Kaieteur News

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Burnham was ahead of his time, Peeping Tom DEAR EDITOR, I noted your article in the Peeping Tom Column on Mr. Forbes Burnham being many years behind in his thinking. I wish to challenge this article by submitting the following facts. 1. The University of Guyana, which started in humble beginnings, was allocated lands by Mr.L.F.S.Burnham and he built a modern university that had stood the test of time, several decades after its completion. 2. The primary schools controlled by the churches were taken over by the state and the delivery of education was revolutionised and stands out as a landmark for this son of Guyana. 3. The Common Entrance examination was only for a selected few, but Mr. Burnham

changed it so that all children could have access to a secondary education. 4. Education was made free of cost from Nursery to University for all Guyanese regardless of colour ,race and religious learning during his life time. 5. Infrastructural – Development: The R.H Carr was the means of reaching the McKenzie settlement of bauxite mining, a journey that took an entire day of travelling. Mr. Burnham developed the dream of a highway from Georgetown to Mckenzie and most people called him a foolish dreamer. Lo and behold, a miracle was born when the highway was completed and McKenzie came alive. The Highway was completed with bridges and connecting waterways. R.H Carr was eventually given a

decent funeral. This feat is unmatched up to several decades later and the highway has stood the test of time. 6. The East Berbice Highway, Mr. Burnham transformed the old road that was built with clay and burnt bricks to a strong, durable well built road, asphalted with connecting bridges and waterways with tollbooths to assist with repayment of the project. Tollbooths were removed later and the population was eased of the financial constraints. The old Canje Bridge was also rebuilt to what it is today. 7. All the main access roads in Guyana were upgraded except for the Essequibo Coast Road, which Mr. Desmond (Continued on page 6)

No happy Phagwah at many West Coast Demerara villages DEAR EDITOR, Yesterday afternoon, my wife and I travelled to (De Groote En Klyne) Uitvlugt, on the West Coast of Demerara, Guyana, to play Phagwah with family and friends. On our way, as we passed the different villages, it was a multi-coloured afternoon. At Stewartville it was a different scenario, we observed a lot of parked vehicles, such as the Police, Government Officials and residents, the Spring Tide was effective and water was topping over the Sea Defence. At Leonora it

PAGE 5

Kaieteur News

was the same; the hospital was closed and sand bags were visible at the entrance door. Approaching the village (De Groote En Klyne), Uitvlugt, it was a sober day for the village (No happy Phagwah), flooded water was everywhere, we went almost to the sea wall and it was evident that earlier in the morning an awesome Spring Tide washed away part of the concrete structure of the Sea Defence. The Authorities already had machinery on the ground; a heavy-duty exca-

vator was seen working by the damaged Sea Defence structure and a small equipment was clearing drains that were clogged up for years. Our families and friends converged on the street that was covered with flowing water. Living in De Groote for 36 years, it was a first time experience of that nature, something like a Tsunami. Damage was done to livestock, gardens, business, flat houses and lower apartments of other properties. Parmanand Ram

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Freddie Kissoon replies to Isabelle DeCaires DEAR EDITOR, I refer to Ms. Isabelle DeCaires’ missive in SN lamenting that a letter critical of me that she sent twice to Kaieteur News that was not published. I have no control over the publication and nonpublication of letters. I have absolutely no authority at the Kaieteur News. I am its independent columnist. That is all I am. I have read Ms. DeCaires’ letter and it is extremely mild in comparison to the condemnatory comments from letter-writers Kaieteur News have carried on me as recent as last month. I believe there has to be a mistake and the SN can inquire from Mr. Adam Harris for an explanation.

Here is the reason why, a few months back, I asked my daughter that when I pass on she must gave all published materials written by me and materials written on me by others to UG library. There is an enormous file that I have on stuff written on me by others; and many are very egregious criticism of my activism carried in the Kaieteur News. As recent as last month, Kaieteur News published a letter by Sam Hinds asserting that I am a morbid person. I don’t see why KN would want to hide Ms. DeCaires letter. I doubt that very much. There has to be an explanation and I am sure Mr. Harris can offer one. If the letter was sent to the

proper address, Mr. Harris and two other editors would definitely have seen it. Not one of those three persons would duck a letter critical of me. They never did it in the past. From the publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall to the editor-inchief Mr. Harris to the senior editors, they all know that I can defend myself and they have never offered me any protection by not printing missives that chastise, castigate and criticise me. I do not want such protection even if it was offered. The comments of Ms. DeCaires are extremely mild. Why would KN not want to publish them? My colleagues at KN know I would not sue them (Contiinued on page 6)

Is the Better Hope LBI/ NDC incompetent? DEAR EDITOR, Atlantic Gardens was created by the Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society Ltd. as a lovely, peaceful oceanside residential area, but this neighbourhood is constantly and openly violated by lawless and wicked persons in and out of the community and the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) is doing nothing about it. This upscale area used to be known for its aesthetics, but not anymore. Here is the situation: 1. A heavy-duty vehicle repair shop just outside Atlantic Gardens, opposite Apex Educational Institute, has taken to storing sections of large vehicles, including cabins and trays, among other paraphernalia within the community, providing criminals with hiding places from where

they have been pouncing on hapless passers-by. The vehicles parked outside my relative’s building are no exception. Apart from the criminal factor, these vehicle parts are an eyesore and harbour mosquitoes. This is driving down property values and rental values in the area. In my relative’s case, two filthy, humungous vehicles, one an excavator and the other a container tractor lorry, were placed opposite their exclusive, executive-style property and are preventing the property from being rented to diplomats and expa-

triates because they are turned off by the glaring eyesores in the immediate vicinity. Other property owners are experiencing the same difficulties. 2. Furthermore, Atlantic Gardens has become a romping ground for horses owned by negligent persons. These horses roam the streets at all hours, greedily eating decorative plants, defecating freely and driving terror into residents who are in constant danger of being trampled or kicked. It is reported that some children were kicked by the horses. The animals are (Continued on page 7)

PAGE 6

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox Responding to Earl Hamilton DEAR EDITOR, I am responding to a letter by one Earl Hamilton, that was published in the Kaieteur News of 28-02- 2018 under the title—”A gross and unfathomable ignorance of current affairs and geo politics” :In his letter to the Editor, published in the 28th of February 2018 edition of Kaieteur News, a Mr. Earl Hamilton identifies me— David Comissiong— as a “Vincentian political activist”, and accuses me of suffering from “a gross and unfathomable ignorance of current affairs and geo politics”, as a result of my having publicly chastised President David Granger for breaking ranks with the majority of CARICOM states and joining with the American dominated “Lima Group” of countries at the Organization of American States (OAS) to attack and vilify the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. As far as Mr. Hamilton is

concerned, the fact that there is a border dispute in existence between Guyana and Venezuela must be taken into consideration, and justifies whatever position President Granger’s administration has adopted against Venezuela in the international arena. Well, I beg to differ. And I disagree, not because I am anti-Guyanese, or in any way ignorant of the border dispute or insensitive to Guyanese interests and concerns in relation to the border issue. In fact, just the opposite is the truth! To begin with, I am not a “Vincentian political activist”. I am, in fact, a Barbadian Attorney-at-Law (born in St Vincent) who has a deep and profound family connection with Guyana. In addition, I am widely known in Barbados (and in Guyana) for my legal and political advocacy in defense of Caribbean migrants in Barbados— particularly Guyanese. Furthermore, I have written about the Guyana / Ven-

ezuela border dispute on several occasions, and to the best of my recollection a couple of these releases were published in the Kaieteur News. The Press Releases that I have recently been involved in authoring— “Are Guyana, St Lucia and Jamaica the three blind mice of CARICOM’ and “An Urgent Letter to the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Haiti”— are, however, not about the Guyana / Venezuela border dispute at all ! Rather, they are about the folly and infamy of a number of Caribbean states (principally Jamaica, Guyana and St Lucia) being used by the Trump Administration (and its multi-millionaire Secretary of State Rex Tillerson of Exxon Mobil fame) to attack Venezuela in the most unprincipled manner, with the intention of bringing down the Socialist Government and once again getting their dirty imperialistic hands on Venezuela’s vast oil resources. (Continued on page 7)

Burnham was ahead of his... From page 5 Hoyte secured funding for. 8. Scrapping the Coastal Train Service with the advent of hire cars on the Coast. The trains suffered massive loss in operational costs as no one wanted to ride in trains when quicker means of transportation was available, especially with a small population that has not increased significantly from then to now. Mr. L.F.S. Burnham made a choice that only a true visionary could make in scrapping the coastal railways. He supplemented the railways with upgraded and new roadways in West Coast of

Demerara and Georgetown / East Berbice. The only railway that existed after these was in the Kaituma / Matthews Ridge Area, and even in that area train had become too slow, even in modern days the train from Skeldon Estate to the waterfront to discharge sugar was scrapped. 9. The Demerara Habour Bridge: Several decades after Mr. Forbes Burnham’s demise, it is still in operation and just a few hours of non-functioning causes chaos in the country of Guyana. It has taken Mr. Forbes Burnham’s Party with its coalition partners to rescue that

bridge with a new one that is being fast-tracked so that Mr. Burnham’s soul can rest in peace and for those who are gloating of a decayed corpse. Mr. Forbes Burnham’s deeds for his country far exceed any bad deeds accredited to him. He has been weighed in the balance and was found not wanting. There are countless achievements too numerous to mention. For the Burnham haters, when you travel on any main road; cross any bridge; go to the Timehri International Airport; send your children to High School free of cost; draw your hefty National Insurance benefits; those of you who earned large sums of money from planting local crops and coconuts from Pomeroon to Crabwood Creek, remember Mr. Burnham. Those who cross the Berbice River Bridge built with two Billion Dollars of N.I.S money, pay homage to the man who made all these things possible. Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham. Mr. Bacchus

Kaieteur M@ilbox

GPL’s customer service is a disgrace DEAR EDITOR I am hereby calling on the government to immediately investigate the activities of the Guyana Power and Light, Inc. (GPL) and its staff who are allegedly removing meters, claiming the meters are outdated or illegal. Such removals are leaving innocent homeowners in the dark for extended periods and also costing the aggrieved homeowners huge sums of money to have meters re-installed after a lengthy waiting period (weeks/months). Most disturbing is the fact that many of the homeowners affected are senior citizens on fixed-incomes and/or have severe disabilities. One such act of nonsense belongs to Ex-Army Officer Retired, Mr. Henry Mitchell 90 years old. His daughter Lurline stated, “To date, one month ago, his electric meter was taken away from his home. The company claimed it was an illegal meter. My father was mortified when he

was informed. Somehow, he kept receiving notifications with no dollar amount. After several of these notifications, he decided to make inquiries, that’s when to his amazement, they told him he had an illegal meter. He was also told he needed to pay an equivalent to $1000 (US) to have the meter replaced. Well, after a few days of Mr. Mitchell “running around” and his daughter in touch with these so-called officials who promised to have the matter resolved ASAP, nothing has been done as of today. The fee was paid weeks ago and he’s still without electricity. This is appalling. He was promised the replacement last week.” Expectedly, nothing has been done. GPL’s excuse, “it’s a short week because of Mash”. This slackness and laid-back mentality among GPL’s customer service representatives still exists and is a disgrace. Mr. Mitchell initiated another call to GPL two

days ago and was given the same lame excuse, “it’s Phagwah and a short week.” He has owned the house since the early 70’s and has lived there since remigrating almost 20 years ago. Yes, there were upgrades to the home a few times but every installation was legal. He remarked that “it is very annoying and inconvenient.” This elderly citizen, who has served his country (old soldier) has been treated like a criminal. This horrendous act of fleecing homeowners must stop, and such malfeasance must immediately be corrected to the satisfaction of the affected owners. As an advocate for fairness, I will use my voice and my large forums to keep this malfeasance in the news and will continue to stay on this topic until the situation is remedied. Citizens in compliance should not have to endure such unnecessary obstruction in the daily lives. Lloyd Phillips

know; I am not the type of person who cares what Guyanese have to say negatively about me. This is a very sad, tragic country and I am not bothered at how certain Guyanese see or think of me. For this reason, short of disgraceful fulminations against me that are of a libelous nature, I will never intervene to prevent comments adversely critical of me from being published. I would point Ms. DeCaires to my column of Saturday, March 3 in which I explained what I wrote of David DeCaires in the previous column. It was not anything out of the ordinary. I need not repeat what my Saturday column explained; suffice to say that I saw elitism in the style and attitudes of Mr. DeCaires and moreso Miles Fitzpatrick. I was unhappy writing for such ownership of a paper but that was my opinion.

It did not mean that Mr. DeCaires was an unpleasant and terrible man. On the contrary, he was a gentle, likeable person who made a positive contribution to Guyana and I respect and admire him for that. The class and colour mentality which I saw at Stabroek News I have seen it elsewhere. I saw it vividly in the WPA when I was an activist with that party. It is in the AFC. It is practised by people who claim to be democratic. It is practised by African and Indian Guyanese right at this moment. The Portuguese in Guyana did not have a monopoly on class and colour prejudice. Such an attitude is despicably found in many eminent light coloured African and East Indian families. This was Guyana. This is Guyana. Frederick Kissoon

Freddie Kissoon replies ... From page 5 for libel so they take excessive latitude and have permitted the printing of pretty unpleasant letters written by others on me. I have never been fazed at that attitude. In the Guyanese context, I am incapable of being embarrassed by what others say about me because I believe many such writers are not the kind of people I care about. I don’t know Ms. DeCaires, never saw her, never spoke to her, not aware that she has written anything negative about me. I have no views whatsoever on Ms. DeCaires and would never, and I mean never interfere in the process of stopping her letters on me sent to Kaieteur News. The day I resort to such a stratagem is the day that I become a fearful person and live in trepidation of what others think of me. I want to say for the record for all Guyanese to

Sunday March 04, 2018

PAGE 7

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Responding to Earl ...

Is the Better Hope LBI...

From page 6 I ask the questions — What do the Guyanese people know about this “Lima Group of states” that Guyana is now a part of? And what has become of the CARICOM principle of forging a collective CARICOM position on important international issues that the late Forbes Burnham so strenuously championed? Are the Guyanese people aware that their Government recently lined up behind Trump’s USA at the OAS to pass a Resolution that was cynically designed to cause as much damage and subversion in Venezuela as possible— a Resolution that was deliberately premised on the patently false and fraudulent notion that there is such a breakdown of democratic order, rule of law, and social peace in Venezuela, that the Presidential elections that are scheduled for the 22nd of April 2018 will not be democratic, transparent and fair? The said “Resolution of infamy” also encouraged and portended an illegal and subversive intervention in the internal affairs of Venezuela with its demand that the Venezuelan Government postpone the Presidential election and open the country up to interventionist so-called “assistance” from OAS member states that are hostile to the Bolivarian Government. My colleagues in the Caribbean Peace Movement and I believe that this myopic and unprincipled vote on the part of not only Guyana, but of Jamaica, St. Lucia, Barbados, and the Bahamas as well, is not only a despicable betrayal of CARICOM’s traditional principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations and respect for other nations’ right to selfdetermination, but that it is also a betrayal of a friend who has extended to us badly needed assistance through the Petro Caribe Energy Cooperation Agreement and other forms of aid to foster the development and prosperity of our peoples. The fact that Guyana has a border dispute with Venezuela does not give the government of Guyana the right to abandon fundamental principles of International Law, t o d i s r e g a r d G u y a n a ’s proud historical record of socialist internationalism and Third World solidarity, and to side with what is perhaps the most reprehensible imperialist Government in the world today— the Trump administration of the USA— to unjustly attack and subvert a sister Caribbean

and Latin American nation. And surely, the Guyanese people must know that the border dispute with Venezuela is a hold over from the colonial past, and that it was inherited by the Administrations of Chavez and Maduro, just as it was inherited by the Granger Administration. The Guyanese people must also be aware that in the past it was cynical imperialist Administrations in the USA and Britain that encouraged the then conservative, capitalist, right wing Government of Venezuela to dredge up the border dispute in order to use it against what they perceived to be the radical socialist Government of Cheddie Jagan! It is a bold-faced fiction— otherwise known as a lie— that the socialist Administration of Nicolas Maduro has adopted an aggressive antiGuyana position on the border issue. This “bold-faced fiction” had its genesis when the newly elected and precariously poised APNU+AFC government suddenly made a dramatic announcement in which they claimed that Maduro had issued a Presidential decree unequivocally laying claim to the disputed territory. Unlike virtually every single one of the Media houses of the Caribbean, I did not simply accept the word of the Granger Administration, but made it my business to go and read an English translation of the actual text of the Presidential Decree. The first thing I discovered was that the Maduro decree (Decree No. 1.787 of 8th June 2015) was NOT specifically about Guyana or about Venezuela’s border with Guyana at all! The Decree was actually devoted to outlining a comprehensive organisational model that the Government of Venezuela had recently decided to employ in organising its defense of its national territory and maritime waters. However, prior to outlining the structure of this new national defense mechanism, the Presidential Decree stated as follows:“The territory and other geographical spaces of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela are those corresponding to the Captaincy General of Venezuela before the political transformation begun on April 19, 1810, with the modification from treaties, agreements and arbitral awards not vitiated nullity. “The Venezuelan State recognises the existence of maritime areas pending for delimitation in accordance with international agreements and treaties signed

by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and that require attention by the Venezuelan State until the achievement of final friendly boundary demarcation.” In other words, in the very text of President Maduro’s Decree was an acknowledgment that some of the territory and maritime space claimed by Venezuela is still under dispute, and that its ultimate ownership is dependent on the outcome of the “friendly boundary demarcation” process– obviously a reference to the “Geneva Accord” process. Furthermore, in order to make the Venezuelan position absolutely clear, the following paragraph appeared in the second publication of the Decree:— “However, there exists a maritime area pending for delimitation, which will be determined once the pending dispute is resolved between the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, according to the 1966 Geneva Agreement....”The socialist Government of Venezuela had therefore made it extremely clear that it is committed to amicably and lawfully negotiating its boundary dispute with Guyana, and that it had no intention of seeking to use its larger size and greater material power to impose its will on Guyana! A boundary dispute is a very difficult thing to resolve, because no national government can contemplate the idea of going back to their people and telling them that they have negotiated away territory that the people believe to be their sacred national patrimony. Therefore, it will require much good faith, adherence to principle, and feelings of mutual respect and regard as two Third World / Caribbean and Latin American peoples on both sides of the Essequibo border to bring this matter to a successful resolution. The last thing— the very last thing— that we need in this very difficult and sensitive process of negotiating and resolving the Guyana / Venezuela border dispute is the obnoxious, ill-intentioned, and imperialistic interference of outsider nations like the United States of America. David Comissiong

From page 5 also a traffic hazard. 3. The situation is compounded by the fact that an auto sales and vehicle repair shop has been established at an inconvenient location in Atlantic Gardens. Every day, road users in Atlantic Gardens risk life and limb because the vehicles being attended to at this autobody, auto sales and mechanic shop are parked on the reserves, preventing drivers from swerving to avoid accidents with speeding vehicles heading to the highway from within Atlantic Gardens. The citizens cannot use the reserves for any useful purpose. I have nothing against people and their businesses, but I contend that such operations are best suited to commercial districts and/or own lands or properties where they can park their vehicles for repairs and sale. This situation does not affect me alone; the general well-being of residents has been significantly reduced and the aesthetic beauty of the community has been smeared. All letters and protests to the NDC to intervene and have this situation rectified have been futile. I wrote to the Better Hope/ LBI NDC that collects resi-

dents’ rates and taxes and is responsible for the upkeep of the area, calling for immediate action to fix this problem. They did nothing, which frustrated me to the point of threatening them with a lawsuit, but to no avail. NDC officials told me that the people are stubborn and refuse to move. This raises some obvious questions. What about warning letters? What about taking them to court? What about asking the Ministry of Public Works for support just to create an example? What about asking the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown for assistance? What is stopping the NDC from enforcing the law and removing them forcibly? What about seizing the vehicles, cutting them up on spot and taking them to the dumpsite or marketing them as scrap? It is incomprehensible that officials of the NDC cannot find a way to deal with persons who are breaking the law with impunity. In my opinion, if NDC officials cannot cope with this problem even, with the support of affected residents and the full weight of the law on their side, then they are incompetent and, by extension, the NDC is inept and

useless. The voting patterns of persons who live in Better Hope/LBI is on public record. Maybe it is time for them to shift their votes away from any political entity that keeps dysfunctional NDC officials in office. It is foolish to keep useless administrators in office just because of politics. This applies to other NDC administrations where the people are not happy but blindly give their votes to political entity. Wake up and smell the coffee. Take a deep breath, exhale slowly, think and realise that blind loyalty to a political party is a serious mistake. Sometimes you have to turn against your own to teach them a lesson. Political entities too long in power seem to take things for granted and give poor service. Based on the facts that I have drawn to the public’s attention in this letter, I strongly believe that the Better Hope/ LBI NDC is the most incompetent in Guyana. Go to Atlantic Gardens and see for yourself how several years of weak, clueless community management has spoilt what used to be a classy residential area. Roshan Khan Snr.

