Thursday June 21, 2018
Govt. lacks urgency to address concerns of minibus operators - Union President The United Minibus Union (UMU) is surprised by the lack of urgency from the Government to discuss a proposal to address bus fares across the country. Minibus operators across the country have been protesting for increased fares, citing the escalating price of fuel. President of the Union, Eon Andrews told Kaieteur News yesterday that he has not heard from Government since submitting a proposal on June 11, pointing that in the meantime, bus operators are becoming increasingly agitated, with some drivers already charging more to shuttle passengers. “The Government ought to reach with us to get this matter resolved quickly. The problem is spreading and can become a national issue. I hope they are not waiting for this to get out of control before they address this matter. Many people are affected on a daily basis. A responsible Government should expedite these matters. In the last administration they would meet with us consistently on these matters,” Andrews noted. He stated that hundreds of Guyanese depend on the services provided by the operators, and tensions are high
President of the United Minibus Union, Eon Andrews as passengers are being asked to pay unauthorised fare increases. At an initial meeting with officials of the Ministry of Business, the Union was asked to submit a proposal to the Ministry. According to Andrews, the proposal focused on initiatives that Government could implement and save the public from having to pay the increase fares. Among the proposals, is for Government to decrease the excise tax on fuel, which could lower prices at the pump. However, Andrews noted that the Union understands that the Government has no control over the price of fuel on the world market. To this end, he stated that the Union’s proposal high-
lights long-term initiatives such as a reversal of the ban on used tyres that could contribute to lower operational cost. Additionally, the proposal also outlines a breakdown of the increased cost of bus parts from 2008 to present. According to Andrews, this was included to give Government an indication of the operational burden on operators. The Union’s proposal also includes a five-year moratorium on minibus imports to address the prevailing chaos in the industry. “We have done what we have been asked to do at the meeting with the Ministry of Business. We have submitted a proposal as requested by the Minister. I am very surprised that since then, we have not heard anything about a meeting with the Minister,” Andrews noted. He explained that operators continue to reach out to the Union, calling for more pressure to be placed on the Government to take swift action to address their concerns. So far, the Union has resisted calls for a national strike by the operators. Instead, Andrews continue to appeal for patience, and has asked commuters not to pay the unauthorised fare increases some bus routes have implemented since the fuel price hike.
‘There will be greater enforcement by GGMC to curb unsafe sandpit practices’ - Minister Broomes Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes promised greater enforcement by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to curb unsafe sand mining practices. Yesterday, the Minister and a team from GGMC inspected four sandpits along the Linden Soesdyke Highway. Infractions were observed from all of the sites visited. However, a cease work order was immediately issued to operator Fazir Mohamed. His sandpit in Yarrowkabra had the most glaring infractions. Mining operations were encroaching on the highway, the flooring was dirty, the overburden was not properly cleared and workers were not attired in proper safety gear. Mohamed contended that he was not aware that these were infractions, but GGMC officers indicated that the sandpit was cited and issued cease work orders on previous occasions. Minister Broomes said the
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time has come for the GGMC to take greater action to enforce compliance. “At the level of the Commission they have the power to get correction.” The minister explained, anyone found in breach of their cease work orders should be charged and, if need be, equipment ceased. “It is not to say that there is no law to allow for the level of lawlessness to take place. The Commissioner has the power to make some strong decisions in this regard.” Minister Broomes is leading efforts to ensure greater compliance in the quarrying sector. The minister is also seeking to have outstanding royalties, which are owed to GGMC, paid. She explained
that operators only have to pay $15 for every ton of sand extracted. “And every year, although these people are doing exporting and all of that, everybody is doing a rollover and some persons have a payment plan. An end will come to that. That is exploitation,” the Minister stressed. The minister is also expected to meet with the operators of the pits visited in a subsequent meeting. The inspections of sand and loam pits are to gather a “comprehensive overlook” of the sector as part of efforts towards ensuring the GGMC is better equipped to monitor, enforce and recover costs in the quarrying sector.
Exxon detests public scrutiny - Int’l Report While USA oil giant says it is open to scrutiny of its contracts, a comprehensive international report states otherwise. The report which speaks to the importance, as well as the benefits of contract disclosure, was produced this year by an entity called OXFAM International. The entity is a confederation of 20 independent charitable organizations which seek to fight some of the factors that lead to poverty, one of them being the poor governance of extractive wealth. According to the report which assessed 40 oil companies, only two entities by their actions, are opposed to contract secrecy and public scrutiny. They are Chevron and ExxonMobil. The international report says, “Notably, ExxonMobil has opposed the concept of public oversight of natural resource contracts and the movement for open contracting. In a 2016 letter to US regulators, they stated that ‘[W]e understand some non-governmental organizations hold as an ultimate policy objective the concept of so-called ‘contract transparency’ or ‘open contracting,’ under which oil and gas contracts would be negotiated in a kind of public-utility framework whereby groups other than the parties themselves would have seats at the table and pass judgment on contract terms. Needless to say, such third party intervention in commercial business negotiations would make it more difficult to achieve equitable agreements that appropriately balance risk vs. reward and to maintain those agreements going forward, resulting in serious harm to investors in oil and gas companies…” In addition to this, OXFAM International was careful to point out, that there are some cases where Exxon contracts have been made public. In this regard, it cited the case of Guyana. OXFAM International also highlighted that ExxonMobil declined to be interviewed for its report. Be that as it may, OXFAM concluded in its survey that like Chevron, ExxonMobil supports only limited forms of revenue transparency that explic-
OXFAM’s Policy Advisor, Ian Gary itly exclude contract transparency. Over the years, OXFAM has advocated for contract disclosure with national governments at the country level, with extractives companies and norm-setting bodies. It also campaigns for contract transparency alongside its partners in the Publish What You Pay coalition at global and national levels. One of the leading individuals in this institution is Ian Gary. He directs Oxfam America’s policy, advocacy and program work which is focused on promoting transparent and accountable financial flows – for example from taxes, foreign aid or oil and
mining revenues – to fight poverty and reduce inequality. Previously he was Senior Policy Manager – Extractive Industries, at Oxfam America. He has authored Oxfam's report, Ghana's Big Test: Oil's Challenge to Democratic Development (2009) and has coauthored many other reports and papers on the oil and gas sector in the developing world. He has been a leader in the fight to bring more transparency to oil and mining corporate payments to host governments and has been instrumental in the passage and implementation of US legislation requiring payment disclosure.
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Thursday June 21, 2018
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
EXAMINING CHILD LABOUR On June 12 many countries observed World Day Against Child Labour under the theme “Generation Safe and Healthy.” It was launched by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2002 to focus attention on the global extent of child labour and the action and efforts needed to eliminate it.Child labour refers to the employment of children in any work that deprives them of their childhood, dignity, prevents them from attending regular school, and that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful. Poverty and lack of schools are considered as the primary cause of child labour. Child labour is considered exploitative by many international organizations, including the United Nations. Legislation across the world has prohibited child labour, which has existed through most of history. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, many children aged 5–14 from poorer families worked in agriculture, factories, home-based assembly operations, services and mining in Europe, the United States and various colonies of European powers. Some worked night shifts lasting 12 hours. With the rise of household income, availability of schools and passage of child labour laws, the incidence rates of child labour have reduced over the years. Each year, the World Day Against Child Labour brings together governments, employers and workers’ organizations, civil society, as well as millions of people from around the world to highlight the plight of child labour and to eliminate it. Even though there was not much activity in Guyana on the day this year, the government has indicated it will protect the rights of children in keeping with the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.Achieving these goals for the benefit of the next generation of the global workforce requires a concerted and integrated approach by all countries to eliminate child labour and promote a culture of prevention. Children who are free from the burden of child labour are able to fully realize their rights to education, leisure, and healthy development, which in turn, provide the essential foundation for their social and economic progress, poverty eradication, and human rights. Child labour experts have contended that the returns on the investment in ending child labour are incalculable. Child labour is most prevalent in developing countries with high poverty and poor schooling opportunities.Contrary to popular beliefs, most child labourers are predominantly employed by their parents, rather than in manufacturing or the formal economy and the vast majority of child labour, about 70 percent is found in rural areas and 26 percent in informal urban centres.According to the ILO, child labour is still common in many parts of the world. Estimates for child labour ranges between 250 and 304 million, with the highest amount in Sub-Saharan Africa and several African nations having over 50 percent of child labour aged 5 to 14 working. The region accounts for 32 percent of child labour, followed by Asia with 22 percent, 17% in Latin America and about one percent in the US, Canada, Europe and other wealthy nations. Worldwide, some 60 percent of child labourers are involved in agricultural activities such as farming, dairy, fisheries and forestry. Another 25 percent were in service activities such as retail, restaurants and services. The remaining 15 percent are in assembly and manufacturing in the informal economy, home-based enterprises, factories, mines, packaging and operating machinery. Unfortunately, while statistics on child labour are not available in Guyana, a U.S. report found that a significant amount of the school population are working children, and some of the worst form of child labour do exist here, including domestic work, agriculture production and sale, commercial sexual exploitation and illicit drug trafficking. The U.S. report also found that Guyana does not have a comprehensive policy to tackle and combat child labour or target the social ills that are the root causes of child labour.
Police inaction always breeds lawlessness DEAR SIR I am writing this in the hope that its contents will attract the attention of someone who has the authority to stop our slide into an anarchic situation from which it will be difficult to retrieve. On the late afternoon of Thursday June 7, 2018 while driving into my yard, a light truck with a lot of musical accoutrements passed announcing a public party at a venue obliquely east of the old filling station on Saturday June 9, 2018 in Support on the East Bank of Demerara. I live a few houses north of the announced venue of this public party and immediately felt the trepidation of another sleepless night. We have been experiencing sleepless half nights every Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights because of the playing of extremely loud music emanating from this premises. This started more than a year ago. At that time the sound of the music barely reached my home, but over time the Dee Jay became more ambitious and began increasing the decibels until it became a nuisance. After working the entire week,
when I expected to relax with my wife and enjoy a television show’ that became impossible. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights we are treated to such loud music that we could hardly hear the television even when its volume is turned up to the loudest. Recalling this experience and the trepidation I felt at the announcement referred to earlier in this letter, I decided to go to the police station at Timehri and request the police to enforce the law and ensure that the noise level is within that stipulated by the laws of Guyana. That was at 1:00 pm or 13:00 hours. At the time there were some four constables and a corporal present. On instructions, one of the constables was asked to take a statement from me. What was deemed a statement was taken from me on a scrap of paper and all that I was asked was my name, my address, my phone number and the location of the party venue. In fact, three of the constables knew exactly where and what I was complaining about. I was even told that I was not the first person to lodge a complaint of this noise nuisance.
