Monday June 25, 2018
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Kaieteur News
100 displaced sugar workers to be retrained for oil and gas sector, other areas By Kiana Wilburg The Board of Industrial Training (BIT) has answered a call by the Ministry of Natural Resources to help retrain former sugar workers and residents of Berbice for reintegration into the labour market, as well as for participation in the oil and gas sector. This is being executed under the Ministry’s IN-STEP Programme, which was launched last Friday. Offering remarks at the ceremony, which was held at the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GuySuCo) Training Centre was BIT’s Chairman, Mr. Clinton Williams. The Chairman noted that the Ministry of Natural Resources is providing the funding for 100 persons to be trained at GuySuCo Training Centre. BIT’s role involves supervision of the programme followed by the provision of
- through BIT, Natural Resources Ministry programme the necessary certification at the end of the programme. Under the IN-STEP Initiative, Williams noted that BIT will continue to review the course content and curricula, together with the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). During his remarks, Williams took the opportunity to recognize the sterling contributions made by GuySuCo over the last decade in partnering with BIT as a “Master” in the delivery of the now internationally renowned Apprenticeship Programme. The official said that BIT is indeed grateful for the state entity’s continued support in the delivery of the unique programme. The BIT Chairman stated that Guyana’s development programme will continue to
be largely influenced by the availability and competence of its technical and occupational skilled workforce. He said that Guyana, like many other developing countries, has been experiencing a widening gap between workplace skill needs and skill supply. Williams said that this mismatch continues to be largely influenced by the stigma attached to Technical and Vocational Education and Training, in that, TVET is viewed as the last resort for academically weak students, hence the continued prevalence of low standards displayed by skills generated. Williams noted that recent Labour Market Intelligence Surveys have reconfirmed significant skill shortages in the traditional sectors, which have been further
Allegations of politics in the judiciary, stumbling blocks in business must be addressed - Boyer The business community has concerns about several issues that remain unresolved. These concerns were reflected by leading businessman, Eddie Boyer who served in the Private Sector Commission (PSC) for the last two consecutive years as its Chairman. Last Thursday, Boyer delivered his final speech as Chairman of the Commission. This was as the Commission held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Marriott. During his address, Boyer highlighted some issues affecting the Commission and some which are just of general concern. He said, “As I demit office, I would like to highlight a few areas which will still need to be addressed. These include the Rule of Law within Guyana, as we note with grave concern the allegations of political involvement in the judicial system.” Boyer continued, “We would like to see Government address the bureaucracy and seek ways of simplifying the means of doing business.” Boyer said this as Guyana’s international ranking on ease of doing business continues to fluctuate. The ease of doing business index ranks countries against each other based on how the regulatory environment is conducive to
Former PSC Chairman, Eddie Boyer business operation stronger protections of property rights. Economies with a high rank (1 to 20) have simpler and friendlier regulations for businesses. Guyana’s most recent rank is 126. Other Chairmen before him have made similar pleas. He said too, “We would encourage Government to create employment opportunities in a slowing economy, to generate wage growth and to seek out measures to increase wealth.
Someone once said that division is caused more by impatience than by a conflict in creed.
I would hope that all levels of Government would become friendlier to business, as it is business that ultimately creates employment and economic growth.” Boyer told those who gathered at Marriott that the PSC ensured that it demonstrated desire to work with Government at all levels, to improve the conditions prevailing today. “I take this opportunity, to complement our Government on a number of its accomplishments, including local government elections, establishment of the Procurement Commission, reduction of Corporate and Personal taxes, increase of the personal threshold and lowering of the VAT percentage. I applaud our Government for their determination, to address the Public - Private Partnerships in Guyana, and their recognition of the need for co-existence and collaboration,” said Boyer.
compounded as a result of the undesirable increasing phenomenon of “skill poaching” between sectors. Against this background, Williams said that new sectors are emerging in Guyana such as Oil and Gas, Ecotourism and Clean Energy and Hydropower Development. He said that these sectors will require industrial skills of an international standard. The BIT Chairman said that this increasingly unmet demand is disappointing, more so devastating, particularly since those young people leaving the formal school system as “dropouts” or as “disadvantaged youths”, do so without being provided with an opportunity to also contribute to the national development drive through pertinent interventions. On this note, the BIT Chairman said that a similar situation has now been created with the closure of some sugar estates, which led to the obvious retrenchment of a number of unskilled workers. Williams noted that the National Training Programme for Youth Empowerment has been conceived to address this particular dilemma. The goal of the Programme is to contribute to the national demand for occupational skills by the training and development of youths, particularly disadvantaged youths, to become self-employed or to access gainful employment within the private and/or public sector. “That is why this collaboration should be seen as an integral part of our programme of intensifying the delivery of relevant occupational, technical and vocational skills training with a view to addressing entry level occupational skills demand for current and emerging industries/services i.e. both the public and private sector.” “Starting with a total of approximately 570 graduates in 2005, the programme has
BIT Chairman, Clinton Williams grown tremendously over the years to the extent that by the end of 2017, over 22,000 persons from all 10 Administrative Regions and in numerous skill sets namely, Engineering and Building Trades, ICT, Forestry, Home Economics, Health Services would have been trained.” “For 2018, our initial target is 1470 trainees but through this collaboration, together with another partnership with the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF), the intake this year is likely to substantially increase to 2040 this year compared to 1500 in 2017.” Further to this, the BIT Chairman said that in recent times, the entity has placed added emphasis on vulnerable groups such as school dropouts, youths from depressed communities (particularly those from hinterland regions), single parents and the differently abled. “Moreover, we are continuing our quest to implement cost reduction strategies; thereby increasing intake via optimizing utilization of publicly owned facilities such as technical and vocational institutions, practical instruction centers (Ministry of Education) and
recognized NGO’s in addition to privately owned facilities. We are convinced that these actions would not only positively impact on employment generation, entrepreneurship and empowerment, but also contribute to poverty alleviation and crime prevention.” Williams said that these programmes should therefore be viewed as vital socioeconomic interventions, and also, an integral part of the current administration’s mantra to provide a good life for all of the people of Guyana. As for way forward, the Chairman said that BIT intends to ensure that there is continuous improvement of its TECH-VOC Programmes by reviewing and prioritizing several core elements. These include: alignment with Guyana’s Development Strategy; Improvement in Governance arrangements; More emphasis on employer engagements; Increased funding and incentives systems; Reconfigure curriculum design and delivery systems; Review and improve assessment mechanisms in order to ensure quality assurance and accreditation; and ensure marketable certification further progression. In closing, Williams encouraged the participants of the IN-STEP Programme to stay focused while noting that the skills, which will be passed on to them and will allow for the assumption of a dual role—Competent Practitioners and Good Ambassadors of the programmes. “You will therefore be seen as the sales person for these programmes and motivate us to replicate them in other communities. In so doing, you will forever be proud of yourself, you will make your sponsors proud and most of all, you will make your country proud for having made this investment in you.”
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Monday June 25, 2018
Kaieteur News
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
BEQUEATHING TO CHILDREN
M
any of us aspire to acquire wealth for vari ous reasons which include security, making ourselves happy and/or passing it on to our children so that they can become wealthy and not struggle in life. It is said that the building of wealth and the passing it on to children is a very noble pursuit. As we all know that when we die, we cannot take wealth with us. We came into the world with nothing but will leave with a casket/coffin and well dressed. This is the reason why some people do not care and prefer to spend all their money enjoying life before they die, deliberately excluding their children from getting it. But this is a very risky gamble, because no one knows when he/she will die. In this technologically advanced world, people live far longer than expected. Living to an old age these days seems normal so if people spend all their money too early, they will have to depend on their children or society to take care of them in their old age. One could outlive their money, if it is not managed wisely. While people may feel that they have more than enough for their needs and wants, it is not wise to spend as if there is no tomorrow, or giving your children their money ahead of time. To do so is misplacing your generosity. However, what is on most people’s mind is the fear of losing their acquired wealth before they die. There are billions of poor people around the world who often lose sleep when they have no money to pay their bills or feed their children. But the opposite is also true. Many rich people constantly lose sleep as they watch over their investments because they are worried about the possibility of losing it. In preserving wealth, experts say that it is important to consult with professionals in order to ensure that your loved ones have access to the assets in the most costefficient way at the time of death. There are entrepreneurs who create companies and then allocate the shares to their children rather than putting them in their name. This is usually done with the advice of attorneys and trustworthy accountants to prevent problems. Investments are essential for long-term growth and the preservation of capital. Many investors have claimed that they have taken on enough risk in their day-to-day operations and therefore, would prefer to keep their investments safely in banks accounts even if it means earning less interest than progressive investments. In this case, preserving capital is the first rule of investing. It is said that patient investors are smart business people because they know that wealth cannot be acquired overnight, it takes time. It is all well and good for parents to create wealth, and preserve it, but if their children know nothing about either their family business or investments or business in general, they can rest assured that the wealth they buildup will disappear in no time. This is why it is good to teach children from very early about saving money, how to manage a business or invest to build-up their wealth. Losing and gaining money early in their life could teach them some invaluable lessons. When children are young, they can afford to take risks much more than when someone is in his/her mid-forties. It is important for parents to know that giving children too much money at a young age is a mistake because they may not value it or want to save. But giving children no money is also a mistake, because they will never learn how to handle it, or invest it, or know how to deal with financial institutions. The process of creating and preserving wealth would require astute management and children must be taught how to manage money so that they do not become the “prodigal son” in the Bible who wasted his inheritance and had to return home.
Who will be the PPPC Presidental Candidate? DEAR EDITOR, The long and anxiously awaited ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice will be made on Tuesday when Guyanese will know whether or not former President, Bharat Jagdeo will be eligible to contest the Presidential election in 2020. If the Court rules that Jagdeo can run, it is almost likely that he would be party’s choice.However, if the Court decides otherwise, there will be a scramble to determine who will be the party’s choice for the highest office of the Land. Jagdeo was not chosen because of his seniority or popularity for the job, but he was handpicked by Janet Jagan and her action sparked off dissatisfaction with certain top members of the party. What added to the controversy was that the young President became haughty and was abusive to a few senior members includ-
ing Ralph Ramkarran, Moses Nagamootoo, Khemraj Ramjattan and the late Navin Chandarpal. He even rebuked highly respected businessman Yesu Persaud at the launching of the Guyana Times Newspaper at the Pegasus Hotel. It was also reported that he was not too polite to Mrs. Jagan after he became President.However, in all fairness to Jagdeo, he did an extremely good job in the early years of his Presidency when he lobbied for tens of millions of dollars of the country’s debt to be written off. He played a very important role in boosting the country’s economy and attracted investors. When he relinquished office, Guyana was concluding its fifth consecutive year of strong economic growth. External debt had been almost half, and external reserves
were almost three times their 2006 level. Wikipedia stated that during his regime unprecedented investment in social services took place enabling significantly improved access to education, rehabilitation of the health system, far-reaching land reform, the biggest expansion of the housing sector in the country’s history etc. However, in spite of his brilliant performance as a leader in boosting the country’s economy, there were reports of massive fraud during his administration and he was accused of dishonesty by some of his ardent supporters in the diaspora. Some of them even lobbied for his removal. It is ironical that a few regretted their harsh words and action against Jagdeo because they are completely disappointed with the Coalition Government. The billion dollar question
is who will be the PPP candidate if the CCJ rules that he cannot run. Although former President Donald Ramotar is eligible to be a candidate, I do not think he will be in contention. The main candidates will be former attorney general, Anil Nandlall, former Culture and Sports Minister, Frank Anthony, and Irfaan Ali, another former minister. I think that Nandlall is the best choice, but we will have to wait and seeThe bigger question is, “Can the PPP defeat the Granger administration?” The Coalition Government is doing everything possible to remain in office. Granger handpicked the GECOM Chairman and from reports, plans are afoot to ensure that the Coalition remains in office. A lot is at stake including the billons of dollars of oil money. Oscar Ramjeet
Guyana Chronicle hatch-job on Jagdeo is a shameless attempt to influence the CCJ third-term decision DEAR EDITOR, If ever there was a newspaper worth using in the toilet, the Guyana Chronicle would be a suitable choice! In the Chronicle’s editorial of June 22, the editor proceeded to do a hatch-job on the Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo. Not content with what Khemraj Ramjattan, Basil Williams and others have been pontificating that the CCJ will rule against Jagdeo, it appears that the government is shamelessly using the Guyana Chronicle to make a last ditch effort to adversely influence the third term decision of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) which will be announced on Tuesday. In any event, even if the CCJ disallows a third term, Bharrat Jagdeo will remain the Party’s General Secretary to ensure a PPP victory at the polls in 2020, and will play an active role in the next government. The irony is, that after more than three years into this APNU+AFC Administration, the People’s Progressive Party is still being blamed for everything that goes wrong in Guyana. During the run-up to the 2015 general and regional elections, Guyanese were asked to vote for the Coalition because they will fix everything that was wrong with the country. The APNU+AFC campaigned on getting rid of corruption; restoring accountability and transparency. They promised to improve the economy and to create jobs for our young people. They also promised to reduce
crime and to get rid of the drug trade. But most importantly, they promised every Guyanese the “good life”. They have failed miserably. In his address to the National Assembly almost two years ago, President Granger said his government “entered a depressing financial landscape in May 2015… Economic mismanagement was accompanied by huge debts for unpaid international obligations and court judgments.” He added that the absence of a policy to provide employment opportunities for youth and to reduce extreme poverty and the failure to energise the manufacturing sector helped to weaken the economy (Guyana Times, October 14, 2016). But compared to the bankrupt economy the PPP inherited from his party, the PNC in 1992, the APNU+AFC inherited US$670 million (G$134 Billion) in Foreign Exchange Reserves from the PPP/C in May of 2015 (source: the GlobalEconomy.com). This amount is in addition to the approximately $150 billion dollars this government inherited in recurring revenues and the $35 billion from semiautonomous agencies. In addition, Granger inherited an economy with the lowest debt payment in the entire Caribbean with only four percent as compared to 153 percent of revenue that went to service foreign debt in 1992. The new government inherited an economy that was growing on an average of 4.5 percent for the preceding eight years.
Our President was being less than truthful in his address when he claimed to have inherited a “depressing financial landscape”. For in fact, the APNU+AFC inherited a buoyant economy; good international reserves; a big revenue base; small debt-servicing; and an inflow of foreign direct investments of about US$400 million a year with ExxonMobil spending hundreds of millions already; and from the two new gold mines that have already started large scale production. The APNU+AFC Coalition is yet to attract a single foreign investor.
The economic crisis facing the nation and all Guyanese has nothing to do with the PPP; it is the economic mismanagement of the Granger Administration, led by a runaway spending that is responsible. In his campaign speech to the people of Berbice, Khemraj Ramjattan said, “The propaganda you are hearing that the APNU/AFC Coalition is going to ground both industries (rice and sugar) to the dirt is all lies. We are not going to in any way, close the sugar industry.” Now that the APNU+AFC (Continued on page 5)
SCREEN BABIES FOR SICKLE CELL DEAR MR. EDITOR, At the risk of being redundant, may I respectfully restate what was documented in a previous article (on Sickle Cell Observation Day 2017), it is education and legislation that will have a positive effect. For that reason, I am advocating the introduction and passage of legislation - The Sickle Cell Treatment Act. This critical and potentially lifesaving legislation should aim to provide preventive medical strategies, treatment and services to juveniles and adults with sickle cell disease. The Sickle Cell Treatment Aact will place Guyana in line with, for example, England, where all babies are screened for sickle cell as part of routine tests within one week of birth. Every state in the United States, and the U.S.
