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Sunday june 16, 2019
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
June 18 in nigh I t is the end of the road. All appeals to foreign minds and foreign places for interpretation, for counsel, are over. The many rivers ahead to cross are now all internal. Is Guyana up to this? To hurdle the summits of visions that swirl, despite their being made precarious and treacherous by slick, enchanting oil? It is the same oil, which in its viscosity now entraps and drives men to madness. What will it become Tuesday? Beyond Tuesday? Even the winners, if there is any such thing, should be sober as to ecstasy and revelry. Victory at the CCJ means nothing, other than prolonging paralysis through resuming the ancient agonies. Guyanese had better get some sense: leaders, supporters, adversaries, neutrals, citizens all, for everyone has a dog in this fight. The dog is oneself, by the mere fact of being here, whether interested or not, attached or not, involved or not. The clock that was frozen already has the telltale sweat of thawing, of the wound-up springs finding excruciating release. It ticks loudly, remorselessly. The countdown has begun. The fevered hysterical scrambles to hurl toward the finish line. It is near; but there are eternities of time and traumas interfering with that tantalizing nearness. It is past the hour of learning. All that is left is the growing in the painful aging of the old. Leading men have decided that they are ready, confident in the reach and power of their preparations, their assets. The only obstacles are within; outsiders will maintain distance in the reckonings ahead: democracy and process must be followed. There are those fateful words —democracy and democratic processes. The first problem is that Guyanese do not know what to do with them, to make them work in their most expansive profundities and trajectories. The results are the impasses that flow from doggedness; the searing passions that abandon reasoning; and the calculated visions that beggar wisdom. The second problem is best expressed through a definition offered by an American sage over two hundred years ago that is so apt, so fitting to the circumstances of Guyana. It was Benjamin Franklin, who said that democracy is “two wolves and a lamb voting on what’s for lunch.” Lunch is served; the sirloin is of the willing. For every thinking and wise Guyanese there is no juicy humor in that; only the stark straits in which citizens and country are locked; locked feebly, addictively, and hopelessly. For when all is said and done, argued and avoided, the same voting citizens are the ones who end up on the luncheon platter naked and helpless. Hopeless, too. Forlorn and hopeless, because the two wolves have only one idea in the head: who gets to strip and gnaw and savor the body and bones of a selfimprisoning electorate. It is not a digestible set of circumstances for those unready for the chewing, followed by the usual spitting and excreting. It comes soon. On Tuesday, the CCJ will come with its gifts for Guyanese. Guyanese should beware. For thence, it is back to the crucible of the cauldron. The political no man’s land of all is mine. Except that it isn’t. There is nowhere to go. None left to turn to; none left to listen to the misery that is this country. None left to decide and hand down. After the first stormy interludes of no-confidence and constitutional writ and ANUG (and the rest) and the impatient wait for the CCJ, the phony tranquility is about to rupture. Tuesday, June 18, cometh. So, Guyanese goeth.
Send your letters to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com
HAVING A SAY -ON FATHER’S DAY DEAR EDITOR, I recall from my early years a quote from Aristotle the ancient Greek philosopher and scientist: “We are what we repeatedly do.” Excellence is not an act but a habit. Fatherhood is not an act it is what males should repeatedly do. It should be a natural instinct not governed by rules. Father’s Day is the day set aside to celebrate the special man that is or was in each of our lives. Needless to say it should be every day. While mothers are usually considered the ones who nurture families, on the corresponding hand I think of fathers as the backbones of families. However, there is enough circulating negativity surrounding fatherhood— particularly Black fatherhood—that more needs to be spoken either in positive or at least for pragmatic
purposes. Since our society has been inundated with negative information about fathers that do nothing to make things better, I intend to deliver my contribution to make things easier for fathers who may want to do better. Unfortunately no man can be a perfect father, husband, leader, provider etc. so when the majority of men are examined we find a collection of men with lives full of broken relationships and inconsistent actions. On account of divorce, abandonment (both literal and emotional), general apathy, lack of concern, our community is rarely made up of complete families, ideal marriages and solid relationships. Many times we discover that the real fathers in people’s lives are not consanguineous (blood) relations, but are those who have become mentors and
directors in the lives of others. This may be on account of divorce or abandonment but good high quality blood fathers are scarce commodities. An ever increasing number of children are raised without a father or father figure in their lives. Statistics on children raised in homes devoid of a father are disproportionately candidates for the revolving door of problematic lifestyles. For children from single parent family are twice as likely to drop out of high school, to have a child before they are 20, and to live in poverty. Also children who do not have a father in the home are more likely to do worse in school than those who do regardless of their household income The nucleus family as we formerly knew it several years ago has become an endangered role model.
Generally speaking, fathers are considered to be good role models when they exhibit good morality and self-discipline. Therefore the father is the model for his offspring, especially his sons. A good strong father can make the difference between a lifetime of disappointment and anger, and a lifetime of fulfillment and good parenting in turn. Fathers are encouraged and urged to get more involved along with mothers in their children’s education. In fact fathers and mothers should keep reading to their children and reading with their children even through vacation. While math and science scores have shown slight improvement in recent years, our children’s overall reading level cannot boast the same. It has remained just about flat and reading ability wanes (Continued on page 7)
Sunday june 16, 2019
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The President’s response came across as a dismissal of the legitimate concerns of a his junior officers know- ethnically imbalanced and the PNC utilized the army to der to appoint persons of the to create serious operational junior officer with ing his response would not politically cultivated army. undermine industrial rela- CIC’s own choice to top po- deficiencies in the army as DEAR EDITOR, In his response to a letter to the editor written by a ‘concerned junior officer’ of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), President Granger, through the Ministry of the Presidency, instead of addressing what appeared to be legitimate concerns raised by the junior officer chose to take aim at the PPP/C administration. As Commander in Chief (CIC) of the GDF, Mr. Granger is expected to attend to all areas of concern, in including welfare issues of both serving and retired ranks of the army. The President’s response came across as a dismissal of the legitimate concerns of a junior officer who had no alternative but to bring his concerns to the attention of the public. They appear to be matters that ought not to be thrust aside as whimsical pieces of folly. The nation is at a loss to know whether the concerns raised will ever be addressed. No mention was made that they would. The President skillfully avoided a public disputation
redound to his benefit because the officer’s missive centered around three central questions; why to control, what to control and how to control. Junior officers constitute the majority of officers within the GDF. They are the backbone of the military. Senior ranks in the army rely on junior officers for the effective execution of orders pertaining to national security and the protection of our country’s territorial integrity. What the junior officer’s letter brought to the fore, are tensions that arise from time to time characterizing civilian military relations in a parliamentary democracy. To appreciate how these tensions manifest themselves in the military, it is necessary to recall the character of civil military relations under the tutelage of Forbes Burnham. The Burnham administration never allowed the military sufficient leeway to shape Guyana’s national security policies. With Independence and the PNC in office, Guyana eventually degenerated into an authoritarian state with an
Because of the PNC’s determination to control the military and shape it in its own image, the GDF regrettably, did not evolve to become a trusted institution nor a bulwark of our country’s democracy. The drive to control began with the removal of Major Raymond Sattaur, the only Sandhurst-trained Guyanese, who was the most qualified at the time to head the GDF following the departure of the British. It would not be unreasonable to suggest, that the APNU+AFC administration, notwithstanding the recommendations in the Disciplined Services Commission Report, which Mr Granger himself coauthored, failed to broaden the ethnic diversity of the GDF both vertically and horizontally. The end result being, only about ten percent of the army’s composition is made up of ranks of non African descent. Objectively, the army mirrors the national ethnic cleavages in Guyanese politics. And as if its efforts at dominance were no sufficient,
tions and to intervene in the electoral process to thwart the will of the Guyanese people. For the most part, under the PNC, the GDF’s role in operations remained limited while policy formulation remained vested in the Defence Board and/or the CIC himself. Since independence, the CIC post has always been occupied by a civilian, save for the current situation where David Granger, a former Commander and a retired Brigadier who now combines both President and CIC. Ever since the Burnham era, the post of Chief of Staff remains the top career post in the GDF however, instances of influence peddling and political manipulations aimed at undermining the authority of the Chief of Staff became a hallmark of civilian rule under the PNC and now under the APNU+AFC coalition government. It cannot be disputed that there have been instances when severe frustration and dissatisfaction surfaced within the ranks of the GDF primarily because political authority was exercised to supersede senior ranks in or-
sitions. Notwithstanding, persistent denials, efforts at micromanaging and exerting undue political influence in the management and operations of the GDF continue up to this day. The junior officer’s missive clearly reflects the existence of this practice. Historically, the PNC has always sought to project the GDF as its ‘territorial and political preserve’ thus the unfortunate perception of the military being viewed by many as a virtual arm of the PNC. Under these conditions it will not be surprising to learn about contradictions within the PNC being reflected within the GDF. The Junior officer’s letter brings out this mutually reflective contradiction. Further, the class composition in the leadership of the PNC coincides with the class make up in the leadership of the military.Under these conditions, the GDF’s political neutrality is therefore questionable.It would not be surprising to read one day, how political meddling tend
regards higher defence management, coordination, or a lack thereof, with other members of the joint services as well as its negative impact on the limits and capabilities of military and strategic planning.Compounding the situation even more is the fact that the GDF has not been able to escape broader societal criticisms like corruption, race relations, mismanagement of budgetary resources and criminal activities perpetrated by criminal minds within its ranks.But the junior officer’s letter raised another important question albeit tangentially. It has to do with the wider issue of political stability which requires keeping to a minimum even the smallest manifestation of civil-military tension.From all indications, it appears that the CIC’s main thrust is to reduce military prerogatives and power to a minimum. How else can one explain the unilateral changes initiated by the CIC without due regard to long standing military traditions upheld by the GDF. (Cotninued on page 6)
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Kaieteur M@ilbox The decision to close the sugar estates is at best short-sighted DEAR EDITOR, Today, June 16, 2019, marks 71 years since the brutal and cold-blooded murder of five sugar workers at the hands of colonial police. The workers were shot and killed for having dared to stand up for their rights. They are referred to as ‘the Enmore Martyrs.’ Many others were severely injured and a few crippled for life on that fateful day. It was at the graveside of the slain sugar workers that Dr. Jagan made a silent pledge that he would dedicate his entire life to the cause of the working people of Guyana. The killing of the sugar workers was also catalyst to the formation of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), a mere two years later on January 1, 1950. Both Dr. Jagan and the slain sugar workers must be turning in their graves over what has become of the sugar industry today. Enmore is no longer a grinding sugar estate resulting in hundreds of work-
ers now being pushed on the breadline. The same is true for sugar workers at Wales, Skeldon, Albion and Rose Hall who are now finding it difficult to provide for themselves and their families. As we observe the 71st anniversary of the deaths of the sugar workers, the future of sugar is bleak with no signs of recovery. The current dispute between the Guyana Sugar Corporation (Guysuco) and the Special Projects Unit (SPU) which was set up to oversee and manage the divestment processes is nothing short of pathetic. At a more fundamental level, it speaks to a governance crisis which is proving to be extremely costly both from a financial and human perspective. As I mentioned in an earlier letter to the editor, the decision to close the sugar estates is at best short-sighted and at worst a crippling blow to workers and their families who depend on the industry for a living. The economic and human costs outweigh by far whatever short-term gains the APNU-AFC administration may have envisioned. Hydar Ally
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The President’s response came across as a dismissal of ... From page 5 Mr Granger must be aware that his approach is bound to generate conflict as the Junior Officer’s letter has clearly demonstrated. The challenge the CIC faces is how to maintain a healthy and sustainable balance between civilian and military interests when it is an established fact that for most of his entire adult life Mr Granger has been in the military. With a retired Brigadier as President and CIC maintaining such a balance will prove untenable and difficult to maintain. Regrettably, Parliamentary oversight of the GDF is weak and limited save at the Committee of Supply level when questions are asked in connection with budgetary allocations for the GDF. In his response, Mr Ganger took some digs at the PPP/C administration claiming; the force had suffered from years of organizational neglect, which caused the destruction of the National Cadet Corps and the ‘near extinction ‘of the GDF Reserve Force (Guyana People’s Militia). Mr Granger must know that the members of the GPM are drawn from the public and have regular jobs. Under pressure from the IMF’s Economic Recovery Programme (ERP) and within the meaning of affordability, the Hoyte ad-
ministration was compelled to incorporate the GPM into the GDF making it the 2nd battalion of the army. The Guyana National Service (GNS) shut shop in 1991 under the Hoyte administration. In 1993 the GNS was decommissioned and in its place a vocational training Centre was established at Kuru Kuru at the LindenSoesdyke Highway to facilitate one-year training courses minus military component. The organization had become unsustainable because of the high costs of maintenance. On its assumption to office, the APNU+ AFC administration continued with the vocational training at Kuru Kuru. With respect to the ‘destruction of the National Cadet Corps’ this was instituted by the PNC as a uniformed service mainly at Queens College but it was recently re-introduced by the Granger administration. By the time the PPP/C came to government in 1992, the Cadet Corps had virtually disappeared so there could be no question of its ‘destruction’ under the PPP/C administration. In its 1992 Elections manifesto the party stated: ‘Members of the army and police will be required to swear allegiance to the State and not to any political party. The Guyana National Service will
be maintained on a voluntary basis and the Guyana People’s Militia will be transformed into a truly democratic reserve of standing army.’ As regards the claim that ‘defence operations and training being neglected during the former administration in the years 1992-2015.’ This should be regarded as red herring. The records would show that in this area, training exercises especially at the unit and corps level were carried out every year, while jungle and open country exercises were held every three years. Following Mr. Granger’s assumption to office, instructions were issued that jungle, open country and internal security training exercises, be held every year instead of every three years. Call it re-capitalization or re-tooling the fact of the matter is that recapitalization of the GDF was initiated under the PPP/C administration with the purchase of the MV Essequibo, two Bell 206 helicopters, Y12 fixed wing aircraft metal shark vessels return to serviceability of the Skyvan, and placement of a floating marine base at the mouth of the Pomeroon river. In any event, Mr. Granger must know just as he opted as a matter of policy, that emphasis must be placed on the administrative and operational aspects of the army, in the same way, the previous PPP/C administration was within its right to determine its areas of emphasis within the meaning of the Constitution and the Defence Act. But there is just one caveat; and that has to do with the degree and areas of control and intrusion in the day to day operations of GDF being perpetrated by the current administration which does not auger well for
civilian military cooperation. It is to be recalled that during the ‘Commission of Presidential Commission Inquiring into the conditions of Veterans from the Guyana Defence Force; The Guyana People’s Militia and the Guyana National Service’ Mention was made that service conditions in the army prior to October 1992 were not conducive to the welfare of service men and women of the GDF. The period of heightened economic uncertainty characterized by Guyana’s uncredit worthiness had wreaked havoc within the institutions constituting the joint services. Mr Granger is being obtuse when he claimed that the military was neglected for years under the PPP. Comparative budgetary allocations for the GDF below speak for themselves: LAST FIVE YEARS UNDER THE PPP/C Current. Capital 2011:6,100,745. 453,000,000 2012:6,323,710. 452,000,000 2013:6,785,776. 601,500,000 2014:7,272,801. 653,452,000 2015:8,609,057. 536,400,000 Total:35,092,057. Total 2,096,352 LAST FIVE YEARS UNDER THE PNC Current. Capital 1988:100,931,000. 0 1989:149,113,000. 0 1990:156,765,000. 0 1991:322,803,000. 0 1992:507,322,000. 0 Total:1,236,934,000. 0 Mr. Granger is aware of the numerous recommendations in both Reports referred to earlier. While in opposition, Mr. Granger had pressed for implementation of the recommendations contained in the Disciplined Forces Commission Report. And on assumption to office he commissioned the COI into the conditions of Veterans from the GDF, the GPM and the GNS. He has since dumped these recommendations and moved on with an entirely political agenda. Rather than blowing his trumpet about his less than stellar achievements since becomin g t h e C I C , M r. Granger would serve his ranks well were he to back off from his intrusiveness in the army, pay attention to th e a f o r e mentioned recommendations and give space to the GDF top brass allowing them to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities to the state and people of Guyana. Yours faithfully, Clement J. Rohee
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Kaieteur M@ilbox HAVING A SAY -ON FATHER’S DAY From page 4 when children are out of school. Fathers have been tasked with teaching their sons how to become good fathers, and along the way to also teach their daughters how a real man is supposed to be, and how a husband should treat a wife. Yes, fathers give out sage advice to their children from the time of birth until they are adults and even further past. Along the way fathers assist in guiding the children through the tough decisions and the life challenges. How many fathers actually and regularly tell their children that they love and treasure them? Pray tell me what holds them back from doing so? Is it cultural? Genetic? Environmental? Fear of being too un-macho? Or is it attributable to our modern day society that attaches sexual connotation to every gesture? Whatever it is
maybe it is time to reconsider rewriting this portion of gender history. A child makes connection with other humans very early. One of the very first ways is through eye contact, along with hugs and holding (human warmth). Fathers hug your child/ children; look them right in the eye and say “I love you” even before they are capable of emitting words from their lips. An essential difference that separates effective fathers from all other fathers is that they really and truly know their children. Effective fathers know what hurts and haunts their children, as well as what brings them joy and pleasure. They are aware of every aspect of their children’s personalities and labours to accentuate the positive and discourage the negative. As with any employment perfect attendance is of prime importance, and so it should be with fatherhood.
In fatherhood most of what happens without a father being aware is the loving and modeling. When you display regular presence it will be difficult to be excised from the world of your child even from a legal stance. Remember to honour the mother of your child/children, regardless of your present feelings about her. You do not need to be reminded that even though you both may not be wed, you once took her to bed. She was the vessel through which your child entered the world, so if now you treat her like a germ; it speaks volumes for the quality of your sperm. Refer to you three as a family, and behave as such so that the child can see. Do not neglect to pay child support if you want to avoid having to report to the court. Let this remain imprinted in your head – Children need to be fed. Not for one day, but every day, all
the way. Granted fatherhood is challenging and can be difficult at times but so is life. If your father was less than stellar then strive to be more. If your father was a good father then you owe it to him to deliver that to your own child. Most importantly you owe your child the best that you can give so that the world has one less screwed –up human being. Happy Father’s Day to all fathers biological or otherwise. Yvonne Sam
To gain respect is to show respect DEAR EDITOR, This Father’s Day brings: a Full Moon, a great day and is celebrated worldwide to recognize the contribution that fathers or father figures make to the lives of their children. On Father’s Day many people make a special effort for their fathers or father figures. Some people visit their fathers, while others give cards, flowers or other gifts. Father’s Day is a relatively modern holiday, so different families have different tradi-
tions. These can range from a simple phone call or greetings card.Well, I have received the best gift from my children, they are taking me to a special Father’s Day church service this morning. I urge all fathers or father figures to be proud of your elder children and the younger ones try your utmost best to care and educate them. To gain respect is to show respect. Happy Father ’s Day. Yours Respectfully, Parmanand Ram
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Senior airport official accused of sexual harassment Last year, a worker at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, made a complaint to the management of that stateowned entity.She claimed that one of the most senior managers sexually harassed her when she visited his office. The worker complained to management and it was only recently after enquiries that she was told the matter was “addressed”. Yesterday, Chief Executive Officer of the airport, Ramesh Ghir, when
contacted, admitted that a complaint was filed but there was little evidence to take actions.“So it was brought to the attention of the airport. The airport investigated. We were unable to confirm (something happened) to take further action,” Ghir said in a short statement to Kaieteur News.The issue would raise a debate about the country’s attitude to sexual harassment in the work place. In this specific case, the employee works for a prominent company that has a concession at the airport.
-CJIA took almost a year to investigate The woman apparently had cause to visit the office of the senior official in late July to resolve an issue over a vehicle belonging to her employer that had its wheels locked because of an outstanding ticket. Kaieteur News was told that the vehicle had a permit. The employee went to the senior official to ask him to resolve the matter. The vehicle would be left at the
Dem boys seh ... Ram Jattan mek Moses a one-term Prime Minister Is a bad thing when people can’t change dem own mind. If a man decide to marry a woman and he change he mind, she father gun ketch up wid him and heaven help him. Or if de woman got some bruddas dem would deal wid that man so bad that he would never mek up he mind bout nutten again. Nuff time people does plan to go somewhere and change dem mind. De next thing you hear is some disaster. Nuff people miss a plane and live. De Cubana disaster was one. People come out of a minibus because dem seh it too crowded and soon after de bus crash. Moses did tell he party comrades that he gun only serve one term as Prime Minister. That was before de coalition win de elections. He campaign and he win. Soulja Bai didn’t change he mind about mekking Moses de Prime Minister. Moses was a good Prime Minister. During he time de coalition pass a law fuh de Prime Minister to get a pension. At de time de only Prime Minister who did qualify was Hammy. Of course, dem boys remember when
Jagdeo get vex because de parliament pass a Bill fuh Hammy get a pension but he didn’t get vex when de same parliament pass a Bill fuh give he, Jagdeo, a pension almost like a serving president pay. Dem boys seh Ram Jattan want Moses to get he pension early. He decide that he want to be de Prime Minister. But Moses change he mind. He didn’t want to give up de wuk. In fact, he decide that he gun serve more than de one term he did promise heself. Now he change he mind but he party people telling him that he not allowed to change he mind. But Jagdeo sit down one side and laughing. He seh he don’t know why dem fussing because de coalition not going back suh Moses did know what he was saying when he seh he only serving one term. Anyhow, Moses vex. He not sleeping. Dem boys seh it nice to be de president when Soulja Bai not in de country. Ram Jattan cut out all of that. He mek Moses a one-term Prime Minister.Talk half and watch how Ram Jattan hurt Moses.
airport whenever her bosses went overseas. The woman who has been working several years at the airport was on good relations with the official, albeit one of mutual respect. However, on the day, the woman said she had received some tragic news of a relative dying and was upset when she was in the room. It was during the conversation that the official invited her to drink after work, indicating that it was his birthday.The woman said she was leaving when the official blocked the door then kissed her suddenly. The worker claimed she did not give consent to be touched or kissed.Shocked, she went back to her office
We investigated: CEO, Ramesh Ghir and threw up. Kaieteur News was told that the next day, she made a
complaint, meeting with Ghir and a Human Resources official. She even tendered a statement.There was no confrontation between her and the senior official. In fact, several months passed without a word from management. It was only recently, almost a year later, that the woman said she received a Whatsapp message from a Human Resources official indication that the matter was “addressed”.The woman queried what that meant but it was not explained. The CJIA is the country’s main airport with scores of employees. There are strict codes that are supposed to govern employees’ behaviour.
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GPL’s load shedding suspended as alternative submarine cable energized -PPDI wants to become independent producer One of Kingston engines that was being overhauled last week.
Preparing the 13.8 kV cable for connection to the Vreed-en-Hoop power plant The Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) on Tuesday successfully energized a new 13.8 kV submarine cable across the Demerara River linking the Vreed-en-Hoop and Kingston power plants. On June 2, GPL’s 69 kV cable from Kingston to Vreed-en-Hoop sustained damage which resulted in the unavailability of 14 MW of generation to the eastern half of the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected
System (DBIS). GPL, in a statement yesterday, said it immediately developed an emergency plan to reduce outages, which included the laying of a new 13.8 kV cable across the Demerara River to make up for a portion of the shortfall in generating capacity in the eastern DBIS. “The routing and laying of the new cable were successfully achieved with support from the
Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), Gaico Construction Services and staff from GPL’s Project Management Department, Engineering Services, System Planning and Designs, Network Operations and System Controland Engineering Services departments.” GPL said that this was despite the inclement weather. During this period the planting of new poles and
the construction of additional overhead line sections was completed within a few days. “Plans are in place to bury the cable at least three (3) meters beneath the riverbed. The safety of the cable from potential damage due to oceangoing vessels will be monitored by MARAD.” The new 13.8 kV cable is currently providing over 5 MW of power to the eastern DBIS.
It spans approximately 4,000 feet from Princes Street, Georgetown to the GPL power station at Vreed-enHoop, West Coast Demerara. “Additionally, two small generating units, with an aggregate capacity of two megawatts were returned from Anna Regina to boost generation during peak demand. Further, one of GPL’s second largest units, a 7.8 MW is back in (Continued on page 63)
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Attorney General to advise on Guyana should not be paying Lindo Creek CoI recommendations any oil company’s taxes - University of Houston Instructor By Kiana Wilburg On an almost weekly basis, international consultants who review Guyana’s contract with ExxonMobil are flabbergasted at the overly generous fiscal terms and tax arrangements for the American multinational. Speaking with Kaieteur News recently, University of Houston Instructor, Tom Mitro, said he found it quite peculiar that Guyana agreed to pay the income taxes for ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) and its two other partners on the Stabroek Block, Hess and CNOOC/NEXEN, out of the government’s share of the profits. Mitro said that this is captured in Section 15.4 (a) of Guyana’s Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobil, which notes that the Ministry pays Exxon and partners’ Corporate income taxes out of the Government’s share; then pass on a tax receipt to Exxon in their names which states that Exxon has paid the taxes. With this receipt, Mitro said that Exxon is able to obtain a home
- Calls for arrangement to be removed from future contracts
University of Houston Instructor, Tom Mitro country (U.S.) foreign tax credit for those taxes paid on their behalf. The Petroleum Consultant said, “So effectively, Exxon pays no income taxes in Guyana, but gets a tax credit in the U.S. for taxes they did not actually pay...It’s unusual that Guyana would do this and it should move to have it changed in the model Production Sharing Agreement
(PSA). It should also remove it from the current PSA during the next review.” He added, “You should stop saying that you are getting a 50 50 split. That is false because you have to pay the company and its partners’ taxes out of your share so stop focusing on that.” In providing some historical context to the issue, the University of Houston Instructor said that the whole concept of the government paying the company’s taxes out of its production share started in Indonesia. He said that this was part of the earliest PSAs in the 1960s. Since then, Mitro noted that almost all PSAs reduced the production-share going to the government in return for imposing actual income taxes on the companies’ share. Mitro said that frankly, there are no real economic reasons for Guyana to continue the practice of paying the taxes for Exxon and its partners out of its share.
