Women Police holds a grand one day Fund Raising horserace meet at the Club’s entity, Arima Park, Rising Sun West Coast Berbice.

Five races are listed for the day with over $2M in prize monies, trophies and other memorabilia at stake and with a few more horses to be added the entries are expected to pass 60.

Once again the top race is for the E class horses as the bigger animals continue to recuperate after their hectic season.

Many are still out with injuries.

Most of the big stables were secretly preparing for the event and from reports all of the animals were looking in excellent condition. The horses from the Mahaicony, Mahaica along with the Habibulla stables and animals on the upper West Coast Berbice were having their workout right at the host venue. The Jumbo Jet Stable and the Bacchus Hard Running stable among others were busy whipping their animals into shape. The animals from the Sheriff Racing Stable along with the Singh stables were reportedly also doing their thing at the various tracks and dams on the West Coast Berbice.

Over on the East Berbice it was the same story with horses from the Jagdeo, the Elcock and the Crawford stables, DeRoop Simple Royal stable along with some others were making use of all the race tracks on the East Berbice. Other horses were also fitting in their schedule at the various race tracks as they will be looking to upset the bigger guns.

The feature event is for horses classified E and lower with a winning purse of $300,000.

The J class race has a winning purse of $160,000 and trophy. The K class event is for a winner’s money of $140,000 and trophy. The ‘L’ class gallop has a top prize of $120,000 and trophy.

The final event is for Guyana Bred maiden two year old horses for a take home pay of $100,000 and trophy.

Other incentives on offer will be for champion jockey, champion stable and champion trainer compliments of the Trophy Stall, Bourda Market and the organizers.

Interested persons can contact Inspector Cynthia Kelly on 622 5975, Fazal Habibulla at Chester Fry Bush Lot West Coast Berbice on Telephone No 232-0232 or 657-7010 All proceeds go towards charity. Race time is 13:00 hrs.

(Samuel Whyte)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 32

Saturday July 09, 2016

SUNBUST continues support of Narayan Ramdhani Continental Group of Companies through its popular juice brand, SUNBURST Orange Juice has maintained its support towards the continued development of national Badminton champion, Narayan Ramdhani, three years and counting.

Marketing and Sales Manager of Continental Group of Companies, Mr. Avalon Jagnandan noted that the company is pleased to continue its association with Ramdhani since he has been a good brand Ambassador for one of the company’s signature brands.

Jagnandan remarked that he was happy to see Ramdhani move up the

Mr. Avalon Jagnandan, Marketing and Sales Manager of Continental Group of Companies hands over sponsorship cheque to National Badminton Champion Narayan Ramdhani in the presence of GBA President, Mr. Gokarn Ramdhani, and Marketing Representatives of the Sunburst Juice Brand. international rankings; presently ranked #53 in the world, # 3 in Pan America and # 1 in the Caribbean.

He added that due to the Sunburst Brand Ambassador’s local and international performances,

he was also awarded the 2015 Junior Sportsman of the Year award by the National Sports

Commission.

Consumers of SUNBURST were commended by Jagnandan

for their support towards this locally manufactured juice, since it’s through the consumption of the product nationwide that Continental Agencies Ltd is able to give back to the development of youth and sports in Guyana.

The Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) has expressed gratitude to Continental Group of Companies for their unflinching investment.

In 2016, Ramdhani has been performing extremely well and is preparing for the P a n a m J u n i o r Championship in Peru this month, The Caribbean Games in Aruba in August and the World Juniors in Spain in November.

Permaul pleased with performance; Reliable Murray crushes to reach Wimbledon final Gayle not too bothered about defeat Berdych LONDON (Reuters) At

Veerasammy Permaul

By Zaheer Mohamed Left arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul said he is please with his performance against the Jamaica Tallawahs on Thursday night at Providence. Permaul picked up 3-20 to help bowl out the Tallawahs for 100. Chris Ly n n t h e n s t r u c k a n unbeaten 39 as the Guyana Amazon Warriors responded with 101-3, winning by seven wickets and 12 balls to spare on the difficult pitch.

Speaking with the media after the game, Permaul said bowling wicket to wicket was crucial in restricting their opponents.