Territories require that all newborn babies receive screening for sickle cell disease. When a child has SCD, the parents are notified before the child develops symptoms. If a person has SCD, it is present at birth. Medical findings indicate that most infants do not experience any problems from the disease until five or six months of age. I urge the citizens of Guyana to petition their members of parliament to introduce and pass the Sickle Cell Treatment Act. It will prove to be a significant lifesaving strategy. I urge you to spread the word and encourage relatives, friends, and neighbours to educate themselves about this disease. Respectfully Robert E. Fraser RN B.S.
Monday June 25, 2018
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Kaieteur News
More Ominous Signs: Government’s Incompetence and Greed DEAR EDITOR, In his recent attempt to justify his government’s callous refusal to take action to cushion Guyanese businesses and consumers from rising fuel prices, Minister Winston Jordan has made a very important confession. The Minister argued that apart from the fact that his government is wary of giving up the revenue windfall they are currently enjoying from higher fuel prices, they are also concerned about having to find the foreign exchange required to meet the rising fuel import bill. The Minister’s concern about foreign exchange and the rising fuel import bill can be translated into layman’s language as follows. Because he and his government have so mismanaged the economy that the country’s foreign reserves are depleted, now that fuel prices are high, the
country’s foreign reserves are unable to cover the fuel import bill with these higher oil prices, so the minister is refusing to reduce oil taxes and is hoping that the higher oil prices will force Guyanese businesses and consumers to consume less fuel. In other words, Guyanese businesses and consumers must bear the brunt of higher oil prices and be forced to consume less fuel because the APNU/AFC incompetent cabal has mismanaged the economy and depleted the country’s foreign reserves to the point where Jordan is fearful about whether the country has enough foreign currency to pay for fuel imports. Put even more simply, Guyana’s businesses and consumers are now being asked to ration their fuel consumption, lower their living standards, and pay from their pockets for the incompetence
of the APNU/AFC government. The Minister is well aware that one of the most important variables that a government has to consider in crafting its economic policies is the level of the country’s foreign reserves. A responsible government ensures that it maintains a sufficient level of foreign reserves to meet the country’s external requirements on an ongoing basis. Typically, countries will aim to have, at the very minimum, three months of import cover. Ideally, a country will maintain a level somewhat higher than this, in order to ensure that it can withstand shocks such as higher oil prices. It is a well-known fact, that during successive PPP/C administrations since 1992, our country’s foreign reserves were rebuilt from nearly zero in 1992 to more than US$650 million equivalent to 3.6
months of import cover at end 2014. During the PPP/C tenure in office, oil prices rose to as high as US$140 per barrel, and because of the responsible policies of the PPP/C to ensure that our country had a comfortable level of external reserves, we were able to emerge from the oil price crisis without any dislocation to our foreign reserves, while at the same time reducing the taxes on fuel so that the productive sector and consumers were not adversely affected. Highlighting Petrocaribe is an irrelevance. Petrocaribe was merely a form of balance of payments borrowing, which was conducted by the PPP/C in a manner that did not jeopardize Guyanese debt sustainability and which was subsequently applied in a manner to stimulate unprecedented growth in
Guyana Chronicle hatch-job on Jagdeo is a... From page 4 Government has indeed closed four sugar estates putting an estimated 12,000 sugar workers and their families on the bread-line, the Chronicle editorial shamelessly blames Jagdeo for causing the “demise” of GUYSUCO. The Guyana Chronicle editorial made reference to an article that appeared earlier in the Kaieteur News, accusing Jagdeo of evading media questions “as to sums of money that oil companies had paid to the state for oil-exploration activities, prior to 2015.” The editorial asks, “How can Jagdeo still refer to the US$18M signing bonus, as among his “bigger concerns,” when this government has already accounted for such sum? In typical Jagdeo evasive style, he deprecates the sums paid to his former administration, inferring that they are small sums in comparison. Again, Jagdeo should be reminded that accountability is about every sum, of any amount, that is paid into the state’s coffers, and that includes the sums paid to the PPP/C under his stewardship, by those oil and gas companies as reported.” Well, the US$18 million is still not deposited in the consolidated funds, and senior government ministers denied receiving it for over a year until the lie was exposed. In comparison, Bharrat Jagdeo made it clear that every cent of the estimated US$100,000 his government received as licensing fees from the oil companies, was accounted for, and this information could be found at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission. The Guyana Chronicle
should stop parroting the government’s propaganda and do some investigative journalism to determine the facts before publication. Was the PPP responsible for the 50%-100% pay raise President Granger approved for his Ministers? Did the PPP increase the amount of Government Ministers from 17 under the Ramotar Administration to the 26 Ministers now in government? Was the PPP responsible for setting up new ministries at an enormous financial burden to the Guyanese taxpayers? And could anyone in their right mind hold the PPP responsible for the astronomical amounts of $500,000 and $1.5 million that this government pays to accommodate Ministers? And what about the $12.5 million it’s costing taxpayers every month to rent a drug bond from a PNC financier? Remember, had it not been for the PPP, these APNU+AFC scandals and corruptions would never be known to the Guyanese people. So much for transparency and accountability. But this “blame Jagdeo and the PPP syndrome” is not only propagated by the government, it is aided and abetted by a few Jagdeo-haters, the likes of Dr. David Hinds; Dr. Eric Phillips; Lincoln Lewis; Freddie Kissoon; and Adam Harris. All of whom have their own axe to grind with the former President and the People’s Progressive Party. You would never hear them giving credit to Jagdeo and the PPP for all the good they have done for Guyana and the Guyanese people. David Hinds and Eric Philips were both cut from the same bolt of cloth. They are
only interested in the welfare of Afro-Guyanese, and brands the PPP as a racist party. Their biggest fear is that Afro-Guyanese, who now see this “good life” as just an elusive dream, will see past their lies and find the PPP an attractive alternative to the failed Granger Administration.Adam Harris is frustrated and feels betrayed by the many failures of the incompetent government he supports. Yet, he can hardly write a critical editorial of this government without some comparison to the PPP/C that suggests the PPP/ C may have done the same thing or worst. And the Dem Boys Seh column in the Kaieteur News can hardly mention Jagdeo’s name without the words “that scamp” preceding it. Lincoln Lewis is a known Jagdeo-hater. His venom came about years ago when he took a personal loan of over US$20,000 from the bauxite company, Omai, to buy a car. At the time, he was head of the bauxite union and was representing the interest of the bauxite workers at Linden. When his duty free concession for the car was cancelled, he blamed it on Jagdeo who was at the Ministry of Finance at that time. Everyone knows Freddie Kissoon has his own selfish motive for hating Jagdeo and the PPP. He blames the PPP for his dismissal at UG. But the truth is, at the time of his dismissal, he had passed the age of retirement, and never published anything of substance to keep his job, a basic requirement of an academic. Kissoon also blames the PPP for the “dismissal” of his
wife from Go-Invest. In fact, Freddie’s wife served well into the Jagdeo tenure, and took an early retirement from her government job with full honours and gratuities after that agency was restructured. Freddie Kissoon despises former President Bharrat Jagdeo for revoking his privilege from swimming at the Castellani swimming pool. But this was only done after it was discovered that Kissoon was using the venue to eavesdrop on the conversations of other pool guests, and was using the information he was getting clandestinely to write his Freddie Kissoon columns in the Kaieteur News. Some time ago, Kissoon complained that after a meeting with the former President to discuss getting duty-free concession for a car, Jagdeo was so harsh with him that he lost his sight temporarily when he went out on the road.But despite his known hatred for Jagdeo, Freddie Kissoon always had access to the former President: In the swimming pool at Castellani, and in his office to ask for duty-free concession. I wonder how much access he has now with a President he helped put in office. It is time that the Granger Administration accept responsibility for the management of our nation. They can no longer blame Bharrat Jagdeo nor the PPP for their incompetence, ineptitude, and the sufferings of the Guyanese people. They are in government now. Whatever needs fixing, they must fix it now before their remaining two years run out. HARRY GILL PPP/C Member of Parliament
our rice sector by securing a premium market for our rice producers. In contrast, after a mere three years in office, Minister Jordan and his colleagues in the APNU/AFC have mismanaged our economy and squandered our foreign reserves to the point where they cannot afford to meet the cost of the country’s fuel import bill, and they now want to use these higher fuel prices to force Guyanese to consume less fuel. It would be useful for the Minister to clarify who exactly he expects to reduce their demand for fuel. Is it the family that still has to go by minibus or motorcar to and from school and work every day? Is it the poor mother cooking on a kerosene stove for her children? Is it the rice farmer who still has to plant and harvest his rice because he is indebted to the bank and must keep servicing his loan? Is it the businesses that need back up power because Minister Jordan’s party sabotaged the Amaila Falls project that it now wants to resurrect belatedly? Is it the gold miner who needs to keep operating his dredge in to recover the capital that he invested and repay the money he borrowed to invest in the dredge? Which one of these groups exactly does the minister want to reduce their fuel consumption in the short term, in order to help him ease the pressure on the foreign reserves which he government mismanaged and squandered? Does the minister not realize that the rising fuel prices that his government is imposing on the productive sector, because of his government’s greed for revenue to spend on themselves, will in turn further destroy the productive sec-
tor and further erode the country’s export base? Does he not realize that the higher fuel prices that his government is passing on to private consumers is reducing their disposable income, and reducing their capacity to purchase other goods and services in the economy, thereby further impacting the productive sector? Can the minister kindly explain to the nation where are the foreign currency reserves that would have been accumulated from the savings when oil prices fell to less than US$30 during his government’s term in office, the lowest level of oil prices in over a decade. In the final analysis, the minister’s statement is nothing more than a confession that his government has mismanaged the economy, squandered the country’s foreign reserves to the point where they are so depleted that the country can afford to meet its import bill, so the Guyanese consuming public is now being forced to feel the brunt of this government’s incompetence. T Lest we forget it, it was this same problem of inadequate foreign reserves that led to the banning of basic food items during the Burnham years and scarred the psyche of our people and stigmatized our country with the indignity of being probably the only country in the world where wheat flour was an illegal commodity, possession of which could land you in jail. The journey to economic ruination, and its companion journey to political dictatorship, both appear to be well under way and moving rapidly to their tragic ultimate destination. Donald Ramotar Former President
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Monday June 25, 2018
Kaieteur News
Fifteen teams to participate in Guyana’s first Nationwide Robot and coding technology competition A total of fifteen teams representing schools, community clubs and religious organizations in region three, four, seven and 10 will be participating in Guyana’s first Nationwide Robot and Coding technology competition. This programme is the first of its kind in Guyana, and serves as a pilot to gauge the interest of participants, and to help organizers work out potential issues associated with automating and organizing a nationwide competition among teams so widely dispersed in Guyana. Organiser of the event, Karen Abrams, who is the co-founder of STEMGuyana, stated that students will learn critical soft skills like collaboration, communication and conflict resolution, while strengthening their academic knowledge, critical thinking, problem solving and technical skills. She added that they are simply no downside to youth participation in the new competition. Abrams noted that the launched is to expose and engage young people in STEM related activities and careers. She noted, too, that they have also found that the more they engage, is the more they learn, and the more they are able to grasp complicated concepts. The youth are also being prepared for the
future, which is unknown but will be kinder to young people who are comfortable with the backend of technology, Abrams says. A total of 36 young people from across Guyana attended the STEMGuyana information session and player assessment for August 2018, First Global robotics championship to be held in Mexico City, Mexico. Five students between the ages of 15 and 18 were selected to represent Guyana in Mexico City. One Coach and an Assistant Coach, along with two mentors and a Public Relations Officer (PRO), will also travel with the team. Local Director, Colin Sawh, noted that the selection committee is looking for young people who are curious, hard-working, disciplined, unafraid of facing challenges, determined and creative. He added that there were no grade requirement in 2017, and there will be no grade requirement this year. Sawh went on to say that they are looking for young people with great attitudes who will be great team members. Adams added that STEMGuyana generated much interest in the organization’s model for STEM engagement of Guyana’s youth, which was presented to an energetic audience at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) eighth annual
meeting. Abrams, whose presentation was titled “Robots In The Caribbean”, represented STEMGUYANA’s activities in four quadrants; preparing the robotics national team, creation of social good apps, the training of STEM club trainers and expansion of the STEM club network throughout the country and the management of a national robot building and scratch coding competition throughout the country.Abrams made the point that, “STEMGuyana is working with partners to make investments today which will pay off in 10, 15, 20 years. We want our young people to be prepared to provide technology services for the world. Estonia, a nation of 1.3m people, is home to 14,000 tech start-up companies; Guyana has a little more than half their population, so a target of 5000 Guyanese tech start-ups in 15 years is what we’re aiming for, an optimistic Abrams stated. STEMGuyana is working with partner organizations to make long-term investments in Guyanese youth, Abrams said. The presentation was also well received by leaders of indigenous groups who expressed interest in making the programme accessible to their communities. Additionally, representatives from several Guyanese
communities and Caribbean countries expressed interest in replicating the STEMGuyana model in their respective communities and countries. STEMGuyana recently received the first tranche of $2M donation from Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT), which will be used to sponsor their upcoming robot exhibition, slated for Saturday, July 07, at the Cliff Anderson, Sports Hall. The funds will also be used to expand STEMGuyana’s programs nationwide and across the Caribbean.
Spotlight on disability and rehabilitation services - as 15th ‘Rehab Week’ launched
Some of the staff of the Disability and Rehabilitation Services of the Ministry of Public Health The Ministry of Public Health is channelling efforts towards providing universal coverage for disability and rehabilitation services in Guyana. In this regard, a public awareness campaign has been embarked on for the coming week as the country observes ‘Rehab Week 2018’. An official launch for the week of activities was held at the Hugo Chavez Rehabilitation Centre at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice. At the brief ceremony, attention was called to the Ministry’s plans for universal coverage of rehabilitation and disability services and intensified public awareness of the availability of these services. The Director of the Disability and Rehabilitation Services of the Health
Two of the differently abled residents of the Cheshire Home who attended the launch of Rehab Week 2018. Ministry, Dr. Ariane Mangar said this year’s observance emphasizes the need to highlight increased efforts towards an improved community-based care throughout the country. “This year, we chose this theme because we would like to better serve various communities especially our far-flung areas,” she said, adding that, “most of all we would definitely want to give patients a higher standard of care thus improving the quality of service we currently offer.” Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings, who delivered the feature address noted that the Ministry through its disability and rehabilitation service continues to work to develop and maintain the profile and
coverage of its respective facilities across the length and breadth of Guyana. Professionals working within the rehab and disability sector were urged by the junior Minister to embrace the importance of value-based care. She said despite working in a resourceconstrained public health care system, the workers’ concept of value must become a standard component of rehabilitative care in Guyana. Permanent Secretary of MOPH, Colette Adams highlighted the fact that there is scope for the establishment of an Orthotics and Prosthetics service unit at the Hugo Chavez Rehabilitation Centre. The building, which comes under the management of the Ministry of Social Protection has the requisite
space available to facilitate such a unit. The establishment of such a unit will serve as a space for persons in need of this specific service to be accommodated as they seek to enhance the function and lifestyle through rehabilitation. The next step will involve discussions between the two subject ministries to make this a reality. “I thought it through and brought it before my policymakers. I think we should have a Prosthetic Centre in Region Five… We will now have to think about it, in terms of training and otherwise,” PS Adams noted. “Rehab Week” is being celebrated from June 24 to 30, 2018 under the theme “Increasing coverage and enhancing quality”.