PAGE 8

Draft Petroleum Commission Bill stymies full disclosure of data

T

here are key provi sions in Guyana’s draft Petroleum Commission Bill that could stymie the full disclosure of data to the citizenry. According to the draft bill, the Commission would be empowered to monitor and regulate the efficient, safe, effective and environmentally responsible exploration, development and production of petroleum in Guyana. The Board is also expected to submit to the Minister, as soon as practicable but not later than two months after the end of each financial year, a report detailing the activities and operations of the Commission during the year to which the report relates including audited accounts. The report is expected to contain information including, but not limited to open areas for petroleum exploration and production, petroleum prospecting licences issued and relinquished, petroleum activities conducted, including, but not limited to, data acquisition and the drilling of wells, exploration, appraisal, development and production (volume of oil and gas produced) phases of the petroleum value chain, local content and local participation in petroleum activities, the status of development and production activities

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

under each licence, health, safety and environment, and royalty and fees paid by operators. (Other information which should be included in this report could be seen by following this link: https:// www.nre.gov.gy/wp-content/ uploads/2017/04/PETROLEUM-COMMISSIONBILL.pdf) But here is the interesting twist; the draft legislation says that only a SUMMARY of the annual report would be prepared and statement of accounts shall be published on the website of the Commission for public notice. And that is not all; officers of the Commission and Board members are not allowed to disclose any information they obtained during the course of their work. Failure to observe this and the said person would be saddled with a fine of $5 million and imprisonment for three years GHANA’S POSITION In comparison to 12 other nations, Ghana and Nigeria included, the strict provisions in Guyana’s draft legislation would appear to be “nonstandard”. In fact, one international oil and gas specialist who spoke with this newspaper indicated that Ghana’s Petroleum Commission is supportive of the prompt disclosure of information.

As such, it has an online register. According to the website ( h t t p s : / / www.ghanapetroleumregister.com/ ), the laws of that African state dictate that there must be public disclosure of information as it comes in. In fact, Section 56 of the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act of Ghana states, “The Commission shall establish and maintain a register of petroleum agreements, licences, permits and authorizations as prescribed. The register shall be open to the public.” The oil and gas expert said that this way, users of the site can monitor the decisions made by the Commissioners “as well as implement the level of scrutiny that is needed from any democratic society.” The official said that offices such the Petroleum Commission should always be subjected to the highest level of scrutiny. Support for this sentiment has been echoed by anticorruption advocates around the world time and again. It was even the infamous American computer professional, Edward Snowden who said, “There can be no faith in government if our highest offices are excused from scrutiny —they should be setting the example of transparency.”

Local operator parks on ... From page 3 knows that there are several local small operators who are desperately trying to get land from OAI to build their hangers. These small operators are being denied land while the Correias grab all for themselves only to now rent one of the spots to a foreign company, said one operator. Kaieteur News understands that OAI Chairman, Michael Correia, continues to refuse to meet with small operators who are trying to get their hands on land. OAI was further besmirched in the eyes of domestic operators when they read in the press what the Correias had to say about its relationship with ExxonMobil. OAI had said that it is still in discussion with ExxonMobil about the 10 acres of prime land that it was getting ready to lease to company. This was said despite the fact that OAI land development plan has a clear area demarcated for ExxonMobil. “How could they say that they are still in discussion when they have already demarcated an area for ExxonMobil; while the trees have begun to die and while they are already renting space to Bristow?” asked one operator. Michael Correia has said that the trees have begun to die from a natural phenomenon. He has endeavoured to send his in-house environmentalist to the area to investigate the matter. Also, while OAI claims that it is still in discussion with ExxonMobil and is yet to sign any documents, ExxonMobil claims that it has signed “an agreement with Ogle Airport Inc. expressing mutual interest in potentially sub-leasing approximately 10 acres of land for an extended period”. However, the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission has not given OAI the

OAI Chairman, Michael Correia go-ahead to sublease the land to ExxonMobil. An aviation operative insists that the present management and governance structure of the airport is in need of attention as “it is unheard of an international airport being regulated by an operator”. The operators at that port are complaining about the advantage being taken upon them. They speak of the astronomical rental fee being charged, the disadvantageous distribution of lands and general misuse of state land by one family—the Correias.The Correias also own at least three companies operating out of the Eugene F Correia International Airport. These companies are Trans Guyana Limited, Correia Mining Company and Caribbean Aviation and Maintenance Services. It is being reported that those companies are given first preference to lands and other services provided by the airport.OAI is in control of 441 acres of state land, which it has been leased for 25 years – extendable for two further periods of 25 years. The land was leased in 2003 without any public notice. There was no public

transparent process; neither was there a public bidding process.Recently, former government Minister Manzoor Nadir spoke of the generosity of the state in leasing the lands to OAI and contributing to the development of the port. He said that as a result, the nation should be benefiting more. OAI's Public Relations Consultant, Kit Nascimento, later responded, saying that the state did not invest a penny. He said, “Phase I of the development under the Lease Agreement was successfully completed in 2009, when scheduled passenger operations commenced. Not a penny of state money was invested.” However, the facts say different.The Government of Guyana, during the reign of the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) expended just about $30M to relocate squatters during phase one of the airport project.Phase Two was financed by a grant of €1.5M from the European Development Fund to the Government of Guyana which was converted into a soft loan to OAI with a generous long term repayment schedule. The Government also made significant investment in the Air Traffic Control tower to the value of $50M. Further, the government expended $187M to relocate the NCN tower from Sparendaam in order that the airport could be cleared for international flightsThe Ministry of Public Infrastructure resurfaced the road from Railway Embankment to Ogle Airport. All the government services provided, such as the Guyana Fire Service, Air Traffic Control, Customs, Immigration and Police are all funded by the State. As recent as two months ago, the Guyana Energy Agency installed solar panels on the terminal building at the Airport.

Sunday March 04, 2018

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

Dem boys seh... Judicial forum highlights corruption as major issue Soulja Bai nursery school kit and a laptop same price for Oil and Gas sector According to Transparency International, “Grand Corruption is the use of high level power that benefits a few at the expense of many; it causes serious and widespread harm to individuals and society and often goes unpunished.” The issue is as a major problem for Oil and Gas sectors around the world. At a judicial forum held in Guyana, University of West Indies, (UWI) Oil and Gas Law Lecturer, Alicia Elias-Roberts, referenced a number of cases for which such high level corruption was identified. The conference was held in anticipation of new matters, which will arise from the emerging oil and Gas Sector. The capacity building workshop focused on the regulatory framework of the industry in the Caribbean. The lecture facilitated members of the local judiciary. Referencing cases such as Brazil’s Petrobas and Odebrecht deals, the saga of Ukrainian President, Viktor Yonuckvich, and Equatorial Guinea and its ill-gotten gains, Elias-Roberts noted that strengthening transparency and empower-

ing citizens can help tackle high level of corruption. During the lecture, EliasRoberts explained this type of collusion between businesses and politicians siphons off billions of dollars in revenue from natural economies. “This kind of systematic grand corruption violates human rights and prevents sustainable development and fuel social exclusion...Few at the expense of many.”Specifically highlighting the Brazil Petrobras deal, the UWI lecturer noted that executives from PETROBAS and some of the nation ‘s largest construction firms colluded to inflate the price of contracts, kicking back a portion of the ill gotten gains to lawmakers and other officials to fund political campaigns. “As it relates to the scandal at Odebrecht, the US State Department called the largest foreign bribery case in history. The Brazilian Senate had impeached Brazilian President Dilma Rossueff for illegally manipulating Government accounts,” Elias-Roberts added. According to the Trinidadian lecturer strength-

ening transparency and accountability in Government by empow e r i n g c i t i z e n s and by moving public decision closer to the people is recommended to help to tackle this type of corruption. Elias-Roberts also pointed to the improving the level of transparency by shedding light on shady deals, weak enforcement of rules and other illicit practices that undermine good governments, ethical business and society at large. During a conference held last year, the UWI Oil and Gas Law Lecturer focused on key legal issues and legal challenges in the sector. The conference also encompassed presentations on the evolution of petroleum laws in the Region, and issues to be dealt with, such as review of concessions agreement, and the increasing equity and revenue of governments; new tax regulations under the O i l a n d Gas Sector; the sovereignty independence, socialism and nationalism of the Oil Industry as well as expropriation and Organization of Petroleum Exporting Companies (OPEC).

Thief nabbed at market after robbing off-duty cop Police are preparing to charge an unemployed man who robbed an off-duty police constable of a cell phone and $240 yesterday. A release stated that the 23-year-old policeman was walking along Hinck Street around 09:15 hrs when the suspect attacked him with a pair of shears and relieved the rank of his mobile phone and $240. “The quick-thinking policeman did not try to engage the robber, but instead, made

a thorough observation of him and then promptly informed his supervisors,” a release stated. Police, including a cadet officer, then went to the Stabroek Market area where they arrested the suspect, who was standing “under the clock” at the market. He still had the policeman’s belongings, as well as the instrument he had used in the robbery.

Jagdeo was the king fuh conning, misleading, outsmarting and lying to de nation. Dat brute con de whole country in the Marriott, Berbice bridge, airport expansion, Skeldon plant, Enmore packaging plant, cable from Brazil, cable across the Demerara River, Sanata complex, and every big project. If dem boys didn’t stop de Amaila Falls project he woulda got dem and generations to come paying through dem behind. Dem boys want people to remember de one laptop per Family project. Jagdeo put aside US$27 million. He seh he want to give every family one laptop. Dat was another con. De US$27 million and more vanish and de families still dumb because dem never see de computers. Many kackish things hap-

pen under him but as dem boys seh de longest rope has an end. De jail door watching him and his kavakamites. De same stunt he pull wid de one laptop, de Education Minister pulling wid nursery education. She seh she put aside $144 Million fuh buy 1500 nursery school kits. Dem boys want know if de kit got a computer inside because dat kind of money can pay fuh dem children education to University. The same thing wha happen wid the one laptop per family happening here all over again. De money gun end up in dem education people pocket and the kids gun be more dumb come next year. De only difference, today, is de $144 million would not end up in Jagdeo pocket. Then dem boys see de people at the Ogle airport trying de same thing. Dem and

all trying to mislead Guyana just like Jagdeo, dat scamp. Dem get a Kit, not de nursery school kit, who would give away anything fuh a few dollars, even wha he own or wha he got, to mislead Guyana. Dem seh no tax dollars spent on the development of dat airport. Yet de evidence show dat de poor man money spend and continue to be spent pun de airport and only one set of people benefitting. De poor people paying fuh de police, de immigration services, de fire service de air traffic control, Customs and a number of odda things dat cost hundreds of millions when de month come. Yet dem got de nerve to tell people how de airport private. Dat is conning, misleading, lying and outsmarting. Talk half and expose all dem con artistes and crooks.

PAGE 10

Dr. Jennifer Westford trial… The trial of former Minister of Public Service, Dr. Jennifer Westford, and Ms. Margaret Cummings, who are accused of stealing hundreds of millions dollars from the state, continued last Thursday before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. It is alleged that between August 2011 and April 2015, Westford and Cummings, while being employed in the Public Service stole $ 6 3 9 , 4 2 0 , 0 0 0 . They have pleaded not guilty to the charge. They are currently out on $4.8M bail each. Last Thursday, Debra Rampersaud, Assistant Secretary of Finance at the Region Nine Democratic Council (RDC) went into the witness box and testified on behalf of the state. Rampersaud told the court that she is employed as the Assistant Secretary Finance for over 13 years and that she is unaware of any training activity being facilitated for

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

Ten witnesses remain as trial winds down the public servants in the region by Minister Dr. Jennifer Westford during the years 2011 to 2015. The witness added that one of her main function as the Assistant Secretary of Finance is to advise the Regional Executive Officer on financial matters, among other functions. When asked by the prosecutor if any training was done during the period of 2011 and 2015 for public servants, the witness told the court that she is not aware of any training being conducted during that period. She added that if any training was conducted during that period her staff would have had to be a part and she would have been informed. The witness stressed that while it is unusual for training to be done in the region, since persons would have to travel to Georgetown, it is more unusual for Ministers to go into the region to conduct training.

Charged Jennifer Westford

Charged Margaret Cummings

The witness when asked by the prosecutor whether she recalled Dr. Jennifer Westford during the year of 2011 and 2015 going to the region to conduct any staff conference, performance review, year review, skilledbased needs assignments, change acceptances workshop , training for scholarship awardees or social activities,

she answered in the negative. The witness then explained that if any of the activities were ever conducted in her region she would have

known since an invitation would have had to be sent to her and she would have had to select staff from her office to attend the various activities. Attorney-at-law Dexter Todd who is representing the defendants while cross-examining the witness asked her a series of questions. The matter was then adjourned by Magistrate Latchman until March 7 for the continuation of the trial. State Counsel Natasha Backer and Teshana Lake are representing the prosecution. According to facts, Westford of Lot 55 ‘AA’ Victoria Avenue, Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was employed as Minister of Public Service from 2001-2015, while her co-accused was the Prin-

cipal Personnel Officer of the Ministry. Cummings of Lot 709 Section ‘A’ Diamond, EBD was also in charge of the Ministry’s Accounts Departm e n t . It was discovered that on 24 occasions, Westford signed memoranda amounting to $639,420,000 and sent them to the OP for approval. Approval was granted and cheques were prepared and encashed by Bank of Guyana. The monies were requested to carry out various activities throughout the 10 administrative regions. However, personnel from the various administrative regions were contacted and denied ever receiving the cash. Investigations were carried out but the monies were never recovered.

Teen mom poisons self and one-year-old son A 19-year-old mother of Lot 161 Number 59 Village, Corentyne, Berbice is currently a patient at the Skeldon Public Hospital along with her one-year-old infant after she conmsumed a poisonous substance suspected to be gramoxone and feeding the drug to her baby. According to reports, Roshanie Ramlakhan, a housewife, and her husband, Dinesh Singh, 23, a carpenter had an argument on Friday when about 08:30 hrs. On the said date, the victim took her son, Adi Singh, and left their home for an unknown destination.

At approximately 09:30 hrs on the said date, the victim was found lying in the bushes at Number 61 Village in a semiconscious state with a greenish substance emanating from her mouth while her baby was in a sitting position crying uncontrollably. The victim was questioned by ranks at the scene and she revealed that she consumed gramoxone and had given her son some to drink as well. Ramlakhan and her son were escorted to Skeldon Hospital where they were both admitted. Police are investigating.

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

PAGE 12

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 04, 2018

Sunday March 04, 2018

PAGE 13

Kaieteur News

Ram recommends tax incentives to help regions hit by sugar-layoffs Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram has highlighted the lack of planning in the sugar industry over the years while recommending a range of tax incentives that could benefit regions reeling from the economic fallout from the retrenchment of estate workers. Ram was part of panel discussion at Moray House in Georgetown last week that explored solutions for Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) that saw more than 4,000 sugar workers being laid off from the state-run Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). According to Ram, the regional administrations must be involved in the process of solving the socio-economic issues that the former sugar workers and the wider communities will face in the coming months. Ram pointed out that while there will be more efforts to galvanize economic activities through the creation of industrial parks, tax concessions or tax rebates in respect to the employment of former employees should be considered. “If an employer decides to employ former employees of GuySuCo we will give certain types of concessions,” Ram explained.

…PREDICTS RISE IN DOMESTIC SUGAR PRICES

Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram In Regions Six there was the closure of Skeldon and Rose Hall and the closure of the Wales Estate. Ram noted that before the closure of the Sugar estates in Region Six, the population has been declining— from 152,386 in 1980 to 109,431 in 2012. Ram suggested that Regions Three and Six should be listed under Section 2(a) of the Income Tax Act to allow them to access special fiscal incentives. The chartered accountant also recommended tax redemption for organisations that make donations to causes that benefit former sugar employees.