About 7:00 pm when the music commenced, I called the station and enquired about whether the police advised the promoters and dee jay of the noise level which was permissible. I was told then that the patrol was out on urgent and more immediate business and that as soon as it returns, it would have visited the site. The noise continued. About 11.33 pm, with the music sounding even louder, I again called the station only to be told that the patrol vehicle broke down and no one from the station could get down to the area. The village of Support is situated approximately 10 miles from the Timehri station on the East Bank public road. The noise continued while my wife and I struggled to sleep. Not being to, I called back at 2.44 am and advised the station that the noise was continuing and we could not sleep. Then I was told by the person taking the call at the station that the matter would have been dealt with later in the morning. The party and loud music continued about 6 am after which my wife and I got some sleep. I have related this incident, not only to highlight the fact that in this case we were not protected and
served by the Guyana Police force, but that similar inaction might be responsible for the larger issue of lawlessness which has pervaded our country in recent times. One only has to venture onto the roads of Guyana to realise the anarchy that exists there. Some drivers believe that the roads allow for a free for all where traffic lights and driving lanes do not matter, where “undertaking” is the order of the day and where it is okay to bully those who try to observe the traffic code. Then there are other areas of near anarchy such as illegally constructing bars on the road shoulders as exists by the Soesdyke Highway junction, the noise nuisance created from the various music boxes competing for loudness and the traffic hazard caused at the weekend by patrons visiting these bars. What I’ve outlined above are small examples of the lawlessness which inaction by the authorities can cause. We have a way of suddenly waking up and taking action when something serious happens. For heaven and our sake, do something to curb all indiscretions before they become plague-like. Yours faithfully, Lancelot McCaskey
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND GBTI DEAR EDITOR, Corporate Governance refers to the system by which companies are directed and controlled (Cadbury, 1992) – that is, “the framework of rules, relationships, systems and processes within and by which authority is exercised and controlled in corporations.” Corporate governance influences how the objectives of the company are set and achieved and how risk is monitored and assessed, and how performance is optimized. More importantly, effective corporate governance relies to some extent on compliance with laws, but being fully compliant does not necessarily mean that a company has adopt sound corporate governance practices. Principles of Corporate Governance – published by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development: · Rights of shareholders: the corporate governance framework should protect shareholders and facilitate their rights in the company. Companies should generate investment returns for the risk capital put up by the shareholders. · Equitable treatment of shareholders: all shareholders should be treated equita-
bly (fairly), including those who constitute a minority, individuals and foreign shareholders. Shareholders should have redress when their rights are contravened or where an individual shareholder or group of shareholders is oppressed by the majority. · Stakeholders: the corporate governance framework should recognize the legal rights of stakeholders and facilitate cooperation with them in order to create wealth, employment and sustainable enterprises. · Disclosure and transparency: companies should make relevant, timely disclosures on matters affecting financial performance, management and ownership of the business. · Board of Directors: the Board of Directors should set the direction of the company and monitor management in order that the company will achieve its objectives. The corporate governance frameworks should underpin the board’s accountability to the company and its members. It is public knowledge that GBTI’s majority shareholder is the Beharry family, the owners of the Beharry Group of Companies thus qualifying them with controlling interest
in the bank vi z-a-viz – sitting on the Board of that institution. Citing data from the annual report of the bank, the Beharrys own 61% of GBTI’s shares which they acquired over the years. It should be noted as well that the bank has approximately 1800 shareholders which means that the remaining 39% minority shareholders are actually 1799 collectively – all of whom are at the mercy of a single group of shareholders who owned the majority shares. Against this background, in the interest of strict corporate governance principles, who really is representing the 39% (1799) minority shareholders of GBTI that actually far outnumbered the majority shareholders? If one were to examine the composition of the Board of Directors, one would observe that the bank, unfortunately, does not have an independent board, not even a semi-independent board. If you check the pages in the annual report, two of the directors are from the Beharry family, another is the CEO of an insurance company wholly owned by the Beharry family, the chairman is also closely affiliated to the Beharrys. Now, the Chairman, who
approves loans for the bank, is also the lawyer of the said institution and represents the bank in the court of law – that is conflict of interest. The Executive Director is also another employee of the Beharrys’ Group who is the Managing Director of the Guyana Americas Merchant Bank, which is one of their associate company. As far as the two other ‘so called’ independent directors are concerned, they are also ‘handpicked’ by the Beharrys such that, they were not appointed in a transparent and equitable manner through the AGM of the bank – which is how it is actually supposed to be since transparency is the corner stone of corporate governance. While these practices may not be illegal per se - arguably, they are certainly not ethical and in compliance with stringent corporate governance protocols. From looking at the Official Gazette published by the courts, the owner of DIDCO who previously owned the KFC franchise in Guyana and would have lost that franchise, is/was a customer of the bank. Any rational thinker who (Continued on page 5)
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Thursday June 21, 2018
VISITED BY THE GWI INEFFICIENCY Dear Editor, In the newspaper of 20th June, 2018 I see that GWI has been given the green light to increase its water rates. Everywhere around me I see it is just more of the same, moving forward to yesterday. Sometime in the latter half of July 2017, I was sitting at the table I have in my bottom house looking over some documents, when my gardener said that someone from GWI was there to check the water meter. And a young lady came into the yard to do so. I then called her over to speak to me and I showed her my bill from GWI and asked her why it is saying “do not pay” and what am I supposed to do with it? She took the bill and after close examination she was as mystified as I was, so she told me that she would check at the head office. She did, and called me the next day to tell me that I owed $57,000.00 and they are about to disconnect me, and that I should go into the office on Vlissingen road. When I did so they confirmed that I owed $57,000. I asked how it was that I could owe so much, when I kept getting bills telling me “do Not pay” and that the bill
was showing a +$6000 amount. After much checking and researching, they told me that the service had been disconnected in December 2016 and that after the outstanding amount was paid, it was reconnected but the records of GWI CONTINUED to show it as disconnected. So even though they kept reading the meter monthly and the amount of water usage on the meter was rising, they failed to discover the error and kept sending me bills saying, “do not pay”! Editor, that is a hell of a way to run a public utility. I told the young lady in the enquiry department at Vlissengen Road, that I don’t have that kind of money in Guyana at that time but that I have property in the US and that at month end I will see what I can do. She promised to hold the disconnection until then. On Saturday 28th July 2017, I travelled to the US on Jamaica Flight #OJ 262/270 and returned on August 10 on BW 527 I have the tickets as evidence. So in fact I was not here at the end of the month of July. On returning on the 10th of August 2017, I discovered
that the water was disconnected, so I went into GWI again, with the full $57,000, which remember that this huge amount [to be paid all at once] had escalated to that level through bad book keeping and careless at GWI for over a year. No one at GWI sought to ask why that was happening? What sort of systems do they have for these matters at that Utility? No wonder it is always in so much economic difficulties. A disconnected water meter cannot show increasing amounts being used. Nevertheless GWI kept sending me bills telling me “not to pay”! they said that not only will I have to pay the $57,000 but that I will have to pay the reconnection fee. I refused to pay a reconnection fee, since by paying I would be making myself pay to hide the incompetence of GWI. I asked to speak to supervisor at Vlissingen road and I told her that I am perfectly willing to pay the $57,000, that I had it on me at that time in cash, but I refuse to pay a reconnection fee! Since it was matter of principle, as all of this confusion was caused by GWI which was guilty of serious lapses
THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION REFUSES TO PAY DEAR EDITOR, I am the owner of Hyper Sounds Music system. I played, on September 8, 2017 for the Education Department for Literacy Road March. The said activity was from Jaigobin Tarmac in Henrietta to Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary Compound. For this activity I had to hire a lorry with a generator and my cost was $35,000. So far I am experiencing great embarrassment in my efforts to collect my money. On Monday, 19-12-2017, I visited the Education Office in Cotton Field., The Education officer informed me that the contract is missing and I will have to sign another one. I was assured that payment would be made before the end of 2017. No other contract was prepared for me to sign. After constant checking with the Education Department and the regional system I was given a royal run-around. On Monday February 12,
2018, I communicated with the Regional Chairman, Mr. D. Ramdatt who promised to follow up on this matter. However his efforts were to no avail.I checked with some finance officers in the region accounting system and they have told me my contract passed through the system and payment should have been made.Sir, it is very disconcerting that many who have played music after me, have been promptly paid. On the other hand I have experienced, to my mind deliberate attempts to deny me my payment. As an elected councilor of the Anna Regina Town Council and Cotton Field being part of my constituency I had a confrontation with the Regional Executive Officer,
Mr. Rupert Hopkinson on 11th November, 2017. He illegally by-passed the Town Council to put a construction on a piece of land. When I contacted him on site, he used some expletives; he said that the government has dictatorial powers and that he can do as he likes. I have the whole conversation on phone. The R.E.O was the last person to sign my contact. It is my firm belief that I am victimized. The ridicule in securing my money is a shame to the social cohesion that government is promoting. However at the end of the day I must be paid. I shall continue to vigorously pursue this matter. Sincerely Yours, HERMAN PERSAUD.
in record keeping performance. I had wasted several hours of my time to unravel the problem which was not my fault and indeed was entirely the fault of GWI, which was now asking me to pay for it. She refused to waive the reconnection fee, and I left. So on the 23rd of August 2017 I wrote to my friend Dr. Van West Charles who is the CEO of GWI. I told him that due to his being my friend I will not make a big issue of it, but if these people insist that I must pay a reconnection fee, when in doing so I would be obscuring the fact that this was entirely their fault and I had no intention of doing that, I will make life very uncomfortable for GWI. Two weeks later around 4th September I received a letter from Dr. Van West Charles informing me that there will be no reconnection fee, and that I should just pay the bill, I immediately paid $40,000 pending the reconnection and I left Guyana on September 11th, 2017 for the US. When I came back in October 2017 I was told that the (Continued on page 6)
The Private Sector Commission is politicised DEAR EDITOR, The main reason that the Giftland Group keeps its distance from the PSC, cocktail circles and other such organizations, is due to the heavy politicization of these Agencies to follow narrow political objectives and not for the broader good of its members. The PSC under Boyer has shown its colors royally; the Commission standing up for Movie Towne i s u n d e rstandable up to the point where our Commissioner of GRA spoke highlighting that fraud and breaches to the Laws of Guyana had transpired. At that time it needed solid thoughtful, independent, nonpartisan and intelligent leadership. Boyer failed miserably to properly analyze the situation and make responsible decision and actions. Instead of attacking me and defending Movie Towne, Boyer should have hit the pause button, listen and despite himself digest what our
Commissioner was saying, then come out and state categorically to let the Forensic Audit and investigations proceed. The Commission could have made a statement perhaps to the effect that the PSC would stand behind whatever is right and if these breaches occurred as described by the Commissioner then these were wrong and that the Giftland Group has proper cause for concern. Boyer’s has failed to understand that he represents a greater cross-section of the business society who are no longer cowed, intimidated , and who will not be forced to go along narrow political ends. The PCS General elections are due today. I await to see if he has the backing of his membership with his reckless assault on the Giftland Group. With Regards, Roy Beepat Chairman Giftland Group.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND ... From page 4 understands banking could therefore safely deduce with a very high degree of accuracy that the fact that thecontrolling/majority shareholders sit on the Board, are privy to all the internal information and business dealings of companies in this country and thus use it in their own private interest: thus, their acquisition of the KFC franchise in Guyana. These are practices that are not in keeping with the spirit of good corporate governance, especially for a major financial institution such as GBTI. Then, there was the Larry Nath debacle, given that this story was widely covered in our local press, it begs the question, why would the controlling shareholders of the bank want to b r i n g a d i s c r e d i t e d banker from another jurisdiction to head a major institution in Guyana?
As a matter of fact, there is an understanding and/or a speculation that Larry Nath is still running the bank behind the scene of things, as a consultant from Trinidad. Lastly, one has to ask the question why is it that almost every GBTI branch in this country, a branch of NAFICO/ NALICO has to be there? Is this not an abused practice by the majority shareholders? Editor, again, on behalf of the 39% minority shareholders which is some 1799 shareholders, t h e majority/controlling shareholders and the Board of Directors of GBTI need to be reminded and be cog-
nizant that GBTI is not a wholly owned - private family company, it is a publicly traded company on the local stock exchange and hence it is subject to public scrutiny in the interest of financial stability and integrity of the institution; accountability, transparency and everything else by any independent analyst and or commentators alike and especially other key stakeholders. Yours sincerely, Banking & Economic Analyst On behalf of the 39% minority shareholders of GBTI (Name & Address Supplied)
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PARADISE UNDER SIEGE FROM SCRAP METAL DEAR EDITOR, An appeal was made to President David Granger to help free our communities of Paradise /Bachelors Adventure and Melanie Damishana on the East Coast of Demerara. The Lands and Surveys Commission was invited to check on this indiscretion that is an affront to the Development of our communities.At Melanie Damishana the former Cinema Compound is over run with scrap metal which was encouraged by the previous administration. Likewise on Paradise Factory Road where the former rice mill was sited is now a huge dumpsite for scrap metal. This is ancestral land that must be returned to the people of these communities. It is reported that telephone cables are destroyed in this community to get the wires to be sold as scrap metal, bringing great discomfort to the GTT customers of the community. The Paradise Factory road is a mess with the trucks and large containers traversing the roadway to get to the site. The neighbourhood is complaining of an increase of rats in the communities due to this ever growing dumpsite. The Former President Forbes Burnham worked with the people to establish the Cin-
ema at Melanie Damishana and the Rice mill for the paddy produced by the Bachelor’s Adventure Paradise Cooperative Society. Today these sites no longer benefit residents. We call on the Government to bring an end to this state of affairs that undermines community development, the scrap metal dealers should be sanctioned to remove the scrap and cease bringing the garbage to our community. Our last activity was a cultural show with Natural Black at the Paradise dumpsite. These dealers are only concerned with filling their pockets, but damn the community.We call on the administration to put an end to dumping of scrap metal in the communities mentioned. The dream of Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham was to see the communities as cooperative villages with the Cooperative Bank, Post office, NIS office and a shopping plaza established at Melanie Damishana. The members of the Melanie Damishana Coop Society should all resign since they have authorized the dumping of this scrap metal for a few pieces of silver at the Melanie dumpsite, a shameful act. Yours Respectfully RAS Aaron Blackman.
COME GTT- DO MORE DEAR EDITOR, Please permit me a few lines in your newspapers to ask the Guyana Telephone Telegraph (GTT) to do more. Sir, I find it strange that the company has such a slogan, “GTT do More”. Firstly, I must commend the company and give to it, its “Petticoat”, because despite the many hiccups, the company continues to provide to the Guyanese people many services that are needed. However, on Wednesday, I visited GTT’s BlackBerry store to pay my telephone bill. I had to wait
about 15 minutes in a short line. While waiting I thought to myself, why not go browsing on the Internet, after all I am at “GTT” - “Do More”. It was then, that I realized that to gain access to a little WIFI for the while I would be in there, required passwords for the various accounts available. I find it a little strange that I am at GTT, a company that provides internet services and there is no free WIFI while I wait. I am not going to spend all day in the store, why can’t customers like myself, enjoy
at least 15 minutes of FREE WIFI? It is 2018. Oh, I do have my GTT DSL; don’t get me wrong. Dear GTT, please consider offering customers a little FREE WIFI while at your offices. After all, a little WIFI can go a far way. If I am selling Coconut biscuits, once you come to my store I will be sure to offer you a little sample of my biscuits while you browse, so please for a sample GTT. I know you can, “Do More”. I queried from the Sales Representative why such was the case and it came down to me needing to have a cell phone connected to your network. Again GTT, this is 2018. Regards, Handell Duncan
Thursday June 21, 2018
A PLEA FOR FINANCIAL HELP DEAR SIR, I am writing to you with a humble and desperate heart. I am 34 years old, a self-employed mother of two boys ages ten and six respectively. I reside at 2049 Festival City Exit, North Ruimveldt ,Georgetown. Over the past year, I have been suffering from severe headaches which have been rendering me incapacitated. I saw Dr. Afzal Mohamed who recommended that I do an MRI. After completion of the MRI, it was indicated that there is a mass on my pituitary gland. I was given painkillers to use. These helped for a short period of time but eventually the headaches became worse to the point of causing me to vomit constantly from the pain. I was referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Neurological Clinic where I saw some doctors there. They requested I have a few tests done. The tests requested were a hormone profile, a thyroid function test, and eye exam with a visual field test and a blood test. I was given a date to return. Before the clinic date, I became very immobile due to the pains I was having. I then
went to see Dr. Dukhi at Woodlands Hospital who wanted to admit me at the time saying after looking at the MR1 that I have a pituitary apoplexy. However I could not afford to be admitted. I then asked if I waited if he could treat me at GPHC. He gave me a referral to be present at the hospital for the Monday following. On the date I was present at GPHC from 6:15am; I eventually saw Dr. Dukhi around noon. After glancing through my results again, he dismissed me saying there wasn’t anything that could be done and that I have to wait to see the pituitary gland specialist who is scheduled to visit Guyana some time in May and that they would put my name down to see him. They identified him as Dr. Ivan Crandon. He also gave me steroids and more pain killers to last three days. These medications have diminished my functions as a mother and restrained me from being able to work since they made me very sick. However, the pains were persistent and I was advised to see a neurologist in Trinidad named Dr. Richard Spann, who is attached to the Community Hospital of Sev-
enth Day Adventist located on Western Main Road, Trinidad West Indies. I was able to schedule an appointment to see him based on the urgency of the medical records that I forwarded to him. He requested a repeat of the MRI, one of the brain and one of the neck. The results of the MR1 showed that I have a tumor on the pituitary gland that is pushing ag a i n s t t h e e y e nerves and also bleeding from within. He indicated that from the visual field tests done that my peripheral vision has already been hampered and if left this way I will eventually go blind. He said that I would require surgery to have the tumor removed in order to be pain free. He gave me a date for the surgery, 15th May 2018. However, it is very costly and I have since depleted my savings on the various doctor visits, along with everyday living expenses. As such, I am pleading for any kind of financial assistance on this matter. Angela Kanto. 684-3371 / 649 -6155 Editor’s note: Ms. Kanto needs $3.2 million
VISITED BY THE GWI INEFFICIENCY From page 5 water was still not connected, and I went into GWI and asked them if they were not going to honor Dr. Van West’s undertaking to me to reconnect with no reconnection fee as per his letter to me dated sometime early in September 2017? They asked me what letter? I asked if the department was not informed that Dr. Van West Charles had in-
structed, in a letter to me, that I would be reconnected at no charge? They told me that they were not informed about any letter so I went to Dr. Van West Charles’ office and asked his secretary for a copy of the letter, since I had received mine on one day and literally left for the US the next day and it was probably placed in the brief case I travelled with but I
could not find it. I also asked why a copy of Dr. Van West Charles’ letter was not sent to the Vlissingen road office as an instruction to reconnect my water supply. She informed me that she did not know, but she promised to look for the letter and give me a copy. I went there to the CEO’s office several times over the next few weeks and they could not locate that letter from the CEO of GWI to me. On the 14th June 2018 employees of GWI came to my gate, I was working at my computer in my underwear, so I could only just peep out the side of the door, and they told me that they were there to disconnect and remove all of the GWI pipes from the road to my house. I refused to open the gate since it was utterly ridiculous that they should now be removing a pipe about 6 ft long from the road where they have already disconnected the water supply to my house nearly a year before. It is why I am now making this a public protest about the dysfunction of GWI. These people are worse than GuySuCo. Yours faithfully, Tony Vieira.