The miners who were killed and burnt. Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams, SC has been tasked with offering advice on the recommendations coming out of the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry (CoI). Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, said Friday that Head of State President David Granger has asked the AG to advice on the recommendations that were made. “It is a matter now engaging the Attorney General before we move forward,” he told the media at his post Cabinet press briefing. Following the completion of the Commission of Inquiry led by retired Justice Donald Trotman last year, recommen-
dations suggested that the family members be given financial compensation since many of the miners were the sole breadwinners of their households. Among the other recommendations was the proposal that counselling be provided to the families of the deceased. It was also suggested that that the hill leading to the mining camp at Lindo Creek, be renamed “Arokium Hill” and for monuments to be erected in each of the villages where the miners lived. The Presidential Commission of Inquiry was established on February 1, 2018, to inquire into the circumstances surrounding the killings of Cecil Arokium, Dax
Arokium, Horace Drakes, Bonny Harry, Lancelot Lee, Compton Speirs, Nigel Torres and Clifton Berry Wong, on or about June 21, 2008. The men’s burnt bodies were discovered at Lindo Creek, by mining camp owner, Leonard Arokium, on the morning of June 21. He had told officials that information he received from eyewitnesses showed that it was the Joint Services that was responsible for the death of his son, brother and six other miners in his employ. Last week, the relatives of the murdered men complained to Kaieteur News that since the CoI there has been little word from the government about the matter.
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Sunday June 16, 2019
Kaieteur News
Ramjattan dethrones Nagamootoo as new PM candidate - takes leadership position; unwilling Trotman voted in Chairman - Patterson is new General Secretary; Hughes is Vice-Chairperson It was supposed to have been a closely contested internal election for critical leadership positions in the Alliance For Change (AFC). At the end of yesterday at the AFC’s congress, the party’s highest decisionmaking body, it was all that and more-- and one filled with upsets. The venue was the St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Seminary at Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara. Khemraj Ramjattan, the party’s chairman and cofounder, was earlier in the day given the nod to be the new
leader after Raphael Trotman surprisingly declined to run for any position. Ramjattan was then allowed to run for the leadership position unopposed. Trotman later relented was declared the new chairman, a post he held before switching with Ramjattan. Both Cathy Hughes and David Patterson declined nominations for the leadership position. Hughes was re-elected as ViceChairperson. She came up
against Nicola Trotman, Valarie Lowe and Trevor Williams. Patterson was re-elected General Secretary. This was after Marlon Williams said he will not be contesting that post. The last few days saw heavy lobbying with accusations flying back and forth. In the afternoon, one of the most anticipated and watched development was a motion for there to be a new Prime Ministerial candidate for the upcoming
elections. The motion was carried and a vote was put to the floor. The majority voted for Ramjattan to be the new PM candidate in the coalition with a mere five delegates throwing their weight behind Nagamootoo. That prompted Nagamootoo to leave the congress even before the closing session. The internal elections for the party would be critical at this time. On Tuesday, the Caribbean Court of Justice is set to decide on a number of court cases based on the December 21st no-confidence vote in the National Assembly. The decisions by CCJ could see election being held this year. The AFC which forms the smaller faction of the Coalition Government by the votes yesterday decided to play it safe by sticking with its old head in the leadership positions. The AFC has several key ministries with Nagamootoo as the PM. However, the party has been taking heavy criticisms for the performance of the
Bad news: PM Moses Nagamootoo has not been given the nod as the new PM candidate for the AFC. Rather, it is Khemraj Ramjattan. various ministries, including Agriculture and Public Security. The latter is held by Ramjattan. Yesterday’s vote for Ramjattan means also that AFC is determined to go again with the A Partnership For National Unity, its coalition partner. AFC has especially been taking a scalding from its supporters in Berbice with recent local government elections indicating a fall in support in areas that breakthrough votes had been obtained. Earlier in the day, in his address, Trotman, the current Minister of Natural Resources, stunned delegates after announcing
that he will not run for any positions. He, however, endorsed Ramjattan for the leadership position. Trotman changed his mind after a number of AFC leaders spoke to him. Shortly before the results of vote for the Prime Minister candidate position, Nagamootoo left the building, The members of the National Executive Committee of AFC who were elected are Trevor Williams, Reynard Ward, Juretha Fernandes, Vince Adams, Sherod Duncan, Rickey Ramsaroop, Valerie Lowe, Haimraj Rajkumar, Suraj Singh, Allison Mohamed, Subaschand Orilall and Derek Basdeo.
The gathering at the congress yesterday.
Sunday June 16, 2019
Kaieteur News
Guyana secures snake bite anti-venom Guyana has had its fair share of snakebite horror stories with many deaths and disabilities that could have been prevented if there were anti-venom. But after the deliberate efforts of Dr. Zulfikar Bux and his team, doctors can finally be able to better manage complicated snake bites and prevent these deaths and disabilities. “We have been trying for years to secure an anti-venom for the Labaria species which accounts for approximately 90 per cent of our venomous snake bites,” said Dr. Bux who heads the Accident and Emergency Department at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation [GPHC] and also serves as the National Emergency Medical Director. Dr. Bux and his team of emergency medicine specialist doctors recently embarked on a training programme for doctors on how to use the anti-venom and manage snake bites as they present. He, explained, however, that not all snake bite requires anti-venom. There are certain
intricacies involved in managing snake bites and using the anti-venom. “Managing the bite means that you have to understand the species and how its venom works. These are more specialized practices that are not fully taught in medical school so we thought it was necessary that we trained the doctors in the outlying regions especially since we now have anti-venom,” said Dr. Bux. The training was done at the Project Dawn centre earlier this week and was coordinated by the Ministry of Public Health in collaboration with GPHC and the office of the Guyana Emergency Medical Services. The training was carried out by Dr. Bux and his team of emergency medicine specialists from the GPHC. They included Drs. Sri Devi Jagit, Balram Doodnauth and Angela Schafer from the Vanderbilt Medical Centre. According to Dr. Bux, doctors from the various regions who are now trained, will take this knowledge back
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- as doctors receive snake bite management training
Doctors who underwent the snake bite management training along with facilitators [Dr. Bux (extreme left) and team] and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud [10th from left]. to their respective institutions and implement it. “We have also created specific protocols on how to manage snakebites and how to use the (Continued on page 62)
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Sunday June 16, 2019
Kaieteur News
GPF ROGUE COPS...
Senior cop speaks out, implicates senior officer in the hierarchy of the force. It was just a few days ago when several disturbing revelations were made public by some members of the Guyana Police Force ‘B’ Division. However, while the information floats in the public domain, the hierarchy of the force is yet to respond to the allegations made by their respective members. And while there is a deafening silence, a senior rank has decided to come forward and speak up in support of his colleagues who have already opened a can of worms pinning members of the force in junior and senior positions. The senior officer has since revealed that while there are extremely corrupt policemen and women in Berbice, their actions are being aided by a senior officer sitting at the hierarchy of the force at Headquarters, Georgetown. “That officer,” he said, “has been corrupt for years
but he continues to rise. He got junior ranks behind him; he is a dictator and is making the whole force look bad with the junior ones behind he.” According to the rank who requested not to be identified, the senior cop in question ensures that he is “taken care of” by businessmen in Berbice and wherever he works, but at the same time, condones ‘nonsense’. He recalled a case where a popular businessman from Region Five, who is “a very good friend of the big man” was taken out of a situation that others would have been hauled before the courts for. “The man over the river. A night he went drinking up his liquor at Rosignol and like one thing lead to another and the man start behave stupid, cussing up and so.
“He whip out a gun and discharge some rounds and threatened some people. The man was arrested and the gun lodged and the man cuss up the police, but the said senior
man call and give instructions to release the man and give he back he gun. “Dem police had to follow instructions because he woulda punish dem in he own way,” the new informer revealed. He added that the particular businessman is allowed to behave as he pleases under “the big man”. “He does talk to police how he feels and does boast that he knows the big man and nobody can’t do he nothing”. He explained that the records would show that the gun was lodged unless the police were instructed to remove from evidence that it was. “You see if people investigate they can know.” The whistleblower went on to state that the senior police has junior ranks “covering for him”. He said, “It got another businessman up the Corentyne side that beat up people and nothing comes out of it because the big-man again, does do what he got to do and give instructions to a
senior detective up the Upper Corentyne deh helping he do he dirty work. The big-man now does got the police collecting a package from dem businessman for he and they does got to send the package (money) every week to where he deh in town. When charge and so preparing for people with whom he associates, he does give instructions to hold back. He does tell dem don’t charge, to do a report and when the report reaches back to he you don’t see or hear back about it.” He added that on West Coast Berbice a female senior rank is tasked with also preparing packages to send to the senior officer. The whistleblower also wanted to make it known that a close relative of the said senior officer in question, was involved in a fatal accident, killing a four-year-old boy on West Demerara. The relative was released the same day from police custody on $20,000 bail. “Imagine nothing ain’t come out of that matter
because he meddle in it and had he relative released.” As the senior police continued to reveal the details of what has been taking place over the years in the police force, he stated that it has come to a point that “it is too much and nobody is doing anything about it. “We need people to take what is happening seriously because although I am a serving member of this force, I have some years more to serve but I want something to be done. “I want these dirty cops to be investigated and removed because we can’t have people like these serving and protecting Guyanese, they are not doing that, they have an agenda and this big one is taking political directives as well. You see that Commander ya’ll got in Berbice? He is not the Commander; he get put deh. The big-man from headquarters running that division. Tek what I telling yuh with a grain of salt. I know what going on and I
trying to let the people know what going on too.” The senior police went on to disclose that while the senior officer has his hands dirty in more than one aspects of corruption within the force, other seniors and juniors are closely following suit. He stated that all the information revealed to this publication thus far “are all facts”. He said that an incident that took place in New Amsterdam about a month ago where a car was busted with nearly $800,000 worth of cannabis. “In that matter the man that was driving the car, dem boys on the patrol that day tek wuh dem had to tek and mek dem arrangements and lodge the remainder. “The man that was driving the vehicle, dem let he go and dem mek it look like if dem just find the car with the drugs”. It was also confirmed that the detective and other ranks referred to in the previous reports by this publication are indeed involved in corrupt activities. “The same (Continued on page 64)
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Sunday June 16, 2019
Kaieteur News
Ramotar, Persaud confirm conclusion that Guyana’s oil blocks were stolen –Dr. Mangal Former President Donald Ramotar and former Minster of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, are said to be two of the key players in the 2015 award of the Kaieteur and Canje oil blocks to three inexperienced firms— Ratio Energy, Ratio Guyana and Mid-Atlantic Oil and Gas Inc. Those oil blocks are strategically located next to the Stabroek Block which holds over 5.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent reserves. Stabroek is operated by ExxonMobil. The State Asset Recovery
Agency (SARA) is investigating award of the Canje and Kaieteur blocks as it has reasonable grounds to believe that it occurred under suspicious circumstances. It is believed that Ramotar knew ExxonMobil had discovered oil before the May 2015 general elections and hurriedly signed away the blocks contiguous to the Stabroek Block to the three inexperienced firms. The companies which received the blocks never existed before 2013 and never independently explored for oil in any corner of the earth.
SARA wants to know why the former President would act in such a manner. It is hoping to learn, among other things, if there is any connection between the key players involved in the giveaway and the beneficial owners of the three industry unknowns. Both Persaud and Ramotar have maintained their innocence. Ramotar claimed he acted on the advice of his former Minister who made several appeals on the grounds that the persons behind Mid-Atlantic and Ratio are patriots and have
Oil Consultant, Dr. Jan Mangal the ability to bring in the relevant industry experts. Persaud, on the other hand, is claiming that SARA’s probe is an election gimmick but still fails to say what made three industry unknowns qualify to have two blocks which together, are almost as large as the Stabroek Block. In light of the duo’s responses in the media, Oil and Gas Consultant, Dr. Jan Mangal, said it solidifies his conclusion that there was a
Former Minster of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud blatant theft of Guyana’s resources. The former Presidential Advisor said, “If you can prove that you maximized value for the country with how you operated with these blocks then fine. But if you can’t, then you have deviated from your role. “The excuses that Persaud and Ramotar have been in
Former President, Donald Ramotar negotiations with these people for a long time, that the people behind MidAtlantic are good people and they have experience in the industry and so forth are all irrelevant...The theft is blatant. There can be no justification for giving away our wealth for peanuts.” Dr. Mangal on his Facebook page noted that when it comes to SARA’s probe of the oil blocks, there are a few questions all (Continued on page 64)
Sunday June 16, 2019
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Kaieteur News
---Hinds’ Sight by Dr. David Hinds---
Walter Rodney: A critical overview
T
his past week marked the 39th anniversary of Walter Rodney’s assassination. Each year we, his political colleagues, honour his memory to remind ourselves and Guyana at large of his central role in shaping post-colonial consciousness in Guyana, the Caribbean, Africa and the African Diaspora. As is the case with someone of his stature and wide reach, many have laid claim to him in pursuit of their narrow political agenda. How often we hear how Rodney “is turning in his grave” from those who would not go near him when he was alive or answer his call to action. Some even derided him in life, but since his death pretend that he is their hero. In Guyana, Rodney remains a mystery to the younger generation, who did not have the opportunity to directly engage him and his movement. There are three narratives about Rodney. First, there is the WPA narrative which presents Rodney in heroic terms—a special gift that Guyana gave to itself and the world and who moved the country along a revolutionary path that confronted the old order. Then, there is the PNC narrative of the brash upstart who sought to overthrow a beloved Black government by violent means. And finally, there is the PPP’s narrative of a man whose only contribution to Guyana was fighting the PNC regime and whose political outlook was closer to the PPP’s than to that of his colleagues in the WPA. It follows then that in the larger ethnic context, there are also different narratives of Rodney. African Guyanese have a complex attitude to him. Those who remember his activism and encounter him through books - including PNC-types - revere his scholarship as part of the Black Intellectual tradition. Others embrace his Black Nationalist and Pan Africanist scholarship and activism. Still others extoll his
revolutionary thought and activism, including his activism in Guyana. Finally, there are many in the first two categories who do because of his opposition to a Black government. Hence there tends among African Guyanese to be a rigid separation between his scholarship and his politics. For some Indian Guyanese, Rodney is the embodiment of the true revolutionary. They embrace his multiracial praxis as a revolutionary principle. But for those who are influenced by the PPP narrative, he is a “good African” who fought on their side and against his own. He then becomes the standard by which African revolutionaries are judged— if you oppose the PPP or agree with the PNC on anything, you betray Rodney and make him “turn in his grave.” African Guyanese activists who advocate African Guyanese empowerment are generally viewed as racists who are not worthy of being tied to Rodney. This, of course, arises from the myth that Rodney was not a “race man”; that he was a Marxist whose only ideological prism was social class. But as I observed elsewhere, Rodney was a race man—he engaged race and ethnicity. A central aspect of Rodney’s political thought in relation to Guyana were his ideas on race, ethnicity and class. Rodney’s ideas on ethnicity are derived from both his Black Nationalist and Marxist thoughts. His Black nationalism was simultaneously racially grounded and class based. Insofar as he engaged what he referred to as “White Power,” he reached for a racially grounded Black Nationalism that critiqued White racism and affirmed Black humanity and dignity. However, in his articulation of Black Power within the context of neocolonialism, he privileged a class-based Black Nationalism that situated Black empowerment within
the class struggles in Africa and the Caribbean. These two approaches were not separate; they flowed from the same source and aimed for the same objective of people’s liberation. In much the same way, his Marxism leads him to an embrace of ethnic unity. If Black Nationalism facilitates an overt racial analysis, then Marxism afforded the opportunity to stress class. But Rodney always struggled for a synthesis of those two approaches. Whether he achieved that objective could only be borne out by his political practice. It is within this context that his Guyana groundings are vital to his wider praxis. Rodney defined Black Power as “the hope of the black man that he should have power over his destinies”. For Rodney, Black Power meant three related things –”the break with imperialism which is historically racist; the assumption of power by the black masses of the islands; the cultural reconstruction of the society in the image of blacks”. Like Garvey, he accepted the primacy of race: “Black Power is a doctrine about black people, for black people, preached by black people. I’m putting it to my black brothers and sisters that the colour of our skins is the most fundamental thing about us. I could have chosen to talk about people of the same island, or the same religion, or the same class – but instead I have chosen skin colour as essentially the most binding factor in our world. In so doing, I am not saying that is the way things ought to be. I am simply recognising the real world – that is the way things are. Under different circumstances, it would have been nice to be colour blind, to choose my friends solely because their social interests coincided with mine – but no conscious black man can allow himself such luxuries in the contemporary world.” But Rodney grounded his perspective on race in the broader context of class and
The Baccoo Speaks The police are busy trying to enforce the traffic rules. Motorcycle cops and bicycle cops are patrolling the streets. They are going to stop a motorcyclist in a routine exercise only to discover an illegal firearm. During the attempt to arrest, things are going to get ugly. Someone would get hurt. ** Despite the rains there are fires. A fire would break out in an industrial operation. The
cause would initially be unknown until investigators discover that there was some carelessness with an electrical tool. The Guyana Fire Service would initially encounter
difficulties but the ranks would battle the odds and prevent the fire from spreading. ** A freak accident would lead to problems on a construction site. More often than not workers do not have safety gear. Contractors do not pay attention to those things. Calls would be made to the Department of Labour to visit construction sites and penalize those errant contractors.
anti-imperialism. In this regard, he argued that the interests of the Black ruling class were inimical to Black Power which, according to him, must be rooted in the aspirations of the masses: “…the local government was given to a white, brown and black petty bourgeoisie who were culturally the creations of white capitalist society and who therefore support the white imperialist system, because they gain personally and because they have been brainwashed into aiding the oppression of Black people.” But it is Rodney’s broader praxis that makes him invaluable as far as thinking through the challenges we face today. What are the building blocs of his praxis? 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 praxis 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 harmonisation of individual endeavour and collective
advance. A second aspect of the Rodney praxis was his instinctive embrace of the concrete. Rodney saw no place for dogmatism in political praxis. This allowed him to construct an outlook which did not confine or limit his ability to understand social motion, but helped him to navigate the diversity of our historical tapestry. This aspect of his praxis helped him to distinguish between the tree and the forest, even as he articulated the relationship between the two. Rodney, therefore, would not be stuck in time and place, as some are desperately trying to do to him today. A third aspect of the Rodney praxis 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 ethnoracialism as a fiction of people’s imagination, but as an unfortunate but real outcome of our history. Second, he made a distinction between ethnoracialism as identity and ethno-racialism as domination, insubordination and otherisation. Third, he saw the overcoming of ethnoracial polarisation 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.”
Dr David Hinds Such inclusion is multifaceted–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 realisation of freedom. In that regard, he saw the independent actions of the masses of people as critical to the process of democratisation and freedom. It is within 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 self-activity of the people. In the process of resisting, the people are creating and recreating their own identities and carving 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’ GuyanaCaribbean Politics and on his website www.guyanacaribbeanpolitics.news. Send comments to dhinds6106@aol.com
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Sunday June 16, 2019
Kaieteur News
A year of deadly carjackings By Michael Jordan
I
t was a sunny Friday in February 1998, that 22-year-old taxi driver Davo Narine left home to pay an electricity bill at the Guyana Power and Light’s Main Street, Georgetown office. He told his parents that he was going to make his taxi rounds after paying the bill. But Narine, of 193 Thomas Street, Kitty, never returned home.When he did not show up, his worried family began to search for him but to no avail. The following day, they informed the police and ranks joined the search. After three days, Narine’s car was found aback of the South Dakota Circuit, Timehri, after the family received an anonymous call which informed them that it was there. The car had been stripped of its wheels, music system and battery. Scouring the area, detectives found the wheels and other missing parts from the vehicle. Suspecting that Narine had been kidnapped, detectives tapped the family’s phone in case the kidnappers called to demand a ransom. Meanwhile, detectives, family members and friends continued to search for Narine.
The ransom call never came and the police were left with no leads or evidence to arrest anyone. Refusing to give up hope, relatives kept up the search for months. They were still searching for Narine when another taxi driver was reported missing. BLOOD ON CAR SEATS Kissoon Persaud, 47, disappeared on August 23, 1998 after leaving his Hadfield Street home for the Demico car park where he operated his taxi. His crashed vehicle, with blood on one of the seats, was found at the junction of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway shortly after. A sawn-off shot
gun was also found in the car. An intense search involving police, concerned citizens, relatives and even tracker dogs was launched for the missing man. But Kissoon was not found. Then in September, a woman informed police that a male relative of hers, who was also a taxi driver, had been missing since August 20, 1998. She identified the missing man as 31-year-old Leroy Mentis, called ‘Tony’ or ‘Dougla.’ The woman urged detectives to seek assistance from the Guyana Defence Force to solve the mystery and find the other missing taxi drivers. According to the woman, Mentis had left his home at
around 09:30 hrs for his base at the Georgetown Hospital car park on Thomas Street and was not seen since. It was reported that his car was found abandoned at the back of Friendship Village, East Bank Demerara, with the licence plates changed. Relatives, friends and police searched for the missing taxi drivers day after day. Police began to wonder whether one gang was behind the disappearance of all three drivers. As investigations continued, police thought that they got a breakthrough in the case when, in mid-September 1998, a taxi driver came to them with a bizarre story. The driver, 20-year-old Haimwant Ramkissoon alleged that he was driving near Linden when a man, who was in a police uniform complete with beret, stopped him and asked to see his documents. Ramkissoon claimed that the ‘policeman’ ordered him out of the car and he then saw a woman and two men approaching. The driver said that the ‘policeman’ then sprayed something in his eyes that made him drowsy. Ramkissoon said that he was blindfolded and his hands were tied behind his back. He said that his abductors pushed him in a vehicle and drove for about 15 minutes. They then stopped the vehicle and robbed him of his valuables. Shortly after, he said, he was ‘chucked’ up a flight of stairs at which time he heard a male voice pleading to go home. According to Ramkissoon, someone broke a bottle and the voice stopped. He said during the time he was held hostage he heard several voices arguing about cars and about what to do with him. According to Ramkissoon, after three days, the kidnappers, who had kept him blindfolded, drove him to a deserted area and left him there. When he thought it was safe, he took off his blindfold and sought help. Ramkissoon’s damaged car was found at the Ruimveldt
Industrial Site. His police report offered a glimmer of hope to the relatives of the missing taxi drivers. Police conducted searches in the area where Ramkissoon claimed the kidnappers had left him, but found no clues. By then, investigators had begun to question several suspects in the kidnapping. Relatives of the three missing men were offered a bit more hope when a wanted man who was the prime suspect in the kidnappings was apprehended in Suriname. The suspect was a young prisoner, who had escaped from the Camp Street jail while serving a 12-year term for armed robbery and murder. The fugitive, along with two women, was arrested in Suriname for crimes that were committed in the former Dutch colony. SKELETON FOUND The two-month search for Kissoon Persaud ended tragically on October 1, 1998, when his skeleton was found in a sand-pit near the Soesdyke/Linden Highway. The remains were found at around midday about 400 yards off the Highway on the northern side, approximately one and a half miles from the Soesdyke junction. Kissoon’s wife, Lilawattie, who had spent many agonising hours searching for her husband, identified the remains by a gold tooth on the left side of his jaw, a wrist watch which was found partially buried in the sand some distance from the skeleton, his belt, and one of his shoes. The woman had also recognised her husband’s shirt which was also nearby, although it was quite faded from exposure to the elements. An autopsy revealed that he had been shot. Kissoon Persaud’s wife had said that the man who was arrested in Suriname confessed to shooting her husband. Soon after, two men were charged with Kissoon Persaud’s murder. Their Preliminary Inquiry (PI) commenced at the Providence Magistrate’s Court. The matter was subsequently dismissed due to lack of evidence against the accused. Meanwhile, police and relatives continued to search for the other missing taxi d r i v e r s . BONES NEAR THE SOUTH DAKOTACIRCUIT In January 1999, some
woodcutters were working in the forested area aback of the South Dakota Circuit when they came across some bones. They were not alarmed, but upon taking a closer look they realised that they were looking at the remains of a human. They quickly called the Timehri Police Station. After months of hopeless searching, the Narines got a call from the police informing them of the discovery. Narine’s father went with the police to the scene where he identified the skeleton by some of the teeth. He also identified a chequered shirt, a pair of jeans and a pair of brown footwear near the remains. The father recalled that his son was wearing those same garments the day he disappeared.Police confirmed that Narine had been shot once between the eyes, with the bullet exiting the back of his head.The skeleton was found in the bushes about 200 feet from where Narine’s car was discovered. ”He had his ways…He used to do the taxi thing for fun,” Narine’s brother recalled. ”All de time we did searchin’, we never gave up hope that he was alive,” he added. His brother believes that a particular gang was behind the kidnappings and killings. He also believes that the people would kidnap the taxi drivers, kill them, and then use their cars to commit robberies. According to Narine’s father, investigators went to Suriname to question the prime suspect, who denied knowledge of the murders. The suspect was eventually jailed for 30 years in Suriname over a shooting incident. At the end of his sentence, he will be handed over to Guyanese police. The question the Narines ask is what were the motives for those brutal killings? No one was ever charged with Davo Narine’s murder. Meanwhile, the body of Leroy Mentis was never found. If you have any information about any other unusual case, please contact Kaieteur News by letter or telephone at our Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown office. Our numbers are 2258458, 22-58465, 22-58482 and 22-58491. You need not disclose your identity. You can also contact Michael Jordan at his email address:kamarangnight@gmail.com
Sunday June 16, 2019
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Kaieteur News
==THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN==
There are times when you know a nation is dead In my column of Tuesday, June 11, headlined, “Two incidents in one week tell the story of Guyana’s demise,” I argued that we will never have a future, because “party politics, ethnic loyalty and personal friendship have dominated the exercise of power from Independence right up to this moment in time.” This malady becomes frightening when one adds to it the psychic disintegration of the population. My continuous contestation in thirty years of being a newspaper columnist is that there is a psychic breakdown in the citizenry of Guyana, which I date from the Burnham-Rodney confrontation in the seventies, and the society has failed pathetically in attempts at psychological resuscitation. The people of this country have been permanently damaged. The eradication of the soul is complete in this society. The psychic affliction cuts across age, culture, religion, party politics and race. G u y a n e s e conceptualization of life and its meaning is tragically flawed. Out of this psychic miasma comes a fixed nihilism that is coterminous with mental resignation, mediocre vision, arid imagination, and human insensitivity. There are everyday attitudes in Guyana across the population that are simply incomprehensible. In trying to make an efficacious comparison with other barren countries, Guyana’s nihilism and irrationality simply have no parallel in international society. For me, one of the situations that developed in this country over the past three years has left me in no doubt
whatsoever, that this society is beyond redemption. I refer to the University of Guyana under the post-2015 Vice Chancellor (VC), Ivelaw Griffith. Dr. Griffith is gone . He declined renewal of contract after torrid confrontations (one can say exposures) with the unions. But the story of Griffith and Guyana is a sad one that tells a tragic tale of a society that lacks the capacity to think for itself and to think as a modern nation. The Ivelaw Griffith/UG situation simply has no parallel elsewhere on Planet Earth. During the debate on contract renewal for Griffith and after his departure, there were and there are statements in defence of Griffith in the face of oceans of facts of maladministration and financial recklessness that bring into sharp focus the psychically destructive people we have become. Mr. Christopher Ram described in a letter to the press how he was appointed chairman of the UG audit committee, but the VC undermined the committee’s work, and it never was allowed to do an audit of the three years that Griffith was VC. Ram said there was no audit of UG’s business under Griffith. The unions reported that the UG administration refused its call for a forensic audit after they claimed dozens and dozens of millions were wasted on extravagant spending while the university facilities were shockingly deficient. The chairman of Transparency International Guyana Inc., Dr. Troy Thomas, said on television that when Griffith undertook to rent a high-rise building for UG at a cost of six million
monthly, Griffith named a commercial bank that would rent two levels, but no research could provide information on the bank. Yet there were business representatives and governmental appointees on the UG council that voted to retain Griffith amidst these allegations. When the allegations were to be investigated in an audit approved by the Ministry of Education, these very business and government members of the UG council, voted to retain Griffith. They also voted to renew Griffith’s contract while an official
evaluation of his three-year tenure was being prepared. Is this the way these private sector people and governmental officials administer their respective spheres? What kind of society is Guyana in the 21st century, when a state institution invested with billions and billions of taxpayers’ money can have a CEO facing an audit and an evaluation process, and his contract is to be renewed before the audit and evaluation are done? Is this Guyana in the 21st century? Isn’t this a violation of commonsense? Isn’t it normal in all countries that the head
of an institution will have to wait to see how his work was assessed and what the audit into his administration reveals before he is allowed to continue? I never met Ivelaw Griffith, even when we were students at UG in the seventies. I never met with or spoke to Dr. Griffith while he was VC, but I have always taken a keen interest in what takes place at UG, and I was convinced in my mind that something was deadly wrong with his approach to UG, which to my mind was extremely dangerous and destructive. To think we are a poor
Frederick Kissoon country, yet UG has an administrative/bureaucratic structure that per capita is the largest among universities worldwide. And eminent folks were happy with that. God has deserted this land!