“The situation is not entirely hopeless. Let us not been too pessimistic; let us hope that the Government will come to understand that we have a major national crisis. It requires the commitment and involvement of every single one of us. If we can do that perhaps it will help to mitigate if not solve the problems,” Ram stated. The chartered accountant noted that there are suggestions of small and medium-size businesses providing employment for workers in the region, but the scale of the problem is of such magnitude they will be unable to address the current problems of the likely serious, human and financial cost. SUGAR PRICES & PLANNING Ram stated that with the sugar estates closed, consumers can expect sugar and related product prices to increase on the domestic market. “Unless the Government imposes some sort of price control in terms of domestic sales then we will have domestic sugar prices going up not only directly, but several other items because

sugar forms an important staple in many products used by consumers,” Ram explained. He questioned what the Government’s objectives are by moving to privatize GuySuCo, whose assets and management responsibilities have been turned over to the Special Purpose Unit (SPU)

that has been set up under the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL). The SPU is tasked with examining and articulating the way forward with respect to the divestment of the Skeldon, Rose Hall, Enmore and Wales estates. “In my view to delegate

an important problem like this to an agency is curious, if not dangerous. It is also a people problem. The road ahead is going to be very difficult; it is going to be hard and arduous,” Ram stated. Ram noted that so far there have been several plans, but absolutely no planning. Continued on page 15

PAGE 14

Guyana must prevent burden of unskilled foreigners ...Urgent immigration policies needed - T&T Economist By Abena Rockcliffe-Campbell Money alone cannot develop a country; human resource is always needed. Therefore, in addition to the possible revenue that Guyana stands to get from oil, the country would need more people in order to develop. This fact is highlighted in the comments made by Trinidadian Economist, Dr. Roger Hosein, as he spoke about Guyana’s potential in the fact of a possible economic boom. Dr. Hosein said that in order to facilitate the development of the oil industry and the support infrastructure in the other sector of the Guyanese economy, the country will need a significant inflow of foreign workers. He said that while foreign workers are needed, the Guyana government has to be wary not to attract or allow

A mini health check is the first step to donating blood

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

Trinidadian Economist, Dr. Roger Hosein the wrong set of foreigners to enter the country to live. Dr. Hosein said that without proper immigration policies, “what could happen is that people without the right type of skills can flow into Guyana and in so doing become a burden on the state servicing sector.” Dr. Hosein continued, “The policy makers would want to act urgently to put various measures in place to set the Guyanese economy on the right path to ensure that it is ready for the pending economic boom.”

Millions lost in West Dem. flood Residents from villages stretching along West Coast Demerara, (WCD) are counting their losses while simultaneously trying to recover from two days of heavy tides caused by severe overtopping of the sea walls. As flood water begins receding, residents affected by the recent high tides are cleaning their homes and disposing of items that were damaged as they brace for more high tides expected to last until Tuesday, March 6. In anticipation, some villagers have placed sandbags in front of their homes while other made temporary concrete walls to prevent flood waters from causing further damage. The overtopping was described by residents as the worst in at least two decades. Kaieteur News visited and spoke with residents from the affected areas who noted Ocean View Uitvlugt, WCD was hit the worse. Vijanti, a grocery shop owner said she lost millions of dollars in the flood. She explained that her entire bottom flat, where her business is located, was covered in about three feet of water. “(The water) affected me too much, I lost like close to eight million, my whole shop flood, all in my house and my wall divider damage,” added Vijanti. “When I saw the water, I picked up my purse, my passport and some money and

A Farmer points to the area where his chickens were before they were washed away by the flood. called my sister to come collect me,” the distressed woman told Kaieteur News. As if the flood was not bad enough, Vijanti said someone tried to break into her home on Friday evening. She told Kaieteur News that she was unable to sleep so she decided to sit on the balcony; while there, she said observed someone under a chair. Vijanti said she shouted and the individual ran away. She said she alerted the police and the suspect was later apprehended. Residents told Kaieteur News that the water came so quickly, they were unable to save much. Some persons had to be removed from their homes and placed in temporary shelters set up by the Civil Defence Commission,(CDC) at the Uitvlugt Community Centre and the Uitvlugt Secondary School. While some were able to save a few items, Latchman Rambarran, of 22 Fourth Street, Ocean View, Uitvlugt, said all he could have saved was a refrigerator and some small items, all of which were placed on a table in the yard. Farmers in the area were also severely affected. Sukhdeo said he lost almost all of his animals and crops. “…I lost all my livestock: 200 chickens that were five weeks already, turkeys, ducks and a whole set of baby chickens,” he said. Another resident told Kaieteur News the force with which the water came shattered her downstairs bedroom windows. She was thankful, however, that no one slept in the room that day. A fisherman in the area

Vijanti looks at the damage caused by the flood said he lost $1.1million when his seine was washed into the sea. Villagers said officials from the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Ministry of Health and Communities visited the area and promised to assist residents in the area. Meanwhile, on a visit to the area, Prime Minister (Ag), Carl Greenidge, assessed the damages. He spoke with villagers and distributed disinfectant. Greenidge told the media

that over 300 households were affected yesterday by the overtopping that occurred as a result of the high tides. High tides are expected to continue until Tuesday. Today, tides are expected to be at their peak at around 06:06hrs at 9.2 feet and 18:25hrs rising to 9.1feet respectively. Tomorrow, the tide will be at 9 feet and 19:02 hrs, it is expected to be 8.8 feet high and on Tuesday, 07:16 hrs at 8.7 feet high.

Sunday March 04, 2018

PAGE 15

Kaieteur News

GRPA Announces Winners of Gender-based The Guyana Responsible providing efficient and optiViolence Competition Parenthood Association is a mum SRH services and serves Two students of the St. Joseph High School copped first and second place in the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) video competition titled, ‘Speak Out, Stand Up against GBV’.—Gender-Based Violence. The competition was part of the organisation’s youth project. Students from the Bishops’ High School copped third place with a group presentation. The competition provided the platform for students to use their knowledge to empower and encourage each other to speak out against all forms of violence in society. Contestants had to put together a one-minute video message on social problems such as sexual abuse, verbal/ physical abuse and bullying. They were tasked with explaining and describing those problems and offer advice to their peers on support services offered to victims and send a message to the perpetrators. With 89 points, Tashana Ramnarine, a Grade Eight student of the St. Joseph High School won the competition. Her presentation highlighted physical abuse in the home. She encouraged her peers to report cases of vio-

lence to their teacher or the Childcare and Protection Agency. The eighth grader urged viewers to be on the lookout for children that may display signs of abuse and violence. For her efforts, Ramnarine was awarded a book voucher valued $25,000 from Austin’s Bookstore. Another eighth grader of the same school, Athalia Wrong, copped second place with 84 points. She won for herself a book voucher valued $15,000 with her presentation on bullying and harassment. A group presentation from students of the Bishops’ High School was adjudged third place with 70 points. The students Beyonce Clarke, Ronald Kissoon, Destiny Woodman, and Quanisha Patterson were awarded a $10,000 book voucher for their presentation on bullying in schools Videos were screened by a panel of judges and tallied out of 30 points: 10 points was awarded for comprehension of the content, 10 points for the clarity and quality of the message and another 10 points for creativity. The videos can be viewed on the organisation’s FaceBook page at www.facebook.com/grpagy. Background

non-governmental organisation, which is dedicated to the positive sexual health for all people in Guyana. Through awareness, education, and health services based in a confidential and friendly environment, the Association promotes individual choice, family planning and quality sexual and reproductive health services. The GRPA is also an advocate for sexual and reproductive rights, demanding full human rights for all people to live with dignity and for urgent action to address the denial of sexual and reproductive rights to marginalized groups of persons, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and inter-sexed persons. GRPA was founded in 1973 under the innovative leadership of Olga Byrne. It was established as an educational, training and family planning institution. In 1995, the Association embarked on a more holistic approach to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). In 2014, the GRPA merged with the Family Planning Association of Guyana (FPAG) and striving to fully meet the sexual and reproductive needs of the people of Guyana. Today, it is recognised as a leading SRH organisation,

Prominent speakers for IWD forum On Thursday March 8, 2018, International Women’s Day will be celebrated. “Conversations With Selwyn” (CWS - Connecting With Stories) is hosting an event at the Marian Academy from 18:30hrs to 21:00hrs. The event will be hosted by Red Entertainment and aims to recognise the importance of women in the society; the need to honour them and to inspire the younger generation. The remarkable women who will be sharing their experiences include keynote speaker Ms. Sherry Ann Dixon who is a Lecturer in areas such as confidence build-

ing and assertiveness, a Beauty Specialist, Radio Presenter and Managing Director of Sherry Dixon Consultancy, and Women on the Crossroads CIC UK. Other speakers are Mrs. Rosalind McLymont, Editorin-Chief of The Network Journal. She was an International Trade Reporter and the first female and first Black Managing Editor at The Journal of Commerce, at the time The Economist Group-owned shipping and global trade newspaper. Dr. Asante Leblanc, a general practitioner and certified Medical Herbalist, a graduate of the University of Western

Ram recommends... From page 13 “The planning is elementary at best, opportunistic and without any kind of thinking at worst. We have had some set of plans - Commission of Inquiry, Errol Hanoman, the Clive Thomas plan and we are here with the Special Purpose Unit of NICIL that is in control,” Ram stated. The government recently announced that it is close to securing a loan of some $10B to $15B to fund the operations of the sugar industry via NICIL. The plan is to re-open the estates because investors want to examine the sugar factories in working condition. There have been 70 expressions of interest to purchase the estates. The Coalition Government has indicated that they have injected over $32B in subsidies for the past three years, which placed a financial strain on the country’s coffers.

Ontario and of the Institute of Medical Sciences of Havana, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and her MD. Also Dr. Samantha Tross, who is a part of the six percent of all surgeons in the United Kingdom who are female and the first Black British woman to become a consultant Orthopedic surgeon. Lady A. Anande TrotmanJoseph, a Guyana-born lawyer and gender equality advocate in Grenada who is a member of the Civil Society Advisory Group for UN Women’s Multi-Country Office for the Caribbean, is another speaker. Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, who has meaningfully challenged policy makers and effectively highlighted many ills such as human trafficking exists in Guyana’s “gold bush”, will also be among the speakers. Given the caliber of the speakers “Now PressforProgress” promises to be an exceptional experience. “Conversations With Selwyn” was founded in 2012 by Selwyn Collins who is an author, broadcaster, motivator and mentor; part of its mission is to empower people.

to educate, inform, assist and advocate for sexual and reproductive rights. The GRPA is a Member Association of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). It has Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council and is a recipient of a National Award - the Medal of Service (for service of a consistently high standard).

PAGE 16

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

US teacher trainers for Berbice literacy confab In promoting and supporting Literacy in Region Six, East Berbice Corentyne, the Department of Education in collaboration with the Medgar Evers College of New York will host a three-day inaugural 'Regional Literacy Conference' under the theme 'It’s all about the children'. The conference will commence tomorrow and conclude on Wednesday, March 7, 2018. Each day, it is scheduled to begin at 8:30 hrs and

ends at 15:00hrs, at the St. Francis Community Developers Conference Centre, Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice. According to Literacy Coordinator, Ms. Simone Dainty, this is one of the many initiatives to be hosted by the Region to improve the literacy performance of pupils at the national levels. With support from overseas-based Guyanese professors from the Medgar Evers College of the City University

of New York, administrative staff from the University of Guyana Berbice Campus, along with present and past members of the central Ministry of Education, this literacy conference is geared to provide professional training and development to teachers and their literacy supervisors. The event is one that caters for teachers of the primary schools in the region, reading teachers from each secondary school and Six-Year Transi-

tional teachers. They will be exposed to an in-depth training to teach the reading components and other subjects of literacy which relate to Language Arts. The teachers will all be exposed to interactive sessions and presentations based on professional deportment, special education and learners' welfare matters. According to Dainty, members of the Regional Literacy Committee and Infant Field Officers will also receive

special training to enhance their competence and abilities in supporting and supervising the literacy programme, and in

giving teachers relevant support and guidance in the execution of the literacy curriculum.

African Guyanese to meet on UN IDPAD summit Through support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Guyanese organisations will be able to organise an international conference in response to the United Nations mandate addressing the dire circumstances of people of African Descent around the world. IDPAD Summit 2018 brings together experts of African ancestry from more than 25 countries to discuss these five critical areas-- Business and Finance, ICT, Health and Wellness, Education and Culture, and Human Rights and Geopolitics. The goal of the confer-

ence is to chart a way forward on these issues for the consideration of national and civil society leaders on the Continent and throughout the Diaspora. African Guyanese organisations including the ACDA, Reparations Committee, Pan African Movement (Guyana Branch), Cuffy 250 Committee, IDPADA, and representatives from Linden, Buxton, and other village groups have been invited to bring the Guyanese perspective to the discussions. A special effort has been made to engage younger Guyanese, high school, and

university students, in the opening ceremony and other sessions of the conference. IDPAD 2015-2024 was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in a Resolution (68/ 237) adopted on December 23, 2013. The theme of the International Decade is “People of African Descent: Recognition, Justice and Development”. IDPAD Summit 2018, hosted by Guyana, is a response to the call for a sustained programme to address issues that globally are plaguing the African path to equality and prosperity.

Sunday March 04, 2018

PAGE 25

Kaieteur News

Sustained measures being made to arrest hearing loss Twenty years ago the Audiology Department of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) embarked on a campaign to save the nation from deafness and internal social isolation. Today the move is bearing fruit. Deafness across the country begins for many people, sadly, not through injuries, repeated exposure to loud decibel of sounds from the ubiquitous ‘boom boom’ boxes or industrial noise, but from the womb, Dr. Ruth Quaicoe, Audiological Physician at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) explains. “If you are born with hearing impairment, it’s like you are not going to be able to develop speech if you’re not identified in time,” Dr. Quaicoe said in an interview with the Department of Public Information this week. “Hearing impairment is very serious; it depends on what time it is acquired and if the person’s lifestyle and the rehabilitation service available,” the audiological spe-

cialist said. Fortunately in Guyana rehabilitation services are available from birth to help arrest and/or reverse congenital hearing loss. According to Dr. Quaicoe, studies have proven that if a child with hearing impairment does not receive a hearing aid by the age of five years they will not develop speech for the rest of their lives. “It has to do with the brain and sounds going in to develop speech and language, so we try to fit everybody before the age of 5 years old,” Dr. Quaicoe explained. Each child born at the GPHC, the country’s premier referral hospital, is subjected to undergo an automated opto-acoustic emission (AOE) screening within the first 24 hours of birth. This test is again repeated within the first three months to ascertain the final diagnosis.“Caring our hearing is a lifelong mission,” said Dr. Quaicoe as she directed attention to workers who must earn their living in a thundering

Dr Ruth Quaicoe making audiological checks on a newborn at the GPHC industrial sector. “If you work in an environment where there is loud music or machines are loud, after the first few days your ear will try to repair itself so the hearing comes back, so we have a temporary threshold shift, whereby you lose

The Baccoo Speaks The criminal elements in the eastern part of the country are going to find that they do not have the run of the land. Two have already paid the ultimate penalty. More are going to when they attack a household. Unfortunately for them the police would be nearby and would respond. ** The traffic situation should have been better but for a young man who is going

to take a car without the requisite permission. After a spree he would be racing home, hoping that his action would not be noticed. This

would not be. He would crash. ** A current inquiry is going to shed some light on something that had people talking. It would turn out that people attached to the state would be fingered in a massacre. The issue would turn to the persons who authorized the action. Already some of the people involved have left the organization.

your hearing and then it comes back. But after about 10 years the hearing doesn’t come back, the threshold will be lost and all you can rely on is your residual hearing,” Dr. Quaicoe explained. For adults, hearing loss can also be attributed to their chosen lifestyle which includes non-communicable disease (NCDs), smoking and listening to loud music repeatedly, working in noisy industrial settings and of course old-age. Losing one’s ability to hear could have devastating consequences - physically and socially -especially on the latter, where one will be ex-

posed to the disgrace and infamy of stigma. “Hearing loss can be insidious and has been linked to social and health consequences. This has further triggered disturbing repercussions such as social isolation and inability to work and travel,” Dr. Quaicoe said. She said too that while hearing aids have helped to restore hearing for the older persons, the department makes it a priority to ensure that each patient receives counselling to help them to deal with the stain of living with a hearing ailment. The US-based firm Starkey Hearing Foundation

has plugged millions of dollars into the audiological sector to help restore hearing among Guyanese. In the past two years, Starkey has given out some 700 hearing aids to Guyanese and will be back this week to donate another 400 to hearing-impaired persons. On March 6, the team will be at Fort Wellington Hospital, Region 5 (Mahaica/ Berbice) and at the Sophia Exhibition Centre in the capital city on March 7. The free gift of hearing devices comes with lifetime warranty and free batteries for each recipient, and Dr. Quaicoe is hoping that future visits by Starkey will target other Regions of which also desperately need their hearing restored. Dr. Quaicoe reiterated that while early screening is the best practise in preventing hearing loss, there are simple dos and don’ts to follow for maximum care of the human ear. “Don’t clean your ears with cotton swabs; avoid listening to loud music; and when necessary, wear ear protection while working at industrial plants. “DO NOT CONSUME ALCOHOL,” Dr. Quaicoe warned pregnant women. No one wants to cut off from things or people, especially the latter. Guyanese must pay heed to Dr Mark Ross’ statement that “when someone in the family has a hearing loss, the entire family has a hearing problem.”

