Kaieteur News

Sunday June 03, 2018

PAGE 5

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Kaieteur M@ilbox

The Coalition Administration is tying our feet and asking us to run

Was the flag raising schedule changed to accommodate the ‘Stink and Dutty J’ouvert’?

DEAR EDITOR, Economic policies establish the framework upon which government intends to address a country’s growth and development prospects. They get into office on these, and they also get booted for noncompliance or failure to realize commitments. One of the things about which few if any of us can disagree on, is that we have been lied to by the coalition administration on the campaign trail going into the 2015 elections. Nowhere on their campaign trail did they mention that they would be returning to Burnham’s policies and ideas on development. They have also made a complete u-turn on their commitment to addressing unemployment. Many older Guyanese can remember the slow, grinding halt, and subsequent debilitating contraction Guyana experienced under Burnham’s policies in the 70’s and 80’s. We remember Hoyte scrapping Burnham’s ideas after his death, and implementing punishing economic reforms which sent the country reeling by the mid1990s as declining exchange rates and sharp bouts of inflation destroyed the value of our incomes. Yet it is these same set of ideas which Hoyte rejected that Granger and the People’s National Congress have picked up to try again. The following table summarizes the performance of some banking system indicators for the coalition administration’s two years, nine months of administration, and allows for a comparison of what obtained in the preceding years. Growth in private sector loans, an indicator of economic activity, plunged from an average of G$17.4 billion in the two and

G$Millions except where stated otherwise. a half years prior to June 2015 to an average of G$7.6 billion for the two and a half years of the coalition’s administration ended December 2015. Net domestic credit to the total public sector, which is total loans and advances less deposits, shows that the entire public sector had a net deposit position of G$25.2 billion at the end of June 2015. By March 2018, this changed to a net credit of G$46.8 billion, as net borrowing by the entire public sector increased by G$72 billion. Central government accounted for the majority of this borrowing as it ran up its credit facility with the banking system by G$61.8 billion, carrying an overdraft with the Bank of Guyana of close to G$46.4 bil-

lion at the end of March 2018. This compares with a net deposit position of G$8.5 billion in June 2015. Central government’s net borrowing with the entire banking system increased to G$G$101.2 billion, or G$101,172,000,000 at end-June 2018. Deposits of the central government with commercial banks totaled G$10.2 billion by March 2018. Deposits of the public enterprises with commercial banks, which stood at G$49.4 billion in June 2015, contracted by G$22 billion to (Continued on page 6)

DEAR EDITOR Now that the events have ended, permit me to comment on the ‘Stink and Dutty J’ouvert’ event that took place in the night of 25th May, 2018. Editor, this event was scheduled on what is usually the night that Guyanese witness the hoisting of the national flag to mark our Independence anniversary. Editor, was this event the reason that things changed this year? Was the event the reason that the midnight flag raising was cancelled? Why was the midnight flag raising really moved to 2:00PM in the afternoon? The reports in the local newspapers about emails from Basil Williams, the Attorney General, about promoting certain events come to mind. The email said that the PNC’s re-election committee decided to support several entertainment shows with foreign artistes to win back support especially from youth because the PNC believed that “this will help to motivate the younger voting population” at the elections. Is this why the midnight flag raising was changed? I raise this question because the PNC were given scores of free tickets for distribution by the entertainers. The reports in

the local newspapers also talked about Joseph Harmon, the Minister of State, engaging Churches on the need for the religious community to play a bigger role in society. He talked about “an increase in goodness and righteousness in our society, in moral re-armament” in Guyana. Was Joseph Harmon being serious about moral re-armament? How does something named

‘Stink and Dutty’ come in line with moral re-armament? But this is just my view. The main issue, Editor, is that the flag raising ceremony timings were changed. I, like many other Guyanese, expected better of President David Granger, since he is the kind of man who would prefer to be in Church on Old Year’s night instead of at a party. Brian Azore

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Sunday June 03, 2018

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Kaieteur M@ilbox

IT WOULD BE IMPRUDENT FOR THE MINISTER OF LEGAL AFFAIRS TO BRING THE JRA, 2010 INTO OPERATION IN ITS PRESENT STATE DEAR EDITOR, There seems to be propagating in Guyana’s Judiciary (and, ominously, even at the level of the Caribbean Court of Justice) a notion of judicial supremacy over the Executive on matters of government policy. It is wrong. It is unconstitutional. It is inherent in our constitutionalism of elected governments, that any elected government is entitled to decide for itself what legislation (subject of course to any constitutional restraints) it wishes to promulgate for peace, order and good government. It is called Executive prerogative or privilege. And it comes into sharp focus when (like the events which have happened in the present Judicial Review Act commencement matter) there is a change of political party in Government. And just as how the PPP/C government was entitled in the exercise of its prerogative in 2010 to enact the Judicial Review Act 2010; (JRA) and entitled to have omitted to bring it into operation; it is that very and identical constitutional prerogative, which entitles the APNU+AFC Government to decide for itself (as a matter of sheer policy) if, and when, the PPP/C government enacted JRA will come into operation. By this simple constitutional test and logic, the ruling of the learned Chief Justice (ag) ordering the APNU+AFC Minister (the Honourable Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams, S.C) to

bring the JRA into operation must be plainly wrong. Even accepting the learned Chief Justice’s reasoning that it is the “will of the people” that the JRA be brought into force (here I am relying on, and quoting from the GC report of Wednesday May 30, 2018 under Caption “Not so soon”) exposes the sheer illogicality of the ruling. If the PPP/C government (and its then Minister of Legal Affairs – Ramson, S.C) was representing the people’s will (which is not fixed or immutable) in causing to be enacted the JRA in 2010, then, surely, the people’s will implicitly and contemporaneously changed upon the change of government in 2015 upon the election of the APNU+AFC; and this APNU+AFC Government is, and must be seen, equally, as representing that changed will of the people when its Minister of Legal Affairs (Basil Williams, S.C), omits, as a considered policy decision, not to as yet, bring the JRA into operation. It is simply a matter of equal treatment under the law; and even handedness by the Judiciary towards all government. Has an Orwellian disposition unwittingly crept into the Judiciary so that the PPP/ C government is viewed as more equal than a APNU+AFC government; so that where the PPP/C successive Ministers of Legal Affairs were entitled to exercise their discretion/prerogative to have

brought the JRA into operation and each exercised that discretion by way of opting not to bring it into operation, the APNU+AFC “Minister” has no such right. How, and why could this be? The principle of constitutional neutrality vis-à-vis all governments appears to have been ignored. So, was there some distinguishing, differential factor? To answer this question articulately I turn now to the argument about the Rules of Court. It seems to me that that Rules of Court argument as distinguishing the PPP/C Minister’s non-commencement, from the APNU+AFC Minister’s, is wholly irrelevant and without merit. It obfuscates the real issue: is it within the constitutional power/prerogative of the new APNU+AFC Government to have a new and different legislative policy regarding the JRA. It seems to me that seen this way, there has been no greater nonsense argued by Anil Nandlall than that, since some complimentary Civil Procedure Rules only came into place with effect from 6th day February 2017, it was only as of then, that the JRA was legally capable of being commenced, ie that the CPRs is a sine qua non for the JRA commencement. The learned Attorney General has condignly dealt

with that feeble, red-herring argument of Nandlall in his statement (as reported in the above GC article) that “the reference to “rules of court” in the Act [section 3(1)] contemplated rules that were already in force (for the time being in force) as there was already provision in the law for claims for judicial review”. The learned AG is plainly right. And if authority were necessary, I would refer Counsel to the case of Attorney General V. Jardim (Claude) [2003] 67 WIR 100 where Chancellor Bernard gave a vintage historical analysis of applicable Rules on matters of judicial review in Guyana, tracing back even to pre-Independence. There is no empirical evidence to suggest the inadequacy of those rules and practice for the operationality of the JRA, 2010. The inherent fallacy in Nandlall’s red-herring argument is this: the CPRs that came into force in 2017 has their genesis in Rules that were drafted for discussion since 2002 (as Rules of the High Court prepared by former Chancellor Kenneth George and commissioned by the Carter Center Guyana) Chancellor George could not have somehow, as if by Divine prescience, telescopically, materially anticipated that some seven to eight years (7-8) later a JRA would be en-

acted; and in such anticipation, specifically make Rules to cater for such JRA. The point here, is that the JRA was not the raison d etre for the new CPRs; their convergence is coincidental. Indeed, there are certain revolutionary aspects in the JRA; and it is precisely because it is so revolutionary and extreme in certain aspects, (eg Section 9, 10, 12, 22) that it seems to me that a compelling case exists for its reconsideration; as the learned AG has posited in the GC article. The responsibility of this Government for legislation – making in the public interest requires, and imports, that it be (by both principle and authority alike) the sole judge of what legislation (within its partisan legislation-making capacity) is for the public good and should be enacted, or commenced, as the case may be. So, it is entitled to take the view that provisions in the JRA, 2010 such as section 9 (“Exhaustion of alternative remedies”) whereby the High Court Judge for judicial review is vested with a concurrent jurisdiction (not even limited to exceptional circumstances) which supplants the jurisdiction of the appellate Courts (presumably both the CoA and CCJ), is not for the public good, or in the public interest. If this is the thinking of

The Coalition Administration is... From page 5 G$27.4 billion at end-March 2018. Our net international reserves which stood at US619.0 million in June 2015, also contracted, by US$121.5 million by March 2018 to US$498.5 million. In 2012 the economy grew by 4.82 per cent. This fell to 3.17 per cent in 2015, and declined further to 2.1 per cent last year. The first major concern with all of this information is government’s willy-nilly attitude to destroying our nation’s wealth by running up its overdraft facilities with the Bank of Guyana. Because at the rate the economy is going, there is little if any

likelihood of this money ever being recovered by 2020. Secondly, increases in deficit financing by governments typically give rise to increased economic activity, which is usually underpinned by increased private sector borrowing. This is not happening. Finally, based on current trends, it seems reasonable to assume the coalition administration will continue its illinformed policy of abusing its overdraft facilities with the Bank of Guyana. The last thing Guyanese seriously expect is that the G$30 billion the administration is investing in GUYSUCO

will return the company to global competitiveness and profitability. It would be irresponsible of me or anyone to say that our economy has crashed, or is crashing, but the figures just presented which were extracted from the banking system statistics published by the Bank of Guyana, suggest exactly this. It seems pretty clear that the administration’s fiscal program is not generating growth, and worse, is destroying our nation’s financial resources. The coalition administration is tying our feet and asking us to run. Craig Sylvester.

the Government as appears from the AGs generalizations in the GC article, these are unassailable points in justification for this Government’s omission to bring the JRA into operation. Be all that as it may, turning now briefly to the crucial question: whether it was competent for the High Court to grant the order of mandamus compelling the Minister ( a very different remedy from a declaration) to bring into force, the JRA, 2010. In my respectful view the State Liability And Proceedings Act, Cap 6:05 does not permit it. (see the analogous case of Collector of land Revenue South West District Penang (1986) 1 WLR 412, PC). But since the gravamen and crux of this matter, as I apprehend, is the constitutional freedom of a new government to reject, and depart from, even legislative policies/agenda of the predecessor government, there is a very poignant statement of principle by Viscount Haldane in a Privy Council case which merits reference. This was a case where the new government being dissatisfied with certain contractual arrangements entered into by the predecessor government declined to take the necessary legal steps to give those arrangements legal force. Relevantly, Viscount Haldane said viz “there is no doubt that the agreement in controversy was executed with all the solemnities… and the question is whether it is binding… with the policy of the new Administration in Newfoundland in repudiating it their Lordships have no concern. The administration may have acted harshly; or they may have been simply doing a public duty. Such a question is not one for a court of law, but is a domestic issue for the Government of Newfoundland and those to whom they are responsible” (Commercial cable company V. Government of Newfoundland (1916) 2 AC, at pages 614615). Transposing that statement to our JRA coming into operation issue, I ask: was the PPP/C government JRA, 2010 enacted with all (Continued on page 7)

Sunday June 03, 2018

PAGE 7

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Kaieteur M@ilbox

I TAKE UMBRAGE WITH GT&T’S DISRESPECTFUL MARKETING STRATEGY DEAR EDITOR, I had decided some time ago to remain silent on the issue of GT&T sending .messages to me encouraging me to call my relatives and friends who reside in North America and ask them to top up my cell phone account so that it can be multiplied three or four times over.This behavior by GT&T could only create disrespect for my fellow Guyanese. Why must we be seen as mendicants? Are we not proud enough or responsible enough a people to pay our phone bills? I can recall being in New York on more than one occasion when

this embarrassing topic arose. As a nation we are trying to rebuild the way we were, proud and responsible. Let us not be seen as irresponsible beggars. I take umbrage with the marketing strategy by this service provider. I have no account with Digicel so I will not speak about them To GT&T .management ,please be advised that if I receive one other such message I will report same to the Public Utilities Commission. This nonsense must cease immediately. Orin Major

IT WOULD BE IMPRUDENT FOR THE MINISTER ... From page 6 solemnities? Yes. Is there a change of government? Yes. Is it legally binding on the APNU+AFC Government to bring it into operation whereupon it becomes legally binding, until repealed (even as I must acknowledge that, technically, the JRA 2010 is not law, unless and until it is brought into force)? If one anticipates a reversal of the CJ (ag) ruling on appeal, the answer is – No. And, just as how that new Administration was within its prerogative as a matter of governmental policy to decline to take the necessary legal measures (take it to the Assembly for ratification) to give legal force to those agreements; so should the APNU+AFC Government be constitutionally entitled to decline to make a commencement order to bring into force the JRA, thereby preventing it from being binding, with all its imperfections and extremes, on this Government. Yet, what are the Attorney General’s prospects of success at the Caribbean Court

of Justice (I say nothing of the local Court of Appeal). In my respectful view the signs are ominous; and warrant cautious optimism. The CCJs decision in the Barbadian case of Edwards and Haynes V. The Queen (2017) CCJ 10 (AJ) gives us Caribbeaners much cause for unease as it patently illustrates a dispensation to arrogate unto itself its own perspective on matters of government policy and to, judicially, give effect to its perspective. This is clearly discernible from the very tenor of the judgments in the Edwards And Haynes case, quashing convictions for murder and reversing a unanimous decision of the Barbados Court of Appeal. There is by its very tenor and narrative, a nuanced telltale extract from the judgement of Justice Saunders: (for brevity because of space constraints the learned reader is referred to paragraphs “43””45" (inclusive) of the Honourable Justice’s Judgement. Suffice to quote a few sentences viz: “A new Evidence Act… was passed in

Barbados in 1994. Its purpose was to reform the law… a decision was made to suspend the critical sections of the Act… The ostensible reason was that Barbados lacked the material resources to equip its police stations with the necessary recording devices. Over 20 years later these sections of the Act remain suspended… The suspension of these provisions severely distorts the effective operation of the Evidence Act and impedes fulfillment of many of its noble goals…” I must point out the convictions were quashed essentially became the alleged oral confessions were ruled inadmissible by the CCJ because of the failure of the Government to install recording devices. Rightly, the AG is concerned that the learned CJ(ag) has by her Order contravened the doctrine of separation of powers, which, sensibly, places matters of governmental policy of the type involved in our JRA commencement matter, outside the Judiciary’s territorial boundaries; and places them, sensibly, within

the territorial boundaries of the Executive (ie the President and his Cabinet). The learned CJ (ag) has encroached into Executive territory. And viscount Haldane’s statement, in substance, embodies the separation of powers doctrine. I end with this: it would be reckless and imprudent for the APNU+AFC Minister of Legal Affairs to bring the JRA, 2010 into operation in its present state. To judicially order the Minister so to do is to foist an imperfect PPP/ C legislation on an unwilling, differently dispensated new APNU+AFC Government. That, frustrates and impedes, rather than promotes the people’s will. It is a matter of much intrigue and anxiety whether the CCJ (and the local Court of Appeal) would demonstrate judicial restraint and uphold the Minister’s prerogative (and by extension President Granger’s Cabinet) to decide for himself if, and when, the JRA, 2010 would come into operation. Maxwell E. Edwards

Thanks, Earl for sharing your rich vocabulary DEAR EDITOR In today’s world of ‘texting’ and ‘tweeting’ there is very little, if any, appreciation for standard English Language and rich vocabulary such as are characteristic of the writing of Mr. Earl B John. Almost every letter from Mr. John introduces me to a new word; the past week has been especially enriching for me. I wish to publicly thank Mr. John and to encourage fellow Guyanese to take due note and try to emulate him. I believe our standards of expression in vocabulary, grammar and style can be significantly improved and

would like to encourage parents, teachers and community leaders to aim higher and resist the temptation to be content with mere understanding, to embellish their communication the same way they pay attention to their other forms of presentation. Good writing, like clear speaking, is a sign of refinement! Nowrang Persaud

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Sunday June 03, 2018

Kaieteur News

GECOM secures overseas IT expert for upcoming polls

Oil and Gas will require a robust Integrity Commission

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…Ram bemoans the sluggish enforcement of disclosure laws for public officials

n information tech nology (IT) expert from the United States has been recruited to help the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to prepare for the upcoming Local Government Elections which is expected before the end of the year. On Friday, Chairman of GECOM, Justice James Patterson (ret’d) explained that the expert has been sourced with the help of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). According to the Chairman, the expert will among other things advise the Commission on ways to upgrade its IT system and sanitize the current voters’ list. “Sanitizing the list is a different concern; it is for the agreement of the Commissioners. That doesn’t mean that as it stands the list is insanitary. It just means that we have not yet developed what is the best means of sanitizing it. With the aid of our overseas partners, who have been extremely helpful, we got an IT consultant coming onboard soon and we are looking forward to that,” Patterson stated. The process to be used for the sanitization of the list has been actively debated in public. A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has called for house-to-house verification, a move the opposition, People’s Progres-

…No decision made on method to sanitize voters’ list

GECOM Chairman, Justice James Patterson (ret’d). sive Party (PPP) has rejected. The PPP has argued that house-to-house verification would be too costly and delay the holding of LGE this year. One of the tasks undertaken by GECOM and stakeholders is to cleanse the list of deceased persons, based upon information generated by the General Registrar’s Office (GRO), which is responsible for the issuance of Certificates of Death. The PPP stated that names cannot be removed from the list on the ground that persons are dead, unless

confirmation is received from the GRO. According to the PPP, GECOM issued five lists of persons who have died between December 2015, and March 2016. One of the lists is of persons who died, but whose names are not on the List of Registered Electors. The PPP said it conducted a review of the list and to its surprise, discovered a significant number of the ‘dead’, who are in fact alive and rightly on the List of Registered Electors. As far as the seven-member commission of GECOM is concerned all options for sanitizing the list remain open. “As long as the Commission thinks it is the best route, we will go there. Getting consensus might be a problem because we have experts on both camps. We will advertise the decision we take, but have not ruled out house-to-house verification. We are working towards the consensus,” Patterson stated. The GECOM Chair recognized that the time results take to be declared is too long. He explained that this is an area that the IT expert must address. “We definitely have to do something about the time it takes to deliver results, but it is too early to pronounce on that, but certainly we need to have the elections pronounced quicker than in the past.” “I really can’t say what options are available because I am not the Commission. Nothing has been decided upon and when that is done that will be made public,” Patterson stated. He said the Commission is in the process of filling other critical positions including the Legal Officer and Public Relations Officer. There are also efforts to appoint a Deputy Chief Elections Officer at the Secretariat.

From left Minister of State, Joseph Harmon; Chairman of the Commission, Kumar Doraisami; Commissioners, Rosemary Benjamin- Noble , Pandit Rabindranauth Persaud and Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan. (Ministry of the Presidency photo) When it comes to the Oil and Gas sector, nations have been cautioned by international institutions to take effective measures to deter, detect and prosecute corruption. The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) for example, has said that an Integrity Commission will be crucial to keeping public officials in check. But while some locals agree with this notion, they proffer that the APNU+AFC government has not dedicated enough resources to the Integrity Commission so that it can be effective in its duties. Specifically making this comment was Chartered Accountant, Chris Ram. The lawyer believes that there is a need for stronger enforcement of the Integrity Commission Law. Ram said, too, that the oil and gas sector will demand a more robust Commission. He said, “Politicians seem to think they must comply (with the disclosure laws under the Integrity Commission Act) when it is convenient and they should be prosecuted for breach of the law.” The Attorney-at-Law believes that “if the law is not going to be enforced, then it

is not a law.” Ram stated that he is disappointed with the government’s approach to the Integrity Commission, while reiterating that it needs to be strengthened. He said, too, that after all the promises and accusations made against the previous administration regarding stolen assets, there should have been more action from the Integrity Commission. CURRENT STATE The members of the Integrity Commission took their oath of office at the Ministry of the Presidency on February 22, last. The members are Attorneys-at-Law Kumar Doraisami , Thandi McAllister and Rosemary Benjamin-Noble. Pandit Rabindranauth Persaud is also part of the Commission. Its Chairman is Kumar Doraisami. Their main purpose of the Integrity Commission is to scrutinize public officers to ensure that they do not use their offices for financial gain. Under the law, public officers including the President, Permanent Secretaries, Director of Public Prosecutions, Auditor General, Commissioner of Police, the Army Chief, Heads of the Service

Chartered Accountant and Attorney-at-Law, Chris Ram Commissions, Foreign Affairs officials, Judges and Magistrates and Department Heads are required to declare their assets to the commission. Also required to submit declaration forms of their earnings and gifts received are Regional Executive Officers, the Chief Elections Officer, Mayors, Chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers of state companies, Registrars of Lands and the Commissioner-General of Guyana Revenue Authority, along with Presidential Advisors, and Heads of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and Guyana Forestry Commission.