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The AFC is not at a Crossroads The AFC held its constitutionally due National Executive Committee (NEC) Conference yesterday under the umbrella of high expectations, with every delegate believing fully that they all have right on their side. In the last few weeks all kinds of allegations and drama had been thrown into the mix, some say to force a postponement of the national congress, but they were
disappointed. Leader of the Women for Change group, Beverley Alert said: “I can tell you, the party’s management did receive information about personal threats, and about some people’s intentions to derail the congress, but those matters were properly handled. The AFC is a democratic party and these democratic principles are what guide us”. Yes, indeed challenges are
good. They build the confidence of our members, and they prove that every single AFC member is free to choose, to challenge, to express opinions, to vote openly with their hearts, and support the people they believe will work for their future. This is what the party was founded on in 2005, so no amount of ‘peppering’ will shift us from our course; no amount of fear-mongering
among our supporters in the rural areas by supporters of another party will work. AFC’s men and women are made of sturdy stuff, and we believe that our people in Government are doing their best to ensure that the 23 years of destruction of this beloved country that we lived through in the first 15 years of this Century, are truly at an end. The AFC is NOT at a crossroads as the opposition would have you believe. Our purpose, our mandates were very clear from that first day in 2005. We were aware then, and continue to hear from the Guyanese electorate that you do not want to return to the duplicity, the evil and maliciousness that crawled through the corridors of powerful politics before 2015. The electorate first demanded a third option and we were able to provide it. On Valentine’s Day 2015 you rejoiced when we hitched our wagon to APNU and together we signed a covenant to lift Guyana out of the morass that the PPP put the country in! Our party has come a long way in 14 years. Strong leadership has taken us through one of the worst eras in Guyana’s history. The AFC together with our coalition partners have been struggling to end racial intolerance and political victimization. We’re still fighting the bite of corruption but we continue to provide solid leadership. We have to put an end to domestic violence in order to give
our sisters the assurance they need and the space to spread their wings. We also take our responsibility to make pathways for our youths very seriously because we all know that they are indeed our near future. The AFC is aware as well that since you elected us into Parliament in 2011, we have hesitated sometimes, fumbled at other times and were not always bold enough, but experience is the greatest teacher. In the last four years, being a part of the Government of Guyana, we have joined hands with our partners, APNU, to begin the repair of a broken people and damaged society. Sometimes we were discouraged and a few times we questioned our ability to deliver your expectations. The mess we found in government was monumental indeed, and the damage to the psyche of our people was daunting. The Coalition saw right away that we had to find ways of easing racial suspiciousness, which was sometimes described as ‘innate to the DNA of Guyanese people’. But no, we did not believe that it was undefeatable. It has been a tough battle that is nowhere near over, but the better judgment of our people is prevailing. They can now breathe freely, pass along their opinions, and have their suggestions put into national programmes and budgets. Such is the nature
of our society today. But … the nation still sits on a precipice, and our newfound freedoms could be scattered if we allow others to think for us; if we allow those who are still trying to instill fear in you only because they want the nation’s oil wealth in their hands. They are banking on the people who believe them, and they hope that their supporters will ignore the good prospects for a better life (that they see right in front of them) and vote the PPP back into office to destroy their lives again.The AFC has defied the odds which rarely see “third parties” in Westminster-type democracies surviving. We and APNU have proven to the world that Coalitions Can and Do work. Together we represent a new brand of politics where ‘people’s interests’ supersede ‘party paramountcy’, where solid, openhanded governance is transparent and accountable to the people. True, we have to continue to work hard to erode some of the bureaucracy that has always accompanied public service. This is one of the reasons for implementing a number of initiatives to bring government closer to the people, into your communities, your children’s schools, churches and playgrounds.You have given us several mandates to safeguard your and your children’s future, and we know that we dare not drop the ball.
Sunday June 16, 2019
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Kaieteur News
My column
Changing patterns and a hit man
G
uyana was once a peaceful and pleasant place. That was a long time ago when people never paid too much attention to locking doors and windows. Children had an entire village to take care of them. Those were the days when parents took their jobs seriously. Indeed, every parent always wanted conditions to be better for their children. Those who knew what it was to go hungry always pledged that when they became parents they would ensure that their children never have to go through what they did. I was one of those, but at the same time I never spoiled my children. They had to do without brand name clothing and footwear and they were none the worse. To this day, as adults who can buy pretty much what they want, they are not enamoured with brand name goods. Back then children were always on their best behaviour in the presence of adults, because to do otherwise would incur the wrath of parents. A little further back in time the adult had permission to dispense the necessary punishment. I am not sure when such community action changed, but for sure such things are no longer the case. There was my reporter by the Stabroek Market square trying to report on the problems of people and public transport. He happened to see some policemen arresting a young man who had a firearm on him. Needless to say the firearm was unlicensed. As the policemen attempted to make the arrest some market vendors became involved. They tried to prevent the policemen from effecting the arrest. Some of them actually tried to strike the policemen. Fortunately, there were plainclothes ranks around and they stepped in. Some of the very market vendors had complained that criminal elements had infiltrated their ranks. They said that these criminal elements would attack and rob people then try to disappear among the vendors. Indeed, the police would pay special attention to the vendors, much to their discomfort. These vendors then blamed the criminals for causing a slowing down of their business. Yet among these vendors are those who try to protect criminals. It is no secret that some of these vendors would actually be fences for the criminals. Some are even known to stash drugs for the dealers. But that is not the only sad state of affairs. During the middle of the week I got a call to inform me that a man
who shares the same name as a recently promoted policeman was taken into custody. When I heard the name I asked my reporters to check the files. They found that a policeman with the same name had just been promoted to corporal for bravery. He was the rank on a plane that crashed on West Bank Demerara. It turned out that the person taken into custody was not the policeman but a known businessman. When the details emerged, it turned out that the businessman reportedly procured a hired gun to kill another businessman. We leave our home each day and never know who would target us for one reason or the other. More often than not, the person who would attack us would not even be known to us. As fate would have it, the targeted businessman who operates out of Lethem got
word of the planed hit, and he reported to the police. The police found the hit man who reportedly confessed to the plot. He also, according to reports, provided text messages between him and the contractor. Some interesting facts emerged. It seemed that the businessman had borrowed some money from the Lethembased businessman but failed to make the repayment. The matter went to the courts and the Lethem-based businessman secured judgement. It would seem that rather than pay, the other businessman decided that he should liquidate the debt by removing the person he owed. I know that generally, when an individual dies whatever debt he is owed dies with him. That was the case of Guyana Power and Light and a Kingston contractor. An electrical fire destroyed the
man’s property and he sued. He got judgement but he died before he could collect. So this alleged plot was concocted. There was an earlier case that saw the death of a money changer. His vehicle was riddled in America Street by persons unknown. The police were interested in the very businessman now implicated. I don’t know what came out of the matter. I do know that many people suspected what happened, but suspicion is never enough to convict one in a court of law.
On Friday, I asked a businessman about his policy for lending money. He told me that he does not lend. He said that lending money often causes friendship to die. People always like to borrow but they simply do not like to repay. I know many people who came to me for a small loan, got it, but never repaid. I would tell myself that if the small loan is the cost to avoid any further loan then that is a small price to pay. Perhaps someday I would be glad for that money but until then, I am just going to go on with my life.
Adam Harris For sure I am not going to hire a hit man to kill anyone and I am certain that by refusing to go after the loan, no one is going to seek out a hit man to kill me.
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Kaieteur News
The future is bright for the sugar industry By HE David Granger
G
uyana’s sugar in dustry will recover from its present reverses; it will not perish. The industry has been the bedrock of our economy for over 350 years – both as a colony and since Independence. The sugar industry was the largest employer of labour, earner of foreign exchange and contributor to agricultural production. The industry’s historic role in national life is undeniable. The industry, as an export-oriented enterprise, has been subject, historically, to cycles of depression and success caused by both external and internal factors, however. These cycles have forced changes in the structure of the industry, including consolidation and closure. The Guyana Sugar Corporation is being restructured and revived to become sustainable and profitable. The Corporation is being reformed to restore sugar’s value to the country, to protect the rural economy and to safeguard employees’ livelihoods. Sugar cultivation, at the start of the 19th century, was based on 380 plantations but declined to 239 three decades later. It decline further, in the ensuring years, to 138 by 1890; 80 by 1990; 39 in 1922; and 18 in 1967. There were only 11 sugar estates – Albion, Blairmont, Diamond, Enmore, La Bonne Intention, Leonora, Ogle, Rose Hall, Skeldon, Uitvlugt and Wales – by the time the Guyana Sugar Corporation was established in 1976. The pattern of consolida-
tion and closure, therefore, has been evident for two hundred years. It did not start in May 2015. The following facts should not be forgotten: - The East Demerara plantations – Diamond, Enmore and La Bonne Intention – were consolidated in 1998 and the administrative office for the merged estates was centralized at La Bonne Intention. The Enmore administrative office and field workshop were closed in the same year, 1998; - Diamond discontinued cultivation of 4,000 hectares in 2010 and the employees of that estate were transferred to La Bonne Intention; - The La Bonne Intention factory was closed in 2011 and the majority of its workers were transferred to the Enmore factory. The Corporation employed 20,420 workers at eight estates in 1992. Its employment stood at 15,080 at the end of 2015. This meant that 5,340 workers were taken off the payroll, either by natural attrition or severance, between 1992 and 2015. The reduction of the industry was not the present Government’s invention. The industry was in a perilous state by 2015. The following facts should not be forgotten: - production of sugar, which averaged 264,963 MT annually in the decade 19962005, declined by 14 per cent to an average of 208,718 MT in the following decade; production cost of a kilogram of sugar was US$ 0.86 per kg in 2014 while the world market price was US$ 0.31 per kg; - It took 11.2 MT of cane to produce one MT of sugar between 1996 and 2005; it
took 12.30 MT in the following decade; and - employment costs surged to 48 per cent of total costs and accounted for 73 per cent of revenues between 2010 and 2015. The Corporation was in dire financial straits by 2015. It had accumulated over G$50.0B in the six years between 2009 and 2014. Its debts had reached G$82 B and its working capital had decreased by G$25.0 B. The Corporation’s financial woes led to underinvestment in field and factory infrastructure and machinery. The Corporation was able to expend only 36.5 per cent of its budgeted capital expenditure between 2010 and 2015. These factors resulted in more frequent equipment failures, lower efficiencies and higher maintenance costs. These difficulties were compounded by a decline in both field and factory infrastructure, poor industrial relations, the loss of preferential prices in the vital European market and the loss of skilled personnel. The Corporation’s miseries were compounded by the incredibly unintelligent investment in a new Skeldon sugar factory. It was a monstrous and monumental mistake, the mother of all blunders, and represents Guyana’s worst ever industrial catastrophe. The Corporation’s woes were aggravated by the attitude of certain trade unions. There were 2,952 strikes between 2001 and 2014 in the industry, resulting in the loss of 1,009,427 man days and more than G$ 2.0 B in workers’ wages. There needs to be a new ‘social contract’ between employers and employees if the industry is to survive. The Government has responded responsibly and resolutely to the challenges with which it was faced. Concerted action was required to rescue the industry. - A Commission of Inquiry was appointed on the advice of the Cabinet, in July 2015, to: “Investigate and inquire into the current state of cultivation, production and marketing of sugar, molasses and other by products including power…” inter alia. - A Task Force was established, subsequent to the submission of the Report of the Commission of Inquiry in October 2015, to develop recommendations on the restructuring of the industry. A State Paper on the Future of the Sugar Industry was published and pre-
sented to the National Assembly on the basis of the reports of the Commission of Inquiry and the Task Force. - A Corporate Restructuring Plan was initiated following these processes. The Plan envisaged the contraction of sugar production to 147,000 MT per annum and limiting production to three plantations – East Berbice, comprising the consolidated AlbionRose Hall plantations; West Berbice, comprising Blairmont; and West Demerara, comprising the consolidated Uitvlugt-Wales plantations. The consolidation of the Albion and Rose Hall plantations and the Uitvlugt and Wales plantations, resulted, unfortunately, in the severance of several thousand workers. This has been a most difficult and painful decision for the Corporation. The Government can derive no satisfaction from terminating workers’ service. Had the Corporation not been restructured and sugar production not been consolidated in certain plantations, the entire industry would have collapsed. This would have jeopardised the jobs of everyone and the more than 13,000 other employees of this Corporation. - The Government has not behaved in a capricious manner. It held consultations with the parliamentary opposition and the sugar unions on 31st December 2016 and 3rd February 2017 and, again, with the unions on 19th January 2018. - The Government, on 23rd May 2017, approved the establishment, by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), of a Special Purpose Unit to divest the Corporation’s uncultivated estates and unproductive assets. The resources garnered from this process are expected to finance the industry’s restructuring in part. - The Government approved the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1st August 2018 and a new Board from 1st September 2018. These appointments injected a vibrancy and vitality into the Corporation and the implementation of a Corporate Restructuring Plan. - The Government commissioned a valuation of the Corporation’s assets. NICIL, in the interim, negotiated in May 2018 a G$30.0B syndicated bond, to provide financing for the Corporation. G$7.0B has been disbursed in support of the Corporate Re-
structuring Plan. There is no indecisiveness and guesswork. There is credible Corporate Restructuring Plan and everyone must work together to achieve a favourable outcome. Everyone wins with a prosperous industry. The Government has not abandoned the industry or the workers to an uncertain future. Government will continue to work diligently to ensure that displaced workers are provided with opportunities to participate actively in other sectors of the economy, such as the production and processing of other crops, livestock, fish, construction, manufacturing, services and mining. The eventual divestment of some of the sugar plantations will enable some of the displaced workers to be afforded the opportunity to regain employment. The Government has been supporting the CRP. The Ministry of Finance was authorized to provide $42.6 B in transfers to the Corporation over the past four years - a subsidy of more than 3 million dollars per worker. This is what it has cost the Government to save workers’ jobs and to ensure the industry’s survival. The Corporation received over G$7B from the Syndicated Bond negotiated by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL). The Government is aiming for a smaller, stronger but smarter and more sustainable industry. A competitive sugar industry will act as a catalyst for the revitalization of the rural economy. A viable sugar industry will eventually be able to provide additional employment opportunities, including to those affected by the restructuring of the industry. The Corporate Restructuring Plan requires that sugar production costs be lowered if the industry is to become competitive. The Corporation projects that, with effective agricultural management and through capital investments it can lower production costs to US$0.40 per kg. This will be higher still than the world market price but the Corporation plans to develop other revenue lines such as value-added sugar and co-generation of electricity. The Corporation’s plans for the short-term involve the rehabilitation of field infrastructure; the modernisation of production including cost-
effective mechanization; the retooling of factories including energy efficient equipment and technologies; and increasing milling and other processing capacities. The Corporation’s plans have identified Albion plantation to become the hub of the Corporation’s modernisation programme. It is anticipated that, subject to enhanced conditions in the regional sugar market and access to additional capital, investments can be attracted for the production of white sugars. The Government inherited an industry in distress. There were 2,952 strikes between 2001 and 2014 in the industry, resulting in the loss of 1,009,427 man days and more than G$ 2.0 B in workers’ wages. This is the time for progress, not protests. This is an opportunity for cooperation, not confrontation. No one wins if the industry collapses. The Corporate Restructuring Plan will restore rational development of the sugar industry and restore hope to those who rely on it for their livelihoods. The Corporation, the workers, the Unions and the Government need to collaborate to preserve this essential economic enterprise. Hard choices have been made. The future will be a sum total of all of choices. Workers have been the sinews of the sugar industry. Labour built this industry. Labour dug kilometres of canals to drain and cultivate the land, to maintain the crop, harvest its produce and work in the factories, laboratories and offices to create and maintain this industry. Labour must understand that its survival depends on the industry’s success. The sugar industry is the legacy of our ancestors and will not be left to become a historical relic. The industry can contribute still to national development once the Corporate Restructuring Plan is allowed to function. Workers are essential to the success of the Plan to restructure the industry and to return it to sustainability and profitability. Guyana’s sugar the industry, with the support of managers and workers, will not merely survive but will thrive. The Government is committed to enable the Corporation to ensure that the sugar industry is restored to its place of importance in the national economy. The future is bright for the sugar industry.
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Things you need to know about food poisoning By Dr Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine Food poisoning is a very common occurrence worldwide. Patients that have food poisoning will go through the bout and most often recover. A small few can become significantly dehydrated or develop a systemic infection. Children and the elderly are most often susceptible to this. Today I will highlight some important facts about food poisoning so that we can all be more aware about this common condition. WHAT IS FOOD POISONING? Food poisoning is an illness that can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Food poisoning is caused by eating food that contains germs, such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Viruses are the most common causes of food poisoning. The norovirus is the most common viral cause of food poisoning. Two examples of bacteria that are common causes of food poisoning are Salmonella and E. coli. HOW CAN GERMS GET IN FOOD? Germs can get in food in different ways: · People who are sick can spread their germs to the food they cook if they do not wash
their hands before they touch the food. · Germs can live in or on food. If food is not washed or cooked enough, the germs in it or on it can infect people. Foods that are left for long periods without proper storage will also harbour germs. · Germs from one food can get on another food. This can happen when a person uses the same cutting board or knife to prepare different foods. WHATARE THE SYMPTOMS OF FOOD POISONING? Symptoms can happen right after a person eats the food, or not until days or weeks later. Common symptoms of food poisoning include: · Nausea or vomiting · Belly pain · Diarrhea that can be watery or bloody · Fever Other symptoms can include problems with the nervous system, such as blurry vision or feeling dizzy. But these problems are not as common. IS THEREANYTHING I CAN DO ON MY OWN TO FEEL BETTER? Yes. You can: · Drink enough liquids so that your body does not get “dehydrated.” Dehydration is when the body loses too
much water. · Eat small meals that do not have a lot of fat in them · Rest, if you feel tired WHEN SHOULD I SEE A DOCTOR? See your doctor if you: · Have severe belly pain · Cannot eat or drink · Vomit blood or have blood in your bowel movements · Have a fever higher than 100.4°F (38°C) Young children and older adults with symptoms should make sure to see their doctor or nurse. That’s because these groups can get dehydrated more easily. DO I NEED TO HAVE TESTS? Many people do not need to have tests. But it’s possible that your doctor will do tests to check if you are dehydrated or to figure out which germ caused your food poisoning. Your doctor might do: · Blood tests · Urine tests · Tests on a sample of your bowel movement HOW IS FOOD POISONINGTREATED? Many people do not need any treatment, because their symptoms will get better on their own. But some people need: · Antibiotics – These medicines treat bacterial infec-
tions. · Fluids through an “IV” – An IV is a thin tube that goes into your vein. People with a lot of diarrhea or vomiting might need IV fluids to treat or prevent dehydration.Doctors do not usually recommend that people take anti-diarrhea medicines. That’s because these medicines can make the symptoms last longer. CAN FOOD POISONING BE PREVENTED? You can reduce your chance of getting food poisoning or spreading germs that can cause food poisoning by: · Washing your hands after changing diapers, going to
the bathroom, blowing your nose, touching animals, or taking out the trash · Staying home from work or school until you feel better (if you are sick) · Paying attention to food safety. Tips include: · Not drinking unpasteurized milk or foods made with it · Washing fruits and vegetables well before eating them · Keeping the refrigerator colder than 40°F (4.4°C) and the freezer below 0°F (-18°C) · Cooking meat and seafood until well done · Cooking eggs until the yolk is firm
Dr Zulfikar Bux · Washing hands, knives, and cutting boards after they touch raw food.Pregnant women and people whose bodies have trouble fighting off infections can do more things to prevent getting food poisoning. If you are pregnant or have trouble fighting off infections, talk to your doctor about other ways to prevent getting food poisoning.