“The pitch here is slow so it was important to bowl wicket to wicket. The two wickets that we took early on set back Jamaica. We continue to bowl tight and were able to pick up wickets at crucial stages of the game which was important,” he added.

Permaul stated that victories in their first two games boosted the players.

Chris Gayle makes a point to one of his players during the game against the Warriors.

“We started pretty well outside Guyana so we came home with a lot of confidence and starting well here will serve us well for the games coming up,” he said, adding that it is vital to keep the momentum going.

The Tallawahs skipper Chris Gayle who was lbw to left arm seamer Sohail Tanvir without scoring related that he is not too bothered about the loss.

“There is not too much to worry about at this point in time, this is only our third game so it’s still early in the tournament and you do not want to put anyone under the any particular pressure. But hopefully we can try and improve in all areas and once we get it right then we should be unbeatable,” he posited.

He explained that they batted badly but is confident they can get back to winning

ways. “It was a difficult game to loose, but making 100 runs is always going to be hard. We batted poorly but at the same time it is a game of cricket and one team has got to loose and unfortunately we were on the losing side. However we hope to rebound,” stated Gayle.

The skipper credited Rovman Powell who top scored with 39 for the Tallawahs. “You have to give credit to Powell, he batted with maturity which is very good and hopefully he can build on this and I think he will get better with the way he got about his innings.”

The Tallawahs next assignment is against the Barbados Tridents and Gayle is positive they can come out victorious. “The Tridents are a good team and (Continued on page 25)

least Britain can rely on Andy Murray.

With post-Brexit turmoil engulfing the nation’s political landscape, sterling plummeting and England’s soccer team licking its wounds after a Euro 2016 humiliation, old faithful Murray provided some cheer by reaching a third Wimbledon final on Friday.

In tormenting Czech 10th seed Tomas Berdych 63 6-3 6-3 on Centre Court, world number two Murray booked an 11th grand slam final appearance, a new British record ahead of Fred Perry.

He has contested the final of every grand slam this year and is on an 11-match winning streak on grass — a run coinciding with his reunion with former coach Ivan Lendl.

It will not be the dream final everyone hoped for though at the All England Club. Not that Murray will care.

Instead of world number one Novak Djokovic, sent packing on middle Saturday, or seven-times champion Roger Federer, standing in the way of a second Wimbledon title will be Milos Raonic.

The big-serving Canadian powerhouse beat Federer in five sets earlier on Friday to reach his first grand slam final and will pose a significant threat if his 140mph delivery is firing.

“Obviously to make a Wimbledon final is a good achievement and I’ve got

Great Britain’s Andy Murray celebrates winning his match against Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych. (REUTERS/TOBY MELVILLE) one more to go on Sunday,” Murray said.

“The older you get, you never know how many chances you’re going to get to play in a grand slam final.

I’m glad I managed to get through today.”

Murray, apart from two sets against inspired Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter-finals, has looked like a man totally in control of his own destiny since winning the Queen’s Club title, against Raonic, in the build-up to Wimbledon.

Berdych is a former Wimbledon runner-up and has been resident in the world’s top 10 since 2010.

But his power game was clinically defused by Murray - so much so that the one hour 58 minute match was mostly played in a muted atmosphere compared to the edge-of-the-seat drama earlier when Wimbledon favourite Federer was

bundled out by Raonic.

Murray’s only brief wobble came when Berdych pounded some seismic groundstrokes to break back in the third game, having gifted the Scot his own serve with a double-fault.

Berdych knew his only chance was to attack at every opportunity but that also led to the kind of errors that allowed Murray another break for a 5-3 lead before the 29-year-old calmly pocketed the first set.

The second seed brilliantly saved two break points at 2-3 in the second set as Berdych valiantly tried to make a match of it.

From then on it was a one-sided procession as Murray broke Berdych twice in a row to move two sets clear.

He repeated the trick early in the third as he closed in on a victory that was never really in doubt.

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 09, 2016

PAGE 33

St. Ignatius beat Aishalton to book place in Regional 9 final

Lethem Mayor Carlton Beckles (center) and other officials of Digicel meeting the St Ignatius team and Referees yesterday before the start of the match.