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Thursday June 21, 2018
Schools’ Welfare Dept. launches database to track, assist at-risk children
T
he Ministry of E d u c a t i o n ’s Schools’ Welfare Department has launched a database to cater to the needs of children who have been affected or might be at risk of some social ills. According to information released by the Ministry, the system will see the use of standardized forms that will collect information on a range of social and welfare issues affecting children. The collected data will then allow the Schools’ Welfare Services to be better equipped. The database will collect information from the eleven educational districts through the assistance of school welfare officers. The system is set to improve communication between the Schools’ Welfare Services, Regional officers, and counsellors. At the launching of the database held at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), yesterday, Chief Education Officer (CEO), Marcel Hutson said the initiative will provide the Ministry with invaluable
information and statistics that will inform the crafting of policies to assist affected children. He noted that the database is a small step taken towards transforming the education system. He hailed the database launch as a timely one, since the role of the Schools’ Welfare Department is integral to the overall success of the MoE. Hutson further explained that the database will ensure that decisions taken are rooted in statistics and this will guarantee that the necessary psychosocial and other support is provided for children and their families by the relevant agencies. The CEO emphasized the necessity for support mechanisms to assist affected children in confronting social and other issues. Meanwhile, in her address to the gathering, Chief Schools’ Welfare Officer (CSWO) Ms Glenna Vyphius said that the initiative was birthed at a retreat held some time ago for welfare officers. The CSWO said that the database was developed through assistance and
A section of the gathering at the Schools’ Welfare database launch at NCERD yesterday technical support provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Vyphius noted that previously the work of the Schools’ Welfare Department was partially stymied owing to the lack of access to basic information. She said that the data is necessary for the correct support to be provided to at-
risk children. According to Vyphius, issues such as truancy, drug use, teenage pregnancy and absenteeism will be addressed with the realization of such a database. She said too that the information gathered will not only be used by the Education Ministry, but other agencies such as the
Ministries of Public Health and Social Protection. The latter can utilise the data to provide the necessary support and guidance to affected children. In her remarks, UNICEF’s Representative Michelle Rodrigues said that it is important that the data is collected properly. She believes that it will serve as
an agent for positive change. “Making use of the data and understanding it is very important,” Rodrigues emphasised. Further, Rodrigues said it is important for the Schools ‘Welfare Department to know what is happening and where it is happening, and what role that department can play in assisting affected children.
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PAHO begins debate on strategies, plans for improving the health of the Caribbean WASHINGTON (CMC) – The Executive Committee of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has begun its 162nd session at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) regional office for the Americas in order to discuss strategies and plans of action to improve the health of the Americas, including the Caribbean. Chaired by Panama, PAHO said the committee will meet until June 30 to discuss strategies and plans, developed in consultation with its Member States, which guide regional cooperation. “As we look towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda as well as our own Sustainable Health Agenda for the Americas, 2018-2030, there are some imperative priorities to be addressed in the next five years,” said PAHO’s Dominican-born director Carissa F. Etienne. PAHO said issues to be discussed during the Committee include: action plans to ensure the health of
women, children and adolescents; the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer; and the human resources required for universal health access and coverage. “We must collectively recommit ourselves to developing resilient health systems and ensure the delivery of quality, affordable and people-centered health care services,” said Etienne at the opening of the meeting. PAHO said the Committee will also address issues around entomology and vector control, and the strengthening of tobacco control measures in the Americas. “In spite of our current successes in the health area, we cannot fail to recognize that there are many persons who still cannot afford to pay for the medicines and treatments that they need,” Etienne said. “Our principal charge must be to help to significantly diminish these unmet needs.”Representatives from the nine Member States that compose the Executive Committee – Antigua and Barbuda; Argentina, Brazil,
Belize, Canada, Chile: Colombia; Panama and Peru – will also receive progress reports on issues including on road safety; the reduction in maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity; integrated child health; climate change; eHealth; bioethics; health and international relations. The deliberations of the Committee will determine the final agenda to be addressed during the 56th Directing Council, that will take place September 24-28 this year, PAHO said. The Executive Committee functions as a working group of the Pan American Sanitary Conference and the Directing Council of PAHO. It comprises nine Member States elected by the Pan American Sanitary Conference or the Directing Council of PAHO to serve for three-year periods. The Executive Committee meets twice a year or more frequently if there is a special request of the director of PAHO or at least three Member States.
Thursday June 21, 2018
Region 6 REO buckles under evidence of contract splitting
A
wider probe has been ordered after Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Kim Williams-Stephen was forced to admit that regional officials engaged in contract splitting when a purchase of $8.3M in surgical gloves was made. Regional tender boards can approve a contract limit up to $8M. Contract splitting, which is illegal, is one way that officials may seek to beat the system by breaking up a contract that exceeds $8M into several smaller contracts. When Williams-Stephen appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday, the REO sought to explain the purchase when questioned. She explained that the purchases which were done on the same day from one supplier were a result of different sizes. She stated that the purchases were for 7.0, 7.5 and 8.5 sizes of gloves. However, PAC Chairman, Irfaan Ali pointed her to a report she had submitted to the Auditor General’s office
…Regional Health Officer to be investigated
Region 6 RHO, Jevaughn Stephen which indicated that the region had bought 700 size 7 surgical gloves from the same supplier on multiple invoices. The REO then admitted that there was contract splitting, but pointed out that the information about the sizes was received from the regional tender board and the payment vouchers.
“You told us here in the PAC that you bought it on different invoices because it was different sizes. I just demonstrated to you that was not the case,” Ali stated. The REO responded, ‘I do agree with you”. “I don’t want you to agree with me. We cannot tolerate this type of behaviour. Not only is there no difference in size, but you ordered 700 on each occasion. I asked you earlier to be truthful to PAC. I gave you an opportunity because I have the document before me,” Ali stated. The REO shared with the PAC that the situation does not continue in the region, pointing out that the gloves were ordered during 2016 under the tenure of then REO, Dr. Veerasammy Ramayya. She shared that the Regional Health Officer, Jevaughn Stephen, remains on the job. “The PAC is asking the Financial Secretary to pursue this matter in relation to the Regional Health Officer who is still on the job and the necessary action to be taken in relation to this breach which occurred,” Ali requested. PAC Member, Juan Edghill, stated that there is need for a wider probe at the region to determine whether there were financial benefits for the regional officers involved in the process of contract splitting.
T
he Private Sector Commission (PSC) has failed since May 2015 to have any meaningful engagement with the APNU+AFC administration. The PSC has been generally ignored by the government. The government has frowned upon their concerns. The government has long viewed the business community as being pro-PPP. As such, it is not surprising that the government will likely ignore the latest request by the PSC for meeting to discuss what the PSC calls the “hostile” political environment. The source of this hostility, in the eyes of the PSC, is the ongoing back and forth tussle between the government and the PPPC. The PSC, however, put its foot in its mouth, when one of its top officials let the cat out of the bag by mentioning the disconcerting development of seeing former Ministers in chains. He was referring to the charges leveled against former Minister of Finance Ashni Singh and the former Head of NICIL, Winston Brassington. Coming from a PSC bigwig, this statement is only going to reinforce the view within the government that the PSC is concerned with defending the PPPC. The acrimonious political environment, however, goes beyond the dubious charges laid against Singh and
Brassington. The political environment has become toxic over a number of other issues, including the unilateral appointment of a Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission and the process which preceded that appointment. The PPPC, in response to the President’s unilateralism, has vowed a policy of noncooperation, but which excludes important national and constitutional matters. The PPPC launched a broadside against the President last November when he attended parliament. The Leader of the Opposition has also not consented to the President’s nominees for top judicial appointments, thereby creating another deadlock. At the moment, there is little or no political cooperation or consensus taking place. The one-seat government is behaving very arrogantly. In turn, the opposition is peeved at the irregular sittings of the National Assembly, saying that it holds up the business of the nation - a business, of course, with which it is not cooperating. The hostile political environment is bound to make a bad business climate worse. The majority of private sector businesses are taking a serious hit. Business is slow. It is only the Chinese stores which are doing well, and as most people know, the bulk of those profits will go
overseas. Right now, it is the Cubans who are responsible for rescuing the commercial sector. Through their purchases of clothing alone, the Cuban traders are investing more into the Guyanese economy than the sugar industry. If you do the math of the total number of Cubans coming to Guyana each week, and you multiply this by a reasonable average amount which each one of them spends, you will realize the extent to which the commercial sector is being kept afloat by Cuban purchases. This growth is not going to be sustained indefinitely. Caribbean countries, including Suriname, will realize the value of Cuban purchases in the Guyanese economy, and will attempt to woo the throng of Cuban shoppers to their countries. Guyana will then lose out and the economy will further dip. The political climate is also likely to impact on investment. Companies in the extractive sectors usually are not concerned about domestic political hostility. But a hostile political climate, especially in the context of possible election rigging in 2020, is likely to discourage all investors. It is obvious that the Chinese are withholding investments, waiting to see whether a government more favourable to their interests will emerge after 2020. The PSC therefore has an
DEM BOYS SEH
Don’t rush de local content legislation
Love all. Trust few, Everything’s real but not everyone is true. Soulja Bai got to realize this. ExxonMobil come to Guyana and smile wid Jagdeo. As soon as Jagdeo lose de elections dem run to Soulja Bai and hug him up. De hug up was real but Exxon wasn’t true. Soulja Bai is yet to recognize that Exxon still planning to get more than its due. Guyana trying fuh develop a local content policy fuh de last ten years. Dem hire a man from Trinidad because Trinidad had oil fuh more than 100 years. But this man give dem de worse draft that if Guyana accept it, no Guyanese gun wuk in de oil industry. Dem boys want to be-
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Thursday June 21, 2018
lieve that Exxon paying him because everything in de draft paper look like Exxon. One expert seh is stupid fuh Guyana, even thing to rush into wha de Trinidadian recommend. He seh Guyana already rush into de oil contract and got Exxon cutting and sharing Guyana cake. De man now begging Soulja Bai fuh tek he time wid this local content policy. At least Guyanese gun get li’l more crumbs from de oil industry. Dem boys seh this is not like de contract wha de Shaat Baccoo order Trotty fuh sign in 2016. When dem boys talk bout de contract Exxon does still get vex. Exxon like a man who does wear he cap and pull de peak
down in ee face and ee collar tun up. Is only thief man does do that. He don’t want people to recognize him and he don’t want he name call anywhere. Lang time Exxon woulda get away with all de scampishness dem do in odda countries. Wha thief man fail to realize these days, technology bring about sophisticated ways to skin up people. Dem got cameras; dem got video recorders. You can’t hide. Down to de hair on you hand does show on camera suh when you pull down de cap expose. Exxon like de ostrich wha got he head in de sand and he behind expose in de air. Talk half and don’t rush that local content paper.
interest to reduce political tensions. But the government remains suspicious of the PSC, seeing it as a PPPC outfit. The government is not worried about the decline in the commercial sector. The government’s economic strategy is called WOO – Wait on Oil! Negotiation is the way forward, but PSC has no influence to force the government to the negotiating table. Its leadership is much too weak. Unless the PSC can command the attention of the government in the same way
as the North Koreans did with the USA, there is little likelihood of the government responding favourably to the PSC’s request for a meeting. North Korea broke its diplomatic isolation with the West by forcing the Americans to negotiate. And it did this from a position of strength. North Korea had a trump card (no pun intended). It had nuclear capabilities. Had it not had this bargaining chip, it would not have been able to force the recent summit with its leader and President Donald Trump. The PSC therefore has to
stop its mendicant approach towards the government. It must ask itself what are its strengths, and how can it demonstrate to the government that it has to be taken seriously. Unless the PSC can develop a leadership capable to doing this, it will remain supplicant to the government.