PAGE 26

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

The capture of wife-killer ‘Frenchie’ By Michael Jordan The phone near my desk rang at around four on the afternoon of Monday, January 9, 2017. The caller was a detective. You remember that man who killed a woman in Herstelling sometime back?” he asked. “Yes,” I said. “We catch him.” I hung up the phone. I was as elated as if I had caught him myself. The man the police had captured, had boasted to me about a murder, then had turned round and threatened me, almost eight years ago. His name was Charles Chapman and they also called him ‘Frenchie.’ This is how the killing happened… Savitri Arjune stepped out of her home at 382 Herstelling, East Bank Demerara at around six-fifteen that morning of March 12, 2009. She then headed east along Rum Shop Street, deserted at that early hour, with the intention of catching a minibus that would take her to her workplace in Georgetown. What the 34-year-old mother of two didn’t know was that death, in the form of an obsessed ex-lover, was literally waiting for her around the corner. Perhaps she was too focused on reaching to work on time to notice the green-andwhite bus parked on the East Bank Demerara Public Road. Just as Savitri neared the end of Rum Shop Street, a slim, fair-complexioned, middle-aged man emerged from behind the bus. A knife

Charles Chapman called “Frenchie” in 2009 (left) and when he was apprehended in 2017 (centre). At right is Savitri Arjune gleamed in one of his hands. Before the terrified woman could flee, the man grabbed her and plunged his knife repeatedly into her body. One of the wounds pierced her heart. Mortally wounded, Savitri Arjune collapsed on the dusty roadway. Her killer then calmly boarded the parked minibus and drove to Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara, where he abandoned the vehicle. The killer had made no attempts to conceal his identity. He was 54-year-old Charles Chapman, called ‘Frenchie’. He was a former soldier and former seaman who now drove a minibus. He was also the murdered woman’s reputed husband. Their eight-year-relationship had been a turbulent one. Arjune’s relatives claimed that ‘Frenchie’ was obsessive, and physically abusive, and repeatedly threatened to kill her. In fact, he had nearly carried out his threat just a week before when he slashed her with a knife. All reports

indicated that Chapman regularly accused his spouse of being unfaithful and of squandering his money. Chapman had also threatened to kill Savitri’s close family members and torch their home. Both partners had filed several complaints at the Providence Police Station. Chapman was charged at least once for assaulting Arjune, while Arjune was charged for damage to property after she smashed the windscreen of a minibus that Chapman had owned. But the warring couple would always settle the matters out of court. However, matters reportedly came to a head when Savitri announced that she was severing the relationship. That, and suspicions of infidelity, triggered ‘Frenchie’s’ killing frenzy. Most of this was told to me by Savitri’s grieving family. They gave me something else: The number for the killer’s mobile phone. I dialed the number almost

as soon as I had returned to the office. It had been about two hours since Savitri Arjune’s murder. Maybe the killer had switched off his phone. Maybe he wouldn’t answer. M a y b e — A man answered. “Frenchie?” I asked. “Yes,” the man said. “What happened to you and the woman?” I asked. “Ah kill she,” he replied. I gave him a false name and told him that I knew him from the army. This seemed to reassure him and he began spewing out his version of the events that led to Savitri’s d e a t h . ‘Frenchie’ said that he befriended Arjune in 2000. At the time, he was a seaman and was making a lot of money. He was residing in Berbice with his wife and family. But ‘Frenchie’ left his wife and began to live with Arjune at Herstelling. According to him, he splurged large sums of cash on his lover, but claimed that he eventually discovered that she was unfaithful to him, and was also physically and verbally abusive. ‘Frenchie’ claimed that they broke up in 2004 and he decided to return to his wife’s home. “Meh wife accept me back and I carry me things to Berbice.” But then ‘Frenchie’ said he rekindled his relationship with Arjune after she contacted him. ”Frenchie’ told his wife that he had landed a job on a ship. Instead, he rented a house in Herstelling “and put her (Arjune) in it”. But he told me that her infidelity continued and he also ran into financial trouble to the extent that he was unable to pay his rent and his phone was disconnected. He said that three weeks before the murder, Arjune walked out on him and returned to her mother’s place. ‘Frenchie’ confessed that he had harboured thoughts of killing Arjune and her family. He said he finally “tripped out” when he looked over

from his home to the house where Savitri was staying and observed that she was laughing at him. “The family laugh at me and I just trip, and I decide to do it,” he claimed. On that morning of March 12, 2009, ‘Frenchie,’ accompanied by the owner of the bus he drove, parked the vehicle on the Herstelling road, since he knew that Arjune would pass at that time on her way to work. He was armed with his ‘blade.’ According to ‘Frenchie’, he indicated to the bus owner that he intended to make Arjune “an example.” The fugitive alleged that he eventually spotted the woman approaching and emerged from the vehicle with the intention of merely holding her. But he said that everything changed when his ex-lover began to scream. He stabbed her. “I try to hold she and she start screaming. “When I pull the ‘blade’ he (the owner and conductor) start run. When I give she de jook, (stab) I tell he (the conductor) reverse and I gun put she in and carry to the hospital.” Instead, ‘Frenchie’ himself jumped in the vehicle and drove away. Afterwards, ‘Frenchie’ said that he informed his wife and other relatives that he had killed Arjune. They reportedly told him “is you life and you done f— it up.” I asked him if he would turn himself in. He said no. “I will not to go to jail and punish. I ain’t going to jail to sit down three, four years (for my case start). I too old fuh that.” The man had admitted to being a killer and of harbouring thoughts of killing others. I decided to try to arrange his capture. After contacting the police and letting them listen in on part of our conversation, I told ‘Frenchie’ that I, an exarmy man like himself, would provide him with funds to help him in leaving the country. We arranged to meet at a popular location in the Stabroek area. He warned me that he had grenades on him, just in case he was being double-crossed. Ignoring his bluff, I caught a taxi and headed to the location. Meanwhile, he remained in touch to ensure that I was still coming. I had a photograph of the suspect, so I was sure I would recognise him. Eventually, I reached the location. There was no sign

of ‘Frenchie.’ He called back shortly after to say that he had gotten suspicious after seeing a policeman he knew and had cancelled the meeting. He made some threatening comments and I responded by taunting him that he only had the guts to kill women. Later that day, ‘Frenchie’ also reportedly made several threatening calls to Savitri Arjune’s family. When I tried to contact him again he had switched the phone off. ‘Frenchie’ fled to Suriname. Meanwhile, I repeatedly printed his story. I wanted to make this arrogant killer uneasy. It would be almost eight years before I would hear of him again. After living in Suriname for a number of years, Chapman slipped back into Guyana. In January 2017, police arrested Chapman at a house at Limlair, Corentyne. He had reportedly been living there for three years with a friend. According to one report, police arrested ‘Frenchie’ after a resident tipped them off. However, another source said that police ranks detained him in connection with a wounding report . The ranks were unaware of Chapman’s identity, but realised that he was not from the area. But they became suspicious after he stated that he was from Herstelling, East Bank Demerara. Under interrogation, Chapman admitted that he was wanted for Arjune’s murder. Chapman, now 62, cut a pathetic figure. The former soldier now sported straggly hair and a beard, and looked nothing like the individual in the photograph that was posted of him several years prior. Three days after his capture, Chapman was remanded to prison. But eleven days later, reportedly suffering from tuberculosis and asthma, Chapman was admitted to hospital, where he succumbed. In death, ‘Frenchie’ had escaped his great fear of having to “punish in jail.” If you have any information about this unusual case, please contact us at our Lot 24 Saffon Street office or by telephone. We can be reached on telephone numbers 22-58465, 2258491, or 22-58458. You need not disclose your identity. You can also contact Michael Jordan at his email address mjdragon@hotmail.com.

Sunday March 04, 2018

PAGE 27

Kaieteur News

==THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN==

The words of the Chinese Ambassador should make us feel ashamed Last week, I was talking to one of the executives of the AFC and in just in a random remark, asked about Minister David Patterson. I was told he was in Ireland. If you do the research you will find that the president, the prime minister and their ministers, within a two-year period beginning from June 2015, have travelled abroad extensively. The frequent travel is not an issue. It is what they see in foreign lands that forms the essence of this article. Ireland is a beautiful, physical place (music icon Quincy Jones said two weeks ago it is a terribly racist country). Actor Marlon Brando saw it for the first time, and fell in love with it. My wife spent a short time there and loved their national garden. The point is when you go abroad you see beautiful, ultra-modern infra-

structure that you want your country to have. I was educated at McMaster University and the University of Toronto, and when I came back home and saw what UG looked like, I was sad for the 26 years I spent teaching at UG. If I was given money and told to construct a new building at UG or replace an old existing one anywhere in Guyana, I would want it to be really post-modern and handsome. Why then in the 21st century did Bharrat Jagdeo give Guyanese that ugly bridge at Berbice? It remains a horrible indictment of his presidency. By some weird, psychic contortion, the APNU+AFC regime has emulated the bridge grotesqueness of Jagdeo. This government is putting up a stupid looking harbour bridge in the 21st century that is less attractive than the one that President

Burnham gave us in the 20th century. Our rulers seem to be in a rush to copy the philistinism of the PPP regime. Do our leaders have an aesthetic sense in them? Do you know how aesthetically pleasing it is to stand in the pedestrian lane of the Demerara Harbour Bridge and look at the moonlight dancing on the waves of the river? One night after jogging, I stopped on the high rise section of the bridge, with Engelbert Humperdinck in my ears, and gazed at the moon’s reflection on the river; it was a soulful journey. With the new bridge to be built at Houston, you cannot experience that moment. The new philistines in power are giving us a bridge without a walkway. The Chinese Ambassador told his audience at UG recently that the Houston Bridge is not a 21st cen-

tury thing. As Guyanese we should feel ashamed after listening to and reading what the diplomat said. The point is not money, but ideas. You do not have to build a bridge as large as the one the Ambassador described in China. You can construct a much smaller one that is as beautiful as the large, expensive one the Ambassador pointed to. There is something weird and eerie about Guyana’s post-colonial leaders. How in 2018, can a government whose leaders travel each month in the calendar year in the 21st century, not want to give Guyanese replicas of the lovely infrastructure they see in foreign lands? When Jagdeo was constructing his abomination on the Berbice River, I ‘Googled’ bridges all over the world and saw some coruscating ones in Scandinavia. Was it not logical for Patterson and his president and even some cabinet members to do the same? Did they

look at other structures around the world? The answer is no. Jagdeo did not do it and they did not either. The answer has to be no, because if they had, they could not have come up with that weakling that they will construct at Houston. Our leaders are getting more backward. Our government is putting up a threelevel building two blocks from where I was born – directly at the junction of Winter Place and Croal Street. This is going up on a site next to a supermarket, Dr. Max Hanoman’s clinic and the NIS head office, plus four residential homes. There will be no space to park. Long, long ago President Burnham told close associates that Guyanese have to expand the capital. This is why he put UG at Turkeyen and his party head office in a desolate area, Sophia, that at the time was mostly uninhabited. Why with so much space at Ogle, Plaisance, Turkeyen, Pattensen, Peter’s Hall etc,

Frederick Kissoon does the government want to further congest Georgetown and add to the parking psychosis. It is really a sad state of affairs that no amount of oil money can and will prevent.

PAGE 28

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

The outgoing Top Cop got his wires crossed As Guyana’s Commissioner of Police was preparing to ride off into retirement last week, word broke that the Cabinet had been forced to intervene and stop Mr. Seelall Persaud from granting himself a lucrative and coveted gun dealership license. About a month ago, this issue fortunately engaged Cabinet’s attention, and many at that august forum were astonished to learn that this about-to-retire Commissioner had had the audacity to arrogate onto himself the right to license himself to import, wholesale or retail handguns and highpowered weapons in this country. He would have officially ridden off into a gundealing sunset in April this year. So, he had ‘sent’ his letter of application for the gun shop license to himself; wrote

the reply addressed to himself; ordered himself to proceed through the ‘approval’ process; and then he granted the final approval all by himself for himself. It might well be that Mr. Persaud was confident that he could have sneaked through his gun shop license application undetected. But even to the uninitiated, a gun dealer’s importation permit is a big deal, carrying with it a large measure of trust in the importer/re-saler. But Mr. Persaud got his wires crossed and he was embarrassingly tripped up on Wednesday in front of a watching world connected by instant social media. Someone did the nation a service by leaking to the state media the correspondence Persaud had written to himself. The Guyana Chronicle ran the story with a

front page headline, setting social media abuzz. The fiasco was fodder for the scandalhungry, but it created some embarrassment for Guyana. We can only hope that the entrepreneurs planning to invest in Guyana’s downstream oil and gas businesses, would hesitate before believing that business is done this way in our beloved Guyana. The Chronicle’s expose came on the day of Persaud’s retirement parade, and it revived memories of 2006, the day of (now Minister) Winston Felix’s own retirement parade. The now late Henry Greene had been his PPPanointed successor. During Greene’s career, post-2006, he was accused of all kinds of depravities ranging from abuse of women - police officers and Jane Public, to accepting ‘gifts’ from dubious

characters for special favours. These are accusations he never really denied. Not surprisingly, this all happened during one of the darkest periods in Guyana’s history – 2002 to 2010 when crime reigned supreme. Greene was also believed to have been too close to the underworld, including Roger Khan and his phantom gang. The western Embassies in Guyana were wary. Some warned the Jagdeo administration, reportedly suggesting that Greene be bypassed for the Top Cop post. Instead, Jagdeo verbally rebelled and went ahead with the appointment. The result was that on the very day that the instruments of force power were being handed to Greene, the US Embassy, in their prudent wisdom, cancelled his visa to their country, then someone informed the press. Guyanese were ashamed, not shocked, and not sufficiently outraged. People talked mostly behind cupped hands because they were afraid to speak their minds. Fear of the

government was the order of that day!Like Greene’s, Seelall Persaud’s spotlight was also soiled and dimmed last Wednesday. He spoke after the parade of Police men and women on foot, on ATV’s, bicycles, motor cycles, horses and dogs, attempting to justify his sneaky actions by saying, “At least one other retiring Commissioner did the same thing”. One thing is patently clear. It seems that he had convinced himself that the free-for-all that characterized public office in the early 2000’s was still acceptable. He forgot that the electorate voted the PPP out in 2015 and things changed. One wonders, did he really think that he could successfully slip such an important document past a more vigilant police force? After all, Seelall Persaud was only recently under a spotlight (not a good one) during the official Inquiry into the alleged assassination threat against President David Granger. He should have been alerted by the Commission of Inquiry’s reaction to police

testimony that he had inserted himself into the investigation by ordering the release of a suspect in custody even though he (Persaud) was on leave at the time. He should have figured that by being sent twice on administrative and forced leave for further investigations, it would not be his business as usual. Here is a sample from the incredible letter that the Top Cop wrote to himself, a long serving Civil Servant, who has completely ignored the well known fact that a State Board is the only entity authorized to grant approvals of this nature: “Dear Sir, I refer to your application in relation to the above subject and wish to inform you that approval is granted for your business, Professional Outdoors Supplies, to become a registered Firearms Dealer. Please make contact with the Assistant Commissioner Law Enforcement at the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters, in connection with the issuing of the license.”

Sunday March 04, 2018

PAGE 29

Kaieteur News

My column

Support was not there for an abused victim

O

n Thursday I ed ited a story of a man going to court for scalding his son and walking out a free person. The story goes that the mother and the child refused to testify against him. I was angry that a mother would see her son scalded and allow the perpetrator to walk away, leaving the boy with scars that would take him to his grave. I could not understand why. But as they stay in this line of business, behind every story there is a story. When the reporter brought the story I asked her whether she was certain of the facts. I asked her to describe the actions of the mother and her child while they were before the magistrate. The answers were far from pleasing to me. But my perception of the incident changed the next day. For starters, the police were slow to bring charges. To compound the situation, the Child Protection Agency was sadly lacking, although it was kept abreast of what had happened from the start. This scalding took place in November; the perpetrator,

who happened to be the father of the child, did not appear in court until the end of February. The story is remarkable. The child’s mother was out of the country on a government-sponsored course. Her five children were left with their father. When the scalding occurred the father did not deign to take his son to hospital. That task was left to the boy’s fourteen-year-old sister. The mother came home almost immediately and reported the matter to the Police at East La Penitence. According to reports, the police were slow to react. Repeated visits to the police did not improve the situation. That I could not understand. The Department of Child Care and Social Protection were approached. Again the response was slow. The mother was left to her own devices. She has filed for divorce. On the day of the court, she expected support from the child care people. There was none, so the child was left on his own to testify against his father. He was trembling before the magistrate, caught in the pickle of

sending his father to jail. He needed the support, because the matter was in open court. I could imagine the child looking around and seeing the faces of strangers around him. There were the thoughts in his head about the reaction of the public of him sending his father to jail. He could not withstand the pressure. The only option was to decline prosecution; his mother could not pressure him to do so. When she read the report in the newspapers, she hated the impression that she was an uncaring person, that she sacrificed her son for her husband. She said that the situation was different. It was a case of no support. I know that the child protection people are hard pressed, but there must be some way that the people there can spare someone to go to the court with victims. I have not yet spoken to the police to understand why the matter took so long before charges could have been implemented. This brings us to another situation. Here is the child, his siblings and his mother sharing the home with the abuser.

That alone must be uncomfortable, especially since the child must confront his abuser every waking day. In court the man said that the scalding was an accident, but the child knows otherwise. This was the man who, when asked why he did it, showed no remorse. He simply told the woman that her son, his child, knew why. But he told the court that it was an accident. The truth is something else. This woman has filed for divorce and I know that this situation could get ugly. I understand that the man has nowhere to go and that the house is jointly owned by him and his wife. There is bound to be anger. I sincerely believe that the wife is now at risk of serious harm. She has not been able to get a restraining order since the incident, so she must share the home and possibly the bed with her son’s abuser. There must be tension in the

home. There is no protection for the family. This incident caused me to remember two others. Years ago, a child lost his fingers because his father pushed his hands into boiling water because the child took a piece of meat from his plate. The man went to jail but the child because a street dweller. I remember seeing him gambling outside Bourda Market. On another occasion I was at the East La Penitence Police Station where a little boy of no more than nine had become a perpetual runaway. His father was at the police station to collect his son. I asked the man why his son would keep running away. But earlier, I asked the boy about his refusal to stay at home. The man told me a horror story. “He see me kill he mother.” Two incidents that were traumatic to two young boys.

Adam Harris A. A.

This could be a third. To date, the scalded boy has not been counselled, but I don’t think it is too late. As for the mother, she must keep contemplating the fallout from the divorce. There are laws designed to protect children. The people who should be executing the laws have been markedly absent in this case. Perhaps there is a shortage of people, but if this is the case, then something must be done in a hurry.