Sunday June 03, 2018

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

Dem boys seh... GGMC supervisor sends nude photos to female worker Aurora Gold Mine get catch naked

The police are investigating a case of sexual harassment made by a female staffer of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).The case has been generating concerns at the commission with the male supervisor accused of sending naked photos of himself to the woman. When she refused his sexual advances, the woman claimed that she was targeted and harassed at her job in the ensuing months. She even had to apologise to him, after out of concern, she showed the nude photos to a colleague. The matter has even ended up with the nongovernmental organization for abuse, Red Thread. While the woman has declined to comment over the weekend, officials familiar with the matter confirmed that the police are investigating. The woman, said to be in her 40s, reportedly started working at GGMC, Brickdam in 2013 or 2014 and was shifted between locations of the commission. The woman is claiming that in September 2015, she was addressing her supervisor when he started to make sexual remarks to her. “(He)…began to make sexual remarks towards me saying I am a nice big woman and since I started working here, he was admiring me, he then asked me to have an intimate relationship with him.” In statements, the alleged victim said that after resisting the superior, he assured her that he had been intimate with other “big women” at GGMC and the relationships had remained secret. The man, in his 30s, invited the worker to view a movie on his phone. She refused. He then told her that he had sent something on her phone and she should enjoy. When the female worker checked her phone, she discovered naked photos of the supervisor, one with him in the shower, in his full glory. The matter was reported to GGMC’s management and after little action, later to Red Thread. Red Thread contacted Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman. During a meeting with the woman and representatives of GGMC management, including from the Human Resource Department, they were told to apologise to each other. The woman was also asked not to show the photos to her work colleagues. According to the claims of the woman, while the sexual advances stopped, it did not halt the sexual remarks that were thrown her way by the man.

- police investigating sexual harassment claims The female said she even felt targeted as on some nights when she was stationed at the back gate of GGMC, Brickdam, where the place was dark, the supervisor would “sneak” up on her. The woman was able to determine that it was only her that was being “checked”.In August, the supervisor allegedly came and told the woman he dreamt her and that she gave him a “hell of a time” in the dream. He made suggestive motions with his tongue to indicate how enjoyable the dream was.In November, the woman, who said she had told her husband of the “harassment”, claimed that the supervisor made sexual remarks of her clothing. Management allegedly told her to “ignore” him. The woman believes that because of her rebuff of the sexual advance by the supervisor, and his connections to some senior management staffers, she is being targeted. The matter came to a head in November when the female worker filled out her leave application and ticked several boxes of varying times for those leave. The supervisor reportedly threatened to deal with her. In December, the woman was asked to explain why she should not be disciplined over the matter. In January, the worker was interviewed by a senior management official over the sexual harassment claims. She did not hear back on the matter until late April when she received a letter

from GGMC to report to the CID headquarters, Eve Leary regarding the harassment. She did visit the CID headquarters and gave a statement on May 2, last. With a “me-too” movement of abused victims now sweeping the US, touching celebrities and even President Donald Trump, there appears to be similar activism in Guyana,. For years, abuse at home and at work places in Guyana has been largely a taboo subject with persons treating it as no big deal. However, persons have been coming forward now. Last week, Kaieteur News reported a shocking case where a mom of four who lost her abusive husband to suicide, went to the National Insurance Scheme claiming survivors’ benefits. For more than year, she was promised by a worker there that her case was being looked at. He was allegedly harassing her, asking for a relationship, even taking her to lunch to complete some paper works. It appeared, from the woman’s claims, that the man was grooming her for sex. The matter unraveled after the NIS staffer was on leave and the woman went to enquire into her matter. To her horror, she was told her matter was far from being resolved and that little had been done. -If you believe that you have been harassed and abused and have evidence, whether it be from a colleague at work or from a Government office, please do contact us on 225-8491.

Teacher Percy seh if you tell a lie you going to hell as soon as you die. Dem boys believe Teacher Percy so Aurora Gold Mine going straight to hell. And dem carrying Eric Phillips wid dem just fuh repeat dem lies. Dem bring in a plane from Canada and when dem boys see that de gold company throw out de locals dem ask what’s going on. After all, de contract seh you must use locals once dem can provide de service at a reasonable price. De gold company tell de nation how dem ain’t feel safe using local air carrier. Dem got to be joking be-

cause Prince Harry come to Guyana and he fly all over de country wid dem same local carrier wid Teacher Percy inside. He didn’t think for a moment that dem plane not safe. De British High Commissioner fly all round wid Prince Harry and he didn’t think dem planes wasn’t safe. It got to be that Aurora is a set of tricksters. Dem was using de same local planes all de time fuh years when things was bad wid dem. In dem days dem was hustling. Now gold rolling. Dem spent US$30 million pun lighting towers alone. Dem bring in a fleet of trucks and fuel tankers. Now dem got a plane. When dem boys ask, dem seh how dem

buy it. You hear lie? That is lie. When dem boys check dem find out that de plane belong to a Canadian company that providing services in nuff countries and Guyana turn one from last year, de same time de plane come in. De gold company is a Canadian company. Read through de lines. Dem move de procurement office from Georgetown to Canada. Now dem shifting all de business to Canada. Dem boys now got to check if de Peruvian company is fronting fuh Canadians, too. Dem done see Eric Phillips fronting fuh de Canadians. Talk half and hope Soulja Bai and Jagdeo come out of de coma dem in.

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Sunday June 03, 2018

Kaieteur News

Historic US$150M GuySuCo BP denies wrong doings but bond shows confidence in economy reports suggest otherwise

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ondon House Chambers’ Attor ney Devindra Kissoon said the historic US$150M bond secured for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) represents confidence by investors in Guyana’s economy. Kissoon represented Republic Bank Limited (RBL) in the transaction. “This is the first type of transaction of its kind in Guyana. The magnitude of it is certainly unique to Guyana and is one of the largest financial transactions in the Caribbean. What it does show is the confidence of investors to be able to lend money to Guyana with the h o p e o f recouping it,” Kissoon stated. He stated that the bond was oversubscribed which meant that there were persons dying to put their money into Guyana on the strength of a government guarantee. “It shows that we have a credible country and credible

- Devindra Kissoon

Attorney Devindra Kissoon economy,” Kissoon noted. The transaction was consummated entirely using Guyanese companies and local legal counsel, Hand-inHand Trust Corporation acting as Trustee, Guyana

Americas Merchant Bank Inc. as paying agent. The state-owned National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) received the first tranche, roughly US$85M which was disbursed on May 24, 2018, with the residual tranche to be issued to NICIL as is needed. The full bond which was arranged by Republic Bank Limited exclusively through its Investment Banking Division represents Guyana’s aggressive reentry into the capital markets arena. According to information, the Government guaranteed bond has been issued for a five-year term with a rate of return of 4.75 percent per annum. NICIL is expected to raise the remaining US$65M within the next few months through a combination of local and regional investors, including (Continued on page 73)

B

ritish Petroleum (BP) of Trinidad and Tobago recently said that it is not involved in taxation tricks of any kind. According to the multinational company, it has an “established reputation for integrity and strict adherence and compliance with tax and other laws” in countries it operates in. The company made these and other remarks in a lawyer’s letter to this newspaper. Its statements come on the heels of an article that was carried by this newspaper on May 17, 2018. The headline for the news item was “BP uses taxation tricks on TT, must pay back $1B.” (See link for that story: https:/ www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2018/05/17/bp-uses-taxationtricks-on-tt-must-pay-back1b/) That news item was based on two regional reports, both of which state that Trinidad and Tobago was able to get BP to pay up millions of dollars based on outstanding tax issues. (See links for the two referenced articles: http:// newsday.co.tt/2018/04/27/ bp-agrees-to-pay-1b/ and

http://archives.newsday.co.tt/ 2011/11/05/bp-pays-1billionin-taxes-to-tt/) In its lawyer’s letter, BP made a number of claims regarding the May 17 article. The essence of its allegations is that Kaieteur News stated or implied that its staff engages in dishonest financial practices with the objective of dishonestly and fraudulently withholding payment of taxes lawfully due to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. On the contrary, it is not Kaieteur News that claimed the company is involved in irregular financial tax activities, but the government of Trinidad and other regional and international reports. One of t h e m a n y r e gional news sites reported for example, that the Energy giant BP has agreed to pay the TT government in excess of one billion dollars in owed fees. This very announcement was made by Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley last month as he “gave an update on negotiations over transfer pricing with major energy stakeholders in Lon-

don”. (https:// w ww.cnc3.co.tt/news/bpagrees-pay-over-1-billionowed-fees-tt-govt) At its Spotlight on Energy Conference held on March 14, last, Government officials and other representatives confronted for the issue of transfer pricing by all oil companies in Trinidad and Tobago. Energy Minister, Franklin Khan, spoke specifically about the loss of revenue for the Twin Island Republic due to transfer p r icing practices by oil companies. (See link for his speech: http:// w w w. e n e rg y. g o v. t t / w p content/uploads/2018/ 03/HM-Franklin-KhanEnergy-SpotlightSpeech-Delivered14_3_18.pdf) International Consultants, Poten and Partners also spoke of the loss of US$6.5 billion per year for Trinidad and Tobago via transfer pricing (a tax avoidance scheme) by all oil companies. (Follow this link for report by Poten and Partners, among others. https:// www.linkedin.com/pulse/ transfer-pricing-trinidadtobago-lng-governmentc o n f r o n t s paul?articleId=6388464193581957120#comments6388464193581957120&trk=profpost)In fact, it was in response to transfer pricing by all oil companies, that the TT Government i m posed a 12.5% royalty for all oil and gas production, including existi n g P roduction Sharing Contracts, effective January 1, 2018. (https:// www.linkedin.com/pulse/ response-transfer-pricing-ttintroduces-across-boardroyalty-paul) While the company claims that it has a “well established reputation for integrity and strict adherence” with tax and other laws in the countries it operates, an international report states otherwise. The report called, Making a Killing: Oil Companies, Tax Avoidance & Subsidies, says, “Shell, BP and Tullow all use similar tactics to avoid paying tax…BP and Shell are particularly committed to tax havens, with more tax-dodging subsidiaries than their competitors: 605 and 523 high-secrecy subsidiaries respectively.” (See link for full UK report: http:// platformlondon.org/wpcontent/uploads/2013/02/ MakingAKillingLOWRES.pdf) Furthermore, the company claimed that Kaieteur News inferred that the company and its staff owed to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago (Continued on page 73)

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Kaieteur News

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Sunday June 03, 2018

Kaieteur News

New well at Port Mourant, to be completed within a month

The site in the Port Mourant Water Treatment Plant where the well is being constructed.

- RESIDENTS TO GET 24HR WATER SUPPLY A$60 Million well is being constructed at the Port Mourant water treatment plant by the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI). Once completed residents in the East Berbice-Corentyne community and the surrounding villages will receive 24 hours of potable water. The well is being constructed by the Trinidadian Company, Water

and Oil. It is being dug to a depth of 1100 feet and will improve water capacity to the over 100 residents. A site visit was undertaken on June 1, by Managing Director of GWI Dr. Richard Van-West Charles and a team of officials from GWI. Planning and Implementation Director, Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Ramchand Jailall, pointed out that at present residents who access water from the water treatment plant receive four hours in the morning and four in the evening. “When we test the well, we will know the production so we will then be able to determine if we can be able to supply 24 hours or if we still have to drill another well to make sure we get the target of 24 hours,” Jailall stated. It was also disclosed that the construction of the new well by GWI is an “emergency plan” since two wells that supply the Port Mourant water treatment plant and the general area are currently down. Jailall explained that “the wells that are serving this plant, the Williamsburg well, is down and the well within this plant has a structural

challenge, so it is not pumping to its full capacity. This is an emergency job that we are undertaking right now.” Managing Director of GWI Dr. Richard Van-West Charles, said that careful consideration will be taken in selecting the best type of materials to construct the well. Dr. Van-West Charles noted that the salt air and water is the cause of many of the wells situated along the coast malfunctioning. He said that GWI will define, clearly, materials that will be durable and long lasting with respect to wells being dug along the coast. “There will be no guesswork. We have 18 wells with carbon steel casing which have corroded. There is the well at Hope which is in a bad

way and the same thing at Vergenoegen. There are different parts we have to look at and that is because clearly, we did not select and identify the right materials to be used. There is a lot of rust and the panels have gone. “We now have to arrest that and move forward in a more structured manner,” the Managing Director explained. Once this well is completed and the necessary funds are immediately available, new wells will be dug at Fyrish Village, East Berbice-Corentyne, Westminster and at Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara. The construction of the wells is another step by GWI to ensure that Guyanese countrywide receive the best quality of water.

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Kaieteur News

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Woman recalls being subjected to a most unprofessional job interview What should have been a normal job interview for Ashley [not her real name], turned out to be what many could easily classify as an indecent proposal. The woman in question opted to share her daunting tale of being sexualized at a time when she desperately wanted to land a job to lend financial support to her family. Although she was barely 21 years old and very vulnerable at the time, she was well aware that the situation she was faced with was nothing but disrespectful. It was few years back but she remembers very vividly how it all went down. Ashley said she was motivated to share her story after reading an article published last week in this newspaper of an NIS contributor who was sexually molested while filing a death benefit claim. According to Ashley, “It surely reminded me of a previous ordeal I had experienced. A lot of time things like these are put aside as if they are the norm.” But according to the woman, who is currently now gainfully employed, she saw the need to share her story “because the time has come to close this chapter in my life.” She recalled seeing a newspaper advertisement for the position of an Office Assistant at the Two Brothers Service Station. She applied and much to her surprise received a response a few days later. She was asked to attend an interview at 10:30 hours on the day in question at the establishment’s Lot Y Public Road, Eccles, East Bank Demerara office. “Being excited and nervous I got up super early since I counted myself lucky to be one of the few persons to be shortlisted for the post. I got there a bit early and was given instructions by a female employee to stay in the waiting area since the manager was

running a bit late. I could recall it was a very hot day and I sat and waited for almost two hours. I was so determined to get a chance at the job,” recalled Ashley. She remembered being one of two shortlisted candidates in waiting for the tardy manager. Upon his arrival, the other candidate was interviewed first and then it was Ashley’s turn. “I heard my name called and then I entered the room where I was offered a seat by the manager. I remember taking a seat across from the table, and I introduced myself and greeted him with an extended hand. “This was the beginning of my trouble since he held on to my hand for what seemed a bit too long as if he had no intention of letting go. I do recall unconsciously pulling my hand away,” Ashley shared. Hoping to keep the meeting professional, the woman said that she immediately moved to hand over her relevant documents to the manager but could not help noticing the smile on his face. He uttered not a word as he turned his eyes to her documents. “He merely glanced at my academic qualifications then suddenly started asking me a number of questions.” But the questions were not in any way related to the job. “They came one after the other and he wasn’t even giving me a chance to respond or even process what he was saying. “He was asking things like ‘you have a boyfriend?’ and right after was saying ‘Such a pretty girl like you, you must have a man’ and then he went on to ask if I was Muslim. “He talked about himself and told me about his position in the company and how he is a proud Muslim…His conversation was far from professional,” recalled Ashley. Shaking her head, Ashley said that she couldn’t help but turn her head away searchingly, hoping that perhaps it was all a

joke and that someone else was in the room. The woman recalled being saddened that this was the reality she faced at such a desperate time. Unable to bear the dilemma, Ashley decided to question the manager about her purpose there. “Aren’t you supposed to tell me about the job?” queried Ashley. Her question, she recalled, caused the interview to finally head into what seemed to be a professional direction. The manager gave her a brief insight about the job description and the company. She was also able to find out a great deal about the job she was hoping to secure. But then the unprofessionalism continued. Unwilling to be subjected to the manager’s unprofessional conversation, Ashley said that she decided to ask the manager for an excuse and stood up with the intention of leaving. “He stood up too and said ‘are you okay baby?’ I said yes but I have to head out since

I have something very important to attend to. He kept insisting on knowing what it was. “I responded it’s personal and rushed out the office,” recalled Ashley. It was while on her way home Ashley said that she pondered over the incident and recalled being especially disappointed how it all played out. “I was so excited about getting a job. At that point my family was in a crisis where my mom was hospitalized and that whole situation was a major set-back,” Ashley recalled. But to her surprise later the very day the manager notified her by way of a telephone call that she was selected for the job. But there was a catch. “He started asking me when I can start. I said as soon as possible and we then settled on the coming Monday. But before I knew it, he was asking me if I can come before and I asked what time. He started telling me to choose a time and place and Continued on page 72

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Sunday June 03, 2018

Civic groups band together to provide help to Venezuela refugees Eight civic and faithbased organizations have launched the Venezuela Support Group (VSG) to provide advice and assistance to Venezuelans seeking refuge from the deprivations and insecurity currently gripping their homeland. “In pursuit of this aim the VSG has requested meetings with the Minister of Citizenship in order to brief the Ministry of the VSG aims and to establish liaison arrangements with the Ministry,” the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) announced yesterday. The eight organizations include the Amerindian

Peoples Association (APA), the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA), the Guyana Institute for Transparency Inc. (GITI), the Moray House Trust Policy Forum Guyana, Red Thread, Roman Catholic Diocese of Guyana and the Ursuline Sisters in Guyana. According to GHRA, its founding members- those eight organizations- have previously publicly expressed their concerns about the humanitarian aspect of the ongoing crisis in Venezuela in press releases, panel discussions and in communications with various ministries. Among the concerns and

considerations were distinguishing humanitarian obligations to the Venezuelan people from political factors that currently influence both the internal crisis in Venezuela and Caricom Secretariat’s reluctance to date, to formulate specific advice to member states on how to respond to that crisis and devise a flexible, evidence-based rather than speculative response appropriate to the relatively small numbers of Venezuelans currently in Guyana. GHRA said that the eight organizations have also noted that Venezuelans in Guyana have documented (Continued on page 72)

Eight organizations have banded together to assist Venezuelans seeking refuge in Guyana.