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Thursday June 21, 2018
Kaieteur News
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
Here is a piece of Guyana for you As a human rights activist, I get countless emails, texts, telephone calls from complete strangers of which 98 percent are deleted. The volume is just too much. I erase them out of the fear that the phone and my mail box would get so clogged that I would be required to remove the data anyway. Most of the things I received over the past twelve years after the email system became popular here are people’s trials, tribulation, traumas and tragedies in
Guyana. This week I got an email that I just felt the need to publish. I replied, asking the sender to let me publish his name and his other details. I received verification of his existence then came the usual bizarre reply – “yes, you can go ahead, but please don’t publish my name.” If you know the details of some of these senders, you would definitely wish this world would rid itself of the nationality that goes under the name Guyanese. Some of these people
migrated a long time ago, live in Canada and the US where they have citizenship and good jobs and have no essential financial or sociological connections with Guyana, but would be afraid to be named. Many times their excuse is they have cousins or friends left in Guyana and those people could be victimized. This is sickening nonsense, since many of the things they write me on are not political criticism. If you email me from New
National Toshaos Conference begins July 16 The 12th annual National Toshaos Conference (NTC), which brings together toshaos and other leaders from Guyana’s 215 hinterland communities, will be held from July 16 -20. The conference at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC), Liliendaal, will allow the opportunity for toshaos, senior councillors and community development chairpersons to have engagements with the president and ministers, and officials from various government agencies. It is aimed at consolidating and expanding the national development and transformation processes to cater to the need of indigenous people. It will also ad-
dress issues such as land titles and demarcations, education, health, security and infrastructure. Prior to the holding of the conference, some 178 communities have already held village elections where new leaders were elected to serve their respective communities. A new Executive Committee of the NTC will also be elected. The process is usually conducted by the Guyana Elections Commissions (GECOM) to enable complete transparency. The electoral process will see the casting of ballots in every administrative region, since this allows for the selection of the executives,
based on a majority vote. From the twenty executives, a chairman, secretary and treasurer will be elected. Minister of Indigenous Peoples’Affairs, Sydney Allicock explained that “we are looking at a programme that is going to see the new executive coming in, but the old executive is going to transition slowly. Three days into the activities, they will have the nomination for the new executive, and then they (new executives) flow into their new office.” He said the idea is to give the sitting executives a proper “send-off” in recognition of their hard work and contributions over the past three years.
York to say when you were on holiday in Guyana, your cousin was driving, he went through the amber, the traffic rank demanded and received a bribe, then why are you afraid of telling us who you are? What are you afraid of? The Police Commissioner will order the airport to record your name and the next time you come to Guyana, you will be jailed? If you think so, you are an idiot who should never visit Guyana again. Many of the emails I get are like this. In the case of the email I am publishing, although the New Amsterdam hospital is responsible for the death of his father and they treated him badly when he took his sick father there, this gentleman emailed me to ask that I not name him because his parents’ home is near the grandparents’ house of an important Berbice health official. This is the reason why this gentleman does not want to be named. Here is the email he sent me, parts of which are deleted; “I was just reading your article, and I couldn’t agree with you more. I saw you mentioned your mom. I had firsthand experience of the medical incompetence in Guyana when my father took ill back
in March, when I visited (as I normally do for his birthday on March 21st).We arrived at the emergency facility at approximately 0600. The man was passing blood. They kept him waiting in the emergency unit for in excess of twelve hours. I spoke to four different doctors whilst waiting for my father to be admitted, and I kept telling them to refer to his record. At approximately 4PM, they asked me to (they couldn’t find a porter) take him to radiology for an x-ray. Look I don’t want to bore you, but my father passed away the following night without receiving any proper treatment. My father was taken to the emergency unit at 6AM, he was admitted at approximately 6.15 PM, and do you know some idiot came to me at about 16:45 PM (don’t know whether he was a nurse or doctor) to tell me to kindly take off my hat? I hit the roof. Oh, I almost forgot. Me and my father shared a joint checking account at Republic Bank; do you know how many documents they gave me to complete and notarize here in the US? They
Frederick Kissoon even want a letter from my job, as well as my credit report? They even asked for me to submit a notarized copy of my US checking account among other things? Ridiculous!” What do readers think of this email? I have received many more heart-breaking ones like this about what a broken down, wasteland this country has become. I will from time to time publish these things once I verify the sender is a real person. The reason why I chose this one is to let readers know that I believe not one doctor gets sanctioned with de-registration because of their neglect of patients who die. Why? Who cares about poor people dying at State-run hospitals? The world knows life is very, very cheap in Guyana.
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Thursday June 21, 2018
Lindo Creek victims remembered
Chairman of the Inquiry Commission, Justice (ret’d) Donald Trotman and staffers at the ceremony yesterday. A sombre atmosphere enveloped the Brickdam Cathedral yesterday when close relatives and friends converged to share memories of the eight men who lost their lives in the tragic Lindo Creek massacre ten years ago. The men - Bonny Harry, Horace Drakes, Dax Arokium, Cecil Arokium, Nigel Torres, Clifton Wong, Lancelot Lee and Compton Spiers - were killed, then burnt at a mining camp at Lindo Creek, upper Berbice River on or about June 21, 2008. While few families had held individual memorial services days after the deaths, the service yesterday was the first to be held where all family members would join together to mourn the deaths of the men.The incident was described as a stain on Guyana’s history, with the Coalition Government ordering an inquiry, 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.
Candles were lit for the eight men.
Mobile pumps for the city by year-end
G
eorgetown will have three mobile pumps by December, just in time for the next rainy season. In a recent interview with the Department of Public Information, Chief Executive Officer of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Frederick Flatts said the pumps are among a larger package being
funded under an Indian government line of credit. “The whole package is US$4M. That’s for the pumps. The mobile pumps will be used in Georgetown to help relieve flooding.” Further, Flatts said that the acquisition of the pumps is awaiting the goahead from the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, in
keeping with the procurement legislation “As soon as we have that approval we will go ahead and hire a supplier for the pumps.” Since coming to office in May 2015, the current administration has implemented several major projects to clear and desilt drainage canals in and around Georgetown.
Regional radio stations contributed to more democratic village elections
T
he newly established radio stations played an important role in broad casting information about candidates and the results of the recently held 178 village elections. This was particularly effective during the campaign process and when the announcement of results were made on the community radio stations in Mabaruma, Bartica, Mahdia, Paiwomak, Lethem, Aishlaton and Orealla. Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo noted that the stations played an important role in the elections in the indigenous villages, and
Families and friends at the memorial service yesterday.
- PM Nagamootoo would have served and continue to serve communities. The Prime Minister also stated that the radio stations “reflect the pride, culture and way of life of the communities they represent and transmit to.” Village council elections were held from May 15 to June 15. Those persons elected will now represent the 215 villages at the upcoming National Toshaos Councils (NTC) conference to be held from July 16 to 20.
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Kaieteur News
GECOM Chairman says hiring system has been used for decades - IAC calls for Commission of Inquiry Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice James Patterson (ret’d) says that the system used for the hiring of staff at the entity has been in place for decades. However, the Indian Action Committee (IAC) yesterday called on President David Granger to launch an immediate investigation, primarily through a Commission of Inquiry (COI). “In the interest of national harmony and confidence in the electoral process, the IAC urges the Head of State, David Granger, to not delay the commissioning of an independent COI into the employment practice at GECOM,” the IAC stated. In recent weeks, there has been fierce public debate over the process that led to Vishnu Persaud, the highest-ranked candidate at the evaluation stage, being turned down for the post of Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO). “This is the system that was in place for decades. I challenge anyone to dispute my claim that GECOM is the best run bureaucracy in Guyana,” Patterson stated in a letter published by Kaieteur News. In the case of the DCEO position, the seven-member commission was split along political lines 3-3, until Patterson used his casting vote in favour of Roxanne
Meyers, who had the support of the Government Commissioners. Persaud had secured the votes of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). “The COI, through its findings, must also thoroughly explain why Mr. Vishnu Persaud, who reportedly scored the highest in the evaluation process, and who has some three years on the job experience, was deliberately overlooked for the position of DCEO, which he held, by someone who scored lower and believably has no related job experience,” the IAC noted.
policy concerns were not about race, but fairness. Patterson has stated that he agrees with the position taken by Jagdeo. “No, I am not accusing the Leader of larceny of my idea but rather I do applaud him for having the courage and indeed, gonads, to enunciate a principled position,” Patterson stated. COI NEEDED The IAC is of the firm belief that given what has
been made public regarding the issue and the uncertainty which continues to prevail over what is factual, the circumstances demand that level of intervention. Further, the IAC noted that it becomes compelling, given the national sensitivities involved and the impact it could have on the credibility of GECOM and the national election machinery. The focus, according to the organisation, must be on the revelation of facts about whether the integrity of the
process has been deliberately compromised to give an unfair advantage to those perceived to be in allegiance with the government, as alleged. The IAC said it is also mindful of information in the public domain which alleges the composition of the senior staff at GECOM reflecting only one ethnic group, and an allegation that applicants of Indo-Guyanese extraction were deliberately scored low in the evaluation process.
Shooting death of woman by ex-GDF Captain...
PI to start next Tuesday
LEGAL OFFICER
James Patterson
While there is a view that the DCEO’s hiring may be linked to race, GECOM Commissioner, Vincent Alexander, has stated that this was not the first time that Patterson had used his casting vote against a topranked candidate. He stated that a few weeks ago, the position of Legal Officer engaged the Commission. According to Alexander, there was a hung decision of the interviewing panel, which resulted in the matter being determined by the full Commission. Alexander noted that in that instance, the Chairman‘s decisive vote coincided with the votes of the PPP, and the candidate with the highest
score was not offered the job. According to Alexander, the affected candidate was an Afro-Guyanese. In that instance, the PPP did not publicly object. The person who was hired for the job of Legal Officer was identified as Excellence Dazzell Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has walked away from some of his party’s utterances that the Persaud issue was linked to his ethnicity and the fact that an Afro-Guyanese was selected over an IndoGuyanese who had more experience, having served previously as the DCEO. In response to questions from Kaieteur News, Jagdeo said that the GECOM hiring
The Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder of Travel Agent, Reona Payne, who was allegedly shot dead by Orwain Sandy, a former Captain in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), will commence next week Tuesday. Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman told the court that the hearing of the PI will begin on that day. The killing occurred on March 31, last, at Alexander Village, Georgetown. Payne, who reportedly sustained 14 gunshot wounds about her body, died on the spot. Sandy surrendered at the Ruimveldt Police Station immediately after the shooting. Just recently, Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves presented the court with a psychiatrist report on Sandy. That medical report was prepared by Government Psychiatrist, Dr. Bhiro Harry, who examined Sandy and deemed him competent to stand trial for the capital offence. Lawyer for Sandy, James
Charged Orwain Sandy Bond ,was granted permission by the court to seek assistance from an overseas-based psychiatrist. The findings of Dr. Harry’s report have since been sent to that psychiatrist. According to Bond, the overseas-based doctor will be
called as a witness for his client, when he (Bond) is called upon by the court to lead a defence on the matter. Based on reports, Sandy, who was the Aide-de-Camp to the Chief-of-Staff and has since been interdicted from duty, surrendered to lawmen shortly after he allegedly shot Payne several times. It was reported that Sandy and Payne were seated in a car when the two got into a heated argument. Sandy allegedly shot the woman several times about her body, killing her instantly. He then drove himself to the station where he reportedly told the police what had transpired. He also handed in his weapon and was placed in custody. Payne, who was a mother of three, and Sandy were not married, but were living together for about three years. The two had launched a business, Prestige Taxi Service, at the recently concluded Wedding Exposition.
Thursday June 21, 2018
Kaieteur News
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Thursday June 21, 2018
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Covent Garden Secondary retains JOF Haynes Regional debating title For a second consecutive year, Covent Garden Secondary School has captured the Region Four JOF Haynes Debating Competition title. They secured the title by defeating Bladen Hall Multilateral. Covent Garden Secondary, the national defending champions, expressed happiness at being able to retain their Region Four title, while declaring that they were prepared to defend the national title they won last year. At the regional finals held in the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Region Four Boardroom, Covent Garden chalked up 246 points to Bladen Hall’s 205. The moot in the finals was, “The current level of taxation among the working class in Guyana is stifling individual financial independence.” The moot was proposed by Bladen Hall and opposed by Covent Garden.
Jessica Jagdeo, the second speaker on the Covent Garden Secondary team, copped the Best Speaker award. It is the first time in a number of years that a school within Region Four was able to successfully defend their title. The competition, which is an initiative of the Ministry of Education, saw some sixteen schools within Region Four starting off on April 25. Regional Education Officer (ag) Ms Tiffany Favourite-Harvey, told students that a perfect platform in developing their ability to speak effectively and efficiently is through debating. This, she noted, will help in cultivating excellent skills. “I would like to congratulate you all, as today, one of the two finalists will represent us in the national finals. However, let me remind you all that
you represented us very well in the regional competition,” Harvey told the competitors. She reminded them that sharpening their public speaking skills is pivotally important in bringing about holistic development among their peers. She also reminded them that being able to effectively speak will certainly boost their self-confidence, while enhancing their opportunities. “Being good public speakers is critically important towards your holistic success, and through competitions like these, you are enhancing and further promoting your participation, which will certainly boost your selfconfidence.” She reminded the students that the Department of Education, Region Four, stands committed and dedicated to ensuring that an avenue is created for students to enhance and further de-
(From left) Anzale Gonsalves, Jessica Jagdeo and Kenasha Dey of Covent Garden Secondary were declared winners of the 2018 Region Four JOF Haynes Debating Competition velop their speaking ability. “This competition has helped in creating opportunities for several students to develop their public speaking ability and with the response that I have seen thus far to the competition, I remain confident that like the other students who have benefited you here are going to continue benefiting,” Harvey added.