PAGE 30

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

Ten- point development plan for Guyana’s Frontier Communities (This Editorial is an excerpt from an address by H.E. David Granger, at Kaikan Village, CuyuniMazaruni Region on February 21, 2018) Frontier communities are not solitary outposts. Frontier communities are integral to national defence, national development and national cohesion and unity. Frontier communities are guardians of Guyana’s territorial integrity and national security. They are our first line of defence against any attempt at incursions and invasions. They are the eyes and ears which can alert our defence and police forces about actions which threaten national defence and public security. Frontier communities protect our natural patrimony – our environment, fauna, flora and our minerals – from poachers and illegal loggers and miners.Frontier communities must safeguard our environment. It is an economic resource that belong and should benefit all Guyanese

and for all generations. Frontier communities can play a pivotal role in boosting economic development by incubating trade and contacts with neighbouring countries, help to promote economic growth and generate personal wealth. Frontier communities safeguard public health. Communicable, vector-borne diseases know no borders. Frontier communities must help to protect our citizens the threats of transnational diseases. The provision of public services is a vehicle for enhancing the quality of life of frontier communities. It is a means of reducing the isolation felt and experienced by these villages. Central, regional and local government can combine along the lines of a ten- point plan for frontier villages: · Citizenship: Citizenship entitles every Guyanese to a share in the country’s patrimony, the rights accorded under our Constitution, access to public services and participation in national decision-making. Citizenship commences with registration of births and

continues with the issuance of identification cards, passports and, eventually, death certificates. One of the first acts of my presidency was the establishment of a Ministry of Citizenship. Many births in frontier communities remain unregistered because of the long distances and high costs associated with registration. Every resident in a frontier community must to be registered and provided with a birth certificate and, eventually, a national identification card and passport. · Economy: Frontier Communities have the potential to produce food on a commercial scale. Food competitiveness in frontier regions, however, is constrained by high cost of transport and rate of spoilage owing to the distance from the farm to the market. Food production and food manufacturing can generate employment and reduce the need for migration. Frontier villages, by adding value to their food production through agro-processing, will enhance their competitiveness and boost their village economies. Your

government will be encouraging initiatives to boost agroprocessing in frontier villages. · Education: Education is the basis for increased economic opportunities for our children. Education is a means out of poverty. Education equips students with the knowledge, skills and values needed to become productive citizens and contribute to their well-being, that of their families and their communities. Kaikan, like all other frontier villages, must ensure that every child attends school and completes his or her education. Your government will promote the objective of ‘every-child-in-school’, by supporting the provision of materials, uniforms and transportation. · Human safety: Frontier villages must become safer communities. Frontier villages need protection against the threats of contraband smuggling, drug-, guns- and people-trafficking and the invasions by ‘sindicatos’ and armed criminal gangs. Central, regional and local administrations must work with residents to help improve the security of frontier villages. · Communications: Information technology will close the gaps of distance between frontier villages and the rest of the country. ICT will allow for improved communication and the enhancement of services to frontier villages. Government will ensure that all frontier communities are connected and enjoy improved communication and telecommunication services. · National defence: Frontier villages will be protected against external threats, including from criminal gangs which operate from bases

outside of our territory. Residents of Kaikan are encouraged to join the People’s Militia so as to help secure our borders and our territory, respond to emergencies and retard attacks by roving armed criminal syndicates. Venezuela, as you are aware, has a claim against our territory for 52 years. Guyana, in accordance with the provisions of the Geneva Convention of 1966, has taken had asked the Secretary General of the United Nations to choose a means of peaceful settlement. It is Guyana’s considered position that the ‘good office’ process, and all other peaceful measures except resort to the court, had been exhausted. The UN Secretary General has chosen the International Court of Justice as the means to solve the controversy which has developed because of Venezuela’s claim. Guyana looks forward to a successful outcome of this process for Guyana. · Public health: Frontier villages, as ports and points of entry and exit, are prone to the spread transnational diseases. Public health and port health services will be enhanced, at frontier villages, so as to prevent the spread of communicable, vector-borne diseases – such as dengue, chikungunya, malaria and zika – across our frontiers. · Public infrastructure: The infrastructure, particularly transportation infrastructure – aerodrome, bridges, roads, stellings and landings will be progressively improved, within frontier villages so as to ensure the efficient movement of goods, services and people.Infrastructure development will help to reduce inequalities and improve trade across regions and between

the hinterland and the coastland. · Social cohesion: Guyana’s frontier villages are predominantly populated by persons of indigenous descent. Guyana has nine indigenous nations, each with its own language. Guyana indigenous peoples have rich cultural customs and traditions. The culture, including language, of our indigenous peoples must be preserved. Greater use of indigenous languages on the Regional Public Broadcasting Service (RPBS) radio stations and within our schools must be promoted. We will ensure a system of inclusivity, one that respects differences and celebrates our diversity. · Social protection: The provision of social protection services is a means of safeguarding our vulnerable population, including the elderly, the disabled and those experiencing difficulties. Pensioners should not have to travel long distances at great expense to uplift their pensions. The Regional Administration must cooperate with the village administration to ensure that residents entitled to pensions and social assistance is accessible within their communities This ten-point village improvement plan for our frontier villages aims at ensuring access to public services in the areas of citizenship, registration and immigration, education, human safety, information communication technology, national defence, public health, public infrastructure, social cohesion and social protection. The plan aims, also, at encouraging increased employment and food security through agro-processing.

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

Dog and Cat bites: Doing the right things can prevent serious complications

By Dr Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine Dog bites are the most common type of animal bite. Studies show that of the people who attend emergency departments with bites, an average of 7 out of 10 have dog bites. Cat bites are less common. Around 10 out of every 100 people attending emergency departments with a bite have been bitten by a cat. In Guyana, there has been an increase in dogs and cats in homes. As a result we are seeing more bites, especially dog bites. Today we will discuss these two types of bites. Hopefully we will be able to minimize complications associated with them. WHO IS AT RISK OF GETTING BITTEN? Bites are caused most often by the owner’s own pet or an animal known to them. Boys get bitten more than girls. Children are most commonly affected. Children are more likely to be bitten on the head or neck and are therefore more likely to have the more serious bites. Severe dog bites occur most often in children under the age of 5 years.Some dogs are more dangerous than others. Those thought to be most dangerous include Rottweilers, Pit bull terriers, and German Shepherds, but even small dogs can inflict serious

bites. Many animal bites are unprovoked. However, animals are more likely to bite if they are frightened, suddenly disturbed, or feel threatened. Dog and Cat bites: Doing the right things can prevent serious complications WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I AM BITTEN? You should clean the wound no matter how small the cut to the skin. There are many germs (bacteria) in animals’ mouths. Cleaning will reduce the chance of infection. If the wound is small, you can clean it yourself. Just use ordinary tap water. Let it bleed freely, unless the bleeding is very heavy. If the wound is bleeding heavily, use a clean pad, or preferably a sterile dressing, to apply pressure until you can get medical treatment. Wounds that are large, deep, punctured or dirty, are best cleaned and assessed by a nurse or doctor. WHEN SHOULD I SEE A DOCTOR? For all bites which break the skin, it is sensible to see a doctor for assessment. Unless it is a very trivial bite, it is wise to seek medical advice. Get yourself or your child assessed after a cat or dog bite if: · The bleeding is heavy (go to hospital right away if you can’t stop the bleeding).

· The wound is wide or deep. · You have been bitten by a cat. · The bite is on the head of a small child (go to the hospital right away) · The bite is on your face or ears or hands. · There is a possibility the dog or cat has rabies. · You have not had a complete course of tetanus immunization, or if your booster is due. · The skin around the bite has become red or hot, or if the wound is oozing. · You develop a high temperature (fever) after a bite. · Your immune system is not working properly (for example, due to medication, chemotherapy, diabetes, or AIDS). · You have an artificial heart valve or a replaced joint. WHAT MAY HAPPEN WHEN I GO TO THE HOSPITAL? The wound can be properly assessed and cleaned. If part of the wound has dead or damaged skin then it may need to be trimmed or removed. This is because infection is more likely to develop in dead skin.Do not be surprised if the doctor does not stitch or close up a dog or cat wound immediately. For many bites it is safer to let them heal on their own. For some bites in some parts of the body it is common practice to wait for a few days before closing the

wound. This is particularly the case if the wound is more than six hours old. This is to make sure the wound is not infected before closing it up. A wound that becomes infected after it has been stitched or closed up, can cause serious complications. After the wound is cleaned, a clean dressing is normally applied. Large, severe or deep bites may require an operation to clean the wound and repair underlying structures that may be damaged, such as tendons. A short course of antibiotics may be prescribed to prevent infection developing. All cat bites are treated with antibiotics, because they have a higher risk of developing infection. WHATARE THE POSSIBLE

COMPLICATIONS? Infection is common after dog and cat bites. Infection can be in or around the wound, causing redness or swelling. Or it may spread away from the original bite, to affect more areas of skin, or tissue nearby such bone or through the bloodstream to other parts of the body. Rarely, this can go on to cause infections of the brain or the heart, or throughout the body. Rarely, other infections, such as tetanus or cat scratch disease can be complications. Although rare, animal bites can be fatal. This may occur if the bite involves a vital blood vessel and a lot of blood is lost. It may occur if there is widespread infection as mentioned above. It is a particular risk in small infants,

PAGE 31

Dr. Zulfikar Bux whose skulls are soft, if they have a severe bite on the head. If you decide to go against advice and start to feel unwell with a high temperature (fever), shivers, or other worrying symptoms within a week or so after a dog or cat bite, then do not hesitate to go to the doctor. It is a sign that you have developed a serious infection that can be life-threatening. My hope is that you will not wait that long after reading today’s article.

PAGE 32

SUNDAY SPECIAL ExxonMobil attempts to mislead nation with ad In an advertisement published on page two of today’s edition, USA oil giant, ExxonMobil attempts to mislead the citizenry on several aspects of oil deal it has with Guyana. In the ad, ExxonMobil says that its US$460M bill for pre-contract costs is not a trap; that it is invested in discovering Guyana’s oil future. Yet, other nations like Chad, Tanzania, Ghana, Indonesia and Uganda have strongly rejected such bills as well as prevented oil companies like Exxon from recovering costs prior to the date of discovery. Many nations have also guarded against the costs of unsuccessful exploration through the use of adequate ring-fencing provisions. Guyana does not have this in place. The company went on to state that it enjoys “limited” Duty free concessions. But this is far from the truth. The company enjoys duty free concessions galore. It does not have this privilege in other countries. Further, ExxonMobil says that the Government of Guyana has extensive rights to visit its operations. But what it fails to mention is that there are other nations which do not have to provide notice at all. Uganda for example, retains the right to visit the operations of oil companies at any time. This is also the case in Ghana, where ExxonMobil recently signed an oil deal. ExxonMobil also says that Government has “strong” audit rights. What it fails to tell Guyanese is that the Government can only conduct one audit per year. It also fails to state that Guyana is not able to access documents about operations here which may be in nations with nondisclosure laws. Other countries have guarded against being prevented from accessing information in such jurisdictions. What is also worse is the fact that Guyana’s royalty, rental and training fees, signature bonus and fees for an environmental fund represent a gross insult when compared to what ExxonMobil has given to other “frontier” nations. Additionally, ExxonMobil continues to state that the contract does not exempt it from any new laws or otherwise. This is false. The oil contract specifically states, “After the signing of this agreement…the Government shall not increase the economic burdens of the Contractor under this Agreement by applying to this agreement or the operations conducted there under any increase of

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

Chartered Accountant, Nigel Hinds or any new petroleum related fiscal obligation, including but not limited to, any new taxes whatsoever, any new royalty, duties, fees, charges, VAT or other imposts.” ExxonMobil strangles Guyana with Stability Clause but has none with Ghana Foreign companies often advocate the use of a “stability clause” in the quest for certainty of contractual provisions. This clause seeks to secure the oil contract and benefits therein for the oil operator, against future government action or changes in the law. Stabilization clauses freeze the essential provisions of the contract. Different countries have used various forms of this clause. Ghana for example, has from time to time, used a version of the stability clause which allows for changes of contract terms by mutual consent. But in a recent oil deal ExxonMobil signed with the Government of Ghana, the American company had no objection to the absence of a stability clause in its contract. In fact, company officials deemed the contract during the signing in January to be a “very good deal” for the people of Ghana. In Guyana’s case however, one gets the distinct impression that ExxonMobil went above and beyond to strangle Guyana’s parliament and future governments with the use of a rigid stability clause. This was pointed out in the writings of Chartered Accountant and anticorruption advocate, Chris Ram. The lawyer said that Article 32 of the GuyanaExxonMobil oil deal speaks to the stability clause. The Chartered Accountant said that when one compares the Janet Jagan Agreement to the 2016 Trotman Agreement, one notices several worrying additions in the latter. The anticorruption advocate said that additions to the 2016 Agreement only serve

Minister of Natural Resources, Rapheal Trotman the interest of Exxon Mobil as it limits the role of the government in applying new laws made in the petroleum sector. Ram revealed that if Guyana were to amend any of its laws which would affect the entity’s operations then the Government would have to restore the benefits so lost. Ram noted that the Stability Clause provides, inter alia, “that any delay by the government to respond to any notification from the contractor that they may have suffered any adverse effects can result in the contractor taking the matter to arbitration.” The Chartered Accountant added, “In such a case, the arbitral tribunal is authorized to modify the agreement to reestablish the economic benefits under the Agreement to the Contractor. Where such restoration is not possible, the tribunal has the power to award damages to the Contractor that fully compensates for the loss of economic benefits under the Agreement, both for past as well as future losses.” 10% royalty on oil production should be Guyana’s top priority – Hinds In order to capitalize on oil discovery here, the Government of Guyana must renegotiate the current petroleum agreement with ExxonMobil and its affiliates to reflect an increase from a two percent royalty to 10 per cent. This view was shared by Chartered Accountant, Nigel Hinds, who provided Kaieteur News with a detailed breakdown of opportunity losses from Guyana’s acceptance of a two percent royalty. Hinds cited the recent comments from Dr. Jan Mangal, Advisor on Petroleum to President David Granger, who outlined that globally, royalty is more between 10 percent and 20 percent. Dr. Mangal had noted that in some countries, the royalty is much higher than 20 percent. It was on this premise that Hinds suggested that the Government replaces the two percent royalty with 10 per

cent in the Petroleum Agreement. ”This should be our first, second and third priority,” Hinds stated. The Chartered Accountant reasoned that the current two percent places Guyana in the unrealistic S***H*** category, using U.S. President Donald Trump’s terminology. He stated that Guyana has received “frontier” status as per oil Industry analyst – Wood McKenzie. According to Hinds, it is highly reasonable that as a “frontier” status country, Guyana accepts 10 percent, the lowest end of the royalty range, as referenced by Dr. Mangal. Hinds stated that at least the 10 percent will give Guyana the funding to invest in health, education, security, employment, old age pension, infrastructure, support of old and new industries; befitting a country that has over four billion barrels of the lowest cost recoverable crude oil and highest quality crude oil in all the Americas, Africa and probably worldwide. It is Hinds’s view that it is not the best strategy now to wrangle with ExxonMobil on a multitude of issues. ”We should be laser focused on changing the royalty to 10 percent and dislodging the ineffable pre-contract cost,” Hinds noted. He opined that matters such as inflated costs, the rights of a parliamentary oversight committee, fiscal and concession terms review, verification of cost recovery, local content issues, additional environmental protection regulations, windfall profit tax, self-insurance by oil companies, tracking the inflow of oil funds, court action to renegotiate the Petroleum Agreement, and the granting of an oil production licence without a local content plan are all refinements that pale in comparison, for a change to the abusive two percent royalty.

“windfall profits” in the future. This clause insulates ExxonMobil from any new taxes or laws or fees not agreed to in the contract. But while the nation is prevented from fully benefitting from higher than expected revenues, ExxonMobil gets to profit from favourable changing conditions in the oil market. This was also confirmed by Chartered Accountant and anticorruption advocate, Chris Ram. “The question of whether there should be a windfall or normal profit tax really revolves around the issue of the fiscal regime and the level of the government take…But the tax you talk of is prevented by the stabilization clause,” Ram said. ”We lost out on that because of the stabilization clause…” ‘ S T R A N G U L AT I O N CLAUSE?’ Ram in his recent writings has also deemed the Stability Clause to be a ‘Strangulation Clause’. The columnist said it is unthinkable that any government would sign on to an agreement which insulates an operator from any new law or tax that the Parliament approves. He also noted that the clause can even be deemed as anti-Constitution. Additionally, the Chartered Accountant said that when one compares the Janet Jagan Agreement to the 2016 Trotman Agreement, one notices several worrying additions in the Trotman Agreement.Ram said that additions to the 2016 Agreement only serve the interest of ExxonMobil, as it limits the role of the government in applying new laws made in the petroleum sector. Ram revealed that if Guyana were to amend any of its laws which would affect the entity’s operations then the Government would have to restore the benefits that are lost. Guyana paying ExxonMobil to exploit its resources – Nigel Hinds

MONDAY Chartered Accountant,

Nigel Hinds said that ExxonMobil has been able to outsmart Guyana. He said that the company is now making Guyana pay it to exploit its resources when the company should be the one paying. Guyana is now hurrying to put measures in place to monitor and assess cost recovery claims. However, it has already tied itself to the repayment of US$460,237,918. This is according to the 2016 Petroleum Sharing Agreement (PSA) that Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, signed with ExxonMobil. Annex C of the PSA deals with Cost Recovery. One of the many expenses that Guyana will have to stand is what is referred to as “precontract cost.” Hinds recently told Kaieteur News that one of the most “wholly unacceptable” features of the PSA that Guyana signed with ExxonMobil is the pre-contract cost of US$460,237,918. He said that the quoted sum should be absorbed by ExxonMobil. The pre-contract cost is referred to in the contract as the “cost incurred by contractor with petroleum cooperation carried out pursuant to the 1999 Petroleum Agreement.” “This pre-contract cost being foisted on our Government by Exxon in the form of an invoice is fantastical and absurd.” ”Was Exxon late in their billing? Is the invoice period from 1999 to 2015/2016/2017? Has there ever been such a first invoice covering seventeen years?” Hinds said that from the look of things, it seems as if Guyana is being asked to pay ExxonMobil a special “Oil Discovery Bonus”. ”Things seem upside down here and the back is now the front, the payee is now the payer.” In previous commentary, the chartered accountant said that it is simply unheard of for a company to just quote a (Continued on page 33)

Not a cent more for Guyana if oil price increases– ExxonMobil Oil Agreement Not a cent more… That’s what Guyana will be getting if international oil prices rise, thanks to the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) the Government has signed with ExxonMobil. That agreement prevents the Government from taxing “higher than expected profits”, which is likely to occur when international oil prices are high. The contract’s ‘stabilization clause’ is what prevents Guyana from securing such

