Kaieteur News
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Saturday June 03, 2017
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
PREPARING FOR THE RAINY SEASON The extensive damage done to sections of Region Eight by the recent flooding has not given us confidence that we are properly prepared for the 2017 rainy season which is underway. Despite the assurances from the Minister of Public Infrastructure that all systems are in place to mitigate flooding, residents must still prepare for the worse. The flooding in Region Eight affected several villages and forced scores of residents to seek refuge on higher ground. Many houses were washed away and several others were submerged. Damage to roads left many residents inconvenienced and will add further burden to the budget. The floods which have also caused major destruction to food crops, livestock and poultry, show that the nation’s infrastructure needs urgent upgrading. How the administration deals with the recovery work will give us a better indication of its ability to respond to disasters? The flooding can largely be attributed to the country’s lack of capacity to deal with extraordinary weather patterns which have renewed frustration among residents. Time after time, this publication has pointed out the danger of poor infrastructure, especially for the fact that the country is prone to heavy rainfalls and floods annually, especially on the onset of global warming. The most that has been done by successive administrations is drain-cleaning just before the start of each rainy season, with the responsible ministers making excuses or blaming those in charge of the drainage system.What has been missing over the years has been a serious approach to forward planning, looking at the capacity of the infrastructure to withstand nature’s hazards and ensuring that they are built to minimize risk from natural disasters. However, there are problems in managing the country’s infrastructure. Guyana’s development has not kept pace with its ability to deal with floods and other environmental issues. And of crucial importance is the fact that the last administration poorly managed the nation’s infrastructure to ensure that the increased capacity of the drainage systems matched the level rate of rainfalls. Based on the age of the infrastructure, there is no doubt that corrective work to give the country adequate protection from floods will be expensive. But it needs to be done, and done quickly, because the longer it is neglect, it will cost more. Everyone knows that all it takes is just one powerful rainstorm to cause flooding and set the nation back. Frankly, with the advent of climate change, no one can with surety say how the rainy season will turn out. For decades, droughts, floods and tropical storms have always had devastating effects on the livesGuyanese. They have also eaten away at the gross domestic product and undermined prospects for economic growth. Historical records show that extreme weather always afflected the nation’s economy. Older and some younger citizens now approaching maturity can relate to the experience, having witnessed the debilitating floods of 2005, and the destructive floods of recent times. Guarding the physical environment has always been seen as the best way to minimize the negative consequences of floods. However, governments have been very poor in that regard. There must be some decision-making on where people choose to live. Informal or low lying settlements should not be allowed to continue in future. The cost of such settlements is just too much; and it is not just the cost in the infrastructure but also the cost in livestock, the economy and sometimes in lives. The government has to be far more proactive in ensuring that people do not settle in areas that are at potential risk of flooding. It is instructive that areas are strictly designated for housing settlements so as to prevent the widespread crying and gnashing of teeth when the rains come followed by floods.
Editor’s Note; If your sent letter was not published and you felt its contents were valid and devoid of libel or personal attacks, please contact us by phone or email.
City Hall bigwigs off to an expensive retreat Dear Editor, The Hydromet Office cautioned citizens of Georgetown and Guyana as a whole to be prepared for possible flooding ahead of the impending heavy rainfall over the weekend. According to the statement released by them last T h u r s d a y, h e a v y a n d continuous precipitation (rain) will be observed over the next six to 36 hours throughout Guyana with the passage of a Tropical Wave, which is expected to interact with an upper level trough and sub-tropical Jet. And what do you think the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown did to prepare the city for this? Upon receiving this alert, the very Thursday
afternoon, most if not all of the senior officers packed their bags and boarded several vehicles and “high tailed” it out of town heading for a resort in Essequibo to spend the critical period when Guyana was expected to experience high-intensity rainfall due to a strong weather system heading towards the Atlantic coast under the guise of partaking in a leadership retreat. Unbelievable! First of all why would a supposed cash strapped City Council need to travel out of the confines of the city carrying dozens of persons at significant cost to meet at a luxury resort? Why such extravagance? Where will they go for their next tête-àtête, the elegant and well-
regarded Spice Island Beach Resort is Grenada? This is just reckless and unnecessary expenditure that will cost the citizens. Why did they not take that money and purchase brush cutters, rakes, forks, wheelbarrows brooms, spades, weedicide, mosquito defogging chemicals, rat bait for the markets, stun guns for the Abattoir, street lights, etc? That would be better leadership than any retreat can give. But equally egregious to the wanton squander of ratepayer’s money is the lack of conscientiousness, competency and proper management. Even if they had arranged this junket before, upon receiving this weather
warning they should have cancelled it and remained at their posts to monitor the city to ensure that all systems were working, being properly monitored, and that emergency measures put in place as the need arose. The question to be asked is whether the Georgetown Municipality has a disaster prevention and mitigation, disaster preparedness, disaster Response and disaster rehabilitation and recovery plan for the city? I doubt it. The sad thing is that no one will be hauled over the coals for this act of irresponsibility; and no one will try to stop this squander mania at City Hall. The citizens have no one to turn to for help. Shanta Singh
The City Council may be in collaboration with this violator Dear Editor, It is with absolute frustration and complete disgust that I pen this letter to the Editor to make the public aware of how corrupt and incompetent the administration of the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown are. I have a close relative who has been a resident and tax-paying homeowner in the community of Bel Air Park for more than sixty years now. A little over a year ago, he observed a new occupant and presumably owner of a property situated at the western end of Jacaranda Av e n u e c a r r y i n g o u t extensive renovations and enhancement works to the said property. In carrying out these repairs, my relative noticed that the new owner had
dismantled the fence on the northern extremity of his boundary which ran alongside a footpath, drain and city reserve and reconstructed it (the fence) further north taking in as part of his property the footpath, the drain and reserve that belongs to the city. This abuse, now prevents citizens from walking through and through between Jacaranda Avenue and Lama Avenue which is what they have done in the past, it severely compromises the drainage system and emergency use of this footpath, should the need ever arise. This barefaced takeover of the municipal reserve is just unbelievable, particularly in light of the frequent claims by the Council that it was deploying a zero tolerance
policy to recalcitrant citizens w h o b r e a k t h e l a w, especially squatting on city reserves, compromising the drainage system, blocking passageways, compromising fire safety etc. As it turns out their campaign against lawlessness is only against the poor and the downtrodden and not the well-heeled and deep pocketed citizens like this Bel Air Park Resident. Over the last year and a half, my relative visited City Hall numerous times and made innumerable telephone calls to officials in the Town Clerk’s Office and the City Engineer’s Department, all to no avail. At first it was promised that this egregious situation would be addressed as it was a flagrant desecration of the city’s bylaws, a disregard for
the other residents and a significant compromise to the drainage system. However as time went by it became quite pellucid that there was a reluctance by the Council to correct this obscene situation. Indeed eventually, my relative began to be treated as a nuisance and was told that he should be quiet about the matter as there was just no way the owner is going to return the city’s property to the residents and the city since he could afford to throw his weight around, and that we just have to live with that. Reading recently of the Mayor’s concerns about the workings of the City Engineer’s Department, I would like to ask for her investigation and intervention in the matter. Deodarie Putulal
This critic of the sugar industry is not familiar with the facts Dear Editor, We refer to Mr Eric Phillips letter captioned “GAWU’s leadership is normally deceiving and cynical” appearing in the June 1, 2017 issue of Kaieteur News. While Mr Phillips apparently chastises our Union for lacking “economic understanding” it also seems in our view, that he is not too au fait with the industry, its challenges and solutions to make it into a viable entity. On the debt, we urge that the disaggregated figures be looked into as we think it would be revealing to
the author. With respect to the investment required by the industry, the Sugar CoI pointed to a figure less than one-third of what is quoted, obviously something is amiss. It seems the letter writer may not have been following the many articles and letters in the press in recent times which have proposed alternatives for sugar without the heavy consequences of the plans being currently promoted by officialdom. In this vein, we strongly believe that our proposal presented to the
Government and shared with the public offers a way out and a bright future for sugar and the people connected to its operations. At this time, neither the Administration nor GuySuCo have said our proposals are misguided, misplaced or unfeasible. Diversification within sugar, we hold, strongly is the answer to the big question on the industry and we went as far as offering our ideas on its financing. The non-sugar diversification being proposed is very questionable and the sad experiences of the past offer
very little comfort. Moreover at Wales - the supposed launching pad for this new direction, we hasten to point out - very little is being done but suffering is growing by the day. Mr Phillips also says that “the government and people of Guyana cannot afford to subsidize GuySuCo as it is currently operating” but at the same time can we afford plans which would promote greater hardships, impoverishment and depravity in our country. Such situation we see (Continued on page 6)
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Kaieteur News
GuySuco’s detractor is being outright irresponsible and reckless DEAR EDITOR, The Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (GuySuCo) would like to respond to a letter written by one Mr. Sookram Persaud in the Kaieteur News on 31 May, 2017 titled ‘Incompetence and confusion stalking GuySuCo’ Firstly, Mr. Persaud is being highly irresponsible and possibly reckless to assert that GuySuCo is placing unhygienic sugar on the local market, particularly since we believe that he understands the system;and secondly, he is being very mischievous in his constant attacks against the management of GuySuCo. The Corporation would like to particularly respond to two points in Mr. Persaud’s letter. The reference ‘this decision to send Albion’s sugar
to the Enmore Packaging Plant effectively means that GuySuCo is now placing industrial bulk grade sugar or non-food grade sugar into bags and/or packs for retail sale and thus direct use’ and that ‘the IMC has convinced the government that the dayto-day decisions it is making are best for the citizens, the corporation and the country’. On the point of industrial bulk sugar being bagged for direct use; it is a fact that the Skeldon, and Albion, Estates primarily produce bulk sugar for the export market, Rose Hall and Uitvlugt Estates produces bulk sugar for the export market as well as bagged sugar for the local market, and Blairmont and Enmore Estates produce sugar for the purpose of bagging and packaged for
both local and export markets. This is based on GuySuCo’s internal operational arrangement to allocate or focus its production and targets among estates. This being the case, it means that all six factories does have the capacity at any time to produce the varying qualities required, as in this instance, where the Albion Estate is producing sugar that is being bagged at Enmore Estate because that Estate has bagging facilities. The difference between the bagged and packaged sugar is the further drying of the sugar to render it more conducive to packaging. Does Mr. Sookram really believe that GuySuCo would have massive investments like the Albion factory or any of
its factory that would not allow the Corporation the flexibility to reallocate production responsibilities and targets whenever it becomes necessary? Now would that be incompetence Mr. Persaud? The writer further stated that ‘apart from non-food grade sugar being packed, the cost of production will be much higher because of additional transport cost from Albion to Enmore. Is this sound business decision that the Corporation often boasts about?’ This observation by Mr. Persaud is accurate, the cost to transport sugar from Albion to Enmore Estate increases the production cost and might not be sound business decision if GuySuCo was allowed to operate its busi-
Patrick Yarde’s two conflicting positions need discussion DEAR EDITOR, With reference to the letter in KAIETEUR NEWS of May 29, 2017, headed, “Patrick Yarde is not in a conflict of interest situation”, published in the name of Dawn Gardener, I assume that the person bearing that name is the one known to me as an affiliate of the GPSU in an executive capacity. Ms Gardener’s major concern is apparently with the fact that questions have been raised about the appointment and access of Mr Patrick Yarde, President of the GPSU and a member of the Public Service Commission (PSC) to serve as acting chairman of the PSC. I find parts of Ms Gardener’s letter both attractive and persuasive; specifically with reference to its introductory statements identifying aspects of the law pertaining to the PSC, its membership, functions and powers. But at the same time, I experience difficulty in accepting the latter part of her conclusion that, “it is pellucid and unambiguous what was done and to emphasize is in accordance with the Constitution of Guyana the supreme authority. It is therefore, disconcerting to see the accommodation and publication that is repeatedly given to inappropriate comments on this matter”. I also find problematic, Ms Gardener’s other statement that,” It appears most ironic that one who has been in the vanguard of these achievements for justice and fair play and who, individually as a member of the PSC, has no power to make any decision on behalf of the PSC, is being singled out for personal attacks. The only conclusion one could have is that these persons are narrow minded, petty and have a grudge. The GPSU condemns
and rejects this banality.” I do not understand how such conclusions could be proffered as helpful in the achievement of consensus and goodwill among persons who sincerely believe in the efficacy of their arguments and positions. Such statements are more likely to be construed as negative and counter - productive in the attempt to promote and protect the public interest. At any rate, they are not legal arguments designed to address problems of varying degrees of difficulty and complexity. In this regard, one may well enquire why other functionaries who are properly appointed in constitutional and legal terms and possessed of clear powers and authority to deal with certain matters nevertheless find it necessary to decline participation in certain matters and in certain circumstances (for example, we have had recent cases in which judges recused themselves in certain trials) and if they do not questions could be raised about the likely consequences. I am apparently the object of special focus and attention by Ms Gardener in her statement that Mr Yarde had reported to the Executive Council of the GPSU that I had at a named place and occasion “raised the issue of the conflict of interest with him which he dismissed.” I clearly recall that there was an exchange, (by no means hostile) between myself and Mr Yarde on the subject. I do not recall that I was the one who initiated that exchange. At any rate, Mr Yarde was at the time “on the move” and was therefore in no position to participate in any meaningful discussion with me on the issue. That was not the first occasion on which Mr Yarde and I had an exchange on the
matter. I distinctly recall his unequivocal position that the Pinochet case, which he was the first to mention, was nonsense. His position in this regard, I expect, is based on his personal reading and understanding of the principles articulated in that widely acknowledged leading case, or as he has been advised. However, as one with a measure of legal training I disagree with his conclusion and interpretation especially as during the course of my own training I had been, quite early, exposed to other relevant cases such as Dimes v Grand Junction Canal Proprietors ; and R v Sussex Justices, ex parte McCarthy. I firmly believe that the situation in which the President of the GPSU is also simultaneously serving as Chairman of the PSC, given the related and relevant roles of the two institutions, deserves to be subjected to public scrutiny and discussion. I recall that one of the comments in the Report of the COI on the Public Service, under reference, specifically emphasized the need for members of the PSC to be exposed to the meaning and importance of the Rules of Natural Justice in dealing with persons appearing before the Commission. But that apart, in expressing disagreement with the views and positions of others, one has to be conscious that the language and behaviour one uses, exhibits, or displays may also be among elements considered relevant in judging one’s suitability for appointment and service in a given capacity. The Report of the COI in which the recommendation mentioned in the foregoing appears was submitted to the President of Guyana in May 2016. However, it may well be that it was by chance, that I
was viewing a programme which appears on Sundays on Channel 9(TV) when the person being interviewed was identified as one who was in disagreement with both the conduct and declared results of recently concluded GPSU elections. Among the points made by that interviewee was a concern about unfairness of treatment were he or others to appear before the PSC as Mr Yarde was serving as its Chairman. From the contents of Ms Gardener’s letter there is apparently the view that my position on the conflict of interest and bias issue is so well known and influential ( and perhaps respected?) that it has motivated and galvanized others to also raise the matter in the press and other locations to the detriment of the GPSU and its leadership. There should be no doubt that I am in sympathy with those who exercise their constitutional right to raise and discuss a matter of such vital importance to the public with no expectation that, if and when they do so, they would not be subjected to hostile and negative descriptions and ridicule. I should also mention that the interviewee mentioned in the immediate foregoing paragraph indicated that he and his group are in the process of initiating legal action in regard to , inter alia, the appointment to the chairmanship of the PSC. I was, and am in no way involved in their decision to move in that direction. My view that the issue is likely to be litigated is based on my observation of the use which is generally being made of this process and the inclination and readiness with which politicians in particular now use it not necessarily only in vindication of rights, (Continued on page 6)