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EITI alarmed by ExxonMobil, other oil majors’ refusal to comply with principles By Kiana Wilburg Head of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), Fredrik Reinfeldt, finds it troubling that USA oil majors such as ExxonMobil and Chevron have refused to come clean on payments made to the American government. Reinfeldt says this behaviour is not only “unprecedented” but a “serious” matter. He intends to take this matter to the Board at its next meeting. Reinfeldt’s statement comes in wake of a letter he received on February 7. The letter which was signed by various civil society bodies, notes that ExxonMobil and Chevron were members of the US-EITI Multi-Stakeholder Group from its creation in December 2011 to its disbandment in November 2017. Both companies are members of the EITI International

Board’s industry constituency and have served in that role, with a few brief exceptions, since its creation in 2003. It was further noted that from its founding, EITI and its Standard have required comprehensive disclosure of material payments from companies to governments, including taxes. In fact, no EITI implementation has ever excluded the disclosure of tax payments. However, in the US-EITI report issued in 2016, only 12 of the 38 eligible companies disclosed their taxes. In the USEITI report issued in 2015, one dozen of the 41 eligible companies disclosed their taxes. ExxonMobil and Chevron were among the companies that refused to disclose their tax payments in both cases. The groups said that this

is enough for EITI to remove the companies from the Board and even the EITI fold since their actions contradict the EITI standards. In response to the group, the EITI Chair felt it necessary to state that companies supporting EITI commit to its Principles and subsequent implementation. He noted that reporting taxes is a fundamental requirement of EITI implementation. The Chair said, “From March 2014 - November 2017, the United States implemented the EITI. A number of US companies refused to report in accordance with the procedures developed by the US EITI, including several EITI supporting companies (Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Hess and Noble Energy).” He continued, “While it is not uncommon for compa-

nies to occasionally miss reporting deadlines, it is unprecedented that EITI supporting companies made a conscious decision not to report. It is serious when supporters of the EITI as a group undermine EITI implementation. The EITI does not have separate rules for countries, companies and civil society organizations represented on the EITI Board.” The EITI Chair added, “The Articles of Association states that ‘The Board shall act in the best interest of the EITI Association at all times’ (Article 12). It is disappointing that Chevron and ExxonMobil, represented on the Board, did not provide the leadership expected from them by EITI stakeholders. I intend to report to the Board and discuss this matter at the upcoming meeting on 28 June.” Reinfeldt said that he will

not be recommending further action. He said this is especially as it relates to the call for the EITI Board to consider terminating these companies’ membership of the EITI Association. “I consider it to be better for the realization of the EITI Principles that they remain supporters and members of the EITI Association. Jonas Moberg, EITI Executive Director, and I have been in contact with representatives for Chevron and ExxonMobil, the other companies that did not report and a number of those that signed the letter to me.” The EITI official said that in those discussions, the commitment to support the EITI was reaffirmed. He noted too that there are other cases where the said companies have reported and participated actively and strongly in support of the EITI implemen-

EITI Chair, Fredrik Reinfeldt tation. He added, “I note that events in the United States have not been repeated elsewhere. I hope that all stakeholders can draw lessons (Continued on page 71)

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GBTI proposes national economic policy to deal with oil industry Amid some tough times for the country, one of Guyana’s biggest banks is calling for the necessary policy environment to assure investors. The calls was made by Chairman of the Guyana Bank For Trade And Industry (GBTI), Robin Stoby S.C., in the bank’s recently released annual report for 2017. The bank said it is “buoyed” by the recent level of oil discoveries offshore Guyana and recognize that this country will now require greater levels of capital investment to improve social and physical infrastructure. This will be required as the country moves into the

- vows to continue fighting SOCU contempt charges league of a global player in the oil industry. “We therefore support calls for the development of a national economic policy environment that provides certainty to investors, reduces sovereign risks, and lends to overall improvement of the welfare and wellbeing of all Guyana particularly those in most need of assistance.” According to the chairman, the bank will also continue to lend its voice in support of the meaningful initiatives that address performance improvements in the

sugar and gold mining industries. The considerations are to ensure the requisite social impact of these initiatives on the workers, families and communities that depend on these industries for their sustenance. The bank also expressed its gratitude to John Tracey who, after several years at the helm serving as Chief Executive Officer, went into retirement earlier in the year, and was succeeded by Shaleeza Shaw. She was later replaced by a director, Richard Isava, who is now serving as an Ex-

ecutive Director. The bank has recorded an extraordinary 2017, with a major fraud of over $940M. Several directors were also charged in relation to an ongoing investigation into the Guyana Rice Development Board. According to Stoby, the focus of the board remains on improving the resilience of the bank as its reputation and trust of customers and the wider community remain key elements of the corporate objectives. With regards to the local economy, this is what the bank had to say about 2017: “We are cognizant that the current environment subdued local economic growth, low interest rate stricter regulation and increasing competition will present added challenges,

and are committed to excel at securing and enhancing the financial wellbeing of the institution.” The bank also explained that towards the end of the year, the board engaged Larry Nath, an experienced Trinidad and Tobago banker, as an independent executive consultant, during which time he brought his “expansive business knowledge and sound judgment” to bear on the board’s deliberations on restructuring the operations of the bank. Nath subsequently declined the offer to assume the role of Chief Executive Officer. The board then appointed Isava. According to the Chairman, in his report, Isava’s appointment is an interim measure while a new CEO is being sought. On the contempt charges, Stoby who too is before the courts, said that the bank is

actively defending those charges leveled by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) concerning the production of documents and information “regarding a customer being investigated”. SOCU was reportedly unhappy that the bank was not cooperating with producing records of the GRDB transactions and had therefore laid the contempt charges. “Your Bank, given the limited time frame and novelty of the production order, went over beyond the call of duty to comply with it producing thousands of documents.” According to Stoby, GBTI and its directors are advised that it took all reasonable steps to comply with the production order. “Unfortunately, your bank and its directors must now endure the court process to establish that it is not culpable.”

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---Hinds’ Sight by Dr. David Hinds---

Walter Rodney represents the best of our Guyana-Caribbean civilization

D

r. Walter Rodney was assassinated on June 13, 1980. His assassination brought to a premature end a life that represented the best of our Caribbean civilization. This month we again remember him—what he stood for and represented. I am always saddened by the fact that our Guyana has still not come to wholeheartedly embrace our own shining star. Thanks to the inability of our political leaderships on all sides of the spectrum to separate narrow partisan interests from the broad national pride and dignity, Rodney remains mired in our, often, muddy political waters. Walter Rodney was born in Georgetown, Guyana in 1942. In 1960, he left to further his studies at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica and graduated with a first-class honours degree in History in 1963. He then went to the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, and in 1966, at age twenty-four, he was awarded a Ph.D. with honours in African History. His doctoral research on slavery on the Upper Guinea Coast was published in 1970 by Oxford University Press under the title, A History of the Upper Guinea Coast, 1545-1800. Rodney took up his first teaching appointment in Tanzania before returning to his alma mater, the University of the West Indies, in 1968. However, he did not confine his activities to the university campus. He took his message of Black Liberation and his knowledge of African history to the gullies of Jamaica where the impoverished masses, including the Rastafarians, lived. By mid-1968 Rodney’s “groundings” had begun to attract the attention of the Jamaican government. When he attended a Black Writers’ Conference in Montreal, Canada, in October 1968, the Hugh Shearer-led Jamaican Labour Party (JLP) govern-

ment banned him from re-entering the country. This action sparked widespread demonstrations in Kingston during which several people were injured by the police and security forces, and millions of dollars’ worth of property was destroyed. Rodney’s groundings with the Rastafarians were published in a small book titled “Grounding with My Brothers,” which became a handbook of the Caribbean Black Power movement and is still cited today as a central text in Caribbean and Black Studies. Having been expelled from Jamaica, he returned to Tanzania after a short stay in Cuba. There he lectured from 1968 to 1974 and continued his groundings in Tanzania and other parts of Africa. This was the period of the African liberation struggles and Rodney, who believed that the intellectual should make his or her skills available to the struggles of the poor and the powerless, became deeply involved. His second major work, and his best known, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, emerged from these activities. In 1974, Rodney returned to Guyana to take up an appointment as Professor of History at the University of Guyana, but the government rescinded the appointment. Rodney remained in Guyana and joined the newly formed political group, the Working People’s Alliance (WPA). Between 1974 and his assassination in 1980, he emerged as the leading figure in the WPA and the resistance movement against the authoritarian government. This year we celebrate Rodney and remember his contributions at a critical time in Guyana and Caribbean history. We do so at a time when our region is caught in the web of alienation, displacement and social destruction, brought about by the new recolonization project misnamed globalization. The consequences of this project are multi-layered, far-reaching

and total. The era of globalization has brought our country and region face to face with the demons of our plantation past. We are forced to take a fresh look at our independence - its content, its context, its trajectory and its promise. Here is where Walter Rodney is invaluable. He has, through his legacy, left us some tools with which we can try to make sense of our past, our present and our future. What is this Rodney legacy that I am talking about? There are three major elements. First, Rodney exemplified a broadened role for the intellectual in Guyanese and Caribbean society. For him, the intellectual must put herself and himself at the service of the people by becoming immersed in the popular struggle for freedom. The premise of this was the fact that it is the struggles and sacrifices of the working people that make it possible for the intellectual to attend university and hone his or her skills. This element of Rodney’s legacy is particularly relevant as our society grapples with the tension between individual aspiration and achievement on the one hand, and responsibility to community and nation on the other. For Rodney, there was no tension. His was a harmonization of individual endeavour and collective advance. A second aspect of the Rodney legacy was his instinctive embrace of the concrete. Rodney saw no place for dogmatism in political praxis. This allowed him to construct a broad praxis which he used not to confine and limit his ability to understand social motion, but to help him to navigate the diversity and sometimes chaos that are very much part of our historical tapestry. This aspect of his praxis helped him to distinguish between the tree and the forest, even as he articulated the re-

The Baccoo Speaks Fires are never far away. They are started by either carelessness or by some faulty electrical connection. There will be a fire in the eastern part of the country that will cause significant damage. There will be a rush by neighbours to help but their efforts would be insignificant. ** There was a time when minibuses were the cause of

many road accidents. Today, young drivers in cars are the primary cause. One of them will be speeding when he

would encounter problems because of a failure in judgement. He would collide with another vehicle. There would be some injuries. ** Robberies are always occurring and Berbice is now becoming the hotspot. The police would respond quickly enough to catch one of the perpetrators at his home.Some of the items would be recovered.

lationship between the two. Rodney, therefore, would not be stuck in time and place, as some are desperately trying to do to him today. He would, for example, point out the continuity from the 1970s to the 2000s, but would alter his analysis to take into consideration the inevitable changes over time. A third aspect of the Rodney legacy that is applicable to our discourse today is this vision for the wholeness of our multi-ethnic society. His approach to ethnic problems which have plagued Guyana was threefold. First, he adopted the approach of confronting the problem as a real living phenomenon. He did not see ethno-racialism as a fiction of people’s imagination, but as an unfortunate but real outcome of our history. Second, he made a distinction between ethno-racialism

as identity and ethno-racialism as domination, insubordination and otherization. Third, he saw the overcoming of ethno-racial polarization as rooted in a praxis of inclusion rather than exclusion. But, he advocated an inclusion premised on equality and mutual respect, or what he referred to as “jointness”. Such inclusion is multi-faceted—ethno-racial inclusion, class inclusion and generational inclusion. While he did not speak much on gender inclusion, his praxis did not silence it. A fourth aspect of Rodney’s legacy was the inclusion of resistance as a necessary aspect of nationhood. The right to resist was, for him, central to the realization of freedom . In that regard, he saw the independent actions of the masses of people as critical to the process of democratization and freedom. It is within

Dr David Hinds this context that his notions of self-activity and self-emancipation were located. For Rodney, protest and resistance were not meant as tools of destruction and domination, but as sites of selfactivity of the people. In the process of resisting, the people create and recreate their own identities and carve out their own spaces of liberation. More of Dr. Hinds’ writings and commentaries can be found on his YouTube Channel Hinds’ Sight: Dr. David Hinds’ Guyana-Caribbean Politics and on his website www.guyanacaribbeanpolitics.news Send comments to dhinds6106@aol.com

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By Michael Jordan

I

t was pitch-black, cold and raining heavily when the men entered the track off the Soesdyke/ Linden highway. The rainsoaked group included armed police ranks, led by homicide boss, Michael Marks, and an informant who had promised to lead them to a dangerous fugitive who always seemed to be one step ahead of the lawmen. They hoped that the rainfall would muffle the sound of their approach, and that this time around, they would

Sunday June 03, 2018

Kaieteur News

get the man some US reporters had dubbed the clawhammer killer. They could just as well have called him the Halloween murderer. The story began on Tuesday, October 30, 1990, in Saginaw County, in the state of Michigan. Bertha Aldridge, 18, and George Bowles, 23, were in the Perry Drug Store, where they worked, when a man with a claw-hammer attacked them. The hammerwielding attacker struck Aldridge and Bowles repeatedly on their heads. Harold Epting, a 61-yearold employee, reportedly heard a woman’s screams and on investigating, saw his two mortally wounded colleagues on the floor. The man with the hammer then attacked Epting, but although injured, Epting managed to escape. The intruder allegedly

then removed US$40 from the cash register and fled the scene. A post mortem would show that Bertha Aldridge had sustained 19 ‘bashing-in blows’ which punctured her skull. Her colleague, George Bowles, was struck six times. He also suffered a broken jaw and died of cardiac arrest caused by brain damage. Epting and another eyewitness identified the killer as 28-year-old Steven Edward King. King, a Guyanese by birth, was also a former US paratrooper, who was employed as a cashier and stock worker at the same drug store where the killings had occurred. But King was nowhere to be found. Police in the US received information which suggested that the suspect had

fled to his homeland. They contacted their counterparts in Guyana. The local cops got word that Steven King was hiding out at relatives in Grove, East Bank Demerara. The detectives staked out two houses in the community. They learned that the fugitive had indeed been around, but, apparently tipped off, had fled. But just as the trail appeared to be getting cold, they learned from an informant that King was hiding out in the vast backlands off the Soesdyke/Linden Highway. According to the informant, some of the suspect’s relatives were supplying him with meals. Police had another stroke of luck when they arrested a male cousin of King’s. The man confessed that King had a hideout in a densely-forested area off the highway. He finally agreed to take the hunting party there. However, he warned that the ex-soldier they were tracking had an uncanny ability to detect the slightest of sounds in the jungle. At nightfall, in almost total darkness, the informant led detective Michael Marks and his team down a meandering trail, in which an occasional snake was picked out by flashlight. Finally, they came upon a small clearing in which a cot had been set up. A man was lying on the cot. He appeared to be fast asleep.

While one man guarded the reluctant informant, four other ranks pounced upon the sleeping man, who awoke with a scream. The captive was Steven King. A search of the camp revealed several months’ supply of canned food. During the ensuing months, King waged a battle in the High Court to avoid extradition. But in April 1992, handcuffed and flanked by armed policemen, Steven King was taken aboard a USbound flight to face trial for murder and robbery. During the trial, 61-yearold survivor Harold Epting testified that King was the individual who had attacked him. Denying this, King said that he saw Epting between two men in ski-masks. He alleged that one of the men struck Epting with a tyre iron, while the other, who had a claw-hammer, kicked the elderly man as he lay on the floor. The accused also claimed that the hammer was knocked from the man’s hand as he fled with his accomplice. King claimed that Epting’s spectacles had fallen off, and that he handed the man his glasses and Epting then left the store. According to the accused, he then went to the

storeroom and saw the bodies of Aldridge and Bowles. King claimed that he didn’t go to the police because he knew that no one would believe him. The accused also denied telling investigators ‘I killed two people in 20 seconds and I can kick your (expletive) too.’ According to King, what he had in fact said was: ‘How can you say that I killed two people in 20 seconds?’ King’s attorney also suggested that the investigators had framed his client. Testifying at his trial, King’s girlfriend described him as a hard worker who squirreled away his money. She denied trying to assist in his escape. In early January 1993, Steven King was found guilty of murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. If you have information on any crime or other incident that may be of interest to the public, please contact us at our Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown office or by telephone. We can be reached on 225-8465, 225-8491, or 2258458. You need not disclose your identity. You can also contact Michael Jordan at his email address: mjdragon@hotmail.com.

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Kaieteur News

==THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN==

I

learnt from a tender age that music is a uni versal language. Music transcends age, cultures, and borders. I was young, in 1971, when one of the greatest pop songs ever written came out; Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.” No matter what cultural background you come from, you will appreciate this fine, philosophical reflection. The song has been covered countless times but strangely, the version I like is by a not so known reggae singer, Ed Robinson. His arrangement is superb and the drumming sequences add to its sweetness. I go on the beach almost every day with my dog, and this week I was playing Robinson on what is now an outdated gadget - the discman. While looking at the ocean and listening three times to “Stairway to Heaven,” I got the idea for this column about Guyana.

“Stairway to Heaven” is about the mental fascination that money can give you everything you want. In the end, you will painfully realize that it is all an illusion. The lyrics of “Stairway to Heaven” are vividly relevant to Guyana, as we are on the verge of the flow of oil money. You sense that our leaders are emotionally banking on this panacea. It will wipe away in one stroke, all the ills of seventy years. With this expectation is born a parallel expectation the one from the citizens themselves. They too believe that they will climb the stairway to heaven, a pathway that was always within grasp, only to recede, thus has tormented our souls like Tantalus in Greek mythology; so close yet so far away. This time oil will provide us with the ladder to reach heaven. Oil will unshackle Prometheus. So there are two stairways

– the one from the elites, the other from the citizens. When oil flows, only one ladder to the stars will be there. It won’t be the one for the population. It is a fool’s dream to think the average citizen is on the road to paradise with oil money. Oh, sure, the money will come, but it will not go to the average man and woman. Their stairway to heaven will be on the whispering wind. The other heaven will be enjoyed by the elites who will spend the benefits of black gold as if it is their own. I see not one encouraging sign from the government in power that oil wealth will benefit the poor, the working classes and the lower middle income strata. This is because I see how money is being spent. It is lavished on projects that have no impact on the diminution of poverty. I wrote before in a column on how oil money will be used

and I am repeating it here. The elites in power will luxuriate. There will be ostentatious spending on SUVs, luxurious expansion of State buildings, high-flying trips to exotic places. To the man and woman in the street, my advice is stop dreaming about the stairway to heaven that you think oil money will bring you. Here are some relevant lines from the song: “There’s a lady who’s sure all that glitters is gold And she’s buying a stairway to heaven. When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed. With a word she can get what she came for. And she’s buying a stairway to heaven. There’s a sign on the wall, but she wants to be sure ’Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings. In a tree by the brook,

there’s a songbird who sings, Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiving. There’s a feeling I get when I look to the west And my spirit is crying for leaving. In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees, And the voices of those who stand looking. Ooh, it makes me wonder Ooh, it really makes me wonder. And it’s whispered that soon, if we all call the tune. Then the piper will lead us to reason. And a new day will dawn for those who stand long, Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run There’s still time to change the road you’re on. And it makes me wonder. Your head is humming and

Frederick Kissoon it won’t go, in case you don’t know, The piper’s calling you to join him, Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know Your stairway lies on the whispering wind? And as we wind on down the road Our shadows taller than our soul. There walks a lady we all know Who shines white light and wants to show. How everything still turns to gold.”

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n recent weeks, the spotlight was placed on some of our larger investing companies by the local media citing them for several lapses linked mostly to allegations of shying away from engaging local companies as sub contractors. The term local content is the new catch phrase. Among those taking a beating in recent weeks are ExxonMobil, the current leader in our fledgling oil and gas sector, and a Canadian mining major, Guyana Goldfields Ltd., the biggest player in the minerals mining sector. Guyana Goldfields is tipped as Guyana’s largest foreign direct investor (FDI). A surprising few to date have come to the defence of the two companies, even though by their very presence, they have made Guyana recognizable on the world stage. They have brought superior technologies with their US billion-dollar investments, and the jobs in the offing have begun to teach us about operations in firstworld industries that demand unrelenting precision and uncompromising safety.

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We must not also forget the massive opportunities coming our way for conglomerate downstreaming that comes with the Oil & Gas industry. Guyana is in a good place. Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, speaking about the presence of ExxonMobil and its partners Hess Oil and Nexen of China, stated that having companies such as these as investors represents and signifies much more than money and statistics.For example, Exxon was deliberately given a larger than usual area to explore for oil and gas offshore, and many in our population did not figure out the reasons. Our loudest critics argue that Exxon is being treated like a favoured child. But Minister Trotman has explained, emphasized rather, the far-reaching effects of us hosting a corporate behemoth like ExxonMobil, and their working in our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that has long been claimed by Venezuela as its own. Other companies of a smaller size and international importance, with fewer resources than the oil

consortium, would have feared the might and power, the sabre-rattling and bullyism by Venezuela, but not Exxon. They did not flinch under Venezuela’s threats, and they continue to explore offshore while preparing for production in about two years. The naysayers and complainers should hark back to 2013 when heavily-armed Venezuelan gunboats forcibly expelled the Texas-based RV Teknik Perdana survey boat ‘Anadarko’ from the same zone. Its crew was detained for nearly a week while diplomats scrambled around the region to resolve the situation and have the crew that Venezuela had arrested released. Anadarko threw in the towel and left immediately after Venezuela released them. Additionally, no one should forget that in the immediate aftermath of Exxon’s May 2015 declaration that it had found large deposits of oil and gas off coastal Guyana, Caracas immediately reinstituted its claim to the area, redrew its maps to include Guyana’s entire EEZ (and neighbouring countries’

too) and issued Exxon with an order to evacuate. But as the local saying goes, “monkey know which limb to jump on”. After a short period, Venezuela meekly backed off Exxon and its partners, and turned their attention to the then new Government of Guyana that was not going to tolerate their bullyism anymore. We are fighting back and now the matter is before the International Court of Justice for final, once-and-for-all adjudication. Enough is enough. As small as Guyana is, we are entitled to benefit from our natural wealth. Venezuela has prevented us from so doing for far too long. According to Minister Trotman in a recent presentation, “It was important to us that we secure and anchor the company in Guyana; and it is important to us that we move production in the fastest possible time without, of course, sacrificing some of the environmental practices at the altar of expediency. We wanted economic benefits and rents but more importantly, because of the re-drawing of the lines by Venezuela, it was im-

portant for Guyana to move to production as quickly as possible, so that (we could) assert when (we) got to court that production was taking place within the territorial waters of Guyana. That would become an indisputable fact before a court of law”. He also pointed out the wider scope of benefits Guyana stands to accrue from having a company like Exxon exploring and about to mine our hydrocarbons. Meanwhile, we note the sustained attacks that Guyana Goldfields has been subjected to recently. We read the media reports and have to question their fairness and balance. The firm, it appears, has offended operators in the aviation sector by acquiring its own 19-seater Twin Otter aircraft. Information reaching us points out that this firm has already spent hundreds of millions on local air charters to their interior mines. Local aviators have complained that they are booking fewer charters since the Twin Otter arrived here. The AFC would be first in line to support and promote

adherence to local content stipulations in investment agreements. By the same token, we espouse operating efficiency, safety and quality standards, and would support any reasonable effort to ensure this. But we do remember the aircraft belonging to now defunct Home Oil of Canada that crashed while exploring for onshore oil and gas in the Karanambo, Rupununi area in the 1980s. The pilot was Canadian. Another aircraft used here extensively by a company exploring for uranium crashed in 2013. Then there was the Cessna that landed on the home of an elderly woman in Sparendaam shortly after takeoff from Ogle in 2013, killing all on board. There were very few objections to these foreigneroperated aircraft. Guyana was never a xenophobic nation, but we do have the right to expect to be included in any industry operating on our soil. The era that saw the Guyana Marriott and the beginnings of the CJIA Expansion being built with no Guyanese labour or services, is surely over.