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Meanwhile, the Primary Education Officer also offered words of encouragement to the winning school, while urging the students to set their eyes on returning to the region with the coveted title. Covent Garden won the national title last year and Head Mistress Ms Jean Skeete who witnessed the regional final, said that she and the students are happy that they
would be defending their national title. She said that like the regional title, they have put a system in place aimed at ensuring that they can have a successful defence. “We are very confident of regaining the national title and I am excited that we won the regional title so as to defend the national title,” she said. Teacher at Bladen Hall Multilateral, Mrs. Termati Ramcharitar-Manohar congratulated Covent Garden Secondary and said that while she is disappointed that her school lost, she is confident that the region has an excellent representative in Covent Garden Secondary. Covent Garden was represented by Anzale Gonsalves, Jessica Jagdeo and Kenasha Dey while Bladen Hall was represented by Abosede Osunbiji, Angelina Khanai and Mala Persaud.
Thursday June 21, 2018
Guyana attends lymphatic filariasis meeting in India
Union Health Minister JP Nadda with Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings Guyana wants increasing collaboration with its global partners in vector bionomics research, vector control strategies, and acceptability of the mass drug administration (MDA) exercise, Minister within the Ministry of Public Health Dr Karen Cummings told the just-concluded 10th meeting of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GAELF) in New Delhi, India. “It is important to note that the Government of Guyana sees the elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a national, regional and global priority and pledges its continued support to the successful implementation of this exercise,” Cummings told the GAELF forum. Cummings emphasized that “Guyana is interested in continuing to work with partners at the regional and international levels to gain further support as it strives to achieve elimination of lymphatic filariasis. Areas for collaboration
include research on vector bionomics, vector control strategies, as well as acceptability of the mass drug administration exercise,” Minister Cummings further stated. The three-day meeting was held under the theme ‘Celebrating progress towards elimination: Voices from the field on overcoming programme challenges’ and Director of Vector Control Services, Dr Horace Cox and National Supervisor for the Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Campaign in Guyana, Dr. Allena Hercules, also represented Guyana. Cummings was among several high-level officials who spoke during the opening ceremony and she highlighted Guyana’s progress in the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis and the country’s commitment to helping eliminate the disease as a global health problem by 2020 Dr. Cox in his presentation outlined the challenges (Continued on page
Gym instructor charged for stabbing sister An instructor attached to the Buddy’s Gym was yesterday charged and released on $50,000 bail for allegedly stabbing his sister. Thirty-two-year-old Darius Ramsammy of Castello Housing Scheme, Georgetown appeared before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The allegation against Ramsammy is that on June 16, at Castello Housing Scheme, he unlawfully and malic i o u s l y wounded Danatta Bobb. He denied the charge after it was read to him by the Magistrate. Ramsammy was represented by Attorney-atLaw Everton Lammy-Singh, who asked that his client be released on his own recognizance (self bail). The lawyer told the court that on the day in question, his client and his sister had a disagreement and he acted in self-defence.
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Charged Darius Ramsammy Police Prosecutor Simone Payne had no objections to bail being granted to the defendant. No facts of the matter were disclosed. The Magistrate after listening to the prosecutor granted the defendant bail to the tune of $50,000. He was instructed to make his next court appearance on July 18.
Former GDF Officer Oliver Hinckson dies Former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) officer and treason accused Oliver Hinckson died yesterday after a prolonged period of illness. He was 74. Hinckson, a Sandhurst-trained soldier, became a household name in the seventies, when, as a GDF Lieutenant, he made a dramatic leap from the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and escaped in a vehicle. He had been charged with larceny. He remained at large for several years. Wanted bulle-
tins for Hinckson were posted at several ports around the country. He eventually surrendered but was only briefly incarcerated. He authored the still in-print novel “The Enemy Within.” Hinckson would again make the news during the ‘crime wave’ period. His home was searched for firearms, and he was charged, under the PPP administration, with advocating a terrorist act, possession of arms and ammunition, and sedition. He was remanded, but freed in 2009.
Oliver Hinckson
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Police offer to pay speeding ticket for driver of snake bite victim A few weeks after a miner reportedly had a harrowing experience trying to rescue a female friend bitten by a deadly snake in the hinterland, he says that police have offered to deal with the speeding ticket. The case, reported last week, angered many, including senior officials of the Guyana Police Force. Yesterday, the Barticabased businessman, Kevin Rodrigues, disclosed that following the story over the weekend by Kaieteur News, which picked it up from a foreign news website, he received a phone call from a senior official of the police’s Traffic Headquarters, Eve Leary. The policeman told him don’t bother, they will deal with the ticket. Rodrigues reported that he was stopped by police ranks in Linden who told him he was speeding. When he told them he had a snake bite victim in the vehicle who had to get to a hospital and that was the reason he was speeding, the police ranks reportedly remained unconvinced and threatened to fine him also for the mud on his vehicle. The businessman received a ticket in the end. According to Rodrigues, he came forward about the incident to bring awareness to some of the issues that drivers face. He expressed appreciation to the police force for its handling of the matter this week. The man had misplaced his ticket; however, it appeared that police force
The snake bite victim receiving medical attention.
Kevin Rodrigues with his friend, Lizzie, whom he helped save… but not without some troubles. was convinced that his story is true. According to the story, first reported by the Daily Mail, Rodrigues and his friends, Lizzy and Nikhel, were hunting in isolated jungle and left camp late at night to check on their boat. Suddenly, Lizzy, 19, felt something bite her leg and Rodrigues turned his torch on the undergrowth to reveal a deadly labaria snake. “I knew instantly she had very little time to live and we had to get the poison out of her and get her to hospital,” he told MailOnline. Rodrigues and Nikhel dragged her to the fourwheel drive vehicle, and after pulling a zip-tie
around her leg, cut open the area around the bite and massaged out the ‘bad blood’. Rodrigues then sped to the nearest medical centre about an hour away in Mabura Hill, but was turned away, there because the guard didn’t want to wake the nurses. Yesterday, Rodrigues acknowledged that this had made him upset too. After having no luck in the next settlement, they drove five hours through the jungle to a hospital in Linden. “I’m racing through the horrible roads to get her out and all she’s doing is crying and screaming so it’s making me nervous and I’m just praying to get her out,” Rodrigues said.
Doctors in Linden gave Lizzy first aid but did not have the right anti-venom
to properly treat the deadly snakebite. The trio got back in the
car and rushed towards Georgetown, but were pulled over by police when speeding around a bend. “I explained to the officer what happened and that she needs the antivenom; he then said, “that’s not my problem and no excuse to break the law”,” Rodrigues said. He said the officer refused to let them go while Lizzy lay dying in the back seat, and threatened to search the jeep and look for extra things to fine him for. The group eventually made it to Georgetown and doctors managed to save Lizzy’s life with anti-venom and she is now on the mend. Rodrigues said they told him she would have died if they hadn’t cut open the bite area and then rushed her to hospital. He was due to pay the fine in court yesterday.
Police constable testifies in Kescia Branche murder PI The Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder of seco n d a r y s c h o o l t e a c h e r, Kescia Branche continued yesterday, before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Forty-seven-year-old Matthew Munroe, a taxi driver, of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, was not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleged that on November 7, last, at Georgetown, he murdered Branche. When the PI continued y e s t e r d a y, P o l i c e C o n stable Randy Fraser took to the witness box, from where he detailed his role in the investigations. Fraser told the court that he is presently attached to Impact Base at the Brickdam Police Station. At the conclusion of his evidence, he was subjected to cross examination by Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes, who is representing the murder accused. Branche, a mother of one, who resided in
Charged: Matthew Munroe
Dead: Kescia Branche
Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown, was last seen on November 4, 2017, when she left for a night out with friends. According to information, Munroe was detained after returning from an overseas vacation. He reportedly travelled on vacation to the US, around the same time that Branche was found unconscious at Louisa Row, in close proximity to
Memorial Gardens. The battered body of the 22-year-old woman was found unconscious alongside the road and was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital. She succumbed there without regaining consciousness. Police impounded Munroe’s vehicle, which had sustained damage, and h a d a m i s s i n g b u m p e r. Munroe reportedly told police that he had driven into a pothole somewhere along the East Coast Demerara. He however was reportedly unable to show police the location. According to reports, B r a n c h e ’s i n j u r i e s a p peared to be consistent with those inflicted by the impact of a vehicle. A post mortem revealed that she s u c cumbed to brain haemorrhage, caused by blunt trauma to the head.
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Thursday June 21, 2018
Lindo Creek victims remembered
Chairman of the Inquiry Commission, Justice (ret’d) Donald Trotman and staffers at the ceremony yesterday. A sombre atmosphere enveloped the Brickdam Cathedral yesterday when close relatives and friends converged to share memories of the eight men who lost their lives in the tragic Lindo Creek massacre ten years ago. The men - Bonny Harry, Horace Drakes, Dax Arokium, Cecil Arokium, Nigel Torres, Clifton Wong, Lancelot Lee and Compton Spiers - were killed, then burnt at a mining camp at Lindo Creek, upper Berbice River on or about June 21, 2008. While few families had held individual memorial services days after the deaths, the service yesterday was the first to be held where all family members would join together to mourn the deaths of the men.The incident was described as a stain on Guyana’s history, with the Coalition Government ordering an inquiry, 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.
Candles were lit for the eight men.
Mobile pumps for the city by year-end
G
eorgetown will have three mobile pumps by December, just in time for the next rainy season. In a recent interview with the Department of Public Information, Chief Executive Officer of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Frederick Flatts said the pumps are among a larger package being funded under an Indian government line of credit. “The whole package is
US$4M. That’s for the pumps. The mobile pumps will be used in Georgetown to help relieve flooding.” Further, Flatts said that the acquisition of the pumps is awaiting the go-ahead from the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, in keeping with the procurement legislation “As soon as we have that approval we will go ahead and hire a supplier for the pumps.” Since coming to office in
Families and friends at the memorial service yesterday.
May 2015, the current administration has implemented several major projects to clear and desilt drainage canals in and around Georgetown.
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Kaieteur News
Stafrei Alexander faces second trial for attempted murder
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Murder accused Stafrei Alexander will, next Monday, go on trial again for allegedly shooting his fellow Laing Avenue, Georgetown resident, Curtis Thom. Alexander, who was among the inmates that broke out of the Camp Street prison last year, will stand before Justice Sandil Kissoon and a 12-member mixed jury at the High Court in Georgetown. Particulars of the charge against Alexander allege that on March 23, 2015 in the county of Demerara, he discharged a loaded firearm at Thom with intent to commit murder. This is the second time Alexander is being tried for the offence. His first trial before Justice Brassington Reynolds in October, last year ended in a hung jury. In other words, the jury was unable to arrive at a verdict. At the end of that trial, the proportion of the verdict was nine guilty to three not guilty. However, the trial judge later discovered that one of the jurors was under the age of 18. That underage juror was duly discharged and the remaining 11 deliberated and found Alexander guilty by a 9-2 proportion. Justice Reynolds accepted that he had inaccurately formed the opinion that a verdict of such proportion could be accepted by the court. The judge had revealed that he was guided by certain sections of the law. Justice Reynolds had noted then that because the panel was 11 and not 12 jurors, the Court could only accept a verdict in p r o p o r t i o n 1 0 -1 as a majority. Hence, the trial Judge discharged the panel after ruling that the trial ended in a hung jury. Thereafter the judge ordered a re-retrial for Alexander. Defence Counsel Stanley Moore and the team of lawyers representing the State, agreed with the decision taken by the Court. Given the ruling, Alexander was remanded to prison to await his trial at another possible sitt i n g o f t h e assizes. When Alexander was brought to court yesterday, he once again pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Stafrei Alexander The prosecution is contending that Alexander and Thom are known to each other since they resided a few houses from each other in Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown. It was pointed out that the two were never friends. According to the prosecution, on the day in question Thom held a christening at his residence to welcome his baby daughter. When the event ended and the guests left in the wee hours of the following morning, Thom went to the back of the property to clean up and feed his dogs. According to the prosecution, Alexander walked past Thom and grumbled something which Thom did not hear. But as Thom was entering his house in a backwardmoving position, he saw Alexander standing next to him holding what appeared to be a ‘shine gun’. The prosecution further contended that when Alexander shot Thom twice, he collapsed to the ground and began bleeding. The injured man underwent surgery and was hospitalized for some seven weeks. Thom, it was stated, was able to see his shooter with the aid of lights attached to his home and surrounding buildings, but according to the prosecution, there is no eyewitness to the shooting nor was the gun used to shoot Thom recovered. State Counsel Lisa Cave and Orinthia Schmidt are appearing for the prosecution in the re-trial.