Monday June 25, 2018
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Kaieteur News
I want to debate Jagdeo on race relations in Guyana - Dr. Hinds By Abena RockcliffeCampbell Because of its sensitivity, many continue to sweep racerelated issues under the proverbial carpet. But, political scientist, Dr. David Hinds wants these issues to see the light of day. In fact, Dr. Hinds wants a debate on race relations in Guyana with former President Bharrat Jagdeo. Like Jagdeo, Dr. Hinds says that ethnic issues in Guyana have to be addressed before there can be real progress in the Guyanese society. Dr. Hinds’ expression of interest for a debate came on the heels of Jagdeo’s invitation to President David Granger for a debate. Jagdeo’s invitation was extended through the media. Jagdeo’s invitation came
in the midst of allegations of racial discrimination at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). Read: h t t p s : / / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2018/06/23/natl-debate-onrace-relations-is-only-wayguyana-will-move-forwardjagdeo/. In his Sunday Column, Dr. Hinds said “I am glad Mr. Jagdeo wants to talk about race relations. He has challenged the President to debate the issue. I don’t know whether His Excellency would accept. But let me push myself up a bit here. Please Mr. Jagdeo, the President is busy right now dealing with the business of the State. I know I am not a big official, but I have been around a bit. I am available—please challenge me to debate race relations.”
Dr. Hinds said that he is quite aware that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C) has already started its campaign for the 2020 General and Regional Elections. “So, the PPP is using the racist approach—the underlying narrative that African Guyanese are naturally cheats and bullies. This is what the GECOM controversy is about. Here is the institution that is charged with overseeing the election. It is staffed by mostly African Guyanese. They all belong to the African Guyanese rigging party. That party is unchanging—it will always rig because rigging is in African Guyanese genes. Roxanne Myers is African Guyanese, so she is PNC and she is going to rig the election. Never mind Vishnu Persaud is PPP by virtue of
GPSCUL debacle…
Injunction halts work of interim management committee
The GPSCUL office on Brickdam Street. Secretary Manager of the Guyana Public Service Co-operative Credit Union Limited (GPSCUL), Trevor Benn has secured an injunction that halts the work of the Interim Management Committee (IMC), which took control of the Union last month. The injunction granted by High Court Judge, Justice Gino Persaud, restrains and prohibits the Chief Co-operative Development Officer/Commissioner, Perlina Gifth from assuming control of the Union until July 3, 2018 at which time the substantive case is expected to be heard. Gifth assumed control of the Union last month and appointed the IMC in response to concerns about the way in which the Union was being run. Backed by the court order, Benn and other managers who were booted when Gifth assumed control of the Union have sought to return to the Union’s office on Brickdam Street. In a signed statement released to the media on the Union’s letterhead, the managers accused Chairman of the IMC Trevor Benn, who is also Commissioner of the Guyana Lands and Surveys, of bias. Signing the statement were the Secretary Manager, Chairperson of the Union’s Management Committee, Ms. Patricia Went; its Vice Chairperson, Ms. Vera Naughton and Member Kenneth Watson. The IMC Chairman had told reporters on
Friday that while auditors were just beginning their work, there were already questions regarding $32M worth in overseas travel, with no paperwork to show. He stated that evidence in terms of the electronic database is there, but the vouchers to prove the reason for this expenditure and who benefitted from the travel is not available. According to the former Managers, the Chairman’s statements are in effect a clear indication of the absence of focus and objectivity of the IMC. The IMC Chairman had accused the former managers of retraining to the Union last Friday to change locks on doors and to prevent the work of the IMC. “The evidence is very startling so far, and I believe this is motivating some of the members. They cannot afford to allow this sort of information to get in the public domain so they are rushing back to the building to get documents that they could dispose of. Fortunately for us, we have all the documents that we need and the information will be revealed at an appropriate time,” the Chairman stated. According to the IMC Chairman, they have able to ‘stop the bleeding’ from the Union, noting that ‘poor members’ depend on payments. He indicated that the injunction did not restore the former managers.
Political Scientist, Dr. David Hinds
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo
President David Granger
being Indian Guyanese—the PPP’s logic. He will not rig because rigging is not in Indian Guyanese genes.” Dr. Hinds sought to demonstrate that the “PPP’s logic” is flawed. He said, “I am African Guyanese and I am not PNC. I am not a rigger and would not condone it. Remember, I was among those African Guyanese who challenged rigging back in the old days.” Dr. Hinds said too that he has a genuine interest in better race relations. He said that it is an area in which he offered his services “when this government first came to power, but my independent politics did not cut it with the overlords.” In his writing, Dr. Hinds made a distinction between race and ethnicity. “Ethnicity is broadly a cultural construct, while race is political,” he said. He continued, “Ethnicity has to do with differences in heritage and history, while race has to do with meanings of inferiority and superiority attached or imposed on those
differences. Race is a construct that was born in the context of plantation slavery where, in their quest to justify slavery, the plantocracy attached meaning to Africans and Europeans—that Africans were by nature inferior to Europeans. In other words, race gives meaning to ethnicity or skin colour.” The political scientist said that Guyana’s problem is ethnic—”we have different ethnic groups in a common space competing for political, economic and cultural resources. This is normal. The challenge for all countries, including Guyana, is to develop institutions and systems to ensure that that competition does not inhibit the common development and security of the various groups.” He said that because Guyana failed miserably in that regard, its ethnic competition has, over time, taken on a racial outlook. He said that Guyanese have attached political meaning to ethnic political
behaviour. “So, African Guyanese have come to believe that Indian Guyanese are by nature economically greedy—that their grand design is to own and control all of Guyana’s resources, and in the process, economically disenfranchise and disempower Africans. It follows that if they hold political power, they will use it to economically dominate other ethnic groups.” Dr. Hinds said that Indian Guyanese, on the other hand, have come to believe that African Guyanese are by nature economically lazy, and are political bullies and cheats who do not play by the rules. “So, if they hold power, they would use it to stifle the Indian Guyanese economy and bully them physically and otherwise.” Dr. Hinds said that the PPP/C plays a dangerous political game with race. He said that from the moment it lost the election in 2015, the party set about to convince its supporters that ethnic cleansing of Indian Continued on page 21
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Monday June 25, 2018
Kaieteur News
Sluice upgrade among measures to combat Fishermen, families remember loved flooding along coastlands – MOPI officials While there have been concerns over overtopping and other incidents, which resulted in flooding along the coastland in recent times, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MoPI) has been working to complete a number of river defence projects under its purview for the year. Speaking to Kaieteur News on the topic, officials attached to the Sea and River Defence Department of the MoPI explained that this year’s agenda includes work on a number of projects along the coastlands, including the sections of river defence at Lenora and Uitvlugt, which was recently affected by heavy tides and overtopping. The officials explained that the Department is currently engaging the Finance Ministry to acquire additional funding to complete works to areas, which necessitate fortification to prevent flooding along the coastland. Based on the assessment conducted, the Ministry has determined that among other things, sluice transitions are necessary to fortify the ports. In March, heavy tides, described as the
worst in at least two decades, battered the West Coast Demerara, (WCD) area leaving scores of homes under water and a hospital out of commission. Waters, which topped the nearby seawall of the Leonora Hospital flowed through the facilities. Residents along the coastland had raised concerns about the fragility of the country’s sea defences in the face of an increasing number of similar overtopping incidents. As a result, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) rushed to the area and helped set up two temporary relief centres at the Uitvlugt Community Centre and the Uitvlugt Secondary School. The centres housed residents affected by the flooding and will provide breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Leonora Hospital has been temporarily closed due to flooding and the Mildred Cox-Younge Health Centre, also known as the Den Amstel Health Centre, is now operating as a temporary hospital. As a result, the Health Centre facilitated outpatients as well as emergency cases, while the West Demerara Regional Hospital took the more serious cases.
ones ahead of Nat’l Day of Mourning Danash Persaud family at the Molson Creek Crossing.
Nearly three months ago, the vessel captained by Ramesh ‘Ravo’ Sancharra was attacked in one of the worst acts of piracy in Guyana’s history. Sanchara is one of 11 men whose body was not recovered and are presumed dead. Today, at Sancharra’s Good Hope, East Coast Demerara residence, family and friends gathered to say farewell with solemn Hindu rites. Sancharra’s wife, Kawalpatty Mangru, tearfully recalled her husband who had been a fisherman for more than 30 years. “He like fishing. He does work he doesn’t do nothing else. Meh miss him!” Mangru said. Sancharra’s vessel was one of four boats carrying some 20 persons off the coast of Suriname when it was attacked on April 27. His son, Rajendra Sancharra, said he was about to have breakfast when he received the devasting news the morning after the attack. “Three from my father boat, they chop and tie with battery they had two other survivors,” Rajendra told the Department of Public Information. “It’s a very, very sad situation,” he added. Sancharra’s memorial comes the day before the
Sancharra’s eldest son performing the Hindu rites. country honours the fishermen’s memory with a National Day of Mourning. The President made the proclamation on Friday. “Well, that is a good thing that he has done. And maybe he could do it like every year,” Rajendra said of the President’s decision. On Monday, June 25 all authorities, boards, commissions, corporations, public agencies, and citizens will fly the national flag at half-staff as a demonstration of solidarity with the families of the men killed in the gruesome and grisly acts, and to accord due homage
respect and reverence to the memory of the victims. Meanwhile, families of Danesh Persaud called “Vicky” and Mahese Sarjoo were headed to Suriname to commemorate the loss of their loved ones. The Guyana Embassy in Paramaribo is hosting a prayer service in honour of the men on Monday. The Sancharra family said they would like to see justice for their father and the other men who lost their lives. Tarmattie Ibrahim called Kavita, the wife of Danesh Persaud said, “We need justice.”
Kawalpatty Mangru and her sons
Monday June 25, 2018
L
et us suppose that there is a vacancy within a government office for a social worker and there are two applicants for the job. The job description calls for a Bachelor’s Degree. Both candidates have a Bachelor’s Degree. But one of them has a Degree in sociology and the other has a Degree in Economics. The person with the Degree of Economics has a B average and the person with the Degree in Sociology has a C average. Which one should be given the job? It would seem only fair that in making a decision about qualifications, you would opt for the person whose qualifications are more relevant to the nature of the job. Since a sociology degree is more closely aligned with the work of a social worker, then it would seem logical that in assessing qualifications in
terms of relevance to the job, the person with the Sociology Degree would be preferred to the person with the Economics Degree, notwithstanding the latter’s superior grade average.Transpose that to the controversy over the choice of a candidate for the job of Deputy Chief Elections Office. Should greater weight not have been given to someone with qualifications relating to the elections management as against someone who is weaker in this area? Should relevance of qualifications not trump grade average? This is one way of looking at the issue of assessing qualifications. Of course, job evaluations are not limited to considerations about qualifications. There are other factors, which have to be taken into consideration including integrity and experience. But the above example demonstrates the shortcomings of an
approach in which qualifications are assessed in terms of grade average rather than relevance to the organization and the work to be done. One letter writer, Mr. Nowrang Persaud, has made a timely intervention. That person indicated that there are other criteria, which need to be taken into consideration for professional, supervisory or managerial positions. He says that when it comes to filling certain vacancies, some companies outsource interviews. This is a good way of reducing interviewer bias.If the Guyana Elections Commission has not yet issued a contract to the person who the majority of the Commission favours for the post of Deputy Chief Elections Officer, then perhaps the Commission can arrange a second round of interviews but this time to be undertaken by an independent firm.
Venezuelan murdered while beating spouse for dancing with another man A jealous Venezuelan was stabbed to death at around 01:50 hrs on Saturday after he was seen beating his spouse for dancing with another man. Police identified the victim as Rafael Angel Gonsale Prieto. The killing occurred at Black Water, Cuyuni. Police have arrested the suspect, Francisco Hosea De Matos, 27, a gold miner of Monkey Mountain and Lot 87 Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara.Police say that
the suspect fled the scene, but was later apprehended. According to information reaching this publication, Rafael Prieto, 27, and his partner, 32-year-old Laurens Susana Rodriguez Cabrera, a Venezuelan, went to a restaurant and bar at Black Water, Cuyuni, where he found her dancing with another man. Annoyed at this, Rafael pushed the woman to the ground and sat on her chest,
and then proceeded to use a knife to cut off her hair. Upon seeing this, Francisco went to the woman’s rescue. The suspect then dealt Rafael several stabs about the body with a knife. The victim received injuries to his upper lip, upper left arm and his abdomen, causing his intestines to protrude. A post mortem examination will be conducted on Rafael’s remains in the coming week.
Gold Board in moves to assist small miners
T
he Guyana Gold Board (GGB) is consistently working to reduce challenges faced by small miners, as they contribute significantly to the economy. This is according to GGB Manager, Eondrene Thompson, who last week, assured mining representatives that the entity remains committed to the interests of gold miners. The GGB was part of a delegation that included several Ministers of government that met with representatives of the mining sector at the Marriot Hotel last week. The objective was to listen to concerns raised by the stakeholders and provide assistance where necessary. Among several matters raised, were duty-free concessions for small miners, monetary advances and limited equipment for mining.
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Thompson explained that the granting of duty-free concessions lies in the hands of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). However, she said that should there be consistency in declarations by small miners; recommendations can be made to the GRA. “As soon as we can get beyond that, where we can say to GRA these small miners are requesting duty free [allowances], the Guyana Gold Board will be able to say this is a consistent small miner and we’re hoping that as soon as he gets 50 ounces, you could grant them duty free [privileges’],” she said. Regarding monetary advances to miners, Thompson said the GGB is not a financial institution. She said it has been a regular practice for private dealers to give advances and await payment after the miners sell their gold, however, this does
not happen at the board. “I cannot say right now, because we have spoken about this at the board level that the Gold Board can get into that. Of course, there are a lot of intricacies involved in advancing money,” she said. Thompson said dealers themselves have been complaining that they have been “losing out” in this regard.The GGB General Manager also said that miners are still able to benefit from the 10 percent foreign currency service, even if they do not reach the required number of ounces. However, if they do not sell to the gold board and continue selling to the dealers, then the board will have to make adjustments. On the matter of equipment, Thomson said the board is aware of their “dire need” and the entity is taking the necessary steps to have that rectified.