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My column

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ighteen years ago, a man hacked another because the other man objected to the relationship the assailant shared with his daughter. The assailant went even further; he hacked three dogs then he fled the jurisdiction. Reports are that he went to Venezuela. His relatives were aware of his whereabouts but as the saying goes, blood is thicker than water. They kept the assailant’s whereabouts secret. Nearly two decades were to elapse before the local police could arrest this man. There have been many such instances, but I cannot recall a case where a killer in Guyana was able to escape justice for such a long time. Indeed there are other fugitives from justice. There was the man who killed his wife at Blankenburg then picked up their child and headed east to Suriname. He is still at large and is showing no intention of returning home. Sometime later I met one of his relatives, who said to me that she helped send money to him. I asked her whether she did not feel guilty and from appearances, she

did not. There was another man who killed his mother-in-law in Stewartville and fled. To the best of my knowledge, he was arrested after some time. Then there was the man who killed his estranged wife when she was with another man with whom she had started a relationship. This was a horrible act, because the man managed to flee, but the killer’s son was at the scene and he held on to the man until his father arrived to kill him. They are both awaiting the decision of the court. These are all cases of the work that the police must do in the face of a lack of support from the wider society. They were able to effect arrests because the very society has people who want to see justice done. There is the other case of the rich fellow who is languishing in a New York prison awaiting extradition to Guyana. Local lawyers have been teaming up with their counterparts in the United States to avoid this man being brought to justice. The reverse is being played out in Guyana. A man is alleged to have killed an-

other Guyanese in the United States and fled to Guyana where he hid for a number of years until his hiding place was exposed. As is the case with the man in the United States, there is a challenge here to avoid extradition. This case is of interest, because the local laws allow for Guyana to prosecute this American because he killed a Guyanese, albeit in another country. I am not sure why this line is not being pursued. There was a soldier who killed a colleague when a team of soldiers was sent overseas on one of the hurricane relief efforts. Then again, it might have been a mission to Haiti in the wake of the devastating hurricane there. He came home to be court martialed and he is currently serving his time in a prison at Camp Ayanganna. These are killings that expose the base nature of some people in the society. It would seem that they have no regard for human life, so they commit the most deadly sin according to the Christian teachings. It is not that such killings are unique to Guyana. They occur in just about every

country, but less in some than in Guyana. There is the view that the absence of the death penalty is prompting people to become extremely violent. Killers are happy to spend some time in jail, because they also have little value for their freedom. However, one judge seems bent on making killers pay. He sends them to jail for a very long time. He actually said to me that killers should not be allowed to live among decent people in the society, and I agree with him. I know killers who are now dying to get out. They are fed up with being in jail. They talk about developing illnesses; about wanting to see relatives and to walk the streets again. Stiff jail sentences do work. For those serving long sentences, going to the hospital is a treat. They enjoy the chance to go outside the prison walls, if only for a brief period. There was Sherene Khan who organized the killing of a girl in Canje. She was handed the death sentence and while she never mounted the gallows, she died in prison. One of her wishes was to see her

grandchildren, if even once. She spent her last days trying to imagine what it would have been like to live with them. And so I return to the killer who remained at large for eighteen years. He went to Venezuela, but came back home when difficult times befell that country. I can imagine the decision he had to make. It was a case of living a life of suffering. He chose to come home where he thought he would live unrecognized. The witnesses are alive, and while the events may be clouded, they would remember enough to send the man to jail. I am sorry that I cannot say to the gallows. Man’s brutality knows no bounds. Friends sit over a drink and somebody is killed. People get into simple arguments and somebody ends up dead. I have not mentioned the gunmen who go after hapless victims and kill them. It is as if parents are not doing a good job bringing up their children. I was at my aunt’s funeral on Thursday when the pastor spoke about the declining church population. He noted that women make up the bulk of the population and it’s a fact that they

Adam Harris are less likely to go about killing people. Indeed there was the woman who strangled her drunk husband. Can the society do something about the killings? I do think so, but then again, with declining academic standards in some communities and with the lawlessness that prevails, there will always be murders. Yet I hope that what passes in Jamaica and Trinidad does not come to Guyana. Our policemen already have too much on their hands.

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Movie stars, social celebrities and business magnates, a few years ago, were often pictured smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol – habits which were imitated by their adoring fans, especially children.Traditional lifestyles, in poorer countries such as ours, were transformed by copying the glamorous habits of the rich and famous. Food preparation and consumption shifted from the home to the street. Residents of hinterland and rural regions now readily resort to restaurants selling sugary beverages and salty, oily processed foods in preference to fresh, home-grown and local produce. Schools without playgrounds and physical training and sports programmes for children but with cafeterias where the consumption of ‘Cola’ and candy were more likely to be available than coconut water are commonplace. Minibuses replaced

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the once ubiquitous bicycles as the preferred means of going to school. The consequences of such cultural carelessness are everywhere evident. More than half of Guyana’s adult population suffer from one of the main non-communicable diseases. Almost seven out of every ten deaths of Guyanese, aged 23-60 years, are caused by cancers, chronic lung diseases, diabetes, heart disease and hypertension.Non-communicable diseases cause illness and may frequently result in premature death. They reduce human productivity and exact a huge cost on individuals and the state. They are a silent epidemic.Non-communicable diseases were responsible for 70 per cent of the 56 million global deaths in 2015, the majority of which are cardiovascular diseases which accounted for 45 per cent of deaths; cancers, 22 per cent;

chronic respiratory diseases, 10 per cent and diabetes 4 per cent, in that year. These statistics should make it clear that the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases is essential to ensuring human health and, by extension, bringing up healthier children and happier communities. The Caribbean Community was quick to recognise the dangers of non-communicable diseases. CARICOM Heads of Government convened a special Regional Summit on Chronic Non-communicable Diseases on September 15, 2007 – four years prior to the United Nations High Level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases. The ‘Summit’ of Caribbean leaders issued a fifteenpoint declaration, known as the Declaration of Port-ofSpain: Uniting to stop the epidemic of chronic NCDs.

The ‘Declaration’ urged the establishment of National Commissions on NCDs, or analogous bodies, to plan and coordinate the comprehensive prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. Guyana, in fulfilment of the ‘Declaration’, developed the Guyana Strategic Plan for the Integrated Prevention and Control of Chronic NonCommunicable Diseases and their Risk Factors 2013-2020. The Government of Guyana recognized the importance of combatting NCDs and established a National Commission for the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases on September 12, 2014. It would be impossible to ensure satisfactory standards of public health unless the highest priority was accorded to the prevention and control of NCDs. The re-launch of the ‘Commission’ recognises the need for increased public information, fresh initiatives and the implementation of programmes to promote a revised NCDs strategy and institute mechanisms. The Government, therefore, propose a three-pronged approach towards reducing the incidence

of NCDs: - Information. Countrywide public information is necessary if prevention is to become the cornerstone of our response the NCD epidemic. The public must be better informed about the need for lifestyles changes and choice in order to reduce risk from the harmful use of alcohol and tobacco, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. - Initiation: Initiatives, led not only by government but, also, by citizens and celebrities, civil society, non-governmental organisations, the media and trade unions – can help to drive an intensified national response to the threat of non-communicable diseases. - Implementation: A comprehensive and multi-sectoral approach is needed to implement measures for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. The Guyana Strategic Plan for the Integrated Prevention and Control of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases and their Risk Factors 2013-2020 needs to be updated and needs to be complemented by the imple-

mentation of an action plan aimed at preventing and controlling the incidence of NCDs.Prevention of NCDs is a pressing problem. The burden of NCDs falls mainly on the poor, where most premature deaths from these diseases occur. Reducing risk factors will not only save lives but will also provide an impetus for the economic and social development of hinterland and rural regions. Non-communicable diseases are a grave threat to the health of our people. This Commission’s work, therefore, will be decisive in determining the extent to which the good life can be realised. The National Commission for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases in Guyana can lead the information, initiation and implementation campaigns for healthier children and happier communities in Guyana. (The above remarks were delivered by President David Granger on December 18, 2017 at the re-launching of the National Commission for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases)

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Blood clots: They cause more deaths than you know By Dr Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine Do you know that blood clots are the most common reason why people get heart attacks and stroke? Abnormal blood clotting is responsible for many life-threatening conditions and it’s not often emphasized how important it is for us to try to prevent abnormal clotting in our bodies. Today we will highlight the seriousness around blood clots so that you can understand how to minimize your risk of getting a lifethreatening clot. WHATARE BLOOD CLOTS? Blood clots are differently-sized clumps of blood that have formed inside your body. Clotting is important to prevent excessive bleeding if you are injured or cut. However, when a blood clot blocks blood flow to important areas of your body, it can be harmful or deadly. Blood clots can occur in your arms and legs, abdomen (stomach), heart, lungs, brain, and kidneys. There are two different types of blood clots. These include clots that stay in place and don’t move (thrombosis) and those that break away from the spot where they developed and move to different areas inside your body (embolism). Depending on what the clot blocks or where it moves to, a blood clot can be deadly. WHATARE THE

SYMPTOMS OF HAVING A BLOOD CLOT? Symptoms are different depending on where the blood clot is located. If the clot is in your arms or legs, you can experience pain (that feels like an intense cramp), swelling, and tenderness. Your skin may be red and warm to the touch where the clot is located. If the blood clot is in your abdomen, you may experience severe stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Blood clots that travel to your heart cause a heavy feeling or pain in your chest, pain in your upper body, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, and light-headedness. If the clot moves to your lungs, you could experience sharp chest pain, a racing heart, shortness of breath, sweating, and fever. You may cough up blood. A blood clot in the brain may cause weakness in your face, arms, or legs, speechand vision difficulties, headache, and dizziness. Many of these symptoms are the symptoms associated with other conditions, such as heart attacks and stroke. WHAT CAUSES BLOOD CLOTS? Your body reacts to an injury or cut by clotting your blood just the way it should. These types of clots are not a problem. Sometimes a blood clot will form without a trigger (such as an injury or cut). This is more likely to happen with certain risk factors or conditions. Risk factors in-

clude: · Prolonged sitting. This is often the case with travel where you are forced to sit for long periods. · Prolonged bed rest. This is often the case with surgery or illness. · Pregnancy. · Smoking. · Obesity. · Birth control pills/hormone replacement therapy/ breast cancer medicines. · Certain cancer types (pancreatic, lung, multiple myeloma, or blood-related cancers). · Trauma (serious injury). · Some types of major surgery. · Age (especially over the age of 60). · A family history of blood clots. · Autoimmune disorders (your immune system attacking your body) · Certain infections (HIV/ AIDS, hepatitis C or Lyme disease). HOW ARE BLOOD CLOTS DIAGNOSED? Whether you go to your doctor’s office or an emergency room, the doctor will examine your symptoms. The doctor also will ask you questions that may help him/her to figure out the cause of the blood clot. He/She will do further testing depending on the area of the blood clot. CAN BLOOD CLOTS BE PREVENTED OR AVOIDED? Blood clots are highly preventable. To prevent or avoid

a blood clot, know your personal risk factors and control the risks you can. For example, if you smoke, stop. If you are obese, lose weight. If you take birth control pills, talk to your doctor about an effective alternative. If you are inactive, get moving. If you have a family history of blood clots, talk to your doctor. Your doctor may determine whether you should be taking blood-thinning medicine to prevent clots. HOW ARE BLOOD CLOTS TREATED? A blood clot is treated based on where it is located. Blood thinner medicines are the most common treatments for blood clots. Some medicines can be given through a catheter (a long, thin tube) inserted into the area of the clot. Some clots can be surgically removed. If your blood

clot is due to an infection, your doctor may be able to treat the infection and reduce the risk of a clot. WHAT IS LIFE LIKE WITH A BLOOD CLOT? If detected early, a blood clot can usually be treated successfully. If it was not treated early, your quality of life depends on the seriousness of the damage. For example, a blood clot can cause stroke and death. If you’ve successfully survived a blood clot, you may live with the fear of having another. In that case, living with blood clots involves focusing on prevention. If you are being treated with blood thinner medicines, you have to be careful not to cut yourself. The medicine can make it difficult to stop the bleeding. Now that you know about blood clots, take the steps to

Dr. Zulfikar Bux prevent yourself from becoming a victim of it.

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The lighting towers in the Aurora Mines, Region Seven

SUNDAY Inflating the investment package or padding the books? Aurora Gold Mine ‘spends’ US$30M on lighting towers – each retails in Guyana for US$10,000 As scrutiny continues on the level of concessions that foreign companies are enjoying in Guyana as against what the country is getting in return, the spotlight remains on Aurora Gold Mines Inc. The Region Seven mines at Aurora by the Canadian company have been coming under criticisms for not only the seeming mismatch of revenues for Guyana versus the tax and duty free concessions, but for its adherence to its agreement with the Government of Guyana. As a result of its commitment to invest in Guyana, the company was granted hundreds of millions of dollars in annual tax and duty free concessions over the years. According to documents submitted by Aurora Gold Mine Inc. to Guyana last year, for permission to import items, it wanted almost everything free of tax– from equipment, to radios and cables, cyanide, tyres, trucks and even tent structures. One of the items that Aurora asked for was lighting towers. A lighting tower is a piece of mobile equipment, with generator, which has one or more high-intensity electric lamps and a mast. They are used in areas where lighting is poor. Aurora wanted 100 of them.

In a letter to the government last September, Aurora said that 100 lighting towers would cost US$30,000,000. This is equivalent to US$300,000 for each. The problem is that on the local market, one lighting tower costs a mere US$10,000…or just over $2M apiece. The total quantity for the 100 would have cost US$1M. The item is on the list of duty free concessions as one of the costliest and was among 160-plus others for which Aurora wanted duty free concessions. The effect of the costs, more than 30 times the retail price, raised troubling questions. According to accountants, it sought to mislead the Government of Guyana into thinking that the company was investing what it promised, according to its stated plans. It appeared, of course, to overstate the actual investments of the company. Aurora by overstating those amounts is also in effect inflating its costs, which will have an impact on its shareholders’ dividends. Suppliers of the lighting towers said that the cost of each in Guyana is upwards of $2M and not more than $2.6M. Buying 100 would attract discounts. Under the engagements of the Guyana Revenue Authorities, all imports coming to Guyana are supposed to be checked to ensure that prices are realistic. Whether this was done in the case of the Aurora application last September is unclear.

Watchdog body criticizes silence over transfer of whistle-blowing nurse Watchdog body, Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. (TIGI) has criticized the silence of two major bodies over the transfer of a West Berbice nurse who allegedly blew the whistle on senior official said to be involved in abuses. TIGI disclosed that on June 25 and June 26, 2017, it issued a statement on the treatment of Nurse Sherilyn Marks which was published in the press. ”TIGI added its voice to the voices of many that were raised in opposition to the act of transferring her from the Fort Wellington Hospital in response to her exposing the abuse of power by a Councillor attached to the APNU (a major component of the APNU-AFC Coalition Government), to access prescription narcotic injections. ”Ms. Marks was transferred from her post on April 19, 2017 and she remains in that state to date.” TIGI said that in the meantime, the government tabled a Protected Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) legislation and it was passed unanimously in Parliament. However, laws will not be effective when there is a lack of will to make them work and the fact that Ms. Marks’s situation has not been rectified is ominous of the kind of dissonance in the political class that can render whistleblower legislation inconsequential if it does become law.” The body said that in relation to actions taken by

Marks, there were promises of investigations to determine whether she, in fact, breached any rules of the public service. ”The Guyana Nursing Council, the Guyana Medial Council and the Ministry of Public Health, were to conduct investigations. These investigations would have uncovered whether Ms. Marks was in breach of the public service rules, whether doctors were complicit and whether the actions against her were inappropriate.” TIGI noted that the Guyana Public Service Union is on record as indicating that it stands with Nurse Marks in asserting that she was not in breach of any rules. ”It asserts that Nurse Marks acted professionally. The Union also indicated that it held discussions with various entities on behalf of Ms. Marks but has been unable to secure a reversal of the actions taken against her.” TIGI said that it wrote to both the Guyana Nursing Council (delivered on November 20, 2017) and the Guyana Medical Council (initially delivered on December 21, 2017) to enquire about the status of investigations. The Guyana Nursing Council responded, received on December 18, 2017, to indicate that it is not in a position to provide an update. ”This response failed to even indicate whether or not investigations were initiated. We find this to be appalling. Even if the council does not wish to divulge details of the investigation, there is nothing preventing it from indicating whether or not there was

an investigation and whether or not it was completed. There is a difference between confidentiality and secrecy. The former is thought-out and key information can be deleted; the latter lacks such finesse.” MONDAY Abhorrent activities of former Govt. officials cannot go unpunished – Ramjattan Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan has deemed prosecution of corrupt former Government officials an important step for Guyana’s development. Several members of the former People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C) administration have been questioned by state investigators as part of corruption investigations. Former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL) Winston Brassington are currently before the court on three charges of misconduct in public office in relation to the sale of three plots of state land. Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) is pursuing several other cases and has questioned former Government members, an indication that more charges are likely to follow. ”Our nation cannot move forward in any meaningful way without coming to terms legally and morally with the abhorrent activities that were authorized and even given a false character of legality committed by the men and

women in the highest level of the PPP/C Government,” Ramjattan stated. ”I am aware that the prosecution of a predecessor who belongs to a competing political party is likely to be perceived as politically motivated no matter how justified or how warranted the prosecution is, but political expediency should never and will never guide us as a Government,” Ramjattan explained. The Minister assured that once there is evidence, it will be acted upon. He explained that there is a danger in not prosecuting. Ramjattan said that it will send a bad message and every other government will feel that it can sell property to friends and family at cheap prices without following procedures. ”We cannot allow that. That is why we started doing the forensic audits and after the forensic audits brought out information. When the information was so bad, we then sent it to the police. There were some that were not that bad,” Ramjattan stated. The Public Security Minister also claimed that the Government has nothing to do with the charges laid against the former PPP/C officials. Ramjattan stated that Government has supported the hiring of the UK’s Dr. Sam Sittlington as advisor to SOCU. ”If we as a country after 52 years cannot come to terms with unauthorized activities from leading members, we are not going to move forward. What they did really was that they contorted the (Continued on page 33)

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From page 32 law to produce dubious decisions to do these wrong things. They contorted the law,” Ramjattan stated. TUESDAY Local aviators reject Aurora’s “flimsy” excuse for shutout Local aviation operatives feel insulted by the defence mounted by Aurora Gold Mine (AGM) as reason for its abandonment of local services and importation of Canadian pilots and an aircraft. Recently, Aurora said that it did not feel safe with the services provided by the local airlines and thus opted to import its own plane and pilots to fly them. Aurora thinks that despite the fact that it has taken away business from four local airlines, Guyana is still benefitting substantially—especially through the transfer of skills. The gold company used Air Services Limited (ASL), Wings Aviation, Trans Guyana Limited and Roraima Airways for its shuttle services to the hinterland location. Last week, this newspaper highlighted the concerns of some aviation operatives who were concerned about Aurora’s shafting of its local content obligation. On the heels of that article, a letter from an “AGM aviation employee” appeared. The letter stated, “Please take note that the entry of this aircraft was made at the time when there were myriad aircraft accidents and incidents involving various local operators. As such this decision was induced by the concern for the safety of our approximately 800-plus local and 30