St. Ignatius marksmen from right, Chadwick Torres, Orlando Francis, Kenbert Salvador and David Coates.

By Franklin Wilson in Lethem A compact display of football in both halves saw home team St. Ignatius Secondary romping to a comfortable 6-1 win over Aishalton Secondary which earned the winner a place in the Regional final in Zone 9 yesterday.

Playing at the St. Ignatius Sports Club ground and urged on by a colourful and intimate crowd, the home team out did their rivals and

will play the winner of today’s clash between favourites Annai Secondary and Sand Creek Secondary at the same venue.

The match started at a very brisk pace with both teams going after the ball with high energy as they sought to wrest the early initiative.

While St. Ignatius pressed and were the more aggressive of the two sides, Aishalton looked sturdy in their defensive third but eventually cracked in the 20th minute when an

opening was presented to Kenbert Salvador who obliged with the first of his double.

It was the opening that the home team were searching for and with the pumped up fans adding necessary fuel from the stands and around the field, it was the perfect fillip for St. Ignatius to solidify their hold on the match.

Orlando Francis increased the lead in the 32nd minute with a ripping left foot volley from down

town with the goalkeeper Kenford Robinson well off his line, it was a smart piece of play from the team in the ascendancy.

Four minutes later, Salvador completed his double on the end of another brilliant play, side stepping the ball into the back of the nets in the 36th minute. This virtually put the lid on the match for the winners as there was no coming back for Aishalton.

St. Ignatius’ tally of goals from the first half was

replicated in the second but before they got on the scoresheets, Aishalton reduced the lead in the 53rd minute through a well taken shot from Ben Realine.

Both teams introduced fresh legs during the half but it was the introduction of St. Ignatius’ David Coates in the 65th minute that added more energy to their strike line.

Coates was on target two minutes after his introduction as the opponents’ defenders found

it difficult to contain him.

Chadwick Torres made it 5-1 in favour of the home team in the 81st minute before Coates ripped the nets apart again in the 83rdto complete his brace and St. Ignatius’ 6th goal of the match.

Today, Annai Secondary will match skills with their counterparts from Sand Creek Secondary with the winner earning the right to play St. Ignatius in the Regional final on Monday at the same venue.

Guyana trounce Barbados to reach historic CBC U16 Final -Face Bahamas in Clash of the Titans tonight Guyana inflicted a severe beating on Barbados last night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall to reach a historic first Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Under-16 Championships Final, setting up a clash of the titans tonight against the unbeaten Bahamas for the Caribbean title.

Guyana, after a shaky first half, literally rebounded to trash Barbados 77-37 with suffocating defence that put Guyana on a historic path.

Guyana has already qualified for the CentroBasket U17 Championships next year with the win and will attempt to secure its first title in any category at this level.

In what was perhaps the best defensive half of the tournament, Guyana held Barbados to just eight points for the entire second half to pull off a 40-point victory over the ‘Bajans’ for the host nation.

Jordan Alphonso had a game-high double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds while Nigel Bowen dropped 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Andrew Johnson and Kevon Wiggins each had 10 points in a collective second half effort that stunned ‘The Land of the Flying Fish’.

Scoring for Barbados was Makaari Jones had 13 points and seven boards.

Barbados will now play Jamaica in the third place game tonight.

A fast-paced first quarter opened the period with Barbados out to an 8-2 lead before Wiggins hit back-toback threes, one after throwing a defender flat on the floor with two crossover dribbles to ignite a run that would help the Guyanese finish the first quarter ahead 19-15.

G u y a n a ’s o ff e n s i v e rebounding would allow them to control the second

quarter with Alphonso looking like the usual beast.

However, a few unforced errors allowed Barbados to close the gap and enter the half down only one with the score on 30-29 still in favour of Guyana.

A 10-0 run in the third quarter ignited Guyana’s offence to take a 16-point lead heading into the fourth quarter while their 2-3 zone defence held Barbados to just two points in the penultimate period as the Guyanese raced to a 47-31 lead.

Guyana never relinquished the lead, pressing toward the historic moment for the host nation.