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SUNDAY NO PARTY THAT REFUSES TO CORRECT ILLEGALITIES OF EXXON CONTRACT DESERVES TO HOLD OFFICE – CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT From beginning to end, the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) between Guyana and ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), contains numerous provisions which are not only unlawful, but rob future and current generations of what they deserve, says Chartered Accountant and Attorney-atlaw, Christopher Ram. It is on this background that the auditor said last week Saturday that any party, which refuses to correct the illegalities of the PSA does not deserve to hold office. The Chartered Accountant said, “I keep making the point that this is a post discovery contract and the provisions therein represent recklessness to the highest degree. So the failure to renegotiate this deal would be a dereliction of duty to the State and its people by our leaders.” The transparency advocate who has written on oil issues extensively reminded that both the Government and Opposition Leader, Bharat Jagdeo, have been vocal about maintaining the “sanctity of contracts.” But Ram told Kaieteur News that there can be no sanctity for illegal provisions in any contract. Ram asserted that at some stage, some Government will have to say that the people cannot be bound by such provisions. The Chartered Accountant said, “The petroleum resources belong to the people of this country. No Minister or Government has the right or the power to knowingly or recklessly deprive future generations and indeed, even current generations, of their legitimate interest in these resources.” Ram reminded Kaieteur News of several provisions within the contract, which he finds to be unlawful with one of the most upsetting for him being the Stability Clause. The lawyer said that Article 32 of the GuyanaExxonMobil oil deal speaks to the Stability Clause. The Chartered Accountant said that when one compares the Janet Jagan Agreement to the 2016 Trotman Agreement, one notices several worrying additions in the latter. The anticorruption advocate said that additions to the 2016 Agreement only
Sunday June 16, 2019
Kaieteur News
serve the interest of ExxonMobil as it limits the role of the government in applying new laws made in the petroleum sector. Ram revealed that if Guyana were to amend any of its laws, which would affect the entity’s operations then the Government would have to restore the benefits so lost. Ram noted that the Stability Clause provides, inter alia, “that any delay by the government to respond to any notification from the contractor that they may have suffered any adverse effects can result in the contractor taking the matter to arbitration.” “In such a case, the arbitral tribunal is authorised to modify the agreement to reestablish the economic benefits under the Agreement to the Contractor. Where such restoration is not possible, the tribunal has the power to award damages to the Contractor that fully compensate for the loss of economic benefits under the Agreement, both for past as well as future losses.” PRICE FIXING RACKETAT GUYSUCO… INTERNALAUDIT REPORT RECOMMENDED BHIM SACKED The operations of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) over the years have been a major battle ground between the government of the day and the opposition. Up to 2015, the workers were over 16,000 for the industry. The corporation at 2015, when the Coalition Government took office, had been falling steadily in production despite a number of measures, including more lands for production and the US$200M Skeldon modernisation project. Both failed to jumpstart despite the billions also annually pumped into GuySuCo via bailouts by consecutive Governments. There is evidence emerging now that the poor performance was not only blamed on ageing factories, weather, and poor canes, but rather on the actual sale price of sugar to local and overseas buyers. According to an internal audit document, there were recommendations for GuySuCo to part ways with its former Chief Executive, Paul Bhim, who is now second in command at the stateowned company. This was after indications that the decision who to sell to and at what rates may not have been above board. In fact, on May 3, 2018, in the internal document titled
“Corporate Observations”, it was noted that prior to 2016, there was a robust local sales procedure for the award of bagged sugar to potential customers. The maximum quota allowed was 200 bags weekly. There is a ready local market for sugar with significant profits to be made once a steady supply can be acquired from GuySuCo. However, auditors found that the system was manipulated and ignored by senior management of GuySuCo on several occasion. Auditors found that in early 2011, Bhim as Chief Executive (Ag) awarded a quota of 200 bags of sugar to Bhir and Sons Distribution Services, in contravention of the system in place. “A directive was simply handed down to the DCEO and the Marketing Manager for the quota to be awarded. This can be deemed the first breach.” According to that May 2018 report, in August 2011, Bhim instructed the Marketing Manager to award a quota of 100 bags of sugar weekly to Boodram Basdeo, in what was another breach. Bhim resigned from GuySuCo in 2014, before being rehired by the Coalition Government. With regards to the pricing at various markets, it was explained that that the decision to determine these was supposed to be done by the Marketing Director and Marketing Manager using intelligence sources of sugar futures. The report said under the
arrangements, the team members inclusive of the Chief Executive, Finance Director, Marketing Director and Marketing Manager would all make the decisions for the price for a specific market. The mechanism was put into place to reduce corruption. It was disclosed that during the negotiations, major customers would be invited to Guyana. They would include Tate and Lyle, from Europe; Gopaul Company from Trinidad; Combe Market of Suriname; the Demerara Distillers Limited and West Indies Rum Distillery of Barbados. To strengthen the system, GuySuCo’s sugar brokers, Czarnikow, was supposed to visit Guyana annually and brief local sugar officials in Guyana on the forecast for the global situation. According to GuySuCo’s internal correspondence, calling for action, recent transactions have caused alarm and have the potential for significant harm to the industry. Officials at GuySuCo are very clear about how prices are supposed to be set. MONDAY ROBERT PERSAUD FAILS TO EXPLAIN WHY INDUSTRY UNKNOWNS WERE GRANTED OIL BLOCKS When it comes to the suspicious award of two key oil blocks offshore Guyana to three industry unknowns, transparency advocates have
thrown the burden of blame onto the shoulders of former President Donald Ramotar. But the former Head of State is now saying that he acted on the advice and appeals of former Natural Resources Minister, Robert Persaud. Ramotar says it is he who must answer all the burning questions on the issue. Sunday afternoon, Persaud took to his Facebook Page and provided a statement on the matter. But his explanation had no answer for one of the many crucial questions on the minds of local critics—why were Mid-Atlantic Oil and Gas Inc, Ratio Energy and Ratio Guyana, companies which never existed before March 2013, granted rights to explore two blocks, the Kaieteur and Canje , which are located in very deep waters? Persaud did not even mention what criteria were used to assess that these companies were quite capable of being awarded the licences to explore. What Persaud did say in his statement, however, is that he would not be dragged into an election propaganda campaign. The former Minister said he has not been contacted by the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) or any other entity regarding the issue. It should be noted, however, that SARA has made it clear that until it has “all the ducks in a row” then it would proceed with calling persons in for questioning. Persaud said that he does support any independent, non-partisan review of the
previous and current governments’ award of petroleum exploration licenses in Guyana’s offshore. The former Minister said, “We have nothing to hide and I do concur with former President Donald Ramotar, who as the then Minister with responsibility for Petroleum, earlier commented on this matter (saying): ‘Any unbiased, professional independent review will once more confirm all due legal processes were followed and during the PPP/C time in office the country’s best interest was served, given the realities of the day.” From the time of the current government’s assumption of office, Persaud said he has always made himself available for clarification and/or elaboration on policy decisions and actions taken in relation to his ministerial portfolios. TEMPORARY SUBMARINE CABLE LAID TO MITIGATE POWER OUTAGES Since May 12, there have been several electrical service interruptions within the Demerara/Berbice Interconnected System. Matters only got worse when the submarine cable linking Vreed-en-Hoop to the Kingston power station went down yet again. Chief Executive Officer of Guyana Power Limited (GPL), Albert Gordon, said that the Kingston-Vreed-en-Hoop cable repairs would have (Continued on page 33)
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From page 32 taken several weeks. But the situation has changed drastically; a temporary cable has been laid. Divisional Director of Operations, Bharrat Harjohn, said that the laying of the cable started on Saturday and were completed by Sunday afternoon. The 13.8KW cable was laid from the Guyana National Industrial Company Incorporated (GNIC) wharf, stretching to Vreed-en-Hoop. The cable which is smaller than the submarine cable that was damaged at Stabroek, was supplied from the storage units that are owned by GPL. It would not be able to handle the amount of electricity that the damaged submarine cable conducted. According to Harjohn, the increased electricity is expected to be in the system by this evening. The extra supply of electricity at the 26-megawatt power station at Vreed-enHoop, which is the biggest of its kind in the country, will be distributed to the eastern side of the grid, thus mitigating some of the power outages within Georgetown and eastern Demerara. The Guyana Maritime Administration Department has been advising and taking the necessary precautions with GPL so that this operation could go smoothly. Divers and technicians brought up the damaged cable on June 5, last. It could be seen that it was badly damaged, by what was suspected to be an anchor of a ship that passed or stopped on the Demerara River. According to the Director of Projects at GPL, Ryan Ross, the damaged cable should not have been laid the way it was. Since 2015, the cable linking Vreed-en-Hoop and Kingston experienced defaults on three occasions, leaving East Demerara and Berbice without almost 14 megawatts of power. The cost to repair was more than US$1M on the last occasion a couple of years ago, not counting the loss of production hours that affected homes and businesses. TUESDAY INCLUDE EXXONMOBIL’S PSA IN ANY PROBE – CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT An investigation into the oil deals Guyana signed onto is a perfectly legitimate exercise. But it should not be narrowly focused on the Canje and Kaieteur oil blocks which were signed away by former President, Donald
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Ramotar days before the 2015 General and Regional Elections to industry unknowns. It must include the ExxonMobil Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) that was revised in 2016 by the Granger administration, says Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram. During an interview with Kaieteur News, Ram stressed that there is a case for there to be a review of all contracts awarded to oil firms, so that the uncertainty about the circumstances under which these blocks were awarded can be put to rest. But while he supports an oil blocks or agreements probe, Ram was adamant that the State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA) is not fit and proper for the job. SARA is currently probing the award of the Canje and Kaieteur Blocks to three inexperienced firms. Ram said, “Any objective, impartial review of the agreements ought to be welcomed. But I have serious concerns about the politicians in SARA being selective about what they would and would not investigate. In any case, my contention is that the Director of SARA, Professor Clive Thomas, has been improperly or is improperly occupying the post, because he was not appointed by the National Assembly as stipulated in the SARA Act.” The Chartered Accountant added, “There are also too many portions of the SARA Act which are unconstitutional. For that reason, it is unsafe and risky for the investigation to be carried out by SARA when its own legitimacy is under challenge.” The auditor also expressed his disagreement with SARA being selective about which contracts or agreements it will investigate. Just a few days ago, Transparency International Guyana Inc. (TIGI) raised concerns about the deal ExxonMobil struck with the Granger administration, deeming it to be fraught with illegalities. But the State Asset Recovery Agency made it pellucid that it will not be investigating the ExxonMobil arrangement. Kaieteur News confirmed this with SARA’s Special Assistant, Eric Phillips. Phillips is currently the lead person on SARA’s probe into the suspicious award of the Kaieteur and Canje Blocks by former President, Donald Ramotar. Phillips noted that SARA’s focus on probing oil blocks at this point in time is narrow. It is fixed on the Kaieteur and Canje Blocks he said.
GPL lands the cable at GNIC Wharf
ADVERTISEMENTS ON CANJE OIL BLOCK MISLEADING – DR. MANGAL Following several newspaper articles on the State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA)’s probe into the award of oil blocks, MidAtlantic Oil and Gas Inc. and JHI Associates, two industry unknowns, have been publishing almost daily, advertisements to defend the exploration licence which they were handed by former President Donald Ramotar for the Canje Block. While they got the licence on March 4, 2015, a mere two months before General and Regional Elections were held, the ad states that negotiations on the matter were in train since 2013. It also states that all laws were followed, that the companies’ founders have decades of experience in oil exploration offshore Guyana, and that they met the government’s requirements for technical expertise and financial capabilities. Speaking with Kaieteur News Monday, Oil and Gas Consultant, Dr. Jan Mangal alluded that the ad is misleading to the Guyanese public as it fails to address the biggest issue at hand, which is, Mid-Atlantic Oil and Gas Inc. and JHI Associates have no experience in deep water exploration, but were still given the Canje Block licence. The former Presidential Advisor said that there are worldwide cases bearing a resemblance to the foregoing matter. He said that the one
characteristic they usually have in common is the element of corruption. Dr. Mangal said, “It is highly suspicious and likely illegal for government officials to award oil blocks to companies with no capacity to explore and develop the oil.” The Oil Consultant also took to his Facebook Page on June 8, last, to speak on the issue. There, the transparency advocate said that the objective with the Canje and Kaieteur Blocks probe is purely to return hundreds of millions, potentially billions of US dollars that were stolen from the people of Guyana. He said, “And we already know they were stolen, as no servant of the people (i.e. politician) gives away the people’s property for nothing to companies that know nothing, as happened just prior to the election in 2015. The objective must be to rescind the blocks so the people of Guyana can see the true value.” Dr. Mangal stressed that the objective cannot be a political witch-hunt, as this will not result in the return of the assets to the people. Rescinding these awards and banning the companies (including ExxonMobil and Hess Corporation) will be sufficient penalty for the guilty politicians, he stressed. ONE YEAR AFTER COI… RELATIVES OF LINDO CREEK VICTIMS NO CLOSER TO CLOSURE More than 10 months after a report into the shocking killings in 2008 of eight miners
in a Berbice River mining camp was handed over to Government, relatives are again calling for some attention to the matter. The Commissioner of Inquiry (COI) report had recommended that relatives be compensated. In early August, President David Granger received the report from head of the COI, Justice (Ret’d) Donald Trotman. Since then, there has been little word. Visiting the offices of Kaieteur News Monday were Onika Butts, fiancée for Dax Arokium; Kellisa King, daughter of Cedric Arokium and 81-year-old Carmen Gittens, sister of Compton Speirs.The women said that they are anxious for the matter to be brought to closure. For Butts, her two children with Dax Arokium are asking hard questions about their father.“We want closure and this matter to be addressed,” Butts said. The women said they had attempted to meet Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and were told by a senior security official at the Ministry of the Presidency compound that they would be contacted. Butts said that the office of Minister Simona Broomes had called her about her children and other details. But since then, nothing. The women met the Minister on December 21st, the same day of the no-confidence vote in the National Assembly. The men – Bonny Harry, Horace Drakes, Dax Arokium, Cecil Arokium, Nigel Torres, Clifton Wong, Lancelot Lee
and Compton Speirs – were killed, then burnt at a mining camp at Lindo Creek, upper Berbice River, on or about June 21, 2008, almost 11 years ago. The incident was described as a stain on Guyana’s history, with the Coalition Government ordering an inquiry into the findings of which have not yet been made known. There were debates whether the men were killed by mistake by personnel from a Joint Services group or by the gang of the now dead Rondell ‘Fineman’ Rawlins, a wanted man who was killed in Timehri. The COI Report stated that ranks of the Joint Services were the most likely individuals to have committed the crime. The report recommended that the criminal investigation into the massacre be reopened to determine who are really responsible for the murders. It also recommended compensation for the relatives of the slain men. Additionally, some of the recommendations included offering scholarships to the children of the murdered miners, providing counselling for family members, and financial compensation. WEDNESDAY GHANA TO LEND TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO GUYANA’S OIL SECTOR – VISITING TEAM The state visit of (Continued on page 41)
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From page 33 President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, has yielded a series of bilateral agreements. The most notable is that the delegation has agreed to provide Guyana with technical support to develop its oil sector. During a brief engagement with reporters Tuesday at State House, the Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, said that the gesture is a very clear commitment on the part of Ghana to assist with the development of Guyana’s oil sector. “What they did was to commit to pay the salaries, the transportation and everything to get the people here.” Guyana is required only to provide accommodation for the technical personnel. “This is very important to us.” Harmon said. Harmon said that capacity building is important for the Department of Energy, which will, in time, be the Ministry of Energy. “So this is really going to require an expanded level of talent and skill.” Ghana is one of the biggest oil producing nations in Africa, producing over 100,000 barrels of oil per day. While Guyana is not considered one of the industry’s best, globally, it is admired for how it has handled the sector. Kaieteur News spoke with a member of the delegation briefly at State House Tuesday, who said that the most important consideration for any oil producing nation is the wellbeing of the citizens.
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TRINIDAD PRIME MINISTER SAYS… IF CONDITIONS CHANGE DRAMATICALLY, RENEGOTIATION ISA REASONABLE DEMAND It is important to maintain the sanctity of contracts, like Production Sharing Agreements signed by Governments with oil and gas companies. But what is more important is ensuring that the citizens of a country receive value for the exploitation of the resource. If conditions become so different that the people aren’t benefiting as much they should, then renegotiation is reasonable. That is the opinion of Keith Rowley, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. During Spotlight on Energy, a TV programme the government initiated to discuss energy issues in Trinidad and Tobago, PM Rowley spoken about the country’s plan to engage the shareholders of Atlantic LNG, a liquefied natural gas producing company. His administration had found that there was a need to discuss better terms and conditions for improved revenue for Trinidad and Tobago from LNG sales. “There’s a role for the government,” he said, “is ensuring that the people of Trinidad and Tobago, while being participants in this very lucrative business, get more than crumbs that fall off the table.” The government of Trinidad and Tobago had seen willingness by those in the industry, according to Rowley, to negotiate. He said that “there’s a willingness not
to treat contracts as cast in stone.” When Rowley’s government assumed office, it appointed a Cabinet Standing Committee on Energy, with the responsibility for managing the energy sector via Government direction and policy. This committee studied a report that painting a very discomforting picture for T&T. The report shed light on the country’s declining gas reserves, and the loss of value from LNG sales over the years, compared to other gas producing nations. The administration had concluded that the sector was in crisis. With a series of issues facing the sector, Rowley decided that it was necessary to seek renegotiation. The administration appointed a new board to the National Gas Company of T&T (NGC), after which NGC set out to negotiate new gas supply agreements and remedy other issues the sector faced. On June 6, last, Rowley made a statement on his meeting with those energy companies, at a post-Cabinet press conference. TWO DEAD, FOUR HOSPITALIZED IN EAST BANK ELECTROCUTION What was supposed to be a routine day turned out to be one riddled with grief and horror as two men met their deaths, and four became hospitalized after being electrocuted at Providence, East Bank Demerara Tuesday. Dead are 21-year-old Krishna Chand, of 98 Lusignan, East Coast
Demerara; and Oliver Anton, 36, of Buxton Railway Line, East Coast Demerara. Brian Blair, of Buxton Village, is one among three other unnamed victims who have been hospitalized at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). The deceased and injured men are contract employees of the Smart Tech Solutions Sales & Services entity at 70 KersaInt Park, La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara. The men were working as part of a project for the Public
Security Ministry and were installing poles which are to facilitate the CCTV cameras that came as part of Government’s Smart City Project. Both of the dead are from separate subcontractors working on the project. Reports are suggesting that the men were all moving a pole on which the CCTV cameras were to be mounted, when it came into contact with a high voltage pole in close proximity of the National Stadium. One eyewitness said that upon the collision happening, sparks flew from
the high voltage utility pole and some of the men screamed out loudly. This source indicated that they saw two men flung in separate directions while one of them was jerking about, with his body face down in the mud. They were all rushed to the GPHC where Chand and Anton were pronounced dead on arrival, while the others have been admitted. The bodies of Chand and Anton are now lying at the Lyken’s Funeral Parlour. (Continued on page 42)
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From page 41 There have been rumours of the men not being attired in protective gears at the time of executing their tasks. When an official was contacted from Smart Tech Solutions Sales & Services, he refused to give his name, saying he has been instructed not to speak to the media. He also failed to give the names and addresses of the employees saying the men only work with them on a periodical contractual arrangement, and as such he was not acquainted with their particulars. THURSDAY GUYSUCO QUESTIONS CLOSE RELATION BETWEEN SPU HEAD, PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS – CLAIMS DELAYS IN DIVESTMENT PROCESS Tensions are mounting between the state-owned Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and Government’s investment arm, the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited/Special Purpose Unit (NICIL/SPU). One week after NICIL/ SPU and consultant, PricewaterhouseCoopers, hosted a press conference criticising GuySuCo for its sloth in the release of information for the privatisation and divestment for four closed estates, the corporation hit back Wednesday, insisting that it is all a smokescreen. GuySuCo, which has three estates now under its wing, declared that it still trying to determine two key things – the purpose of the press conference and the motives behind the tactics used by NICIL. GuySuCo also slammed media houses. “The reports emanating from the media have been extremely sensational, dishonest and unprofessional to say the least. The Corporation is most disappointed that NICIL has chosen to conduct its business in the unprofessional manner in what has now become a norm for almost two years.” GuySuCo, insisting that it manages a business, said that PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) was recruited as the consulting firm by the SPU to conduct the valuation of GuySuCo’s estates – Skeldon, Rose Hall, East Demerara (Enmore) and Wales. GuySuCo said that Wilfred Bhagaloo was legally contracted as the ‘lead’ consultant – as such, it is outside of the remit for him or PricewaterhouseCoopers to
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be discussing the corporation’s business in public, moreso in the media, without its permission. “The Corporation has observed that this has been occurring since early 2018 when the firm was recruited. Mr. Bhagaloo and PricewaterhouseCoopers were selected to conduct the valuation based on what was perceived to be the distinguished reputation; relative to professionalism and integrity with which they would have been expected to treat with information to which they have become privy, by their privileged position with companies and organisations.” However, the corporation said in the statement, it is alarming that a reputable firm such as PwC would allow its name to be discredited, judging from its “extraordinary enthusiasm” to participate in activities along with NICIL-SPU, even though PWC is aware that the core of its business is hinged on its professionalism and the integrity with which it conducts its business. STATE TO PAY OUT $28M FOR POLICE KILLING OF SHAQUILLE GRANT A multimillion-dollar lawsuit filed against the State by Shonette Adams, the mother of Agricola, East Bank Demerara teen Shaquille Grant, who was shot and killed by police just over six years ago, ended abruptly on Monday with the State agreeing to pay $28M. High Court Judge Gino Persaud continued hearing the matter, when lawyers for the State agreed to pay the sum, although a formal order is yet to be prepared by the court. The mother was suing the State for in excess of $300,000 over (a) the wrongful death of her son, (b) breach of his fundamental right under Article 138 of the Constitution of Guyana, not to be deprived of his life intentionally, and for (c) assault and battery. For each of the abovementioned claims, the mother is asking for damages in excess of $100,000. She is also asking the court for (d) exemplary damages, (e) costs, (f) interest and (g) such further or other order as seen just by the court. In a writ dated December 18, 2014, filed on behalf of Adams, Attorney Nigel Hughes stated that she is the administratrix for the estate of her deceased son and that Hughes along with Attorneys-at-Law Andrew Pollard, Elizabeth DeaneHughes, Donna Bailey and Jed Vasconcellos, are authorised to act on her behalf.
Apart from Attorney General Basil Williams being listed as a defendant, former policemen Warren Blue, Jamal Lewis and Terrance Wallace were also listed as defendants. Grant, 17, formerly of Lot 110 Caesar Street, Agricola, East Bank Demerara, was fatally shot after police ranks on mobile patrol swooped down on a group of youths in the community on September 11, 2012. Police in a press release said that on the day of the shooting, the ranks came under fire and they returned fire, fatally wounding Grant. Police said a .38 Smith and Wesson revolver was also recovered at the scene. According to the police, they had received information that a gang in Agricola was planning a robbery on a business entity located near the Guyana National Stadium at Providence. Police ranks Terrence Wallace, Warren Blue and Jamal Lewis were subsequently charged for the murder of Grant. GHANA PREPARED TO REVIEW ITS CONTRACTS WITH OIL COMPANIES FAILING TO HONOUR OBLIGATIONS – INVESTMENT OFFICIAL While investment in the oil industry is important, ensuring that the citizens of an oil-producing country yield the benefits of the resource is even more critical. This is according to Yofi Grant, Chief Executive Officer, (CEO) of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, (GIPC). The investment official, who accompanied Ghana‘s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on his just concluded State visit to Guyana, shared briefly his nation’s take on the growing oil industry. While acknowledging that the two nations are at different stages when it comes to oil production, the Ghanaian official said both nations must utilise all avenues to safeguard the valuable commodity. He emphasised that it is very important that the people of Guyana benefit from its resources. Grant asserted that, “While oil needs a lot of investment there must be balance. So there are terms and conditions attached to the agreements and contracts, and if the oil companies fail to develop the blocks then there are consequences at some point if you haven’t developed it… then of course, it will be taken away because the resources belong
to the State”. He added that, “It is critical to note that this is an asset that really belongs to the people; you would expect the resource to benefit Guyana more than those who have come to export the resources … So you must leave renegotiation of blocks as an option…” Grant said that Ghana‘s experience with oil has led the country to develop a comprehensive legal regime to deal with issues from the industry. He noted that in order to support the implementation of the key laws in the sector, Ghana’s Government, through the Minister of Energy (the Minister) and the Petroleum Commission, has enacted a number of regulations and guidelines, and developed policies for the sector. The establishment of the state oil and gas corporation, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, (GNPC) and the passage of key legislation have laid the foundation and provided the framework for activities in the industry. Grant noted that the country has adopted a model petroleum agreement based on international best practice to attract suitable investment. He stressed that his country wants the best deal for its people.
FRIDAY TROTMAN HAS NO JUSTIFICATION FOR ALLOWING EXXON TO HOLD 600 BLOCKS – RELINQUISHMENT PROVISION SHOULD HAVE KICKED IN DURING 2016 REVIEW – OPPOSITION LEADER On June 14, 1999, former President, Janet Jagan, signed a Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobil which saw the American multinational being granted approximately 600 blocks. This is 10 times more than what the law stipulates. But Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, says that this is justified. At a press conference Thursday at his Church Street office, the PPP General Secretary said that the generous award was made in light of the fact that during those times, it is hard to attract investors to Guyana’s basin. Jagdeo said that had it not been for that decision, no one would be talking about oil today; hence he has no apology to make for the unconventional approach in that regard. Further to this, Jagdeo noted that at every stage of contract renewal, the oil company is expected to relinquish some of the blocks. He said that the
relinquishment provision, as it is referred to in the PSA, was supposed to kick in when Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman revised the terms in 2016 with ExxonMobil. While the PPP is able to provide some form of explanation why Exxon was granted the excess blocks, Jagdeo said that Trotman has no justification for his actions. In fact, the Opposition Leader argued that Trotman essentially weakened the relinquishment provisions of the contract. “This government weakened the relinquishment provision so it means they (Exxon) can explore and find and sit on the blocks for a long time. That is one of my concerns about the agreement,” the PPP General Secretary concluded on the matter. OIL CONTRACTS WILL NOT HAVE ENORMOUS TAX BENEFITS UNDER PPP GOVT. - JAGDEO Under a PPP administration, the enormous tax benefits that are being enjoyed by oil companies now would not make its way into future contracts. This assurance was provided Thursday by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo. The (Continued on page 43)
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From page 42 PPP General Secretary was at the time, responding to a Kaieteur News question with respect to renegotiating the ExxonMobil-Guyana Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) so that the people and not the operator would get the lion’s share of the oil wealth to come. Further to this, the Opposition Leader said that a PPP government would not only curtail the benefits that are granted to the companies now, but also ensure that there is transparent auction of the remaining offshore blocks. Additionally, Jagdeo said that while some folks might be calling for renegotiation to increase the distribution of the share for Guyana, the country can save millions of US dollars without touching the contract. In this regard, he posited that this could be done through vigilant management of pre-contract and production costs as these are known to be inflated. The Opposition Leader said, too, that he is of the firm view that the lion’s share must go to the people. University of Houston Instructor, Tom Mitro, in previous interviews, has stressed that governments must demand fair tradeoffs for the concessions granted to oil firms. In fact, Mitro pointed out that there are various tactics employed by oil companies with the sole aim of getting these exorbitant concessions. Mitro noted that some companies, in particular some American companies, will fly people in for negotiations. He said that ExxonMobil, which is much more centralized in its management, does this. HOTEL OWNER, CONTRACTED HIT MAN CHARGED FOR PLOTTING MURDER An alleged hit man and the owner of Rockies International Hotel on Light Street, Georgetown, were Thursday brought before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after they were busted in the plotting of a murder. Charged are businessman Mark Grimmond, 57, from Lot 320 Grove Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD); and Chatterpaul Singh, 36, a miner who resides at Lot 1 First Street Cummingsburg. Grimmond was represented by attorney-atlaw Bernard Da Silva and Mark Waldron while Singh was unrepresented. They were not required to plead to the indictable charge. It was alleged that between
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April 1, 2018 and June 7, 2019, at Georgetown, the defendants conspired with each other and persons unknown to murder Dwayne Grant, a businessman from Lethem. According to the facts of the charge, Grant received certain information that the men were plotting to kill him and he reported it to the police. The police ranks acting on the report went to a hotel where they made contact with the number two defendant, Singh. Singh was arrested and at that point in time he was reportedly found with a firearm. In a detailed conversation with the police Singh admitted that he was contracted by Grimmond to kill Grant. Grimmond was subsequently arrested and the allegation of conspiracy to commit murder was put to him. Telephone conversations between the two defendants were obtained by the police. Based on advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) the charge was instituted. Police prosecutor Gordon Mansfield objected to bail based on the seriousness of the offence and the strength of the evidence the police wishes to present. After listening to the facts of the charge, the defendants were remanded to prison until their next court date on June 18, 2019. SATURDAY HARMON FAILS TO ADDRESS QUESTIONS ABOUT CONTROVERSIAL EXXONAGREEMENT The State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) is currently investigating the awards of the Kaieteur and Canje blocks, by former
President Donald Ramotar, to virtual unknowns, made just days before the May 2015 election. Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency Joseph Harmon was keen to note, during Friday’s post-Cabinet press briefing, that government will take all necessary action to correct wrongdoing if such is found. But contentions have also been raised about the Production Sharing Agreement with ExxonMobil on the Stabroek concession. That PSA was signed on June 14, 1999 by former President Janet Jagan. During the press briefing, Kaieteur News brought all of these issues to Director General Harmon’s attention, asking whether they were sufficient to warrant an investigation into the Stabroek concession. He said that government would only act on the investigations’ findings by SARA, and that the contentions raised were not enough to warrant any action. According to Harmon, an investigation is what is required to inquire about the alleged illegality of the Stabroek concession. But SARA’s Special Assistant Eric Phillips asserted last week that there is no investigation into that concession. Even in this regard, Harmon was asked how government would treat with the myriad contentions that the Stabroek concession is illegal, if it will not initiate an investigation. He did not answer. PROCUREMENT OF FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR NEW DEMERARA RIVER BRIDGE WAS LEGAL – SOCU The investigation by the Special Organised Crime Unit
(SOCU) has been concluded, and it has been determined that there was no wrongdoing in the procurement of consultancy services for the feasibility study and design of the new Demerara River Bridge. Mont h s ago, the People’s Progressive Party had requested that the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) flag the Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, because the party believed that he had broken the law by solesourcing the project, instead of having it processed through the Procurement Board. The PPC had reported last August, that 12 bidders had been shortlisted for the project. It had also stated in its report on the matter that only two of the 12 companies had made proposals. That caused the process to be reset. But while the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board approved the move for the project to be re-tendered, it wasn’t. The $148M project was awarded to a Dutch company, LievenseCSO, by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure. As a result of the findings, the Opposition had asked SOCU to i n v e s t i g a t e t h e m a t t e r. Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had even made calls for criminal charges to be instituted against the Public I n f r a s t ructure Minister, David Patterson. Though the PPP was adamant that the bypassing of the procurement process was illegal, SOCU stated that it has sought legal advice, and that there is no evidence that a criminal offence was committed.