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expatriate workers.” But locals are convinced that this cannot be the truth of the matter. One airline owner who spoke on the grounds of anonymity said, “That is utter nonsense and an insult to us. All over the world there are accidents, Canada gets accidents too. Our airlines have Trilanders, Beechcraft, Caravans and the Islanders with two engines. We heard that the British people called Gerry (Gouveia of Roraima Airways) to fly his plane from Guyana to Antigua to take Prince Charles around. You think if the perception was that Guyana’s planes are unsafe they would have done that? No.” Aurora had said too that while the big jobs have been taken away, “Skills that are transferrable across the aviation sector globally were imparted giving these young people the opportunity to have professional careers years beyond the lifespan of AGM across the globe.” But the aviation operatives are not buying that either. ”That is further nonsense. All the operators at Ogle can operate a plane like that. All of us as pilots operated Twin Otters before. Trans Guyana’s Beechcraft is more sophisticated than their Twin Otter. So I do not see what the big deal is with them.” TIGI welcomes charges against Dr. Singh, Brassington The charges for misconduct in office against the former Minister of Finance and the former head of the National Industrial and Com-

mercial Investments Limited (NICIL) is a welcome disruption to impunity for corruption and malfeasance in office that exists in Guyana, the Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc. (TIGI) said Monday. According to the corruption watchdog body, in a statement, TIGI is neither taking a position against Dr. Ashni Singh and Winston Brassington nor attempting to pronounce on their guilt. Singh was the former Finance Minister, of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) while Brassington headed NICIL. Both were slapped recently with fraud-related charges relating to their alleged role in the sale of state properties. The two immediately challenged the charges in the High Court with their PPP/C colleagues insisting that it is victimisation. ”Given that charges have been filed, we leave it to the court to determine the outcome. In this regard, the pronouncements made by politicians on these matters even while the cases are before the courts are improper and appear as attempts to pervert the course of justice and play on the emotions of the citizens,” TIGI stressed. TIGI says it is also welcoming the attempt to institute charges against current ministers of government for their conduct in office. ”There are legitimate questions to be answered in relation to the Sussex Street pharmaceutical bond deal, procurement in the health sector and the D’Urban Park project. With respect to these matters, private charges against Dr. George Norton (former Minister of Health, now Minister

The Twin Otter

of Social Cohesion), Ms. Volda Lawrence (Health), Winston Jordan (Finance), David Patterson (Public Infrastructure) and Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine (Public Service) were filed, but were disallowed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on procedural grounds.” TIGI said it believes that any current or former government official or employee who mismanaged or misappropriated state resources, should be held accountable and where appropriate, be made to make amends inclusive of returning what was taken or given away. ”As long as there is merit in the matters identified, the currency of alternative motives is of little importance. Hence, given the matters involved, we hold to our view whether or not it is perceived that the charges stemmed from retaliatory politics.” In order to end impunity for corruption, the undocumented buddy system in which the major political camps agree to criticise, but not prosecute each other for malfeasance must end, the body urged. GuyOil’s Finance Manager resigns amid multi-million$ wire transfer probe

Former Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh (2nd r) at SOCU’s Headquarters, Camp Street, recently with their lawyers

The Finance Manager of the state-owned Guyana Oil Company Limited (GuyOil), Uma Daniels, has resigned amid an ongoing investigation involving the wire transfer of millions of dollars. GuyOil’s Chairman, Mark Bender, confirmed that he was informed Monday of Daniels’s resignation. Bender confirmed that the police have been called in to investigate the wire transfer that has a supplier claiming that it did not receive the money. The official, while not going into details, said that the probe is significant. It will involve the local bank, its cor-

respondent financial institution that forwarded the money, and the local players who authorized the wire transfers. It was reported that earlier this month, Daniels was sent on administrative leave after the multi-million-dollar transfer failure was reported. The discovery of the fraud was made at the stateowned company earlier this month. According to sources, the Finance Manager allegedly oversaw the wire transfer of around US$230,000 to an account overseas. While details were sketchy, Kaieteur News was told that the Finance Manager claimed she received a request to transfer the monies to an account of Castrol, a major supplier of GuyOil. Investigators are trying to determine what role, if any, the Finance Manager and others may have played. GuyOil runs a string of service stations and is the largest seller of fuel to the local market. However, there have been allegations over the years of ‘runnings’ within the entity. GuyOil, in a statement earlier this month, had confirmed that a probe was ongoing and that no one was fired. Daniels, in a lawyer’s letter dated May 21, threatened this newspaper with legal action for the report on the investigation. She wanted a public apology and a public retraction in all forms of media, and local newspaper. WEDNESDAY Guyana Goldfields imports 17 fuel tankers – drops more local contractors On November 18, 2011, Aurora Gold Mine Incorporated (AGM Inc.) signed a mineral agreement with the Government of Guyana outlining very clearly what is expected by this country and

the gold mining investor. According to the section dealing with the “Conduct of Project Operations”, the company agreed that it shall, to the extent “feasible and acceptable to the company in view of the rates and conditions available and in accordance with good mining practices then in use in the international mining industry, maximize the use of vessels chartered in Guyana and other means of transport available in Guyana”. The agreement went further, outlining what the Canadian-owned investor should do. ”If necessary, the company shall make joint arrangements with Guyanese firms for the transportation of its material needs.” The issue would be pertinent amid the ongoing debate over local content and what Guyana is getting in return for the billions of dollars it gives up annually in duty free concessions and tax holidays to investors. While concessions and tax holidays are normal for attracting investors, the debate is centering on how much Guyana should give up. In the case of the Aurora Gold Mine in Cuyuni, Region Seven, which is operated by AGM Inc., the company reached commercial production in January 2016, becoming the largest gold operations in the country. The company contracted a number of local companies to transport fuel, food supplies, chemicals and a host of other things. A number of the companies invested heavily in equipment, with a few taking loans. About a year ago, as it started improving its cash situation, the company brought in its own fuel trucks, reportedly 17 of them.Today, a number of the local companies are reporting a significant loss of work, with the majority of their equipment now (Continued on page 04)

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From page 33 parked.It would not be dissimilar to the stance that the company has taken by bringing in its own plane. Prior to commercial operations, the company had been contracting out significant business to the local aviation operators. It now has a TwinOtter which is conducting several daily flights. It contracted the plane from a firm in Canada. Tuesday, with several companies bidding, the Canadian-owned entity also announced that it has contracted a Peruvian company, Stracon, to help move the mountains of materials for the underground mining operation it is getting into by the end of this year. According to the 2011 mineral agreement, the company agreed that it shall conduct operations in a workmanlike and responsible manner in accordance with good mining practices, using standards applicable in the international gold mining industry. Guyana Goldfields inks strip-mining contract with Peruvian Company …Joint partners pledge to use local resources for upcoming project In an effort to meet higher waste stripping requirements, Canadian Firm, Guyana Goldfields Inc. recently inked an agreement with STRACON International of Peru. Stripping or strip mining involves the removal of soil and rock followed by the extraction of the exposed mineral. The open pit mining agreement between Guyana Goldfields and STRACON is expected to last through the end of 2021, based on the projections of mine plan which was released to the press on February 20, 2018. According to a statement from Guyana Goldfields Tuesday, its new partner

STRACON, is a leading world class contractor focused on open pit and underground mining in the Caribbean and Latin America. Guyana Goldfields boasted that STRACON has extensive experience, providing efficient and innovative mining and earthworks services to international mining companies with the highest standards in safety, environment and community relations. STRACON, along with Guyana Goldfields, says it is committed to the employment of local personnel and the utilization of local suppliers of goods and services. Kaieteur News understands that STRACON participated in a tender process along with other mining contractors for mining of overburden at the Aurora Gold Mine. The press release for the joint venture partners also stated that the mining requirement is to cover a three-and-a-halfyear peak in waste mining requirements. This is in excess of Guyana Goldfields’ own mining fleet capacity. The partnership with STRACON will allow Guyana Goldfields to focus on mining of goldcontaining ore for processing. STRACON is expected to commence work on July 1, 2018. Following positive results from accelerating selective underground mining, the Peruvian Company has initiated and continues to advance, the bidding process for the contract mining of the initial underground development. A site visit for potential underground contract miners has been completed and STRACON has initiated the movement of the previouslypurchased underground mining equipment to Guyana. The Company is targeting the commencement of underground development in the fourth quarter of 2018. Don’t lower your standards to attract investors – Mexican Regulator

the importance of Guyana going with best practices as opposed to thinking it will scare off investors. THURSDAY Oil and Corruption… Guyana must decide if it wants to be the next Venezuela or the exception

Brazil’s Leading Political Analyst, Thiago de Aragao Strong environmental regulations for the oil and gas sector will not hamper investor confidence. In actuality, companies like ExxonMobil, Shell and Chevron, are used to operating in environments that demand compliance with the best safety standards. As such, Guyana’s authorities should not lower their standards in fear of scaring off rich oil companies. This salient piece of advice was recently provided by Executive Director of Agency for Security, Energy and the Environment (ASEA) of Mexico, Carlos De Regules Ruiz-Funes. In an exclusive interview with Kaieteur News, the Mexican official said he has noted some of the concerns regarding vague contractual terms for environmental protection. He stated, however, that from his experience, keeping a high standard and ensuring the implementation of best practices will benefit the country in the long run. The Mexican official said, “If you start having consid-

The injured hand of the miner who was shot

erations as to the competitiveness of your regulations, then you aren’t doing your job. You will end up lowering your standards to attract investments. It really won’t be good for investment decisions. In a previous life, I was the Vice President of Strategy Planning in PEMEX (Mexico’s National Oil Company). I was responsible for putting together the business plan for 20 years.” Ruiz-Funes continued, “And one thing we looked at very carefully was the stability of the regulatory framework. We didn’t want it to go down and deregulate all things concerning the environment, because in the same way you deregulate for political or commercial reasons, you over-regulate for the same…Companies like Exxon, Shell, Chevron, they are accustomed to operating in global environments, and regulated environments.” The Executive Director added, “So for Mexico, what we did was understand the best practices in the world, and we put them in the Mexican context. It has worked fairly well. We have a regulatory model with various components to it which have proven to be adequate…” Ruiz-Funes said that prevention is an important aspect of Mexico’s regulatory model. He said that this component allows the ASEA to be proactive. He commented, “You don’t want to react once the accident happens or when the pollution occurs. You want to have environmental and safety management systems in place that are mandatory for the operators and will prevent accidents from occurring.” Reflecting on Guyana’s “clean sheet of paper with oil”, the Mexican official said he cannot emphasize enough,

As an emerging oil producer, Guyana’s authorities will face a unique opportunity. They must decide if Guyana will be the next Venezuela, where oil wealth is shackled to corruption; or, if it will be the exception, an example for others to follow. This viewpoint was recently posited by Brazil’s leading political analyst, Thiago de Aragao. The Brazilian official said that Venezuela holds some of the world’s best oil reserves. But significant levels of corruption have prevented thousands of Venezuelans reaping the benefits. Aragao said that a huge part of the problem has to do with how countries like Venezuela define corruption. He said that the definition of corruption for some states is what really determines the reaction by the nation’s elected representatives. Aragao said that if Guyana desires to be different, to use its oil wealth in a transparent manner, then it needs to change the way it defines corruption. SOCU seize laptop, question SPU official in leak probe Investigators of the police’s Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) on Tuesday raided the La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara office of a privatization official, seizing a laptop. According to well-placed sources, the probe has to do with leakage of “sensitive information” pertaining to the ongoing privatization and divestment process of four sugar estates. On Wednesday, the privatization official was reportedly questioned by SOCU investigators. Kaieteur News was told that the official is a specialist accountant who worked in England but returned to live in Guyana. It was explained that the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL)/Special Purposes Unit (SPU) complained recently to the police of suspicious activities. NICIL hold the shares of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). SPU is its arm that is charged with the closely watched privatization

process of four closed stateowned estates- Skeldon, Rose Hall, Enmore and Wales. Significant information, that was supposed to be concealed, was reportedly leaked recently to officials of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and even to the media. Reportedly, some of that information had to do with the molasses production figures at Enmore. NICIL/SPU and management of GuySuCo have been at odds with one another. Sources indicate that SPU staffers were told that all affairs of the Unit were strictly confidential as any breaches would raise questions of transparency. However, it appeared the leakages were contained to production figures of the closed estates, which were partly reopened as going concerns for investors. Gang attacks third Cuyuni camp in three weeks One man is nursing gunshot wounds to the hand after an attack on a mining camp in the Black Water Backdam, Wednesday. The attack by bandits resulted in an exchange of gunfire and the loss of two guns and some $13M in gold. On Wednesday, around 16:00 hours, while the employees of the mining camp were burning the gold that they had just washed down, four bandits who were laying wait in a nearby water pool, pounced on them. One of the hired security personnel on site said that four men armed with highpowered rifles came out of a ‘water pool’ (flooded area like trench), and started firing at the employees of the camp who were burning the gold at the time. One security guard returned fire, but was overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the bandits. In the exchange, one of the miners was shot on his hand. By this time, most of the miners had run for cover. The bandits, who were speaking in a foreign language, advanced to the camp and took up the gold that was being processed. This was estimated to be in the vicinity of 50 ounces, with a market value of some $13M. The bandits also carted off a shotgun and a rifle. The police responsible for that mining area said the police received reports of a robbery in the Black Water area and dispatched a team from Eteringbang, A team of TSU ranks was also dispatched This recent attack is the third in recent months in this area. Only a week ago, another (Continued on page 35)

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From page 34 mining camp came under attack from heavily armed gunmen. FRIDAY Aurora Gold Mine did not give reason for plane import - CAA Aurora Gold Mine had told the nation – via advertisements and letters – that it did not feel safe with the services provided by the local airlines. It opted to import its own plane and pilots to access its hinterland operations. However, the company did not communicate those safety concerns to the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) when it made the application for the aircraft. The company did not notify the GCAA of its local content obligations to Guyana, and GCAA granted the company permission to operate its Canadian-registered Twin Otter here. Director General of the GCAA, Egbert Field, confirmed this during an interview with Kaieteur News Thursday, after he would have perused the company’s files. He stated that the company was approved to conduct flights in Guyana’s interior on December 6, 2017. ”They brought this aircraft and said this here is the company aircraft and they would like permission to fly here,” Field explained. There was no mention of the safety concerns. After revelations by Kaieteur News that local aviation operators were kicked out by the company, a letter from an “AGM aviation employee” appeared in the press supporting the company’s position on the use of the foreignregistered plane. The letter stated, “Please take note that the entry of this aircraft was made at the time when there were myriad aircraft accidents and incidents involving various local operators. ”As such this decision

Director General of the GCAA, Egbert Field was induced by the concern for the safety of our approximately 800-plus local and 30 expatriate workers.” Under contract with Guyana, Aurora has to meet very strict local content obligations. In the case of the Twin Otter, the company has contracted Canadian Flyers World Aviation Services, based in Ontario, to provide flight crew services. Field was asked if the aviation authority considered the company’s local content obligations. The GCAA Chief stated that this was not considered when the application was processed. ”It was submitted to us that the aircraft is being used in the company’s interest. That is the story. We don’t deal with contractual obligations. They must know how they will deal with the [local] companies they have contracted. ”We deal with the company, Aurora Gold. The aircraft is a private aircraft for the company and that is how we looked at it,” Field stated. NIS launches probe into sexual molestation of battered wife– promises to fast-track claims The National Insurance

Scheme [NIS] officer at the centre of a sexual molestation allegation might have just exhausted his ‘nine lives’. This is in light of reports that the man, who is accused of coercing a client of the Brickdam, Georgetown NIS office to have sexual relations with him in order to fast-track her death benefits claim, was already upbraided for previous indictments. There have been rumours that the officer could be sent packing once an investigation substantiates the claims of the alleged victim. Reports suggest that the said officer, while stationed at another NIS office, was at the centre of another sexual harassment probe. In Thursday’s edition of this newspaper it was reported that the NIS client in question, one Shameeza Mohamed, was for close to a year deceived by the said officer who’d assured her that he was processing her claim. According to the woman, she endured an abusive relationship for years which even saw her being dealt several life-threatening stab wounds at the hands of her reputed husband who passed away in November of 2013. The woman had shared a 17-year long relationship with the man. She only last year learnt that she was eligible to make a death benefit claim. But it was only Wednesday that the woman learnt for the first time that she was nowhere close to accessing her claim after trying for a year. Angered by the development, the woman decided to share the ordeal she endured at the hands of the officer. On learning of the dilemma detailed in the pages of this newspaper, this publication learnt that NIS General Manager, Ms. Holly Greaves, made contact with the woman to hear her concerns and has since launched an investigation. Additionally, the woman has been assured that she will (Continued on page 36)

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From page 36 be afforded her claim as early as next week. According to Mohamed, she first filed her claim with NIS at the beginning of last year. Her first meeting at the Brickdam, Georgetown office, she recalled, was with a female officer who she remembers as “very friendly”. While the male officer [the officer under investigation] was just as friendly, the woman recalled that his ‘friendliness’ quickly reached another level. SATURDAY Four GGMC workers die during six-month period —exposure to mercury emission blamed Over a period of five to six months, four workers attached to the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) died under questionable circumstances. The majority of the staff at that entity are convinced that these deaths can be linked to the high levels of mercury emission that pollute the GGMC compound and its environs. The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) perceives this to be the case as

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well. On Friday, the party expressed “profound concern at the untimely deaths of four Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) staffers - Mr. Dwayne De Jonge (ranger), Mr. Latchman Chiti (surveyor), Mr. Leroy Green (carpenter) and Mr. Clement Proffit (lab technician). “The deaths of these staffers, who were documented to have been affected by mercury poisoning, make it clear that every effort must be made to ensure that working conditions are safe.” The party said that the deaths over “a short period of time,” should be a cause for serious concern. This newspaper contacted sources at GGMC who said that De Jonge, Chiti and Green are “almost confirmed” to be victims of the pollution. “The first three we are sure about; I am not sure about the last one, because he was ill since last year and I cannot say that his symptoms are consistent with signs of mercury poisoning,” said one employee. De Jonge died last month; Latchman died last week; Green died earlier in the year and Proffit died a few days

ago. Green was the first to die this year. He died in January of kidney failure. That complication is believed to have been associated with high exposure to mercury. “He was a fairly young man; he worked for years at the carpentry workshop which is close to the lab where the burning is done,” said one employee. Employees said that no effort was made to compensate the families of the victims. Further one employee said, “We are very worried; they gave us all these medications but a lot of employees are complaining of not feeling well. And to top it off, some managers are saying that employees are taking advantage, they are not believing when we say we are ill.” Man remanded for murder after living a fugitive for 18 years Deonarine Bhikari, 53, was on Friday remanded by Magistrate Peter Hugh at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court where he appeared charged for a murder he allegedly committed 18 years ago. The man was not required

Deonarine Bhikari to plead to the charge. Bhikari had legal representation but did not seem to have the support of his family in the courtroom. The court heard that Bhikari was not residing in Guyana so the magistrate sought to get his address. He appeared very calm in the prisoners’ dock when his matter was called and the charge was read to him. At the time, the children and other relatives of the deceased were in the courtroom looking at the man who is believed to have chopped their loved one to death back in May 2000. When it was time for the lawyer to provide the court with basic information on her client, she, on every occasion that the court asked, had to check with her client. That prompted the magistrate to give the woman a short time to become familiar with her client with whom her chambers had been in contact with, from the time that he was arrested on Sunday last. Magistrate Hugh remanded Bhikari until June 15, 2018. The prosecution told the court that their file was not completed. They were given until June 15 to have those reports ready. They had initially requested three

weeks, but that was not allowed by the court. Back in May 2000, Deonarine Bhikari allegedly murdered Daniel Singh because the man was not in favour with a relationship between Bhikari and his 19-yearold daughter. Govt. must consult with Parliament, citizenry on investment policy for SWF - IMF Most Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWF) require an investment policy; a set of guidelines, which govern how the moneys being held will be used while taking into account, the risks involved. But this is not a decision for the government to make on its own. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Administration of the day must consult with the Parliament, citizens and non-government organizations on this matter. The Fund said in one of its reports that this is necessary to reduce the risk of unilateral decisions by any single party. The IMF also stated that while governance models may differ due to differences in political institutions, there

are some common principles that must be considered essential to any well-governed SWF. Apart from consultations on the investment policy, the Fund said that the starting point in establishing the governance structure of an SWF should be to recognize that the bodies established to manage the assets of the SWF are essentially trustees on behalf of the people. The Fund said that one fundamental concern is, therefore, to establish a structure that will underpin the legitimacy of the SWF’s operations and ensure that the decisions taken in the management of the SWF reflect the best interests of the people. The IMF said that this requires a solid legal basis for the SWF and the establishment of a chain of governing bodies from the legislature down to the individual asset managers with accountability at every level. The Fund stressed that there must be a clear and transparent division of roles and responsibilities between the different governing bodies. It said that this is a necessary condition for achieving accountability and legal certainty.