ness with more stability. Nonetheless, this is where the Corporation would like to request that Mr. Persaud uses his excessively keen interest in GuySuCo and the Interim Management Committee (IMC), to provide the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) with some of his sound business advice on how the behaviour of the Union towards GuySuCo is impacting negatively on the business of sugar, as in this instance increasing the production cost and reducing much needed foreign exchange that could be earned as well as the wages and salaries for our workers who are members of the Union. Mr. Persaud also stated that ‘I did warn about incompetence and possible record low production in a previous letter. Low production must be the cause for GuySuCo ending the first crop at Enmore, then twenty-four (24) hours later announcing that it will restart operations’. Mr. Persaud is right again; production at the Enmore Estate is low for the First Crop 2017 and one of the reasons, is the consistent unstable environment that is created by GAWU. For example, in March, the Union encouraged the planters from the East Demerara Estate to refuse to take up harvesting work at that estate even though the harvesters’ turnout was 59%. On 23 May, the workers were a part of a protest in Enmore that was organized by GAWU and were also on strike. Additionally, East Demerara Estate management made a decision to continue the crop on Monday 22 May, however, the workers were encouraged to strike to force management to end the crop, they struck on 23, 24 and 25 May; GuySuCo informed GAWU on the 25 May, that as a result of the strike there will be a shortage of sugar for the local market, hence, there was a meeting with GuySuCo and the workers on the same day, and after they were reminded that the continuation of the crop means regular earnings for the period, an agreement was reached for the workers to resume duties on 26 May, 2017. During the First Crop of 2017, EDE had 13 strikes with 5,418 man-days lost, resulting in a potential earnings loss to the striking workers of G$13.6M. Based on the instability at the EDE, the decision was made to divert some of the Albion Estate’s produc-
tion to ensure that adequate sugar is available for the local market during the out-ofcrop period. As such, the sugar is sent to Enmore Packaging Plant in one tonne bags where it is re-bagged in 50 kg bags for local distribution. This is not incompetence Mr. Persaud rather this decision ensures that the Corporation remains reliable and credible in fulfilling its commitments despite having to manage a business with unreasonable partners like GAWU. These Mr. Persaud are some of the day-to-day challenges and the level of instability which Estate Management and the IMC have to navigate its way through while still focusing on strategic matters. Finally, on Mr. Persaud’s point on the incompetence of the IMC, GuySuCo has concluded that the writer seems to be employed and has as his responsibility to attack the management of GuySuCo. Judging from the focus of the letters he has been writing, in addition to the most recent ones to which this letter is responding, others were: ‘GuySuCo IMC has performed abysmally’; Kaieteur News 2 April. ‘The poor performance at GuySuCo continues’, 17 February, Kaieteur News. ‘Someone must be accountable for Skeldon cogeneration plant woes’, 31 January, Kaieteur News ‘This decision by GuySuco boggles the mind’, and 27 January, 2017, Kaieteur News, ‘GuySuCo’s team gets salaries no other country would pay’; all of which basically attacked the management. The management of GuySuCo would like to assure Mr. Persaud that while the Corporation is faced with numerous challenges, the IMC, various levels of management as well as many employees, have taken on this ‘Project GuySuCo’ with passion, enthusiasm and in a highly intellectual way, in the first instance, to bring order and discipline to the business of sugar and secondly, to find the widest range of solutions to the myriad of challenges relative to its future. One example, the Management Committee recently completed a highly strategic exercise - A Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Treats (SWOT) Analysis which is already proving to be extremely useful in its strategic planning. Audreyanna Thomas Senior Communications Officer
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The relevance to Guyana of the IDB’s findings on crime in the Caribbean DEAR EDITOR, Kaieteur News of 22nd May 2017 informs us about the findings of a study done by the Inter -American Development Bank (IDB) concluded in Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Bahamas and Suriname. While there are many aspects of the study deserving attention, such in-depth scrutiny would demand extensive space and likely test the editor’s patience to find same for a letter. Therefore, for now I will only focus on the Victimization Survey approach and the study’s call for proactive policing and examine what meaning/ relevance these have for Guyana. Universally there are two popular sources for obtaining statistics on crime. These are Victimization Survey and police record. We are told that it was the Victimization Survey (VS) method that was used for gathering data on crime for this IDB study. The VS survey was developed in the USA 1973, it attempts to capture crimes committed that were not reported to the police and therefore would not appear in police record. The VS approach usually entails researchers visiting
homes and questioning occupants over the age of 12 years whether they had suffered from or perpetuated any criminal act. This type of survey tends to cover all crimes except murder and arson. Some time ago I wrote on the dark figure of crimes; crimes that for whatsoever reason(s), victims choose not to report to the police and therefore will not appear in police records. It is such crimes that the VS seeks to uncover. When these crimes are added to reported crimes, a more accurate crime figure is achieved. For example, when data collected by way of VS was added to crimes appearing in police records it was estimated that 6 million crimes of violence occurred in the USA in 1990. However, only about 40% of these were reported to the police. A previous letter referred to above, also offered reasons for victims not reporting crimes to the police. But even though VS is likely to help us obtain a truer estimation of the overall amount of crime committed in a specific community or nation, the method also has its shortcomings/limitations. It is not unusual for individuals to lie about being vic-
tims or perpetuators of criminal acts. Possibly they do so to impress the listener (in VS cases, the interviewer) that their lives are filled with excitement, acts of bravery or to gain sympathy by casting themselves as victims. Years ago, in Guyana I use to visit a certain place at which a few persons, known to be involved in street crime would hang out. As they shared their experiences every contributor seemed to have a more exciting story to tell than the fellow who preceded him. Here in the USA with increasable regularity police receive calls and visits from persons anxious to confess of having committed crimes that later investigation reveal they could not have possibly committed. Since VS relies on what is told and there is usually no attempt to check authenticity its accuracy is questionable. Secondly VS can only gather information from those victims or perpetuators of crimes who are willing to talk to those conducting the survey. Reclusive persons are less likely to talk to researchers regardless of the extent of their victimization. If Guyana is going to un-
Patrick Yarde’s two conflicting positions... From page 5 but also as a means of scoring political points. And I am sure that I do not have a monopoly on such thinking. Ms Gardener in her letter adverted to the fact that I had informed Mr Yarde that the Commission of Inquiry into the Public Commission of which I was Chairman had some recommendations with respect to the PSC. As she stated, “Mr Yarde reminded him that the COI’s recommendations were not fully supported by the GPSU. In fact, it should be noted that the GPSU had publicly stated that it did not agree with some of the recommendations of the COI”. I am personally puzzled by this statement
for other members of the COI and I were never under direction or pressure to ensure that our findings and recommendations accorded with the thinking or desires of any group, or even of the Government. As commissioners we were keenly aware that after our report was submitted to the Government further action on it, would be within the province of the latter that had the authority and power to implement, or not, recommendations and findings in keeping with acceptable and established processes and practices. Is that not the essence of the democracy we articulate and to which we lay claim? Harold Lutchman
This critic of the sugar industry is not... From page 4 as lose-lose. The author, we urge, should read an article concerning the situation obtaining in Wales which appeared in the media of May 31, 2017. We ask do we really, as a people, in the interest of what Mr Phillips calls “equitable sus-
tainable development” spread those hardships to other parts of the country? For the GAWU, we cannot lend a supporting voice to such a plan. Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU
dertake the VS type of survey I would suggest that this could be more effectively done using the posted questionnaire. This eliminates the temptation of participants playing to the audience since response will demand no names, no addresses of participants and will offer no interviewers for respondents to be tempted to impress. Questionnaires accompanied with return envelope that carries stamp and return address (thus not saddling participants with a cost), can be placed randomly in mail boxes. The call by the IDB report for police departments in the Caribbean to focus on proactive policing is in keeping with trends here in the USA, and indeed much of the developed world. Proactive policing refers to action by police officers and departments intended to prevent criminal acts from occurring – crime prevention. Proactive policing takes many forms and police departments lay emphasis on different approaches, usually emphasis is determined by available resources. For example, in a poor country like Guyana and those of the Caribbean emphasis would be placed on encouraging citizens to place bars on windows and doors
of homes; and encouraging vehicle owners to mark relatively easy to remove parts of their vehicles. Since marked items are more difficult to sell. Increasing police patrols is also a proactive activity since police presence tends to deter crime and give citizens a feeling of safety and security. But there are approaches to proactive policing that is worrying and present a threat to democracy. Proactive arresting – police crackdown is one such approach. Crackdown is usually defined as “intense, short term increase in officer presence and arrests for specific types of offences or for all offences in specific areas.” The problem with this approach to proactive policing is that it gives rise to police eroding the rights of specific communities and individuals, for example, raids on specific communities, the harassing of ex criminals even when there are no grounds for suspecting criminal intent, unwarranted stop and search of people from poor communities etc. Aside from its threat to individual freedom the success of this approach to proactive policing is questionable. Here in the USA where this approach is frequently used in poor, disorganized communities it has been
found that crime moved to neighboring communities. Adam Harris’s observation in Kaieteur News of 28th May 2017 that serious crime in Guyana seems to be increasing in Berbice, could possibly be criminal response to intense police activities in the city. I would suggest that Guyana double down on strengthening its community policing approach as the vehicle for the delivery of proactive policing. Community policing seeks to establish a relationship between police and community that is typified by trust, respect and a willingness to work together in the interest of establishing a safe community. The IDB study is useful to Guyana, since it indicates an approach for determining the level of crime in the society and suggests a possible response to crime. However, the IDB method for gathering information used in its study and its suggested response to crime should not be conceived as providing us with approaches that should be copied and used in Guyana without consideration of their appropriateness to Guyana. In life others, friends can help us only so far, there are some things we will have to figure out for ourselves. Claudius Prince
This country must admit it has an alcohol consumption problem DEAR EDITOR, There is intense advocacy against the consumption of tobacco. This World No Tobacco Day, the theme was “Tobacco - a threat to development”. The advocacy has included the protection of the environment as the World Health Organisation also realised a report about the negative environmental impact caused by tobacco farming. Some countries had funded farmers to change their crops from tobacco to other crops. With this kind of intense activity, it would be easy to assume that tobacco is more dangerous than alcohol. The politics and economics of public health are interesting in Guyana though. Ac-
cording to the World Health Organisation, (http:// w w w . w h o . i n t / substance_abuse/facts/ global_burden/en/) tobacco is the largest disease burden in Europe and South-East Asia while alcohol poses the largest burden in Africa, the Americas, and Western Pacific. Many citizens in Guyana and elsewhere would know that alcohol has caused havoc in Guyana, as tobacco and other drugs have done. In Guyana then, there is a need then for a World No Alcohol day, with themes like ‘Alcohol : a threat to Guyana’s development”. The legislation on tobacco control should be copied so that alcohol consumption should be banned from the same places where
tobacco smoking is forbidden. Guyana’s Tobacco Control Bill proposes to ban advertising and sponsorship. The alcohol industry in Guyana aggressively promotes their product which causes the highest disease burden through sports and other entertainment. Cricket Australia is reportedly now considering banning alcohol sponsorship from cricket. The Tobacco Control Bill is part of Guyana’s responsibilities under the World Health Organisation Framework on Tobacco Control. Even though alcohol causes more problems than tobacco in Guyana and the Americas, there is no World Health Organisation Convention on Alcohol Control. Advocates have appealed to to the WHO to develop alcohol control policies like the Tobacco Control policies. It seems the alcohol industry and its supporters are more powerful than the tobacco industry. Will Guyana have to wait on the World Health Organisation before it admits it has a problem with alcohol consumption and do something about it? Vidyaratha Kissoon
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Local businesses fear being sidelined in oil sector A number of Guyanese companies are appealing to Government to pull out all stops to ensure they get a piece of the oil pie. They are registering concerns about not being able to provide goods and services to the emerging oil and gas sector due to the growing presence of foreign companies with experience in the sector, particularly from Trinidad and Tobago and the United States. Recently, there was a wave of companies from T&T and the United States seeking to mop up contracts from ExxonMobil and the Government of Guyana as it relates to the provision of goods and services in the oil and gas sector. In a few weeks time, the Trinidad and Tobago Energy Chamber is slated to bring to Guyana a large business delegation to explore more business opportunities in the oil and gas sector given the poor state of T&T economy. The attention to Guyana is due to its declining oil and gas sector in that Twin Island Republic. The T&T companies would be hoping to rescue their struggling businesses and create opportunities, which have been facing a downturn from low oil prices. A number of local business leaders have told Kaieteur News that if contracts for the supply of goods and services are only awarded to the foreign companies, then there will be no opportunities for local businesses to develop the experience, reputation and capacity to service the new oil and gas sector. ExxonMobil, a US-owned company headquartered in Texas, is gearing for a 2020 start in production. There is a host of services - goods supply and other logistical ones - up for grabs when production starts. These include the supply of fuel, food and water, hotel accommodation, storage facilities for supplies, waste management, Customs services and even helicopter services. The demand for these services and goods is worth billions of dollars and is considered a critical spinoff from oil production activities. Recently, Minister of
Minister Raphael Trotman Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, indicated that the government intends to ensure that policies and support are in place to provide for local content in the oil and gas sector. Guyana is prepared to accept a 50-50 share of the profits with ExxonMobil. But the company and its partners will have to recover costs before that 50-50 equation kicks in. Guyana has received an application from ExxonMobil for a production licence. Government is finalising details and is expected to speak more in a few weeks on what exactly Guyana is getting when production starts. A number of Guyanese companies are already investing in capacity and specialized resources for the oil and gas sector. However, they remain fearful that businesses from developed oil and gas economies such as T&T, Suriname, and the US can displace them and deny opportunities in the sector given their inherent experience and advanced capabilities within that sector. Companies are urging the government as well as oil and gas operators to look at unique ways in which local content and capacity can be encouraged. Guyana has explored the possibilities of an oil refinery but a recent study by an independent consultant did not find favor. However, interest has remained high. The refining of the pumped oil from the wells to be located about 100 miles from the shores of Guyana is still to be announced with Petrotrin in Trinidad and an-
other refinery in Suriname expressing interest. Guyana has been exploring also, the construction, in Crab Island, East Bank Berbice, of an onshore facility that will offer a range of services. A US$500M figure has been touted for that project. However, since being announced a few months ago, there have been no updates.
There will be a variety of services and goods required when oil production starts in 2020. With almost two billion barrels of high quality oil said to be in the area and with more wells to be drilled, close attention is being paid to the agreement with ExxonMobil.
Guyana has started examining a number of mechanisms to cater for the proceeds, including a Sovereign Wealth Fund and legislations. A number of local ports,
including John Fernandes, are said to be benefitting from the current exploration activities, but come 2020, the demand for services will be taken to another level.
Govt yet to review feasibility study on local oil refinery Following a feasibility study which shows that a local oil refinery may not be the right choice for Guyana, the government is yet to review the document. This was according to the Minister of State Joseph Harmon, during the post-Cabinet press briefing yesterday at the Ministry of the Presidency. The study was conducted, and was presented almost three weeks ago by Consultant Pedro Hass, the Director of Advisory Services of Hartree Partners of Mexico. Hass via a power-point presentation at the Marian Academy explained that the study was done taking the scale, construction cost, timeline and other variables into consideration. The team also looked at nearby refineries. He noted that Guyana currently consumes between 13,000 and 14,000 barrels of oil per day which is way below the 200,000 barrels of oil a standard size refinery can
- Consultations ongoing process. Hypothetically, should a 100,000-barrel per day refinery be constructed just to cater for Guyana’s consumption, it will cost somewhere in the vicinity of US$5B with a negative rate of return on investment at between US$2B and US$3B. This means that the output of the refinery will not compensate for the monies that will be spent to construct and operate the facility nor will the capital return. Harmon said yesterday that the government is listening to advice and consultations are taking place. “Experts will come and say this and experts will say that. Some foreign experts will say don’t do it and some local experts will tell you, yes let’s do it.” Harmon said that it is therefore Government’s responsibility to take onboard
all of the advice that is given and then at the appropriate time, the Minister of Natural Resource Raphael Trotman will bring a memorandum to Cabinet upon which, a decision “that is in the best interest of the people of Guyana” will be made. Meanwhile, the findings of the feasibility study are not sitting too well with several sections of the private sector. Many expressed disappointment and questions were raised over the methodology that was used in compiling the study. Several members of the Private Sector have also expressed interest in conducting their own independent
study to erect facilities of their own. Hass had stated also that during the study, his team would have looked at several other possibilities instead of an oil refinery for Guyana. One of the alternatives, he said, is for Guyanese to become “very skilled” at international trade and crude products; selling the crude at appropriate price and buying at an economic price. Other alternatives include the swapping of crude oil for products and entering into a processing deal with other refineries. Hass expounded on the latter. “So you give them your crude, they run it in their refinery and they return products to you.” This arrangement, he said, is not unique but rather, “very common.”