The outsourced firm should be allowed to determine the criteria and the relevant weights to be applied to each criterion. The criteria and their weights would be determined based on the company’s assessment of the expertise, which will be needed for the job.The same person has pointed out that what some employment evaluators do is to administer certain tests to assess written and oral communications skills, interpersonal relationships, ability to motivate others, supervisions and management of staff and financial and materials management. It was persuasively argued that, “objective assessment and comparative/relative evaluation of these criteria often require ‘third party’ interventions such as
in-house and/or external selectors facilitated by recruitment professionals and reference-checks.” In the case of GECOM, which has the task of convincing the public that its staff are not only competent but fair and impartial, then it would have been better for a ‘third party’ evaluation of the candidates for the post of Deputy Chief Elections Officer.The Commissioners of GECOM certainly must be aware of the highly polarized nature of our society. Any suggestion of political or other bias is going to affect public confidence in the work of the Commission. This is something, which GECOM should avoid. One political leader once said that the situation is such that GECOM is under such intense scrutiny that it has to
ensure spotless elections because the slightest indiscretion will attract perceptions of possible skullduggery and impropriety It might be best if in the case of the controversy over the appointment of a Deputy Chief Elections Officer that if a compromise cannot be reached to have two such offices, then perhaps a ‘third and independent party’ should be asked to conduct new interviews. The objective should be an appointment that is not only fair and transparent but is so seen by the public.
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Monday June 25, 2018
Kaieteur News
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
Travis Chase’s question over the dinner table The place - the “Mirage” above Hot and Spicy Restaurant on Albert Street. The date - last Friday evening. The occasion – dinner in honour of the victims of the Lindo Creek massacre. Some of us from the media sat at the very first table. As we discussed the libel writ for $200M by the Finance Minister against Juan Edghill, Travis Chase of HGPTV Nightly News of Channel 67 leaned over the table and said to me, “Freddie, how much libels you get?” I didn’t give him a figure but said that he would be shocked to know some of the people who have sued me for libel. I described for Chase who some of these folks are – people who say they champion free speech, people who say they are against intolerance in the exercise of power, people who are public figures engaged in social activism, people who are
engaged in open discussion about society in general, people who enjoy high prominence in society. But once you publish even the most graphically known flaws or mistakes about them, they sue. I am not naming names here. Many of the writs that I got in my thirty-year media career have never been made public so people do not know who the plaintiffs were, but they are from persons who enjoy high national status. Of course, most Guyanese in and out of the territory would know that I chalked up a piece of history by being the only academic to be sued by a sitting head of government in the CARICOM region. I refer to President Jagdeo’s libel suit of 2009. I didn’t want to bore Chase with the details of these past litigations but the one that stands out for me because of a certain ugly
dimension was Dr. Hughley Hanoman when I wrote for the Stabroek News. Editor-in-Chief David De Caires called me in and informed me that the paper’s lawyer, Miles Fitzpatrick would argue the case for the newspaper only but will not defend me. I wasn’t surprised. I knew Fitzpatrick, who I grew up seeing and hearing about his activism against the Burnham Government, didn’t like me because I remain, maybe up to this day as the only dark-skinned, working class human being who refused to kowtow to class and colour. If I ever write my memoir, Fitzpatrick will earn an entire chapter. The subject around the dinner table returned to the libel against Edghill and I wanted to shout out that the Finance Minister should have gone for contempt of court rather than libel. But the ambience didn’t allow for
such an exclamation. Here in this column, I could freely express myself. I will stay away from any discussion of the Minister’s court action since it is sub judice but I could now openly claim that Minister Jordan should have gone for contempt of court proceedings against Edghill. I wished he had sought the kind of writ Edghill sought against me drafted by Senior Counsel, Ashton Chase. I quote from the first page of Edghill’s affidavit; “That a writ of attachment be issued against the respondents for PENAL CONSEQUENCES,” (emphasis mine). What Ashton Chase drew up was a document for contempt of court that requested the court to impose imprisonment. Edghill wanted me to go to jail. These are the kinds of people that once ruled and ruined this country and want to control it again.
Their hypocrisy knows no limit. In a letter of condemnation of me in the Wednesday, December 20, 2017 edition of this paper, Edghill wrote; “Mr. Kissoon’s attempt of driving me into silence has been unsuccessful, he should seek another target.” One would not believe that the person who penned that letter moved to the courts to have me put in jail for my right to criticize. He complained that I cannot drive him into silence but he sought to drive me into Camp Street jail. Do the Guyanese people think Edghill and company including his leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, would change if they get back in power? These people are irredeemable. The Jagdeoite cabal, including Donald Ramotar, has perpetuated a sickening hegemony on this
Frederick Kissoon country and to date, not even a vague apology has emerged from their pen and their voice. Tomorrow, the Caribbean Court of Appeal will rule if Jagdeo can contest the presidency again. I find it mysterious that the Guyanese nation is gripped with anxiety over this court case. If it goes Jagdeo’s way, he will lead the PPP into the 2020 election but he, Edghill and the PPP’s school of hypocrites are feasting over their own delusions. Jagdeo, Edghill and their cohorts are remnants of the past.
Monday June 25, 2018
Kaieteur News
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Monday June 25, 2018
Kaieteur News
IN SIX MONTHS…
Speeding cops pay out almost $500,000 to repair damaged vehicles
This new pickup was damaged just a few days after being handed over to the Force. Following a warning from Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, speeding police ranks have paid out close to half a million to have Force vehicles that they damaged repaired.
Among them is a rank who almost ‘wrote off’ a brand new pickup, and who had to undergo further driving lessons after being charged. The vehicles that have been damaged include some
from the fleet of 56 pickups that the government of China donated last year to the Force. One of the pickups is said to cost between $4M to $6M in Guyanese currency. A senior police official
The badly damaged police vehicle in the yard. disclosed that for the year, about $450,000 has been taken out of the salaries of about five ranks who damaged police vehicles due to careless driving. “They are not waiting to
be called, they are paying immediately,” the source said. In some cases, the money is taken out in monthly installments, when the ranks indicate that they are unable to immediately make full payment. Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan had warned that money will be taken out of the salaries of ranks for the repair of vehicles. But days after Ramjattan’s warning, a ‘B’ Division rank crashed one of the new pickups, PWW 5452, on the Cane Field Public Road, East Canje Berbic. A senior traffic rank said that the repairs cost about $200,000 and was ‘fully paid” by the rank. He was also charged with dangerous driving and was transferred to Traffic Headquarters, Eve Leary, to undergo “further training in defensive driving and ethics in driving.” Then on May 22, Police Constable Wellon Carr, caused another of the new Foton Tunland pickups to overturn after crashing into a house at De Hoop, Mahaica. Three of his colleagues received minor injuries. It was alleged that he lost control of the pickup, PWW 5411, after swerving from a cow. The constable was charged with dangerous driving. Police Commissioner (ag), David Ramnarine, subsequently ordered a “thorough investigation” into the mishap. Also in May, a speeding police vehicle overturned after colliding with a Rav4, PKK 9340 at the junction of Middleton Street and Campbell Avenue, Campbellville. According to eyewitnesses, the Rav4 was travelling south into Middleton Street when the police vehicle that was speeding in Campbell Avenue
slammed into the Rav4 causing the police vehicle to topple over. The axle of the police pickup was broken and the front windscreen was damaged, along with the top of the vehicle. A senior traffic official conceded that many ranks were still using the roads in a careless manner. “Even if you have on your siren, that is no guarantee that other drivers will hear you, since the other drivers may be playing their music loudly or may have their windows wound up,” the official said. On the day that the new vehicles were handed over to the Force, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan had warned that policemen will be expected to foot the bill for repairs to the vehicles they damage. The Minister had noted that, “…you damage it, and bruise it up; we are going to surcharge you. When you come and say that it’s difficult and constraining, I will say ‘I warned you,’ so you are forewarned.” Last year, Commissioner of Police (ag), Ramnarine also revealed that there were 23 accidents in 2017 involving vehicles either owned or driven by members of the Force. Four resulted in deaths. He also confirmed that two police ranks who had damaged brand-new police vehicles are paying for the repairs. “Apart from paying, there are departmental charges. Both ranks have been removed from their divisions,” Ramnarine said. “In this case, you pay, you are being transferred, so it’s not just that ‘you’re wild, you crash the vehicle and you will get some friend to pay for the vehicle.’ It’s a whole host of things that will happen (to you) and we will keep it that way.”
Monday June 25, 2018
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Kaieteur News
Jagdeo was silent on race relations during PPP’s tenure - AFC The Alliance For Change (AFC), the minority party in the Coalition Government, finds it most absurd that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is calling for a debate on the issue of race, when they were completely silent during the 23 years that the party controlled Government. Following public debates over the ethnic composition of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), PPP’s General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo challenged President David Granger to debate race relations, pointing out that a national conversation on the issue is the only way that
Guyana will be able to move forward. However, the AFC in its column published in the Sunday edition of the Kaieteur News alluded to the PPP’s silence on race relations. “We recall that the PPP had had nothing to say about race and conspiracy during the 23 years, they presided over Guyana. They had no problems with previous Chairmen of GECOM,” the AFC stated. Jagdeo’s PPP has accused GECOM of race bias that saw the top-ranked candidate, Vishnu Persaud, an IndoGuyanese, being pruned
Police corporal arrests his own driver
Deolall Rampersaud handcuffed to the window at the Madiwini Outpost. Deolall Rampersaud of Timehri was detained for two days at the Madiwini Police Outpost, by a corporal who gave him motorcar PPP 5572 to work and pay $20,000 per week. Rampersaud was given a motorcar PPP 5572 to work, by the traffic rank, who is stationed at the Madiwini Outpost, on the Linden Soesdyke Highway. The driver was supposed to hand over $20,000 every week. Kaieteur News understands that at the end of the first week, Rampersaud asked for more time to pay since he did not have all the money. It is alleged that the rank noticed a scratch on his car when Ramparsaud came with it, and called a friend who does body work to give an estimate of the repair costs. Rampersaud reportedly insisted that the car was already scratched when he
received it. Told that the repair cost was $30,000, the driver allegedly asked for time to repay. It was then that he was allegedly handcuffed to a window at the outpost. Contacted by Kaieteur News as to why Rampersaud was handcuffed to a window, the policeman said that the driver owed him money. Rampersaud was released on the June 21, after being detained for two days. The police rank reportedly took $15,000 from him and told him to work and pay the balance of $35,000. Photos of Rampersaud handcuffed to the Outpost window were published in June 21 issue of this newspaper and on social media. This caused the Guyana Police Force to initiate an investigation and the police corporal has since been transferred.
down for the post of Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO). PPP Commissioner, Robeson Benn had charged that Afro-Guyanese made up 90% of the staff of GECOM, a claim that has since disputed as incorrect based on statistics released by GECOM Chairman, Justice James Patterson (ret’d). According to the AFC, the PPP’s intentions to keep the racial divide wide-open are very clear, very disturbing and they run tantamount to the nation’s determination to grow, move forward and develop as a nation on a united platform.
“Playing the race card to keep any support base uninformed, afraid and willing to circle their proverbial political wagons is old, it is tired, and it does not take into account that new generations of voters are well educated people who are very capable of making their own decisions,” the AFC pointed out. The party reminded that Jagdeo had made the very same claims on his 2014/15 campaign trail, citing some rather off-colour stories of Coalition supporters beating drums in south Georgetown and urging Afro-Guyanese to vote “these people” out.
According to the AFC, despite diligent searches by various non-political and transparency groups, no one could find any evidence to substantiate his claims. The party also pointed out that informed people do not like to be jerked around to suit anyone’s purpose. “They care about programmes that are executed to enrich their lives and see to their future. The PPP has to know this. It’s not rocket science, so their constant beating of this tattered old drum, using a made-up race issue at GECOM would do very little for them,” the AFC stated.
AFC Leader, Raphael Trotman
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Monday June 25, 2018
Kaieteur News
Linden’s CDC encourages subsistence farming - with community seedling nursery
Sections of the One Mile Extension Seedling Nursery.
The seedling producers from left, Oliver Tapin, Wonda Richmond and Cleveland Tappin. Residents of One Mile Extension, Wismar Linden, are being encouraged to turn to the soil as a means of adapting to the green economy and as a means of sustenance, especially for single mothers. The Community Development Council (CDC) has established a community seedling nursery through which residents receive free seedlings and practical assistance to start up their very own kitchen gardens. The One Mile Extension CDC seedling nursery is manned by two brothers; Oliver and Cleveland Tappin and former educator Wonda Richmond. The trio has dedicated their energies to pushing agriculture in the community as well as the entire town of Linden following their collaboration with the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN) to initiate seedling drives every Friday. The trio produces cash crops, permanent crops, citrus fruits and even medicinal seedlings. LEN has been promoting seedling production especially that of pepper to meet the demand for agro-processors in Linden. The trio heeded the call by President David Granger for Linden to diversify, given the significant scaling down of bauxite mining. The Tappin brothers gravitated to farming, in 2005 when the opportunity to diversify presented itself through the Linden Economic Advancement Programme (LEAP). Cleveland Tappin said it was the Region 10 Farmers Association which was formed in 2005 that
conceptualised the seedling project, which they have continued. Their enthusiasm for agriculture allowed them to visit the twin island of Trinidad and Tobago in 2007 to get a firsthand glimpse of the best seedling nurseries in the Caribbean. They later benefitted from a workshop where the owner of the nursery travelled to Guyana to teach Linden farmers the skills of seedling production. While it is also a livelihood, since the seedlings are sold to farmers around Linden, the brothers, along with Ms. Richmond, dedicate their time to encouraging persons to turn to the soil. “The President spoke about the green economy so we are answering the call,” Cleveland Tappin said. PATIENCE NEEDED To produce seedlings, which are tiny and very delicate, the process requires patience and care. Ms. Richmond fondly described it as giving them TLC to see results and some plants, such as celery, which usually have a huge demand, take approximately two and a half months before they are ready to be transplanted. “It entails patience, you have to be very gentle, everything calls for a tender touch because you can break the plant and lose the root also, you must be tender….you talk to your plants, you smile with your plants, you love them...,” she said. After seedlings are sold or distributed, the Continued on page 20
Residents of Linden clamouring for seedlings at one of the seedling distributions organised by LEN.
Monday June 25, 2018
PAGE 19
Kaieteur News
Thirteenth Chinese Medical Brigade commended for service
Prime Minister, Hon. Moses Nagamootoo A member of the 13th Chinese Medical Brigade receives a token of appreciation from Mrs. Sita Nagamootoo. Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo has congratulated the 13th Chinese Medical Brigade for successfully completing their one-year voluntary stint in Guyana. This was done last evening when the Ministry of Public Health and the Chinese Embassy in Guyana hosted a dinner to bid farewell to the medical team , while welcoming the 14th batch of Chinese doctors here. “During this period, I have met with members of the team and have appreciated their commitment not only to their duty, but for reaching our people in the rural communities,” Prime Minister
Nagamootoo, said while delivering his address. “I recall warmly, the team’s visits with us to Berbice and elsewhere.” He wished the outgoing team success as they reunite with their families in China and expressed optimism that one day, they will return to Guyana where they now have many friends. “… We will remember them and should we visit China in the future, we would certainly request Jianghsu Province and, more especially, the City of Lainyungang.” In her remarks, Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence said the government recognises the wide range of knowledge and
A member of the 13th Chinese Medical Brigade receives a token of appreciation from Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence. expertise that the Chinese Government has extended over the years to Guyana through the annual mission of the Chinese Medical Teams. She noted that Guyana has witnessed the deepening and strengthening of the relationship between the two countries, engendered by the interaction of the Medial Teams, the Health Care Providers and the beneficiaries. “As the Minister of Public Health, I wish to take this opportunity to express our gratitude for the solidarity, support and invaluable service to the Health Sector”. Minister Lawrence also
extended gratitude to the outgoing team for their expertise and assistance in the recently concluded fourday Health Expo held at the Sophia Exhibition Centre. The 13th Chinese Medical team comprised 16 specialists, 11 of whom were stationed at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), while five members were assigned to the Linden Hospital (LHC). The doctors shared their knowledge with their colleagues at the two hospitals in the areas of Pathology, Radiology Genealogy among others. Outgoing leader of the 13th Medical team, Dr. Lui Yi highlighted that the group
treated some 30,000 patients and conducted some 3000 operations at the GPHC and the LHC and held some 11 outreaches in rural and remote areas. Dr. Li said the team had developed a deep friendship with the Guyanese people and their colleagues at the respective hospitals. Incoming leader of 14th medical team, Dr. Shen Jian assured the outgoing team that his batch of doctors will continue in their footsteps. Counsellor and Deputy Chief of Missions, Chinese Embassy in Guyana, Chen Xilai, congratulated the outgoing team for their success over their one-year period. He also noted that the relationship between Guyana and China will continue to grow since it has been 25 consecutive years of Chinese
Counsellor and Deputy Chief of Missions, Chinese Embassy in Guyana Chen Xilai
Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence Medical Team coming to Guyana. The most recent 14member team will see 10 doctors stationed at the GPHC and four at the LHC.