BIKER DIESAFTER HORRIFIC COLLISION WITH MINIBUS NEAR BOTANICAL GARDENS A gruesome accident involving a route 40 minibus and a motorcycle, which occurred in the vicinity of the Botanical Gardens, at the intersection of Regent and Vlissengen Roads yesterday afternoon, has left the motor cyclist dead. Twenty-nine year-old Mark Sauers, of Melanie, East Coast Demerara, was the unfortunate biker who was said to be proceeding at a rapid rate, north on Vlissengen Road, when he slammed into the left side of the minibus driven by Mark Pancham. The bus was turning west into Regent Road at the time of the collision. At the point of impact, Sauers’s upper body apparently ripped along the back windows of the bus, which caused an arm to be severed and left inside the vehicle. The end result was his body being sliced in half. The side of the minibus was badly dented, and the back windscreen was almost completely shattered. Blood could be seen on the back of the vehicle as well as a pool of blood on the road where Sauers landed. The bus driver in an interview said that his son was conducting and there were four passengers in the vehicle. “You know how it feel to be goin’ 20-30 miles a hour, and a man was coming at 100120 and slam into me, and now I gotta be the one who gotta face the music, knowing that I ain’t wrong at all. He was speeding, I had four passengers, two willing to come and share exactly what happen.” SHEROD DUNCAN ‘STILL DISMISSED’ Fired Chronicle General
Manager Sherod Duncan is still not reinstated, according to Director General at the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon. That’s despite reports that Duncan went back to work last Thursday, since being ordered reinstated at the Guyana Chronicle – Guyana National Newspapers Limited (GNNL) – as Publisher and General Manager, by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo. Kaieteur News understands that since that day, Duncan has not returned to work. The matter all started when GNNL’s B o a r d o f Directors made a decision on April 2, to fire Duncan, after an audit report found that over 20 transactions did not follow financial regulations. Nagamootoo had later corresponded with GNNL B o a r d C h a i r, G e e t a Chandan-Edmond, giving instructions to the Board to rescind the decision to fire Duncan, and claiming that the board had not voted to fire him. T h e l e t t er from PM Nagamootoo has resulted in the matter becoming a public spat, with a number of board members quitting as a result and several staff members resigning. During the post Cabinet press briefing on Friday, Harmon told reporters that the government’s position is that Duncan is still dismissed, meaning that Nagamootoo’s order was not implemented. Even though Nagamootoo had ordered the board to rescind its dismissal of Duncan, Harmon said that government respects the independence of the boards it appoints. He further said that the matter will be addressed by Cabinet during its next sitting.
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A Father’s Calling by D.I. Telbat Ryan Gaultridge, the father of two boys, glanced at the clock. It was nearly midnight, and he hadn’t slept a wink. His wife, Megan, slept soundly next to him, unaware that the evening news story of the flooding south of their town had immensely impacted his heart. All those families without homes, without clothes, without food and water! Shutting his eyes, he tried to will himself to sleep. After all, tomorrow was Father’s Day, and the family of four had big plans to go to the ball park. Ryan’s boys had recommended the batting cages, and for their sake, he had relented. But now, all that flashed before his eyelids was the situation to the south. It was a three-hour drive to the flood zone. Families needing shelter would be crammed together into anything available—whether it was comfortable or not. The water could take weeks to subside. So where would those families go? Everyone would need special care. His own household could care for one family. “Meg?” He nudged her shoulder. “Meg, I have to go do something. Megan, can you hear me? There’s something I need to do. Come on. You want to go?” “Do I look like I want to go?” Megan rolled over. “You don’t need me. It’s the middle of the night, Ryan. Go do whatever you’re going to do.” Ryan eased back, thought about pressing the issue, then let it go. She was right. This was something God had given him to do. Soon enough, Megan would be playing her part. He pulled on his clothes and heavy weather gear, then peeked in on
the boys who were sleeping soundly, despite the battering wind and storm outside. The drive south on the dark highway was precarious. Ryan seemed to be the only one driving that direction, since everyone else was going the opposite way, fleeing the heaviest destruction of the storm. Tree branches battered his SUV and rain threatened to overwhelm his windshield wipers, but he finally reached the town he’d seen in the news the evening before. Rescue crews were everywhere with boats, campers, and flashing lights. Ryan thought about volunteering to help rescue people, since he had some EMT training, but he remembered what had brought him here in the first place—to help a family. He parked in a supermarket parking lot where temporary shelters had been erected to process and shelter victims of the flooding. Debris whistled through the air. The wind slammed into the shelters, threatening to toss them aside, but cords fastened to stakes in the pavement held them in place. Outside of his truck, Ryan donned a pair of glasses to protect his eyes and prayed that God would lead him to the right people. He walked past the shelters where flood victims were crowded inside. They had all been given dry clothes and were being attended to by emergency personnel. Pressing farther on, he headed past the supermarket toward the floodwaters and up to the edge of the torrent that had claimed half the town. Out of the darkness of the e a r l y morning, the
FUN WITH POETRY
Walk Carefully on the Road Charlie is a little boy, Who liked to play on the road; No matter what his parents said, He'd run out as often as he could. One day Charlie was kicking a ball, Up and down a busy street, When a car came speeding round the turn, And knocked our boy off his feet. They had to rush him to hospital, With cuts all over his body, And one leg broken in so many places, He had to have major surgery. Now Charlie is nearly well again, But he is limping very badly, Afraid to even be on the road, And telling everyone to walk carefully. (BY UNCLE ROY)
light of a flashlight appeared. Ryan looked around. There were no rescue workers nearby. The landing for the emergency crew boats was farther down. “Over here!” Ryan called into the wind. “Here! You’re almost to me! Come on!” The flashlight beam wobbled, then settled on Ryan. He waded out into the water to a small rubber raft with a young man, his wife, and two small girls. The father had been paddling from the bow with only one paddle, and not very successfully. The girls were shivering in the wind and rain, and the raft had inches of water in the bottom. Ryan took hold of the rope on the bow and tugged the raft up to the shore. The young father inside the raft collapsed in exhaustion as his family climbed out of the little vessel. One of the girls was crying, clinging to her mother, who wore no coat. “ M y n a m e i s Ry a n Gaultridge. You’re safe now.” He grabbed the man under the arms and helped him to his feet. “Come with me.” Their names were Sam and Judy Erman. For an hour, Ryan was their personal escort through the shelter lines and processing. After the frazzled family received dry clothes, they were told that since they were so late in arriving, it could take three or four days before any actual housing opened up for them. Many other families had come first. “It’ll be okay.” Ryan glanced outside their shelter at the overcast, dawning sky. “I know it seems like everything is terrible right now, but God provides, even in catastrophes. Would you believe me if I told you that God wouldn’t let me sleep, so I came down here, and you are the people I found?” “I believe it.” Sam nodded. He was a machinist fresh out of trade school. Rolling up his sleeve, he showed Ryan an ugly tattoo. “I believe it was God who kept me alive from a wasted gang life. If you tell me God brought you to us, I believe it.” “My wife might be a little surprised, but she’ll be happy to host you, if you’ll come stay with us.” Ryan nodded at Judy. “She’s a little older than you, but you two are about the same size. And we’ll find new clothes for the girls from people in our church.” Sam shook his head, and for a moment Ryan thought the young father might refuse his offer. Suddenly, the man threw his arms around Ryan and embraced him, relieved that his family had a place to stay. With the increased flow of traffic, it was a four-hour drive home, and almost noon by the Continued on next edition
Junior page
Father's Day Cards
The vest can be kind of tricky to make so you may need to guide children. Cut a piece of orange paper into a rectangle and cut slits to make a vest. Fold both sides to the middle. Cut small strips of black paper and glue them onto the life vest making the straps. Cut out some blue water and a canoe paddle to add to the card. Finish it off by writing “You're the VEST dad!” at the top. So cute! Materials: Paper (white, black and yellow) Scissors Marker (black) Glue
USE THE WORDS IN THE BOX TO SOLVE THE CROSSWORD. ACROSS 3. Sleep in a tent. 8. Day of the week that Father's Day is celebrated. 9. Outdoor Cooking. 11. Outdoor activity that involves sitting in a boat. 12. Opposite of female. 13. My father is my _______. 14. Singular form of children. 15. My father loves to watch __________ on the TV. DOWN 1. Another name for father. 2. Narrow cloth worn around the neck. 4. Dad's Father. 5. A favorite Sunday sport. 6. To fix things Dad needs his... 7. Month of the year that we celebrate Father's day. 10. Mode of transportation. 13. Give Dad ______ and Kisses on Father's Day.
Kaieteur News
Sunday June 16, 2019
A Positive Frame of Mind will help you to do your best in any examination When you go into the examination room, all the resources that you have to deal with the questions are what you have within you. This means that it is useless to worry about anything you feel that you may be lacking in, or that you may not be able to fully answer everything. Apart from this, it is a fact that being negative in any situation serves to impact on our ability and lessen our potential to achieve what we set out to do.
On the contrary, developing a confident and positive frame of mind enhances our abilities to perform, and increases our chances of gaining success in any venture. Positivity has been known to change how your mind works, expand your vision, change your thoughts from bad to good, and increase the possibilities of finding solutions to problems. When you look at things from a positive point of view, you evoke a spark of
good feelings that motivates you to do your best, and gives you a sense of selfconfidence that helps you to do your best. As a result, you become stronger, wiser, more resilient and more integrated with yourself, which serves to unite all the powers within yourself to enable you to perform at your best. On the physical level, positivity calms your nerves, keeps your blood flowing at a proper rate, and enables the various organs of your body
to bounce back when you feel something negative happening. Your brain starts working at its maximum, giving you the ability to remember, reason and calculate at higher levels. We hope that all this will serve to convince you that there is no use worrying about your ability to succeed in your examinations, and help you to move forward with confidence that whatever resources you have will be utilised to the fullest to achieve this success.
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Positive Thinking Keep thinking positive and know that, in life, Sweet and bitter both things do survive; So when we do not lose hope in the test, Then God will surely give us the best So don't let a gray or a blue mood prevail, Make best use of time, and avail The nice opportunity that is given to you To take every test and get through. So in life, if ever in your pace, You see troubles standing face to face, Then don't lose hope or ever sigh, Just cling on to hope and ever try. To smile and then strongly stand In front of troubles, and understand That joy and sorrow are the things That both come to us in life's ring. So it's better to face all with a smile, You will walk steadily for many a mile; Keep thinking positive and know, in life, Sweetness and bitterness both need to survive. All of us are faced with good and bad every day the real test of life is what we choose to follow.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
Solutions to last week’s
Mathdoku
Drop quotes These Drop Quote puzzles are longer and involve many more rows. They tend to be much more difficult to solve and may take 30-60 minutes or longer even for experienced solvers! See if you have what it takes to tackle these stumpers...,
DINO Maze
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1. What did the Buddhist ask the hot dog vendor? “Make me one with everything.” 2. You know why you never see elephants hiding up in trees? Because they’re really good at it. 3. What is red and smells like blue paint? Red paint. 4. A dyslexic man walks into a bra. 5. Where does the General keep his armies? In his sleevies! 6. Why aren’t koalas actual bears? The don’t meet the koalafications. 7. A bear walks into a restaurant and say’s “I want a grilllllled………………………………………cheese.” The waiter says “Whats with the pause?” The bear replies “Whaddya mean, I’M A BEAR.” 8. What do you call bears with no ears? B 9. Why dont blind people skydive? Because it scares the crap out of their dogs. 10. I went in to a pet shop. I said, “Can I buy a goldfish?” The guy said, “Do you want an aquarium?” I said, “I don’t care what star sign it is.” 11. What do you get when you cross a dyslexic, an insomniac, and an agnostic? Someone who lays awake at night wondering if there is a dog. 12. A pirate walks into a bar with a steering wheel on his pants, a peg leg and a parrot on his shoulder. The bartender says, “Hey, you’ve got a steering wheel on your pants.” The pirate says, “Arrrr, I know. It’s driving me nuts.” 13. I saw a wino eating grapes. I told him, you gotta wait. (Mitch Hedberg) 14. What’s brown and sticky? A stick. 15. What does a pepper do when it’s angry? It gets jalapeño face! 16. What’s a foot long and slippery? A slipper. 17. Two gold fish are in a tank. One looks at the other and says, “You know how to drive this thing?!” 18. Two soldiers are in a tank. One looks at the other and says, “BLUBLUBBLUBLUBBLUB.” 19. As a scarecrow, people say I’m outstanding in my field. But hay, it’s in my jeans. 20. A man is walking in the desert with his horse and his dog when the dog says, “I can’t do this. I need water.” The man says, “I didn’t know dogs could talk.” The horse says, “Me neither!” 21. A guy goes into a lawyer’s office and asks the lawyer: “Excuse me, how much do you charge?” The lawyer responds: “I charge £1,000 to answer three questions.” “Bloody hell – That’s a bit expensive isn’t it?” “Yes. What’s your third question?” 22. What is the resemblance between a green apple and a red apple? They’re both red except for the green one. 23. I have an EpiPen. My friend gave it to me when he was dying, it seemed very important to him that I have it. 24. How did the hipster burn his mouth? He ate the pizza before it was cool. 25. What’s the difference between an oral thermometer and a rectal thermometer? The taste. 26. An atheist, a Crossfitter, and a vegan walk into a bar. I know because they told me. 27. I waited and stayed up all night and tried to figure out where the sun was. Then it dawned on me. 28. I told my friend 10 jokes to get him to laugh. Sadly, no pun in 10 did. 29. What’s red and moves up and down? A tomato in an elevator 30. I bought the world’s worst thesaurus yesterday. Not only is it terrible, it’s terrible. 31. Why can’t you hear a pterodactyl go to the bathroom? Because the “P” is silent! 32. My roommate told me my clothes look gay. I was like, don’t be a dick dude; they just came out of the closet.
Kaieteur News
Sunday June 16, 2019
Sunday June 16, 2019
Hacks for Treating Sunburns 1. Fill a spray bottle with an even mixture of apple cider vinegar and water to instantly relieve the pain. The first couple of days after a sunburn when your burn is extra tender, try spraying a bit of watered down apple cider vinegar on your skin for instant relief. Vinegar has antiseptic properties that kill germs, calm inflammation, and alleviate painful, itchy skin. 2. Apply cold yogurt on your burn for 10 minutes to help your sunburned skin heal. Pick up a cold plain yogurt, which contains a lot of probiotics that will help restore your skin’s natural barrier, and spread a thin layer over your sunburn. Let the yogurt sit for about 10 minutes, and then gently dab it off with a cold rag. 3. Sprinkle cornstarch on yourself or your sheets to ease the pain while sleeping. When you have a terrible sunburn, even lying down on your sheets at night hurts. Dust a bit of cornstarch on your body or sprinkle it on your sheets before heading to bed to create a barrier between the fabric and your skin and to help minimize the painful friction. 4. Take an oatmeal bath to soothe itchy skin. Grind a cup of old-fashioned oatmeal in the blender or food processor and pour the oatmeal grinds in a bath full of warm water before getting in. The oatmeal will help calm any inflammation and soothe itchy skin. 5. Spread a thin layer of raw honey on the affected area to help reduce infection. Raw honey, a natural antiseptic, can help heal damaged skin. Carefully spread it on the area, cover it with gauze, and let it sit. 6. Lather your skin with a milk-based lotion on your sunburn to keep your skin moisturized. The fats and protein in milk can soothe a sunburn by creating a protective film over the skin, but if you’re not into the idea of soaking your body in a bath full of milk, try a milk-based lotion instead. A couple of days after getting sunburned, your skin will start to dry out, which can lead to irritation and cause the skin to peel. It’s important to keep your skin hydrated during this period and the use of a milk-based body lotion is a good way to do so. 7. Wear loose clothing while your skin is healing. Tight clothes can irritate sunburned skin, so if you have to head back to the office after a long weekend in the sun and don’t want to exacerbate your itchy issue, wear loose-fitting clothing to let your skin breathe and help it heal faster. 8. Chill your aloe vera gel in the refrigerator or a bucket of ice before applying it to bring down your skin’s temperature and help prevent your skin from peeling. One of the best remedies for a sunburn is to lather your skin with aloe vera gel, and a way to make it feel even better is to chill it beforehand to instantly ease some of the painful heat. 9. Pour aloe vera gel into an ice cube tray and freeze it over night to make extra-soothing aloe cubes.
SOLUTION TO LAST WEEK’S WORD SEARCH
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Sunday June 16, 2019
Sunday June 16, 2019
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Kaieteur News
14 Surprising Health Benefits Of Wine http://www.lifehack.org: You pop open the cork after a killer day at the office, and the luscious wine flows in mellow drops into your shiny glass. Then this voice whispers in your ear. “Should I be drinking wine?” You try to make healthy food choices and go to the gym and yoga a few times a week. Are you negating your efforts with a few sips? You know that over-indulging is a health no-no, but what about a glass of wine a few times per week? Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve surely heard of the heart-healthy benefits of red wine. But this is not your big concern; you already exercise and eat pretty well. Prepare to be amazed. More than just being hearthealthy, wine has a slew of surprising health benefits, many of which stem from resveratrol. Some plants make resveratrol to fight off bacteria and fungi, or to withstand a drought or lack of nutrients. Red and purple grapes, blueberries, cranberries, mulberries, peanuts, and pistachios are sources. Resveratrol may be the wonder ingredient responsible for many of wine’s benefits. Isolating the resveratrol does not yield the same powers, indicating that a constellation of forces act together to protect the body. Most studies focus on the benefits of red wine because white grapes do not contain resveratrol. Prepare to be amazed and relieved. You’re about to learhow your wine-drinking ritual can be a powerful health elixir. Check out the following fourteen benefits of wine that go way beyond heart healthiness. 1. Live longer That’s right. On the island of Ikarios, a recently discovered Blue Zone, people live longer than anywhere else in the world. Daily wine consumption is part of a dietary pattern that encourages long life through eating fewer animal-based foods and eating more plant-based foods. You’ll find the long-lived residents of Crete and Sardinia sipping dark red wine, a part of their anti-aging lifestyle. A 2007 study suggests procyanidins, compounds found in red wine tannins, help promote cardiovascular health. Wines produced in areas of southwest France and Sardinia, where people tend to live longer, have particularly high concentrations of the compound. Researchers at Harvard Medical School uncovered evidence that resveratrol directly activates a protein that
promotes health and longevity in animal models. Resveratrol increases the activity of sirtuins (longevity pathways), a group of genes that protects the body from diseases of aging. 2. Get smarter Resveratrol may help improve short-term memory. After just 30 minutes of testing, researchers found that participants taking resveratrol had a significant increase in retention of words and showed faster performance in the portion of the brain associated with the formation of new memories, learning, and emotions. 3. Banish breakouts with wine Resveratrol is able to inhibit the growth of acne-causing bacteria longer than benzoyl peroxide. And it works even better when combined with benzoyl peroxide. So far, drinking the antioxidant is the best way to benefit from its properties. Topical application in creams has not been proven as effective – so imbibe your antioxidants in wine, fruits, and veggies rather than buying expensive creams. 4. Wine may beat trips to the gym Would you rather drink wine or slave away at the gym? Scientists at the University of Alberta in Canada found that resveratrol improves heart, brain, and bone function; the same way these parts are improved when you go to the gym. Now imagine the benefits of doing both! 5. Say goodbye to the blues You know wine helps you relax…but depression? Researchers in Spainfound that men and women who drank two to seven glasses of wine per week were less likely to be diagnosed with depression. Even when taking into account lifestyle factors which could influence their findings, the reduced risk held strong. 6. Reduce (not increase) your risk of liver disease This study challenged conventional thinking about alcohol and liver disease. Modest wine consumption, defined as one glass a day, may decrease the prevalence of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Modest wine drinkers, as compared to teetotalers, cut their risk of NAFLD in half. And compared with wine drinkers, modest beer or liquor drinkers had four times the odds of having suspected NAFLD. 7. Promote healthy eyes Resveratrol stops out-ofcontrol blood vessel growth in the eyes, according to Washington University School of Medicine in St.
Louis. This may help with treatment of diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Note that these studies were done in mice, so the dose for humans is not yet clear. But this is a great start. 8. Protect your pearly whites Did you know that drinking wine is a little-known way to protect your teeth from bacteria? We mentioned wine’s antimicrobial effects on the skin. Well, it also helps reduce bacteria on our teeth.Using five of the common oral plaque-causing bacteria, scientists noted almost complete degradation of the bacteria after applying the biofilms with red wine. 9. Cut multiple cancer risks Breast Cancer Red grapes are the fruit best able to suppress the activity of aromatase, the enzyme used by breast tumors to produce their own estrogen – this is called an aromatase inhibitor. Red wine may serve as a nutritional aromatase inhibitor, which may ameliorate the elevated breast cancer risk associated with alcohol intake. Note that you can also eat red grapes; those with seeds are especially helpful. Resveratrol is also thought to kill cancer cells by cutting off a pathway that feeds cancer cells. Colon cancer Studies show that moderate consumption of red wine
can reduce the risk of colon cancer by 50%. Prostate Cancer Harvard Men’s Health Watch reports that men who drink an average of four to seven glasses of red wine per week have a 52% less chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer compared to those who don’t drink wine. Red wine appears particularly protective against advanced or aggressive cancers. Doctors speculate that flavonoids and resveratrol contain potent antioxidants and may counterbalance androgens, the male hormones that stimulate the prostate. 10. Stave off those pesky sniffles So maybe grandma’s cold remedy isn’t so strange after all. A study looked at 4,000 faculty members at five universities across Spain. Those who drank wine were less likely to come down with a cold compared to those that drank beer or spirits. Researchers think that the antioxidants help lower inflammation and reduce the symptoms of colds. 11. Lower your cholesterol (without changing your diet) Resveratrol is thought to reduce LDL and increase HDL, meaning that our blood vessels are less likely to be coated with plaque. Even the American Heart Association admits that moderate consumption of any type of alcohol can increase your HDL,
or good cholesterol, by about 12%. 12. Reduce the risk of stroke Wine may reduce your risk of ischemic stroke. In analyses adjusted for age, sex, and smoking, intake of wine on a monthly, weekly, or daily basis was associated with a lower risk of stroke compared with no wine intake. The benefits were not seen in beer or hard alcohol consumption. 13. Regulate blood sugar levels without drugs Red wine is abundant in polyphenols. The polyphenols in wine interact with cells involved in the development and storage of fat and the regulation of blood sugar. The amount of polyphenols in a small glass of red wine appears to rival the blood sugar regulating activity of certain diabetes drugs. 14. Slash your diabetes risk Men and women who drink moderately have a 30% lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. This may be due again to resveratrol, which improves sensitivity to insu-
lin. Insulin resistance is the most important critical factor contributing to Type 2 diabetes risk. Don’t make this crucial mistake The monumental mistake people make is trying to buy these benefits in a bottle, rather than looking at how wine can be a part of a healthy lifestyle. We want to bottle it, sell it, and find that magic bullet. Supplements have not proven to have the benefits of simple foods. Nature is complex, and we haven’t figured out how to put that in a bottle (and I hope we don’t). The most important thing you can do is start to look at the big picture. Think of the slow-paced life of the Mediterranean and bring a little bit of that into your life.Take time to prepare a simple meal packed with legumes and fresh vegetables. Savor this meal. Linger at the table with your friends and family. And of course – enjoy a leisurely glass of wine without feeling guilty.
13 Surprising Uses for Honey http://www.care2.com: It’s often said that the famed ancient beauty Cleopatra would soak in honey and milk baths. Well, whether or not that’s true, it’s certainly not surprising that the story has persisted for so long — honey has a tremendous effect on the skin. And that’s not all — honey is a powerful antiseptic and a fantastic natural sugar substitute. Keep reading for these and more alternative uses for honey. Health 1. Relieve Hangovers. Had a little too much fun last night? A few tablespoons of honey, which is packed with fructose, will help speed up your body’s metabolism of alcohol. 2. Heal Wounds, Cuts, Scrapes & Burns. Don’t reach for the Neosporin the next time you cut or burn yourself — simply apply honey to the affected area. Honey works as a natural antiseptic. 3. Soothe Sore Throats and Coughs. Combine honey with the juice of one lemon and drink. It works like a won-
der! 4. Remove Parasites. Hopefully you’ll never have to use this trick, but if you do, combine equal parts honey, vinegar and water and drink. The combination of these three ingredients is the perfect parasite killer. Beauty 5. Moisturize Dry Skin. Honey is a fantastic moisturizer, especially on dry patches, like your elbows or hands — even your lips! Rub onto your dry, patchy skin and let it sit for about 30 minutes before washing off. Honey also makes a great lip balm! 6. Condition Damaged Hair. Honey is a great natural
conditioner. You can simply add a teaspoon of the stuff to your regular shampoo to smooth your damaged locks. You can also combine it with olive oil for a deeper conditioning. Let it soak for 20 minutes with your hair wrapped in a towel before shampooing as usual. 7. Have an Amazing Bath. Relax your body and soak your skin in a soothing bath. Add 2 tablespoons of honey to 1 cup of hot water and let it dissolve for about 10 minutes. Add 2 or 3 drops of lavender essential oil and add it to your bath. 8. Remove Acne. Stubborn acne can really benefit from a small daily dab of
honey. Place a band-aid over the pimple, and take it off 30 minutes later. 9. Give Yourself a Facial. Combine 2 teaspoons of milk with 2 tablespoons of honey. Cover your face with the mixture and let it sit for 10 minutes before washing off. Food 10. Boost Your Energy. Quit turning to coffee for your daily energy boost! Replace your cup of Joe with a cup of tea. Mix in a tablespoon or so of honey. 11. Substitute Honey for Sugar in Baking. For every cup of sugar a recipe calls for, replace it with 3/4 cup of honey. For best results, add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda and reduce another liquid in your recipe by 1/4 cup. Also, reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees. 12. Make Almond Milk from Scratch. You’ll find a great recipe here. 13. Make Infused Honeys. Why have plain old regular honey when you can have ginger lime honey or hot pepper honey?