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Caribbean gears for 2018 Atlantic Hurricane season BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – The 2018 Atlantic Hurricane season began on Friday with the Barbadosbased Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) urging regional countries to undertake all necessary measures to ensure the safety of their populations. Top scientists with the Colorado State University say the season may not be as dangerous as earlier predicted and that a near-average season is likely, with 14 named storms, of which six would become hurricanes. A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when its wind speed reaches 74 miles per hour (mph). They said the reason for the revised predictions is that seawater in the eastern Atlantic Ocean is unusually cold for this time of year, and in addition, a weak El Niño could also form later in the year, which tends to suppress Atlantic hurricane development. But CDEMA executive director, Ronald Jackson, speaking at a news conference, said regional countries, particularly those that were several impacted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria when they passed through the Lesser Antilles last Septem-

ber, should take all necessary precautions to save life and limb. He said CDEMA and other stakeholders had staged an event late last month “sharpening our capacities for dealing with disaster issues,” acknowledging that “there’s work to be done. “The key messages that I think we need to take away from our readiness for the hurricane season is that CDEMA promotes an all hazards approach and so our efforts towards readiness is not focused only on the hurricane season, but across the entire hazard spectrum that affects the Caribbean region. “We want our member states and citizens to be able to recognise that we are exposed not only to hurricanes…but there are a number of other challenges and threats that we are grappling with as a region”. Jackson said it was necessary for the region to continue to strengthen its capacity to deal with such disasters, adding “we remain very confident in the regional response mechanism as a vehicle for providing coordination support to member states”. He said it has been tried,

tested and proven “and it has been hailed as a piece of innovation, not only in the Caribbean but across the globe, and we have confidence in it and its partners at the regional level”. He said the regional response mechanism has benefitted from “key lessons…from 2017 hurricane season and we will be continuing with reviewing and enhancing the regional response mechanism going forward out of 2018….” He told reporters that the “key” lesson out of last year was that in the immediate aftermath of the passage of the hurricanes the “main communication that stood up and that functioned and provided critical information on all the countries would have been the amateur radio operators”. “Here I want to put a personal plug for young people to join these particular organisations. In the age of technology, that there is something that is very attractive to the youth, and we want the youths supporting the comprehensive disaster management (CDM)…get involved in amateur radio operations..”. Jackson also indicated

that while efforts had been made to get member countries prepared for the season through the “preparedness audit”, unfortunately “only five of our member states completed the audit. “By all means this is not what we would want. The CDEMA is encouraging our member states to ensure that those who have not yet done so that they do so quickly,

because it allows us to be able to look at the on hand capabilities of the states, and helps us to look at the predictable support that could come based on their gaps. “So we are encouraging the states, more than ever, that they need to complete these audit instruments,” he said. Jackson said a number of meetings and training

programmes with stakeholder partners and others are scheduled for this year, including one of the Regional Preparedness and Response partners of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). He said CDEMA would also be partnering with the World Food Programme to host a conference on food security.

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Drake Has Been Financially Supporting the Mother of His Alleged Child E! News has learned new information about Drake’s relationship with Sophie Brussaux, the mother of his alleged child.It was a year ago that Sophie, a former porn star, came forward claiming the Grammy winner got her pregnant. “If it is Drake’s child, which he doesn’t believe it is, then he would do the right thing by the child,” a rep for Drake told us at the time. Sophie has since given birth to a son named Adonis, and even though Drake hasn’t taken a DNA test yet, a source tells E! News that he has been financially supporting Sophie through and after her pregnancy.The insider adds that Drake is planning to take that DNA test. Drake’s relationship with Sophie is back in the headlines this week amid his diss track war with Pusha T. After Drake referenced Pusha T’s fiancée Virginia Williams on “Duppy Freestyle,” he responded with

a rhyme about Sophie. “Since you namedropped my fiancée, let ‘em know who you chose as your Beyonce/Sophie knows better, ask your baby mother/ Cleaned her up for IG, but the stench is on her/A baby’s involved, it’s deeper than rap/We talkin’ character, let me keep with the facts/You

are hiding a child, let that boy come home/Deadbeat mothaf—ka playin’ border patrol, ooh/Adonis is your son and he deserves more than an Adidas press run, that’s real/ Love that baby, respect that girl/Forget she’s a porn star, let her be your world,” Pusha T raps in “The Story of Adidon.”www.eonline.com

Jesse Williams Is Dating Sports Reporter Taylor Rooks Jesse Williams is dating SportsNet New York anchor Taylor Rooks, according to multiple outlets. The 36-yearold Grey’s Anatomy actor and the 26-year-old host were reportedly spotted at Kevin Hart’s comedy show in Atlantic City over Memorial Day weekend. This couple news comes just over a year after Williams announced his split from wife Aryn Drake-Lee after about five years of marriage. Following Williams’ divorce filing, he was linked to actress Minka Kelly, but the duo called it quits in early 2018. Williams and Drake-Lee had been in an ongoing divorce battle, but the exes recently came to a custody agreement for their two kids. In the agreement, Williams was awarded joint physical custody of Sadie Williams and Maceo Williams. Of Williams’ relationship with Rooks, a source told Page Six, “They are eager to keep their romance under wraps. He’s been going through a difficult divorce [from Aryn Drake-Lee], but he’s found solace with Taylor.” In addition to being an anchor, Rooks also has her own podcast TimeOut with

New couple alert!

Taylor Rooks. On the podcast, Rooks has interviewed celebrities such as Meek Mill and Dwyane Wade. In celebration of her 26th birthday last week, Rooks shared a message with her Instagram followers. “So many things have manifested in my life this year and I’m honestly just thankful,” she wrote. “Thankful to my family, my friends, and to every single one of YOU. My birth-

day wish for all of us is to continue to live passionately. Don’t do anything lukewarm. Your passions deserve fire. Be all in on the things that deserve your all. Never be halfway. There are so many mediocre things in the world, don’t let the things or people you love fall into that category. Looking forward to another 365 filled with more progression, more success, more love, and more light.”www.eonline.com

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Team dispatched to assess bridge collapse on Lethem trail - road users to be made accountable for overweight vehicles

The situation on the collapse bridge.

Following reports of the collapse of the Yamatwao Bridge in South Rupununi, Region nine, a team from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure is being dispatched to assess the severity of the damage and cost to rehabilitate it. According to the Ministry, yesterday, the collapse occurred as a flatbed truck carrying an excavator attempted to cross the bridge. The overweight vehicle caused the collapse. Traffic to and from Lethem is now halted. “This incident compounds the Ministry’s call to road users within the hinterland to strictly adhere to weight

limits, especially during the wet season, since non-adherence can lead to structural failures, as demonstrated now. “This incident is not the first of its kind and road users are reminded that they will be held accountable in instances of non-compliance to weight limits.” According to the ministry, a bridge collapse also affect communities, since they make traffic impassable and cut entire villages off from the rest of the country. The Ministry called on road users to remain cognisant of their responsibilities to properly use the roadways.

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Sunday June 03, 2018

Rose Hall wife killer pleads guilty to manslaughter A Rose Hall Town man who was charged with murdering his wife back in 2016 following a dispute during a drinking spree, has pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. He is expected to know his fate tomorrow. The man, Desmond August Gordon, called ‘Tall Man’, 52, a canecutter of Lot 196 Mangru Street, Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Berbice, was charged with murdering his reputed wife, Bhagmattie Angad, called “Bhagmattie Etwaroo”, “Kamini”, and

“Kamani Etwaroo”,50. The deceased was a housewife of Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Berbice. The killing occurred on May 16, 2016 at their Rose Hall Town home. Gordon was on trial before Justice Brassington Reynolds and a mixed jury in the Berbice High Court. However the man decided to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. The couple who had been together for about eight years reportedly shared a very abusive relationship. They

were imbibing during the day when an argument subsequently erupted. Loud screams were heard coming from the premises following which the woman was seen running from the house with Gordon in hot pursuit. He had a cutlass which he reportedly inflicted several incise wounds about her body. The accused was subsequently seen with blood about his body .The police were contacted and arrived on the scene and arrested him. The case is being

prosecuted by attorney at law Tuanna Hardy. A postmortem examination conducted by Dr. Vivikanand Brijmohan showed that death was due to shock and haemorrhage due to multiple incised wounds. Gordon’s case is being pleaded by Ms. Sasha Roberts of the Legal Aid Clinic. Following the guilty plea by the accused, an adjournment was sought for a probation report to be presented on the man’s background.

Desmond Gordon and his wife, Kamini.

Sunday June 03, 2018

Kaieteur News

STANDARDS IN FOCUS The Inaugural Caribbean Road Show comes to Guyana!

The GNBS and ASTM International; Promoting Standards and Codes for Sustainable Construction! For the first time in the Caribbean, ASTM International, a Global Standards Body will launch the “Caribbean Roadshow” in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana from June 04-08, 2018. ASTM is an acronym for American Society for Testing and Materials. ASTM International develops and publishes voluntary technical standards for various technical subject areas of important interest to Guyana; such as building and construction materials, utilities, oil and gas, solar and wind power renewal energy and energy efficiency, personal protective equipment, fuel and lubricants among others. ASTM International also has accredited asphalt and concrete testing laboratories that Guyana can access, as well as proficiency testing and certification programmes. Their productivity tools such as COMPASS and training and study tour programmes are also available to us; in the main free. The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ASTM International on October 18, 2011 and ever since, the ASTM International - GNBS relationship is thus strong and growing. Through this MOU, the GNBS has built a partnership with ASTM International where there is the utilisation, promotion, and participation in international standards development and

membership of academic institution at a reduced cost or for free. This MOU signifies the commitment of ASTM International, a globally recognized leader in the development and delivery of international standards, to partner with developing countries to reduce technical barriers to trade thus facilitating access to international markets. ASTM provides free access to 12000 international standards in the areas of metals, paints, plastics, textiles, petroleum, construction, energy, consumer products, medical devices and services and electronics that are available free. ASTM standards are widely used in Guyana in the areas of construction and manufacturing, at our technical and vocational institutions including the University of Guyana. Caribbean Roadshow While in Guyana on June 7 and June 8, 2018, there will be opportunities for interactions with the key stakeholders who will benefit from guest presentations from ASTM, CROSQ, GNBS and the private sector. Selected local businesses will be provided with the opportunity to promote their products manufactured using ASTM International standards and also share their experiences with the ASTM International representatives. ASTM International is bringing two key experts to the region and who will be very value added for us in Guyana: • Chris Mathis – ASTM

Board member and a 35+ year plus buildings performance consultant – he is also a member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), focusing on the energy performance of buildings and their sustainability; he currently chairs the ASHRAE Residential Buildings Committee. He has also served four terms on the International Code Council (ICC) energy code development committee. Chris will be an important ally in helping us to implement the recently approved (April 2018) Regional Energy Efficiency Building Code which foundation is the ICC International Energy Conservation Code and the ASHREAE standard aforesaid. • Mark Johnson – ICC Vice President and who is collaterally coming to speak to the GNBS about the current revision of all our Building Codes. The mere presence of ICC will facilitate targeted discussions with the construction practitioners and technical officers of the GNBS on the development and enforcement of Building codes. This will also provide us with the opportunity to further engage ICC and ASTM International in other areas of collaboration such as the oil and gas sector where they have access to international experts and also our participation in the technical attachment programmes provided to strengthen the capacity of developing countries etc. Continued on page 69

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Sunday June 03, 2018

Kaieteur News

CONSUMER CONCERNS

BEWARE OF FOREIGN SCAMS By PAT DIAL

Over the years, Guyana has been the target for international scammers, the most ubiquitous being from Nigeria. The scammers throw out a variety of ruses, one of the most common being the offer of buying shares in tickets for the world’s richest lotteries such as El Gordo of Spain where the prizes are hundreds of millions of dollars. Letters from these lottery scammers come from all over

the world - from Germany, Australia, Britain and other developed countries. By some means they manage to obtain the names, addresses and even telephone numbers of their intended victims. These letters are attractively written, addressing the intended victim familiarly by his first name. Some letters begin by informing the victim that he has won so many million dollars in a lottery and describing how he should come to receive his money.

When he reads on further, the letter then discreetly tells him how much money he must forward to them and even the mechanism of so doing. The letters initially ask for a fairly manageable sum so as to have the victim take the bait, and once he is hooked, the scammers may even follow up with voice contact. In Nigeria, there are actually training schools for such scammers which results in the scammers using the same line of approach. One of the favourite Nigerian

letters begins by saying that the scammer works with a Minister of Government who has under his control large amount of funds which no one has any record of and he would be willing to send it to the foreign account of the intended victim who would receive 40% or half the funds for his service. Other letters of this type would say that he himself or one of his close associates is a very senior Public Servant who has in his hands millions of dollars not in the accounts of his Department and that he would immediately send these large sums to the victim’s foreign bank account and that the victim would receive 50% for his service. From other parts of West

Africa, especially the francophone countries, terrorist groups which would like to launder money offer their victims large sums and suck them into the world of international terrorism without actually paying over any money. The object of these Nigerian scams is mainly to secure the number and details of the victim’s foreign bank account and other personal details which they could use to rob the victim. All of these gambling offerings are meant to rob the victims. One Guyanese victim of these Nigerian scams was a dentist who was so taken in by the scammers that they would telephone him with short calls that could

not be recorded. The victim ended up by losing his house and died almost a pauper. The only foreign gambling offering that was fairly credible was the English Football Pools which was played here for many years until the scarcity of foreign exchange caused their local agents to close shop. With the football pools, there were local agents, the results of the matches were broadcast by BBC and some players did win even large sums. There was accordingly a fair amount of transparency. For some time now there had been a lull in the activities of these foreign scammers but since the news that Guyana was on the verge of Continued on page 69

Sunday June 03, 2018

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Kaieteur News

BEWARE OF FOREIGN... WANT

FOR RENT

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana p assport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6004212: We create A/works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Eagle’s: Re-gas –low prices, washing machine repairs, gas stove, plasma flat Screen, computer repairs & more. Call: 697-2969/646-0966 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Have your house,fence & yard to pressure wash? Call: 666-2326 TOLET 2 bedroom house fully A/c in Somerset court. Herstelling EBD Tel#6614849 1 bedroom apartment, Lot 1 Yarrow Dam, West Riumveldt. Contact#227-1317 Ms Bacchus. Three bedroom bottom flat in South Riumveldt Gardens. Eighty thousand per month. Call: 618-8436 Furnished two bedroom, air conditioned bottom flat with modern facilities in South Riumveldt Gardens. Call: 6188436

FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. 1 Long base canter, very good condition, owner leaving country or 1 canter driver needed for hire. #6091040

IAE- Register for CXC, full time evening & adult classes. Mathematics, English, Business & Science subjects #683-5742/621-7365

2 & 3 bedroom fully furnished luxury apartments short and long term rental Tel# 6642143,691-1432,666-7028

Hair station, Barber station to rent or furnished salon to rent. Contact# 616-7151

Experience Cashier, Drivers, Roti/Puri cook. Apply Hack’s Halaal with H/written application 5 Commerce St.

35 ft boat flat bottom 400 pound cat guts seine. Contact# 676-6002/665-6585

2 Bedroom apartment at La Grange Independence St. Call #663-1280

Gold and Diamond mining,Claim virgin land in the Quartz stone, Cuyuni mining district Guyana for sale. Contact#592-671-9478

2 & 1 bedroom Apt furnished in Providence. Call #6721906, 216-2299/Whatsapp #1246-833-9739

LAND FOR SALE Parfaite Harmonie. $1.3M Farm (East Bank) $2.4M Schnoord $2.2M Herstelling $4.5M & $1.8M Uivlugt $2.2M Tel#656-1345

Looking to buy a house or empty land, Preferences-EBD Public road. Buyer #1917-6225810/694-3331 1 Mechanic to work in the interior, must know about Cummings/Perkins & Deutz engine. #699-4718

Furnished 3 bedroom Apt for rent # 611-4552/685-0265

1 Minibus, Full custom. Contact #664-0090/613-0138

1 Air compressor 15HP 3 Phase 230/220 volts. Call: 6281486/698-1134.

2 bedroom apartment, Top and bottom flat. Lot 4633 Roxanne Burnham Gardens, Rasville. Tel#618-5305/6674691

One Unregistered 2011 Toyota HiAce with manual transmission. Call#627-2005 for more information.

1 & 2 bedoom house to rent unfurnish & unfurnished with parking. #786-1017 Whatsapp, 688-1068 Whatsapp, 868-313-0456 Whatsapp. 3 bedroom apartment located in Section ‘K’ C/ville, fully furnished $160,000 monthly. Call: 672-1920

Security to work in Georgetown. Tel#227-1717 One General Domestic, must know to cook. Apply @ Keyfood, next door to Post Office, McDoom One Financial Investor for mineral land in the Mazaruni area. Phone: 672-8844 Pastry Chef, apply @ Shanta’s 225 Camp St. Office Clerk, East Bank preferable 30-55 years old. Call: 226-1100/629-9450 Purchasing clerk valid license MC/MV/ML 30-55 years old. Call: 226-1100/629-9450

VACANCY One general domestic, One gardener. Apply @ R.Sookraj & Sons. 108 Regent Street, Georgetown. Male security officers wanted for security company. For interviews call: 689-6225 One professional seamstress at an expanding company, working experience is required. Age 28-45. Contact#672-4695

VEHICLE FOR SALE 1 RZ Minibus BNN excellent condition. Call: 233-3430 1 Nissan Dualis 2007 #6229951/689-9447, lady driven. Mazda Axela - $1.4M Neg Nissan Bluebird - $1.75M Neg. Cars in excellent condition. Tel#233-2793/615-8502 2 Hino 30 seater bus in excellent condition. Contact Bobby Realty. #679-2497 One Leyland DAF 65 for sale. Contact #674-6386 (1) 4x4 Tundra Excellent condition $2 Million #6181395/639-2490

18,731 acres mining land Gold & Diamond Mazaruni $5,000,000 USD Contact: 6951356, 687-8445

One security guard for private residence. #609-3650 Drivers, Porters, Office clerk. Apply to Lot 10 Vlissengen Rd Survival Wholesale Depot

2 acres of title land situated @ 1st St Garden of Eden EBD $6.5M Neg. Call Terrence #638-7836. email: Latchmanrich@gmail.com

Land to buy within the vicinity of Tuschen and Zeelugt Scheme. Tel#678-3958/6534820

Lot 15 Public road #2 Village. West Coast Berbice. 49ft by 10,314ft. $18M. Contact:6487109/686-4818

Arc/Acetylene welder, experience in designing gates/grill work. #227-1830

2 storey property for sale EBD, Grove. Contact No: 609-3527

Porters to work on Bedford truck & able body to work on farm. Contact: 226-1716/6252685

Property for sale (1) 3 story building at 97 Sugarcane street S/Rvldt Gardens. Price US 1.5M neg. Tel: 695-1356 & 6878445

Continental Park (Double) $24M Land of Canaan (acres) $5.5M Schnoord $3.5M First St, Triumph Seaside. #2312199/608-0772 Parfaite Harmonie $1.3M $1.5M $2.5M $3M Farm $3.5M Herstelling 2nd Bridge $4M Uivlugt $2.8M. Call: 666-2326 Tuschen house $5M Tuschen corner lot $1.5M Diamond $4M Eccles $6M. Call: 6662326

EDUCATION Electronic course, Practical beginning 1st June. Learn to fix flat screen TV’s etc. Abdul Electronics. 225-0391/2266551

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

WANTED Wanted urgently: 1 experienced cosmetologist. Call: 647-1773.