Chartered Accountant, Chris Ram

Sunday March 04, 2018

Nigel Chung (foreground) and his son, Ricky Chung From page 32 figure to be paid, whether by another company, a person, or a government, without at least giving a breakdown of the expenses. ”There seems to be no science in the mathematics used to arrive at these figures; it’s more like numbers sourced from an alternate universe.” TUESDAY Carjacking investigation…. Bodywork man, son face charges of changing chassis numbers As the investigation continues into carjacking rings, a father and son are the latest persons to be brought before the court. Nigel Chung, 43, and Ricky Chung, 23, both of Lot 5 Coverden, East Bank Demerara, were Monday arraigned before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, after being slapped with two charges of imitation of identification markings. Particulars of the first charge alleged that the two men, between August 17, 2017 and February 13, 2018, at Georgetown, fraudulently used a forged chassis number on a registered Toyota Spacio motor vehicle, knowing same to be false. It was further alleged that between December 9, 2017 and February 10, 2018, at Georgetown, the duo fraudulently used a forged chassis number on a registered Toyota Allion motor vehicle, knowing same to be false. Both defendants denied the allegations after they were read to them by the Magistrate. They are being represented by Attorney- at-law

PAGE 33

Kaieteur News

Dexter Todd, who asked that bail be granted to his clients. He told the court that his clients operate a welding shop and they fully cooperated with the police. The lawyer added that the two vehicles that were found in his clients’ possession were taken to them for them to remove the old chassis numbers and replaced them with new ones. Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore had no objection to bail being granted to the defendants, but asked that it be in a substantial amount, and that they report to the CID Headquarters every Friday. Facts presented by the Prosecutor stated that the defendants operate a welding shop at Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, and two vehicles – PPP 82 and PMM 7517 – were taken to them to remove the chassis numbers and replace them with new ones. ExxonMobil agrees to give Ghana quarterly reports on all tendered contracts …makes no provision for this in Guyana’s oil deal In order to prove to the Government of Ghana that it is using local products and services to a significant degree, U.S. oil giant, ExxonMobil agreed to submit reports on all tendered contracts. But Guyana’s Government would not benefit from this kind of information, since the deal it signed with Exxon is dissimilar on this front. In fact, ExxonMobil has no specific procurement or purchasing guidelines in the contract it has with Guyana. In the African State of Ghana, however, the situation is quite different. Exxon Mobil agreed that following consultation with the Petroleum

Commission, it would submit an annual Local Content Plan. That plan would include the engagement and utilization of Ghanaian subcontractors for the provision of goods and services, and the employment and development of qualified Ghanaian citizens. Both parties agreed that the capacity of local suppliers in the Ghanaian market will be assessed periodically by a qualified international third

party and the results of the assessment will be presented to the Petroleum Commission as part of the Local Content Plan of the operator. Furthermore, ExxonMobil is also expected to require its Subcontractors to acquire materials, equipment, machinery, and consumer goods produced or provided in Ghana by an Indigenous Ghanaian Company which are: (1) equivalent in terms of quality, quantity, availability, delivery, safety, and other commercial terms as foreign materials, equipment, machinery, and consumer goods; and (2) available for sale at prices which are no more than 10 percent higher than the imported items, including transportation and insurance costs and customs charges due. Its subcontractors are also required to contract local services provided by an Indigenous Ghanaian Company to the extent to which: (1) the services they provide are equivalent in terms of quality, availability, safety, and other commercial terms as those available from foreign contractors; and (2) their prices, when subject to the same tax charges, are no more than 10 percent higher than the prices charged by foreign contractors for similar services. When ExxonMobil is finished with that, it must sub-

mit to Ghana’s Petroleum Commission, a report on the services it contracted on a quarterly basis. WEDNESDAY President’s office to take over oil portfolio from Trotman – Seven Exxon wells have now struck oil Government has announced another successful strike (the seventh) in the oil search by ExxonMobil and its partners. It was also announced Tuesday by Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, that he will soon be relinquishing the portfolio of oil to the Ministry of the Presidency. That decision was as a result of the administration reeling from severe criticisms of the current production agreement it has with ExxonMobil and partners. Trotman, especially, has come for some scalding as he is a lawyer who should have known better, critics said. Daily, the newspapers and its letter pages have been filled with misgivings over the deal. The government is accused of penning an agreement that when compared to the rest of the world, is one of the weakest contracts with very little for Guyana despite

the magnitude of the find. On the other hand, Government officials have said that there was very little they could have done to the renewal which was inked by another government, in 2012. With regards to the oil portfolio, the Minister, in a taped statement, following the weekly Cabinet meetings Tuesday, disclosed that last year, he proposed to President Granger that Guyana begin considering the establishment of a Department of Energy. This department will be focusing only on the development of the petroleum sector, Trotman stressed. Tuesday, the matter came up in Cabinet again. There was a “lively discussion” on the proposal. According to the Minister, it was decided and determined that Government will have the Department of Energy established in the next few months. That department, Trotman revealed, will be housed at the Ministry of the Presidency. Trotman is the current leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), the smaller of the two factions forming the Coalition Government. The Minister said that Cabinet has mandated that he heads a Task Force comprising Finance Minister, Winston Jordan; State Minister, Joseph Harmon and Public (Continued on page 34) The Lucky drillship, Stena Carron

PAGE 34

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

From page 33 Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson, that will oversee the establishment of the department. That task force could eventually see participation from the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Public Telecommunications and the Ministries of Education and Social Protection. Ghana ties ExxonMobil with strict environmental regulations …none of which are in Guyana’s oil contract All Production Sharing Agreements (PSA) speak to the obligations of the oil operator when it comes to protecting the environment. But the responsibilities of the contractor may vary from contract to contract. This is evident when one compares the PSA ExxonMobil signed with Ghana to that which it inked with Guyana. In the case of Guyana, ExxonMobil is merely told that in the conduct of its operations, it is expected to take “necessary and adequate precautions” in accordance with good international petroleum industry practice, against pollution and the protection of the environment and the living resources of the rivers and sea. But merely uttering these sentiments in a PSA was not good enough for Ghana. In fact, the Government of that African nation was careful to point out exactly what it expects ExxonMobil to do as it relates to environmental safeguards. The Ghana-ExxonMobil contract says that the Contractor shall exercise its rights and carry out its responsibilities under the Agreement in accordance with International Oil Field Practice, and shall take steps in such manner as to: result in minimum ecological damage or destruction; control the flow and prevent the escape or the avoid-

Outgoing Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud inspecting the Guard of Honour at Thursday’s fairwell ceremony able waste of Petroleum discovered in or produced from the Contract Area; prevent damage to Petroleum-bearing strata; prevent the entrance of water through boreholes and wells to Petroleum bearing strata, except for the purpose of secondary recovery; prevent damage to onshore lands and to trees, crops,buildings, or other structures; and avoid any actions which would endanger the health or safety of persons. In the event of pollution or damage to fresh water, marine, plant, animal life, or land that is caused by Contractor as a result of Petroleum Operations; ExxonMobil, in accordance with applicable laws and International Oil Field Practice, is expected to promptly take all necessary measures, in accordance with International Oil Field Practice to control the pollution, to clean up Petroleum or other released material, or to repair, to the maximum extent fea-

sible, damage resulting from any such circumstances. What Ghana also makes clear to the contractor is that any oil spill or damage to the environment caused directly from the Gross Negligence/ Willful Misconduct of Contractor shall be borne by ExxonMobil and cannot be considered as recoverable costs or part of petroleum costs. Guyana’s contract does not make provisions for this. Furthermore, Ghana’s contract states that prior to commencing drilling of the first Exploration Well, the Contractor shall conduct a baseline environmental study of the degree of pollution in the relevant portion of the Contract Area to determine the environmental conditions existing therein. The contract says, too, that the terms, timing, and procedure of such baseline environmental study shall be set forth in an approved Work Programme and budget.

Top Cop Seelall Persaud and Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan at Thursday’s farewell ceremony at Eve Leary

Guyana’s contract with ExxonMobil makes no mention or provision for this. Bankers’ Association working with authorities to halt attacks on customers – as businessman robbed after leaving banks The Guyana Association of Bankers says that it is working with “the relevant authorities” to stop the spate of recent robberies on its customers. The statement came a day after gunmen relieved a Drysdale Street, Charlestown businessman of $2M shortly after he visited two commercial banks at Diamond, East Bank Demerara. Police said that Jonathan Alli, 30, who owns a grocery and confectionary establishment at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, and an employee Dexter Cyrus, drove his bus to the GBTI branch around 12:10 hours on Tuesday. Alli changed two cheques

valued at $1.5M. The men then went to the Demerara Bank in the same area, where Alli changed a $500,000 cheque. The businessman and employee then drove to Alli’s Drysdale Street residence. Just as they exited the bus, a silver-grey car, with licence number HC 4682 stopped nearby. Three men, including one with a handgun, ordered Alli to hand over a bag containing the money. The robbers also relieved Alli and his worker of their cell phones before escaping. In its release, the Guyana Association of Bankers (GAB) stated that it was “deeply concerned about the escalating incidence of persons being targeted after conducting financial transactions at commercial banks.” ”We strongly condemn these incidents, and wish to assure our customers and the public at large that we as an industry are working with the relevant authorities and internally with all member banks with a view to arresting this trend.” ”The safety of our valued customers and staff remain paramount among our priorities, and we continue to cooperate with law enforcement in addressing any factors that compromise this position. ”In the interest of safety, we take this opportunity to encourage customers and members of the public to as far as possible, refrain from conducting large cash transactions, and instead, utilise other secured methods of payment, such as manager’s cheques and direct payments. At this time, local security escort services should be considered for persons or businesses which may require

transportation of significant sums.” THURSDAY Top Cop’s firearm licence revoked on farewell day – “I did nothing wrong”, says Commissioner Seelall Persaud Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud ended his tenure as the Force’s 31st Top Cop on Wednesday, in a pomp-filled farewell parade that was held after Government revoked the licence he issued to himself for a private gun dealership. Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan further revoked Persaud’s gun licence after the state-owned Chronicle broke a story which revealed that Persaud had written an application letter to himself, then granted himself approval for his business, Professional Outdoor Supplies, to be a registered firearms dealership. Ramjattan attended the ceremony, which was held at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary. However he refused to respond to questions about his decision. But speaking with journalists after the ceremony, outgoing Commissioner Persaud insisted that there was nothing unethical in his actions. ”Some officer give them (the Chronicle) some information that they quoted and it shocked them. I guess people are easily shocked these days.” ”If you look historically, over the last 25 years, you would see that all the Commissioners (of police), maybe with the exception of one, (Continued on page 35)

Sunday March 04, 2018

From page 34 granted themselves firearm licences. So it’s not anything new, and we live in a society today, where one set of circumstances is good for one person, but not good for another,” Persaud said. ”Regarding the firearm dealership licence, in the 1980s there was a Commissioner who granted himself dealership licence, so there is precedence. However, I was discouraged from going ahead with it.” Repeatedly insisting that he had done nothing unethical, Persaud added: “No, there is precedence, it happened with all the Commissioners; (but) something is wrong with this Commissioner that they tell the public that it is wrong.” According to the outgoing Top Cop, he only made the application in January “because the business will only start when I retire, that is in May.” Asked if he was disappointed at the revocation of his gun dealership licence, Persaud said: “It was one line of business I was contemplating, but I have a lot of experience, a lot of credibility, so I am very confident; I’m saying I am very comfortable. I don’t think I will reapply. I don’t think I would pursue this. It is not significant.” Govt. takes back forest lands granted under PPP/C – Area intended for conservation purposes A swath of forest area that should have been kept for conservation purposes, but was somehow allocated, has been taken back by authorities and is to be part of the protected area system. According to the Guyana

PAGE 35

Kaieteur News

Forestry Commission (GFC), in recent data released to the media, some 391,874 hectares had been granted to Simon and Shock Inc., a foreign investor. That concession, granted sometime in 2007 by the then administration of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/ C), was located in the southern part of Guyana, below what is known as the 4th Parallel. No forest area south of that line was supposed to be given out. It was granted to Simon and Shock Inc. (SSI) to develop. However, very little was done. Giving an update of the matter, the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) disclosed last week, that in the last reporting period, 2016, 391,874 hectares or 968,338 acres were allocated as forest concession to Simon and Shock Inc. That area was below the 4th Parallel. ”Following discussions with the company, this area was relinquished, thereby freeing up the entire state forest allocated below this line,” GFC said in a report circulated to the media. The commission explained that following the national policy position for two million additional hectares to be allocated as a protected area, the freeing up of areas below the 4th Parallel, will allow for a broader range of options to be considered for allocation to this national commitment. “Areas below this line have high biodiversity and ecosystem value and are pristine areas of forests,” it was explained. The freeing up of forest lands would have come amid debate on the management of the country’s commercial area left available. There were ac-

Paddy shipment to Mexico about to leave Guyana last July cusations that the previous administration doled out all of the commercially viable area, leaving little. Simon and Shock, prior to 2011, had made a proposal for a US$18M investment which involved infrastructure construction and later transportation of lumber to a processing facility at Annai, Region Nine, where kiln-drying, furniture manufacturing and further processing would take place. Meanwhile, GFC disclosed that last year, two State Forest Exploratory Permits (SFEPs) were issued – to Chinese-owned Rong-An Inc. and Variety Woods and Greenheart Limited. These were converted to Timber Sales Agreement

(TSAs) in the last quarter of 2017 and the companies have commenced commercial production. FRIDAY Mexico ups Guyana paddy quota; now taking rice too Despite the 2015 market loss with Venezuela, Guyana’s rice market is continuing to show signs of stability. Last week, Mexico, an entirely new market, agreed to continue taking more rice and paddy from Guyana. In fact, there was a meeting on Wednesday between officials of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and the Mexican Ambassador, Ivan Roberto Sierra.

The situation around 4:45pm at the two sluices at Uitvlugt Friday

It has been agreed that the Mexican market quota will be increased from 130,000 tonnes to 150,000 tonnes with either rice or paddy that can be shipped. The new agreement, Kaieteur News was told, is valid to the end on 2019. This means that this year, Guyana has the possibilities of exporting up to 150,000 tonnes of rice with a similar amount that has to be supplied next year. Chairman of the Guyana Rice Millers Association, Ragindra Persaud, who is also co-owner of Nand Persaud and Company Limited, when contacted, said he believes this latest approval with Mexico as an emerging market has huge implications for

Guyana. ”It is a major game changer for rice in Guyana. We have been looking for new markets. It also creates further demands- of course a boost to our farmers- and help stabilise price locally and boost exports.” Cabinet approves SPU head as new GuySuCo Chairman Government has decided to go with an entirely new board for its “right-sized” Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). Cabinet reportedly met last week with the issue of the new board brought to the table.There was a list of names (Continued on page 36)

PAGE 36

From page 35 submitted; Cabinet reportedly recommended Colvin HeathLondon as the new Chairman. The life of the new board expires at the end of next year. ”We are very focused on where GuySuCo is headed. It should be profitable and at no cost to the Government of the day. It should bring dividends. We believe that the presence of Mr. Heath-London who has significant experience in financial matters not only in Guyana and but as a Government advisor in Jamaica, will bring us the synergies that we so badly want to this industry,” a senior Government official said Thursday. ”As you know, Mr. HeathLondon was retained to oversee the divestment and privatisation process of four estates that were closed by GuySuCo. He has been helping to find financing for GuySuCo and the left hand must know what the right is doing. ”We have to get it right with GuySuCo and you can’t realistically have a situation where SPU operates on its own and GuySuCo doing its own thing.” According to information seen by this newspaper, last week Cabinet also approved the appointment of 10 other persons to the new board. The names approved are Komal Singh; Verna Adrian; Fritz Mc Lean; Rosh Khan (Jr); George Jervis; Arianne Mc Lean; Vishnu Panday; Annette Arjoon and two GuySuCo executives. SATURDAY Fragile sea defence exposed as tides batter West Coast Dem.- Leonora Hospital temporarily closed, scores affected by ‘worst waves in decades’- Emergency relief centres established Heavy tides, described as the worst in at least two decades, battered the West Demerara area on Friday, leaving scores of homes under water and a hospital out of commission. It would raise alarming concerns about the fragility

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

of the country’s sea defences in the face of an increasing number of similar overtopping incidents in recent times. Emergency workers toiled feverishly at the Leonora Hospital as waters which topped the nearby seawall, flowed through the facilities. The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) was rushed to the area, with two temporary relief centres set up at the Uitvlugt Community Centre and the Uitvlugt Secondary School. The centres will house residents affected by the flooding and will provide breakfast, lunch and dinner, government said. The Leonora Hospital has been temporarily closed due to flooding and the Mildred Cox-Younge Health Centre, also known as the Den Amstel Health Centre, is now operating as a temporary hospital over the next three to seven days. It will facilitate outpatients as well as emergency cases, while the West Demerara Regional Hospital will take the more serious cases. An official update has confirmed that there has been overtopping as a result of high tides in several villages along West Coast Demerara, mainly Uitvlugt, Stewartville and Leonora. It has resulted in flooding in some areas. Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings, a team from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, other Government officials and Colonel Kester Craig of the CDC and his team were on the ground assessing the situation, distributing supplies and sandbags. According to a government statement, the Guyana Fire Service assisted in cleaning and securing the Leonora Cottage Hospital and is also assisting with the distribution of sandbags.“Residents in the affected areas are asked to take all necessary precautions and to stay away from the seawall and sea dams during the high tide. Residents should also avoid all unnecessary contact with flood waters.” Badly affected was the area nearest to the Uitvlugt kokers two of them. Several homes were under water with the flowing waters making it clear that kokers were just too little for Mother Nature. Authorities were warning that precautions should include moving all animals and poultry to higher ground, elevating furniture, appliances, electronic equipment and other valuables in lower flats, unplugging all appliances and electrical equipment in lower flats and using sand bags around doors to buildings. Early yesterday morning, residents battled with sand bags in Uitvlugt, Stewartville

The aftermath on Friday (Ganesh Mahipaul photo)

and Leonora, with drivers seen stopping and gawking at the towering waves which crashed into walls.Fences were reportedly down, with residents reporting damage to kitchen equipment and foodstuff. There were even fences that went down. No way should an int’l airport be regulated by an operator Aviation operative The issues affecting aviation companies operating at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport are piling up. The operators at that port are complaining about the advantage being taken upon them. They speak of the astronomical rental fee being charged, the disadvantageous distribution of lands and general misuse of state land by one family—the Correias. Many of these issues seem to be ignored by the government, despite some being in direct violation of the master lease signed between Government and Ogle Airport Inc. (OAI). OAI is the company that runs the airport. This company is controlled by the Correias—primarily Michael and Nicole Correia. The Correias also own at least three companies operating out of the Eugene F Correia International Airport. These companies are Trans Guyana Limited, Correia Mining Company and Caribbean Aviation and Maintenance Services. It is being reported that those companies are given first preference to lands and

other services provided by the airport. An aviation operative insists that the present management and governance structure of the airport is in need of attention as “it is unheard of an international airport being regulated by an operator”. 20 months later… Govt. still awaits NICIL transactional audit from Auditor General It has been over 20

months and the coalition administration is still waiting to receive the transactional audit that was initiated by the Audit Office of Guyana into the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL). This was confirmed yesterday by several government officials. It was the coalition administration which had passed on the instruction for the Audit Office to conduct the transactional audit. The audit was carried out

Workers placing sandbags at the Leonora Hospital

as a result of the damning findings stemming from a forensic audit into NICIL by Chartered Accountant, Anand Goolsarran. During the audit, Goolsarran discovered that in relation to expenditure on the 2007 Cricket World Cup, NICIL had transferred amounts totaling $650 million to the Local Organizing Committee, but failed in its responsibility of ensuring that there was proper accountability for the amounts transferred.