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Bogus kidney donor starts to repay her victims Bogus kidney donor, Bibi Shabeena Kadir, had a change of heart and repaid at least two of her victims. Ravi Narine, who gave the woman $150,000 to do tests she claimed were required before the kidney transplant could successfully take place, said that he received his money on Thursday via a money transfer service. Narine said that a man who identified himself as the suspect’s father called and informed him that the money had been posted. Kadir, in an interview with this newspaper yesterday said that she never tried to rob Narine and 44-year-old Sumintra Sookraj under the pretence of giving them one of her kidneys. She said that she was in fact willing to donate a kidney but there was a misunderstanding between the hospital and the two patients and she got caught in the middle. Kadir said that she would prefer not to give too many details of that misunderstanding. From her mother’s home in the United States of America, the woman claimed that she repaid Narine and Sookraj. This newspaper was unable to make contact with Sookraj to determine whether she had indeed received a refund. Kadir explained that she
Bibi Shabeena Kadir spent one year behind Sookraj but the doctors at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) put her onto Narine after the 44-yearold woman developed complications with her heart. “I was going to give Ravie (a kidney) but he wanted everything to happen overnight,” Kadir claimed. She admitted that she had some issues in the past but claimed that she was never convicted since the matters were all settled in court. “It is because of these two cases that all these other matters coming up. Is that fair? I was living in Guyana all this time, and these things didn’t come up while I was there but as soon as I come here (US),” the woman lashed out. In response to her fatherin-law, Chamer Bhooj’s claims
that she stole his pension under the pretence of helping his sick wife, Kadir said that she was the one taking care of her in-laws and never stole from them. But neighbours in the village - Stewartville, West Coast Demerara (WCD), claimed that Kadir robbed numerous persons while she was in Guyana and her in-laws were her most vulnerable victims. According to the Kadir, since the stories of Narine, Sookraj and her father-in-law were published, life has been hectic for her and her family. She said that her relatives almost threw her out of their home after they learnt of the incidents. “Everywhere I go, people say is the professional con artist. People sharing it on Facebook and there were some nasty comments. It created havoc within my family. This thing spread like wildfire here,” Kadir alleged. She said that after her father was made aware that her father-in-law spoke ill of her, he threw her husband out from their home. Kadir pointed out that some of her relatives do not speak to her as a result of the incident. While the woman refunded two of her victims, this newspaper was informed that ranks at the Leonora Police Station are still hoping to question her in relations to several other incidents.
Benjai’s lawyers mull going to CCJ over “lax” police investigation By Abena RockcliffeCampbell “We have been given instruction to leave no stone unturned in pursuit of justice for our client,” said Eusi Anderson. Anderson is the only Guyanese lawyer among the three representing Rodney ‘Benjai’ Le Blanc, the Trinidadian artiste who was assaulted outside the Palm Court almost two months ago. The artiste is dissatisfied that the police have made little or no progress thus far in the investigation. Further to that, Benjai’s attorneys are looking to put the authorities in Guyana on notice. Should the investigation “not be taken seriously” the lawyers are prepared to name those very authorities as defendants in a matter to be filed in the Caribbean Court of Justice. The basis for the action would be breach of a Caricom treaty. Anderson wrote the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Shalimar Ali Hack a letter noting that his client was “viciously” assaulted on April 17. He said that the artiste sustained serious injuries including a “severe laceration” to the right side of his face. The matter was reported to Brickdam (Police Station). The letter stated, “Confidence in the police to conduct a thorough investigation has waned and Guyana’s image as a destination for VIP performers and artistes has suffered an identical fate.” Anderson said that the Guyana Police Force was informed that Benjai remains available for further interviews and to participate in any other procedure which will assist the police in their “purported ongoing investigation.” He told the DPP that the police were provided with
Trinidadian Artiste, Rodney “Benjai” Le Blanc names and images of the perpetrators of the assault— Imran Khan and Maverick De Abreu. However the police seem to have ignored the complaint on Khan and focused the investigation solely on De Abreu. Anderson went on to point out that early last month a wanted bulletin was issued for De Abreu in connection with the Benjai happening. Incidentally, De Abreu was taken before the court for another matter on May 12. “In keeping with the oddities of this investigation, De Abreu was arraigned and released” the very day…”This was in the presence of several members of the Guyana Police Force as though the wanted bulletin for the instant matter was not issued or did not exist.” Anderson said that he now understands that a file has been sent to the DPP’s office. He questioned if she has yet offered a recommendation. Further, he requested a copy of the police investigation file on the matter. “We
foresee little difficulty in this request as these are matters of a public record. We are of the view that verbatim records of the advice sought by the police and tendered by your office will assist us in understanding how the police came to eliminate Khan while the virtual complainant steadfastly maintained that he was assaulted by both individuals. Anderson said that the police have not contacted the Benjai since he made the official report. He then put the DPP on notice that the artiste has instructed to explore claims of breaches of the treaty rights of Caricom national in a fellow Caricom Member state by agents of the defaulting state. “Our focus is on potential breaches such as those occasioned by the lax investigation currently being pursued by the agents of the delinquent Member State.” The letter was written a few days ago. It was copied to the Commissioner of Police, Caricom Secretary (Continued on page 23)
Saturday June 03, 2017
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Triple whammy Another tax is about to hit consumers below the belt. The Guyana Revenue Authority has indicated that persons who import vehicles with used tyres will be subject to a penalty. This is tantamount to the GRA imposing a new tax on the Guyanese people. Yet, the GRA has not yet indicated when parliament would have met to have given approval for the GRA to impose such penalties. Nor has the GRA quoted under which provision of the laws that it administers empowers it to charge this penalty as it describes it. For a penalty to be imposed some law has to be broken and that law itself must specify the penalties which can be applied. It does seem as if GRA is acting under the belief that since the Minister of Finance has announced a prohibition on the importation of use tyres that the GRA is free to assume that anyone
who breaches this policy directive is liable to be fined as the GRA deems fit. This, however, is not how the law operates. It is the Minister with responsibility for trade, which in Guyana’s case is the Minister of Business, who has to issue an Order prohibiting absolutely or not absolutely, the prohibition of use tyres. If such an Order has been issued, it is for the Minister with responsibility for foreign trade, or the Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute persons who have breached these laws. The Guyana Revenue Authority merely plays an agency function in this regard. It has no legal standing to impose any fines in this regard. In the case of the Trade Act, it is only the court which can impose penalties and these penalties include jail. Also, the GRA cannot
transpose a breach under one law into a right to penalize the person who breached the law under another law. The GRA therefore must explain where it has derived the authority to impose a penalty on persons. And the GRA must be reminded that a determination of a breach of the law rests with the court. The whole issue is even more confusing because the penalties reportedly apply to vehicles which are imported with used tyres. The Minister of Finance in his Budget speech of 2016 had indicated that it was the importation of used tyres which would not be allowed. What the GRA is trying to do, is to treat the importation of a car with used tyres and the importation of used tyres under the same law. This is not a great area. It is like saying to someone you can import a car but you cannot import it with LED lights. The prohibition of LED lights ap-
Dem boys seh ...
Jagdeo telling Statia he can’t find no crook No tricks no living. People love to smart everybody and this is something dem learn from small. In fact, dem boys believe that people born wid that instinct to smart people. Babies does lie down in dem bed and play sleep an when dem get lil more big dem does learn to hide. Is when dem start talk people does see de trickery. You and a child alone in de house and something happen, put you pot pun de fire that de child gun seh is not he or she. Customs find that dem had nuff scampishness when people import things. Some of de things dem does hide and some dem does sell in smart ways.
De Statia boy announce that he see de loophole and he intend to clamp down. Well de man who know all de tricks in de book wish him well. Jagdeo sit down wid dem reporters and tell dem that Statia lucky if he can ketch anybody. Dem boys decide ask him wha he mean and is then he tell dem that all de smuggled vehicle gone back to Brazil and Suriname. That had to happen before de elections. That is why people know that Jagdeo ain’t only got head to wear hat. He smell de rat and since he know all who smuggle in de vehicle he tell dem to smuggle out de vehicles. Another thing that mek dem boys know Jagdeo crookish is when he telling de
government to release dem contracts. He never release any. No matter how dem boys call he would not do so. Now he want Soulja Bai to release dem same contract that he didn’t want people to see. He admit that he hide dem contract and dem boys seh he calling pun Soulja Bai to release dem because he know Soulja Bai don’t have dem. Of course, Soulja Bai did ask him fuh de contract and de scamp Jagdeo is, he watch that big man full in ee eye and ask him if he look like if he does walk around wid contract in ee back pocket. Dem boys seh de smartness gun come to an end when de jail pick somebody. Talk half and watch out fuh dem smart people.
plies to cars which drive with such lights on the road. Even if a car is imported with LED lights, it is for the road traffic authorities to say that the car cannot be driven with such lights but they cannot ban the importation of a car with such lights, unless the prohibition contained in the Trade Act expressly provides for such a prohibition. With cars tyres are part of vehicle. A person importing a car is not importing tyres. He is importing a vehicle. The vehicle may or may not have used tyres. The law therefore has to expressly state that the importation of used tyres on vehicles is prohibited.
But this presents a dilemma for importers. The importer would have no control over what the exporter sends to him. He orders a car. The exporter disregards his instructions to ensure that the car has new tyres and sends the car with used tyres. The importer has no knowledge that this would have been done. Yet when the vehicle arrives he is saddled with a charge over which he has had no control. And of course he has to pay a fine, then change all the tyres and go and buy new ones. This is called triple whammy. By the way, in respect to
that fancy vehicle with the false number plates which was allegedly released by the GRA which subsequently allowed the import papers to be processed two years after importation, was it treated at the time the import duties were paid as having new or used tyres?
Corentyne man, 27, remanded for beating wife to death A Number 58 Village man was yesterday remanded to prison for the murder of his common law wife at the Number 51 Magistrate’s Court before the sitting Magistrate Charlyn Artiga, and a packed courtroom. Raywat Ramen Mulloo, 27, of Lot 36 Number 58 Village, Corentyne, Berbice appeared unrepresented and shackled at his feet before Magistrate Artiga as the charge was read to him. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge. According to the facts of the case, on May 25, 2017 Mulloo reportedly inflicted injuries on Gomattie Ramsingh that caused her death. He was remanded to prison until June 30, next for report. Mulloo’s common law wife Gomattie Ramsingh died at the Georgetown Public Hospital. She was hospitalized for severe injuries sus-
tained during an alleged beating committed by Mulloo. The 27-year-old reportedly thrashed Ramsingh with an iron bar and a piece of wood. He further dragged her down their stairs whilst continuously hitting her with the objects. Ramsingh was taken to the Skeldon Hospital on Friday and subsequently transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital where a medical examination was conducted. Due to the severity of the woman’s injuries she was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she died. From her hospital bed the woman, who is a mother of three, told relatives that she was hit in the head several times with an iron bar and about her body with a piece of wood. She stated then that the beating stemmed from an argument over an illegal substance that Mulloo had purchased and brought to their home.
She reportedly threw away the substance, angering Mulloo. It was then that he carried out the vicious act. He subsequently turned himself over to authorities in the presence of a n Attorney Mursalin Bacchus at that time. Meanwhile, an autopsy that was conducted on Ramsingh’s body revealed that she died of blunt trauma to the head, ruptured spinal cord and other severe internal and external injuries. Mulloo and Ramsingh were said to have shared an abusive one-year relationship; a relationship that she gave up on many times but soon returned. Ramsingh was once threatened with a knife and was also physically abused until she was unconscious. She left their home but two days later returned to giveMulloo “another chance”. That one more chance ended in death.
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Kaieteur News
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
Politicians in all countries use national awards as patronage Dr. David Hinds wrote that he pays little attention to national awards. Before I read that statement, I knew how Aubrey Norton felt about it. It was around 8 pm last Sunday when I reached the studios of channel 9 to share a panel with Aubrey. As I entered the door of channel 9, Aubrey was seated waiting to go in front the cameras. Our host, Elise Harry told us that we would be a bit late. I sat next to Aubrey and my first topic was a question of how Cammie Ramsaroop became our High Commis-
sioner to Trinidad and Halim Majeed our ambassador to Cuba. Those two appointments I do find weird. I remember bringing up the national awards because in the Kaieteur News offices the day before and elsewhere, there was talk about the CCH award (the third highest) to UG Vice Chancellor Ivelaw Griffith. Aubrey said he does not pay much attention to national awards. So there you have it; two powerful personalities in the modern history of Guyanese politics care little about the national awards.
Griffith’s name was mentioned to me by several persons because of the lower award (AA) given to Dr. Mark Kirton. On the very day the awardees were named in the media there was an interview with the Vice Chancellor by another newspaper and he mentioned that he had lived for thirty-six years outside of Guyana. If you put him in his early sixties, then Professor Griffith has lived the greater part of his life outside of Guyana. On the other hand, I worked with
Man chops friend in food brawl, gets 18 months An argument over food will now see a man spending the next 18 months behind bars for chopping his friend. Patrick Sukhan, 40, pleaded guilty to the charge which alleged that on May 25, last, at James and Hunter Streets, Albouystown, unlawfully and maliciously inflicted grievous bodily harm on Rickson Munroe. The court heard that on the day in question Sukhan went to Munroe’s home and requested that he hand him a box of food. After the victim refused to give him the food the two got into a heated argument and Sukhan dealt
Munroe several chops on his left hand. When he was given a chance to address the court, Sukhan told the court, “When I went to collect my food from him, he told me that the food was not ready so I got upset and went home for my ‘chopper’. “When I return for the second time and asked for my food it still was not ready so I took the ‘chopper’ and chopped him on his left hand. When magistrate Leron Daly told Sukhan that he was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment the convict in return told the magistrate that
Jailed for 18 months Patrick Sukhan the 18 months was a reasonable sentence for him.
Mark Kirton at UG in the same department for twenty-six years and Kirton was a lecturer about five years before I joined the staff. I do not want to take anything away from Professor Griffith. I am not going to deny him his award. But people who know me and read my daily column would know I speak my mind. I want to be courteous to Dr. Griffith. This is the country I have lived in all my life; I know who has achieved what. I honestly believe that Dr. Kirton has done more for my alma mater, UG, and my work place, UG, and my country, Guyana, than Professor Griffith. Logics tell me that if you are going to give national awards to two outstanding academics, then please tell me what criteria you have used to make the comparison. I would have also included Dr. Kirton for the CCH. I do not take national awards seriously. I believe most analysts around the world do not; and for the obvious fact that it is a way of ruling politicians patronizing those they like or want to be nice to. The word appalling is mild compared to what I want to say about my attitude to the Order of Excellence (OE)
given to Dr. Compton Bourne by then President Jagdeo. Here is how it happened. Bourne received the award while he was President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). Jagdeo wanted loans. Fair exchange is no robbery as they say when I was a small boy growing up in Wortmanville. After the award, a loan of $660 million for primary education was awarded by Bourne and the loans kept pouring in. (see KN, May 27, 2014). Bourne was subsequently given a Pradoville 2 house-lot and quite surprisingly SOCU officials have not travelled to Trinidad to interview him. Why was the OE given to Bourne? The official explanation was for academic excellence in the field of economics. Really! Is there anyone in the English-speaking Caribbean that has produced greater brilliance in the field of economic studies of the Caribbean area than Professor Clive Thomas? Does anyone living human in Guyana deserve the OE more than Clive Yolande Thomas? Then there was the Order of Roraima (OR) given to Hamilton Green. As in the case of Ivelaw Griffith, I will not deny awards. My point
Frederick Kissoon here is to give awards not to deny them. So Green got the OR. Are there others in Guyana who should have been given the OR that came from the same period as Green. My mind thinks of Moses Bhagwan, Andaiye and a few others. What the PPP presidents did, what the current APNU+AFC leaders are now doing is what future leaders of Guyana will continue to do – use the award facility as patronage. Guyana is not alone in this kind of human nature. Don’t forget, Obama shared out nuff ambassadorships after he became president. The recipients included people who were big donors. That’s politics. It will always be like that.
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Heavy duty vehicles, equipment racket…
Jagdeo wishes GRA Commissioner good luck with corruption probe By Kiana Wilburg Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, expressed that he has no problem if a racket has been uncovered by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). In fact, he believes that if there was an illegality, the GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia should go after it. The former President made these, among other comments yesterday at a press conference that was held at his Church Street Office. His comments came on the heels of an article that was carried by Kaieteur News, with the headline, “End of a 10-year-old racket... GRA begins exercise for registration of all heavy duty vehicles, equipment.” Jagdeo stated that he noticed the GRA Commissioner saying in the article that with the heavy duty vehicles and equipment not being registered, they could be moved from one sector to the next. In his eyes, this is not an issue. He said, “It does not
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo matter because these vehicles were zero rated so if you brought in an excavator for agriculture or for mining or just to dig a canal, it was zero VAT. They now put the VAT on it. What might be the problem is the registration and the capital gains so I wish him
well in that regard…” The Opposition Leader also stated, “I have no problem if there was a racket and there was an illegality and the Commissioner General should go after those…” It was this week that the Guyana Revenue Authority
2016 performance of public enterprises fall below projections
GPL has rescheduled its capital programme for 2017 The revenue collections of the public enterprises in 2016 fell below the 2017 budget projections by $3B. The Ministry of Finance attributed this performance to a shortfall in production of sugar and a lower sales collection rate by the Guyana Power and Light Company Limited (GPL). According to the Ministry, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) experienced severe cash flow problems and GPL has moved to reschedule its capital programme for 2017. The Finance Ministry also said that the combined operations of the public enterprises resulted in a surplus of $11.1B which is a $3.1B higher than was projected at the time of the 2017 budget presentation last December by Finance Minister, Winston
Jordan in the National Assembly. Based on information provided by the Ministry, during the first half of 2016, GPL customers had benefited from a 10 percent net reduction in electricity rates with effect from March 1, 2015 as a result of a five percent reduction in the tariff rates and a further five percent on top of the 10 percent final rebate which was given in April 2015. During the first half of last year GuyOil spent $12.8B to earn receipts of $16.1B thereby realising an improved primary balance of $3.2B when compared to the first half of 2015. In his speech, he had said that the public enterprises are projected to record a deficit of $12.1B in 2017, reflecting lower receipts, increasing expenditure, and a re-classifica-
tion of government transfers to GuySuCo. Jordan said that the sugar company and GPL are projected to record deficits of $8.4B and $5B, respectively. He said that this will be somewhat offset by a projected surplus of $3B for the Guyana Oil Company Limited (GuyOil). During his presentation, Jordan said that receipts are expected to fall by about 1.3 percent to $119.8B and expenditures are expected to grow by 16.4 percent to $131.9B largely due to a 30.7 percent increase in spending on goods and services. He said that the increase in this category is largely due to higher anticipated fuel expenditures for both GuyOil and GPL, based on the projected increase in the price of petroleum in 2017.
GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia (GRA) commenced an exercise geared towards ensuring the registration of all heavy duty vehicles and equipment that were imported and are in use. The revenue-collecting body made this statement in an advertisement that was published in the Kaieteur News. The Authority outlined in the ad that these heavy duty equipment and vehicles include backhoes, bulldozers, combines, compactors and cranes. GRA stressed that owners of these heavy duty vehicles and equipment are required to present a motor vehicle reg-
istration form and the relevant import documents and Bill of Sale to the Licence Revenue Office, on Camp Street, Georgetown, to facilitate the registration process and thereafter have the vehicles/ equipment examined. The Authority said that it will have strategic points to facilitate examination of vehicles/equipment in the interior as well as in regional loc a t i o n s . The exercise is one which comes in wake of the GRA uncovering a racket worth billions of dollars regarding heavy duty machinery. Kaieteur News understands that for years, there
were excavators and other heavy duty machinery and equipment which were not being registered. This has led authorities to form the conclusion that the nation has been losing billions of dollars in taxes every year. Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority, Godfrey Statia, confirmed last week with this newspaper that the entity has found this loophole and is already making moves to clampdown on the scheme. Statia explained, “Registration means you have title, and if you have title it means you can then transfer the title. What happened is that these guys were doing the transfers by way of Bill of Sale or by way of what you would say Power of Attorney and that is one of the ways in which they have been beating it. “It is not only with the heavy duty, but even with many other vehicles. Heavy duty has just been on the forefront for us…so when these excavators go into the interior, if they are not registered then they cannot be traced.” The GRA Commissioner stated, “Additionally, some of the equipment that were free of duty based on these tax exemptions should not really have been granted, simply because they were not registered and they could move from one industry to the next…That is a billion-dollar (Continued on page 21)
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VAT on forestry, Greenheart ban, oil discussed as GMSA meets Trotman A team from the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) met with Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, on Thursday to discuss critical issues related to the forestry, mining and oil and gas sectors. The team, headed by GMSA President, Shyam Nokta, included Andre Cummings – Chairperson of the Forestry & Wood Products Sub-Sector; Norman McLean – Chairman of the Mineral & Related Industries Sub-Sector; Glenis Hodge – Chairperson of the Services SubSector; and Board Member, Peter Pompey. The GMSA team gave recognition to the ongoing process of revising and updating the National Forest Policy and the National Forest Plan and promoting Lesser Used Species while highlighting critical challenges facing the sector. “The issue of Value Added Tax (VAT) on forest products was raised where it was pointed out that this is affecting the competitiveness of the wood processing sector. The GMSA reiterated its call for this decision to be revisited with a view to removing the VAT on forest products.” VAT on forest products was introduced as part of the budget measures. GMSA said that to support its position, an assessment from the industry’s perspective has been prepared by the GMSA and will be put to Government. “It was also pointed out that the competitiveness of local products is being challenged with imported
GMSA officials during the meeting with Minister Raphael Trotman on Thursday. substitutes and this adds to the challenge facing the local wood processing sector. The issue of the UK ban on greenheart from Guyana was also raised and while some progress has been made which allows FSC certified timber to have market access, the GMSA urged that the issue be advanced to completion urgently to allow for a full lifting of the ban.” GMSA said that it expressed its willingness to provide technical support and be involved in the process to engage the UK Environment Agency, the entity that implemented the restriction. “It was pointed out that for several years now the forestry sector has been in decline and there is need for
incentives to serve as catalyst to stimulate growth and expansion, particularly in the area of value-added.” According to GMSA, Minister Trotman, in acknowledging the issues put forward, outlined Government’s commitment to review the issue of VAT on forest products and in moving forward on resolving the issue of the greenheart ban. He invited the GMSA to submit proposals for support to the wood sector, since the Ministry of Finance will start consideration for the 2018 National Budget in July 2017. “The GMSA representatives also took the opportunity to discuss the mining sector where it was pointed out that diversification in this sector
is critical. Mr. Norman Mc Lean, Chairman of the Mineral & Related Industries SubSector pointed out that there is need for alternative methods for improved recovery of gold which can also reduce degradation. Mr. Mc Lean, who is also a representative of the Bosai Minerals Group, took the opportunity to apprise the
Minister of the Manganese Project in the North West of Guyana and the initiatives planned, including rehabilitating the road from Port Kaituma to Matthews Ridge.: The oil and gas sector also featured in the discussions where the GMSA gave recognition to several initiatives being pursued,
including the Oil and Gas Local Content Policy. “The GMSA members indicated the strong interest of the organization and its members to learn more of the opportunities for local businesses in the various stages of the development of the oil and gas industry, from exploration to production, and to understand the requirements so businesses can start preparing. In this regard local content was identified as a critical area of focus for the organization.” Minister Trotman provided an overview of the developments in the oil and gas sector and committed to working with the local private sector. He indicated that his Ministry will facilitate a Local Content Specialist working with the GMSA on local content issues as part of the process of further developing and finalizing the Local Content Policy. “In response to a query on local capacity assessment on goods and services, the Minister indicated that a gap assessment has been done and will help to guide efforts aimed at supporting readiness of the local private sector,” GMSA said in its statement yesterday.
Govt had no input in appointment of GPHC DCEO – Harmon Government through its spokesperson, Minister of State Joseph Harmon, yesterday made it clear that it had no hand in appointing a former Army Chief to the position of Deputy Chief Executive Officer [DCEO] at the country’s main public health institution. The Former Army Chief in question is Brigadier George Lewis. Brigadier Lewis’s appointment, according to a statement issued by the hospital on Thursday, became effective that very day [June 1, 2017]. According to Harmon, who was asked to comment on the matter during yesterday’s Post Cabinet press briefing the decision to appoint Brigadier Lewis was exclusively the decision of the GPHC’s Board. “Whatever processes they would have engaged in I would not want to comment on [that]. But certainly they would have gone through their process and they would have chosen the best candidate in their view,” Harmon asserted. He continued, “It is not a situation where the Government or Cabinet for that matter had any say in it. I am just like any other Guyanese, when I opened the newspaper I saw it there and I believe that the hospital would have, in its view, chosen and if that was the best choice then so be it.” According to the hospital
Brigadier George Lewis, GPHC’s DCEO in a statement which informed of Brigadier Lewis’s appointment, “He is suitably qualified and brings to the Institution a wealth of knowledge and experience in management.” It was further noted that Brigadier Lewis holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Guyana in Public Management and a Master of Science Degree from the Central Michigan University in Human Resources Management. Additionally, it was pointed out that he possesses qualifications in Project Management and Conflict Resolution. The position of DCEO was one created last year under the tenure of former GPHC Chairman, Dr. Carl ‘Max’ Hanoman.
Dr. Hanoman revealed last year that whoever was found suitable to fill the position would be, among other things, tasked with helping the substantive CEO with the management of the GPHC. The position of DCEO was advertised in the daily newspapers last year and the deadline for applications was given as October 7, 2016. However, although at least three persons were interviewed for the position, this publication was informed that the final decision had to be made by the Public Health Minister. The Minister at the time was Dr. George Norton. He was earlier this year replaced with Ms. Volda Lawrence. Even before this the previous Board was (Continued on page 23)
Saturday June 03, 2017
Manchester vendor loses $3.5M in jewelry, cash during burglary After working hard for the past 20 years to provide a better life for her family, a Manchester Corentyne provision vendor is now contemplating her next move after burglars on Thursday afternoon broke into her home and carted off over $3.5 million in local currency and a quantity of gold jewelry. Dayasha Halley, 47, of Lot 26 Manchester village, Corentyne, told Kaieteur News that the dreadful news was relayed to her by her eldest daughter. According to the distressed woman, her daughter came home from school around 2pm and discovered the door to the bottom flat ajar. When she entered, she saw the entire house ransacked. “She come home and she seh when she go to open the door with the key, it fly open and she see the whole place ransack. So she said she run upstairs and find the whole upstairs ransack and me chest with the money in the chair and the padlock bruck and all over just tumble up.” Halley stated that many of her important documents that were stored in the chest were taken away. Along with the
Tobacco-related deaths continue to soar – PAHO/WHO Rep. -as Control Bill continues to hang in the balance
Dayasha Halley showing the chest where the money was stored. money and the documents, six gold finger rings, two gold chains, two pairs of gold bangles and three pairs of gold earrings were also carted off. “I had a permit to fly cause me ain’t get passport, my ID card, my husband ID card, my bank book and other documents that was in the chest they tek. Everything they gone with and ain’t left me with nothing. Me li’l gold I own they tek too”. Halley told Kaieteur News that the money was accumu-
lated from her business and was left in the home to purchase a plot of land for her eldest son in November. She stated that only her husband and her kids knew about the chest containing the money. The distraught woman also disclosed that the men also took $35,000 in savings belong to her four children. Meanwhile, Commander of ‘B’ Division, Ian Amsterdam told Kaieteur News that they have arrest four suspects as investigations continue. .
The Corentyne house that was broken into.
New GWI board to investigate... From page 18 awarded. However, Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, whose portfolio includes GWI, wanted to satisfy himself about the accuracy of the recommendations for the award of the contract. The matter was later taken to Cabinet. GWI's officials questioned the authority of Bulkan himself to investigate the contract. There were also questions about Bulkan's authority to even ask GWI's Procurement Department for back up documents to determine how the evaluation system was done. It was contended that GWI, although falling under the Ministry of Communities, does not have to answer directly to the ministry.
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The minister was said to also be investigating a number of other GWI contracts. Contacted then, Bulkan explained that as minister with responsibilities for water, he was given a number of tender documents to take to Cabinet. While declining to name any contractor or give details of amounts, Bulkan indicated that he did request Cabinet's Sub-Committee to further examine the tenders to verify the recommendations for award of the contracts. He said that he considered this as necessary, given that many lower bidders were deemed to be non-responsive and thereby disqualified. There is nothing wrong with this except that several discrepancies were noted and raised questions over the
evaluation process. Reportedly, the minister's concerns were raised where in one case of five bidders, the four lowest were deemed nonresponsive and the recommendation was for award of the contract to the highest bidder. In the case of the five bidders mentioned, the recommendation for the award of a contract that was almost three times the lowest bidder, Kaieteur News was told. Dr Van West Charles had insisted that the proper procurement process had been followed. “As far as I am aware, all the procedures set out were followed with the technical and Evaluation Committee completing their work and sending it off to NPTAB.”
The passage of the long proposed National Tobacco Control Bill is still hanging in the balance in the National Assembly. In the mean time deaths linked to exposure to tobacco smoke continue to mount. It has been revealed by Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation [PAHO/WHO] Representative, Dr. WilliamAduKrow, that 80 percent of premature deaths from tobacco occur in low or middle income countries which face increased challenges to achieving their development goals. Guyana fits neatly into this category of countries. Dr. Adu-Krow in highlighting the Guyana situation, said that 15.4 per cent of the adult population are current smokers of tobacco with 26.6 per cent of the total smokers being men and 3.3 per cent being women. Added to this, the Global Youth Tobacco Survey that was conducted here in 2015 among youths between the ages of 13 and 15 found that 14.8 per cent of students – 19 per cent boys and 10.4 per cent of girls – are users of tobacco products. Dr. Adu-Krow has moreover emphasised that tobacco use is a threat to individuals, regardless of their gender, age and ethnicity and even their cultural or educational background. “It causes suffering, diseases and death leading to impoverished families and national economies. Tobacco use costs national economies enormously through increased health care costs and decreased productivity. It worsens health inequalities and exacerbates poverty, as the poorest people spend less on essentials such as food, education and health care,” Dr. Adu-Krow explained. Tobacco has therefore been recognised as the single most preventable cause of death in the world today. This notion was particularly emphasised as World No Tobacco Day was commemorated on Wednesday. World No Tobacco Day is a global campaign inviting everyone – from global leaders to the public - in all countries to focus on the health risks associated with tobacco use and to advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.
Dr. Wiliam Adu-Krow, PAHO/WHO Representative. According to Adu-Krow, tobacco kills nearly seven million people each year, of which more than 600,000 are non-smokers dying from breathing second-hand smoke. And he noted that figure is predicted to increase to more than eight million a year by 2030 if interventions for prevention and control are not intensified. “As tobacco use continues to rise in many parts of the world, it becomes increasingly more important that Governments working jointly with civil society to implement the mandates of the WHO Framework to protect their citizens from tobacco to educate them about the dangers associated with its use,” said Dr. Adu-Krow. He did take into consideration that Guyana acceded to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control [FCTC]onSeptember15,2005.TheWHOFCTCisone designed to guide the global fight against the tobacco epidemic. It is in fact an international Treaty with 180 parties [179 countries and the European Union], according to Dr. Adu-Krow who went on to disclose that “today more than half of the world’s countries, representing nearly 40 per cent of the world’s population [2.8 billion people], have implemented at least one of the WHO FCTC’s most cost-effective measures to the highest level.” Added to this, he observed that there have been an increasing number of countries that are creating firewalls to ward off interference from the tobacco industry on government tobacco control policy. Guyana, it would seem is still struggling to reach this plateau. This is in light of
the fact that despite multiple attempts the draft National Tobacco Control Bill is still just merely a proposal waiting to happen. Since the drafting of the Bill in 2012, Dr. Adu-Krow said that extensive in-country consultations were conducted to facilitate the preparation of a final document. In 2013, the draft Act was reviewed by the then Attorney General. According to Dr. Adu-Krow, the Attorney General had recommended that additional consultations be conducted with select groups [including canecutters, sugar estate workers and indigenous people in the hinterland areas]. This recommendation was supported by PAHO/WHO which conducted the additional activities and the feedback from these guided revisions to the draft Bill. But after the national elections in 2015, a further review of the Act was done in collaboration with the Ministries of Public Health and Legal Affairs. A subsequent briefing was done on the Bill with the new Ministers of Public Health and the Attorney General. Further, Dr. Adu-Krow said, several working sessions were conducted with officials from the Ministry of Legal Affairs and during these activities the penalties included in the legislation were reviewed and finalised. One year ago a presentation on the Bill was conducted for members of Cabinet at a formal meeting. A copy of the Bill was later shared with each member for review. The comments were reviewed and in the cases where additional information was requested, this was provided. Dr. Adu-Krow revealed that “the key recommendations shared by the members of Cabinet were integrated into the draft Act to facilitate finalisation.” It has since been anticipated Dr. Adu-Krow said, that the Bill would be presented to Parliament in the near future. Research, according to Dr. Adu-Krow, has shown that regulations on the use of tobacco and tobacco products has reduced the likelihood of individuals beginning to smoke and the percentage of individuals who actually smoke in various countries.
Jagdeo wishes GRA Commissioner... From page 11 scam that we have come upon.” Statia said that he has spoken with his staff to make efforts to ensure that there is the registration of all excavators and heavy duty machinery, regardless of the industry it is part of, so as to bring an end to “the present law-
lessness.” “We are investigating this matter and we will be calling out the players to discuss this and put measures in place to deal with it going forward. We will also be working towards clearing up the backlog and collecting past taxes and transfer fees,” the GRA Commissioner had asserted.
Kaieteur News understands that heavy duty equipment and machinery are utilized by most sectors in Guyana. The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) is one of the biggest utilizers of these equipment and machinery along with the mining sector.