Earlier in the night, Bahamas, the clear favourites of the tournament with an unbeaten record, breezed pass Jamaica 72-51 in the first semi-final.

Domnick Bridgewater scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while Devonte Jennings scored 14

Forward, Jahleel Young (right) goes strong to the basket last night against Barbados in Guyana’s semi-final game that they won at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. points to lead The Bahamas.

Samuel Hunter had 12 points while Joshua Cornish and Christopher Johnson each had 11 points for the titanic Bahamians.

Jabari Cunningham scored 14 points while Samora Williams had 11 points for the Jamaicans.

The day begins at 1pm today with the 7th and 8th

place playoff before the 5th and 6th place game. The Final Four is scheduled for 5:45pm all at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Saturday July 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

PAGE 34

Buddy’s Gym gives Smith backing Amazon free membership to Warriors to sustain form every GAPLF member Buddy’s inaugural Benchpress competition set for July 31

GM of Buddy’s Gym Seelall Pharbo presents membership cards to Anis Ade-Thomas of GAPLF while Andrea Smith from the federation shares the moment.

Yesterday afternoon the General Manager of B u d d y ’s G y m S e e l a l l Pharbo presented membership cards to the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) for free use of the Gym for every member of the Federation on Sherriff Street Georgetown.

Pharbo explained that Buddy’s Gym takes great

pleasure in having the Federation which gives Buddy’s Gym the privilege of being a part of the last Championships at the Critchlow Labour College in June.

Pharbo, who informed that female T&T team here for the Regional 50 overs cricket tournament, used t h e i r G y m y e s t e r d a y, disclosed that the Gym has

Best slapped with penalty by ECB LONDON, CMC – Ex-West Indies fast bowler Tino Best has been penalized by the England and Wales Cricket Board after breaching its code of discipline.

The 34-year-old, currently under contract at Hampshire, was found guilty of a Level Two breach for “throwing the ball at or near a player, umpire or official in an inappropriate and dangerous manner.”

The incident occurred during a game between Hampshire and Essex in the T20 Blast last month and Best was subsequently reported by umpires Martin Saggers and Neil Bainton.

England player Ravi Bopara was also reported for indiscipline during the game for “showing serious dissent at an umpire’s decision by word or action” and was also penalized three penalty points.

“These penalties will remain on their records for a period of two years and the accumulation of nine, 18 or more penalty points in any two-year period will result in an automatic suspension,” the ECB said.

Best and Bopara were two of five players penalized with Liam Livingstone, Ross Taylor and Philip Salt also breaching the code of coduct.

The fiery Best was signed by Hampshire last April on a short-term deal, replacing countryman Fidel Edwards who was sidelined with a broken ankle.

He has taken 14 wickets in six County games at an average of 39 and four wickets in eight T20s at an economy rate of nine runs an over.

Best has played 25 Tests and 26 One-Day Internationals but has not featured for West Indies in two years.

collaborated with the GAPLF to run off its inaugural Benchpress Competition on July 31.

“Buddy’s is inviting members of every Gym in Guyana to participate and entrance fee for individuals is $1,000 and $2,000 for teams. There will be three weight categories for both male and females.”

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Opener Dwayne Smith says Guyana A m a z o n Wa r r i o r s a r e exactly where they planned to be at the current stage of the Caribbean Premier League.

After nine games, the two-time finalists top the tables with six points and are the only unbeaten side left in the competition after three straight victories.

“From the [warm-up] camp we were all about getting back home somewhere in the top two, and that’s what we did, and to leave for home as the top team,” said Smith, who is in his first season with Amazon Warriors following three years with Barbados Tridents.

“I’m sure that if we can play the way that we’re playing, or continue the way that we’re playing, that we can end up going on from here. It’s just up to us to stay positive, and that’s what we’ve been doing so far, and once it continues I’m sure we’ll stay on top.”

A m a z o n Wa r r i o r s opened their home leg on Thursday night with a composed seven-wicket victory over the previously unbeaten Jamaica Tallawahs at the National Stadium.

Guyana Amazon Warriors batsman, Dwayne Smith.

They also beat St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by four wickets in Basseterre in the tournament’s second game before brushing aside titleholders Trinbago Knight Riders by six wickets in Port of Spain.