Excellent offer land, suitable for number of purposes situated in New Amsterdam (1000ft x 211ft) Contact Bobby Realty #679-2497 2 storey concrete house and land @ No 44 Village measuring 62ft by 1 mile. Contact Bobby Realty #6792497 Track AB CD situated at Begal Corentyne. Contact Bobby Realty #679-2497

CAR RENTAL DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL:225-7126/ 226-3693DOLLYSAUTORENTAL @YAHOO.COM/ WWW.D OLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS FROM $4000 & UP, SUV’S PER DAY- CALL:643-5122/ 6 5 6 - 0 0 8 7 , ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MINI BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPORT & FAMILY OUTINGS, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807 WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP RATES,SPECIALOFFERS! . CALL: 690-6494 PEN PAL Mature Gentleman seeking female 38 & over for relationship. Call Amanda #592-691-9383

VACANCY Articulated hauler/ dump truck operator for interior, applicants must be experienced. Call: 618-2020 Experienced Driver, Apply in person, Wieting & Richter, Water Street Georgetown. Pump attendant (Shift work 7am-3pm & 3pm-11pm) submit application : Shell Service Station Providence EBD E m a i l : Shellramsburg@gmail.com Security Officers wanted for security company. Call: 6721920 between 9-4 for interviews. Farm worker, Travel agent. Tel#265-3586

FOR SALE/RENT American Pool Table for sale & rent. Tel# 277-0578 PROPERTY FOR SALE

Property for sale at 87 Albert St, Albertown, Price $32.5 Million. Tele#669-8101 One business property for sale, price neg. Contact: 6911035 /(407)924-6785 3 storey buliding located in Laluni street, Queenstown. Price $90 million neg. Call: 672-1920 5 bedroom house located in 19th Ave Diamond. Price $25 Million neg. Call: 672-1920 3 bedroom house located in 3rd Ave Diamond. Price $26 Million neg. Call: 672-1920 3 storey commercial buliding Church St. Price $170 Million neg. Call: 672-1920

From page 68 becoming an oil country, there has been an upsurge of their activities. When one receives a letter from the scammers, and sometimes several letters would arrive in the same week, one should immediately destroy them. Do not reply or do not show such letters to any friend or associate for that is exactly what the scammers would hope. No Law enforcement body could deal with them since everything about them is fake including their addresses which keep changing. One must resolutely protect one’s self against the skill of these confidence tricksters. The lottery in Guyana is owned by a Canadian company and they sell millions of dollars per week in tickets. Much of this money is spent by players who feel that the greater the amounts of money they “invest” the greater would be their chances of winning the jackpot. Many of these persons have never won anything but they persist in the hope of winning. The players who believe that the greater the amounts of money they spend on tickets, the greater are their chances of making winnings are assuming that there is some rationality about the lottery drawings and that they are not dependent on pure chance or luck. If winning the jackpot is solely dependent on chance or luck then with purchase of one ticket, if it is one’s luck to win, then one will be the winner. This proposition is testable from the experience of hundreds of buyers.

The GNBS and ASTM International; Promoting... From page 67 Topics will cover important themes such as energy efficiency, consumer products, performance of materials and buildings, and sustainability oil, gas and fuels standards etc. In addition, the forum will provide a good network of communication and collaboration for all organizations that have an interest in sustainable construction practices. The goal of the Roadshow is to enhance the CARICOM region’s efforts in areas such as energy efficiency, water conservation, materials management, building safety and overall economic growth. If you are interested in participating in this Roadshow, please contact the GNBS for further information.

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Sunday June 03, 2018

Kaieteur News

Upcoming Demerara Assizes…

Former soldier to face trial for manslaughter after shooting friend Allister Woolford, a former member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), who was charged with fatally shooting his friend, Devon Howell, is expected to face trial at the upcoming Demerara Assizes, which commences on Tuesday. According to the list of cases published by the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Judicature, Sueanna Lovell, Woolford has been indicted for manslaughter. Woolford’s case is among the 223 cases listed for trial at the High Court in Georgetown. It was previously reported that on November 21, 2014, Howell, 20, formerly of 87 Da Silva Street, Kitty and four other young men were in a house on D’Andrade Street, Newtown, where they were taking turns in “feeling the gun”. It was during this gunplay that the gun went off and Howell was shot in his neck. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) where he eventually succumbed almost three weeks after the incident. His

KILLED: Devon Howell

CHARGED: Allister Woolford

upper spinal cord was reportedly damaged as a result of the shot and he never regained consciousness. During November, 2014, Woolford was charged with Attempt to commit murder after Howell remained in a critical state at the Georgetown Public Hospital, days after the shooting. However, after Howell succumbed the charge of Attempt to commit murder was withdrawn, and a new charge of

manslaughter was instituted. The charge read that on December 8, 2014 at Lot 100 Republic and D’Andrade Streets, Newtown, Woolford unlawfully killed Howell. The accused killer is out on $400,000 bail. During a preliminary inquiry into the offence at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, a total of 17 witnesses testified on behalf of the prosecution.

Sunday June 03, 2018

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Kaieteur News

More than half a century later…

University of Guyana launches Alumni Association By Feona Morrison

A

lumni relations play a vi tal role in the advance ment of any institution. It is in this regard, that the University Of Guyana (UG) launched its Alumni Association under the banner “Proud Legacy: Prosperous Destiny”, on Friday evening, over 50 years after the university was established. During a simple but significant ceremony held at the university’s Turkeyen Campus, graduates and current students were enlightened to the importance of the Alumni Association—a platform for increased awareness, participation and academic involvement for both students and faculty members. Among those present at the event were UG Vice Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith (Class of 1980 and 1981); Pro Chancellor, Major General retired, Joe Singh; Deputy Vice Chancellor for Philanthropy, Alumni and Civic Engagement (PACE), Professor Paloma Mohammed (Class of 1992 and 2000); Professor George Ken Danns (Class of 1975); Veteran Broadcaster Michella Abraham (Class of 2008), among others. “The creation of the University of Guyana’s Alumni Association is indispensable for the branding, ex-

pansion and maintenance of the development of the university,” said Professor Danns, who delivered the keynote address. According to Dr. Danns, a professor of sociology at the University of North Georgia, the benefits for the university from the Alumni Association are many and far-ranging, from mentoring services to gaining work experience and maintaining an ongoing connection with peers. He said, “It must be the purpose of the University of Guyana Alumni Association to tap into the philanthropic spirit of its alumni to give back to their alma mater. It was a huge mistake for the University of Guyana to have lost track of many, if not most of its graduates. This will and must be remedied for the Alumni Association is crucial for supporting the educational mission of the university, upholding its tradition, and preserving its heritage, its identity and its integrity.” He told the gathering that the university’s alumni holds leading positions in government and semigovernment entities throughout Guyana. He said that the premiere learning institution has educated past and present executive presidents of the country, the current Prime

Professor George Ken Danns Minister and numerous members of the cabinet, while stressing, that these leaders owe much to UG. “Chancellor (of the Judiciary) Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Chief Justice Roxane GeorgeWiltshire were students in my SOCI 100 Class,” Professor Danns said, while reflecting on his life at UG. He added that without the education and training these leaders received there, it is doubtful whether they would have risen to such positions of prominence and privilege.

Professor Danns who served as Director for Resource Mobilization and Planning at UG, over almost two decades ago stated, “The twin responsibilities of University Planning and Resource Mobilization may have constrained any initiative to organize a dynamic Alumni Association. It was also possible that the university may have expected this to be an initiative of past graduates themselves.” On this notion, he commended the university’s administration for taking on the serious responsibility of connecting with the alumni and motivating them to reconnect with their academic origin and serving it with pride. According to the UG graduate, every graduate of the university he has spoken to feels obligated and would be honoured to be availed, and look forward to transparent and accountable opportunities to give back. “Many of them have been waiting for decades to do so.” Professor Danns pointed out, “You would think like Harvard University which educated several American presidents and numerous of their corporate leaders, that the University of Guyana would be perceived, treated and resourced as the premiere educa-

tional institution that it deserves to be. Regrettably, this is not the case.” As such, he emphasized that the lack of a well organized Alumni Association is responsible for some of the difficulties endured by UG, which include, severe resource deprivation. Meanwhile, Professor Mohammed, whose efforts were instrumental in establishing the Alumni Association, discussed the principal objectives of the Association and the mechanics of how it will function. She applauded the attendees for showing interest in the growth of UG. Professor Mohamed disclosed that very soon chapters of the Alumni Association will be launched in the USA, Toronto and London. Come June 27, she said, the university’s Tain Campus will have an Alumni launch. The goal of the Alumni Association is to connect graduates and past faculty and staff of UG in a reciprocally beneficial relationship of investing, nurturing, fundraising, mentorship and development, Professor Mohammed says. She urged persons to consider giving for scholarships, mentorships, equipment, books, internships, monetary gifts, travel bursaries and through other kind gestures.

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Sunday June 03, 2018

Kaieteur News

Swab samples were taken from murdered teacher

G

overnment Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Sigh, took swab samples from the remains of murdered High School teacher, Kescia Branche, whose battered

body was found near a cemetery last year November. This is according to Detective Police Sergeant Keith Conway, who was called to testify last week when the preliminary inquiry

(PI) into the murder of Branche continued before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman. Forty-seven-year-old Matthew Munroe, of Diamond Housing Scheme

has been charged with the capital offence. He is alleged to have murdered Branche on November, 7, 2017, at Georgetown. According to Sergeant Conway, he was at the Georgetown Hospital mortuary where Dr. Singh performed a post mortem examination on Branche’s corpse, after which he took swab samples from her genital, anus and mouth before handing over the body to relatives for burial. The police witness disclosed that the swab samples were handed over to an analyst. Also testifying was Detective Police Sergeant Rodwell Sarrabo, who was deemed an expert in the field of data recovery from cellular phones, memory cards,

computers and so on. Sergeant Sarrabo testified to a question and answer interview he conducted with Munroe at the Brickdam Police Station. The police witness further give details as to investigations he done in relation to the murder of the school teacher. Police arrested Munroe as a suspect in the killing right after he returned from the USA, where he travelled to around the s a m e t i m e B r a n c h e ’s battered body was found unconscious at Louisa Row, Georgetown, in close proximity to Memorial Gardens on November 5, 2017. The mother of one and school teacher at Richard Ishmael Secondary School

succumbed to her injuries two days later in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital, without regaining consciousness. According to reports, her injuries appeared to be consis t e n t w i t h t h o s e inflicted by the impact of a vehicle. A post mortem revealed that she succumbed to brain haemorrhage, caused by blunt trauma to the head. Police impounded Munroe’s vehicle, which had sustained damage, and had a missing bumper. Munroe reportedly told police that he had driven i n t o a p o t h o l e on East Coast Demerara. He was reportedly unable to show police the location.

Civic groups band together to provide ... From page 14 their wish not to seek formal refugee status but to seek temporary renewable visas that allow them to earn money while in Guyana. “The initial focus of the VSG will be on ensuring that persons arriving receive information and assistance to secure valid visas to remain in Guyana and are not exploited financially or abused in other ways. “We recently learnt that some consideration has been given to permit Venezuelans in Guyana to regularize their situation on the basis of possession of an ID card rather than a passport.” GHRA said that although, to date, there has been no formal announcement by the Government of Guyana on the matter, it welcome this development in general as protecting Venezuelans against exposure to detention, fines and deportation. “Moreover, this step would also align Guyana with the recent appeal made by the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)

for neighbouring countries to adopt flexible arrangements of this nature. The VSG is currently in the process of establishing offices made available by the Catholic Church in the compound opposite the Catholic Cathedral on Brickdam.” GHRA noted that the work of the SVG is being supported in the initial phase by the UNHCR which is in the process of establishing a permanent presence in Guyana. “The VSG group will support the smooth implementation of any new regulations and related policy guidelines through a number of activities.” These include ensuring the regulations and the acc o m p a n y i n g p r o c edures are known to arriving Venezuelans and providing advice and, where necessary, accompaniment, in the process of regularizing their presence in Guyana. T h e b o d y i ntends to support Venezuelans in need of assistance to contact family or other persons making known social and

welfare services which may be accessible to Venezuelans with special needs. “Safegu a r d i n g t h e specifically humanitarian character of this response is a high priority for the SVG, in particular, insulating it from attempts to politicize it or from any association with the border issue. The SVG will also serve as a focal point through which displaced persons or families can communicate with each other. “ Venezuela, an oil rich country, is facing tough times with its economy in tatters. Scores of Guyanese living in Venezuela have returned home because of the strife in that country. A number of Venezuelans caught in nightclubs have been detained while others have been ordered deported. There have been calls for a review of the Venezuela stance. However, little is known to the public about how many Venezuelans are currently in Guyana.A number of them are said to be in the hinterland.

Woman recalls being subjected to... From page 13 naturally I said your office but he disagreed and told me to choose someplace else, “recalled Ashley. “I was speechless! I could barely get the word ‘why’ out. He simply responded ‘Don’t you want the job?’ Without hesitation I just said “NO”,” recalled Ashley. The woman recalled making an excuse as to why she couldn’t take the job and

remembered vocalizing things such as “the shift was bad”. To her surprise the manager quickly quipped that he would be willing to “flex” with her. Recognising that the conversation was going nowhere plausible, Ashley said that she decided to end the call. A few more calls were placed to her number from the manager but she refused to answer. Although bewildered by the situation, the woman

said that she kept questioning whether she had made the right decision since she was in such dire need for a job. “I kept thinking maybe I should have gone with him if it meant me getting the job but somehow I could not bear the idea.” However, by the time she saw the manager’s number calling her phone again later that day, Ashely was convinced that she had made the right decision and refused to answer. The woman is worried that a number of other desperate young women might have fallen prey to the older man and has therefore decided to share her unfortunate story in hopes of helping to save them.

Sunday June 03, 2018

Historic US$150M GuySuCo... From page 10 those in Trinidad and Jamaica.Republic Bank was reportedly able to successfully tap the local investor market to raise mutually beneficial financing for the Guyana Government and investing subscribers. The funds raised are to be used towards GuySuCo’s capital expenditure and general operations. NICIL’s team lead by Colvin Health-London, the head of the Special Purpose Unit

(SPU), structured the bond to recapitalize GuySuCo’s operations. GuySuCo has struggled to raise the funds needed to revamp its operations and relied heavily on Government bailouts to stay afloat.The estates have been placed under the SPU which is tasked by Government to execute privatization plans for the Skeldon, Rose Hall, Enmore and Wales Estates that were closed in keeping with Government’s ‘right-sized’ approach for the sugar corporation.

EITI alarmed by ExxonMobil, other ... From page 15 from this situation and make sure that it does not happen again…”As for its operations here, ExxonMobil has promised local authorities that there would be zero resistance to providing information on payments made to the Government. The American company says it intends to assist Guyana with its EITI compliance. Sources

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Kaieteur News

1. (https://eiti.org/sites/default/files/docum e n t s / eiti_chair_statement_in_response_to_useiti_grievance_letter_0.pdf) 2. (https://eiti.org/sites/default/files/documents/review_by_legal_counsel.pdf) 3. (https://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/ exxonmobil-and-chevrons-refusal-to-publishus-tax-payments-unprecedented-says-chiefof-global-transparency-initiative/)

BP denies wrong doings but ... From page 10 outstanding taxes which it had unlawfully refused or declined to pay. The May 17 article never stated or implied this. The oil company also states that this newspaper states or implied that its staff is an unworthy corporate citizen that displays “bad conscience and un-

just behavior” in its financial and accounting activities. The May 17 article never stated or inferred that comment. Kaieteur News understands that the agreement between Prime Minister Rowley and BP for the payment of $1B in taxes will be inked soon.

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Kaieteur News

Piles being driven for $1.2B water treatment plant at Sheet Anchor Works currently ongoing at the site.

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he construction of a water treatment plant at a cost of US$6 M has commenced at Sheet Anchor Village, East Canje Berbice. This was disclosed during a site visit by officials from the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI). Fourteen thousand residents stretching from No. 19 Public Road to Goed Bananan Land, East Canje is set to benefit from the new development. Riaz Zalil, Project Engineer for GWI explained that construction began in

January and some five percent of work is completed thus far with the remainder to be completed by the last quarter in 2019. ”Currently at the sheet anchor water treatment plant we installing piles here right now since the pile design has been approved, pile construction has been completed for the sedimentation filter and the filter tank,” he said. According to the engineer the inclement weather is one of the major setbacks but they are currently on schedule.

Also, Zalil relayed that residents are being metered for the first time ”The metering has already commenced, we are installing meters right now as we speak, it’s about 70 percent completed and during the metering process also, we noticed that the water pressure has increased due to the conservation by customers in the area”, he added The Cumberland and Sheet Anchor well will serve the water treatment plant.

Sunday June 03, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Shemar’s Trucking Service on board ‘Champion of Champions’ Domino -tournament commences today Shemar’s Trucking Service and Boston Pawn Shop were the latest entities to offer support to the Champion of Champions’ Domino Tournament which is being organised by Senior Organising Secretary of the Georgetown Domino Association (GDA) Mark ‘Jumbie’ Wiltshire. Yesterday, during a simple ceremony that was conducted at the Company’s Headquarters on Durban Street, Lodge Managing Director Duean Boston handed over a cheque for an undisclosed sum to Wiltshire. Wiltshire shortly after thanking the sponsor for his support, disclosed that the tournament will see teams that finished first and second in competitions this year battle invited

teams from the three counties in Demerara, Berbice and Essequibo. He revealed over $300,000 in prize monies and trophies will be up for grabs with the winning team set to receive $175,000 and a trophy, while the second, third and fourth place finishers will take home $75,000, $35,000 and $20,000 respectively, along with trophies. Entrance fee is $12, 000 per team which must be paid on or before the start of play. The top female player and the Most Valuable Player will receive $5,000 respectively. Wiltshire added that all prizes are guaranteed and interested teams can contact him on tele#665-5855. Among the teams anticipated to participate are: Gold

is Money, All Seasons, Mix Up, Spartans, Rage, Providence, Gangster, C7, C6, Thunder, Phantom, R&R, Turning Point, Masters, Gold Star, Angels and OPKO. The invited teams are: Orange Walk, NIS, East Taxi Service, Sun Flower Hotel out of Essequibo, Rockets, Players, Uprising, Mark Fitness Gym, Yhip’s Bake r y, L i p p y L o t t o f r o m Bartica, Golden Masters, Beacons, Medi Care, Geology & Mines Commission, Caricom, Lil Boys and Lion. Some of the other sponsors include: Dynasty Sports Club, All Seasons Racing Service, Tony’s Jewellery, CBB&L Import & Export, R&F Wholesale Depot and Southland International Inc. among others.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Today you might feel the need to be of service to others. Your humanitarian instincts are high, Taurus, though you might tend to over-idealize the concept a little.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You usually tend toward rational and scientific ways of thinking, Libra, but today you might be so intuitive that you're more likely to use your psychic abilities. This can be a mixed blessing. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You're normally intuitive, Scorpio, but today you might feel more psychic than you ever dreamed you could.

GEMINI(May 21–June 20) The arts might seem especially appealing today, Gemini. Also, you could fall in love. If you're currently involved, expect circumstances to develop

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Today you could feel especially intuitive and more sensitive than usual to unacceptable social and political conditions, Sagittarius.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) A number of powerful events could increase the level of love and positive energy in your home, Cancer.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Today you might toy with the idea of making either the arts and humanitarianism or the spread of higher consciousness your life's work.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Some new people who appear interesting could move into your neighborhood and excite your curiosity, Leo. Spiritual or metaphysical conversations could take place today VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Experiences you never expected could come your way today, Virgo. A talent that you didn't know you had could come to light. This might involve a combination of arts and technology

Double –six time is 14:00hrs at R&R Sports Bar

Brown breaks...

Sunday June 03, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Today you might feel especially idealistic regarding your relationships, Aries. You're likely to see those closest to you in their best light.

Managing Director of Shemar’s Trucking Service, Duean Boston (right) hands over the cheque to Mark Wiltshire yesterday.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Your mind could be focused on exalted spiritual concepts today, Aquarius. You might decide to make an effort to study spiritual or metaphysical materials, or attend a lecture, workshop PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Though you naturally tend to be sensitive to the feelings of others, Pisces, today you might be so in touch with the needs and desires of those around

From page 80 just came out to prove to everybody that Hornets is still a force to reckon with. Especially with me on the pitch and I intend to stick around and play for a while to ensure the clubs gets back on track in the XVs format.” Currently, Guyana Defence Force are on track to successfully defend their title. They are top of the points table with 31 points, ahead of second placed Panthers who have 28. Police Falcons are third, Hornets fourth and Caribs last. The League continues today with Panthers scrumming with Falcons from 17:00hrs at the National Park.

Tony’s Jewellery... From page 79 guaranteed and among other sponsors are Dynasty Sports Club, All Seasons Racing Service, Big Boss Trucking Services, Zafarulla Persaud, CBB and L Import and Export, South Land Trading and Boston Casting Jewellery. The best female player in the tournament and MVP in the final will pocket $5,000 each. Teams can call Wiltshire on 665-5855 for more information.

situated at 76 Meadow Brook Gardens and food and drinks

will be on sale throughout the day.