Thursday June 21, 2018
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CCJ orders prescriptive title to Barbados PM wants to deepen family involved in land dispute ‘cooperation with sub-regional group Guyanese The Caribbean Court of mained on the land until it that reason she should not CASTRIES, St. Lucia (CMC) – The Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley, has signaled her intention to deepen political and economic cooperation with the nine nation Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). In her first address outside of Barbados since assuming office, Mottley told representatives of the 65th Meeting of the OECS Authority which began its working session here Tuesday, that her administration wanted mutually beneficial solutions to critical issues such as climate change, freedom of movement and transportation challenges. She told the gathering which included leaders of all nine member OECS states, with the exception of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, who was expected later Tuesday, of the need to resolve climate change issues, pointing to the influx of sargassum seaweed as an opportunity for economic benefit, rather than treating it as a problem that affects our coast and tourism industry. “We have had to confront it as you do across the rest of the region, but we believe that our best efforts are when they are cooperative, and to that extent our ability to harvest the sargassum weed collectively and maximize whatever economic benefits we can get from it rather than treat it as a nuisance that affects our coasts and tourism industry, is the way in which we would like to pursue discussions.” She said that freedom of movement was another pressing concern, and finding a way forward for the regional airline LIAT. She said from her country’s perspective, one of the troubling concerns was the inability of persons who were in-transit in Barbados for more than two hours, to clear immigration. “It makes no sense, because it hurts the extent to which those who visit our shores are capable of contributing to our economic
activity in our country. “To that extent prior to traveling here, I have asked what are the legal obstacles preventing the movement of people who are in-transit within our air and sea ports, who are being precluded from leaving the ports, but I am yet to receive an answer that makes sense,” she told the leaders. “If you are at a point of entry for 6 or 8 hours there is no reason to be treated as a prisoner of war within the precincts of our region,” Motley insisted. On the issue of inter-island transportation the Barbados leader said she looks forward to engaging with the OECS leaders,” and particularly fellow shareholders and soon to be other shareholders in the context of regional carrier, LIAT.” She however noted that she would do so, cognizant of the fact that modalities that were relevant decades ago cannot continue to be relevant as countries enter the third decade of the 21st Century. Motley suggested that a review of government structures was absolutely critical if the region is to ensure the viability of an airline that serves as the lifeblood of this region. “Similarly it is time that we stopped just talking about inter-island ferry transportation and get on with establishing this vital service. “I am aware that unless we get to the stage where we can facilitate the movement of not just people, but vehicles and cargo we will not reap the full benefit of the space we have the honour to occupy.” She explained to facilitate such an undertaking when it comes there needed to be mutual recognition of insuranc e , l i censes, and the equal ability for the region to see how far it is prepared to go for mutual recognition of domestic incorporation, “so as we don’t impose on citizens
the additional cost and time of having to go t h r o u g h t h e s e exercises again, simply to facilitate free movement across the region.” Meanwhile, Mottley and the heads of Governments of the OECS were also meeting Tuesday in caucus for dialogue on better ways of collaboration between Barbados and the OECS. The agenda for the 65th Meeting includes critical areas related to climate change among them the problem of sargassum where the OECS hopes to initiate a regional approach. “We are going to be discussing ways in which the member states can work effectively together to do clean-ups of the beaches and areas affected by sargassum but more importantly how do we turn this problem into an opportunity,” said OECS Director General Dr. Didacus Jules told journalists Monday. He said building resilience in the Caribbean is also high on the agenda in terms of, not just infrastructure but economic, social and community resilience. A presentation is expected by the Caribbean Climate Smart Accelerator Group which has been assisting the Caribbean in becoming the first climate smart region. During the OECS meeting, the work programme of the OECS will also be under review. St. Lucia’s Prime Minister Allan Chastanet will hand over to incoming chairman, Prime Minister of S a i n t Vi n c e n t a n d t h e G r e n a d i n e s , D r. R a l p h Gonsalves. The OECS is made up of seven full Member States, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts Nevis, St Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines; and three Associate Member States: the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and Martinique, all of whom are expected to be represented at the summit.
Guyana attends lymphatic... From page 19 and the respective solutions that Guyana undertook to achieve its first successful Mass Drug Administration (MDA) in 2017. Some of the solutions, Cox said, included use of the Tool for Integrated Planning and Costing (TIPAC); introduction of micro-planning at the level of health centres; and
implementation of new service delivery strategies. Participants at the 10th GAELF were also involved in various working group sessions which covered, inter alia, aspects of lymphatic filariasis elimination such as, best practices in MDA; Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E); Morbidity Management; and Disability Prevention.
Future focus on lymphatic filariasis elimination in Guyana will target ending the spread of infection through large-scale annual treatment vulnerable groups in the 10 Administrative Regions and alleviating the suffering caused by lymphatic filariasis by providing patients with the recommended basic package of care.
Justice (CCJ) has ordered that Rajpattie Thakur in her capacity as the executrix of the will of her mother, Dolarie Thakur, be declared the rightful owner of land at Plantation Mon Desir, Canal No. 2 West Bank Demerara, (WBD). The disputed land had been used as a farm by the family for over 40 years. B i s s o o n T h a k u r, t h e a p p e l l a n t ’s f a t h e r, a n d Dolarie Thakur’s husband, went into occupation of the land in the 1970’s, with the permission of the owner of the land, Prince Maison. Thakur planted various crops without interruption until 1982. In that year, the land was sold to another man, Basil Basdeo, due to non-payment of rates and taxes. Basdeo later obtained a transport in 1982, which is a document under Guyanese law which transfers the ownership of the land. He later discovered the Thakurs’ occupation of the land, and threatened the family with legal action to remove them from the land. Thakur ignored the threat, but sought assistance from local bodies and Prince Maison to remain on the land. Basdeo’s threat to sue never materialized and Mr. Thakur, and his family, re-
was sold to the respondent, Deodat Ori in 1997. When Mr. Ori visited the land later that year, he f o u n d t h e a p p e l l a n t ’s brother, Jaipaul, on the land and asked him to vacate the land then, and again in September 1997. Two High Court actions were then instituted: including one by Basdeo and Ori over trespassing on the land. The second High Court action was filed by the appellant and Jaipaul Thakur, where they sought a declaration that they were legally entitled to farm the land. They also filed a petition for prescriptive title in 2002, which allows people to apply for a title for land under stated conditions, though this was later withdrawn. At the Commissioner of Title proceeding in Guyana, it was noted Dolarie Thahkur had continued possession of the land after her husband’s death in 1991 until her own death in 2003 which would meet the required period for a prescriptive title. However, the Court of Appeal in Guyana disagreed with that decision that the court felt that there were false s t atements and non-disclosures of facts by Rajpattie Thakur, and for
have won the case. On this issue, the CCJ, after a close examination of the record, disagreed with the Court of Appeal. The Court th e n c o n sidered whether Thakur was able to establish that her father and her mother had occupied the land from 1984 until their respective deaths and found that there “was more than enough evidence on record to support factual possession of the land at all material times”, in addition to an intention to hold the land as owner. The order of the Court of Appeal was set aside and the order of the Commissioner of Title dated 14 July 2008, granting a declaration of title for the lan d i n d i s pute to Ms. Thakur, was reinstated. The CCJ also awarded basic costs for two attorneys to the Appellant. The app l i c a t i o n s were determined by CCJ Justices Jacob Wi t , David Hayton, Winston Anders o n, Denys Barrow and Maureen Rajnauth-Lee. Ms. Rajpattie Thakur was represented by Roopnarine Satram, Chandrapratesh Satram and Mr. Visal Satram while Mohabir Anil Nandlall and Manoj Narayan represented Mr. Ori.
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Gabriel’s historic performance pushes Guyana CBC men’s team selected... the game plan”, the coach edge over Crandon”, HerFrom page 35 him to 12th in ICC Test rankings out all that he has, and as a stressed on the importance of cules revealed. LONDON, CMC – Shannon Gabriel’s historic wicket-taking performance has propelled him to number 12 in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings. The burly West Indies fast bowler ended with the astounding match figures of 13 for 121 in the drawn second Test match between West Indies and Sri Lanka which ended on Monday at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia. It was the third-best bowling figures by a West Indian bowler and best by any fast bowler in international cricket in 17 years. Following his performance, Gabriel reached 754 rating points, surpassing his previous best of 636 points which was good enough for 18th last August. It launched him 11 places in the latest rankings, moving him up from 23. Gabriel’s teammates Roston Chase and Jason Holder had minor improvements in their bowling rankings. Chase moved one spot up to 38, while Holder moved one spot up to 64.
Shannon Gabriel has moved up to 12th on the ICC’s Test Player Rankings.
Tuesday June 21, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Other responsibilities could force you to postpone work on personal projects that mean a lot to you. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Stress from overwork could have you feeling weaker than usual. You might be tempted to stay at home, get some rest, and recoup your energies. Do this if you can GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You might feel a little gloomy today, and perhaps have no idea why. It might be a good idea to retrace your steps for the past day or so. Look within to find out if anything you may have seen could have awakened unconscious memories from the past. CANCER (June 21–July 22) One of your closest friends could be in a rotten mood today, Cancer. This person might be short with everyone and not inclined to communicate why. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) A project that you're rather excited about could require some intense solitary work today, Leo. You might sometimes feel as if the walls are closing in on you VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Have you been spending a lot of time pushing your body physically, Virgo? If so, you may be feeling the effects today. Muscle aches and exhaustion could be taking their toll on you.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) A troubled night with little sleep could have you feeling out of sorts and not like doing much socializing today. If you can, Libra, work on projects at home alone where you can stop and take a nap if you want. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Perhaps you invited a lot of visitors over a day or so ago, Scorpio, but today you don't feel like entertaining. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You probably aren't going to feel very social today. In fact, you're likely to want to work on projects and tasks alone if you can. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The need to concentrate may necessitate that you isolate yourself in order to fully focus on the task at hand, Capricorn. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Research on a subject related to a project could have you heading to a place where you can read without being constantly distracted, Aquarius. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Today you might spend a lot of time running errands, Pisces. You could run into friends or neighbors, but you probably won't feel like stopping to talk with them. You're apt to be working on something important that you'll want to get back to as soon as possible.
coach I’m in awe with his development.” “It’s primarily a guard dominated team with a heavy focus on perimeter defending and shooting. We have 1-3 combo guards which also brings a lot of versatility. We have very high IQ players”, Hercules commented on the strengths of the team which he believes will go all the way to glory in the Dutch speaking nation. He further noted that, “What has been overlooked is our (the team’s) ability to adapt. After being blown out by Barbados in our first warm up game of the three match series, we bounced back. This team believes it can win; something that has been missing over the years. Our mentality is to not just compete, it’s to win and I’m very happy with the squad that I have.” “Our defence is what kept us in the Barbados series, it’s very good and it is important that the players know and follow their roles. Travis Burnett is in the squad and he is known as a great attacking player but his defensive work is better so his role in the team is to defend and I’m hoping that everyone follows
Berbice action... From page 32 aim at Soccer Ville from 20:30hrs, while Trafalgar lock horns with Tucber Stars from 21:00hrs and Rose Hall Town oppose Tucber Giants at 21:30hrs.The seventh fixture will pit Street Knights against Ol Skool at 22:00hrs, while Young Squad battle Platinum Squad at 22:30hrs and City Ville tackle Top-7 at 23:00hrs. In the 10th showdown, Canje will match skills with Twenties from 23:00hrs, while Lichfield United faceoff with Big Ballers at 23:30hrs.
Guyana women... From page 31 championship saw Cuba against Barbados in the first and Dominican Republic versus Bahamas in the second match at the same Anthony Nesty Sportshal venue last evening with the final set for today. The Guyanese women were pitted in Group B with Suriname, Barbados and Dominican Republic. While Group A included: Bahamas, Cuba and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
roles in the team. The final 12 has four teenagers, in the Skipper Rose, 17year-old overseas based Berbician Kevon Wiggins, 19year-old Timothy Thompson and 19-year-old Travis Belgrave. Hercules related that Belgrave inclusion in the squad was due to his ability: “To do more with less, “Travis is the type of player that if you give him three minutes to run, he will be ready to make an impact since he doesn’t need any time to get warm or get into gear.” Akeem Crandon, a 17year-old center player, was among the 17 players training for a chance in the final squad but his competitor for a place in the squad was Timothy Thompson, who was given the nod ahead of him. Hercules, who also coaches Crandon at the club level with Plaisance Guardians, noted that the Crandon is talented but the President’s College student needs to challenge himself more. “Thompson has a better low post jump shot and although both players are very good defensively, Thompson has the slight
The team includes five overseas based players, comprising: two Professional players - Anthony Moe based in the USA and Felix Hamilton based in Antigua, two former USA College players: Ray Victor and Denzel Devonish; along with Kevon Wiggins, the youngest player in team. In the regional tournament, the Guyanese men are in Group A with Suriname, Saint Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, while Group B comprises of Barbados, Bermuda, Antigua & Barbuda, Haiti and Montserrat. The full team reads: 1. Stanton Rose (Captain) 2. Harold Adams 3. Orland Glasgow 4. Shaine Webster 5. Ray Victor 6. Anthony Moe 7. Travis Burnett 8. Felix Hamilton 9. Travis Belgrave 10. Denzel Devonish 11. Timothy Thompson 12. Kevon Wiggins Head Coach is Junior Hercules; Dennis Clarke, Assistant Coach and the Manager is Nigel Hinds.
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Thursday June 21, 2018
Kaieteur News
West Indies Sports Complex supports Suarez marks 100th cap with goal to send Uruguay through to last 16 Malteenoes Cricket Academy
Uruguay’s Diego Laxalt in action with Saudia Arabia’s Osama Hawsawi. (Reuters Max Rossi)
MSC’ Executive Troy Lewis collects the donation from Raifeena Ganie of West Indies Sports Complex. The West Indies Sports Complex on Robb Street has joined those individuals and business entities which is offering support of the twoweek Malteenoes Cricket Academy which starts on July 23. On Tuesday, MSC’s Treasurer Troy Lewis collected two pairs off batting gloves for the best Male and Female batters of the Academy in addition to quantity of rubber balls to be used by the younger age group students. The presentation was made by Raifeena Ganie. The Academy caters for Male and Females between the age of 6-12 and 13-18 and runs from 09:00hrs to 15:00hrs each week day and registration fee is $3,000 and forms
can be picked from the Thomas Road club after 15:00hrs any day until July 20. Lewis thanked West Indies Sports Complex for their support of youth development and said he hoped the recipients of the gloves will go on to play International Cricket and look back to when the Sports Store provided them with gloves when were now starting to play cricket. Ganie said Feroze Khan, the late owner of the Sports Store which is now run by his sons, played first division cricket for West Demerara and was a big supporter of Sports. She added that West Indies Sports Complex was pleased to support the development of youth through
Sports. The Academy will include classroom and field work which will provide the tools to become Cricketers, Umpires, Scorers, Journalists and Broadcasters, all of which can provide well paid careers. Qualified Coaches will conduct technical and physical sessions, while facilitators will talk on Education, Social Skills, Health and Hygiene Etiquette, Child Protection, Laws and History of Cricket, Umpiring and Scoring. Inculcating discipline to students will be a critical aspect of this year ’s Academy. Parents are encouraged to register their Children early. For more information call MSC on 225-6509.