Sunday March 04, 2018

PAGE 45

Kaieteur News

Region Four STEAM Fair opens tomorrow The 2018 Region Four Biennial Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics [STEAM] Fair is slated to begin tomorrow [Monday March 5] at the Diamond Secondary School. The two-day fair which concludes on Tuesday [March 6], is expected to see some 47 schools representing nursery, primary and secondary levels, competing in 27 categories. The theme for this year’s fair is ‘Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics paving the way for a green and sustainable society’. The event is being organised and executed by the Department of Education Region Four in collaboration with the Regional Democratic Council Region Four. Coordinator of the Fair, Education Officer, Mr Loren Park, confirmed that everything is in place for the highly anticipated event. He said that while the number of participants this far stands at about 220 students, they are anticipating another seven to 10 more entries by schools. He disclosed too that Diamond Secondary leads the number of schools with 11 entries and Hope Secondary

Coordinator of the STEAM Fair, Loren Park and Regional Education Officer (ag), Tiffany Favourite-Harvey pose with the trophies that will be up for grabs. following with six. “Diamond Secondary over the years has been one that enters a number of entries into the fair; it’s not a case that because they are the host thus the high number of entries. They are always coming out in large numbers to the science fair,” Park said. He added, “We have Hope Secondary and Annandale Secondary following in terms of entries into the

fair. What I can say is that Diamond Secondary will be seeking to retain the title that they won when the fair was last held in 2016, as the overall winner. However, from the entries that are being submitted I can assure patrons that the competition will be one that is very competitive and of a high standard.” Meanwhile, the Fair Coordinator disclosed that while

the department was successful in securing the trophies for the winning schools, prizes for various categories are still outstanding. “We secured trophies already, but we were hoping to offer some prizes along with the trophies as an incentive to the winners so that they can be further motivated. However, we were not successful in this area, and we are hoping that by the end of the fair,

that some corporate companies can come forward and chip in," he said. He added, “We had approached a number of companies and individuals and they have all assisted in chipping in. As a matter of fact, even a number of media houses have donated and we are very thankful for whatever support and assistance companies and individuals would have given to ensure that the 2018 fair is a success.” Park expressed thanks to a number of companies and individuals who he said had stepped in at a very opportune time. He noted that it will certainly help in ensuring the success of the fair, adding that this year they have included the Arts, thus changing the name from STEM to STEAM. “We are excited with the addition of the Arts into the fair this year as it provides opportunities for students to express themselves and showcase projects in this area,” he stressed. Students would be competing in the Lower Secondary in Home Economics, Environmental Science, Agricultural Science, Social and Behavioural Change and Mathematics. In the Upper Secondary they would be

matching skills in Environmental Science, Integrated Science, Agricultural Science, Visual Arts, Home Economics, Mathematics, Industrial Technology, Information Technology, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, while in the Nursery Category, they would be competing in Craft and Environmental Science and Science and Mathematics, and in the primary category, they would be competing in Mathematics, Craft and Visual Arts, Environmental Science and Science. Park is optimistic that with all systems in place and students backed by their respective schools the fair will be successful. “At this stage everything has been put in place and I can tell you that based on the feedback that we have gotten from a number of schools, they are all eager and excited to showcase their respective project at the fair. While it’s a regional fair, the magnitude in terms of excitement, crowd and anticipation is like it’s a national fair,” he noted. In the 2016 Edition of the competition, President’s College was second while Annandale Primary took the third position. Diamond Secondary was the winner.

PAGE 46

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 04, 2018

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

PAGE 47

PAGE 48

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 04, 2018

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

PAGE 49

PAGE 50

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 04, 2018

Sunday March 04, 2018

PAGE 51

Kaieteur News

Guyana leading the way in Vault C spinal implant surgery Guyana has become the first country in South America to perform a Vault C Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion System (ACDF) implant surgery successfully, twice. The surgeries, which were performed by Guyana’s leading Neurosurgeon Dr. Amarnauth Dukhi at two separate private institutions, gave two patients the ability to utilise their motor skill after being partially and fully paralyzed. According to Carlo Koren, President of Innovation Medical Technologies Incorporated, Guyana is the only country on the South American continent to perform the procedure. Innovation Medical Technologies is the South American distributor of the titanium plate (which is manufactured by Precision Spine, a US-based company) that was used in the surgery, Speaking with the Department of Public Information (DPI), Dr. Dukhi explained that both patients ages 51 and 65 suffered from spinal injuries due to separate motor vehicular accidents which left them bedridden and paralyzed. Dr. Dukhi said, in the case of the 51-year-old male, a double implant was performed and prior to the surgery, the patient experienced severe weakness in the upper and lower limbs, difficulty walking and limited or no function of the arms. While, in the case of the 61-year-old male, the patient was involved in a motor vehicular accident in December 2017 in the interior which left him completely paralyzed.

Head of Neurosurgery of GPHC, Dr. Amarnauth Dukhi However, post-ACDF implant, he was able to recover movement of the upper limbs and is currently under rehabilitation of the lower limbs. His surgery was done five days after the incident. In explaining the technical procedure, the Surgeon said, “a small incision is done on the neck, where you have to go from the anterior approach through the skin, then you separate the trachea, the oesophagus to one side and then all the vessels and the nerves to the other side. You go through all those structures through the neck to the spine. When you get to the spine then you have to prepare it; after preparation – the traumatic disc that has migrated and compressing the cord will be removed.” Dr. Dukhi continued, “So you decompress the cord by removing that disc and now

[in] that space that is left empty, the implants are placed. It is fixated into that spacing so you reconstruct and realign the spine using implants, then it is fixed by utilising the screws.” He noted that surgery of this nature is a very complex procedure that has a limited timeline in order to yield successful results. “This type of surgery depends on how quickly you get the patient. This surgery will not change the prognosis in patients who are paralysed for a prolonged period and surgeries delayed for long periods. If there is hope, the correct thing to do is immediate surgery. If the spinal cord is damaged, there is also no point for surgery. Timing is critical,” he stressed. Dr. Dukhi also revealed that in a move to further enhance Neurosurgery in Guyana; four doctors are presently being trained in Neurology at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). He is also collaborating with Professor Ivor Crandon from Jamaica to design a “University of Guyana/University of the West Indies” programme to train local doctors at a postgraduate level. Dr. Dukhi is optimistic it will be ready in less than a year According to the surgeon, Guyana has much to look forward to as neurosurgery advances. “Vascular neurosurgical procedures is the peak of neurosurgery, it takes a lot of technology, instruments, human resource capacity to develop that and that by itself is very

'In the abundance of water, the... From page 38 blessing as vast oil and gas reserves? Probably not. Social commentators have often said or implied that Guyanese are too submissive; too apathetic to stand up to tyranny and exploitation, whether foreign or local. The exploits of Alcan, Omai, Barama, and Baishanlin, and the perceived excesses of successive governments, have left many of us doing little more than shaking our heads in wonder and disbelief, and a few of 'them' including their Guyanese friends, with smug smiles and fatter bank accounts. Some would say you needn't even look at foreign entities to see what indifference and submissiveness can do to a country, or an industry. We need to look only as far as the sugar-cane fields and factories that once dotted our coastal landscape with the perennial promise of wealth and economic stability. We knew what was happening – that planting sugar

on sub-sea level, poorly-irrigated coastal lands was hurting the cost of production, and that the preferential market prices we had enjoyed were going to be a thing of the past. We knew that the sugar industry supported not only thousands of families, but a whole culture wrung from the injustices of slavery and indentureship and shaped into something good and promising, and that we should have done more to preserve its heritage. But some of our politicians and businessfolk appear to have played a common chess game with the industry and its workers, and guess who were the pawns? Now we are sitting (Would floating be a more apt term?) on a sea of oil, and the foreign eyes and hands are upon us. Abundance is a heavy word, loaded with possibilities, and certainly fraught with risk, since human greed never dies. The voices of foreign investors and advisors are strident, and ring with promise. The warning voices are

also strident, and bothersome. Two of the latter are ringing in my ears. One is the American CFR fellow mentioned earlier. He had softened his tone and suggested that the 'sorry picture' painted on the resource curse canvas can be brightened by what he called 'a raft of international initiatives designed to combat corruption and improve governance in resource-rich nations.' The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is on that structure, and Guyana is with it. That is promising. The other voice is that of the incomparable Bob Marley. As he belts out in that raspy voice the lyrics of 'Rat Race', his words haunt the human conscience and underline a paradox we understand only too well in Guyana, “In the abundance of water, the fool is thirsty.' On Friday, the water flowed and spilled copiously as Phagwah was observed in colourful national togetherness. How long will Guyanese remain fools?

Post ACDF with double implants on the 51-year-old patient.

costly, so we would have to have the political willpower, build our own human resource capacity in terms of training more doctors in neurosurgery, so we can facilitate these type of surgery in the future and I have no doubt we would get there. We are working towards that, we are now almost into the minimally invasive neurosurgical procedure. We were able to source through the government a neuroendoscope and tower, where sooner or later we would be able to start up procedures so that babies do not have to have open shunting surgeries for hydrocephalus.” However, he opined that Guyana still has a way to go, but with the support of government and other stakeholders, the country can be a leader for medical treatment in the future. “Prior to 2015, there was nothing neurosurgical in Guyana. Neurosurgical capacity was nil. I think we would have gone a long way to where we are now in building a Department of Neurosurgery at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation,

where we are now able to offer surgeries for brain tumours among others, where persons previously would have had to go overseas.” One of the patients who benefitted from the breakthrough surgery told the DPI, he is thankful and proud that the surgery was done right here in Guyana. The 51-year-old, father of four who hails from Foulis, East Coast Demerara was the second person to undergo the surgery on February 3, 2018. “I had about three accidents with the last one in the US in December last year, and I used to feel numbness in various parts of my body with severe pain which caused me

to walk with a limp and due to the pain, I went to get a local massage which made it worse. When I went to the doctor, I was told to get an MRI. I was later told my case was rare but there was hope. After agreeing to have it done locally I realized it was the best thing I ever did, because I can now walk and do all the things that were not possible before surgery. I still have physical therapy, but I am very thankful to Dr. Dukhi.” Dr. Amarnauth Dukhi has been transforming Neurosurgical procedures in Guyana since 2015 and has successfully completed over 450 surgeries, giving patients a second chance at a normal life.

PAGE 54

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 04, 2018

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

PAGE 55

Sunday March 04, 2018

PAGE 57

Kaieteur News

What Teen Girls Should Eat to Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

F

ruits and vegetables are staples in a healthy diet, and that includes one aimed at preventing cancer. Many studies have documented the lower risk of various cancers among people who eat more fresh produce, and avoid things like red and processed meat. But the majority of those studies have focused on adults, and it’s becoming clear that many of cancer’s drivers start early in life, with genes and even with childhood exposures to potential carcinogens. To investigate this further, Maryam Farvid, a research associate at Massachusetts General Hospital and a visiting scientist at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, and her colleagues decided to study how diet during adolescence might affect cancer risk. In a study reported in the BMJ, they

plumbed the Nurses’ Health Study, a massive survey of nurses who filled out questionnaires on their diet and were followed for various health outcomes, including cancer. About half of the 90,000 women who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study also answered questions about their typical diet while they were teens. Those who reported eating nearly three servings of fruit a day on average had a 25 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer than those who ate half a serving of fruit. Certain fruits seemed to confer the biggest protection against breast cancer — apples, bananas and grapes were associated with the greatest reduction in risk while kale and oranges in adulthood also contributed to reduced breast cancer risk. Farvid says that apples, bananas

and grapes contain fiber, which could help to lower cancer risk; they are also high in flavonoids, which act as antioxidants to combat damage to cells that can trigger abnormal growth. Kale and oranges are high in vitamin C, another antioxidant.“This study underscores the importance of what a young girl eats for her future health,” says Farvid. “This study also has an important message for schools and the need to provide students with the opportunity to consume more fruits and vegetables as part of the school meal program.” Farvid wasn’t able to document a strong relationship between vegetables and lower breast cancer risk, but says that may be because the study wasn’t powered enough to detect an effect. The findings are among the first to look at how diet

during adolescence can affect health later, and highlights the importance of establishing healthy habits from a young age, especially since many of the chronic diseases occur over many years and get rooted early in life. The results also underscore the importance of eating whole fruit, rather than fruit juice. In the study, Farvid and her team could not find any significant relationship between fruit juice and breast cancer risk; that may be because fruit’s anti-cancer effects may have to do with the fiber found in the whole fruit, which is stripped out of juice. In the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans, however, government nutritionists equated servings of whole fruit with fruit juice. “We recommend whole fruit and not fruit juice,” says Farvid,

“because maybe one of the most important ways that fruit decreases risk of breast cancer is through fiber, and even natural fruit juice often has no fiber in it.” In another study also published in the BMJ, a separate group of researchers found that among 22,000 Danish women, those who added two alcoholic drinks a day on average increased their risk of developing breast cancer by 30 percent over five years. The added risk of cancer, however, was counterbalanced by a lower risk of heart disease. Taken together, the results show how critical diet can be in modulating risk of breast cancer. While challenging, changing diet can be a relatively easy way to alter a woman’s breast cancer risk equation, beginning even at a young age.

Grapefruit: Health Benefits & Nutrition Facts Grapefruit is a popular citrus fruit that is a terrific source of vitamins, fiber and other nutrients. Grapefruit is known for its antioxidant- and immunityboosting capabilities as well as its digestive and cholesterol-lowering benefits. Grapefruit provides vitamins A and C, folate (B9), fiber, choline, limonins and lycopene, according to Alissa Rumsey, a New York Citybased registered dietitian, certified strength and conditioning specialist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Grapefruit has been hailed as a popular diet food for many years because it is widely believed to boost weight loss,” said Rumsey. “While a grapefruit diet is far too extreme, the fruit can be added to one’s diet for a healthy weight loss plan.” - See more at: http:// www.livescience.com/54746g r a p e f r u i t nutrition.html#sthash.u3vvZAmc.dpufGrapefruit gets its name from the way it grows. Grapefruits grow on tree branches in grape-like clusters, according to the Library of Congress. Puzzling history Grapefruit is an accidental hybrid between the orange and the pomelo, but no one is sure when it was first grown. It was first documented in 1750 by a Welshman in Barbados who described it as a “forbidden fruit,” according to the Purdue University horticulture department. Until the 19th century, it was also called the shaddock, named after a sea captain who is said to have brought the seeds of a pomelo to Jamaica. It has also been called paradise fruit. It was given the scientific name, Citrus paradisi, but in the 1940s when research confirmed that it was hybrid, the name was changed to Citrus x paradisi — the x indicates that it is a hybrid. Grapefruit grows in warm climates; Florida and southern areas of China are the world’s top producers. There are several

varieties of grapefruit, including white, ruby red and pink, which have varying levels of sourness and sweetness. “Try topping it with savory seasonings, like cilantro or chili powder, to offset the tangy flavor,” Rumsey suggested. She noted that grapefruits go well with seafood dishes, too. According to the George Mateljan Foundation’s World’s Healthiest Foods website, half a medium-size grapefruit provides 59 percent of your daily vitamin C needs. “Vitamin C is plays a role in immunity and helps neutralize free radicals in our body,” said Rumsey. According to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, vitamin C stimulates the production of white blood cells and may protect the integrity of immune cells. Vitamin C helps also protect leukocytes, which produces antiviral substances. Heart health Vitamin C is linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, said Rumsey. A 2015 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at more than 100,000 people and found that those who ate the most fruits and vegetables had a 15 percent lower risk of developing heart disease. Those with the highest vitamin C levels in their plasma had even more reduced rates of heart disease.