NAREI provides farmers with greater yields, cheaper alternative to chemical fertilizers
NAREI Extension Officer Mrs. Bristol with farmer Seodatt on plot containing inoculum.
“The inoculum NAREI gave me to add to my soil really good…Imagine I deh on my fifth picking of bora from that plot and I now deh on the first picking from the plot without the inoculum,” says Mr. Deodat Seodatt, a farmer operating in Parika Backdam. Seodatt is one of two farmers, who recently partnered with the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), to conduct a Rizobia (inoculum) trial. The inoculation of seeds with Rhizobium bacteria helps legume plants to utilize atmospheric nitrogen, thus reducing a farmer’s dependence on the more costly nitrogenous fertilizers. Bora is one of Seodatt’s main crops. As such, when the Institute approached him a few months ago to participate in the trial he responded in the positive. The effectiveness of the inoculum has gained the farmer’s confidence over chemical fertilizer. “I will continue to use the inoculum because you only have to apply it once and you get a good bearing…it start bear early and steady which means a quick turnover…but the other plot that I treat with fertilizer now start bear and I already apply fertilizer twice…now that means I would have to wait longer for the crop and spend more money to fertilize the land,” Seodatt said. The other farmer, Dinesh Bhagwandin
of Ruby Backdam had similar results. Bhagwandin, who did not plant bora in a long while, opted to participate in the activity. He was responsible for a plot that was treated with inoculum only. Extension Officer, Talica Bristol, who is responsible for this project said, “We worked closely with the farmers to see how the bacteria works and the response from farmers is positive…They say it reduces the need for intense labour and fertilizers.” According to Chief Executive Off i c e r o f N A R E I , D r. O u d h o Homenauth these trials allow farmers to be actively involved in the development of the other crops sector. They are given the opportunity to experience the technology and draw their own conclusions based on outcome. “Following years of research, several trials have been conducted to test the inoculum under different conditions…This trial is one of many that derived positive responses…But, the most important outcome is that the farmer is willing to adapt this technology because he has experienced the benefit,” Dr. Homenauth said. He noted that the research was initiated “To reduce the dependence on nitrogen fertilizers…This is environmentally friendly as there are no movements to drains etc…Also cost of production is significantly reduced.
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Monday June 25, 2018
Kaieteur News
Almost three years after… Guyanese scholar makes 2018 Class of Ignite Caribbean’s Findings of probe into murder of female 30 Under 30 Honorees psychiatric patient still unknown US based Guyanese scholar, Kelly Hyles is among the 2018 Honorees for the 30, Under 30 Caribbean American Emerging Leaders/ Change Makers Awards, which honours youths exhibiting leadership in academia, volunteerism and entrepreneurship in the Caribbean American community. Hyles who hails from Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara and now resides in the USA, is currently attending Harvard University. She is Vice President of the Harvard Caribbean Club, where she spearheaded the organization’s first annual Jubilee—an event which showcased the diversity and talent in the Caribbean, and provided a space for Caribbean students in the Greater Boston/ Cambridge area to celebrate their history, art, music and food. Hyles, an alumni of Queen’s College, is also a mentor at the Harvard Ed Portal, where she helps K-12 students from the Allston/ Brighton area cultivate their interests in Math, Science and the Arts. In addition, she recently launched Gears for Success, a not for profit organization, which aims to provide educational supplies
Kelly Hyles to underserved schools in Guyana. Through Continued on page 22
Norton to take issue up with Cabinet... From page 17 what they saw as shortcomings related to the award. In a recent Sunday column, Subraj Singh, the second youngest writer to win the Guyana Prize, stated that, “THE Guyana Prize for Literature has finally been acknowledged as flawed and this is a good thing because now the authorities can put mechanisms in place that make the Prize stronger and better organised than it currently is. “What absolutely should not be allowed and condoned is any plan of action that calls for the complete dissolution and end to the Guyana Prize for Literature. One hopes that this second course of action is far removed from the Department of Culture’s agenda and that a long-awaited assessment of the current state of the Prize and how to improve upon it is truly what is necessary for Guyana. “Over the years, this Prize has long been one of the few signifiers of the various governments’ alleged interest in the creative sector and it has continuously marked the works and oeuvre of a number of Guyanese writers, helping them to be introduced to a wider audience (most notably the Guyanese audience itself) and carrying a financial reward that, in this day and age where the concept of the starving artist rings particularly true, is very significant in the artistic and literal survival of writers. Many names that carry the weight of the Guyana Prize for Literature also carry the mantle of several other international recognitions and distinctions. Such writers include Wilson Harris, Martin Carter, David Dabydeen, Grace Nichols, John Agard, Pauline Melville, and Beryl Gilroy. The Guyana Prize is one of the literary connections that binds such a stellar group of writers together and offers them to the world. Any changes that come to the Guyana Prize in the upcoming days must ensure that this solid literary legacy is maintained and any changes that come about should aim towards ensuring that the Prize continues to reward writers of great skill and literary prowess. The important questions are: 1) How do we find such writers? 2) How do we make such writers? The great failing of both this government and the previous government is not being able to understand the role of literature-based initiatives and programmes that focus on the training of writers and the honing of skills –
particularly when it comes to writers of poetry and fiction.” Also speaking on the issue was writer and graphic artist, Barrington Braithwaite who observed, “When President Hoyte conceptualised the ‘Guyana Prize’ in 1987 as the foremost and only local literary competition, its purpose was to invite participation from accomplished Guyanese writers overseas to enter and upon winning, participate in workshops and meets with their local brethren to inspire participation and development, thus a resuscitation of such talents locally. I am not sure that any workshops were held, but I stand to be corrected. However, local talent did participate and won. There was talk then of a general assessment of published and self-published items that included magazines, comic books (the term graphic novel was not used then) anthologies and to encourage short story competitions and publications, (the Chronicle did encourage short story writing accompanied by artwork they supplied), journals and non-fiction material, to be able to develop a constant reading habit of homegrown literature and general reading matter for students and adults about Guyana. But that energy never materialised in that anticipated context. The divisive politics overshadowed the space to construct any progressive movement like a national dialogue on the importance of books and local publishing, with a cadre from one side and no response from the other. “Former President Hoyte no doubt intended to circumvent the continuation of ignorance that held sway in the preindependence era, where the self-loathing spectre that demanded a limited worldview and the preoccupation and contentment with conspicuous consumption rather than the substance of self-worth entangled our minds. In the end, this symbol of literature, whether an effigy in the true sense, it is nevertheless a foundation with tremendous potential that can be transformed into much more than the facade of a competition, the current terms of practice does not serve what is demanded in this day. The evolution of the ‘Guyana Prize for Literature’ must be, whatever it must then be called, it must become with state corporation the platform of local publishing from these shores to wherever people read.”
It’s close to three years since the incident occurred. However, the truth of the circumstances of the death of a female patient of the National Psychiatric Hospital is still unknown. According to reports on August 26, 2015, ‘Edna,’ a female patient of the National Psychiatric Hospital was murdered during a fight with another patient. The reports suggested that a fight broke out between the victim and two other patients who were isolated after they exhibited aggressive behaviour. The reports further said that only one nurse was on duty in the ward when this tragedy occurred, and it is unclear whether she was aware of the fight and attempted to intervene. The matter was never reported to the police until it was carried in the media. Then Health Minister, George Norton had promised that an investigation will be launched and the findings would be made public. But from all appearances, that information was never released. Over the weekend, the issue was raised again in the letter pages of the newspaper. In the letter, the writer
sought to highlight the plight of the mentally ill in Guyana. The writer noted that the response of the Ministry of Public Health to Edna’s death is not only troubling, but also indicates the low value placed on human lives in Guyana p a r t i c u l a r l y, persons who have mental health issues. In the correspondence, the writer also highlighted the need for an updated mental health legislation to bring an end to the lack of transparency and accountability that exists in the mental health system. While noting that this is not the first time such an incident occurred at the institution, the writer called on “the current Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, to do the right thing and provide a complete update to the nation on the incident.” “It is unclear whether appropriate measures have since been taken to minimize the risk of harm to patients in the care of the state. It is also past time for the findings into Edna’s death to be made public to ensure that others do not suffer a similar fate.”
Edna was reportedly a mentally retarded patient at the institution since 2008. She was discharged, and returned in 2010. The perpetrator is said to be in her fifties and reportedly hails from the Bath, West Coast Berbice area. She was admitted into the mental institution around June 2015. According to reports, the two inmates were both patients of the female admission wards (A and B) of the institution. After exhibiting aggressive behaviour recently, they were both placed in a single room along with another aggressive patient. Nurses working in the institution had expressed concern about the conditions under which they work. It was said that one nurse alone is often assigned to a ward which houses as many as 31 patients. “The general area is v e r y b u s h y, t h e r e a r e hardly any lights and sometimes there are no guards working. When the incident occurred, only one nurse was reportedly working in each ward, and officials were tightlipped. Information was hard to c o m e b y, ” a c o n c e r n e d staff member had said.
Linden’s CDC encourages subsistence... From page 14 trio visits the farmers to ensure that they are seeing results and to give technical guidance when needed. Richmond described it as an interchange of encouragement when they make these calls and the farmers and residents tell them how beautiful their seedlings would have developed. Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira would continuously provide the brothers with agricultural tools in an effort to see the project expand. INCREASED DEMANDS Since the call for the adaption of the green economy, the seedling producers have noted an increase in persons showing interest as
well as farmers utilising the seedlings, which allow for a quicker process. The National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) also came on board and have engaged the producers on special projects. These include the production of purple cabbage, ginger and sweet corn. “The demands are getting greater, we go out every Friday in front of the LEN office, and encourage people to get on board. People are excited and motivated to do so, it is increasing all the time,” Richmond said. “We are encouraging you so we give you free and then we have our senior citizens and single mothers that we give freely to.” (a DPI feature)
Worrying increase in pregnancies... From page 18 feature address at the launch, said that there need to be more frank discussions on social ills like teenage pregnancy. “We have to speak of these things and see them as violence against our children. We also have to ensure that their rights are recognised and upheld; that our legal and our social protection agencies protect these children with the full majesty of the law…The children come first and it is their future that we have to ensure… That is enshrined in our Constitution.” Mrs. Granger further disclosed that girls as young as 11 and 12 – years old are becoming pregnant, and not through their own will. According to Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry, teenage pregnancy is a complex issue resulting from a number of factors, including poverty, gender inequality, violence, lack of education and difficult family
relationships. She said this must not prevent them from acquiring an education. And UNICEF representative to Guyana and Suriname, Sylvie Fouet, said that Guyana ranks the second highest in teenage pregnancy in Latin America and the Caribbean. She posited that the policy is a key milestone and the next step is implementation. Fouet stated that the policy represents an important milestone for Guyana as it outlines a comprehensive approach to ensure teen mothers get a second opportunity to go back to school and to receive the necessary community and medical support. She lamented that in Guyana, teenage pregnancy is between 20% to 22% for girls below the age of 19 – years. Guyana is reported to have the second highest rate in teenage pregnancy in Latin America and the Caribbean, the UNICEF representative noted.
Monday June 25, 2018
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Kaieteur News
Incorporate local content initiatives in bidding documents - Finance Minister urges Budget heads
F
inance Minister, Winston Jordan recently called for the heads of various budget agencies and permanent secretaries, to incorporate
more local content initiatives in bidding documents. He made this call last Thursday at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre. There, the Ministry of Finance
Hotel owner robbed at gunpoint The proprietor of Caesar’s Palace Hotel was robbed of $75,000 in cash and several cellular phones, while she was seated in the lobby area of the business place. The robbery occurred at about 00:15hrs, yesterday at Lot 32 Delph Street, Campbellville, Georgetown. The victim, Roxanne Rollex, 52, of Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara, according to the police, was robbed of a black hand bag valued $10,000, $75,000, a Samsung Galaxy S5 cell phone valued $60,000,a Samsung Galaxy valued $65,000,a BLU cell phone valued $16,000 and a quantity of personal documents. Investigations disclosed that Rollex was seated in the lobby of the hotel, when a man entered through the northern door and went to the receptionist, Tenesha Rollex, and requested to book a room. Police say that the man left, and upon his return, pointed a gun at Rollex and relieved her of her valuables. He then escaped. Several persons in the area were questioned by the police, but no useful information was received. Police are in the process of reviewing CCTV cameras from the area.
I want to debate Jagdeo... From page 7 Guyanese was a major objective of the new government. He said, “It tracked every move the government made regarding the staffing of State institutions and spun them as ethnic cleansing. And because the government was politically inexperienced and careless, it wittingly and unwittingly walked into the PPP’s ethnic trap.” Dr. Hind said that the PPP knew that because it had, in its 23-year reign, institutionalized Indian Guyanese domination of the State, the society and the political economy, any corrective measures, if not handled properly, would look and smell like ethnic cleansing. He said that in other words, the ethnic domination institutionalized by the PPP could not be dismantled without ethnic consequences. Further, Dr. Hinds said, “the government has clumsily handled our ethno-racial problem, largely because the African Guyanese political elite have always adopted a
simplistic approach to this complex issue. It has believed that if you put a few Indians and Amerindians in top positions, use some multiethnic rhetoric, and avoid the appearance of favoritism towards African Guyanese, the problem would be contained or solved. In the process, it has ignored deep Indian Guyanese sensitivities, their political culture and how the PPP manipulates them. In other words, the government has been politically clumsy on the ethno-racial issue, but it has not engaged in any systematic ethnic cleansing of Indian Guyanese. It just simply has to contend with an enormous Indian Guyanesedominated State and political economy that it does not know how to creatively address.” Read: Dr. Hinds’ entire column in much more detail at: https:// www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2018/06/24/the-president-isbusy-mr-jagdeo-pleasechallenge-me-to-debate-racerelations-in-guyana/.
opened its first 2019 Budget Sensitization and Training Programme. With a national development strategy and Local content in focus, Jordan said that government agencies must give effect to this by buying Local, wherever possible. He said that this is needed to support the nation’s agro-producers and local manufacturers. The Finance Minister contended that this will contribute to the reduced demand for imports, thereby
saving foreign currency; improve local value added and growth; and increase national and household incomes and employment. “As I have indicated on several o c c a s i o n s , I a m alarmed and get visibly upset when I attend events across our beautiful country and am served imported water, when we have at least half a dozen high quality local producers or, when I am served a fruit bowl that includes apples, grapes and imported melons
when I would much prefer juicy Buxton Spice mangoes, a Pomeroon pear, sapodillas, pawpaw, oranges, cashews and watermelons.” In addition to this, the Finance Minister said that the choices for construction and renovations must see the use of more local woods and manufacturers. He said that these are just a few examples, and as such, is urging all financial officers to incorporate local content initiatives in your bidding documents.