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SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620
SALON - Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. - Cosmetology Courses: $120,000 - Technician Course: $45,000. Call: 6471773/660-5257
Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana p assport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 6267040; 265-4535. INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Passport, permanent & visitor visa application, Professional Immigration Consultant – Sabita Immigration Services. Call: 225-6496/ 662-6045 Repairs to refrigerators, gas stoves, A/C units, washing machines. Call Lindon: 6411086/ 694-2202 Hello the doctor is back!! Have your gas stove repaired and service. Call: 601-0595/ 220-4073 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 DATING SERVICE Guyanese Canadian woman seeking husband, contacts must have Valid ID, proof of Address & police clearance. Call: 673-9778
TAXI SERVICE GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 225-7878 (24HRS)
CAR RENTAL DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MINI BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPORT & FAMILY OUTING, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807
Saturday June 03, 2017
Kaieteur News
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Prime Business Place to rent on Sheriff Street, for offices only. Call: 627-6740/227-8644 3 Bedrooms bottom flat apartment, fully refurbished $65,000 monthly with 2 months security. Call: 2201583 between 7am-5pm only. One two bedroom apartment rent located in Diamond New Scheme -$45,000. Call: 2162339, 676-6313
WANTED Waitress and cook. Call: 6771248 Live in or live out babysitter/ domestic. Call: 223-7500 Monday-Saturday 8:154:15pm Saleswoman with experience @ Christine’s Variety Store @ Lombard Street. Call: 2278529 Experienced Male workers on farm, age 30yrs and older. Call: 231-1408 between 8am1pm Male workers to work at Ice Factory in Rosignol. Call: 6183800 between 8:00am- 2pm Carpenter/Mason ($6,000 daily), canter driver to sell bottle water on the West Coast Demerara - $35,000 weekly. Call: 684-8231 Garbage Truck Drivers, attractive salary and benefits. Call: 227-1717 1 Complete 8" land dragger. Call: 670-0618We pay in $US Able bodied labourer. Call: 265-3586 We pay in $US for land in Eccles, Herstelling, Farm, Providence, La Parfaite Harmonie, Zeelugt. Call: 6292881/ 611-7223
One experienced cook, ages 20-40 to work in snackette & bar. Call: 663-7741/ 223-5798 One house to rent @ Atlantic Wanted to rent private car, Gardens. Call: 677-8860/ 614- 4X4 SUV long term - $70,000 monthly. Call: 661-8802 9060 Upper flat for rent 3 bedrooms in Atlantic Gardens- Call: 2274377/227-0613/624-6013
Experienced curry cook, roti/ puri cook, cleaners & counter servers. Apply @ Hacks Halaal. 5 Commerce St.
1-2 Bedroom @ Alexander Village - $35,000 monthly. Call: 657-0092
Two nail technicians to work in Salon. Call: 646-5157/ 227-7609
2 Bedrooms fully grilled apartment available. Call: 649-3009/216-1441/610-6739
Plumber tiler, mason, painter and a carpenter who knows wooden steps. Call: 625-3705
FOR SALE/FOR RENT
Welder Knowledgeable in MIG welding (GMAW). Call: 227-1830
American Pool Table. Call: 277-0578
1 Accounts Clerk, preferably from E.B.D – 5 subjects CXC minimum @ gtcareers592@gmail.com
PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 677-7827, 6435122 ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM
48" RCA TV, 2 full size beds, mattress & base, 2004 Allion, low mileage, lady driven. Call: 642-0243 Office furniture, used computers, display racks & stands for store use. Call:2258066/624-6783
LEARN TO DRIVE C. Persaud & N. Outar Driving School formerly Soman & Sons Driving School @ Maraj BuildingCall: 644-5166; 622-2872; 615-0964; 689-5997 (affordable packages).
LAND FOR SALE 12 House lots 80X60 at Plantation Schoonard: water, light and roads, 1 min from Harbour Bridge. Call: 6152346/627-3443 35 Acres located in Port Kaituma. Call: 619-5173 Providence - $4.8M, Farm$2.8M, Herstelling -$3.5M, Uitvlugt -$2.6M, La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.6M, Zeelugt $1.8M. Call: 684-5822/651-1969 New Hope land - $4M- Call: 688-0087, 638-8484
VEHICLE FOR SALE
Solar Panel, USA Made, Size 39X77 300 watts -$65,000. Call: 657-2304
1 BMW 318I -$2.3M, Never register. Contact# 592 6500402 / 603-1402
Pure breed Geman Shepherd puppies, 1 black pure, 3 black & tan, 6 weeks old. Call: 6135955/ 626-0953
1 Mitsubishi 7 1/2 ton Dump Canter, 1 Mitsubishi Fuso 7 1/2 ton Canter. Never Register!!! Contact#592 6500402/603-1402
Spare for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, motors, etc. Call: 225-9032;647-2943;604-5198 Great Deals on video games & all gaming consoles. PC, video games & repairs – Call: 672-2566; 265-3231 Sale @ The warehouse, Lot 1 Melanie Public Road, E.C.D. Tyres: 445, 65, 22.5, 1400/20 new, 295, 80, 225. Call: 6985203 1 Industrial Bread Slicer. Call: 626-6190/689-3840
VACANCY Lorry Drivers and Salesmen, preferably from East Bank Demerara. Salary Negotiable. 266-4427 Male & female workers: accountants, mechanic to look after drink machine. Call: 330-2399 One supervisor (computer literate) two housekeepers to work shift systems at Harmony Inn. Call: 668-0306, 694-7817 One teacher to privately teach a child, salary -$100,000 based on experienced & qualification. Call: 623-1615 Porters, apply in person to Alabama Trading, Georgetown Ferry Stelling, Stabroek.
Design & Make Aluminum windows, doors, stainless rails, showcases, rolling shutters, make & install automatic doors. Call: 2336818/677-5599/659-9999
Unregistered 1 Passo 2010 Black -$2.1M negotiable, 2 Vitz 2010 Pearl White & Pearl Pink -$2.3M negotiable each. Call: 649-7771/ 690-7155 Unregistered: 1 Nissan March 2010, Black with alloy wheels -$2.2M negotiable. Call: 649-7771/ 690-7155
General Domestics, must able to prepare vegetarian meal, apply at Alabama Trading, 65 Robb St Bourda. Welder/Fabricator. Have Technical background & atleast 3 years’ experience. Apply: Technical Services, 18-23 Eccles Industrial Site. Machinist. Have Technical background & atleast 3 years’ experience Apply: Technical Services, 18-23 Eccles Industrial Site. Able-bodied Driver/ Salesman for Leyland DAF lorry, involves lifting. Telles Steel. Call: 226-6771
Allion, Primo, Fielder Wagon, Spacio, Bluebird, 212 Carina, NZE, Honda CRV, Toyota IST, RZ & Pit-bull – Call: 650-7501 Unregistered 2011 Tacoma, Crash Bar, Step. Rims, alarm, 2008 new model Raum. Call: 695-6461/ 639-7758
TO LET Upper flat Grove -$45,000$50,000. Call: 625-5461
2 Used 71/2 tons air conditioners. 1 Brand New York air blower 71/2 tons. Call: 226-1768/641-4952
Not working vehicles for sale, 1 small bus, 1 canter, 2 cars, 2 motor bikes, 1 bobcat. Call: 227-4377/624-6013
Aluminum Ceiling suitable for restaurant/kitchen with all installation accessories. 1300sqft. Call: 226-1768/6414952
Just in from UK Leyland DAF 145, 150 Flatbed 7.5 tons, immaculate condition. Call Terrence: 698-5203
4 AC Rooms/ 1 extra room, for business/offices @ 21 Seaforth St. C/Ville, Georgetown. Call: 226-1877, 624-7436, 654-9350
1 Transported property. Call: 265-3586
Tacoma & Tundra Chassis, Engine & Transmission, suspension, cabin, doors, Titan engine, CD players Etc. Call: 695-6461 or 639-7758
CAR RENTAL WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP RATES,SPECIAL OFFERS FOR THE SEASON. CALL: 690-6494
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. Lawn grass organic potting soil, supari Palm, foxtail, palm @ $1,000, Crotoon, Ashoka, Ficus, Exora. Call: 626-1044
New rice-field pump with 20’ canvas conveyor and drive shaft sold with 1 stihl motor blower -$500,000. Call: 638-1829 1 Toyota Premio Fully loaded, series HC356 -$1.4M, 1 Spacio fully loaded series PPP 6655 - $1.3M. Call: 6613525/ 610-6886 USA Used tools, TV, Laptop & more. Call: 649-2950/220-2128
Nissan Pathfinder Jeep, super shape - $1.5M. Call: 609-7766 One Isuzu Canter GLL 1810. Call: 660-0981/ 671-0879
1 Bedroom apartment furnished @ Soesdyke Public Road - $30,000. Call: 625-1177 One bedroom self-contained apartment in Grove E.B.D, preferably working couple. Call: 618-8878
Unregistered Corolla Fielder 2010, Dark Interior $2.450M, Nissan Pickup Truck, leaf spring, 2000. Call: 617-5536 CAKES & PASTRIES MASSAGE Angels Massaging Spa. Come relax and be pampered. Call: 694-9775
Courses in cake decoration, pastry making & cookery also wedding dresses for sale. Call: 670-0798 Continued on Page 22
Saturday June 03, 2017
Forged passport lands Linden man in jail Keith Willie, 65, of One Mile Wismar, Linden, was yesterday sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment by City Magistrate Leron Daly after he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The first charge alleged that between May 1 and May 31, last, at Georgetown with the intent to defraud, he conspired with persons to forge one Guyana Revenue Authority Taxpayer Identification Certification, in the name of Ronald Amsterdam, purported to show that it was issued to him by Guyana Revenue Authority. It was further alleged that between May 1 and May 31 at Georgetown, with the intent to defraud he forged one Republic of Guyana Passport in the name of Ronald Amsterdam, purported to show that it was issued to him by the Central Immigration and Passport of-
Jailed for 18 months, Keith Willie fice. The accused pleaded guilty to both charges after they were read to him by the magistrate. Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh, told the court that Police acting on information
went to the home of the accused where they made contact with him. The court heard that a search was carried out on him and several documents were found in his possession. The documents found in his possession were a fake passport and a forge revenue taxpayer identification card. And when the allegation was put to him he admitted in a caution statement to both offences. Before sentencing the accused the magistrate asked Willie if he wanted to tell the court anything and he stated, “I know I should not have done it but is Mr Semple asked me to do it for him. I am very sorry.” The magistrate in return sentenced the accused to 18 months on each charge which will run concurrently.
Court hears complainant’s robbery plot backfired Joshua Cummings appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Wales Magistrate’s Court yesterday and was granted $35,000 bail on a charge of unlawful wounding. He was charged for wounding his employee, Dwaine Wilkinson, on May 24, last, on a trail up the Linden/Soesdyke Highway. The matter has been transferred to the Linden Magistrate’s Court and will be called on July 4. The prosecutor told the court that on the aforementioned date, Wilkinson was beaten by a group of unknown men. The plot was allegedly orchestrated by Cummings. In court, Cummings’s lawyer, Jerome Khan argued to the contrary that the virtual complainant’s (Wilkinson) plan to rob the defendant backfired. Khan told the court that as a result of Wilkinson’s own plan being backfired, he suffered injuries at the hands of unknown persons. The defendant’s lawyer argued that it was Wilkinson who initiated and organized for the defendant to go to Lin-
- Saw miller placed on bail
Dwaine Wilkinson den under the pretence of knowing someone with a used caterpillar forklift engine for sale. The court heard that as the VC and the defendant were approaching Linden, the VC requested that Cummings pull over in a trail—the person who was selling the engine was reportedly further up the trail. Cummings, who is nursing a broken leg, opted not to get out of the vehicle so the VC went to get the person to bring him/her back to the defendant. It is alleged that a terrified
Cummings waited for some 10 minutes and after he could not get Wilkinson on the phone, he drove back out on the main road. There, he unsuccessfully tried to contact the VC and then made contact with his father. The defendant who had about $1M cash on him to purchase the engine was allegedly urged to return home. Cummings’s lawyer told the court that his client only heard about Wilkinson’s assault the following day when the police made contact with him.
Govt had no input in appointment... From page 12 dissolved and a new one was appointed under Lawrence. The appointment of the DCEO was reportedly stalled as a result. Lawrence when questioned whether the appointment of the DCEO would have been a priority of the new Board said, “The Board will be expected to carry out its full mandate as prescribed within the law. “I expect that given the gamut of issues which presently exist at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, the Board will address these
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Kaieteur News
issues. I intend when I meet with them to outline several of those issues and ask that they fashion their agenda to address those issues, and if within those issues is the appointment of a Deputy CEO, then that is what I would expect the Board to do.” According to the details of the DCEO position as was advertised last year, suitable applicants should possess a Masters Degree in Public Administration from a recognised institution plus eight years’ experience at a senior administrative level. However, applicants
could instead have a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration, Public Management or Business Administration from a recognised institution, plus 10 years working experience at a senior administrative level. Additionally, all applicants were expected to have sound knowledge of the health sector and hospital administration. Further, the advertisement outlined that suitable applicants must possess excellent interpersonal skills that allow for effective communication.
Man not guilty of killing wife’s mother, grandmother Sarwan walked out of the Suddie High Court a free man after he was acquitted on two counts of murder. Sarwan was accused of murdering Chammawattie Omroutie, called Jamawattie, or Bahoo, or Maa, and Chamawattie Persaud, on July 29, 2015 in Essequibo. Chammawattie Omroutie and Chamawattie Persaud were his wife’s grandmother and mother respectively. The trial was conducted by Justice Brassington Reynolds. In the end, a 12-member mixed jury returned unanimous not guilty verdicts in relation to both counts. Sarwan was represented by Attorney-at-Law Mrs. Beverley Bishop-Cheddie State Counsel, Ms. Narissa Leander represented the prosecution. According to the prosecution, Sarwan had arrived home intoxicated from work when he was asked by his common law wife to purchase food items from a neighbourhood shop. He bought the food supplies along with a bottle of Banko wine and proceeded back home. Sarwan sat on the steps of the house owned by Chammawattie Omroutie, his wife’s grandmother. It was further alleged that Sarwan requested food from his wife who told him that he had to wait. He then became embroiled in an argument with his wife when his mother-inlaw, Chamawattie Persaud, interjected. Sarwan reportedly became upset when his mother-in-law
threatened that she would take her daughter back home. It was reported that the man threw a lighted kerosene stove with a pan of hot oil on Omroutie and Persaud before escaping. Sarwan’s wife insisted that he threw both the pan with hot oil with lighted kerosene stove on the women. There was also an allegation of a dying declaration made by Omroutie in the Intensive Care Unit while she was panting for breath. The declaration implicated Sarwan in the deadly attack. A contemporaneous note was made but the taker of the statement said that the original copy was lost. It was also alleged that Sarwan had been seen by a relative of the now dead women in close proximity of the home at the time of the incident occurred. Sarwan had indicated that he did not come home intoxicated as his wife suggested and he did accede to her request to purchase the food items. He further stated that his wife was upset with him when he returned home late with the items. He had said the woman accused him of infidelity, which he denied. Sarwan also stated that the two deceased persons sided with him. He said that he taking out his own food when an argument ensued between him and his wife in the kitchen. He added that his wife caused the pan with hot oil to fall on him resulting in him receiving injuries.
Benjai’s lawyers mull... From page 8 General, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Guyana. Benjai was hospitalized in Guyana after the assault. He received 25 stitches for the cuts — one close to the ear and the other along the area of his jawbone. The soca star was outside Palm Court chatting with a group of fans when the driver of a car was about to reverse into them. According to reports one of the persons in the group with Benjai knocked on the trunk of the car to alert the driver that he was coming too close to them. The driver of the car reportedly jumped out of the car and confronted the singer over someone knocking on his car. When Benjai attempted to bring calm to the situation, the young man reportedly started to hurl expletives at the singer while threatening to use his firearm. An eyewitness said it was at that stage that another man whipped out a bottle and lashed the singer. Earlier in April,
Trinidadian attorneys wrote Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud, asking for an update on the status of the investigation provided that one has been launched. The letter was written by attorney Gideon Mc Master, who, alongside Keith Scotland and Joel Roper, represented the interest of Benjai before Anderson was added to the team. The letter expressed concerns of the police not contacting Banjai since making the report. It was in that letter that the lawyers identified the perpetrators—Khan and De Abreu. “We wish to indicate that our client remains willing to assist the Guyana Police Force in any way he can with any proposed and/or ongoing investigation. To that end, we have provided images of the persons whom our client claims to have assaulted him. “We are also in possession of a dossier of witness statements which we believe might be of assistance to you. We will forward same to your office in due course,” the letter stated.