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Sunday June 16, 2019
Kaieteur News
Pavement View Restaurant and Sports Bar presents six days of non-stop entertainment
Most night spots around Georgetown have their action-packed events slated only for the weekend. But the same cannot be said for the Pavement View Restaurant and Sports Bar located at Lot 41 Durban Street between Lime and Palm Street. This down-to-earth,immaculate and cozy spot offers its customers far and wide, various entertainment activities almost all week. Below is a guide that will help you select the event of your choice this and every week. *Mondays are usually closed unless there’s a holi-
day *Soulful Tuesdays –Pavement View opens from 2PM on this day and creates an atmosphere filled with love and passion via its enchanting lineup of soul music. *Mix Wednesdays-From country western to retro funk, the management of Pavement View aims to mix things up with their riveting selections of yester year, soca and even reggae. *Retro Thursdays-On this day, brace yourself to be transported to funky town with the best of retro music. *Fridays-After a long , hard week of work, Pavement
View invites patrons for its “free up time” hang which features the best in dancehall music. *Saturdays-If you are looking for the ultimate karaoke spot then Pavement View is where you need to be. The event kicks off at 8PM with DJ Nigel. *Classy Sundays-After five days of upbeat tunes, the management of Pavement Views takes it nice and easy on Sundays with the best of Jazz from 3PM to 9PM. This is followed by the melodious classics of yester year for the enthusiasts of dance. See you there!
STAG BEER’S RIDE OUT PROMOTION CONTINUES NEXT MONTH Ansa McAL’s unique ‘Ride Out’ Promotion which kicked off in Georgetown and its environs earlier this month and will be held in Berbice, Bartica, Linden and the Essequibo Coast, continues into June. Every area will see a fortnightly draw with a Honda 125CC motorcycle to be won at every drawing in Georgetown. The bike is also up for grabs at the last fortnightly drawing in Berbice, Linden, Bartica and the Essequibo Coast. Other prizes which are up for grabs at every drawing include: two coolers filled with stag beers,
US$200, and one 50 inch television set. To enter, drink the stag beers, save the crowns, enter six of them in an envelope with your name, contact number and address, and place it in the entry box. For Georgetown, the boxes will be at several locations which include: S w e e t Point, the Garage, Wings and Things, White Castle Fish shop and Green Paradise. There is no limit to how many times you can enter or win. The drawing dates are June 7 and 21.
Two oil blocks (From page 40) to our agreement with them, will split the profits 50/50. Here is the problem. ExxonMobil does not have a flattering track record when it comes to playing fair. We don’t have the capacity to properly audit ExxonMobil’s expense which will have to be taken out before we split the profits. In fact, the auditing of oil expenses by participating countries is a specialized field. In a few months we start production. We have to quickly get our act together. There is some training and hiring of personnel, but it will not be enough. I can’t blame ExxonMobil. They are a shareholding company with a budget that is more than 100 countries put
together. They are accountable to their shareholders. CRUMBS Trinidad’s leader, Dr. Keith Rowley, recently said that situation has changed in his country. He warned about “accepting crumbs that fall from the table” and said it is not unreasonable for a country to demand a better deal. Trinidad and Tobago, fast running out of oil, is fighting tooth and nail to get a better deal. It has reportedly met with some success with British Petroleum. Guyana, I have argued before, can become a poster boy for ExxonMobil. The company, reportedly, is ambitiously planning to double its profits by 2025, thanks largely to the oil it has found in Guyana. Would it be
unreasonable to ask them for something more? I understand the sanctity of contracts. However, like Rowley said, times have changed. Instead of us fighting on this issue, ExxonMobil can do the right thing, the correct thing and sit with us to talk about a better deal. There is so much that Guyana has to offer and ExxonMobil can benefit. There is a role for our government. They are not mere bystanders. They are our watchdogs; our lawyers; our negotiators, almost like our parents in this scenario. They can leave a legacy that is like Dubai or Saudi Arabia, or we can remember them as wasting a golden opportunity.
Sunday June 16, 2019
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Kaieteur News
Fathers on a Mission to serve!
By Enid Joaquin. More than 500 U.S. military, will participate in New Horizons 2019. Of that number, more than 200 are fathers, many of whom will not be spending Father’s Day with their families. Three of them, are USbased Guyanese. They are Marlon McCoy, Edwin Bispat and Allan Headley, who like their counterparts, are all on a mission to serve. They are part of the New Horizons Team, which includes soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines. These proud sons of the soil, all jumped at the opportunity to return to the land of their birth, to give back. Projects Linden benefits from all that the New Horizons Team brings to Guyana. One of the specialized events included the ON/GYN medical team that spent two weeks here and facilitated 39 surgeries at the Linden Hospital Complex. Several others are involved in four construction projects that are currently being undertaken simultaneously, in and around Linden. These include the community Centre and Safe Haven at Amelia’s Ward, a women’s shelter in Richmond Hill and community centres on Blueberry Hill and at Yarrowkabra on Soesdyke/ Linden Highway. Allan Headley is a Reservist in what he describes as the greatest air force in the world. He was born in Georgetown, Guyana, but grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He now lives in Lawrenceville GA. A student of Kennesaw State University, Headley is pursuing a degree in Mechatronic Engineering. He migrated to the US in the 90s and joined the Air Force in 2010. Headley is the father of a teenage son, who will be celebrating his 14th birthday soon.
“He’s a great kid, knock on wood! He’s a little bombed that I am away for long periods of time, but he understands that it is being done for the good of our country. Returning to Guyana to serve, and serving in the US military is like a blessing that’s rarely ever seen. I will try to come back as many times as possible because ‘home is where the heart is.’” Allan’s greatest memory, he says, is watching his son grow into a fine young man, transitioning from ‘childhood pastimes to teenage pursuits.’ “I would like to say to my family that I’m out here doing great things for our nation and other nations and I thank you very much for the support. It’s greatly appreciated.” Edwin O. Bispat is a member of the U.S. Air Force, on active duty, and also part of the New Horizons team. He was born in Georgetown, Guyana, where he received his early education. Bispat later moved to the US in 1990, where he enlisted in the US Air Force on February 14, 2001. He graduated with a
Bachelor’s Degree in Management from the American Military University, last year. He has been in the air force for over 18 years, and is happy to have been given the opportunity to serve Guyana. He said that he volunteered for the opportunity to serve the U.S. Air Force, in the country of his birth. He is married to Keula and has three daughters, Kyana - 16, Mayah – 11, and Alana – eight. Bispat points out that his children are saddened that he often has to be away for extended periods. However, they understand that it’s a part of his job. Before this visit Bispat visited Guyana in 1994 and in 1995. He said that he wished he could come more often. However his military duties do not permit. He says he intends to rectify this situation, though, when he retires from the Air Force. Then, he would love to visit with his family, so that he could show them, the country of his birth. Bispat said that he enjoys the adventure of being reassigned every two to four years, to a new state or country. He loves meeting new people, “enjoying the food and culture from all over the world.” But he is torn, because he hates being away from his family for long periods of time, missing birthdays, anniversaries and holidays. He laments that so far he has missed about four “Father ’s Days’ due to military assignments”. Marlon Anthony Jermaine McCoy is married to Tamika McKoy for “five wonderful years.” Together they have a seventeen year old son, Romeo N. McCoy. McCoy left Guyana in 1986, when he was just 11 years old. To date he has
served in the United States Air Force for 24 years. McCoy has a Master’s degree in counseling. “In my life I have learned to put my faith, family, and friends first and everything
else works out.” He admits that It is hard, being away from his family; but fortunately for him, they understand the sacrifice is made to better the lives of others in the world.
McCoy loves cookup rice and fried red snapper. He currently works as an electrician with the New Horizons team. Jeremy Zier is not a (Continued on page 62)
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Sunday June 16, 2019
Kaieteur News
Four Days to Report Non-Fatal Accidents In Compliance with OSH Act- Gwyneth King According to the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act businesses and organisations have four days to report non-fatal accidents while fatal accidents should be reported immediately. However some entities seem to have a problem with complying with these regulations. Gwyneth King, the OSH Consultant said that
the purpose of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Department is to improve the safety and the work environment, with the emphasis of preventative rather than curative measures. “And so to this extent what we have been doing is inspecting work places. We have been investigating work accidents, [as] work places
are expected according to the OSH Act to report accidents. If it’s a non-fatal accident, they have four days in which to report it, i f i t ’s a f a t a l i t y i t ’s immediately,” she said. King went on to say that they are doing training for workers. They have taken the training to the place of work and they have been trying to equip the Safety and Health Committees. Employers were encouraged to establish these committees in workplaces that employ 20 or more persons. With regards to those that employ fewer than 20 persons, they are expected to have a safety and health representative appointed. Employees are encouraged to call on the OSH, as they are willing to train them and assist in them observing proper safety protocols. Those employees trained will be equipped with the knowledge to inspect the workplace, investigate accidents and report back to the OSH so that they will have a constant inflow of accurate information; hence they will know where they are lacking when it comes to monitoring and how to handle the issue.
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Kaieteur News
STANDARDS IN FOCUS
UNLOCKING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH STANDARDS The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) has recognised the need for our local businesses to participate in the standards development process at the international level. When local businesses participate in such processes at the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and the International Electro-technical Commission (IEC) they can be kept abreast with new developments in standardization directly related to their scope of operations. As a member of the ISO, the GNBS is the agent through which local businesses can access its standards development fora. It is time for us to see transformation in our attitude to-
wards the implementation of standards. Every entrepreneur has a personal obligation to ensure his/her products or services conform to standards. We often hear promotions where businesses declare that they sell the best quality and their products are the best; but what is the measure of confidence? What is the measure of trust? Is it a standard, a test certificate? These empty declarations will not sell in the international market and even on the local market, once our consumers are adequately informed. The GNBS believes that once local businesses are exposed to standardization opportunities at the international level, their eyes will be opened to the realities of the
business environment at the global level. For far too long our local businesses have taken for granted the impact standards can have on their businesses and more so the local economy. Standards can make or break businesses. Businessmen and women, Guyana is already attracting investors with the prospects of Oil and Gas Production. Do you want these investors to bring their own supply of products and services because yours do not meet requirements? If we continue to do business as usual we will face the harsh realities. Then the cry will be that local businesses are being sidelined. We will be sidelined if we do not implement standards since
similar businesses will have that competitive advantage and take away our share of the market. If we allow this to happen, we will have no one to blame but ourselves. Many times the call is for Government to find markets for our products; if we do not implement the required standards; those markets will be out of our reach. Without standards, we don’t have any objective evidence to prove to anyone that we can provide them with a safe product of consistent quality. Yes, we need records of quality assurance and conformity assessment procedures to validate our manufacturing processes. The use of conformity assessment systems supported
by ISO and IEC standards makes it easier for companies of all sizes and origin to sell beyond national borders. They allow companies to measure and compare the values of implementing standards. Participating in the work of ISO and IEC allows companies to improve their overall corporate efficiency and helps them manage quality and risks to their businesses. By using international standards together with testing and verification, companies are able to consistently and reliably deliver quality products, speed up market access and reduce the cost of doing so. These international standards development organisations have made it easier for individuals to com-
ment on draft international standards and also attend and observe technical committee meetings. In order to participate in the international standards development processes, the GNBS formed mirror committees to the ISO committees that are of interest to our local businesses. The Bureau as a correspondent members of ISO observes the development of ISO standards and strategies by attending technical and policy meetings as observers. Local business men and women will be able to represent their interests at these meetings. For further information, please call the GNBS on 2190066 or visit the GNBS website: www.gnbsgy.org
Bartica Kaieteur News
PAGE 58
FOCUS By Alex Wayne
T
his time around I steeled myself for another boat ride, desperately hoping that this one would not be frantic as the one I took last week to Supenaam. I mean it took much longer to get to Bartica from Parika, and practically anything could happen. The shimmering waves were lapping peacefully this time, but what if they became much bigger and frightening along the journey. So there I feared the worst and prayed for no impending danger at the said time. Bartica, Essequibo, is a town on the left bank of the Essequibo River in CuyuniMazaruni (Region Seven), at the confluence of the Cuyuni, Mazaruni River and the Essequibo Rivers. The Region Seven hospital is located in Bartica and is known for having implemented the country's first Health Information System Bartica in CuyuniMazaruni Region with its over 12,000 habitants is a town located about 42 miles (or 68 km) south-west of Georgetown, the country's capital town. My arrival This time around, the boat ride was smooth but very tiring. I must have dozed eventually to the steady droning of the boat engines, but was jerked wide awake as we hit a patch of very choppy waves in the river. I soothed my panic the minute I realized that they were actually caused by a rather larger boat that sped
past, just a little too close for comfort. The boat captain seemed rather calm, but a few passengers were swearing under their breaths in anger. But soon the township of Bartica came into sight, and I marveled at its pristine beauty as the boat drew nearer. The minute we landed we were flocked by taxi and hire car drivers, jostling each other to get their fill of passengers. What was surprising is that some hotels had touts at the ferry stelling, soliciting possible visiting clients to fill rooms at their facility. One such tout noted that they work for large sums some days, depending on how many clients they manage to rake in. Well soon after I was picked up by my chaperon, Winston Miller, owner of the popular Sunset Boulevard Nightclub and Fast Food Outlet and I was on my way to check into a hotel. The drive was not really long but the experience of it all was one that I would relive anytime. We drove up undulating hills that allowed an arresting view of the beautiful township. I particularly marveled at the roads in many areas that seemed to be in tip-top shape. Lush, green foliage rushed by in some places, while I caught glimpses of red sand roads, on their way to being asphalted. I adored the view of houses scattered in the valleys, and was very taken back by the somewhat magnetic jovial camaraderie amongst residents.
Sunday June 16, 2019
a fusion of valleys, undulating hills, and happy people An aerial view of the township of Bartica
Staffers at Sunset Boulevarde in Bartica, serve up some of the best cutters in the township. The breeze was fresh, and crisp, and certainly seemed pure as I inhaled deeply. This was certainly going to be an almost heavenly experience, and I vowed to enjoy it to its fullest. Before stopping at my hotel, Mr. Miller decided to give me the grand tour and I think this was indeed the
high point of my visit. I did really enjoy the boat ride up the mighty Essequibo River and was indeed enthralled by the many wonderful historical sites along the way, but to cruise around in Bartica, was quite an enthralling adventure. From the boat stelling, we drove along First Avenue, which allowed a firsthand
Water sport is greatly anticipated at the annual Bartica Regatta festivities
view of the retail sector of Bartica. The Bartica Mall was a wonder, as it allowed you to 'shop till you drop' at the many shopping centres. Then off we were to the Market Area, where the fusion of colourful fruits and vegetables certainly added a refreshing 'tropical feel' to my journey. Interacting with residents After settling into my hotel room, I soon after trekked some short distance away to the popular Sunset Boulevard Nightclub and Fast Foot Outlet where I sat down to chat with a few residents. This hotspot is actually owned by Mr Winston Miller who was extremely kind to me on my visit. Mr. Miller was more than ready to shed some light on the livelihood of Barticians, their entertainment exploits, and other issues. “Life is nice and sweet in Bartica, and that is mainly because we are a very contented and happy people. As a matter of fact, Barticians may be the most hospitable of our citizens. “They are always ready to welcome visitors and see that their stay is one to remember. Everyone here is a hustler. Nobody sits down and waits for miracles to happen…Everyone is always up and about doing something or the other to make an honest dollar.”
“I got to admit that Barticians love to party and would spend large sums of cash on sporting activities. The clubs and nightspots here are always full, almost every night, and the Brazilians coming here have certainly took things to the next level with their sporting activities. “And there is always lots of cash to spend here since many residents are porkknockers or dredge owners in the hinterland areas. Their successes there are often shown in their massive sporting activities when they come out of the interior. They have been quite a boost to my business that I have standing here for many years.” Businessman, Bernard Schultz, praised the authorities that were taking care of their roads in Bartica. “I am pleased that finally the Government is looking into the state of our roads and has started much work on them. Many of the roads in Bartica are now in excellent shape and works are ongoing on others. “This is quite an accomplishment… Bartica is a wonderful and beautiful place, and is indeed quite a tourist attraction. Now that our roads are being taken care of we are now able to attract more tourists and be on par with other townships in and around Guyana” Government reports are (continued on page 59)
Kaieteur News
Sunday June 16, 2019 From page 58 suggesting that rehabilitation works to roadways have begun and will continue, with $5M set apart for the Agatash Access Road; $6M for the maintenance of Ninth Street; $5.5M for Caribesce Hill Road; $10.5M for Old Housing Scheme and Mongrippa Roads, and $4.8M for maintenance of the Kalacoon Access Road. Roads in the Upper Mazaruni will also be rehabilitated, including the Kako to Waramadong Road, and the Kamarang to Waramadong Road, at a total of $21.5M. Businesswoman, Sharon Stewart, spoke of the rich camaraderie that exists amongst born Barticians , and even those who take up temporary residence. “In Bartica the motto is One People, One Nation, One Big Happy Family… We live here as one and nobody ain't get any differences at all. We dwell as one people, and everyone accepts the other for who they are. In Bartica we acknowledge the cultures of each other and we show love and respect for our neighbours. “Even if we quarrel, we make up quickly and go to great lengths to protect our friends and family. We are not a divided people, but instead we work hard, and party hard, since we does really work hard for we money.” Her sentiments were mirrored in the smiles and jovial banter of the people. Their laughter rang out in the streets and byways and clinking rum glasses and beer bottles fused with raucous laughter at the nightspots displayed their love and affection for each other. History of Bartica As Google.com suggests Bartica is said to have been developed from an Anglican
missionary settlement established in 1842, and the word 'Bartica' comes from an Amerindian word meaning 'red earth', which is abundant in the area. Spotted by the British in 1887, it is one of Guyana's older villages established in 1902. Currently the population is growing. Bartica, owes its prosperity to the rich gold and diamond wealth of the Essequibo. Miners from the area use Bartica as their first stop coming out of the interior and a last stop before going in. Because of this, miners often spend the majority of their earnings either buying their supplies in the village or simply on their first day out either drinking or partying. Much like a miniature Georgetown, almost anything can be bought in this one-square mile location. Bartica has two secondary schools-Bartica Secondary and Three-Mile Secondary-- and three primary schools, St. Anthony's Primary and St. John-the-Baptist and TwoMile Primary. There are several other primary schools in the surrounding riverine communities as well. The Region Seven hospital is located in Bartica and is known for having implemented the country's first Health Information System in 2005, developed by Peace Corps volunteers Geoffrey Thompson and Jason Knueppel. Bartica can be reached from Parika, Essequibo and Linden. The Denham Suspension Bridge, also known as the Garraway Stream Bridge, links Bartica to Mahdia. South of Bartica lies the ruins of the Dutch fort KykOver-Al, a former government seat for the County of Essequibo. Bartica is also close to beautiful Marshall Falls as
well. The point, known as Bartica Grove, was said to have been chosen for the new town. In 1829 the Church Missionary Society established the area to conduct missionary work. It was known for its quiet environment surrounded by palms and mango groves. The name was later shortened to Bartica, which is said to mean “red earth” in one of the Amerindian languages, as the community developed into a town. It was the discovery of gold in the interior that focused imperial eyes on Bartica Grove to establish a central location to register, monitor and manage the influx of labourers entering and leaving the region's gold lands. The area was soon divided into rectangular grid lots. Its avenues given the simple names of First, Second, Third etc., despite being mostly unoccupied and surrounded by sheer jungle, then. However, two or three hostels were soon providing room and board and a market was added, though few marketing activities flourished. The community mainly thrived with rum shops at the time. A hospital and new police station were also added later. As the land nearest the river was relatively low, a drainage trench was soon dug and a koker installed. Further inland however, the lands become hilly. In modern times people often resort to taking taxis to travel up and down its distant hilly slopes. History taken from Google.com suggests that Bartica Grove was one of the earliest Anglican missionary settlements in British Guiana where the land was originally obtained from Sir Benjamin D'Urban. The mission was moved from its original site, a mile
Sigourney Griffith (center) took home the coveted Miss Bartica Regatta crown this year. She is flanked by first runner-up Tonya Harris on right and second runner up Jerusha Ferrell (left)
PAGE 59 Come ride the waves of the Essequibo River and be whisked off to the beautiful township of Bartica
westward to the present Bartica site in 1837 which was obtained from the Crown. A church dedicated to St. John the Baptist had been built after a visit from the Bishop of Barbados in 1836. The church was consecrated by the Bishop of Guiana in 1843. During the mid-19th century, a monument was erected on the avenue leading to the church, in memory of a Reverend Pierce and his family who all died on the rapids of the Essequibo when the area served a small church and Amerindian community. There were also plans to construct a railway from Bartica to Potaro. That however, never materialised. Bartica has been given the title “Gateway to the Interior” though it is often bypassed by gold companies which transport their workers by air. However, smaller categories of miners still establish bases at Bartica in present day. There is also another memorial today called the “Monument of Hope” in memory of the February 17, 2008 Bartica massacre that left twelve persons dead and four wounded. A plaque located in the compound of the Bartica Police Station was also unveiled in honour of the policemen killed in that attack. Entertainment and Tourism Tourism is definitely on the rise in Bartica, and that can be seen from its infrastructural development, and many avenues for tourism opportunities in the township. The existence of many hotels in the likes of the Platinum Inn, The New Modern Hotel, Balkarran's Guest House, Zen's Plaza and many more certainly will take care of the accommodation needs of tourists and other visitors. The enticing fusion of Brazilian Restaurants and Bars, and numerous fast
food facilities would certainly allow the leisure of grabbing a quick bite here and there. That aside, there are several resorts around the Bartica area including Baganara, Shanklands, Whitewater and a Guesthouse in Byderabo that will serve as perfect tourist attractions. Large crowds travel to Bartica every year for the much anticipated Bartica Regatta which is an event that attracts thousands. This event serves up an intoxicating fusion of sporting events, boat races, and the annual Miss Bartica Regatta Pageant where pretty damsels battle each year for the coveted crown and title. Bartica is presently a very rich and promising economical sector with great scope for heightened development. At present with Government intervention the township has taken on a new and impressive infrastructural layout, that speaks volumes of its impending tourism possibilities. That, coupled with its majestic hills, and fascinating valleys, puts it on the map, as a much notable, 'must visit location' The Bartica Regatta Pageant began years ago when in July 1947, a yacht crossed the Atlantic and passed through Bartica powered by a 22-horsepower onboard engine. The owner of the yacht enjoyed speeding across the magnificent Essequibo River and soon the public was mesmerized by the spectacle. Charles Guthrie, then Manager of the Bartica Electrical Works who owned an Aluminium Utility Boat also powered by a 22horsepower onboard Engine decided to race against the yacht and all Bartica came out to witness the race. It was this race between the two that triggered the idea of the Bartica Regatta which began
with boat races and later blossomed into what it is today. It has now become a family-oriented event, and one that is attended by locals from far and wide and foreigners as well. Tale of the Massacre Bartica is a settlement where the races abound in unity, each appreciating the others culture, customs and beliefs. While others embrace the lifestyle and practices of a neighbour (despite race or creed), newcomers quickly follow suit, adapting to blend in naturally to Bartica's ongoing festivity and reveling, enjoyed by the people. But there was a time when the joys and laughter of the people were quelled when an unexpected incident, rocked Bartica from every corner. It had seen a gloom and silence envelop the settlement for weeks after, until people gradually began to come out from under their cocoons of fear. On February 17, 2008 Bartica was allegedly attacked by the notorious bandit, Rondell Rawlins and his heavily armed gang. Twelve people, including three policemen, were reportedly shot dead as the gang terrorised the town, robbing businesses and spreading dread and horror. The Bartica Police Station was overrun by the gunmen during the rampage as well. The gang and attack is believed to have been linked to the Lusignan Massacre three weeks earlier. The perpetrators were finally killed on August 28, 2008. Let's not darken our thoughts with past history, but instead get lost in its beauty and mystery. Come soak up and enjoy its picturesque views and atmosphere, just frolic and have lots of fun while you are there. Then join us next week as we take our cameras to the little village of Grove, East Bank of Demerara.
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Sunday June 16, 2019
Kaieteur News
VACANCY
SERVICES
FOR SALE
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
Black German ShepherdPuppy for sale 12 weeks old #685-9680
Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisements, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6006887: We create A/works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Jacob’s Jewellery and Pawnshop. Tel#227-8748/ 622-4970 16 Pike St, Kitty G/ town
1 Toyota Tundra 4WD. Excellent condition. $2.8M. 10 Acres of land @ Linden/ Soesdyke. $15M Neg. Chicken farm. Call 657-7221 1 2B TOYOTA ENGINE & GEAR BOX COMPLETE. CONTACT #626-1403 All in one buy, entire boutique closing down, sale all ladies clothing JL bland, over 2000 pieces #225-0571/600-5076 PROPERTY FOR SALE
Have your house, yard, fence to pressure wash? Call 6662326
House for sale, Eccles Housing Scheme. 7 bedrooms, 3 toilets and bathrooms enclosed. $28.5M. Call 642-0391/ 001447587233657/ yasharabhola4@gmail.com
Eagle’s re-gas AC, Fridge, Washing machine & computer repairs, Gas stove, Plasma flatscreen, Electrical installation & more. Call: 6972969/646-0966
Lot 89 Robb Street, Lacytown, Georgetown. Next door to Mike’s Pharmacy.Land size3431.25 Sq.ft. Phone: 6175323, 666-8052.