Finance Minister, Winston Jordan
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Monday June 25, 2018
Kaieteur News
Guyanese scholar makes 2018 Class of ...
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into 21 institutions of higher learning in America including all eight Ivy League schools. Although, she was accepted to Harvard, Princeton, Pennsylvania and Yale Universities and a number of other Ivy League Schools, the teen has chosen to be a member of Harvard’s Class of 2020. She has a keen interest in Neuroscience. For her stellar performance, Hyles was featured on a number of popular news channels and television shows in the US, including CNN Today, People Magazine, Dailymail, the Steve Harvey Show, PIX11 News and the Today Show. During her visit to Guyana, she met with the President and Minister of Education and United States Ambassador to Guyana. She was also featured at a number of events hosted by the village in which she grew up. Hyles was also given the opportunity to visit schools throughout Guyana to share inspirational stories.
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From page 20 the organization, Hyles hopes that her efforts will enhance students’ scholastic performance and foster a better learning environment. She acknowledges the privilege of attending Harvard, and is dedicated to providing the same access for higher education to children with similar background as hers. Hyles’ most recent visit to Guyana was in May 2016 when she celebrated her 18th birthday. Her visit also coincided with celebrations for the country’s 50th Independence Anniversary. She rose to fame after news broke about her acceptance
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From page 2 Kaieteur News had reported that during the preliminary inquiry at the Magistrates’ Court in Springlands before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh, Hamid, the father of the accused, had given detailed evidence against his son, Asif Hamid. The vendor reportedly left his home at Lot 41 Queenstown, Corriverton and told his youngest son that he will be back before night falls to prepare dinner as he usually would. He was last seen entering a white Toyota Premio at the Palmyra bridge entrance on the 19th April, 2018. During his journey to the bridge point, Hamid reportedly recieved numerous phone calls inquiring about his location.
Monday June 25, 2018
Kaieteur News
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Monday June 25, 2018
Kaieteur News
Buttler ton steers England to 5-0 whitewash against Australia MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Jos Buttler scored a dazzling unbeaten century to guide England to a thrilling one-wicket victory over Australia at Old Trafford yesterday to seal an unprecedented 5-0 one-day series triumph over their old rivals. England were in a parlous position at 27 for four, chasing Australia’s total of 205 all out, when the gifted, powerful Butler came to the crease and played one a masterful innings.Yet even though England crumbled further to 114 for eight, the wicketkeeper kept cool as wickets tumbled around him to smash an unbeaten 110 off 122 balls and seal England’s first 5-0 whitewash over Australia in any form of men’s cricket.It was a remarkable effort, with the
Jos Buttler jumps for joy after the winning hit, England v Australia, 5th ODI, Old Trafford, June 24, 2018 © Getty Images joint next highest English contribution being Adil Rashid’s 20 although the
number 10’s 47-ball effort in a ninth-wicket partnership of 81 was also key to helping the
Monday June 25, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) More confirmation of career and business success could come your way today, Aries. You're probably feeling excited and motivated to keep pushing ahead. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Success on all levels is filling your life and making you feel absolutely wonderful, Taurus. The downside of this is that you might be a little too conscientious. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Hard work, enthusiasm, and dedication are now paying off for you financially, Gemini. New opportunities could be opening up for you to profit from your artistic talents. CANCER (June 21–July 22) People close to you might be a bit worried about you, Cancer. Too much work and socializing might have you feeling a bit less than your usual self, perhaps even a little feverish and headachy. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Your enthusiasm for group activities and social events is high, Leo. You might want to discuss your ideas with others. However, you could have trouble reaching people you need to speak with VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Your high from your recent successes could have you wanting to go crazy purchasing luxury items you didn't feel were practical before, Virgo.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Not only your own success but that of members of your household could have you on a real emotional high today, Libra. Your mind is likely to be buzzing with possibilities for future expansion. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Today may prove to be one of your busiest in a long time, Scorpio. The promise of continuing success could find you spending a lot of time on the phone, sending faxes or emails, or perhaps making a few short trips around the community. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Business and financial successes have you feeling happy and satisfied, Sagittarius. You're also looking forward to moving ahead. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) As your career dreams continue to unfold, Capricorn, you may find that there is a downside. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Recent spiritual breakthroughs might have you feeling both exhilarated and downcast. Your sensitive side tells you that this is a definite step forward on your spiritual path, but your logical side might cause you to doubt the reality of it. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Many of your personal goals have either been met or are in the process of manifesting, Pisces. This has you feeling exhilarated.
home side get across the line. When Rashid was out with 11 still needed, last man Jake Ball held up the Australian attack for 10 balls, allowing Buttler, who got his ton with a second six, to guide England home with a handsome driven boundary, his 12th, and nine balls to spare. “I said to Jake if it’s two we’ll run, if it’s one, we won’t. Great guts from him to soak up that pressure and face those balls,” said man of the match Buttler, praising his tail-end colleague at the postmatch presentation. “We were determined to come out and try and win 5-0. We bowled fantastically well and didn’t quite click with the
bat. Games where you pull it out of nowhere are extra enjoyable.”It capped a perfect week for England in which they had also become world record breakers by compiling a 50-over total of 481 at Nottingham on Tuesday last. Buttler had then struck a whirlwind unbeaten half-century to guide them to another victory at Chester-le-Street on Thursday. The 27-year-old, who also executed a brilliant runout and stumping on Sunday as Australia succumbed largely to Moeen Ali’s four wickets, was also voted player of the series, having compiled 275 runs from the
five matches at an average of 137.5.“I don’t think I’ve ever played better. It’s very enjoyable. We’re just trying to keep it going,” he said. England captain Eoin Morgan paid tribute to Buttler, saying: “We were very poor today and Jos really did pull something special out to get us over the line. It was outstanding. “He’s in control - he’s a very cool, calculated customer with a lot of ability. We got a lot out of that watching from the dressing room.” Scores: England 208 for 9 (Buttler 110*, Stanlake 335, K Richardson 3-51) beat Australia 205 (Head 56, Moeen 4-46).
Holder (74), Dowrich (71) lead recovery... From page 27 with no movement of his feet, played a loose drive and was bowled by Gabriel at 75-3 before Gunathilaka was LBW to Holder for 29 at 81-4 as the Windies pacers struck a couple of telling body blows. Dhananjaya de Silva (8)
was trapped LBW by a pumped Gabriel who ran in and bowled fast to leave the score on 93-5 and register his 19th wicket in this series. Niroshan Dickwella, who got going with a couple of boundaries, and Roshen
Silva joined forces in an attempt to halt the slide but with the score on 99 another shower sent the players off the field. The only occasion when more Bajans than the seven that played here was in 1954 at Bourda against Australia when eight played. Scores: WEST INDIES 204 (Jason Holder 74, Shane Dowrich 71; Lahiru Kumara 4-58, Kasun Rajitha 3-68, Suranga Lakmal 2-52). SRI LANKA 99 for five (Danushka Gunathilaka 29, Kusal Mendis 22; Kemar Roach 2-13, Shannon Gabriel 2-42).
Kane fires... From page 29 against a side known to get nervous and slip up against less illustrious rivals on the big stage. “Panama is like a small young child in football ... England is totally spectacular, a beautiful team,” said coach Hernan Dario Gomez, who went into the English changing room at halftime to congratulate Southgate. “It could have been an even bigger score ... What we did was to try to avoid a bigger catastrophe in the second half.”For England fans, the pain of being knocked out by Iceland in the 2016 Euros and a winless first-round exit at the 2014 World Cup, was finally slipping away.Southgate’s task now will be to keep his young charges’ grounded, and guard against complacency whomever they face next from Group H’s quartet of Japan, Senegal, Poland and Colombia.Though limited in ability, Panama’s forwards did get into space behind England several times, showing that even if they do have Kane up front, plenty of work is still needed in defence.
Monday June 25, 2018
PAGE 27
Kaieteur News
CBC Men’s Championship 2018
Wiggins and Webster lead Guyana to 93-64 opening win over Grenada By Calvin Chapman in Suriname in association with Bounty Farm, Mohamed’s Enterprise and Hopkinson Mining
An animated Felix Hamilton looks for a team mate during Guyana’s 29-point win over Grenada.
Kevon Wiggins about to swoosh a free throw during his game leading performance for Guyana against Grenada last night.
I
ntent on avenging the women’s disappointing run, Guyana’s National men’s team began their Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championship campaign with massive 29-point win over Grenada at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal in Paramaribo, Suriname, last night. Seventeen-year-old Kevon Wiggins (18 points) and 30-year-old Shaine Webster (16 points) led
Guyana’s charge against their fellow Caricom nation.Shaine Webster, who has been the most consistent player locally for the past three years, turned in a stellar performance in the win for the Golden Arrowhead, grabbing eight rebounds while the overseas based, Berbice prodigy, Wiggins, netted five threepointers in his game leading performance. In the lead up to the tournament, the Guyanese were oozing
confidence and more so after their amazing come from behind threematch series victory against Barbados during their preparations and this commanding victory over the tiny Caribbean island definitely boosted team morale. Following the game, Webster stated to Kaieteur Sport that he was pleased with not only his and Wiggins’ performances but the entire team’s play. Skipper Stanton
Rose netted 11 points while Travis Burnett and Ray Victor scored eight. Guyana’s Power Forward Anthony Moe had a disappointing game offensively, scoring two from an attempted 13 field goals but the man-mountain made it up defensively with a gamehigh 13 blocks.Jehu La Feuillee and A n t h o n y Wi l l i a m s scored 13 points each to be the standout players for the losers. In addition to pursuing their first CBC men’s title,
Guyana will be gunning a berth at the FIBA Americas next round of qualification. Guyana 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.Guyana will play St. Vincent and the Grenadines in their second group game tonight at 18:45hrs at the same venue.
Holder (74), Dowrich (71) lead recovery, Roach & Gabriel spearhead Windies fight back Windies v Sri Lanka 3rd Test
By Sean Devers in BarbadosIn association with Carib Beer,Noble House Seafoods, Vnet Communication’s& Bounty Farm A century sixth wicket stand between Skipper Jason Holder (74) and Shane Dowrich (71) rallied Windies to 204, while pacer Lahiru Kumara grabbed his third four-wicket haul on a rain hit second day of the third and final Day/Test here in Barbados yesterday. Holder hit 13 fours in 123 balls and 185 minutes for his 74 and shared in crucial 155run with Wicketkeeper Dowrich, whose 71 lasted 132 balls, 190 minutes and was decorated with nine fours but no other batsmen reached 15 as the Windies fell for 204, 17 minutes before the first break. Kumara captured 4-58 to take his tally to 15 and was supported by Kasun Rajitha (3-68) and Skipper Suranga Lakmal (2-52). Sri Lanka were rocked back by Kemar Roach (2-13) who removed the openers with just 16 runs on the board before Danushka Gunathilaka
(29 ) and Kusal Mendis (22) halted the slide, but Shannon Gabriel (2-42) left Sri Lanka on 99-5 when rain ended the contest at 21:04hrs. Windies resumed on 1325 with Dowrich (60) and Holder (33) and they continued to prop up the lower order with resolute batting in sunny conditions on a green track with pleasing bounce and carry. Holder got going with an elegant on-drive for four off the lively Kumara, while the inform Dowrich, with a century and two fifties in the series, delightfully caressed Lakmal down the ground for his first boundary of the day. The pair had joined forces when Shai Hope was bowled by Rajitha at 53-5 and once again it was left to the lower for a rival with Holder leading from the front with a confident hook when Lakmal bowled short. The pair began yesterday
with a positive mid-set and the 26-year-old Holder soon reached his seventh halfcentury with a flowing boundary back past Kumara. Dowrich, who like Jeff Dujon, began his Test career as a batsman, walked across his wicket and was trapped LBW by Kumara when 39 short of his third ton to break the century stand and leave the score on 168-6. Devendra Bishoo was tested by Kumara with a succession of nasty short balls which he handled well. Holder danced into the experienced off-spinner Dilruwan Perera and smashed him over mid-off for four and cut Kumara for another boundary to the delight of the small crowd which included a group of English tourists. Bishoo (0) never suggest permanence to the hostile pace of Kumara and edged him to slip at 183-7, while six runs later Holder was stupendously taken by Perera as Rajitha struck. Miguel Cummins (2) was caught at short-leg off Perera,
while Kumara finished off the innings when he removed Shannon Gabriel (2) as the innings ended 17 minutes before the break. The visitors were 0-0 from two overs at the interval and after the break Perera nibbled at Kemar Roach and was caught behind for a duck at 11.The left-handed Gunathilaka, who made his
debut in the last Test in St Lucia, pushed Gabriel down the ground for the first boundary when the Trinidadian over-pitched. Roach struck again when he had Lakmal Udawatte (4) LBW at 16-2 but Gunathilaka drove Gabriel sweetly for past mid-off for four and his partnership with Mendis gathered momentum with
both batsmen playing fluently as Mendis flicked Cummings for four.Mendis late cut Roach for a boundary before Gunathilaka was caught at cover with the total on 73 off a Cummings ‘No Ball’ when on 28 before Bishoo was introduced in the twenty-fifth over just before Dinner. After the break, Mendis (Continued on page 26)
Cilic battles past Djokovic to claim ... From page 33 forehands in the 12th game to break the Cilic serve and claim the first set after an hour-long battle.A rampant Djokovic conceded just one point on his first serve during the second set and looked favorite to close out the contest in the ninth game but Cilic responded with a booming serve out wide to save match point.The Serb also looked in control at 4-1 up in the tiebreak but Cilic fought back and a double fault at 4-4 allowed the Croat to take charge as he won six points in a row to force a decider.With momentum back on his side, Cilic looked comfortable in the west London sunshine as he grabbed the only break in the final set to claim his first title of the year. “It is great to see Novak coming back and we all hope that he gets back to the top level
again,” said Cilic afterwards.Former world number one Djokovic, whose career has stalled since he won his 12th Grand Slam title at the 2016 French Open, has been battling for form and fitness this season.There were signs of him returning to his best at the French Open but a first final in almost a year should give him confidence ahead of next month’s Wimbledon.“I have to see the positive because I haven’t played a final in almost a year,” said Djokovic. “This came at the right time because Wimbledon is the most renowned and prestigious tournament in tennis.” As for his chances of a fourth Wimbledon crown, though, Djokovic was circumspect. “I wouldn’t say I’m a contender for a trophy or anything like that,” he said.
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Monday June 25, 2018
Kaieteur News
GOA Olympic Day Open Doubles Badminton Tournament 2018 concludes
National Champs Narayan Ramdhani & Jonathan Mangra
Olympic Day Open Doubles Badminton winners after the presentation.