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EDUCATIONAL Electronic Course. June 6th. The Trade of the Future. Make extra cash, easy! Abdul Electronics. Call: 226-6551/ 225-0391 Canadian School of Arts & Science: Summer Classes 2017- Pre-K, Nursery, Primary, Secondary (July 10th – August 11th). Call: 216-6921/ 22 for registration
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World pledges to save ‘Mother Earth’ despite Trump’s snub to climate pact
(L-R) European Council President Donald Tusk, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and EU Commission President Juncker pose during a EU-China Summit in Brussels, Belgium. (REUTERS/Olivier Hoslet/Pool) (Reuters) China and Europe pledged yesterday to unite to save what German Chancellor Angela Merkel called “our Mother Earth”, standing firmly against President Donald Trump’s decision to take the United States out of the Paris climate change pact. Trump’s move was “a big mistake”, said Donald Tusk, one of the European Union’s top officials. Other countries, including India, signaled their commitment to the accord. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that while the United States should have remained in the 2015 deal, he would not judge Trump. Trump announced the withdrawal on Thursday, tapping into his “America First” campaign theme. He said participating in the pact would undermine the U.S. economy, wipe out jobs, weaken national sovereignty and put his country at a permanent disadvantage. Members of his administration, including Vice President Mike Pence and Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt, said on Friday that the Paris deal put an extraordinary burden on the United States. “It was a transfer of wealth from the most powerful economy in the world to other countries around the planet”, Pence said on television. There was a mix of dismay and anger across the world. France said it would work with U.S. states and cities to keep up the fight against climate change. The governors of New York, California and Washington State have announced creation of a “climate alliance” committed to
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the Paris goals. Germany’s powerful car industry said Europe would need to reassess its environmental standards to remain competitive after the “regrettable” U.S. decision. The World Meteorological Organization estimated that U.S. withdrawal from the emissions-cutting accord could add 0.3 degrees Celsius to global temperatures by the end of the century in a worstcase scenario. Germany’s Merkel, a pastor’s daughter who is usually intensely private about her faith, said the accord was needed “to preserve our Creation”. “To everyone for whom the future of our planet is important, I say let’s continue going down this path so we’re successful for our Mother Earth”, she said to applause from lawmakers. In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron turned Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan on its head, saying in a rare English-language statement that it was time to “make the planet great again”. CHINAAND EUROPE TOGETHER At a long-planned meeting yesterday between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and European Union officials in Brussels, the leaders pledged full implementation of the Paris deal. They committed to cutting fossil fuels use, developing more green technology and raising funds to help poorer countries reduce emissions. China, the world’s largest polluter, has emerged as Europe’s unlikely partner in this and other areas as Trump has isolated the United States on many issues.
Tusk said Europe was “stepping up our cooperation on climate change with China... We are convinced that yesterday’s decision by the United States to leave the Paris Agreement is a big mistake.” Earlier, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said: “There is no reverse gear to energy transition. There is no backsliding on the Paris Agreement”. WARM WORDS The vast majority of scientists believe global warming is mainly the result of human activities including power generation, transport, agriculture and industry. A small group of skeptics, some of them in the White House, believe the Paris pact threatened business. Trump once called climate change a hoax. Pruitt declined to tell reporters at the White House whether Trump now believes it is real and threatens the country. Pruitt’s own view, he said, is that human activity contributes to climate change, but measuring how much is “very challenging”. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, former CEO of Exxon Mobil Corp, had supported staying in the pact. He said the United States will continue efforts to reduce its emissions. “It was a policy decision and I think it’s important that everyone recognize the United States has a terrific record on reducing our own greenhouse gas emissions,” Tillerson told reporters. A number of figures from U.S. industry expressed their dismay at Trump’s move. Jeff Immelt, chief executive officer of U.S. conglomerate General Electric, tweeted: “Climate change is real. Industry must now lead and not depend on government.”
U.N. expands North Korea blacklist (Reuters) The U.N. Security Council yesterday expanded targeted sanctions against North Korea after its repeated missile tests, adopting the first such resolution agreed by the United States and Pyongyang’s only major ally China since President Donald Trump took office. The Trump administration has been pressing China aggressively to rein in its reclusive neighbor, warning that all options are on the table if Pyongyang persists with its nuclear and missile development programs. The United States has struggled to slow those programs, which have become a security priority given Pyongyang’s vow to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the U.S. mainland. “The United States will continue to seek a peaceful, diplomatic resolution to this situation,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the council after the vote. But she added: “Beyond diplomatic and financial consequences, the United States re-
mains prepared to counteract North Korean aggression through other means, if necessary.” Adding names to the U.N. blacklist - a global travel ban and asset freeze - was the minimum sanctions measures the Security Council could have taken and comes after five weeks of negotiations between Washington and Beijing. “The Security Council is sending a clear message to North Korea today - stop firing ballistic missiles or face the consequences,” Haley said. The resolution, adopted unanimously by the 15-member council, sanctions four entities, including the Koryo Bank and Strategic Rocket Force of the Korean People’s Army, and 14 people, including the head of Pyongyang’s overseas spying operations. North Korea’s Koryo Bank handles overseas transactions for Office 38, a shadowy body that manages the private slush funds of the North Korean leadership, according to a South Korean government database.
‘CRITICAL WINDOW’ The measures adopted yesterday could have been agreed by the council’s North Korea sanctions committee behind closed doors, but Washington convinced China to back a public vote on the blacklist, amplifying the council’s unhappiness with Pyongyang’s defiance of a U.N. ban on ballistic missile launches. The U.N. Security Council first imposed sanctions on Pyongyang in 2006 over its ballistic missile and nuclear programs and has ratcheted up the measures in response to five nuclear tests and two long-range missile launches. North Korea is threatening a sixth nuclear test. “There is a critical window of opportunity for the nuclear issue of the peninsula to come back to the right track of seeking a settlement through dialogue and negotiations,” Chinese U.N. Ambassador Liu Jieyi told the council. “It is incumbent on all parties concerned to exercise restraint and to do more to help ease the tension and build mutual trust.”
The United Nations Security Council vote on a resolution to expand its North Korea blacklist after the Asian state’s repeated missile tests, at the U.N. headquarters in New York, yesterday. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)
Guyana committed to Paris Climate... From page 20 biodiversity and ecosystems and partner with other countries to establish an international institute specialising in education and research in biodiversity. “We are committed to it. We have actually seen the impact which global warming can have with effects of climate change,” the Minister said, making reference to the excessive rainfall that resulted in several communities in Regions Seven (Cuyuni/ Mazaruni) and Eight (Potaro/ Siparuni) experiencing severe flooding.
“We had situations where for the first time in 10 or 12 years people would have seen water levels so high in those communities. “And so while on the Coast some of us would look at global warming and climate change as some concept, to many people in our hinterland it is a way of life. They have actually come to the understanding that climate change will affect their daily lives and their livelihood.” Zeroing on effects of the anticipated withdrawal, Harmon predicted that there might be a regroup by the in-
ternational community in order to have a “fresh look” at the commitments that were made under the agreement, before moving forward. He also spoke of the financial impact the intended withdrawal will have on the international community noting that the US is a major contributor to these international agreements. Harmon said that he is positive that the global push for a cleaner, greener planet will aid Guyana and smaller states to overcome the effects of the projected withdrawal.
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Trump travel ban’s fate hinges on emergency U.S. high court request (Reuters) President Donald Trump faces an uphill fight convincing the Supreme Court it should grant his emergency request to reinstate his travel ban on people entering the United States from six predominantly Muslim countries. His legal team on Thursday night asked the nine justices to allow his controversial March 6 executive order to take effect immediately despite being blocked by lower courts. The Supreme Court rarely grants emergency requests. At issue is a ban Trump has said is necessary to protect Americans from terrorist attacks. Critics say his reasoning is flawed and assail the ban as discriminatory. Trump’s proposed ban was a centerpiece of his 2016 presidential campaign. The fight over the emergency application is likely to determine whether the ban ever takes effect. That is because if the court grants the request, the ban’s 90-day term will have expired by the time the court decides the legal fate of the proposal. The 5-4 conservative majority on the high court means Trump, a Republican who took office on Jan. 20, likely has a better chance than he has had to date in more liberal-leaning lower courts. The administration needs five votes on the nine-justice court to put the ban into effect. In this instance, the merits of whether it violates the U.S. Constitution’s ban on religious discrimination by
targeting Muslims matter less. The court weighs several factors when considering emergency applications. One such application met with success when in February 2016 the court granted on a 5-4 vote a request by states and industry groups to block President Barack Obama’s climate regulations. Under Supreme Court precedent, several criteria need to be met for an emergency application to be granted, including that there would be “irreparable harm” if denied and that there is a “reasonable probability” the court would agree to hear the case on the merits. In the government’s request, Acting Solicitor General Jeff Wall wrote that the nationwide injunctions blocking the travel ban have caused irreparable harm by “preventing the executive from effectuating his nationalsecurity judgment.” CHALLENGERS DISPUTE URGENCY The challengers contest the administration claim that urgent action is needed to protect Americans from terrorist attacks. They stress that the government did not previously ask the Supreme Court to intervene, even when lower courts denied earlier emergency applications seeking to lift the injunctions. Ye s t e r d a y, t h e c o u r t asked the challengers, including the ACLU and Hawaii, to file responses to the Trump requests by June 12. The administration is then likely to file its
own response to the challengers’ legal arguments before the justices issue an order granting or denying the administration’s applications. One thorny issue the Supreme Court may have to resolve if it grants the stay is whether the 90-day ban Trump sought to impose would begin from the day of the court’s action or whether the clock has been ticking throughout the litigation, meaning it would expire in mid-June. Challengers will argue for the latter, which would mean it is almost set to expire. That would limit the practical impact if the application were granted. If the court agrees with Trump, the 90-day ban on people entering the United States from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen will be immediately revived. The court could also put a 120-day ban on all refugees into effect and allow the administration to consider new vetting procedures. Even if the court allows the travel ban to take effect, the bigger constitutional questions of religious discrimination and presidential powers raised by the order would not be considered by the nine justices until long after the ban periods have ended. The court begins its summer recess at the end of June and would not give the case a full hearing until its return in the autumn, by which time the ban would have lapsed.
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TT Law Association passes motion of no confidence in Chief Justice PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – The Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago (LATT) Thursday night passed a motion of no confidence in Chief Justice Ivor Archie in a move that could have further ramifications for the judiciary. Archie, who became the youngest Chief Justice here after he was appointed in January 2008, had come under criticism following the controversy over the appointment and subsequent resignation of former chief magistrate Marcia AyersCaesar to the High Court earlier this year. LATT president Douglas Mendes, SC, told reporters that while vote was merely the legal fraternity expressing its opinion on the issue, the motions did not constitute impeachment proceedings against the Chief Justice, which can only be initiated by the Prime Minister. But Senior Counsel Martin Daly told reporters following the historic vote that he expected Archie and other members of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC) do the “honourable thing” and immediately resign. “If people lose confidence in you, it does not mean that you have committed a constitutional wrong, but rather that you have conducted yourself in such a way that you’ve destroyed people’s confidence in you and you cannot continue to preside,” Daly said. Opposition legislator Gerald Ramdeen, who has been at the forefront of the criticism of Archie and the JLSC said he was pleased with the outcome. “It is a sad day for the administration of justice, but
Chief Justice Ivor Archie we must celebrate the fact the Law Association has voted overwhelmingly for democracy, transparency and openness. It now falls on the Chief Justice to take the next step,” Ramdeen said. At the LATT meeting, at least 285 lawyers voted in support of the motion expressing a loss of confidence in Archie, while 150 voted against. In the motion expressing a loss of confidence Archie as JLSC Chairman, the vote was reportedly 312 in favour while 122 voted against. The results also showed that the LATT members had voted for JLSC members former judges Roger HamilSmith and Humphrey Stollmeyer to step down as members. The issue regarding the appointment and subsequent resignation of the former chief magistrate boiled over in the court on Thursday with defence lawyers objecting to having at least 53 matters being restarted before a different magistrate. Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Roger Gaspard, SC, was among
lawyers who objected to the re-start of preliminary inquiries, saying that the acting Chief Magistrate may not have the power to do so in the absence of some form of communiqué from the Judiciary detailing that AyersCaesar had resigned or otherwise permanently removed from her position prior to being appointed a High Court judge, a position she subsequently relinquished. “The DPP does not know for a fact that Mrs AyersCaesar resigned. This is a serious matter and needs serious consideration and your worship should tread with caution,” Gaspard advised. “The ice on which this court is skating may not support the court’s weight,” Gaspard said as he also submitted that before he can exercise his constitutional powers as DPP, he needs to be furnished with the ‘unequivocal’ position of the former chief magistrate. ”That is absent and missing,” he said. “The DPP does not know as a fact that the former chief magistrate has resigned.
Belizean national sworn in as CCJ judge PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Justice DenysArthur Barrow, a Belizean national, was on Thursday sworn in as Judge of the Trinidad and Tobago based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). Barrow, whose swearing in ceremony, in his home country of Belize, is the first citizen of Belize to be appointed to the CCJ bench. He brings to the CCJ bench a forty-year legal career together with various stints of judicial appointments in judiciaries across the region and membership on a world-renowned tribunal dealing with international labour and human rights law. Barrow is a graduate of
the University of the West Indies with a Bachelor of Laws and received a Legal Education Certificate from the Norman Manley Law School. His judicial career included service as High Court Judge in St. Lucia, Grenada, Belize and the British Virgin Islands between 2001 and 2005, Justice of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court from 2005 to 2008 and Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of Belize from 2010 to 2012. For nine years beginning in 2005 he served annually in Geneva, Switzerland as a member and then Rapporteur of the International Labour Organisation’s Committee of
Experts responsible for monitoring the application of international conventions on labour and human rights law. Members of the Committee are selected from across the world from among persons who have distinguished themselves as judges and professors of law. Barrow was selected from among applicants from the Caribbean, North America and Eastern Europe. Judges appointed to the CCJ are evaluated on the basis of wide-ranging criteria that include; experience, high moral character, intellectual and analytical ability, sound judgment, integrity and an understanding of people and society.
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Incredible Nadal smashes Georgian to smithereens PARIS (Reuters) Nikoloz Basilashvili had a plan when he turned up to play Rafa Nadal yesterday but, like Mike Tyson said, everybody has a plan until they’re punched in the face. And that’s what happened — in tennis terms — to the Georgian in the French Open third round. “I had a couple of plays in my head of how to play against him,” Basilashvili said. The 6-0 6-1 6-0 scoreline amply illustrates how that went. “I was expecting, obviously, a very, very difficult match, but not something like
this,” he added. “The score is quite embarrassing, you know, but I have to accept it.” The brutality of Nadal’s destruction of the world number 63 on the Roland Garros main showcourt was withering. A scan of the statistics makes for grisly reading. Grisly for Basilashvili, grisly for Nadal’s next opponent, fellow Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, grisly for everyone in the draw. Grisly for everyone in the way of the fourth seed. NO ROOKIE For example, it took Basilashvili until the 12th
game of the match to register on the scoreboard. He won one in four of his first serve points in the opening set. The number of winners he struck in the match could be counted on one hand, and his 34 unforced errors almost matched the entire number of points he won all match — 36. Yet Basilashvili is no rookie: Nadal did this to him. Consider that the 25-year-old Georgian had already this year beaten then-world number eight Dominic Thiem. Nadal is a unique creature on clay, though. His statistics are mind-boggling.
Saturday June 03, 2017 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Be sure to look into travel opportunities that will provide you with mental stimulation. Being unappreciated by your boss could make it hard to do your work effectively. Romance is likely if you can bring yourself to go out with friends. TAURUS (Apr. 21- may 21) Hold on; your time will come. Hard work will payoff if you refrain from expressing your opinion to superiors. Take time to find out if anyone has a better suggestion before you make arrangements for the whole family.
ative fields. Your pursuits may end up being fruitless. LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Don't delay; go to your physician or dentist and get to the bottom of the discomfort. Be honest with yourself before getting involved with someone who is likely to lead you on. You will meet potential new mates through friends or relatives. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) If you can put some work into home improvements, you should. Entertainment could be pleasing if it is of an energetic nature. Take advantage of moneymaking ventures.
GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your ideas are right on the mark and your work commendable. Don't let peers distract you or push their work your way. They will not be in the right frame of mind to put up with tactless comments.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You can expect changes at your work place. Although it does look promising, be careful not to overextend yourself or you will lose in the long run. However, you must not neglect your family.