We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer-Call: 231-0655; 683-8734. Omar
Tuschen- one flat concrete unfurnished house $3M Zeelugt- one concrete house with high concrete fence $6.5 neg #697-6311 Lot 14 Non-Pariel, Public road, Sec ‘B’ ECD Tel#619-8391 4 bedroom 2 storey concrete property for sale, 2 bathrooms & 2 toilets, Parfaite Harmonie $19M neg #610-2345
CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS FROM $4000 & UP, SUV’sPER DAY- CALL: 656-0087 / 6435122,EMAIL:PRO_ A U T O R E N T A L @YAHOO.COM DOLLYS AUTO RENTAL CALL: 225-7126 & 2263693 -DOLLYS AUTO RENTAL @ YAHOO.COM/ W W W . D O L L Y SAUTORENTAL.COM MASSAGE & HEALTH HERBAL REMEDIES: DIABETES, INFERTILITY, M E N S T R U A L DISORDERS, ENLARGED PROSTATE, KIDNEY, GALL STONES & SKIN DISORDERS ETC. CALL SPARMAN #676-5924
Newly constructed 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom, house overlooking the sea for sale #675-1510/613-7954
FOR RENT
WANTED
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
Vegetarian Gardens- Driver, Salesman and Porter #2277 7 1 4 / 2 2 3 - 3 4 4 8 info@vgiworld.com
(1) One bedroom apartment, Parfaite Harmonie WBD. $35,000 per month. Tel#6729988 For Rent one house in Coverden, East Bank Demerara. Call: 623-1615 For Rent- Top & bottom flat at La Grange Public road, Business/Live-in. Tel#6657636/691-5101 Position in Puruni River & Cuyuni River. Contact #6714239 Hair Stations/ Makeup/Nails & Barber, Available for rental, New market street. #699-6505 3 bedroom house to rent all utilities, West Minister WBD. Call: 674-5779 LAND FOR SALE Transported land 11.6 acres. Lot 15 public road. #2 Village W.C.B. Price $18M. Contact 686-4818, 648-7109 Farm main road $6M & $3M. Parfaite Harmonie $1.5M. Diary with foundation $2M. Schoonard $3.6M. Tel#6511969/648-1635 Parfaite Harmonie $1.3M, $1.5M, $3M. Tuschen Phase 2 $1.3M, $3M. Herstelling $4.5M, Eccles $6.5M. Call 6662326 Parfaite Harmonie- Front land $1.8M Tel#697-6311 35 Acres of land located on Main road Eight Miles, Port Kaituma. Price $15M Neg. Call 657-7221 2 acre- V/Hoop WCD #6216918/697-7731
2 storey building, Broad St (Business area) Georgetown. Contact Ray’s Realty #6279685
Eccles (Single & Double lots) , Providence EBD, Enterprise & Paradise ECD Contact Ray’s Realty #627-9685
2 storey concrete property 11 (classey) self contained rooms, Broad St, Georgetown. Contact Ray’s Realty #6279685
TO LET
Modern 3 bedroom house, business area below & bond behind, Ketley Street, Georgetown. Ray’s Realty #627-9685 One concrete 2 storey 3 bedroom Modern home, Melanie (public road) ECD Contact Ray’s Realty #6279685
Office space to let.74 Brickdam opposite GT&T, 2 Floors fully Air conditioned, Generator, parking available.Call:226-6771/2264537. ACCOMODATION Fully furnished air conditioned apartments to rent daily. $5000 and $6000 per day. Call/Whatsapp #6785827
Hick’s Ville Hotel Receptionist, Hotel attendants, Washer/Presser #231-0951/227-7714/223-3448 info@vgiworld.com Experienced cook & Waiter/ Waitress, Apply @ Parika 2nd Flat Boodhoo’s General Store. Contact#650-0402/664-4663 (1) 2002/2006 Toyota Allion or Premio. Contact #685-8980 1 shop assistant to work in ther interior experience would be an asset. #669-3162 Labourer to work on cash crop farm. Experience - 5yrs. Salary - $5000-$6000 per day. Tel#695-6139 Urgently need one land to buy in Herstelling new scheme. Tel#648-1635 Cook, Apply @ Shanta’s 225 Camp St 1-Office clerk, Apply in person to R.P Enterprise, Area K Le Resouvenir ECD. #220-2818 Experienced cashier, Waiter. Apply at Hack’s Halaal Restaurant with H/written application 5 Commerce St Female worker to work shift system on the East Bank. #225-6337 Seamstress. Contact: 6911918. Monday to Saturday 9am to 4pm VEHICLE FOR SALE 1 Honda CRV. includes TV, music system, alarm, reverse camera, sproiler, crash bar, Low mileage. PTT Series (First Owner) Contact #6490956 New model premio, pearl white 2009 registered, Toyota Vitz 2010 Black not registered. Tel#223-5616/627-9600 Allion, primo, spacio, allex, noah, RZ pitbull bus, mazda axela, bluebird, 192 fielder wagon. 650-7501 1 NZE Toyota Fielder Wagon PSS series $1.5M neg & 1 AE 91 Toyota Sprinter PGG series $300,000 neg. Both cars stick gear. Tel#616-6620/641-5470 Fiat van, include new parts, white. Tel# 687-8288/ 603-6860
VACANCY
Vacancy for domestic cleaner. One male Janitor, Apply at Location: Queenstown. 502- Alabama Trading 65 Robb 3886. Call within 8:00am to Street Bourda 6:00pm One Bartender. Tel#618-3575 Supervisor for Xenon Hotel Vacancy for experience tractor in Essequibo. Contact#223& lorry driver. Apply at 5273/74 Alabama Trading 65 Robb St General domestic. 3 Days Bourda work. Must know to cook. Apply with 2 references. Accounts clerk to work in Charity. Contact# 771-4180/ KeyFood McDoom village 654-7162 or email barry Experienced male sales @adamantiumholdings.com attendant, stocktaking knowledge, computer 1 clerk to assist in Accounts literate, excellent service Dept & Cashier duties. attitude, able bodied.Key Experience an asset. Apply Mike’s Pharmacy, Bel Air. Food McDoom Village. Pump attendant & Cashier, shift rotated weekly (6am-3pm & 3pm-11pm) send to shellramsburg@gmail.com
Experienced Male Porters & Salesgirls with 2 yrs experience. CXC maths & english. Apply @ Christine’s 1 Filter machinist. Must know Variety, Lombard St. Contact: to operate milling machine. 227-8529 E&N Beck. 3 Princess & Driver/Expediter. Contact# Ketley Streets, Charlestown 223-5273/74
Waiter/Waitress & Chef Driver/Salesman, Experience preferably carnegie trained. is an asset. Call: 663-5800 Contact #225-7933 or visit 172 Sheriff St Deskstaff, Receptionist 25-45 Diesel Mechanic. Contact yrs 233 South Road #223-5273/74 Lacytown/ 225-0198
Sunday June 16, 2019
CONSUMER CONCERNS
A SAD TIME FOR UG By PAT DIAL On Friday, June 7, last, the University of Guyana Council was meeting to decide on a new Contract for Vice Chancellor Ivelaw Griffith. The overwhelming majority of educationists, the alumni and the vast majority of students and their parents waited with bated breath, looking forward to the renewal of Vice Chancellor’s governance of UG for the next three years. It therefore came as a sad shock and disappointment when the news came out that Professor Griffith had withdrawn his request for the renewal of his Contract. At the moment he is abroad but has promised to share the details of his decision at a later date. Professor Griffith’s threeyear governance was a unique period in the History of UG. At no time in the University history was so much achieved in so short a time. In the first place and for the first time he presented the University with a philosophy and a continuous programme of action which he dubbed “The UG Renaissance” reminiscent of the European Renaissance of the 15th and 16th centuries which of course was not limited to a three- or five-year development plan but a continuous stream of creative action. Professor Griffith, in true Renaissance style approached his governance of UG in a holistic way. He addressed the External by beginning the serious engagement of alumni, both at home and abroad, networking with academic colleagues and contacts abroad and developing relations with the vast Guyanese Diaspora. The positive and fruitful results of such external contact for the University, and indeed for the nation as a whole, are limitless. Simultaneously, he addressed the renewal and uplifting of the University’s infrastructure, its academic and teaching aspects and its administration with positive results. Lastly, he brought the University to an increasingly appreciative public and created programmes and departments aimed at strengthening and enhancing the social and economic life of the nation. His holistic approach manifested itself in a large number of actions and activities, all of which it would be impossible to recount in a short article. We shall mention some of them to indicate the depth and quality of his achievements: There is the Sobhraj Centre for Behavioural Sciences and Research which cost several billion dollars and which was
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funded by a well-known philanthropist from the Diaspora; the School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation was launched in 2017 and was designed to meet a great social and economic need present since the ending of Slavery in the 19th century; Degree programmes were launched in Petroleum Engineering; Food Science; Youth Work; and Clinical Psychology at the Turkeyen Campus and Nursing and Civil Engineering at the Berbice Tain Campus. In partnership with the Geology and Mines Commission, a $2 billion geotechnical laboratory for students studying petroleum and mining engineering was launched. For several years now, the School of Medicine had lost its accreditation. This was restored in 2017. UG’s medical graduates could once again be registered abroad and improve their qualifications. If one visits the Turkeyen Campus, it would be a pleasant surprise to see all the buildings painted and spruced up and a number of new buildings. The George Walcott lecture theatre, the University’s largest lecture theatre, has been completely modernized. And there are substantial plans afoot for a more extensive and modern library. Since Research is the lifeblood of any University, he has tried to stimulate Research among the academic staff and among the undergraduates. Organized Undergraduate Research is a welcome innovation and Professor Griffith, with his network of contact has been able to have seven undergraduates, a few weeks ago, present their researches in the USA and Germany. He has plans of raising
the levels of the qualifications of the academic staff by securing doctoral programmes for them at various foreign universities. There is no need to mention his further achievements and innovations but only to remind readers that all this and more was done in 36 months. The question is put as to why should any voice be raised against anyone who was performing with such unique excellence. The answer lies in the recesses of the human psyche where, if at any time, anyone is bringing about human progress and development at a rapid rate, he or she would always be met with conservative resistance. Professor Griffith was a victim of this syndrome. This happened during the European Renaissance where conservative elements were able to silence many brilliant innovators and intellectuals, some of whom were burnt at the stake. The opposition to Professor Griffith was encapsulated in the two University trade unions. Their causus belli was that Professor Griffith was too lavish and inappropriate in his financial expenditures. The other segments of the University community— the overwhelming majority of the students and their parents, and the Private Sector, the Parliamentary political parties, the majority of the University Council and the public as a whole, while being aware of the unions’ financial accusations, were also aware that several things for which Professor Griffith was blamed were inherited and in any case, world class standards required higher expenditure than second and third rate institutions were ac-
customed to. For example, the Turkeyen and Tain Lecture series and discussions were criticized as being outrageously expensive because they were held at first class hotels with attractively printed programmes, light refreshments, organized ushering etc. These lectures attracted a wide cross-section and even members of the Diplomatic Corps and brought a welcome outreach to the public and earned much prestige. To hold such lecture series in school rooms would have been much cheaper but would not have attracted the same quality of presenters and audience. The unions were able to use the media to regularly
present their accusations of Professor Griffith’s alleged lavish spending but those who felt or knew otherwise refrained from engaging these accusations since they felt it was incorrect and even indecent to be bruting the University’s internal processes publicly. They were confident that truth will prevail. They envisioned that Professor Griffith would continue to serve, that the financial accusations used as a causus belli would be rectified in a short time and Professor Griffith would continue his programme of renewal and raising standards of the University. It therefore came as a shock when Professor Griffith decided not to request the renewal of his Contract.
Though we still continue to hope Professor Griffith would continue to be associated with the University in some form or other, we would like to mention two of the important things he has bequeathed to UG: First, he has given us a template of what is expected of a succeeding Vice Chancellor of UG and as such provided a guide to search teams and interviewers. And secondly, there are a number of valuable and creative programmes which he had planned or innovated and which should be effectuated or strengthened. Accordingly, there should be no pause in the renewal and raising of standards by any succeeding administration.
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Suriname-based Guyanese fisherman feared dead after ‘cut loose’ from vessel A fisherman, who has been living in Paramaribo, Suriname for the past four years, has been missing since Thursday after one of his crew members cut him loose from the fishing vessel he was working on in Marowinje waters, located near the French Guiana border. He reportedly left with three other fishermen. Feared dead is Shawn Sewchand, 23, formerly of Lot 122 ‘G’ Nigg Settlement, Corentyne, Berbice. Sister of the man, Alisha Sewchand, 25, told this publication that her brother lived with another sister in
Suriname. He left Thursday morning to go fishing as normal but later that day the sister in Suriname was informed that her brother did not return with the boat he left with. “All we hear that he was tied to a rope and some boy that was on the boat with he chop the rope and when dem other crew man go look for he, dem na find he. Dem seh that how dem was distributing fish to another boat and he bin tie to a rope in the water moving the fish from he boat to the next and the boy from he boat chop the rope and lef he in the water but when the next
man on the boat go fuh save me brother the same boy lash he in he head and he fall unconscious,” she explained. The woman disclosed that the fisherman, who cut the rope that tied her brother, had an issue with him some time ago. When asked what was the issue, she said, “A time the same boy bin come at a family event here at Nigg and me brother bin come over from Suriname to fuh the celebration but the boy come and he bin want interfere with people here. “Me brother wha missing now bin chuck he up and so and warn he that he can’t do
Guyana secures snake bite... From page 15 anti-venom so that we can have standardized care throughout the country for snakebites. “We look forward to having fewer complications from snakebites as the antivenom is distrib u t e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e country,” Dr. Bux underscored. Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo
Persaud, who coordinated the training was present at the launch earlier this week. He expressed gratitude to Dr. Bux and team and encouraged the participants to implement what they would have learnt from the training when they return to their respective regions. He also committed to ensure that more doctors receive the training in the future.
dem thing here. But I don’t know if that could be the issue. It just so happen that the same boy and he work on the same boat Thursday. “I don’t know if is the first time the boy work with he since that incident here but we tried contacting our sister over in Suriname and we not getting on to her to hear what happening.” She added that what she knows so far was that the fishermen who worked with her brother on the boat Thursday were all detained by the police in Suriname but is unsure if they were released or are still in custody, however, her brother still remains missing in the waters and the relatives are seeking justice. The authorities in neighbouring Suriname are searching for her brother with the hope of finding him alive in the waters.
Feared dead: Shawn Sewchand
Fathers on a Mission to... From page 55 Guyanese. He was born in Buffalo, New York and graduated from high school in a small town called Arcade, located on the outskirts of Buffalo. Having enlisted in the Air Force in August 1997 Jeremy has now been serving the military for almost 22 years. Married to Alejandra, they have two children, Zoey, 4, and Noah, 1. “Although I’ve been in the Air Force for nearly 22 years this will be my first
deployment that I’ve had since becoming a father. My daughter, Zoey, is finally at the age that she can express herself and she made it clear that she hates me being gone! “It’s been real hard on her, but we decided to get her a calendar. She is now marking down the days for when I will return. She still doesn’t understand how far away I am. She just knows that I won’t be home for bed times. “This is Jeremy’s first trip to Guyana. He said he never imagined in his wildest
dreams, when he joined the military, all those years ago, that he would have visited Guyana. “It has been an amazing experience so far, and it will go down as one of the highlights of my military career. I would definitely love to come back here, but purely as a tourist. There are so many places that I would like to see that I don’t believe I’ll have the time to, due to the New Horizons mission. “I would also love to bring my family back!”
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Kaieteur News
GPL’s load shedding suspended as ... From page 10 operation after being unavailable for planned maintenance.” According to the power company, which has faced a severe public backlash, with the cable in operation, daily scheduled load shedding was discontinued. “However, customers on the West Bank and West Coast Demerara may experience periods of service interruptions as the Vreed-enHoop plant, which is now operating in an isolated mode, is not as stable as when it was interconnected to the rest of the DBIS.” Additionally, the inadequate reserve capacity which has been exacerbated by the absence of the 69 kV cable, may result in generation shortfall and periodic service interruptions in the eastern DBIS. GPL said that remedial works to repair the damaged 69 kV cable are progressing. “GPL is working closely with the contractor to expeditiously complete repairs and have the cable back in operation in the shortest possible time.” Meanwhile, on Friday GPL’s sister company, the Power Producers and Distributors Inc. (PPDI), said Friday that it is setting its eyes on being an independent producer. It is also planning to operate and maintain other GPL facilities. PPDI said it is actively working towards obtaining its license to independently produce and distribute electricity. This was announced at a press briefing held on Friday by Chief Executive Officer of PPDI, Dr. Aaron Fraser.
PPDI’s CEO, Aaron Fraser
“We are in the process of acquiring a license to become an independent power producer,” CEO Fraser said. The head of PPDI also noted that this step is an essential prerequisite to PPDI building and operating its own power plant. As it stands, PPDI functions in the capacities to both operate and maintain four of GPL’s power plants. The sites of these plants are Garden of Eden, Number 1 and Number 2 power plants in Kingston, and the Vreeden-Hoop power plant. PPDI has the responsibility to produce approximately 106 megawatts of electricity to supply GPL’s grid through these power plants. The company plans to operate more of GPL’s facilities. CEO Fraser said, “Plans are in train for us to undertake the operations and maintenance of the other GPL facilities in the country.” Meanwhile, Director of Operations and Maintenance, Brian Goodridge, provided an update on one of the generators that had become defective during the month of May. The generator is
expected to be back in the operation chain within the coming month. Goodridge explained, “The rotor for it [the generator] is out for repairs in Miami. So, we are waiting for that to come back”. In December 2016, PPDI was established to operate and maintain power plants that were previously under the control of Wartsila Operations Guyana Inc. (WOGI). Last January, the PPDI secured International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 9001 certification. According to the ISO, the certificate is as a result of the PDDI’s “strong customer focus, the motivation of top management, the process approach and continual improvement of the company.”The PPDI recently came under fire for allegedly using Chinese parts on its Wartsila engines. However, the company took media and activists who had protested the outages on a tour of its Kingston operations, answering questions and refuting the allegations.
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Ramotar, Persaud confirm conclusion that Guyana’s oil blocks were stolen ... From page 18 Guyanese should want answered. How much was paid for the acreage? To whom was it paid? When was it paid? Who are the beneficial individual equity owners of all of the involved entities, and from award till now? And how were they chosen to receive the property which was previously the property of all Guyanese citizens? Dr. Mangal said, “These are not the most important but they are some key questions. The main question remains how can the decision
to award these blocks to companies with no experience be the best decision for Guyana? It is obviously not and the officials at the time knew it was not...” Dr. Mangal insists that Guyanese need to wake up and the government needs to rescind these blocks now. CANJE BLOCK OPERATORS The company to which former President Donald Ramotar signed away the Canje Block was Mid-Atlantic Oil and Gas. Then JHI Associates Inc. farmed in (or bought in) right after. The
Senior cop speaks out,... From page 16 detective and dem others on the Corentyne deh covered by the very big-man because when they do nonsense, the bigman getting he cut from it.” In light of what was revealed by him and his other colleagues, the senior rank is also calling for an independent probe to be launched because he too believes that if the senior officer is a part of the investigation “nothing will come out of it. You gon hear then all dem thing dis is not true but everything is facts.” Public Security, Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, had made the call to have an investigation launched into the allegations published but had stated that it is not strange that police are connected to criminals.
block was awarded on March 4, 2015 to Mid-Atlantic. JHI was only registered in Guyana on May 4, and it bought into the block on May 15. It seems JHI was created from nothing, as its archived website only started working and listing managers, including John Cullen, on June 10. The general election was on May 11, 2015. According to documents held by the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Secretariat, JHI was only incorporated on June 17, 2015, in the British Virgin Islands. This nation is under no obligation to provide countries like Guyana with tax information of companies registered there. And even though MidAtlantic Oil and Gas was incorporated here on April 8, 2013, both companies were in one-on-one negotiations with the PPP government for the oil block one month before, that is, March 2013. This means that the individuals behind the companies were asking for oil blocks without having a company being formed as
yet.What is also significant to note, is that the Canje block is the only asset that these two companies have to date. Additionally, JHI and MidAtlantic, which participated in Guyana’s EITI reporting process, failed to submit their audited financial statements for review. JHI also failed to submit information on its beneficial owners. The EITI report lists Kamal Dookie as the beneficial owner of MidAtlantic. THE KAIETEUR BLOCK Ramotar awarded the Kaieteur Block to Ratio Energy Limited and Ratio Guyana on April 28, 2015. Both companies are registered at the same offices in Prashad Nagar and Gibraltar, Israel. Ratio Guyana does not have a website, but on the Kaieteur Block’s Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), a Ryan Pereira is signed on as the Company Secretary, Director and General Partner of the company. It also should be noted that Mr. Ryan Pereira is a longtime miner in Guyana with no
track record in oil. Yet, the last government awarded him (Cataleya Energy) 50% of the block. He recently funded a project in the Rupununi for the Ministry of Natural Resources. He seems to have a close working relationship with past and present Ministry officials. The Ratio duo’s only asset remains the Kaieteur Block. Not a trace of evidence can be found to prove that it has years of experience in the exploration of oil and gas. (See link for PSA: https:// resourcecontracts.org/ contract/ocds-591adf2701587320/view#/pdf) Ratio Energy, which also calls itself Ratio Petroleum is chaired by Ligad Rotlevy. With the Kaieteur Block in hand in 2015, this Israeli company was able to capture three other blocks. In 2017, it was able to acquire rights in Suriname’s basin, specifically for Block 47. In June 2016, Ratio Petroleum was granted a licence to operate in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Ireland.
In October 2018, the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and Ratio entered into a Production Sharing Agreement, for oil exploration in an offshore section of Philippines continental shelf, known as SC 76. But Ratio does not have a track record of producing any oil in deep water or anywhere, nor does it have the required assets to do so. Of its four assets, Guyana’s Kaieteur Block is its largest. (See website link for more information: https:// www.ratiopetroleum.com/en/ about/ratio-petroleum/) This newspaper understands that the Kaieteur Block operators did not submit their audited financial statements and documents regarding beneficial ownership for Guyana’s EITI report. The dates of incorporation for the two Kaieteur Block operators were also not provided to EITI. (See link for full report: https://gyeiti.org/wpcontent/uploads/ FinalGYEITIReportFY2017.pdf).
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Minister Jaipaul Sharma shifted Ministry denies reports of drugs, staff shortage at Diamond Diagnostic Centre to Public Infrastructure The Ministry of Public Health and doctors have been trained in Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Jaipaul Sharma, is taking up a new position in Government. On Friday, Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, confirmed that Jaipaul Sharma has been appointed the Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure effective July 1, 2019. “Since 2015, I have been supported by Minister Annette Ferguson, whose performance is one of the main reasons, why the Ministry has been able to deliver on its mandate. Annette, now heads the very important housing sector, and we wish her well in her new portfolio,” Patterson confirmed in a Facebook post. He said that he met Sharma on Friday afternoon and having shared my vision for the country’s infrastructure development, I am excited to have him as part of Team MoPI.” Sharma’s move would come at a time when he would have faced a rocky road at the Ministry of Finance. He was given charge of several forensic audits ordered by government into the state agencies and companies but had complained of limited resources.
Minister Jaipaul Sharma Reportedly, also, he was not happy with being sidelined at the ministry. He joined the coalition as part of the A Partnership For National Unity as a representative of the Justice For All Party. Recently, he denied accusations by NICIL that he interfered in process to choose an operator for a casino at Marriott Hotel.According to Minister Sharma, he was approached by representative of the Princess Casino Group who complained of the process being flawed.Sharma is an experienced accountant who has been outspoken about corruption.
has debunked recently surfaced reports of drugs and human resource shortage at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre. Making this position clear was Director of Regional and Clinical Services, Dr. Kay Shako. “There is no critical drug shortage. At present, there are six medications: calamine lotion, unsterile gloves, sterile gloves, salbutamol inhaler, beclomethasone inhaler and insulin syringe which are soon to be replenished,” said Dr. Shako as she responded to recent surfaced news of the drugs shortage situation. Dr. Shako also dispelled claims that there is a staff shortage situation at the health facility. “Managers of the health facility are provided with the scope and supportive supervision needed to improve health service quality and efficiency, through innovation and the reinforcement of protocols for the equitable dispensation of governance and administration at the Centre.” In addition, she said, “Our staff complement receives Basic Life Support [BLS] and Advanced Cardiac Life Support training annually, especially staff in direct provision of emergency care and services. “Ninety-five percent of nurses
BLS,” Dr. Shako said, pointing to ongoing improvement programmes at the state-run institution. She announced there was also the reintroduction of x-ray and Ultrasound services which has seen a significant in-patient load. Thirtyeight percent of staff also seek this service. “The centre offers electrocardiogram [ECG] in both the Emergency and Outpatient departments, with an average of 20 ECGs being done daily in both departments. A monthly average of over 1000 patients receives this service,” the Director said. With the addition of bedside patient monitors in the emergency room, service delivery is further strengthened. Meanwhile, with the establishment of the Paediatric Unit, the facility will offer specialised paediatric services with in-patient and out-patient facilities. The Operating theatre and High Dependency Unit [HDU] currently facilitates surgical intervention from specialties such as Obstetrics and Gynecology, General Surgery and Dermatology. The Paediatric Advanced Life Support training is currently being offered for all staff involved in di-
Dr. Kay Shako, Director of Regional and Clinical Services rect provision of emergency care for paediatric patients, Dr. Shako said. At the Diamond Diagnostic Centre there was also the addition of laboratory and dental services. These are currently being upgraded to provide additional services such as cardiac enzymes and serum electrolytes.“Diamond Diagnostic Centre continues to expand its services and is committed to improving access to cost-effective healthcare services for all individuals of Demerara/Mahaica [Region Four],” Dr. Shako assured.
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Sunday June 16, 2019
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Ukraine sink South Korea to claim under-20 World Cup glory AFP Ukraine recovered from the shock of falling behind to an early penalty as they beat South Korea 3-1 to win the under2 0 Wo r l d C u p f i n a l i n Poland yesterday. Vladyslav Supriaha was the star for Ukraine, the 19year-old Dynamo Kiev player scoring twice as his country won the prestigious title for the first time, succeeding the England side who won in 2017. The Koreans had taken an early lead in Lodz in central Poland, with Valencia starlet Lee Kang-in converting a fifth-minute penalty awarded
following a VAR review after Kim Se-yun had been fouled right on the edge of the box. However, Ukraine levelled in the 34th minute, Supriaha turning and prodding in after the Korean defence had failed to clear a free-kick. The same player then gave Ukraine the lead eight minutes into the second half, firing home after Kim Hyun-woo had inadvertently played the ball into his path when trying to make a challenge. The Koreans almost levelled when Lee Jae-ik’s header was saved by Andriy Lunin, the ball hitting the post on its way
to safety. Instead, Ukraine secured the title a minute from time when Heorhiy Tsitaishvili ran more than half the length of the field before finishing emphatically into the far corner. Ukraine had finished top of a group also containing the United States, Nigeria and Qatar, before seeing off Panama, Colombia and then Italy on their way to the final. France, Argentina and Portugal had been among the other nations taking part in Poland.