Smith said Amazon Warriors were focused on sustaining their early momentum as the competition progressed.

“I hope the guys can keep on performing the way they’re performing,” the attacking opener said.

“That boils down to the guys looking after

themselves and taking care of what needs to be taken care of.

A lot of the guys are international players and we know how to deal with ourselves, so it’s up to us to keep our consistency and keep winning games. I’m sure that we can be the top team.”

In Thursday’s game, Amazon Warriors bundled out Tallawahs for a paltry 100, on a pitch where the s p i n n e r s f o u n d encouragement and created much of the problems for batsmen.

And Smith admitted that while the upcoming games on the National Stadium strip could be “challenging” he expected batsmen to adapt.

“The pitch is a bit challenging but having said that I’m an international player and a lot of the guys are internationals, so we can’t worry about how the pitch is playing,” he pointed out.

“We just need to be professional about what we’re doing and keep continuing to get good scores and getting the team off to good starts.”

Amazon Warriors clash with Patriots in the next game today.

Kirby helps T&T edge Barbados in rain-hit round GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago Women edged Barbados Women by four wickets in their rain-hit opening game of the R e g i o n a l Wo m e n ’s Championship here Thursday.

In a contest at Everest reduced to 30 over overs because of inclement weather, Barbados were restricted to 76 for seven and T&T in reply reached their target with five overs to spare.

Former West Indies player Lee-Ann Kirby saw her side home with an unbeaten 18 from 31 balls with a single six while Shenelle Lord also scored 18.

West Indies seamer Shakera Selman bowled superbly to capture three for 10 from five overs while off-

Fast bowler Kirbyina Alexander … grabbed a four-wicket haul for Trinidad and Tobago. spinner Hayley Matthews – another West Indies player – claimed two for 17 from six overs.

T&T were slumping at 19 for four in the eighth over before Lord and West Indies batsman Britney Cooper, who made 15, came together in a 34-run, fifth

wicket stand to set up the win.

E a r l i e r, B a r b a d o s recovered from a position of 24 for four in the 13th over after opting to bat first.

They were pulled around

by Charlene Taitt who topscored with 20 and Aaliyah

Alleyne, who made 16 not out, in a 36-run fifth wicket partnership.

The innings was crippled by a brilliant spell of four for 14 from fast bowler Kirbyina Alexander, who played the last of her 26 internationals for West Indies six years ago, while Kirby completed a solid all-rounder performance by chipping in with two for 14.

Rain forced the abandonment of the other two games where Leeward Islands were expected to take on holders Jamaica at Everest and hosts Guyana were scheduled to clash with Wi n d w a r d I s l a n d s a t Enterprise.

All teams involved in wash-outs were awarded two points.

The second round bowls off today.

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 09, 2016

PAGE 35

Amazon Warriors interact with students of Ptolemy Reid Rehab Centre Amazon Warriors member Christopher Barnwell poses with a student during yesterday’s interaction at the Ptolemy Reid Rehab Centre.

The Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre was the centre of attention when members of the Amazon Warriors team paid a visit to the institution on Friday, at its Carmichael Street location for an interactive session hosted by Digicel, proud sponsors of the current Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Cricket Tournament.

Head of Marketing Jacqueline James and Communications Manager Vidya Bijlall-Sanichara were among the members of the sponsors who were present at the occasion to distribute to students of the institution paraphernalia associated with the Company.

Adorned in their training uniforms, the Amazon Warriors, led

Members of the Amazon Warriors Cricket team pose with students and Staff of the Ptolemy Reid Rehab Centre yesterday. by skipper Martin Guptill joined with the young boys and girls and staff members, who exhibited keenness to interact with the international cricketers.

Among those present with Guptill were all-rounders Dwayne Smith and Christopher Barnwell, batsman Assad Fudadin, legspinner Devendra Bishoo and wicketkeeper Steven Katwaroo.

During the hour long session,

the players’ engaged in deep conversation with the students signed branded Digicel caps and also shared expert knowledge on batting and bowling with the students.

In a brief exchange with the media, Bijlall-Sanichara disclosed that the event has been an annual one by the company ever since the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) started in 2013.