CANCER (June 21–July 22) You will have to be careful not to fall into traps set by jealous colleagues. The talk you have may be eye-opening with regard to your present situation. You need to get out and be an observer.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Hard work will bring rewards. Consider applying for a job in another part of the world. Deception will play an important factor in relationships.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You have your own family to consider as well. Go after your professional goals. You must be careful not to reveal secrets or get involved in gossip. Females may put demands or added responsibilities on you. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Be prepared to neutralize any threats. You can come up with future trends in cre-
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Don't try to get even without having all the facts. A new you could help your attitude. Take care when dealing with older relatives. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Spend some time with the one you love. Pleasure trips will be satisfying. Your mate could get on your nerves if he or she backs you into an emotional comer or puts restrictions on your time. Don't allow colleagues to stand in your way.
Spain’s Rafael Nadal in action during his third round match against Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili. (Reuters / Christian Hartmann) Friday’s victory was his 100th best-of-five-set match on the slow surface, and he now has a staggering winloss ratio of 98-2. Friday’s victory was his most one-sided at Roland Garros, where he is speeding toward a 10th title. His previous best was a 6-2 6-0 6-0 win over Juan Monaco here in 2012. GETTING BETTER? It is an astonishing thought that he may be getting better, but there it is. And you would find few takers to bet against him winning ‘La Decima’ next Sunday. Professional players rarely speak about each other’s achievements during a tournament.
Formula One... (From page 26) shutdown. “We’re trying to be respectful to everyone in F1, including journalists, to ensure everyone has an appropriate break with their families and some downtime,” Bratches said with a smile. He added that the calendar should not include “too many back-to-backs” and was not convinced they helped reduce costs. The current calendar has five pairings on successive weekends, including Texas/Mexico and China/Bahrain. “We’re trying to align these things better by territory: European races, the American races, the Asian races, but it gets difficult in terms of the weather and managing contractual guardrails. “We are trying to ensure all the participants in this sport have really good businesses and we don’t want to align grands prix which will be cannibalistic to one another.”
As Canadian Milos Raonic said on Friday, “I think everyone is focused on themselves quite a bit as long as they are still in this tournament. Everybody is looking down and going about their own business.” Nadal’s achievements seem to warrant special treatment, though. “When you do sit down and talk about it, it’s beyond remarkable,” he said of the Spaniard. “It’s going to be one of the greatest... feats in any sport.”
As for the man himself? Taciturn at the best of times, he avoided superlatives with a customary assessment: “Was a great match for me, no?” he told reporters. “I won winning with that score against a player that already won against (Gilles) Simon and (Victor) Troicki, so cannot say another thing. I played very well.” On Saturday he celebrates his 31st birthday, but it will take more than another number added to his age to stop Nadal in his tracks.
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Formula One wants more than 21 races a year SILVERSTONE, ENGLAND (Reuters) Formula One wants more than 21 races a year and will actively target new venues rather than wait for potential hosts to come calling, commercial managing director Sean Bratches said yesterday. Speaking during an event at the Silverstone circuit to mark 40 years of the Williams team, Bratches told Reuters he was aiming for fewer back-to-back grands prix and a calendar drawn up along continental lines. The American executive also said France and Germany, historic motor racing nations whose dropped grands prix are returning next season, were two markets “we never want to leave”. “We want to work in partnership with our teams in terms of determining where we go, but our view is that we’d like to go above 21 (races),” said Bratches, adding that next season would have 21 rather than the current 20 with France and Germany joining and
Malaysia leaving. “And we want to be a little bit more proactive and go on the offensive in terms of the markets where we go,” added the managing director for the sport’s commercial side. Bratches, who is working ‘hand in glove’ on the calendar with Formula One’s motorsport managing director Ross Brawn, said an economic impact study was looking at the benefits Formula One can bring to host cities and countries. “As we start identifying an optimal calendar in optimal regions, we can go down and sit with cities and make our case as opposed to what has been a little bit more reactive to bids coming in,” he said. The calendar was previously drawn up by Bernie Ecclestone, who was replaced as commercial supremo after U.S.-based Liberty Media completed their takeover in January and appointed Chase Carey as chief executive. Liberty wants to increase the number of races in the United States, which
Cookson running for re-election as UCI president
currently has the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. The championship has never gone beyond 21 rounds and the teams, whose agreement is required, have been resistant to adding more due to the strain imposed on staff. HIGH WATER MARK Bratches recognised a longer season would take its toll on all involved and that it was also important to avoid fixture clashes. “What we do has to take all that into consideration and we have to work closely with our partners on the team front to find out what the high water mark is and what makes sense for everyone,” he said. “We are very interested in doing what’s best for fans. “Next year... there is a weekend where the Wimbledon final and World Cup final take place on the same day. It would be suboptimal to have the British Grand Prix on that day. It’s a tight schedule.” Bratches would not be drawn on when the French race, at the southern Le Castellet circuit, would be held but indicated it had not been finalised. An August date, while coinciding with the French summer holidays, could cut into the sport’s three-week break and factory (Continued on page 25)
Saturday June 03, 2017
Warriors’ Curry taking it game by game after last year’s collapse OAKLAND (Reuters) With the sting of last year’s NBA Finals collapse still fresh in his mind, Golden S t a t e Wa r r i o r s g u a r d Stephen Curry said he and his team would not be celebrating until they delivered a championship back to Oakland. The squad took a solid first step toward doing so on Thursday, beating the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers 113-91 in Game One of the Finals. Last year, the Warriors earned the dubious distinction of being the first team to lose the best-ofseven series after leading 31. “Win one game. Now we look to Sunday to try to do it again,” Curry told reporters. “You’re not going to see crazy celebrations, you’re not going to see us getting ahead of ourselves. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers in the 2015 Finals and were poised to make it two in a row in last year’s June showdown but James and his team stormed back to victory. In response, the Warriors signed eight-time All Star Kevin Durant, a move that paid dividends on Thursday as the seven-foot forward put up 38 points on 14 for 26 shooting. C u r r y ’s b a c k c o u r t
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry at a press conference after game one the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Oracle Arena. (Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports) partner Klay Thompson was also wary of complacency. “This feels a lot like last year. We went up 2-0, but it’s history. We’ve got to enjoy this tonight but quickly forget about it and win Sunday and play as hard as we can,” he told reporters. As bad as last season’s finish hurt, it was an experience the team used as fuel during the regular season, where they had the N B A’ s b e s t r e c o r d , Thompson added. “There are no shortcuts to win a championship.
Everybody knows that. We’ll find it. We’ve still got a long way to go to win this series.” Wa r r i o r s f o r w a r d Draymond Green said the experience of a third consecutive Finals made his team more accustomed to the sport’s biggest stage. “Obviously what we went through the last two years, you learn from that and you grow,” he told reporters. “And adding some of the pieces we have added definitely helps.”
Djokovic escapes Schwartzman’s clutches in five sets
Britain’s Brian Cookson, President of International Cycling Union (UCI) attends a media event on motor detection in Aigle, Switzerland May 3, 2016. (REUTERS/Denis Balibouse Picture Supplied by Action Images) (Reuters) Britain’s Brian Cookson announced that he is seeking a second four-year term as International Cycling Union (UCI) president. “I am seeking the continued trust and support of the cycling community, so we can build on the progress that we have made together over the last four years”, Cookson, who was elected in 2013, said in a statement. Frenchman David Lappartient, president of the Union of European Cycling (UEC), is still considering running against Cookson.
PA R I S ( R e u t e r s ) Defending champion Novak Djokovic survived his first stern test at the French Open yesterday, as he came from two sets to one down to overcome world number 41 Diego Schwartzman 5-7 6-3 3-6 6-1 6-1 and move into the last 16. The second seed, now joint third on the all-time list for most wins at Roland Garros with 58, broke the Argentine to go 3-1 up in the first set. But instead of cruising through he was broken twice with Schwartzman, in top form on clay this season and snatching the set as dark clouds gathered above the Court Philippe Chatrier. The Serb recovered to secure the second set but with 42 unforced errors in the first three sets alone, including a backhand that flew long to hand
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates with ball boys after winning his third round match against Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman. (Reuters / Gonzalo Fuentes) Schwartzman the third, he struggled for consistency. Under threat of becoming the first defending champion to lose prior to the round of 16 since
Juan Carlos Ferrero in 2004, Djokovic kept his cool, despite a time violation and a warning, to take the match to a decider. Two more breaks put
him in control and a third gave him a spot in the last 16, where he will face either France’s Lucas Pouille or Albert RamosVinolas.
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LeBron says stopping GCUSA training classes Warriors’ Durant will be tough commence on Tuesday (Reuters) The Cleveland Cavaliers methodically planned for the Golden S t a t e Wa r r i o r s ’ h i g h octane attack but after suffering a crushing loss in Game One of the NBA Finals LeBron James said simulating their offence is impossible. The Cavaliers, playing their first game in nearly a week, denied rust was a factor in Thursday’s 113-91 loss and simply tipped their cap to a talent-rich Warriors team that have won all 13 of their playoff games this year. “You cannot simulate what they bring to the table,” James, whose Cavaliers committed 20 turnovers in the loss, said after the game. “No matter how many days that you have to prepare, you can’t simulate what they have.” Unlike the already talented Warriors squads that Cleveland split the last two Finals with, this version is more dangerous given the offseason addition of fourtimes NBA scoring champion and former league MVP Kevin Durant. Durant, playing in his first Finals since 2012 when his former Oklahoma City team lost to Miami, scored 38 points in his return to the N B A’s c h a m p i o n s h i p series and also stood his ground admirably while defending James. “KD,” James said when asked what stood out about the Warriors in their runaway victory.
The Georgetown Cricket Umpires and Scores Association (GCUSA) umpire training classes will commence on Tuesday at the Demerara Cricket Club at 17:00hrs. Classes are open to male and female players, coaches, managers, present and aspiring umpires and the
Kissoon. The classes are designed to prepare candidates for the preliminary and final written exams set for August. Interested persons can contact Arleigh Rutherford on 622 6969, M. Yisrael on 673 5980, Duguid on 686 8263 or Ravi Latif on 654 3119.
French eliminated as Kiwis knock Americans off top of the table
Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James at a press conference after game one the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. (Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports) “I mean, you take one of the best teams that we had ever assembled last year, that we saw in the regular season and in the postseason, and then in the offseason you add a high-powered offensive talent like that and a great basketball IQ like that, that’s what stands out,” said James. “I mean, it’s no if, ands, or buts. It is what it is. We got to figure out how to combat that, which is going to be a tough challenge for us.” Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue, when asked after the game how well the Warriors are playing, said
“They’re the best I ever seen” but knows his team have more to offer. The series resumes on Sunday in Oakland and Lue is confident in the Cavs’ ability to make adjustments after getting an up-close look at the Warriors. “Just getting a chance to see how they play, the style of play, how fast they play, you can’t really simulate that in practices,” said Lue. “You got to really get out here and get a chance to do it first hand. When we experience that, we’re able to adjust, we’re a lot better.”
South Africa’s van Niekerk jostling for Bolt’s crown (From page 30) by any one person, but Wayde van Niekerk is going to be one of the people who can hold the public’s attention,” said Ato Boldon, a four-time Olympic medalist from Trinidad and Tobago and NBC sports analyst. Jamaica’s Yohan Blake, who won silver at the London Games in the 100 and 200, sees himself as Bolt’s “heir apparent” and trained with the South African last year, said he was impressed by van Niekerk’s abilities. “A lot of people want to take over but I think he’s in a
general public; registration fee is $1,000. Classes will continue on Tuesdays and Thursdays of every week and lecturers will be delivered by ICC International Umpire Nigel Duguid, WICB regional umpire Shannon Crawford, Ryan Banwarie, Javed Persaud, Colin Alfred, M. Yosef Yisrael and Matthew
good position,” Blake said. “Listen, he ran 43 zero. That’s almost inhuman. He has the platform, he has the body. And he can do it.” Van Niekerk, who admits to wearing his fame uneasily, is aiming for double golds in the 200 and 400 in London, and in an April interview with The Times of London mulled the possibility of trying to break Bolt’s records in the 100 and 200. But observers say the South African has not yet shown the speed to achieve that. Van Niekerk’s 100 and 200 personal bests — 9.98 and 19.90 — are well off Bolt’s world records from
2009 of 9.58 and 19.19. “He hasn’t shown that he has that top-end speed over the 100 meters,” said Maurice Greene, a fourtime American Olympic medalist and former 100 world record holder. “But I don’t put anything past an athlete.” Van Niekerk’s coach Botha, agreed that the rising star’s strength is likely to lie in distances beyond the 100. “When you’ve reached a goal or a dream, you always have to strive for better,” Botha said. “I think he will be a much better 200 meters, 400 meters athlete.”
Emirates Team New Zealand … now lead the standings. (file photo) DOCKYARD, Bermuda, CMC – Groupama Team France were eliminated from the 35th America’s Cup on a breezy day in the Great Sound yesterday as flawless Emirates Team New Zealand knocked the US defenders off the top of the standings in the penultimate round of qualifiers. With winds running at around 15 knots for most of the day after light air on Thursday, the Kiwis and Sweden’s Artemis Racing won both of their two races, with the Swedes completing the double over the defending champions, Oracle Team USA, who suffered a broken rudder ahead of racing. The Americans now trail the Kiwis by one point with the pair set to meet on Saturday when Oracle will also face third-placed British boat Land Rover BAR. The Kiwis’ only defeat here came against the Americans. New Zealand top the standings with eight points with Oracle second on seven and Land Rover BAR third on five. Artemis Racing are fourth on four points. Oracle, who went into the qualifiers with one bonus
point after finishing runnersup to the British boat in the earlier America’s Cup World Series (ACWS), will take a one-point bonus into the best-of-13 match (final) against the leading challenger starting on June 17 if they top the standings on Saturday night. Oracle beat the Kiwis 9-8 in the last America’s Cup in San Francisco in 2013 after coming from 8-1 down. Artemis badly needed yesterday’s victory over the Americans as they moved clear of the French whose hopes of survival ended when they crashed to a heavy defeat against the Kiwis, who produced a day of almost perfect
foiling, by more than four minutes. For good measure, the Swedes comfortably beat fifth-placed SoftBank Team Japan in the final race. The French, who came into the regatta underfunded and as rank outsiders, have one race left on Saturday but at best they can finish on three points and if there is a tie-break their last-place finish in the ACWS will count against them. The two wins in the qualifiers by the French included a win over the Sir Ben Ainslie-skippered British boat Land Rover BAR and they only narrowly lost to Ainslie when they met again on Thursday.
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Saturday June 03, 2017
Hand-in-Hand Inter-County U-19 cricket
Demerara retains 50-over title Mohammed, Yadram spur hosts to 6-Wkt win over U-17s
Match Referee Grantley Colbert presents the MOM trophy to Renaldo Ali Mohammed at Providence yesterday. (Sean Devers photo) By Sean Devers Led by an unbeaten 53 from Renaldo AliMohammed and four wickets from Baskar Yadram hosts Demerara retained their GCB’s Hand-in-Hand Insurance Company 50-over U-19 cricket title with a comfortable six-wicket win against the National U-17s yesterday in sweltering heat at the Providence. Mohammed, a National U-19 player, punched offspinner Junior Sinclair past cover for his ninth boundary to reach his 50 and take Demerara to victory with 17.3 overs to spare on a good batting track and fast outfield despite early morning showers. M o h a m m e d ’ s boundaries included two sixes and his innings lasted 55-balls as he took the Manof-the-Match award and saw Demerara to 132-4 in reply to the U-17s 130 all out in 48.4 overs. Pacer Gevon Shultz and Left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd bowled a tidy spells to finish with two wickets each. First-Class batsman
Baskar Yadram who had earlier taken 4-37 started in authoritative fashion and a couple of on-drives were out of the top drawer. Raymond Perez, with a century in the last round, was in the middle of an elegant innings with several imperiously timed drives before hitting a full toss to mid-on where he was dropped. Yadram, one of three batsmen with hundreds in the tournament, continued to bat positively but when looking set for another big score he drove at a wide ball with little movement of his feet and edged Shultz to the Keeper at 36-1. His 19 came from 36 balls and included four boundaries. Perez soon tried to hit Shultz over mid off and was caught as Shultz struck again in the same over without addition to the score. His 13 lasted 21 balls and included two fours. Gavin Boodwah (18) joined Mohammed and took the score to 62 before he was caught and bowled by Nedd. Joshua Persaud, who along with Yadram, have
been selected for the West Indies U-19 team to tour South Africa and Zimbabwe next month, was next to go when he was bowled by Nedd for eight as Demerara slipped to 77-4. But Mohammed continued to entertain the handful of spectators with an array of delightful shots under clear blue skies on a day in which the weather forecast was for torrential showers.