O
lympic Day is celebrated world-wide on June 23rd of each year under the pillars “Move, Le a r n , Discover”. The Olympic Day Open Doubles Men’s Doubles Finals was played off at 2:00pm on Saturday 23rd of June at the National Gymnasium with N a t i o n a l C h a m p s N arayan Ramdhani & Jonathan Mangra capturing the 2018 CROWN by
defeating Marlon Chung and Darrell Carpenay in two games: 21- 7, 21-18 to win the Match. The Presentation was done after the Finals by the GBA Executive Committee of Ms. Ayanna Wickham-Watson, Dr. Nicholas Waldron and Emelia Ramdhani to the respective Winners. The GBA would like to thank the GOA for making it possible to
hold this tournament once again, Banks DIH for Refreshments and Ms. Ayanna Wickham-Watson (Sol Representative) for the Gift Tokens. The GBA would also like to thank the media for their support. The over-all winners are: Open Men Doubles: 1st. Place- Narayan Ramdhani & Jonathan Mangra 2nd. Place- Marlon Chung &
Darrell Carpenay 3rd. Place- Ronald Chang Yuen & Akili Haynes 4th. Place- Dr. Easa Sanichara & Javid Rahaman Open Ladies Doubles: 1st. Place- Priyanna Ramdhani & Greer Jackson 2nd. Place- Dr. Shivannie Persaud & Christina Kumar 3rd. Place- Ayanna WickhamWatson & Emelia Ramdhani
4th. Place- Jayde DaSilva & Stephanie Sagar Open Men Doubles Consolation: 1st. Place- Gokarn Ramdhani & Dr. Nicholas Waldron 2nd. Place- Johann Waldron & Isaac Mallampati 3rd. Place- Mahendra Sharma & Sekhar Mallampati 3rd, Place- Matthew Beharry & Vikash Mootoo
Rabindranath Persaud wins Foodtown Restaurant Inaugural Golf Tourney
V
eteran golfer Rabindranath ‘Pandit Ravi’ Persaud, Lusignan Golf Club Secretary, who has been in winners row several times in the last few months and has his sights set on doing well in both the Lusignan Open in July and the International Guyana Open Invitational in November, won convincingly in his category - the ‘B’ Flight – and at the same time took the overall Best Net score in the Foodtown Restaurant’s Inaugural Golf Tournament on Saturday last. Teeing off excitedly at 12:30pm the golfers determined to cart off a prize in their Flight, as this Tournament was played on the Flights format, similar to the Guyana Open. There were three Flights, categorized as A, B and C, with the category covering players’ handicaps as follows: A, 0 – 9; B, 10 – 18; and C, 19 – 28 for males and 19 – 36 for females. The Course was much more playable than the previous weekend, so that golfers were encouraged to excel. On his part Pandit Ravi opined, “I determined to keep my
head clear - not to let any bad plays discourage me - and to play a good game and I was rewarded for it!” Winners for the day were: A Flight Av i n a s h Persaud 70/2; B Flight ‘Ravi’ Persaud 65/16; and C Flight Clifford Reis 74/25. The Best Gross of 72 was won by Avinash. Other good scores were returned in the three Flights as follows: A Flight – Mark Lashley 75/9; Nazeem Haniff 77/8; and Vijay Deo 77/ 9. B Flight – Richard Haniff 66/11; Hilbert Shields 69/18; and Fazil Haniff 70/16. C Flight – Maurice Solomon 83/ 22. On hand to present prizes were the Owner and CEO of Foodtown Restaurant, Mr. Rudy Ramalingum, and representatives of the Restaurant. In his congratulating the winners M r. Ramalingum, whose business had been one of the sponsors of the Guyana Open 2017, indicated his delight at being able to contribute again to the Golf Club, and expressed a commitment to continue support. This was his first visit to the Golf Club, and he was
Winners and Foodtown representatives: from left - Diane Holder, Rudy Ramalingum, Clifford Reis, Tina Dhanasari, Avinash Persaud; ‘Ravi’ Persaud; Aleem Hussain and Shakira Hussain. heartened at what he saw. The Food Town Restaurant and Distribution Outlet, of 266 Newton Street, Enmore, East Coast, Demerara, (tel: 6687419 or 644-3118) did a superb job of catering for golfers for
the tournament, providing snacks during play, and a splendid meal with dessert after play. It took a voice from each of three Executives to express gratitude to Foodtown for their great sup-
port, President Aleem Hussain, Secretary Rabindranath Persaud, and Dr Joaan Deo standing in for Captain Chen Deo. An outstanding and noteworthy feature of Foodtown
is its willingness to assist anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit who has a desire to start a food business but does not have the capital or resources to do so on his/her own.
Monday June 25, 2018
PAGE 29
Kaieteur News
Regal hunting NYSCL double The New York Softball Cricket League (NYSCL) will be hosting their twelfth edition of the annual Independence Cup later this month and the tournament promises to be exciting with some of the best talents in the sport expected to be on show from June 29 to July 1 with one thing on their minds and that is, to win. This year marks the fifth consecutive year that the Regal teams will be participating in the Independence Cup and they are brimming with confidence. The All-Stars side will be competing in the Open category and according to team owner, Mahendra Hardyal they are focused on winning. “The guys have been showing good chemistry and readiness in their practice sessions and are eager to go,” Hardyal said. In 2016 the All-Stars won the title but lost in the final in 2017 due to what Hardyal described as “bad execution.” ”This year, we will be sticking to the plan and take it one
game at a time which will not result in a repeat of last year,” he noted. Additionally, the team have been strengthened with the trio; Nandsham Boodhoo, Lennox “Assassin” Marks and Shilendra Ramnauth replacing Safraz Esau, Richard Latif and Navin Singh who opted to ply their trade elsewhere. “The three newcomers to the team have been around for sometime and have a wealth of experience. They have settled in well and given the side the right balance. They are eager to wear the Regal uniform and are hungry for success which is a big plus for us,” stated Hardyal as he welcomed the trio to his side. The senior side, as they are called, Regal Masters are in the Over-45 category and have been putting in the hours as well on a daily basis, like the All-Stars team, at the GNIC Sports Club. Coincidentally, just like the All-Stars team, the Masters were champions in 2016 and runner-up in 2017 and
Flashback! Regal All stars and Masters following one of their success in local tournament. Hardyal said that “the team is more settled than before and we are playing better as a team. We have professionalism, talent and are fit and ready.” The Regal teams are no strangers to the ‘double’
as they have won both titles in the South Florida Softball Cricket League’s Florida Cup in 2017. Both teams will wrap up their preparation on Tuesday before winging out to New York
ahead of bowl off on Friday in Queens. In their quest for the double, the teams have been strongly supported by Ink Plus, Fly Jamaica Airways, Cricket Zone USA, Muslim
Youth Organization (MYO), National Sports Commission (NSC), Regal Stationery and Computer Centre, Star Party Rentals, Ansa McAl and Elegance Jewellery and Pawn Shop.
Kane fires England to record 6-1 win against Panama
England’s Harry Kane scores their fifth goal from the penalty spot. (REUTERS/Matthew Childs) NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia (Reuters) - Harry Kane struck a hat-trick as England’s young and freeflowing team banished the ghost of past failures with a record 6-1 thrashing of feeble Panama yest e r d a y t h a t eased them into the last 16. England’s biggest-ever World Cup win, featuring two penalties by Kane then a fortuitous deflection off his heel, also guaranteed Belgium’s berth in the next round. “It’s amazing, I’m extremely proud ... We had fun
out there,” said current tournament top scorer Kane, calling his third “one of the luckiest goals of my life.” Ahead of their meeting on Thursday to decide who tops Group G, England and Belgium are level on points, goal difference and goals scored. Yesterday’s game at the pulsating, riverside Nizhny Novgorod stadium eliminated the Central Americans from the World Cup with nine goals conceded. Tunisia were also knocked out. Playing from the off with
an ease and trickery that contrasted with the stressedlooking England flops of recent international tournaments, Gareth Southgate’s team romped into a remarkable 5-0 lead at halftime. Defender John Stones headed England in front in the eighth minute from a corner, losing his marker to angle home, before captain Kane made it 2-0 in the 22nd minute with a penalty after Jesse Lingard was pushed in the box by Fidel Escobar. Lingard made it 3-0 in the 36th minute with a beautiful
England’s John Stones scores their fourth goal. (Reuters Lucy Nicholson) strike from just outside the area before Stones nodded in his second and England’s fourth from a cleverly worked free kick routine. Kane scored another penalty just before halftime. The Tottenham striker bagged his third after a 61st minute shot by Ruben LoftusCheek hit his foot and bounced in. Kane, substituted to an ovation from the nearly 2,500 England fans, was the third England player to score a hattrick at a World Cup following Geoff Hurst in the 1966 fi-
nal and Gary Lineker against Poland in the 1986 tournament. In two games, he has scored all five of his shots. “We were ruthless in front of goal,” Southgate said. MESSI, RONALDO ... KANE? Asked if his captain could hit the heights of a Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, Southgate said he had started “brilliantly” and praised him for staying mentally strong as he waited to take penalties while the Panamanian players argued.
“We wouldn’t swap him for any other No. 9 in the tournament, such is his ability to take chances,” the coach said. Panama’s equal-sized army of red-shirted fans danced and cheered on the ‘Canaleros’ (Canalmen) to the end. Substitute Felipe Baloy rewarded them with a consolation goal in the 78th minute, sliding home a free kick that was Panama’s first goal in their debut World Cup. But in truth, it was a humbling experience for Panama (Continued on page 26)
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Monday June 25, 2018
Kaieteur News
Clinical Colombia send Poles packing with 3-0 win
Colombia’s Radamel Falcao in action with Poland’s Grzegorz Krychowiak. (Reuters John Sibley)
Colombia’s Yerry Mina scores their first goal. (Reuters Sergio Perez) KAZAN, Russia (Reuters) - Colombia’s World Cup campaign roared back into life with a 3-0 win over Poland in Group H on a sweltering evening at the Kazan Arena which sent the Poles tumbling out of the tournament yetserday. Defender Yerry Mina opened the scoring in the 40th minute with captain Radamel Falcao and winger Juan Cuadrado sealing a deserved victory with two goals in five minutes as the desperate Poles chased the game in the last quarter. Midfielder James
Rodriguez, winner of the Golden Boot at the last World Cup, returned to the starting lineup after injury and played a part in two of the goals as Colombia got back on track after their opening loss to Japan. The victory puts Colombia in third place in the group on three points behind the Japanese and Senegal, who shared a 2-2 draw earlier on Sunday to move to four points apiece. A victory over the Africans in their final first-round match in Samara on Thursday would secure Colombia a
spot in the last 16 as they target at least matching their charge to the quarter-finals in Brazil four years ago. For Poland, the optimism fostered by their quarter-final spot at Euro 2016 and a strong qualifying campaign proved to be misplaced as they slumped to a second successive defeat. The match started to a barrage of noise from the yellow-shirted Colombian fans and the early exchanges were frenetic with Poland putting in some physical challenges and Robert Lewandowski getting close attention from the
Colombian defence. OFFENSIVE TACTICS Poland’s offensive tactics were limited to launching long balls towards their prolific striker and although Colombia were trying to play the ball on the floor they could not get their passes to stick. Cuadrado was causing some problems down Poland’s right flank, however, and a piece of mazy dribbling in the 37th minute saw the winger forge the first genuine opening, which goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny blocked behind. The respite was brief and
on the next Colombia attack Juan Quintero found Rodriguez lurking inside the box and the midfielder chipped a delightful cross into the danger area for Mina to head the ball into the net from point-blank range. The Poles came out firing at the start of the second half but their limitations remained and Cuadrado w a s s o o n c a u s i n g them more problems down the right. Lewandowski finally got a chance to score his first World Cup goal in the 58th minute but his first touch on
the long ball was not his best and goalkeeper David Ospina smothered his shot. Quintero played creator in the 70th minute and Falcao turned the last defender before stroking the ball past Szczesny with the outside of his boot for his first World Cup strike. Poland pushed forward to try and get back into the game and five minutes later were caught on the break by the Colombians with Rodriguez rasping a pass across the field to allow Cuadrado fitting reward for a fine performance.
Honda salvages 2-2 draw for Japan against Senegal with late strike YEKATERINBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Midfielder Keisuke Honda came off the bench to salvage a 2-2 draw for Japan against Senegal, as both teams were locked at the top of Group H following an entertaining encounter yesterday. Veteran Honda, 32, who became the first Japanese player to score in three different World Cups, replaced Shinji Kagawa in the second half with his team down 2-1 and fired the equalizer in 12 minutes from time after an error by Senegal goalkeeper Khadim N’Diaye. Senegal thought they had claimed all three points as Moussa Wague drilled the ball into the top of the net in the 71st minute to make it 2-1, after Sadio Mane’s fortuitous first-half opener was canceled out by Takashi Inui’s curling shot. But Honda ensured things ended level and deservedly so. The result leaves both teams, who beat Colombia and Poland respectively in their opening matches, on four points from two games and within reach of a spot in the last 16. “They were avoidable goals, that’s clear,” Senegal coach Aliou Cisse said in a blunt assessment of his defence. “The best team was Japan, we have to admit that.” “We didn’t play a great game but we didn’t lose... I have confidence.
Our team has the quality to face Colombia,” he added, looking forward to Thursday’s meeting with the South Americans in Samara. Japan play Poland in Volgograd. “We’re a bit disappointed... there was a way to win this match,” added Mane, who failed to exert his influence despite scoring. “We started well, we created a lot of opportunities, we were quite dangerous... we now have a decisive match to qualify next week.” ROBUST DEFENDING Senegal’s back line might have faltered toward the end but they began strongly and their robust defending neutralized any early threat that the Japanese front line posed, allowing their own attackers to push up in numbers. The Africans went ahead in the 11th minute, although there was an element of luck to their opener. A poor headed clearance landed right at Youssouf Sabaly’s feet and although goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima managed to parry the defender’s stinging shot from the left, the ball rebounded into the net off Mane’s knee. Japan regained composure and responded with a well-taken goal with their only shot on target in the opening period to level the score at 1-1.
Japan’s Keisuke Honda scores their second goal. (REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci) Yuto Nagatomo controlled a long pass with a deft first touch before rolling the ball into the path of Inui, who cut in from the left and fired a curling shot past a diving N’Diaye. Senegal appeared to step off the gas toward the end of the half, and the effects were still evident after the restart, as they resorted to longrange efforts that failed to test the Japanese goalkeeper. They nearly paid for allowing
their opponents to run at them, as Yuya Osako narrowly failed to connect with a pass across the box on the hour mark before Inui’s powerful shot struck the bar with the goalkeeper beaten. Wague appeared to have ended hopes of a Japanese comeback as he drilled Sabaly’s low cross into the goal to send Senegal’s supporters into raptures. But the Asians were not done yet
and hit back again through midfielder Honda, who collected Inui’s pass and prodded into an empty net after goalkeeper N’Diaye stepped off his line and failed to punch the ball away. “It was a tough match, we knew it would be,” Japan coach Akira Nishino said. “I evaluate it as a very good point. Senegal is a tough team and this result I hope will lead to success in the next match.”