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Rain postpones ExxonMobil U-14 boys’ and girls’ football tourney opening day Recent inclement weather has delayed the start of the inaugural ExxonMobil U-14 Boys and Girls Football tournament which was scheduled to begin yesterday at the Ministry of Education (MOE) ground. Once favourable weather is experienced, the tournament will now begin next Saturday, according to the organisers who had released the opening round fixtures on Thursday last. The organizers, Petra Organisation, contended that the fixtures will remain the same with Tutorial contesting the first match of the inaugural event against Buxton Youth Development. Marian Academy will play Uitvlugt, Dolphin Secondary against Ann’s Grove, Bishops playing Annandale, Carmel against Vergenoegen and

New Campbellville against Brickdam. In the second half of the opening day, Tucville will play Queenstown Secondary, Chase will play St John’s College, North Ruimveldt will match skills with School of the Nations, East Ruimveldt will come against St George’s and Kingstown will contest South Ruimveldt in the final opening round match. During a recent briefing, Petra Co-director Troy Mendonca noted that with the smaller number of female teams, their competition would not start until the third week of action. In this space, he said the Guyana Football Federation offered to do coaching courses for the females and their coaches in an attempt to fine tune their skills.

Rossi on pole for home Italian Grand Prix at Mugello

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi during qualifying REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi SCARPERIA, Italy (Reuters) - Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi delighted his home Italian Grand Prix crowd yesterday with his first MotoGP pole position since 2016, and at the age of 39. The nine times world champion celebrated his 55th pole in the top category with a record lap of one minute 46.208 seconds around one of his favourite tracks, scenic Mugello north of Florence. Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo, Rossi’s former team mate, was second fastest for Ducati with a lap 0.035 seconds slower. Rossi’s Spanish team mate Maverick Vinales completed the front row, with championship leader Marc Marquez qualifying sixth for

Honda. Four Italians qualified in the top seven with Andrea Iannone fourth for Suzuki, Danilo Petrucci fifth on a Pramac Ducati and Lorenzo’s team mate Andrea Dovizioso, last year’s winner at Mugello, seventh. Rossi’s pole, his first since Japan in October 2016, came at the end of a session that saw the track record repeatedly broken. The Italian, who can become the first rider to score 5,000 career points in MotoGP today with a current tally of 4,989, won at Mugello for seven years in a row between 2002 and 2008. Marquez leads Vinales by 36 points in the standings.

Sunday June 03, 2018

Kaieteur News

Osmond Cummings Memorial U20 Football Tournament underway Ten teams will vie for the first Osmond Cummings Memorial U20 KO Football tournament at the Bayroc Community Centre ground which began yesterday. According to former National Footballer, Nigel ‘Mice’ Cummings, for the past five years in collaboration with Botofago Football Club, the host a Football Extravanza in August in honour of his older brother who played football for Botofago Football Club; and although he never got to represent his area or country because of his temper, he was his idol. Cummings said that his brother would always support and encourage him. “My brother Osmond had a temper and because of that he never made it to represent Linden or Guyana, but it didn’t stop him from supporting football. He was my biggest fan; he was my inspiration and my motivator. I played for Guyana with many caps to my name and I am proud; so I am doing this for Osmond to help the young footballers in the community and to encourage them.” Cummings noted that after four years of having just a one day football extravaganza with just two or three teams benefitting, he decided to host a tournament and have the finals played in August as usual. “I tried to have a tournament from the second

Nigel Cummings year but I must give kudos to UDFA executives Mr. Claude Williams and Patrick Dey for coming against all odds to make it possible this year. I dreamt for this day.” Cummings said that even though the permission came at the ninth hour from the Upper Demerara Football Association, he is happy that he can now host a tournament. The former National footballer said all the proceeds from the games will go towards the UDFA and he also thanked the Referee’s Council for their support. The tournament will consist of two groups, Amelia’s

Ward, Eagles, Top XX, Winners Connection and High Stars will play in Group A and Milerock, Netrockers, Botofago, Blue Berry Hill and Silver Shattas will play in Group B. The tournament will take a month break during the World Cup games. Lots of trophies and prizes will be given away at the end of the semifinals and finals which will be played on August 26th. Deputy Mayor Wainewright Bethune took the salute at the March past to start the event yesterday. (Jacquey Bourne)

Tony’s Jewellery supports champion of champions dominoes Tony’s Jewellery of First Street Alexander Village has supported Mark Wiltshire for the hosting of the second edition of Champion of Champions dominoes competition. Jaffar Alli a representative of the entity yesterday presented a cheque to Wiltshire at their Alexander Village location. Wiltshire expressed gratitude to Alli who said he is looking forward to a successful and exciting competition. The competition which is set to commence today at R and R sports club Meadow Brook Gardens has attracted an entrance fee of $12,000. Only teams that brought first and second place in previous competition this year will be accepted. Only teams that brought first and second place in previous competitions this year will be accepted. Those are Gold for Money, All Seasons, Mix Up, Spartans, Rage, Providence, Gangster, C7, C6, Thunder, Phantom, R and R, Turning

Mark Wiltshire accepts the cheque from Jaffar Alli. Point, Master, Gold Star, Angles and OPKO. Guest teams include Orange Walk, NIS, Uprising, Mark Fitness Gym, YHIP Bakery, Lippy Lotto of Bartica, Golden Master, Bescons, Medicare, Geology and Mines, Caricom, Lil Boys and

Lions. Action gets underway at 14:00hrs and the winning team will take home a trophy and $175,000, runner up a trophy and $75,000, third place a trophy and $35,000 and fourth place $20,000.All prizes are (Continued on page 77)

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Bounty Farm/GRFU XVs tournament

Brown breaks five-year hiatus to help guide Hornets to 42-8 victory over Caribs

Pepsi Hornets (right) dominated the contest entirely against Yamaha Caribs in their Bounty Farm XVs match.

Lonsdale Brown along with Paebo Henry scored two tries each to guide Pepsi Hornets to an emphatic 42-8 victory in a bottom of the table clash yesterday afternoon at the National Park rugby field when the Bounty Farm/ Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) XVs tournament continued. On a soggy and muddy pitch, Claudius Butts scored eight early points, a try and a penalty which amounted to the entire Caribs’ point’s tally that had allowed the losing side to lead the match during a brief spell. Assisting Brown and Henry were captain Ryan Gonsalves, Blaise Bailey, Elwin Chase, Jason Tyrell and Peabo Hamilton with a try each. Meanwhile, Leon Greaves scored two conversions including a penalty, and Gonsalves successfully kicked one conversion to finish the game with seven points. Halftime finished with the score 27-8 but the Hornets’ sting numbed the Caribs and

Paebo Henry (left) and Lonsdale Brown both scored two tries each in Hornets commanding 42-8 win over Caribs on yesterday afternoon at the National Park. they were unable to score during the second period of play as the winners registered 15 unanswered points during the second 40 minutes of action, witnessed by a handful of spectators that were mainly players from other teams, including part-time cheerleader Rondel McArthur. After the game, Lonsdale

Brown stated that he felt really great to be among the top performers for his team after not competing for some five years. Brown explained his reason for coming out of retirement was because of the recent poor run of form by Hornets, “People been talking bad about the club and I (Continued on page 77)

Kaieteur News

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Diesel XI, Superbet XI win in West Coast Zone as Unity Cup continues The Unity Cup organized by The Guyana Softball League continued at Leonora Primary School Ground despite the inclement weather but only four matches were possible. The West Coast Zone was able to get in two matches as the inclement weather delayed the start: In the first match Diesel XI defeated Marics XI by 37 runs. Diesel XI batted first and made 105-4 in 10 overs with Mark Braithwaithe clobbering 47 not out off 14 balls which included 7 mighty sixes and one four. Panny Lalaram and Nandsam Rataram contributed 35 (5x6) and 22 (3x6) respectively. In reply Marics were bundled out for 68 in 7.1 overs with Racindra Sukwah 2-9 off two overs and Nanbram Rajarm 2-5 being the destroyers. In the other match, Superbet XI got the better of Crossbreed XI in a grudge match with high emotions. Crossbreed XI won the toss and batted but were limited to 93 all out in 9.3 overs: Malcolm Hoddaro with 32(4x6) was the top scorer. Feroz Rahan rattled the stumps four times as he ended with 4-9 in 2 overs for Superbet XI. Superbet XI in reply raced to 99-5 in 6 overs with Feroz Khan making a quickfire 48 (7x6) off 12 balls opening the batting and was only stopped by the run

Competition during the third week of the action. out route as the bowlers had no answer for his onslaught. Malcolm Hobbit took 3-22 from 2 overs bowling after Khan’s dismissal but his effort was in vain as the others couldn’t hold the pressure. Lower East Coast/East B a n k / Georgetown/Linden Zone: Success Enforcers destroyed Better Hope by 9 wkts: Better Hope won the toss and batted but could only get to 53 all out in 9.3 overs. Rabindra Sookram took 3-16 off 2 overs and Dindial Lachan 3-3 off 1 over. In reply, Success Enforcers knocked off the runs

scoring 54-1 off 4.3 overs with Chris Sookram clobbering 32 not out off 11 balls which included 4 sixes. Farm continued their unbeaten run defeating Enterprise Youths by six wickets: Enterprise Youths batted first and scored 104-5 in 10 overs with Kushial Beepat scoring 35 (3x6;1x4); Ameer Khan took 2-16 off 2 overs bowling for Farm XI. In reply, Farm XI made 110-4 i n 9 . 5 o v e r s . Tr a v i s Alphonso guided them with an unbeaten 47 off 16 balls and included 4 sixes and 2 fours. Additionally the one ball which carries a winning

prize of $10,000 plus a beautiful trophy will continue in the various areas. Meanwhile, the fixtures for this weekend are as follows providing the weather holds: West Coast: Leonora Primary School Ground: 9am Speedboat vs Diesel XI; 11am VR XI vs Marics XI Tuchen XI vs Rangers XI N/A Canje: Scot School Ground: West Canje Sports Club versus Rising Stars A n g o y ’s Av e n u e Achievers versus Rotterdam Female Match: PYARG United versus All Stars. Upper East Coast: Helena Ground: DeHoop vs Helena Stars XI Straathaven vs Young Stars Young Flashers XI vs Mahaica Creek XI Nuitenzuil vs Hope Lowland Branch Road vs Farmers XI Helena XI vs Good Hope Lower East Coast/East Bank/Georgetown/ Linden: Everest Ground: 10.30 am: Success Enforcers vs Success Warriors 12 Noon: Farm XI vs Success Youths 1.30 pm:

Durban Quarry vs Enterprise Youths Teams wishing more information can contact the following persons: We s t D e m e r a r a – Ravendra Ramgobin – 2761381; Premnauth Bimchan (Pampalam)– 670-9982; Rawle Higgins – 667-6374; Nadir Baksh (Gas)– 6720378;Lower East Coast demerara up to Enmore as

well as East Bank demerara/ Georgetown –/ Linden – Rafman Ally – 654-2233/ Darmin Ramnarine – 6423165;Upper East Coast Herman Persaud – 6433033;Linden – Mortimer Denny – 687-3326/4421562; Canje/ BerbiceCorentyne – Pinkey Arthur615-2493/ Ravi Ramkumar – 642-1206/ Celeb Morris – 615- 2874.

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FIH Coach Shiv Jagday to conduct hockey clinic in Guyana FIH hockey Coach Shiv Jagday is set to visit Guyana from today June 3rd to the 15th to conduct two weeks of hockey training for coaches, national and junior players. The popular coach learned his hockey in his native India but has coached at the international level in both the USA and Canada. Shiv has been conducting clinics and coaching teams for the past 40 years. After a successful stint in the 1980s as the Canadian men’s national team coach where he led Canada to its most successful international period of two Olympic appearances, two World Cups and two Pan American gold medals, Jagday branched out into developmental coaching worldwide. His first such assignment was to Guyana in 1988 at the invitation of then President of the Guyana Hockey Board of Control, Chris Fernandes. Coach Shiv visited Guyana on several subsequent occasions in the 1980s and was instrumental in the development of the sport during that period. In 2017, Shiv offered his services

once again to Guyana and conducted a course similar to this one which begins today at GCC. Apart from his clinics in the USA and Canada, Shiv now spends his time in Melbourne, Australia and Punjab, India where he has helped to establish a regional training institute that has seen nine players from Punjab selected for the current Indian national team. The schedule for this visit will include both theory and practical sessions and will involve fine-tuning of the male and female national teams preparing for the CAC games in July. Forty boys and thirty girls between the ages of 13 and 19 will attend the junior sessions, while thirty coaches are also expected to benefit. President of the GHB, Philip Fernandes, once a student of Jagday during his early visits, expressed great excitement and anticipation of the programme. He indicated that hockey always gets a welcomed boost whenever Jagday visits and the renowned coach usually leaves an indelible mark.

GBTI continues long rally with GLTA for biggest championship of the year The Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) has renewed its sponsorship commitment to the Guyana Lawn Tennis Association (GLTA) for its biggest championship of the local tournament calendar, the GBTI Open.On Thursday l a s t , a t t h e B a n k ’s headquarters in Kingston, the sponsorship cheque was handed over to Cristy Campbell representing the GLTA in the presence of President Samuel Barakat, VP Robin Singh, Secretary Molly Hassan and committee member Illeana Boodoo. Nadia DeAbreu M a r k e t i n g a n d Communications Officer of GBTI’s High Street branch, Pamela Binda- Public Relations and Marketing Manager of GBTI and other staff of the bank were also on hand for the presentation.

After the handing over, G LTA h e a d , B a r a k a t , extended gratitude to the Bank for its continued support, not only for this tournament but throughout the year. The GBTI facilities have been afforded to the GLTA to be used for high performance training for their top junior and senior players. The GBTI Open initiated in the 1980s and due to measures beyond control, was halted. The tournament restarted in 2010 and has gotten bigger every year. This year’s tournament is scheduled to commence on June 22nd and will see the top juniors, seniors and veterans fiercely vying for the coveted titles.Anthony Downes (male) and Afruica Gentle (female) are the reigning senior champions of the GLTA’s flagship tournament.

Shiv Jagday instructing junior players at Bourda in 2017.

Sunday June 03, 2018

Kaieteur News

Sunday June 03, 2018

YBG/NSBF Regionals at CASH

Chase, PC Royals and Marian Academy win in Under-14 division Play in Youth Basketball Guyana’s (YBG) National School Basketball Festival ( N S B F ) R e g i o n a l ’s continued on Friday afternoon at the Cliff A nders on S ports H all (CASH) on Homestretch Avenue with three matches, two in the girl’s division and one in the in the boys’ Under19 division. In the first match, Bladen Hall Multilateral girls were gifted their first win of the tournament after School of the Nation lost via walkover. In the second match of the day, another girls’ match, defending Regionals champions, President College, continued their dominance with a crushing 30-01 victory over Tutorial High School. Annalisa Barclay top scored with 10 points, while her teammate Tisheena LaRose netted eight points and grabbed eight rebounds in the win. The boys’ Under-19 division feature game saw Plaisance Secondary trampling Chase Academic Foundation by 19 points in the match which they won 56-37. Plaisance’s Nigel Bowen registered a game leading double-double (21 points & 22 rebounds) to be instrumental to the East C o a s t b a s e d s c h o o l ’s triumph. See below the complete results of Friday’s play in the tournament which is

Boxing association steps up junior preparation -Pepsi/Mike Parris to be held twice a month

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Annalisa Barclay (left) topped scored with ten points for President’s College in their 30-1 win over Tutorial High School. sponsored by Edward B. Beharry and Company, Banks DIH LTD and the National Sports Commission. Game 1 School of the Nations’ 0 - 2 Bladen Hall Multilateral– 02 points (Girls) (Walkover) Game 2 President’s College 30 – 01 Tutorial High School 01 point (Girls) Annalisa Barclay 10

points, Tisheena Larose 8 points, 8 rebounds (PC) Game 3 Chase Academy 37 Points - 56 Plaisance Secondary Stephen DeLeon 12 points, Cashif Liverpool 9 points, 12 rebounds (Chase Acad.) Jared Sears 13points & 9rebounds, Andrew Johnson 12points, Nigel Bowen 21 points, 22 rebounds (Plaisance)

Serena roars on to set up Sharapova blockbuster PARIS (Reuters) - There was no messing around for Serena Williams yesterday as she took only 75 minutes to knock out German 11th seed Julia Goerges 6-3 6-4 at the French Open and set up a heavyweight fourth-round showdown with Maria Sharapova. Just seven matches into her comeback following a maternity break, Williams impressed all those watching on the 10,000seater Suzanne Lenglen Court — including former boxing champion Mike Tyson — by pulverising her opponent. After she broke for a 3-1 lead with a blazing crosscourt winner, tremors were felt all around the arena as

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Williams smashed the ball away with all her might to wrap up the opening set. Goerges broke the 23times Grand Slam champion in the fourth game of the second set to get back on level terms at 2-2 but her moment in the spotlight was fleeting as she dropped serve in the very next game and Williams roared on to an easy victory. After reaching the last 16 of a major for the first time as a mother, Williams was all smiles. “It’s really special to be here again. This time last year I was pregnant and I was having a tough time and then I had a tough birth so every match at this stage of my return is a bonus,”

Williams, who suffered multiple complications following the birth of her daughter Alexis Olympia, said courtside. Two days ago Williams, the owner of three Roland Garros trophies, had to come from a set and break down to defeat 17th seed Ashleigh Barty. If that topsy-turvy performance had given Goerges hope that she could finish off a job that Barty could not — it did not take long for reality to sink in. The woman who the rankings state is only the 451st best player in the world showed what she is made of as she rolled into the Paris fourth round for the 12th time.

he Guyana Boxing Association will step up concentration of its nursery in the next two months leading up to an international junior tournament to be held here in August. The GBA will host two Under-16 and junior competitions each month as part of its preparation for the Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors tournament to be staged here from August 17 to 19. GBA President Steve Ninvalle said yesterday that AIBA Three Star coach Sebert Blake has been put in charge organizing the competitions the first of which is scheduled for June 9th at the Andrew ‘Six Head’ Gym. According to Ninvalle, provision will be made for participations of new gyms such as Hands In Glove of Mahdia, Savannah of Lethem and Moruca Power Right Boxing Gym and Bartica Blazing Rocket of Region Seven. “We created a special novice and beginner’s category specifically to facilitate these participation of the newcomers. We have been in contact with the new gyms and the response is heartening,” Ninvalle added. The preparation competitions will commence at 1:00pm each Saturday. Meanwhile, the GBA is expecting to cater for

Sebert Blake at least seven countries in August. “Apart from Trinidad, St Lucia, Barbados and Jamaica (the usual participants) we are expecting Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Suriname and French Guiana at the third edition of the Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors,” Ninvalle declared.

CONCACAF praises progress of football reform in Guyana The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) is among the first CONCACAF member associations to approve its financial statements and has made significant strides in reforming and rebuilding football, according to senior CONCACAF official Howard McIntosh. McIntosh, senior manager of ONE CONCACAF and Caribbean projects and a former FIFA Development Officer for the region, was in Guyana to observe the 2018 GFF Congress. “I am happy to hear and see the tremendous strides that football in Guyana has made,” McIntosh told delegates at the Congress. “What we want to see is professionalism in football, and that starts with the administration off the field.

You must be one of the first CONCACAF member associations that has actually approved your financial statements.” The GFF Congress a p p r o v e d t h e administration’s financial statements on Monday, after the GFF achieved full compliance status with FIFA. This status means the GFF can now access full FIFA funding which had been restricted due to issues dating back to previous administrations. “You need to be proud of the transition that has been made - I can tell you it is a significant improvement,” McIntosh said. “I want to congratulate all of you for the work you are doing.” The CONCACAF endorsement follows public support from FIFA President Gianni Infantino and

CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani as the GFF seeks to restore the image of football, reform and stabilise its governance, and to invest in developing the game in all regions. GFF President Wayne F o r d e a l s o m e t F I FA Secretary General Fatma Samoura on Tuesday during the inauguration of the FIFA Caribbean office in Barbados, to discuss future funding for football development projects. Guyana’s first national football training centre is due to be completed at Providence in the coming weeks.Under the FIFA Forward programme, fully compliant national member associations have access to USD 5 million dollars every four-year cycle for football development and running costs.

rt o p S GBTI continues long rally with GLTA for biggest championship of the year P. 80

GBTI’s Pamela Binda hands over the sponsorship Cheque to Vice President of the GLTA, Cristy Campbell.

Serena roars on to set up Sharapova blockbuster P. 80

Serena Williams of the U.S. in action during her third round match against Germany’s Julia Goerges. (REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes)

Bounty Farm/GRFU XVs tournament

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Brown breaks five-year hiatus to help guide Hornets to 42-8 victory over Caribs

Caribs (right) trailed Hornets 27-8 heading into the second half but failed to add to their tally as the match ended with a final score of 42-8.

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