Demerara Skipper Baskar Yadram collects the 50-over Trophy from Handin-Hand’s representative Matthew Kissoon yesterday. (Sean Devers photo) Ramnarine Chetura (16) also batted confidently and along with Mohammed saw their team to victory without further loss. Earlier, Alex Algoo and Sachin Singh, who scored in a 156-run opening stand in the second round at Eve Leary, put together 20 before Algoo, who hit a six and a four in his 21-ball 14, was caught and bowled by Yadram. Sinclair (8) was removed
by off-spinner Richie Looknauth at 38-2 but just after the 50 was posted, Singh was bowled by Looknauth for 24 with four fours to leave the score on 54-3. Kelvin Anderson used his feet nicely to the spinners and played some neat ondrives but took 121 balls to score 38 and was guilty of using up too many dot balls. When Looknauth had
Alphius Bookie (1) stumped and fellow off-spinner Sagar Hetheramani got rid of wicketkeeper Kevin Christian (13) nobody else offered resistance as Anderson who never really looked troubled was eventually removed by Mohammed at 127-9. Yadram finished with 437, Looknauth 3-20 and Mohammed 2-23 bowled well as Demerara continued to dominate at this level.
Kelvon Anderson on-drives during his top score for the National U-17s in a losing cause at Providence yesterday. (Sean Devers photo)
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Saturday June 03, 2017
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Reckless batting snaps Afghanistan’s winning streak ESPNcricinfo BASSETERRE, St Kitts, – A hare-brained approach with the bat ended Afghanistan’s record 11-match winning streak and sent them tumbling to a six-wicket loss in the series opener against West Indies at Warner Park. After choosing to bat first on a slightly two-paced surface, Afghanistan threw their bats at the ball and threw their wickets away. They were reduced to 58 for 8 by the 14th over, and were staring at their lowest total in T20 internationals. Rashid Khan, coming off a productive maiden IPL stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Amir Hamza, however, unleashed some late blows,
which dragged the side to 110. Afghanistan had defended a similar low total against West Indies in the World T20 in India last year which marked the beginning of their golden run - and more recently in the tour match against West Indies Cricket Board President’s XI on Tuesday. But Samuels’ stylish 35 ensured the hosts cantered home with 21 balls to spare. B a t t i n g l i k e millionaires, collapsing his paupers Gulbadin Naib started the innings with a violent triptych off fast bowler James Taylor: a flick over square leg, a pull over the
same region, and a swipe over midwicket. The other five balls he played out were all dots, including a nonturning legbreak from Samuel Badree, which pinned him leg-before. His boundary-or-nothing innings, perhaps, was a sign of things to follow. Naib’s opening partner, Usman Ghani, was the victim of a farcical mix-up, where he and Asghar Stanikzai were at the strikers’ end. Four balls later, the Afghanistan captain pulled hard at a sharp bouncer, and only spliced a return catch. The visitors, though, kept swinging like millionaires. Karim Jant dared to back away outside
Rashid Khan and Amir Hamza shared a 36-run, ninth-wicket stand, West Indies v Afghanistan, 1st T20, Basseterre, ©AFP
leg and slap Badree through the covers for four. A wild leg-side mow at Carlos Brathwaite, though, resulted in a top edge to Chadwick Walton, the wicketkeeper. Forty-two for 4 became 46 for 5 when Nabi recklessly slashed a catch to third man, instead of attempting to rebuild the innings. Sunil Narine’s triple-strike then left Afghanistan in serious danger of being dismissed for their lowest total in T20Is. They had been skittled for 72 against Bangladesh in the 2014 World T20. Saving face Rashid and Hamza then knocked the balls along the ground as Afghanistan recalibrated their strategy towards lasting 20 overs. Badree, Brathwaite, and Taylor were all milked for ones and twos. The two spinners later cut loose in the last two overs of the innings, which yielded 32 runs. The highlights included a flatbatted swat over long-off and a short-arm jab over wide long-on. On another night, such an onslaught could have saved the day for Afghanistan. Yesterday, it only helped them save face. West Indies made a good start to their response with Evin Lewis 26 and C h a d w i c k Wa l t o n 2 2 making a good start but the loss of a few wickets including both openers and Samuels (35) did not stop their chase as Jason Mohammed not out 18 and Rovman Powell not out 2
Guyana sprints into action today at South American Junior Championships The South American Junior Championships will begin today at the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora with 10 South American countries vying for top honours at the meet that is being hosted for athletes under 20 years old. Teams from Suriname, Chile, Paraguay and Peru were at the track training yesterday, while others used the roadways along the East Bank carriageway for light jogging and stretching. While at track at Leonora the ground was in the process of weeding and the security cages for the hammer and discus throws were still to be put in place. With the commencement of the meet the Athletics
Association of Guyana (AAG) is hard pressed to ensure that the international two-day meet, which continues tomorrow, does not impede on the possibility of Guyana’s chances of hosting other competitions. Guyana has named 50 athletes to compete in the 42nd South American U-20 Championships. The opening today will feature 17 Finals. S o m e o f G u y a n a ’s CARIFTA Games medalists will also be in action today. The morning session starts at 06:30hrs with the 10km walk race and the preliminary-round of the 100m and 400m where CARIFTA Games gold medalist, Compton Caesar among the likes of the
emerging Tyrell Peters, Daniel Williams, Kenishsa Phillips, Onasha Rogers and Avon Samuels will compete. They come up against athletes from Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Suriname, Ecuador and Chile. The meet will break before continuing at 7:00hrs with the Men’s Decathlon along with Finals in the Women’s 3000m. C A R I F TA G a m e s 3000m gold and 1500m bronze medalist, Claudrice McKoy will compete in that event. The Finals in the 100 and 400m will be held tonight. Today’s Schedule of Events Field Events 08:00hrs Men’s Hammer
17:05hrs Women’s Shot Put 17:25hrs Women’s Long Jump 18:35hrs Men’s Discus 18:50hrs Men’s Long Jump Track Events 06:30hrs Women’s 10k Race Walk 08:55hrs Men’s 1500m 09:10hrs Women 100m Hurdles 09:20hrs Women 400m 09:40hrs Men’s 400m 18:00hrs Women’s 100m 18:10hrs Men’s 100m 1 8 : 4 0 h r s Wo m e n ’s 3000m 19:20hrs Men’s 110m Hurdles 1 9 : 3 0 h r s Wo m e n ’s 1500m 19:40hrs Men’s 800m 19:50hrs Men’s 5000m.
Sunil Narine had a great performance in the opening match of the T20 Series at Warner Park. (Windies cricket facebook) saw them home. The teams collide again
today for the second match in St Kitts.
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Saturday June 03, 2017
Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry power Warriors to 113-91 Game 1 rout of Cavs
Stephen Curry shoots past LeBron James during Game 1. (Marcio Jose Sanchez, Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports) USA TODAY Sports OAKLAND – Kevin Durant never had to watch the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrate in this Oracle Arena building, to take that walk of shame to the parking lot while the visitors stayed behind to drink and be merry after their stunning Game 7 Finals win over the Golden State Warriors a year ago. And if the 28-year-old who signed with the Warriors last summer keeps playing like he did in their 113-91 win in Game 1 on Thursday, he’ll never have to. Durant, whose decision to leave Oklahoma City made him the most scrutinized man of this season and these Finals, finished with 38 points (14-
of-26 shooting), eight assists and eight rebounds while taking turns with Warriors co-star Steph Curry (28 points, 10 assists, six rebounds). With Game 2 here tomorrow, the Warriors are one step closer to avenging the 3-1 collapse that has haunted them since that illfated finish in 2016. The Warriors were up eight at halftime, but grew their lead to 21 in the third quarter when the Cavs’ hapless defence couldn’t keep up. It was unofficially over midway through the third, when Durant pestered LeBron James just enough to force a miss on his drive and found Curry for a threepointer from the top on the other end that put Golden
State up 87-68. C u r r y, h i m s e l f n o stranger to scrutiny after his poor Finals performance last year, kicked his legs three times like a pull-string puppet while smiling ear to ear. The Warriors, who know all too well that this is no time for an actual celebration, were on their way. The Cavs, who were led by James (28 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists) and Kyrie Irving (24 points), simply couldn’t keep up. They shot just 34.9% overall against the team that boasted the league’s No. 2 rated defence in the regular season, with James coughing up eight of their 20 turnovers. “We had 20 turnovers,
LeBron James shoots over Kevin Durant in the second half of Game 1. (Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports) and there’s no way you’re going to win a ball game having 20 turnovers against this team and on the road,” James said. This was a new sort of experience for Durant, who entered play having lost 18 of the 23 games he had played against James in his career (four of five in the 2012 Finals). And while he and the Warriors eventually got rolling, there were a few uneasy minutes at the start that offered a reminder of the magnitude of this stage. The Warriors missed several wide-open layups, no one more than big man Zaza Pachulia. The Cavs blew a few priceless opportunities, too, and it was fair to assume that nerves were playing a
South Africa’s van Niekerk jostling for Bolt’s crown BOSTON (Reuters) Fresh off a record-breaking performance in the 400 meters at the Rio Olympics, South African sprinter Wayde van Niekerk finds himself among a crowd of athletes jostling for the mantle of the retiring Usain Bolt, who has long outshone all his rivals. The 24-year-old smashed American Michael J ohns on’s 17- year- o ld record in the 400 at the Rio Games with a time of 43.03 seconds, and is the only man
to break 44 seconds in the 400m, 20 seconds in the 200m and 10 seconds in the 100m. But even those performances pale beside the achievements of the Jamaican great, whose reign at the top will end when he retires after the world championships in London in August. Bolt wrapped up his Olympic career in Rio last year with a ‘triple-triple’ sweep of gold medals in the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay for
three straight games. He also holds world records for the 100 and 200 as well as helping Jamaica set the 4x100 mark at the 2012 London Games. “I have the utmost respect for Usain Bolt and what he’s done for the sport,” van Niekerk said in an interview in Boston, where he is preparing to compete in this weekend’s Adidas Boost Boston street meet. “I’m not using him as someone whose records I
want to break, I’m using him as someone who inspires me,” added the South African, whose coach is 75year-old great-grandmother of five Ans Botha. INIMITABLE BOLT Long-time track observers and van Niekerk’s fellow competitors, say that no one athlete may have the speed and charisma to dominate public perception like Bolt. “I don’t think that’s a role that’s going to be filled (Continued on page 27)
part on both sides. From there, though, they were off and running – no one more than Durant. “I’m only as good as my teammates,” Durant said. “And Steph and Klay (Thompson) and Draymond (Green) and Zaza and the rest of the guys, we just complement each other, try to complement each other and try to make the game easier for each other. And in transition, I only can get in transition because we got stops and rebounding.” Time and again in the first half that the Warriors led 60-52, the Cavs were reminded why this upgraded version of the Warriors is even tougher to guard than the one they bested on this stage a year ago. Durant would come barreling down the lane on the break, the kind of action that one would assume warrants a defender standing in his way, and the Cavs would flee to the outer reaches of the floor to guard the many shooters who were waiting for a kickout pass. But the pass would never come. Durant, who fell to James and his Miami Heat on this stage five years ago while with the Oklahoma City Thunder, would soar above the rim and hammer home six dunks in the first half alone. According to ESPN, he had never had more than four dunks in the 101 playoffs games he had played to that point. Durant
was spectacular, hitting 10 of 18 shots before the break for 23 points while adding six assists and four rebounds. James tried his best to keep pace, scoring 19 points on five-of-eight shooting (eight-of-10 from the line). But his sloppiness didn’t help, as he had seven turnovers in the first half alone. Irving had 17 points before the break, too, keeping stride with Curry (12 first half points). But the Cavs, who downed Indiana, Toronto and Boston to get here, hadn’t seen an offense like this on their path to the Finals. The scary part at that point? They were down eight d e s p i t e t h e Wa r r i o r s shooting just 42.6% overall and having misfired on 10 of 13 three-pointers. Cavs coach Ty Lue discussed the danger of Durant before the game, when he was asked about his recent preference to let James rest a bit on the defensive end by not asking him to guard the other team’s best players. But that’s a luxury not afforded by these Warriors. “Those days are over,” Lue said. “(James will) be fine. He’s up for the challenge. We know Kevin Durant is a tough guard, a tough matchup. But Steph, Klay, Draymond, whoever you put him on is going to be a tough challenge. So those days are over.”
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Saturday June 03, 2017
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Xtreme Clean & Maintenance /GT Beer ‘Gold Rush’ Futsal Tournament
A lot at stake for some top teams -fans in for some exciting action
Part of the action in the Xtreme Clean & Maintenance /GT Beer ‘Gold Rush’ Futsal Tournament.
By Rawle Welch A lot will be at stake when the second night of round robin action in the inaugural Xtreme Clean & Maintenance /GT Beer ‘Gold Rush’ Futsal Tournament resumes on Tuesday, at the National Gymnasium. Following several upsets and inspiring performances from underdog teams, the next round of play could give
a c l e a r indication of which teams will advance to t h e q u a r t e rfinals. One of the top teams that will need to win to bolster their chances of moving on is Sparta Boss, regarded as the most dominant team in the exciting format. They are placed in Group A and this grouping has all four teams on one point apiece, a testimony to how tough it is to come out on top. All four teams drew their opening encounters so Tuesday’s matchups are critical to their respective survival in the competition.
Director of Sport Christopher Jones is introduced to members of one of the participating teams recently. I n G r o u p B , Albouystown, who registered a big upset over the highly touted Back Circle team, is in a strong position to advance, while the latter ’s lost leaves them in a wobbly state. North Ruimveldt and Tiger Bay played to a draw in their matchup and both of them will need to secure a win to have a chance to progress. In Group C, both Bent Street and Future Stars looked completely impressive and their prospects of moving on seem good. However, Broad Street and Plaisance will have to win their next games to make the group interesting and they will find doing
that a difficult proposition, especially with the talent and hunger that reside in the group leaders units. In this format anything is possible so fans are assured of another night of pulsating action. The winning team will receive $500,000 and the c h a m p i o n s h i p t r o p h y, while second, third and fourth placed finishers take home $200,000, $100,000 and $50,000 respectively. The Most Valuable Player (MVP) will be given $50,000. Meanwhile, Director of Sport Christopher Jones was part of the action and met some of the teams. The night’s matchups are seen below:
(Group C) Broad Street vs Plaisance 19:00 (Group C) Group Bent Street vs Future Stars 19:30 (Group B) Back Circle vs North Ruimveldt 20:00
(Group B) Albouystown vs Tiger Bay 20:30 (Group A) Agricola vs Sophia 21:00 (Group A) Sparta Boss vs Tucville 21:30
Messi to build brand in China with theme park (Reuters) Chinese fans will be able to celebrate the achievements of Barcelona soccer great Lionel Messi at a new theme park to be built in Beijing. The Messi Experience Park, which is being launched by the five times world player of the year in collaboration with Chinese broadcaster Phoenix Group and Spanish media company Mediapro, is set to open in 2019 in the Chinese capital. The theme park will have 20 indoor and outdoor attractions in a 42,000 square meter space which will
“immerse visitors in Messi’s universe,” a statement from the player’s Leo Messi Management group said Messi, who earned the European Golden Shoe last season by finishing top scorer in Europe’s top five leagues, attended a launch event in Beijing this week. “I hope to provide them with an experience they have never had before and encourage people to play football from an early age,” Messi told reporters. David Xirau, director of Mediapro Exhibitions said the theme park will “use the
Argentine football player Lionel Messi attends an event of the Adidas sportswear manufacturer in Beijing, China June 2, 2017. (REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo) most advanced technology” to combine attractions with spaces to play the world’s
most popular sport. Companies from China have invested heavily in
foreign clubs in recent years as President Xi Jinping has called for the country to develop a world-class soccer industry. Chinese ambitions for soccer have also extended to spicing up the domestic league with a clutch of highprofile signings. Messi is Barcelona’s highest paid player, earning an estimated 40 million euros ($45 million) per year, which is set to increase this summer as he is expected to sign a bumper new longterm contract with Barca, where his current deal runs
until 2018. Messi’s image rights have come under the spotlight since he was charged with avoiding 4.1 million euros of tax on his commercial earnings between 2009 and 2011. He was found guilty of tax fraud along with his father Jorge last year, and handed a prison sentence of 21 months and a fine of 2 million euros. His appeal was rejected by the Supreme Court last month although he is unlikely to go to prison. ($1 = 0.8879 euros)
t r o Sp
Guyana sprints into action today at South American Junior Championships
Athletes from the participating countries going through their paces yesterday at the Synthetic Track and Field Centre at Leonora before the start of the South American Junior Championships today.
Hand-in-Hand Inter-County U-19 cricket
Demerara retain 50-over title Mohammed, Yadram spur hosts to 6-Wkt win over U-17s
We are the Champions! Demerara retained their Hand-in-Hand 50 overs title with a 6-Wkt win over the Nat U-17s at Providence yesterday. (Sean Devers photo)
Reckless batting snaps Afghanistan’s winning streak Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210