Sunday June 09, 2019 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) A surge of passion could dominate your day unless you find an outlet for it, Aries. Romantic passion is high, so an intimate evening with a lover is a good idea. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) A romantic evening at home with your partner could bring you two closer together, Taurus. Your emotions are intense right now. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Information received from far away could compel you to learn more about the subject, Gemini. You might be inspired to use your new knowledge in a project that includes a partner. CANCER(June21–July22) Money matters may be advanced through using your intuition and inner power today, Cancer. You might have a hunch that your idea for making extra money might just work. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) A surge of inner power could make you feel like you can move mountains, Leo. If you've been contemplating actions that others believe impossible, this is the day to get them going. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Memories from your distant past could resurface t o d a y, Vi rg o . Yo u m a y wonder why you're suddenly thinking about them, but they probably represent a release of old emotional hang-ups that have been holding you back.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Today represents a new beginning in many ways. An old friend could reappear in your life and bring up memories that are both pleasant and disconcerting. Don't worry too much about this. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Emotions could be running high, Scorpio. Someone in your entourage may have a problem with an authority figure and political issues could come up. You're likely to feel especially powerful now. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Heightened mental powers might make you spend a lot of time reading or doing research of some kind, Sagittarius. Your curiosity is especially sharp right now. CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Your intuition might increase today to the point where you feel like you could deduce the thoughts and motives of people you've never met before. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You should be feeling especially passionate now, Aquarius, especially regarding partnerships. Romantic partnerships definitely call for an evening alone together. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) If you haven't been feeling like yourself lately, Pisces, a surge of inner power could push you over the top and make you feel strong and healthy again.
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South Africa ease to first World and Phehlukwayo hit a six him and credit must go to Cup win out for the winning runs to end Imran for his spell. He bowled CARDIFF (Reuters) South Africa finally got a World Cup win under their belts as they eased to a ninewicket triumph over Afghanistan yesterday to keep alive their hopes of reaching the semi-finals. Leg-spinner Imran Tahir took 4-29, engineering an Afghani collapse after a 75minute rain break as they were dismissed for 125. Chris Morris contributed with figures of 3-13 and Andile Phehlukwayo took two wickets. The South Africans set about chasing a slightly adjusted target of 127 from 48 overs in cautious fashion, reaching 131-1 with 19 overs to spare. Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock shared a 104-run opening wicket partnership before De Kock was dismissed for 68. Amla finished on 41 not
unbeaten on 17. After three defeats and another game called off because of rain, Saturday’s match was always going to be a big chance for Faf du Plessis’ South Africa team to get their first win. But they still looked sloppy in the opening overs as Afghanistan dealt well with the new ball and were 69-2 when the teams went off for rain. When they came back, however, they lost four wickets for the addition of one run in two overs, with Phehlukwayo taking the wicket of Mohammad Nabi and Tahir striking with his first delivery as he bowled Noor Ali Zadran for 32. Tahir claimed a second victim four balls later and the wickets tumbled regularly after that. “We planned a lot for their seamers but not so much for
very well in the right areas,” Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib said. A cameo of 35 from Rashid Khan took Afghanistan into three figures before he became Tahir’s fourth victim. “I knew I wouldn’t get it to turn but I tried to vary it and get the batsmen to make mistakes. It came out well and I’m really pleased that I played my part for the team,” said Tahir after being named man of the match. After their poor start to the tournament, South Africa effectively need to win their remaining four matches, starting with New Zealand in Birmingham on Wednesday, to make the last four. Scores: South Africa 131 for 1 (de Kock 68, Amla 40*) beat Afghanistan125 all out (Rashid 35, Tahir 4-29, Morris 3-13) by nine wickets.
Sunday June 16, 2019
GFF/KFC National U20 Independence Cup playoff
Timehri Panthers thump Soesdyke Falcons; Botofago, Dynamic FC, NA United triumph By Zaheer Mohamed Timehri Panthers FC, Botofago FC, Dynamic FC and New Amsterdam United FC have all advanced the last eight of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF)/KFC National Independence Cup following victories in their respective playoff matches yesterday at the GFF National Training Centre, Providence. Timehri Panthers proved too much for Soesdyke Falcons as they romped to a 5-1 victory. Tyrone Khan opened the account for the winners in the 14th minute, while Shawn Stelle put them further ahead six minutes later as his team went to the break enjoying a 2-0 advantage. Tyrone Burnette stretched the lead two minutes into the second half as Timehri Panthers continued their dominance. Shoran James slotted home in the 66th minute as Soesdyke Falcons struggled to keep up with the pace. Shannox Samnauth completed the scoring for Timehri Panthers in the 70th minute, while Jonathan Bailey pulled one back for Soesdyke Falcons. Botofago FC of Linden came from one goal down to beat Den Amstel FC of West Demerara 4-2. Anthony Benn handed Den Amstel the lead in the 42nd minute before Andre Mayers drew Botofago level three minutes later. Following the break, Marlon Duke put Botofago ahead when he slotted home in the 57th minute before Kelroy Anthony extended the advantage in the 64th. Benn gave his team some hope as he found the back of the net in the 80th minute, after which Shane Haynes scored Botofago’s fourth goal in the second minute of added time to safely secure his team’s berth in the
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last eight. Led by a double from John Gonsalves, Dynamic FC of East Coast Demerara sounded a stern warning to their rivals with a 5-0 drubbing of Potaro Strikers of Bartica. Gonsalves opened the account in the 36th minute, but Potaro Strikers managed to contain their opponents for the remainder of the first half. As the battle continued in the second stanza neither team managed to make an impact on goal, until Dequan Douglas extended his team’s advantage in the 72nd minute. Gonsalves netted his second in the 83rd, while Linden Bowman scored his team fourth in the 89th. The final matchup of the day, saw an intense battle between New Amsterdam United FC and Amelia’s Ward FC of Linden with the former prevailing 1-0. Despite several raids on goal, the first half went goalless; however Oren Glen put New Amsterdam United FC ahead two minutes into the second half when he slotted home from inside the area. Amelia’s Ward FC tried desperately for the equaliser and their best chance came minutes from the final whistle, but Kevin Charles sent his shot wide from inside the box with only the goalkeeper to beat. Dexter Welcome could have added a second for New Amsterdam United, but he squandered the chance by sending his shot wide of the net after being set one-on-one with defender Keyshawn Dey. Action in the play offs continues today with Fruta Conquerors facing Cougars from 11:00hrs, Buxton United FC playing Queenstown United FC at 13:00hrs and Pouderoyen FC battling Santos at 15:30hrs.
National Pre Cadet Table Tennis Championships Rescheduled for 5th to 7th July The Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) has been forced to reschedule its National Pre Cadet Table Tennis Championships due to a number of unforeseen circumstances. According to a release from the GTTA the rescheduling has come about due to situations beyond its control including venue constraints, players having
end of term promotional examinations among a number of other factors. As such the decision was taken by President Godfrey Munroe to reschedule the tournament from 16th June to the 5th to 7th July at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. The association expressed its regrets for any inconvenience caused. (Samuel Whyte)
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Miedema double helps Netherlands to beat Cameroon to seal last-16 spot VALENCIENNES, France (Reuters) - Vivianne Miedema scored twice to become Netherlands’ all-time leading goalscorer as the European champions beat Cameroon 31 yesterday to reach the last 16 at the women’s World Cup. Cameroon, playing the Netherlands for the first time in a competitive match, adopted a cautious approach at Stade du Hainaut, with five players in the back line and four in front of them for the majority of the game. The tactics worked until a sweeping Dutch move in which Shanice van de Sanden’s inch-perfect cross found Arsenal forward Miedema, who powered home a thumping header in the 41st minute. Cameroon responded almost immediately as winger Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene timed her run perfectly to latch on to a long ball before
Sunday June 16, 2019
Kaieteur News
beating goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal for an easy finish. Netherlands, who beat New Zealand in their opening match, were back on the front foot in the second half after a cleverly worked free kick allowed center back Dominique Bloodworth to score her first international goal from close range. Cameroon substitute Henriette Akaba came close to an equalizer in the closing stages before Miedema scored her second goal to put the result beyond doubt. It was Miedema’s 60th goal for the Netherlands as she overtook former striker Manon Melis to become their all-time top scorer. “It is something special, something I’m only going to live once and it’s a special experience for me,” the 22year-old Miedema said. “It’s a World Cup — you
score a goal, so I think you can cheer and be a little crazy about it.” Netherlands top Group E after winning back-to-back World Cup matches for the first time, before Canada’s evening kick-off against New Zealand in Grenoble. “I’m glad we won. In a couple of stages we played better than the previous game but we struggled as well,” Netherlands coach Sarina Wiegman said. “We are now qualified for the next round. But who is better as an opponent? Is it Japan, Sweden or England? I think it’s dangerous doing maths. Let’s just play the Canada game first.” Netherlands will meet Canada in their final groupstage match in Reims on Thursday, while Cameroon face New Zealand on the same day at Montpellier.
Veteran Kenyan athlete Mbihia concludes stay in Guyana - Says, “Guyana have great athletes”
GCOS committee members Joseph Ramkumar(left) and Leslie Black (right) flanks Godffrey Mbihia for a photo-op after the conclusion of the GCOS 5k road race last month. Forty-year-old Goddfrey Mbihia of Kenya will conclude his visit to Guyana this week. The veteran distance runner, who was brought to the ‘land of many waters’ compliments of the Guyana Committee of Service (GCOS), competed in two 5k road races and he also conducted training seminars with some of the top distance and middle distance athletes, locally. Mbihia ran from the pack to win the Ex-Athletes Association 5k race and the GCOS in association with the Rising Stars Athletics Club 5k race that were both competed last month. The Kenyan copped wins in both the 40 and over veterans’ and open categories. “Here in Guyana you guys have great athletes, you just need to do something for them. The government (state) needs to make more
contribution towards infrastructure and gear. Not only the government, but support from NGOs and the Corporate Community is vital to these lads reaching their full potential,” Mbihia noted. This week, Mbihia conducted a training session at the Police Progressive Youth Club (PPYC) that is based in Eve Leary with the club’s middle distance athletes and he was again convinced that Guyana has much untapped talent that can be nurtured to be world class. Despite his age, Mbihia noted that he is still improving and noted that the mean age of retirement from where he comes from is around 46-47 years, “I must say back home we train hard. Age doesn’t matter, its how you train. You train hard to achieve what you want. Even today I still believe
I can do better at age 40. “ Committee member of the GCOS, Leslie Black, noted that he has been friends with Mbihia for a few years and upon learning the veteran was in the Trinidad & Tobago (T&T), he pounced on the opportunity to bring him to Guyana. Black further shared that he is proposing to work with the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) and the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) to send three athletes to Kenya for a training programme. However, Black revealed that local track star, Cleveland Forde, had benefited from such a programme but his results were not favourable, which has prompted the GOA to be very adamant in undertaking another such initiative but he believes that other athletes should be given a chance.
Brathwaite censured by ICC for showing dissent SOUTHAMPTON, England, CMC- West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite has been reprimanded by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for breaching its code of conduct. Brathwaite received an official reprimand along with one demerit point for breaching Level One of the I C C ’s c o d e o f c o n d u c t during the West Indies’ World Cup game against England at the Hampshire Bowl on Friday, which the Wi n d i e s l o s t b y e i g h t wickets. He was found to have breached Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for
Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to showing dissent to an umpire’s decision. The incident occurred in the 43rd over of the West Indies’ innings when Brathwaite made his displeasure at being given out clear to the umpires. On-field umpires Sundaram Ravi and Kumar Dharmasena, third umpire Rodney Tucker and fourth official Paul Wilson levelled the charges. He admitted committing the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by David Boon of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees
and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing. Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points. According to the ICC’s code of conduct, when a player reaches four or more demerit points within a 24month period, they are converted into suspension points and a player is banned. Two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player.
Sunday June 16, 2019
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Kaieteur News
KFC Senior Nat Squash C/Ships
Pollard defies injury to reach Men’s Open semis - Wiltshire, Joseph, and Khalil also qualify Vince Lombardi, regarded as the best American Football Coach of all time, said in one of his famous quotes, ‘Winning means you are willing to go longer, work harder and give more than anyone else’ and on a damp and windy Friday night in his quarter-final match of the KFC Senior National Squash Championships at the Georgetown Club, 40-yearold Regan Pollard did just that, to limp into yesterday’s semis. Pollard, who wears his emotions on his sleeve, pulled a hamstring in the third game after winning the first two (12-10, 12-10) against Peter Michael DeGroot, who won the third (11-2) and the fourth (11-2). At the start of the fifth and deciding game, Pollard who participated in the World over-35 Masters Championships last year in the USA, was allowed an addition three-minute injury time to ‘ice’ his right leg. Number 3/4 seed Pollard, a former National Champion, who represented Guyana at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England, showed great heart and intestinal fortitude to emerge victorious 11-6 after
which he triumphantly screamed ‘never quit, never quit’ as the few spectators rose to applaud his effort. In the second of the four Men’s Open quarter finals, Number one seed Jason Ray Khalil dropped one game as he defeated Nicholas Narine 11 - 3, 11 - 6, 10 - 12, 11 - 8, while Number two seed Nyron Joseph also surrendered one game as Damien Da Silva was precise with his cunning drop shots. However, Joseph was eventually victorious winning 11 - 6, 11 - 3, 9 - 11, 11 - 6. Number 3/4 seed Shomari Wiltshire was the only one of the Men’s quarter finalists to be victorious without conceding a game as he won in straight sets against Robert Fernandes 11-3, 11-1, 11-4 but the score-line was not a true indication of the quality of the Squash on display as the pair engaged in very long and exciting rallies. The 15-year-old Wiltshire, the Caribbean Junior Champion, is not only skilful but also possess a wonderful Squash brain and as the 41year-old Fernandes began to tire, Wiltshire used his drop shots to great effect to shut out Fernandes 3-0. In the Men’s plate, Gianni Carpenter had a contrasting
At 15, Shomari Wiltshire waltzed into the semis by beating the experienced Robert Fernandes in the KFC Squash tournament on Friday. evening as firstly he was victorious in his first match against Reagan Rodrigues scores being 11 - 2, 11 - 3, 11 3 but then lost in the next round in dramatic fashion to Jonathan Antczak with the fifth game finishing 12-10 to Antczak who won 11-4, 8-11, 8-11, 11-7, 12-10. In the other plate match played, Nicholas Verwey beat
ExxonMobil Under-14 football tourney
Competition kicks off with competitive matches The second annual ExxonMobil schools’ football tournament kicked off yesterday at the Ministry of Education ground with play in 10 of the scheduled 12 matches. The first game that was scheduled to be played between Lodge Secondary and Richard Ishmael has been rescheduled to this Tuesday, while Cummings Lodge gifted Golden Grove Secondary a walkover victory. 2018 champions, Chase Academic Foundation are not part of this year’s tournament and focus will be on St. John’s College who thrashed Kingston Secondary 7-0 to record the biggest margin of victory
for the day. St. Mary’s also recorded a commanding 5-1 victory over Annandale Secondary that has been one of the more competitive teams in recent years. Completing the winners’ row were Marian Academy who beat President’s College 2-0, Tutorial High School also won 2-0 and Campbellville Secondary made light work of Ann’s Grove 3-1, while Carmel needled Uitvlugt. St. Stanislaus College drew with Queenstown 0-0 and a 1-1 result was that of the North Ruimveldt versus St. John’s Bosco clash.
Dolphin (offence) versus Tucville yesterday at the MOE ground.
Adam Alves in four close games, 12 - 10, 11 - 9, 10 - 12, 11 - 9. In the Women’s plate, Kirsten Gomes defeated Sarah Lewis 11 - 4, 11 - 4, 12 – 10, while Lydia Fraser beat
Regan Pollard (left) showed plenty of heart and determination to beat Peter Michael DeGroot 3-2 in a grueling match despite his hamstring injury. Teija Edwards 11 - 5, 11 - 1, 11 - 6. In the Veterans Men’s Over-50, Joe Mekdeci defeated Medhi Ramdhani 11 - 7, 11 - 6, 11 - 5 while Garfield Wiltshire beat Tony Farnum
11 - 5, 11 - 5, 11 - 4. The Tournament was scheduled to continue yesterday with the finals set for today when action will start at 11:00hrs. (Sean Devers)
Guinness Bartica tourney records first major upset The first major upset in the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Bartica Championship occurred on Friday as defending champion Disconnection Crew lost to newcomer Walking Boys at the Bartica Community Center tarmac. The unlikely result stunned the mammoth crowd which descended on the venue. Following a scoreless normal time interval, Walking Boys held their nerve in a tense penalty shoot-out to prevail 1-0. On the other hand, former champion Rivers View defeated Man City 2-1 compliments of a Guinness Goal [GG] (a goal scored in the final two minutes counts as two) in the 19th minute. On the other hand, Potato United, Mighty Ruler, Prison Officers, Beacons, Police and Goal-Raiders tallied wins to earn their place in the group round. Potato United crushed Potaro Strikers 5-1 in their ‘Derby’ matchup. Also,
Mighty Ruler downed Itaballi 3-1, while Prison Officers defeated Falmouth 3-1. Meanwhile, Police arrested Jones Avenue 2-0, while Beacons bested Almanac Kings 1-0 and GoalRaiders squeaked past Ballers 1-0. Up to press time, the group stage round was underway at the same venue. The top two finishers from each pool will process to the semi-final round slated for today. The grand final will also be staged today at the same venue. Winner of the zone will collect $400,000 and the respective trophy. They will also earn an automatic place in the National Championship, which is pegged to start in August. Meanwhile, the losing finalist will receive $150,000 and a trophy. On the other hand, the third and fourth place finishers pocket $100,000 and $75,000 respectively and the corresponding accolade. The victor of the Guinness Plate
Championship will receive $60,000. The other major sponsor of the event is Colours Boutique. In attendance at the venue was Banks DIH Limited Outdoor Events Manager and former national player Mortimer Stewart. Complete Results Game-1 Mighty Ruler-3 vs Itaballi-1 Game-2 Prison Officers-3 vs Falmouth-1 Game-3 Potato United-5 vs Potaro Strikers-1 Game-4 Walking Boyz-0 vs Disconnection Crew-0 Walking Boyz won 1-0 on sudden death penalty kicks Game-5 Beacons-1 vs Almanac Kings-0 Game-6 Goal-Raiders-1 vs Ballers-0 Game-7 Jones Avenue-0 vs Police-2 Game-8 Rivers Views-2 vs Man City1
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Sunday June 16, 2019
Kaieteur News
Golden Jaguars focused and ready for debut match at 2019 CGC on Tuesday night - We need the fans to get behind us – Head Coach Johnson
Golden Jaguars during their 1st training session in Minneapolis, USA Minneapolis, USA: Following their first training session since touching down in Minneapolis, ahead of their first match in the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup against the USA on Tuesday evening, Head Coach Michael Johnson has posited that the Golden Jaguars team is focused and ready for the task at hand. This is Guyana’s debut at this prestigious tournament, the highest in the confederation and the Guyana Football Federation has afforded the team a vital period of encampment along with two friendly internationals to aid the team to bond and get their technical and tactical awareness in the best shape ahead of its Group D matches against the USA on Tuesday next at the Allianz Field, St. Paul, MN; Panama on June 22 at the First Energy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio and Trinidad and Tobago on June 26 at Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas. The team were taken through their paces at the National Training Centre on Friday afternoon by Johnson and his technical staff and once again exhibited lots of energy after their all-day journey from Costa Rica on Wednesday and a deserved rest day on Thursday. Friday’s session, according to Johnson, was aimed at getting the
players back in the groove and blowing the cobwebs off. More detailed work will now be the order for the next few training sessions, he informed, as they aim at finalizing the starting X1 and to ensure that they know their responsibilities. Citing the fact that the team have virtually been living together for the past two weeks, Johnson stated that the gelling of the team has gotten better with each day: “So relationships have started to develop, there’s a lot more understanding about people’s background and families, which draws people together; so they are a real tight-knit group.” This kind of pulling together is what the Head Coach is positive would help the team through the Concacaf Gold Cup: “We don’t have the big names like the Pulisic’ worth 52 million but we have got is really tight-knit group that is together and I think that you will always go further together.” Johnson, who would also be making his debut as a Coach at the Gold Cup having represented the Reggae Boyz in the tournament, noted that the players can only do what they think they can do once they remain together as a team. Nicknamed ‘Magic’ as a result
of his exciting style of play during his tenure in the English leagues, Johnson once again called on the fans to play their role in rallying around the team, reminding that their support is crucial: “The team can’t do it on their own, we need the fans to get behind us, we need the fans as an extra voice, we need the fans sending positive messages whether its via social media, on the radio or newspapers, you need to know that you are not out there on your own.
Because we are massively the underdogs but it gives you great pride, it gives you great resilience when you know you are fighting for a cause and for your fans who we need to stand united behind the team and get us over this line.” Citing that the team would thrive off the underdog mentality, Johnson said that the Golden Jaguars have an inner belief that they are going to do something special in the Group: “Nobody has
given us a chance at scoring a goal, winning a game, I’ve heard that you would not get a point, I’ve heard some of the media talking that it’s a great chance for USA to kick start their bad run of form but we are 100% positive in the way we would be approaching our matches.” Honing in on the mental aspect of the game, Johnson informed that the enormity of the tournament is something that they have taken cognizance of.
Rising Stars shine in Bartica GFF-NAMILCO Under-17 League
Rising Stars FC scorers take time out for a photo.
The Golden Jaguars goalkeepers hone their skills during their 1st training session in Minneapolis.
As the Bartica Football Association (BFA) restarted its leg of the GFF-NAMILCO Under-17 League, Rising Stars FC continues to shine, swamping Beacon FC 5 goals to nil on Thursday at the Bartica Secondary School Ground. Following a short pause to accommodate some of the other
association programmes, the league was welcomed back with two goals from Regan Kippins, and one a piece from Ian Gomes Jr, Joshua Jones, Daniel Williams and Ian Yaw. Play continued on Friday with Potaro Strikers FC up against Lazio FC; and Saturday: Mil
Ballers FC vs Agatash FC, and Rivers View FC vs Beacon FC. The league is part of the Youth Development Programme of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), through its Regional Member Associations, in partnership with the National Milling Company (NAMILCO).
Kaieteur News
Sunday June 16, 2019
Finch, Starc shine as Australia beat Sri Lanka in World Cup
Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc took four Sri Lankan wickets. (AFP / Ian Kington)
A
FP - Australia captain Aaron Finch and pace bowler Mitchell Starc stole the show as the holders eased to an 87-run win over Sri Lanka at the Oval yesterday. Finch equalled his career-best one-day international score with a masterful 153 and Steve Smith chipped in with 73 as Australia scored 334-7. Needing a World Cup record run-chase to claim a shock win, Sri Lanka got off to a flying start thanks to a first-wicket partnership of 115 between captain Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Perera. But Perera departed for 52 and when Karunaratne fell on 97 the game swung back in Australia’s direction. Starc was the catalyst with a fiery spell of three wickets in six balls, Australia eventually dismissing Sri Lanka for 247 thanks in large part to his 4-55 from 10 overs. Kane Richardson added three wickets of his own as Australia made it four wins from their five group matches after previously beating Afghanistan, the West Indies and Pakistan. Their lone defeat in the 10-team tournament came against India and their latest victory puts them well on course for a semi-final berth. Sri Lanka, who lost their last seven wickets for 42 runs, have only one win from their five matches, a disappointing run that includes two washouts. They face a struggle to reach the semi-finals with only four matches left, a spell that features encounters with title contenders England and India. Sri Lanka had briefly looked capable of surpassing the World Cup chase set by Ireland, who made 329-7 to beat England in 2011. Karunaratne and his opening partner Perera blasted 24 from the first two
overs and reached their fifty partnership in just the seventh over. But Starc bowled Perera and Jason Behrendorff dismissed Lahiru Thirimanne for 16 as Australia hit back. - Starc turns the screw A six from Kusal Mendis in the 31st over signalled Sri Lanka’s intent to get cracking. But crucially Karunaratne stumbled short of his maiden World Cup century when he carelessly flicked Richardson to Glenn Maxwell at backward point. That left Sri Lanka 186-3 and set the stage for Starc to turn the screw by dismissing Milinda Siriwardana, Thisara Perera and Mendis in quick succession. Mendis’s mistimed drive off Starc reduced Sri Lanka to 222-7 and shattered their resistance. Earlier, Finch took the Sri Lanka attack apart with a dazzling display that included 15 fours and five sixes. He was well-supported by Smith’s 73 from 59 balls and the pair put on 173 runs for the third wicket. Together with opening partner David Warner, Finch took the attack to the Sri Lankans after being put in to bat under cloudy skies in south London. The pair passed fifty for the opening wicket for the fourth time in five games at the World Cup. Sri Lanka had no answer to Finch’s brutal assault and by the time he departed, caught by Karunaratne off Isuru Udana, he had put Australia in a commanding position. Maxwell’s quick-fire 46 from 25 balls rubbed salt into Sri Lanka’s wounds. Scores: Australia 334 for 7 (Finch 153, Smith 73, Maxwell 46) beat Sri Lanka 247 (Karunaratne 97, Kusal Perera 52, Starc 4-55) by 87 runs.
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t r o Sp The Golden Jaguars work on some drills during their 1st training session in Minneapolis, USA.
Golden Jaguars focused and ready for debut match - We need the fans to get behind at 2019 CGC on Tuesday night us – Head Coach Johnson GFF/KFC National U-20 Timehri Independence Cup playoff Panthers thump Soesdyke Falcons; Botofago, Dynamic FC, NA United triumph Action between New Amsterdam United FC and Amelia’s Ward FC yesterday.
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