Farm overcome Enterprise as Rafman Ally softball continues Led by contrasting half centuries by Rajesh Reddy and Travis Alphonso, Farm defeated Enterprise by 10 wickets when action in the Rafman Ally softball tournament continued on Sunday last at Everest Cricket Club. Steady bowling by Farm restricted Enterprise to 125 all out in 10 overs. Gavin Khemraj made 41 as Ameer Khan and Rawl Reid claimed two wickets each. Rajesh Reddy and Travis Alphonso then blasted the bowling to all parts of the outfield as Farm responded with 128 without loss in 7.1 overs. Both batsmen finished on 59
ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia (Reuters) - Luis Suarez marked his 100th international cap by sending Uruguay into the last 16 of the World Cup as the striker benefited from some poor goalkeeping to eliminate Saudi Arabia with a 1-0 win yesterday. Suarez tapped in midway through the first half after keeper Mohammed Al-Owais failed to grab the ball on a corner. The goal put Uruguay second in Group A with a maximum six points behind hosts Russia. Saudi Arabia, who have not won a World Cup game since their debut in 1994, have zero points, just like Egypt, who lost 3-1 to Russia on Tuesday. Depending on the result of their last group game against Russia, Uruguay will take on either Spain, Portugal or Iran, who are still on course in Group B for a place in the quarter-finals. Suarez’s goal was by no means pretty, but it did the trick.“All we wanted to do was to win and qualify for the next round. Today was another demonstration that it is so difficult to win a game in a World Cup,” said man-of-the-
match Suarez. “This World Cup is proving that what matters most is the result, and we’re very proud to have reached the last 16 for the third time in a row.” At least Suarez, who missed three sitters in Uruguay’s 1-0 opening win against Egypt, was his vintage efficient self with his 52nd international goal although he will not have dismissed fears he was not 100 percent fit. Saudi Arabia, who suffered a minor scare when an engine on their plane caught fire before landing on Rostovon-Don on Monday, instead have not found the back of the net in their last four World Cup outings. After a 5-0 drubbing by Russia in the tournament’s opening game, they were more playful but ultimately comparatively toothless at the Rostov Arena before 42,678 fans. With temperatures reaching 33 degrees Celsius, twotime world champions Uruguay and Saudi Arabia got off to a cautious start. Uruguay’s Edinson Cavani wasted numerous chances, including one in the
14th minute when he skied a half volley over the bar. The Russian fans were the loudest, chanting “Russia, Russia” as the rest of the arena appeared to doze off. The stadium burst into life in the 23rd minute however, when an unmarked Suarez coolly tapped into an empty net from a corner kick after keeper Al-Owais came out but misjudged his jump and couldn’t reach the ball. Suarez has now scored in three consecutive World Cups. The Saudis continued to move the ball around but barely threatened the typically gritty Uruguay defence. They suffered a setback shortly before the interval as veteran Taisir Al-Jassim was replaced by Housain AlMogahwi with an apparent thigh injury. The second half was even scrappier, with Saudi Arabia too limited to run riot as Uruguay were happy with a narrow advantage. They did come close to doubling the tally in the closing stages, however, when Lucas Torreira’s wild shot took a deflection off of Cavani and almost beat Al-Owais.
Travis Alphonso (left) and Rajesh Reddy each with Reddy hitting four fours and two sixes and
Alphonso five fours and three sixes.
Uruguay’s Luis Suarez scores their first goal. (REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins)
Thursday June 21, 2018
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Kaieteur News
Grandmaster Monasingh Memorial Martial Arts Tournament held The Grandmaster Monasingh Memorial Tournament was held recently at the New Amsterdam Town Hall which was hosted the White Tiger Martial Arts Academy. This was done to commemorate the life of the late Michael Stephen Monasingh who passed away in April 2017. Ms. Stephanie Monasingh, was elated to support this tournament and was there to share with those present some fond memories of her dad. The White Tiger Martial Arts Academy has planned to make this Tournament an annual event. The W.T.M.M.A extended invitations to several Martial Arts Schools in Guyana and same was accepted by Black Hawks Martial Arts Management Network Association and Best of the Best Martial Arts Motivators Association from Georgetown. Tournament commenced with one minute silence followed by prayer and national pledge.
The late Michael Stephen Monasingh There were four (4) different categories namely:· Kicking Challenge · Noodles Sparring (padded weapon) · Individual and Team Forms · Sparring The first category for the day was the Kicking Challenge, age 6 to 8 which was dominated by the
W.T.M.M.A students. Justin Grant pocketed the gold, Aiden Kirton the silver and Andrew Layne the bronze. In the 9 to 13 age group Akil Barrington from Black Hawks took away the gold medal, while his teammate Lee Anthony Lindie won the bronze and Anthony LaRose from W.T.M.M.A got the silver.
In the 14 and up age group Black Hawks again took the gold which was won by Andre Boyce and Deonte Myles from Best of the Best won silver and Wonda Simon from Black Hawks the Bronze. Noodles Sparring (padded weapon) Azarius Tull from Black Hawks took away the gold medal his team mate Colin Bowen won bronze and Aiden Kirton from WTMAA won the silver medal in the 5 to 8 division. In the 9 to 13 division Neron Bourne from WTMAA kept the gold medal in Berbice, while the silver and bronze went to Georgetown, silver with Akil Barrington from Black Hawks and bronze to Kimberly Baveghems from Best of the Best. The 14 up age group; Andre Boyce fought well to win the gold medal from Blacks Hawks, silver and bronze was won by the WTMAA students, silver to Tyrese Hall and bronze to Julez Harry.Individual Forms Category 5 to 8 saw the Black Hawks coming out on top with their free style form per-
formance, so the gold went to Garren Newton, silver to Azarius Tull and bronze to Colin Bowen, also carrying away the gold and bronze in the 9 to 13 age group was Akil Barrington and Jonathan Griffith, silver went to Miguel Hunte from best of the best and the 14 up age group Black Hawks again took the gold and bronze Andre Boyce gold and Milessa Himraj bronze, while Adrian LaRose from WTMAA won the silver. The team forms only first was medal 5 to 8 winners WTMAA Aiden Kirton and Andrew Layne, 9 to 13 WTMAA again retained the medals Ryan Burgess and Anthony LaRose,14 and up winners Megal Hunte and Victor Gordon from Best of the Best.Sparring was done separately, continuous fighting (taekwondo) and Point sparring (karate) the gold medal was won by Jonathon Griffith of Black Hawks and sliver by Garren Newton in the 5 to 8category, Gold by Andre Boyce and sliver by Akil Barrington in the 9 to 13
and gold by Milessa Himraj and silver by Vonda Simon in 14 to 17. White Tiger Martial Arts Academy, which does Taekwondo, winners are as followsin the 5 to 8 category: gold to Marcus Humphrey, silver to Aiden Kirton and bronze to Justin Grant, 9 to 13 gold to Ryan Burgess, silver to Anthony LaRose and Bronze to Jelani Lambert and 14 and up division gold Tyrese Hall, silver to Neron Bourne and bronze to Julez Harry. Master Marcello Small extended gratitude to Master Garfield Newton of Black Hawks Martial Arts Management Network Association, Grandmaster Quacy Baveghems of Best of the Best Motivators Association, competitors, Banks DIH Ltd, M. Maraj and Sons, Big League Boutique, Mr. Roy Roberts, Ansa Mcal, B Division Police Department, Onica’s Boutique, Odoro’s Plus Size Boutique, New Amsterdam Town Hall and Feroze Pharmacy.
Ronaldo earns edgy Portugal 1-0 win as Morocco’s hopes end MOSCOW (Reuters) - A below-par Portugal were again rescued by Cristiano Ronaldo’s eye for goal as they stumbled to 1-0 victory over Morocco yesterday that meant the unlucky North African side become the first to be eliminated from the 2018 World Cup. Ronaldo headed his fourth goal of the tournament after four minutes, following his last-gasp equalizer in a hattrick in the 3-3 draw with Spain, to take the European champions to four points and top of Group B. Iran have three points and Spain one ahead of their meeting yesterday.Morocco, who had a real go at the Luzhniki Stadium but failed to convert their chances, are pointless having also lost 1-0 to Iran and cannot progress to the second round. Portugal struggled to impose themselves and ended up defending for long spells, leaving coach Fernando Santos unimpressed. “We have to look at this, we lost control of the game,” he said. “We misplaced a lot of passes, we lost confidence... it was inexplicable. If in a match against players like they have, if you don’t have the ball, they wear you down and you get into trouble.” Despite their battling display, Morocco will rue the unforgivable defending that made all their subsequent good work irrelevant - though they claimed a Portuguese foul
was at the root of it. They qualified for the finals without conceding a goal in six matches yet somehow opted against marking the most dangerous attacker at the tournament in the six yard box when Joao Moutinho swung in a cross from a short corner and Ronaldo duly buried the header. It was his 85th international goal, taking him beyond Hungarian Ferenc Puskas’s European record, with only Iran’s Ali Daei ahead of him on 109.Morocco coach Herve Renard said he was unhappy at what he felt was a foul by Pepe on Khalid Boutaib that opened the way for the goal. “We put a man at the front post and when there is a crude foul on this man who is prevented from getting to the ball, it passes over and it’s Cristiano Ronaldo who pops up,” he said. PENALTYCLAIM Morocco, in their first finals appearance for 20 years, regrouped well and showed some real positivity in attack with Hakim Ziyech and Nordin Amrabat seeing plenty of the ball. Amrabat was furious at not being awarded a penalty after wrestling with Raphael Guerreiro. The midfielder had begun the game with head protection after being seemingly knocked unconscious against Iran five days ago in a sight that will have left medical professionals fuming about football’s feeble concussion
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo shoots at goal from a free kick. (REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach) protocols. “I’m not a doctor. He is a warrior who wanted to play,” said Renard, echoing the refrain that has caused so much damage to sportsmen for decades. When they did manage to stop appealing and concentrate on playing, Morocco looked dangerous and were the dominant side in the second half. Portugal goalkeeper Rui
Patricio made a fantastic diving low save to touch clear Younes Belhanda’s sharp header but Medhi Benatia’s blazed effort over the bar was
more typical of their finishing from half-a-dozen reasonable chances and they paid the ultimate price for their lack of a proven goalscorer.
Portugal have no such concerns and will seek to win the group in their final game against Iran, while Morocco face Spain, both on June 25.
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Thursday June 21, 2018
Kaieteur News
Costa grabs lucky goal as relieved Spain beat Iran 1-0 KAZAN, Russia (Reuters) - A scrappy second half goal by Diego Costa broke a Persian stonewall and lifted Spain to a 1-0 win over a courageous Iran in a nerve-jangling World Cup clash yesterday. Costa claimed his third goal of the tournament in the 54th minute at Kazan Arena but the striker hardly knew about it, the ball deflecting off his legs from an attempted clearance by hapless Iran defender Ramin Rezaeian.The result left Spain joint top of their group with Portugal on four points, with Iran close behind on three going into the third and final set of games. After two defeats, Morocco are out. After a match played out to a deafening blare from vuvuzela horns from a huge army of Iranian fans, Spain will feel relieved to have emerged with maximum points. Iran were brilliant in defence for Fixtures (for the next three days) THURSDAY, JUNE 21 France vs. Peru 8 a.m. ET Denmark vs. Australia 11 a.m. ET Argentina vs. Croatia 2 p.m. ET FRIDAY, JUNE 22 Brazil vs. Costa Rica 8 a.m. ET Nigeria vs. Iceland 11 a.m. ET Serbia vs. Switzerland 2 p.m. ET SATURDAY, JUNE 23 Belgium vs. Tunisia 8 a.m. ET Germany vs. Sweden 11 a.m. ET South Korea vs. Mexico 2 p.m. ET
much of the night but also made a number of telling incursions. A goal by Saeid Ezatolahi was ruled out offside after being reviewed by the video assistant referee (VAR), while Karim Ansarifard had earlier hammered into the side netting. Iran fans all but tore their hair out late on when Vahid Amiri brilliantly nutmegged a defender to send a cross into Mehdi Taremi, but the forward sent a very gettable header from six yards out sailing over. Iran coach Carlos Queiroz had rung in the changes, dropping captain Masoud Shojaei and forward Alireza Jahanbakhsh to the bench, while recalling holding midfielder Ezatolahi from suspension and promoting Taremi. The expectation that they would play well back was unfounded, how-
Yekaterinburg Samara Nizhny Novgorod Saint Petersburg Volgograd Kaliningrad Moscow Sochi Rostov
Iran’s Mehdi Taremi misses a chance to score, heading over the bar. (Reuters John Sibley)
ever, even if they kept their shape superbly, restricting Spain to a handful of chances in the first half. David Silva sent a free kick straight into the arms of keeper Ali Beiranvand in the 25th minute for Spain’s first shot on goal. Silva was in the thick of it again at the half hour, with a pirouette and a volley over the crossbar at the end
of a string of looping headers. Silva found a rare metre of space just before the break and was denied again by a deflection off a player. Spain seemed rejuvenated after the interval, with Sergio Busquets unleashing a searing long-range strike that forced Beiranvand into a brilliant double save. Minutes later, however,
Ansarifard latched onto a poor clearance and unleashed a withering shot that fired just wide of the left post. Costa, who grabbed a brace in the 3-3 draw against Portugal, was in the right spot at the right time, his lucky deflection leaving the masses of Iran fans at Kazan Arena groaning in disappointment.