Monday June 25, 2018
PAGE 31
Kaieteur News
GCF National Road Race Championships 2018
Briton John, David Hicks, Claire Fraser-Green, Warren Mc Kay & Andy Spencer are repeat champs Story and photos by Franklin Wilson
E
ven the rainy and overcast condi tions on the day did not deter cyclists from coming out and testing each other when the first segment of the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) Road Race Championships were contested yesterday. Juniors, Juveniles, Ladies, Masters Under and Over-50 riders numbering 20 in total including three females braved the weather as they took on the challenge of trying to retain or challenge for the title as the best and bragging rights for the next year. In the end, and maybe for the first time, each of the categories saw last year ’s winners successfully retaining their titles. United Kingdom based Claire Fraser-Green; a Continental Cycle Club member was again unbeatable winning her sixth successive National Road Race championship. Fraser-Green covered the 52 mile (83.69km) dist a n c e i n Tw o H o u r s 4 6 M i n u t e s 14 Seconds (2:46:14), almost 35 minutes ahead of the 2nd and 3rd placed Shenika Teixeira (Trojan Cycle Club) and Abigail Jeffrey (Linden Bauxite Flyers Cycle Club) who were both timed at 3:20:21. The Juveniles and Masters Over-50 covered the same distance as the Ladies with the latter division being won again by Andy Spencer of Team Evolution in 2:26:17 with Shameer Baksh of Carlton Wheelers Cycle Club taking the runner-up spot. David Hicks, another United We Stand Cycle Club member, once again dominated his Juvenile peers to defend his title successfully in a time of 2:29:10. Trojan CC’s Jonathan Ramsushit had to settle for the 2nd place once again with teammate Steve Bhinson, 3rd. Briton John (United We Stand Cycle Club) continues to maintain his status as the best junior cyclist by staving off the challenge of his rivals to win secure back to back titles and the double as he had won the Individual Time Trials on Saturday. John, who competed at the Junior World Championships, last year in Denmark was timed at 3:51:04 for the distance of 80 miles
Briton John (right and Warren McKay seals victory yesterday. (128.75km). Ajay Gopilall (Trojan Cycle Club) and Donovan Fraser (Unattached) closed out the top three spots in that order as they also did in the Time Trials. John’s club mate, Warren ‘Forty’ McKay, who set the standard yet again in the Under-50 class, recorded the same times. McKay was followed to the line Pastor Nigel London ( L i n d e n B a u x i t e Flyers Cycle Club) and Mark Spencer in that order. Fraser-Green commenting on the race noted that it was tough for her having made a mistake at the start she virtually time trialed the 50plus mile contest. ”I haven’t ridden 50 miles this year and I haven’t raced since last year but it is amazing to be racing again in Guyana. It was also awesome to get the time trial win on Saturday but I really hope that we get more people out riding bikes and playing sports. Hopefully this would be a springboard to get me back into training.” McKay also stated that the race was a tough one for him as did Briton John. The experienced McKay informed that himself and John linked up in the Linden Soesdyke Highway on the upward journey and never looked back. John said that he has been working hard from the start of the year and is not surprised that he has success-
fully defended his title, informing that he has been doing lots of intervals and long rides as guided b y h i s C o a c h , H orace Burrowes. The race route yesterday started at Homestretch Avenue from 07:30hrs in front of the National Sports Commission proceeded east along Homestretch Avenue, right into Mandela Avenue, left at DSL into the East Bank Carriageway, South along Houston Public Road all the way to Timehri where cyclists turned around at the end of the double road. The riders then returned to the Linden Soesdyke Junction, made a right onto the Linden Soesdyke Highway and turned arou n d a t Long Creek before returning to the starting line at Homestret ch Avenue for the finish. After turning at Timehri, juveniles and ladies did not make the right t u r n o n t o t h e Linden Soesdyke Highway but journeyed back to Homestretch Avenue. Attention will now turn to the Senior Road Race this Sunday which will pedal off at 07:30hrs from Homestretch Avenue and follow the same route as the juniors and masters. They will however proceed to Moblissa on the Linden Soesdyke Highway before returning to the starting line for the finish, a distance of 110 miles (177.03km).
David Hicks about to cross the finish line.
Six-Time GCF Female Road Race Queen, Claire Fraser-Green.
Andy Spencer, still the best O-50.
Trafalgar knock champs NA Kings... From page 33 vs East Bank Gunners-2 East Bank Scorers Ronaldo August-14th Quin Hazel-16th Orealla Scorer Rawlston Alpin-13th Game-4 Soccer Ville-2 vs Dam Boys-3 Dam Boys Scorers Orlan Hinds-9th and (GG)18th Soccer Ville Scorer
Akeem Cadogan-(GG)19th Game-5 Trafalgar-3 vs Platinum Squad-0 Adrian Prince-(GG)-19th Ryan Schultz-12th Game-6 Tucberg Giants-0 vs Mahaicony-3 Jose Ali-(GG)-19th Ewart Abel-5th Game-7 NA Kings-3 vs Top-7-1
NA Scorers Joshua Butt-5th Ray Redock-9th Own Goal-16th Top-7 Scorer Shaquille Batson-2nd Game-8 Lichfield-1 vs Twenties-1 Lichfield won 2-1 on penalty kicks Lichfield Scorer Allan Garnett-4th Twenties Scorer Ronaldo Cassiano-15th
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Monday June 25, 2018
Kaieteur News
LABA/ YBG/ Powerade Linden Regional Schools U19 Basketball C/Ship….
Unbeaten LTI stop Mackenzie High as Pellew and Gilkes cart off MVP prizes The Linden Technical Institute preserved their unbeaten record of wins on Saturday by turning back the spirited challenge of Mackenzie High School 3937 as the Linden Amateur Basketball Association run LABA/Youth Basketball Guyana/ Powerade Linden regional Schools Under-19 final was played under trying conditions from earlier rain at the Mackenzie sports Club hard court.It was the second defeat for the Mackenzie High School to the Linden Technical Institute who won their first meeting 67-51 in the preliminary round play. This time around their captain Jamal Gilkes who was the best offensive player with a total 144 points, only netted four points this time around, but grabbed 15 rebounds for which 11 came from the defensive end. Teammate Dillon Pellew stepped up to haul in 17 boards,10 defensively and seven offensively along with nine points, two block shots and four steals to gain the Most Valuable Player of the final Trophy. This Finals MVP Trophy was donated by United States-based former national football player
Rickland Tallo’ Hutson through his ‘Leadership Academy’ which seeks to educate and inspire youths in Linden. That trophy was handed over to Pellew by Jessie Marshall of the Leadership Academy. For Gilkes outstanding play throughout the tournament he was the winner of the Most Valuable Player Trophy of the Tournament which was donated by Bankers Trust as Gilkes averaged 24 points per game. The Linden Technical Institute was the winner of the beautiful championship trophy which was donated by Youth Basketball Guyana and making that presentation on behalf of the YBG was the LABA president Lawrence Simon. Bankers Trust Inc. also donated the second and third place trophies in this championship. Linden Technical Institute’s Daniel Lee also played well in this tournament netting 115 points for an average 16.4 points per game as Ronaldo Patoir and Shamar Chapman each scored seven points in the final. Mackenzie High School’s Yannick Tappin was another player of great promise and
he scored 20 of his team’s 37 points, ending the tournament with 108 points for an average of 18 points per game. Teammate Leon Benjamin, who also had an outstanding tournament, got eight in this game, but totaled 118 points in the end to have average 19.6 points per game and Kareem Roberts scored with five points in this game. In the third place playoff game which decided the third team to join this tournament’s top two LTI and MHS to gain places in the Youth Basketball Guyana’s National Basketball Festival which began yesterday in Georgetown, Wisburg Secondary defeated New Silvercity Secondary 4324. Keyon Davidson scored 15 points and Jonathan Copeland 14 for the winners, while Kobe Tappin was again the best player for New Silvercity Secondary with 14 points.President of the LABA Lawrence Simon congratulated the teams which participated in the tournament and said much more is to be done for the playing of youth tournaments in Linden. He said next is the inter club under-19 tournament and said he was looking forward to continued partnership as
Linden Technical Institute’s Jamal Gilkes receives YBG Championship Trophy from LABA President Lawrence Simon.
was garnered by the support given by Youth Basketball Guyana, Banks DIH Limited, Bankers Trust, Rickland ‘Tallo’ Hutson, Department of Education, Region Ten (Up-
per Demerara/Berbice), and the Mackenzie Sports Club Management Committee. The LABA top official also warned the players to be disciplined because it is key
to success in and out of the classroom as the association was not only interested in their performances on the court but also in their classrooms.
Hamilton wins in France to retake F1 lead LE CASTELLET, France (Reuters) - Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton steered clear of chaos on the opening lap to win the first French Grand Prix in a decade yesterday and retake the overall lead from Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel. Vettel finished only fifth after colliding with Hamilton’s Mercedes team mate Valtteri Bottas at the start. The victory was the 65th of Hamilton’s F1 career but the Briton’s first in France, which last hosted a race in 2008, and continued a joyous day for English sports fans after the national side’s 6-1 rout of Panama at the World Cup in Russia. “Great work guys! I’m so happy for England as well,” he said over the team radio. “It’s a beautiful Sunday, everyone.” Hamilton, who had started on pole position, now leads Vettel by 14 points after eight of 21 races. The Briton has 145 and the German 131. Red Bull’s Dutch 20-yearold Max Verstappen took the
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton during the race. (REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier) chequered flag in second place with Kimi Raikkonen passing Vettel and completing the podium for Ferrari. Australian Daniel Ricciardo was fourth for Red Bull. Hamilton had never before won in France and his victory at Le Castellet, a southern cir-
cuit that last hosted Formula One in 1990, set a record for the most wins at different grands prix. He had shared the record of 22 with retired seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher. He also extended his record of wins at different circuits to 26.
There was drama at the start as Hamilton and Mercedes team mate Valtteri Bottas lined up on the front row with Vettel just behind in third. Vettel and Bottas collided as they jostled for position, with the German handed a five-second penalty for caus
ing the collision. “We were going side by side to the braking zone. I went for the outside and I think I braked quite a bit later and left enough room for him to be inside still,” said Bottas. “He just went wide and hit me. I got a puncture and decent damage to the floor, which really compromised the race.” TOO LENIENT Niki Lauda, the Mercedes non-executive chairman, believed Vettel’s penalty was too lenient. “Five seconds is nothing. He really destroyed the whole race for himself and for Bottas,” he said. Vettel said that, with hindsight, he would have been better off with a slower start. “It was my mistake. I tried to brake early and get out of it but I had no room,” said the German. The incident dropped both to the back of the field after pitstops while the safety car was deployed for four laps with debris scattered across the track from other accidents.
Two of the three French drivers retired on the spot, with Force India’s Esteban Ocon and Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly the unlucky casualties. Vettel returned to the pits for a new front wing while Bottas limped back on three wheels and a rim with the remains of the tyre flailing. Their fight back into the points, and in Vettel’s case with some hope of ending up on the podium, provided much of the entertainment for the rest of the afternoon with the German up to eighth after 15 laps. Denmark’s Kevin Magnussen finished sixth for the Haas team, with Bottas seventh and Carlos Sainz eighth for Renault after losing two places three laps from the end when his car lost power. Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg took ninth place with Monaco rookie Charles Leclerc a fine 10th for Sauber and denying Haas’s French driver Romain Grosjean his first point of the season.
Kaieteur News
Monday June 25, 2018
PAGE 31
B/ce Zone Guinness ' Greatest of the Streets'
Trafalgar knock champs NA Kings out of this year's competition - join Hopetown, Outsiders and Lichfield in semis
Part of quarter-final action in the Berbice Zone of the Guinness 'Greatest of the Streets' Competition.
W
est Berbice's Trafalgar sent defending champions New Amsterdam (NA) Kings crashing out of this year's Berbice Zone Guinness 'Greatest of the Streets' Competition after inflicting a crushing 3-0 triumph over their rivals as quarter-finals action concluded on Saturday night, at the Old Stelling Road. Played in front of another large crowd, they joined Hopetown, Outsiders and
Lichfield in last night's semifinals and final, at the same venue. Following the completion of Round of 16 play earlier in the evening, Trafalgar squared off against the reigning champs in the third quarter-final game and even though the contest was an evenly contested one in the first period one could sense that the visitors were gaining momentum in the final period. Their hero Kevin McKenzie opened his
account in the 16th minute with a neat flick into an empty goal and he was back in action three minutes later when he netted a Guinness goal to seal a well deserved victory and a place in the last four for his team. In the first quarter-final matchup, Hopetown, another team from West Berbice, beat Mahaicony 2-0 thanks to goals from Darren Douglas in the 13th minute and Akeemo Watts in the 16th. Derick Taylor's solitary
Cilic battles past Djokovic to claim Queen’s title (Reuters) - Top seed Marin Cilic saved a match point before edging past Novak Djokovic 5-7 7-6(4) 6-3 to win his second Queen’s Club Championships crown yesterday. The 29-year-old Croatian, who last won at Queen’s in 2012, came from a set down to outlast Djokovic for his first title of the season in what was the longest final in the tournament’s history at two hours 56 minutes. It was a particularly satisfying win for last year’s Wimbledon finalist who had also held match point in the 2017 Queen’s final before being edged out by Feliciano Lopez. “It was a special win for me because last year I had a match point and didn’t convert it,” Cilic said at courtside. “It was a tough match - no breaks for me until the final set. “Overall, I had a great time here this week. I have waited six years to get my
Croatia’s Marin Cilic (R) poses with the trophy after winning the final against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic (L). (Action Images via Reuters/Tony O’Brien) hands on this trophy. It is an amazing crowd and I will come back every single year.” Cilic controlled the early exchanges from the baseline but missed six break point
chances in the opening set, allowing Djokovic to battle back. The 31-year-old took his chances with a couple of crisp (Continued on page 27)
strike in the 9th minute booked Outsiders place in the last four over Dam Boys, while Lichfield outlasted East Bank Gunners 2-0 in a penalty shootout after their clash ended in a 0-0 stalemate. Over $700,000 in prize monies and trophies are up for grabs, while a place in the national playoffs is the other incentive to be derived for winning the competition. Complete Results Guinness Goal-(GG)-2 Goals
Quarterfinal Round Game-1 Hopetown-2 vs Mahaicony-0 Darren Douglas-13th Akeemo Watts-16th Game-2 Outsiders-1 vs Dam Boys-0 Derick Taylor-9th Game-3 Tr a f a l g a r- 3 v s N A Kings-0 Kevin McKenzie-16th and (GG)-19th Game-4 East Bank Gunners-0 vs
Lichfield-0 Lichfield won 2-0 on penalty kicks Round of 16 Game-1 Hopetown vs Young Strikers Hopetown won via walkover Game-2 Outsiders-0 vs Street Knights-0 Outsiders won 1-0 on penalty kicks Game-3 Orealla Falcons1(Continued on page 31)
rt o p S
Briton John, David Hicks, Claire FraserGreen, Warren Mc Kay & Andy Spencer are repeat champs GCF National Road Race Championships 2018
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Champions Again! GCF 2018 Road Race winners from right, Andy Spencer (O-50), David Hicks (Juvenile), Warren Mc Kay (U-50), Claire Fraser-Green (Ladies) and Briton John (Junior).
Guyana's Orlon Glasgow goes for a layup against Grenada at the Anthony Nesty Sporthal during the Guyanese 93-64 victory.
CBC Men’s P.27 Championship 2018
Wiggins and Webster lead Guyana to 93-64 opening win over Grenada
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