“This is something we always try to do whenever we have the players in Guyana, especially our Brand Ambassadors Christopher Barnwell and Devendra Bishoo,” she said.

She added that Digicel has always been supportive of special needs students, and will continue to do so through its various community programmes and outreaches.

“Special needs is something that is very close to our hearts at Digicel; it’s also close to the Warriors hearts as well, and we like to use the phrase ‘Warriors care.’ So this is one way of showing and exemplifying how the Warriors care,” she explained.

Digicel is a major sponsor of the Hero CPL, and is also a proud sponsor of West Indies cricket.

History calls as Serena and Kerber face off in final LONDON (Reuters) When Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber walk onto Wimbledon’s Center Court for the women’s final today, the legacy of Steffi Graf will loom large.

The showdown will see world number one Williams try to equal Graf’s professional era record of 22 grand slam singles titles, while Kerber will seek to become the first German woman to lift the Wimbledon singles crown since her idol Graf 20 years ago.

If Kerber prevails, completing a daunting double over the Williams sisters at the tournament, it could also signal a changing of the guard at the top the women’s game.

It would be the second time this year she had beaten the American in a grand slam final, having triumphed at the Australian Open in January.

Kerber, 28, would also become the first woman apart from Williams to win two grand slams in a season since Justine Henin in 2007, when the Belgian player was world number one.

Williams, who turns 35 in S e p t e m b e r, i s a s i x - t i m e s Wimbledon champion and the clear bookmakers’ favorite. But the Graf milestone is nevertheless sure to be weighing on her mind.

She has flatly refused to discuss it at this year’s championships, on one occasion testily telling

Serena Williams (USA) in action during her match against Elena Vesnina (RUS) on day 11 of the 2016 The Cships Wimbledon. (Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports) reporters: “I’m not talking about that anymore. Sorry.”

Kerber, free of such weight of expectation and history, has been happy to discuss her ambitions to emulate Graf.

“She was always an idol for me, I have watched a lot of her matches, on YouTube sometimes,” she said after dispatching Williams’ sister Venus in the last four. “I met her a few times — the last time she told me, just believe in yourself.

“I will try to be the next one to win here after Steffi.”

‘SHE WILL NOT MISS’ Both players, who have never

played each other on grass, have been in fine form at the tournament.

Defending champion Williams has dropped just one set on her way to the final, culminating in her 48minute demolition of Elena Vesnina in the last four.

Kerber has not dropped a set, and impressively outgunned Williams’ sister Venus in the semis.

Williams leads left-handed Kerber 5-2 in matches since their first meeting nine years ago, and last season she won three of the four majors, including Wimbledon, only

Angelique Kerber (GER) celebrates match point during her match against Venus Williams (USA) on day 11 of the 2016 The Championships Wimbledon.

(Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports) to stumble with a calendar-year Grand Slam in sight at the U.S. Open.

After Kerber denied her Graf’s milestone at the Australian Open, Williams lost to Spain’s Garbine Muguruza in the French Open final.

Her experience is almost unparalleled though: this is her 28th grand slam singles final, and ninth at Wimbledon, compared with her opponent’s solitary major final appearance in Melbourne.

Whatever happens in Saturday’s final, Williams will

retain her number one ranking while Kerber will move onto her shoulder into second spot, from fourth.

If the match is anything like the 6-4 3-6 6-4 Australian Open encounter, the Center Crowd is in for a nail-biting classic with both players stretching each other to their limits.

Kerber knows what she must do to thwart the champion’s march on history once again.

“I have to be aggressive, go for it, try to win the match and not hope she will miss. She will not miss.”

t r o Sp

Guyana trounce Barbados to reach historic CBC U16 Final -Face Bahamas in Clash of the Titans tonight

Guyana’s youth basketball team applaud their effort and the effort of the ‘sixth man’, which was a very vocal crowd last night, after the historic feat at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

St. Ignatius beat Aishalton to book place in Regional 9 final

St Ignatius’ Kenbert Salvador (#11) scores the first goal for his team against Aishalton yesterday at the St. Ignatius Sports Club ground. (Franklin Wilson photo) Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210