Clash of the Champions Unity Cup Final on this weekend at Uitvlugt - Omesh XI; Flying Stars; Farm XI; Cane Grove to vie The Unity Cup organized by the Guyana Softball League will conclude with the national champions of three categories being crowned. The tournament which attracted some 79 teams lasting just over one month has seen some interest in areas being realized. The goal of the tournament was to resuscitate the sport in various areas and some extent this was achieved. The participation in the various categories are as follows: Male Open – 52; Female category – 14; Under 15 – 13. The winner of the Male Open category will receive The Unity Cup plus $50,000 and will be crowned the national champion; The winner of the female category will receive several prizes as well. The MVP will be chosen from the semi finals and finals of each category. The under-15 winner and runner up will receive medals and trophies. Meanwhile, in the run up to the finals are with the following results: West Coast Demerara: Omesh XI gained a walkover from Speedboat. Crossbreed Warriors defeated V & R in the 2ndsemi final - Crossbreed racked up 147-6 in 10 overs and limited
V&R to 51 all out. In the final, Crossbreed XI made 93 -9 in 10 overs. Omesh XI replied with 94- 5 in 8.5 overs. Omesh XI thru to the overall semi finals. Lower East Coast: Farm XI got a walkover from Durban Quarry. Enterprise defeated Success Enforcers by 12 runs. Enterprise batted first and made 90-8 in 10 overs. In reply, Success Enforcers were held to 78-4 in 10 overs. In the final Enterprise were sent in and made a challenging 124-3 in 10 overs with Roy Beepat hammering 75. In reply what seem to be a challenging total was merely a warm up for Farm XI as they raced to 128 without loss in 7 overs with Travis Alphonso 57 not out (5x6;1x4) and Rajesh Reddy 59 not out (4x6;2x4) making light work of the total. Farm XI thru to the overall finals playing unbeaten in this tournament. N/A Canje: Flying Stars defeated all and sundry to capture this zone, winning there semi final by a huge 79 runs versus Edinburgh then they defeated the star studded Rotterdam in the final by 20 runs. Flying Stars made 120-5 in 10 overs then limited Rotterdam to 100 in their 10 overs. Flying Stars
thru to the overall semi finals. All the Male Open teams are strong and can win this tournament as all have shown their ability to remain calm under pressure and the bowlers and batters all being in form. In the female category: All Stars of Berbice have the strongest batting line as both of their victories were achieved through their batting strength as the batters dominated all that were thrown at them. Cane Grove Queen of the boundary seemed to rely on their overall team spirit to gain the advantage and have shown that when they support each other they win. Linden All Stars have always been thereabouts with individual performances lighting up their game and if they can bring their A game with more contributions from all players, they can be victorious. Mahaica Combined are a moody set and are a dangerous side on their day but that is left to be seen which team will take the field considering the various moods they turn up with. In the Under-15 most of the players seen are very talented and it will be a tussle for all the teams as the abilities of the players are equal
Unity shake: two of the team captains in the tournament shake hands before the start. but the edge can only be given on the day. Additionally the winners of the one ball in the various regions will battle it out with Khalid Mohamed and Romel D’Aguair winning West Demerara and Berbice respec-
tively easily. Upper East Coast winner Travis Maynard was given a run and only triumphed after a persevering performance. The day of reckoning is Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th June 2018 and Banks DIH
has kindly consented to sponsor the day with music and a bar. The entrance fee is FREE. All sporting fans are expected to be there as there will be lots of prizes for players and spectators alike.
Thursday June 21, 2018
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Kaieteur News
Food Town to host Inaugural Golf Tournament Recently opened Food Town Restaurant & Distribution Outlet located at 266 Newton Street, Enmore on the East Coast, Demerara has partnered with the Lusignan Golf Club to host its first ever golf tournament this Saturday at 12:30p.m. After a full week of preparation, the course is in magnificent playing condition as the weather has cooperated and it is expected that a full field of golfers will take part in the competition. Great food and lots of prizes will be provided by Food Town Restaurant and the owner has offered a special prize of $200,000 in food to any orphanage if a player scores a Hole-in-One during the tournament. “The Golf course is a perfect place to relax with your family and since Food Town Restaurant is all about tasty, affordable food and a fun environment, the partnership makes good sense,” said the proprietor Rudy, who decided to incorporate family values, great food and an entrepreneurial spirit to assist anyone, who has a desire to start a food business but does not have the capital or resources to do so on their own. Food Town Restaurant allows all licensed food vendors to or-
Despite the weather the LGC has been in excellent shape for competition. der from a wide ranging menu, as much as they feel they will be able to sell on a daily basis, and sim-
ply have it delivered to their location. No shopping for ingredients, no, early morning cooking
or transportation costs, simply show up and sell at your location. Even more astonishing is the
The Food Town Restaurant at Enmore will sponsor this Saturday’s gold tourney.
fact that Food Town Restaurant will accept back all items not sold and the vendor has no losses. Rudy projects that a vendor could earn over $130,000 per month using this system - all with ZERO investment. For more information on how you can take advantage of this great opportunity, call 668-7419 or 644-3118. Food Town Restaurant has committed to several charitable contributions, and will continue to feed orphanages and Rudy promised that the restaurant will remain alcohol free to maintain a family friendly environment at all times. He intends to add a family playground in Enmore to provide a safe and comfortable location for families to enjoy. All members of the public are invited to visit, learning more about the game of golf and are encouraged to come out on Saturday to the Lusignan Golf Club. Interested persons can visit the LGC on Facebook lusignangolfclub and foodtownguyana or call 220-5660 for any details.
Windies Women’s 50-over Cricket
CBC women’s C/ship in Suriname
Campbelle’s ton spurs Guyana to 65-run win over L/Wards
Guyana women lose third and final match 112-24 to Dominica Republic
Guyanese Shemaine Campbelle continued to advance her case for Windies recall with a match winning century in a 65-run win against the Leeward Islands as the Windies Women’s 50-over tournament bowled off yesterday in Jamaica. The 25-year-old Campbelle, who scored the second most runs (152) in the T20 format, stroked a classy 107 that got Guyana to 229-9 from their 50 overs. A. Edwards had 3-42 for the Leewards who fell for 164 with five overs remaining as spinner Shabika Grimmond bagged 4-27.
On Tuesday evening at the Anthony Nesty Sportshal in Paramaribo, Suriname, the Guyanese girls felt the full force of the hammer when Dominican Republic (DR) nailed them by 88 points to register the highest margin of victory in the Caribbean Basketball Confederation’s (CBC) women’s championship so far.
The local girls, slotted in Group B, are using this tournament as a developmental tour and they lost all three of their group games played, with the last a 112-24 loss, surpassing the 108-32 thrashing Cuba unloaded on St. Vincent and the Grenadines during Group A action on Monday. In the embarrassing loss to one
of the tournament’s favourite team, Mariam McKenzie led the scoring for Guyana once again with 13 points. Meanwhile, DR had five players in double digits with Andreina Paniagua scoring a game high 28 points, supported with 18 points from Esmery Martinez. The semi-finals of the women’s (Continued on page 27)
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Thursday June 21, 2018
Kaieteur News
New EBFA Referees commence Technical Training The new crop of officials which completed the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) sponsored East Bank Football Association (EBFA) Referees Training Programme on Sunday last with a pass rate of 96%, commenced their Technical Training Session on Tuesday at the Timehri Red Ground. A total of 14 officials attended the programme and wrote the exams following the 3-day event which was facilitated by GFF Referee Instructors, Stanley Lancaster and Ingram Johnson. Tuesday afternoon’s session was conducted by Member Association Technical Instructor Roy Mc Arthur and Lancaster. Mc Arthur focused on basic line movements (shuttling, sideward movements, positioning of the flag while moving on the line) of the Assistant Referee now known as the other Match Official. Lancaster worked on positioning and movements of a Referee, while the basic mechanics of offside and being in line, foul, goal and corner kicks as well as basic positioning and movements as a
Referees listen attentively to FIFA Member Association Technical Instructor Roy Mc Arthur. central referee also formed part of the session, which would continue today as well as next Tuesday and Thursday as the officials are being prepared to make their onfield debuts at the EBFA/ Juicy Juice Under-13 compe-
tition set to kick off next weekend. Lancaster commented on Tuesday’s session: “The feedback from the officials is that they are very excited and impressed with progress so far and are looking forward to
ECB, WCC congratulate Paul The Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) and Wakenaam Cricket Committee (WCC) have both extended congratulations to Keemo Paul on his call up to the Windies team for the third and final test against Sri Lanka. The game which will commence on Saturday in Barbados will be the first day/night test to be played in the Caribbean. A release from the ECB stated that Paul’s hard work, dedication and commitment has paid off and will serve as motivation for other young cricketers in the county. Paul has made great strides in his career and has climbed to the pinnacle of cricket within a short span of time. The WCC release indicated that Paul, who plays for Noitgedacht Sports Club, has always shown discipline and commitment and his achievement is a result of the hard work he has put in over the years. Members of the ECB and WCC are delighted with Paul achievement and wished him well.
their quest of pursuing a new career.” It was also noted that the sky is the limit for the new officials as every effort would be made to ensure that they are exposed to the best training with the view of one day
making the FIFA List. This is the first in s series of programmes being undertaken by the GFF as part of its national recruitment drive aimed at tripling the amount of available officials across Guyana.
Trayon Bobb set to debut for Portugal’s Sociedade Uniõa 1° de Dezemáro - Fund raiser for Sunday at Leonora
Keemo Paul
Guinness ‘Greatest of the Street’ futsal competition
Berbice action kicks off tomorrow The Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Berbice Championship, will officially kick-off tomorrow at the New Amsterdam (NA) Stelling Tarmac. According to Coordinator Phillip Carrington, “It will be a very competitive tournament. All the players asking about it and looking forward to it.” He further added, “It’s a great tournament, and it has come at the right time because no football is being played countrywide and nothing is being played in Berbice since New Year’s so the players will get something to play and the public will get something to look at.” Carrington confirmed that 12 elimination matches will be staged on the opening night,
learning more about refereeing and even going on to a higher level in time. It’s a new experience for them having been around as coaches and other officials but now being exposed to the relevant referees training in
with the resulting winners advancing to the round of 16 stage to join the top four finishers from last year’s edition. The teams that have earned a direct berth to the round of 16 section are defending champ NA Kings, Mahaicony, Outsiders and East Bank Gunners. He further revealed that 11 matchups have been confirmed thus far, with the final fixture slated to be established today. At 19:00hrs, No. #5-A battle Young Strikers-A, while Hopetown engage Young Strikers from 19:30hrs and No. #5-B engaging Dam Boys at 20:00hrs. In the fourth clash, Goal Rush United take (Continued on page 27)
With all systems in place for Golden Jaguar Trayon Bobb to make his debut next month at club Sociedade Uniõa 1° de Dezemáro, owned by Guyanese football icon, Alex Bunbury (Principal and Director of Football), who recently purchased the Portuguese Third Division Club, a fund raising double header has been fixed for Sunday at the Leonora Track and Field Ground. Four West Demerara teams will be battling including Bobb’s current club, Uitvlugt Warriors in this specially arranged activity put together as a means of assisting the young footballer to garner the needed funds for his airfare and the requisite fees to obtain his Schengen Visa. The talented and skillful Bobb, whose nimbleness in midfield and ability to use both feet up front has caught many an eye, will become the first Guyanese player to play in Portugal, another young Guyanese duo in Jeremy Garrett and Shemika Marcus were afforded tryouts at the world famous Sporting Lisbon of Portugal under two years ago. Bobb, who will spearhead
Trayon Bobb with Alex Bunbury at his October 2006 press conference. Uitvlugt’s challenge on Sunday has been on Bunbury’s radar ever since and is now getting the opportunity to fulfill his lifetime dream of playing on the European circuit. Uitvlugt Warriors will battle old rivals Den Amstel in Sunday’s feature match at 15:00hrs with the opening match up at 13:00hrs bringing together Pouderoyen and Eagles, a Stewartville based
club. Both matches promise to be entertaining with the rivaling teams preparing to go at each other to add another win to their respective and continuing rivalry. Persons wishing to make a contribution to Trayon Bobb can also do so on a special Go Fund Me page that has been set up on facebook. Bobb is expected to leave mid next month to commence playing.
Kaieteur News
Thursday June 21, 2018
PAGE 33
Guyana CBC men’s team selected - “We have very high IQ players” – Coach Junior Hercules 18-year-old Stanton Rose (on the ball) will captain Guyana. By Calvin Chapman The Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) has released the team that will be representing the Golden Arrowhead at the 2018 Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Men’s Championship which will be held at the Anthony Nesty Sportshal in Paramaribo, Suriname from Friday to June 30th. This year’s tournament will also serve as the International Basketball
Linden’s Orland Glasgow of Victory Valley Royals has made the final cut for the Suriname hosted Championships.
Federation (FIBA) Americup Caribbean prequalifiers with the top three teams of the tournament advancing to the next round of qualification. Guyana will be led by 18year-old Stanton Rose, who was described by head Coach Junior Hercules as an incredible talent. During an interview with Kaieteur Sport, Hercules stated that, “We believe he (Rose) is a special talent and he has been progressively improving as a young player. He has great potential and he has proven at the highest level that he can handle pressure.” The coach noted that during the National team’s three-game warm up series in Barbados, where Guyana came from being a game down to clinch the series, Stanton during his first stint as Captain of the senior men’s side, was outstanding and single handedly took the offensive fight to the opposition at times. He noted that the Rose, who became Guyana’s youngest senior team captain, “Is getting better every day and he is pouring (Continued on page 27)
Coach Junior Hercules giving tactical instructions.
rt o p S Windies Women’s P. 31 50-over Cricket
Campbelle’s ton spurs Guyana to 65-run win over L/Wards
Shemaine Campbelle bats during her century to lead Guyana to victory yesterday. (WIPA Twitter)
Trayon Bobb set to debut for Portugal’s Sociedade Uniõa 1° de Dezemáro . 32 P
- Fund raiser for Sunday at Leonora
Trayon Bobb holding his MVP trophy following the New York tourney.
Costa grabs lucky goal as relieved Spain beat Iran 1-0 P. 30
Spain’s Diego Costa scores their first goal. (REUTERS/Sergio Perez) Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.