Kidney stones According to University of Wisconsin Health, citric acid, which is found in grapefruit, may deter stone formation and also break up small stones that are forming. The more citric acid in your urine, the more protected you may be from forming new kidney stones. A study published in theBritish Journal of Nutrition found that women who drank one-half to one liter of grapefruit, orange or apple juice each day saw their urinary pH value and citric acid excretion increase, which significantly lowered their risk of forming kidney stones. Cancer According to Rumsey, vitamin C and beta-carotene may lead to a reduced risk of esophageal cancer. A study published in the Journal of Chemotherapy found that vitamin C supplementation exerted a chemotherapy-like effect on esophageal cancer cells. The researchers suggested that vitamin C might improve the efficacy of chemotherapy. According to the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine, red and pink grapefruit is one of the best sources for lycopene after tomatoes.”Lycopene has been linked to a decreased risk of prostate cancer,” said Rumsey. A large-scale study of nearly 50,000 men published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found an

inverse relationship between lycopene (in this study, the lycopene was from tomatoes) and prostate cancer risk. Men with the highest levels of lycopene were 21 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer than those with the lowest lycopene levels. The lycopene in grapefruits may also contribute to reducing risk of stomach cancer, according to a review in the Journal of Cancer Prevention. Researchers looked primarily at participants who smoked, suffered from chronic inflammation or had elevated levels of stomach bacteria Helicobacter pylori, though they noted that poor diet and family history could also be risk factors lessened by lycopene. Animal studies have suggested that grapefruit may have a reduction effect on colon cancer cells. A study published in the journal Carcinogensis found that grapefruit increased the death of cancer cells in rats whose colons had been injected with carcinogens. “There are numerous studies being conducted to understand the role folate plays in cancer reduction,” Rumsey said. A 2007 article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition noted that folate’s possible cancer-reducing properties are likely linked to its role in the production of substances that silence cancer DNA. Limonins have also been linked to a decrease in cancer risk, said Rumsey. A 2012 article in the Journal of Nurtigenetics and Nutrigenomics looked at limonins in breast cancer cells and found that they could be a helpful aid to chemotherapy. Pregnancy health “Folate is essential for pregnant women in order to prevent neural tube defects,” said Rumsey. While folate is present in prenatal vitamins, consuming it through whole foods is an excellent way to make sure the body absorbs it. Antioxidants An article in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry evaluated the phenolic compounds in 13 fruit juices. Grapefruit juice

ranked among the best juices. Phenolic compounds act as antioxidants, which are molecules that safely interact with free radicals to stop the condition of oxidative stress, according to an article in Pharmacognosy Review. Free radicals cause cell damage and disruption that can contribute to diseases. Vitamin C is also a potent antioxidant. Hydration “Grapefruit is 91 percent water, so can help with hydration,” said Rumsey. Digestion The fiber and water in grapefruit can aid digestion and help relieve or prevent constipation, according to the Mayo Clinic. Weight loss “Grapefruit is naturally high in fiber, which contributes to feelings of satiation which can prevent overeating,” said Rumsey. “Fiber also helps stabilize blood sugar levels, preventing spikes that contribute to hunger.” A study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food looked at 91 obese patients who took either grapefruit capsules, grapefruit juice, half of a fresh grapefruit or placebo capsules. All grapefruit-taking patients lost more weight than the placebo group, with those eating fresh grapefruit losing the most and those drinking grapefruit juice losing nearly as much. The grapefruit groups also saw improved insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Cholesterol “Grapefruit contains pectin, a fiber that is can reduce LDL cholesterol levels and decrease triglycerides,” said Rumsey. A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry looked at 57 hyperlipidemic patients after coronary bypass surgery and found that supplementing their diets with either white or red grapefruit every day for 30 days lowered LDL cholesterol levels. Eating red grapefruit lowered LDL cholesterol levels more, and also lowered triglycerides.

PAGE 58

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

Viola Davis speaks out on Never Being Allowed to Play a Sexual Woman on Screen When Viola Davis recently filmed the How To Get Away With Murder and Scandal crossover, she truly felt that her and Kerry Washington were making history. In an interview with NETA-PORTER’s digital magazine, PorterEdit, Davis said, “I mean, to have two really strong, well-written, wellrounded characters in the same room together, who are women of color? It’s black girl magic at its best.” This momentous occasion comes nearly three years after the actress won an Emmy award in 2015 for her lead role as Annalise Keating in How To Get Away With Murder, where she delivered a rousing speech about the need “for roles that are simply not there.” As Davis said, actresses who looked like her were typecast into roles “for crackheads and mammas and the person with a hand on her

hip who is always described as ‘sassy’ or ‘soulful.’” Her role as Annalise Keating, however, is proof that the tide is slowly turning. The 52-year-old also described the surreal experience of finally being able to play a “sexual” character after a decades-long career “It’s been a painful journey. It costs me something, because very rarely in my career—and in my life—have I been allowed to explore that part of myself, to be given permission to know that is an aspect of my humanity, that I desire and am desired,” she told the digital magazine. “I always felt in playing sexuality you have to look a certain way, to be a certain size, to walk a certain way. Until I realized that what makes people lean in is when they see themselves. There’s no way I am going to believe that all women who are sexualized are size

zero or two, all have straight hair, all look like sex kittens every time they go to bed and want sex from their man, all

Jeopardy Just Made History With Its First-Ever Sudden Death Tiebreaker

We’ll take “Things That Have Never, Ever Happened on Jeopardy” for $1000, Alex. On the Thursday, March 1 episode of the iconic quiz show, history was made when, during the final round of Jeopardy, two contestants found themselves in a tie. After all three competitors wrote down the wrong response to the prompt “Once known as the Norman Isles, per the British govt. this group is ‘not part of the U.K.’ and has ‘never been colonies,’” (the correct reply was Channel Islands), returning champion Laura and challenger Sarah were both left with $6,799. As everyone reacted in the exact amount of delighted shock at the results, host Alex Trebeckwent about explaining that it was time for the show’s first-ever sudden death tiebreaker. In 2016, the show announced tiebreaker

rules on their website, explaining: “If there are two or three players tied for first place after each contestant unveils their Final Jeopardy! response, Alex will present one more category and read the clue. The clue has no dollar value and does not increase the player’s winnings.” The first contestant to buzz in with the correct answer would be declared the winner. If neither were able to come up with the correct answer, the round would continue going until someone eventually could. We won’t spoil the outcome of the historic moment in TV for you here. To see how this one shook out, be sure to watch it all go down in the video above! http:// www.eonline.com/news/917736/jeopardyjust-made-history-with-its-first-ever-suddendeath-tiebreaker.

are heterosexual. I am mirroring women. I always say it is not my job to be sexy, it’s my job to be sexual, that’s the dif-

ference.” These slow changes in how women of color are depicted on screen come at a time when social movements like #OscarsSoWhite and #MeToo are at the forefront of all conversations in Hollywood. Davis hopes that it spurs the kind of action necessary from behind the scenes. “When you look at a role as a director or producer that is not ethnically specific, can you consider an actor of color, to invest in that talent? The problem is, if it’s not an urban or civil rights drama, they don’t see you in the story,” she said. “People need to understand that they shouldn’t see people of color one way. We don’t always have to be slaves or in the ‘hood or fighting the KKK. I could be in a romantic comedy. I could be in Gone Girl. Or Wild. I could be seen the same way as Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore.” The Juilliard graduate

added, “They deserve everything they get paid. Nicole Kidman deserves it. Reese Witherspoondeserves it. Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Frances McDormand… But guess what—I deserve it, too. So does Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, Halle Berry. We’ve put the work in, too.” The star hopes to change disparities such as these and, as a result, improve society for the next generation, which includes her 6year-old daughter Genesis. “I always say life is like a baton and you got to run your leg of the race and pass it on to the next great runner. I want to pass a fabulous baton and leave something that makes me immortal, in a fabulous way,” the Oscar winner said. “I want to leave an elixir that people can taste and that makes them feel alive.”To see the full interview with Viola Davis, read PorterEdit and/ or download the Net-A-Porter

Kerry Washington Has Officially Found Her Scandal Follow-Up and It Involves Reese Witherspoon

Kerry Washington has already found her follow-up to Olivia Pope. With just a few episodes left in Scandal’s final season, the leading lady has officially found her next TV project, teaming up with Reese Witherspoon to star in and executive produce a limited series adaptation of Celeste Ng’s best-selling novel Little Fires Everywhere, E! News has confirmed. And yes, for those keeping track at home, this marks Witherspoon’s third (!!) TV series in the works, including the second season of HBO’s Big Little Lies and the upcoming untitled Apple series co-starring

Jennifer Aniston set in the world of morning TV. The limited series has yet to find a home, though multiple premium cable networks and streaming outlets are bidding on the project, which will be produced by ABC Signature Studios, the cable-focused arm of ABC studios. Little Fires Everywhere, released just last year before becoming a September pick in Witherspoon’s book club, follows the events that unfold when a controversial adoption of a Chinese-American baby divides the wealthy town of Shaker Heights, Ohio—and, more specifically, a landlord and her mysterious

tenant, single mom Mia. Liz Tigelaar (Life Unexpected, Casual) will pen the script, as well as serve as executive producer and showrunner. Ng will also serve as a producer. The Hollywood Reporter first broke the news. Are you looking forward to Witherspoon and Washington joining forces on the small screen? And where do you hope Little Fires Everywhere winds up? Sound off in the comments below! http://www.eonline.com/ news/917666/kerrywashington-has-officiallyfound-her-scandal-follow-upand-it-involves-reesewitherspoon.

Sunday March 04, 2018

PAGE 65

Kaieteur News

Peacemaker killing PI GNBS Protects Consumers to commence March 13 STANDARDS IN FOCUS

It is the month of March, and for many organisations like the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) the focus is on highlighting their role of consumer protection. As World Consumer Rights Day (March 15) is on the horizon, consumers are also educated on their rights and responsibilities relating to the purchase and use of goods and services. Since its establishment in March 1984, one of the key mandates of the GNBS is to provide consumer protection through the services it offers. The GNBS has been at the forefront in the protection of consumers through facilitating the development of standards. The organisation also acts to make many of these standards compulsory. When standards are made compulsory (Technical Requirement), they are enforced by various regulatory agencies including the Bureau, to protect the health and safety of consumers (e.g. labelling standards). Consumers are also protected through the verification of weighing and measuring devices used in trade such as scales, weights, measures and fuel pumps. Accuracy and fitness for use is established when these devices are verified by the GNBS. This prevents consumers from being cheated when making purchases. Through its Standards Compliance Programme, the Bureau monitors a number of products including household electrical appliances, cellular phones, gas stoves and electricity meters to ensure compliance with requirements outlined in national labeling and quality standards. The Bureau also provides testing services including the testing of gold jewellery to ensure that the declarations made regarding the karat or purity are true. In addition, capacity is being built to test concrete (hollow) blocks and this will improve the quality of blocks available for construction of buildings, fences and other structures. To provide confidence to consumers, products are certified to National Standards

by the GNBS, and the National Standards Mark is affixed, which tells consumers that these products have been inspected and tested, and comply with the requirements set out in the respective national standards. This also assists consumers to make wise choices regarding the quality of products they purchase. The GNBS offers protection to consumers through education and information. Utilising the print and electronic media, the Bureau issues timely advisories and warnings concerning defective or unsafe products and services. Information is also provided to pupils and students of primary and secondary schools via lectures and tours to the organisation. Other opportunities to share consumer information include visits to the outlying Regions of Guyana, participation in exhibition and trade fairs, and during the conduct of symposia, workshops and training sessions. Finally, the consultancy services provided by the GNBS to businesses are ultimately intended to protect consumers. These services assist companies to implement management system standards such as the Quality Management System (ISO 9001) and the Food Safety Management Standard (ISO 22000). The implementation of these standards ensures that consumers are satisfied with products and services they procure and safe foods and made available for consumption. As the GNBS declares March 2018, the month of the consumer, it encourages businesses to strive to provide consumers with products and services that satisfy their needs. Meanwhile, consumers are urged to understand their rights and responsibilities, and to always make quality their first option. For further information, contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0062, 2190065 or 219-0069. Please visit our website: www.gnbsgy.org and like our Facebook page: gnbsgy

The Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder of a peacemaker who was stabbed to death after he tried to separate two brothers who were fighting will commence on March 13 before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Tw e n t y - s i x - y e a r- o l d Jermaine Abel is currently on remand for the murder of 27year-old Hafeez Douglas, whom he allegedly stabbed to death during a fight with his younger brother. The unrepresented man was not required to plead to the charge which alleged that on November 8, last, at North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, he murdered Douglas. Thursday when the matter was called in Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman courtroom, Police

MURDER ACCUSED: Jermaine Abel Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves told the court that the prosecution file is complete and the PI into the murder will commence on March 13. According to information, Douglas was stabbed to

death after he attempted to resolve a dispute between Abel and his younger brother. Douglas, after being stabbed collapsed to the ground and was later pronounced dead by an Emergency Medical Technician. It was reported that Abel and his brother were fighting when the deceased separated the duo. But Abel who was reportedly armed with a knife pursued his brother to stab him. Douglas allegedly grabbed the knife from Abel and pushed him away. Reports are that Abel got angry and turned his rage on Douglas, stabbing him to the chest—causing him to fall into a nearby drain. Abel then ran to the North Ruimveldt Police Outpost and reported the matter.

PAGE 68

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK;Guyanapassport application. G r a p h i c s design, advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6004212: We create A/works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Budhram’s Landscaping & Tree cutting service. Free advice, Free design, Free after care follow up. Tel#626-1044 Repairs to refrigerators, gas stoves, A/C units, washing machines. Call Lindon: 6411086/ 694-2202 Austin Powers Repairs & Services: Regas Fridges, Freezers, AC, Washer, Dryer & Wiring. Lot 114 Brushe Dam Friendship. E.C.D Tel#685-2588/613-1711 House plans and estimates. # 6 1 3 - 5 6 2 8 / sirachenterprises@gmail.com Bucket truck with driver/ operator for rent. Banners/ CCTV, street lighting, work at height. Call: 642-9447 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Desmond Repair Services Fridge, AC, gas stove, microwave, washer, etc on the spot repairs –Call: (592)678-8683 Eagle’s: Re-gas –low prices, washing machine repairs, gas stove, plasma flat Screen, computer repairs & more. Call: 697-2969/646-0966 Installations, Repairs and parts for AC, Fridge, Washing machine, Stove etc call Nick 627-3206, 630-1600 Need a land surveyor, we do surveys for: Boundaries, Leases,engineering, cadastral, topo etc. Call: 6622677 LEARN TO DRIVE C. Persaud & N. Outar Driving School formerly Soman & Sons Driving School @ Maraj Building- Call: 644-5166; 6222872; 615-0964; 689-5997 (affordable packages).

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. Supari palm, Lipstick, Royal, Foxtail. Exora 4 for $1000 Ficus 4 for $1000. Organic potting soil. Tel: 626-1044 Parts for Tacoma Tundra Titan for sale. Tel#686-9608. 6000 pound ice box (1) 48 Yamaha engine 13.4 length fishing vessel. Four hundred pound sein. Tel#690-8089 Video games and consoles at affordable price. Repairs to video game system .Call:6722566/265-3231 (1) new Mistubishi canter with excellent conditions with type of engine 4msl, long base, 2004 model, contact: 6967664 1- 320 BL cat Excavator 1- 215 B cat Excavator 1- 428 cat Back-hoe 1- 450 Honda Atv. Contact: 275-0367, 683-7225 1 Double steel wheel roller 1Pneumatic roller 1- Leyland Daf truck 1- Hand spray bitumen kettle. Contact: 2750367, 683-7225 1-320 CL- Bucket 1, Hydraulic pump 1, 4 Hydraulic Ram. #628-1832 Use Daff 620 truck parts. Contact: #650-0402/603-1402 3500 running watts champion generator. Price: $200,000 negotiable. Tel: 696-7246 or 684-7863 1 Transported property at Covent Garden Island EBD. Tel#265-3586 Unregistered DAF trucks: Dump trucks, Flat Bed, Flat bed with Crane & Hauler. Call: 659-3100 New Triangle truck tyres, front & all wheel drive, size: 295/ 80R22.5 Call: 647-2022 (1) Gas generator 560 (1) Diesel Generator 650 (1) Compressor 350 (2) 93 Toyota Hilux pickup (neg) Contact: 682-8424 1996 Yamaha Virago Motorcycle 750cc Tel# 6612998 Gorgeous 2 storey home Enterprise C East Coast Dem 3 bedrooms. Contact: 6279685 or email raysphillips@yahoo.com Property for Business/bond, Russell Street, Charlestown Georgetown 3 lots lengthwise old on front lot #627-9685

FOR RENT

WANTED

VACANCY

CAR RENTAL

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

One Industrial Electrician. Tel# 227-1717 Experienced Handyman, porter all below 40 years. Apply with written application. Keyfood McDoom Village. Experienced General Manager to operate stringer (string gold) in the interior. Contact number: 223-7165

Hair station & Barber station rental, New market street #638-1106. Experienced persons preferable.

PROGRESSIVE CAR R E N TA L : S U V F O R RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL:6435122/656-0087, ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM

Vreed-en-hoop junction. Lessons place, church, storage bond, office, other. Call: 603-6400. Fully furnished two bedrooms apartment in providence & three bedroom in Diamond. Tel: 672-1906, 216-2299 (1) downstairs for rent for supermarket including living quarters (preferable Chinese) @ Lot 171 Section B Non Pariel ECD. Tel#629-4764. (1) two bedroom apartment @ 529 Section ‘B’ Block ‘X’ Great Diamond EBD lower apartment, price negotiable. Tel no: 216-4200, 685-7935 (3) Bedrooms house to rent in (Lamaha Gardens) 2 1/2 Bath, fully air conditioned US$2000. Tel#653-7961/ 6749244

VEHICLE FOR SALE 2011 Raptor fully loaded 4x4 Auto excellent condition blue 6.2 litre super charged. Tel# 610-5370 Long base canter GRR series 2 million hydraulic lift tray good condition Tel# 609-1040 Primo motor car, Mag rims, C lights, in top condition 2005 model, late PSS series. Phone: 638-8797, 328-7659 2 unregistered canterMitsubishi Fuso 3 tons hyab canter $6M , Mitsubishi 2 ton dump canter $3M #628-7981 Bluebird 2012- 2.6M Axio2.5M Tida-2.2M All vehicles unregistered and have reverse camera. #655-3400 1 AT 170 car EFI good condition $280,000. Tel#6014929, 664-5444 1- TwinsteerDoubleaxle Leyland DAF 4- LeylandDAF Flatbed 10- Guysuco Lorries 1-620-240 DAF engine. #2285655, 649-8449 FOR SALE (1) 6x6 TM lorry. Very good working condition, hardly worked. Contact: 695-9626/ 683-7189 Prime Business land 50’x160'. Bordered by river and main road. Relief & support. Contact: 695-9626/683-7189

Land to buy in Parafaite Harmonie, Eccles, Uitvlugt, Tuschen,Covent Garden, Herstelling, Diamond, Providence & Zeelugt. Tel#686-9608 One nail technician please call: 647-8268 Live in or live out babysitter/ domestic- Call: 223-7500 Monday to Saturday 8:15am4:15pm Log truck driver to work in Buckhall. Call: 664-6062 Chainsaw operators to work in the interior. Contact: 2237165 Security to work with mining firm, must have experience in said field Ages 38-45. Contact: 500-5923/676-8764 Experienced hire car drivers at Princess Ramada Hotel. Call: 265-7076 or 616-5419 Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252/674-4665 Drivers & Contract cars. Tel: 231-0316. 231-0002 Servicemen and heavy duty diesel mechanics to work in the interior. Contact: 2237165 TOLET One fully furnished apartment to rent in South Riumveldt $25,000 weekly. #694-7817, 668-0306 Lodge apartments (Vlissengen/Durban): unfurnished $40,000-$60,000 p/m, furnished US$600-1000 p/m 668-7687/677-9638/6976421 1 bedroom Apt ($45,000) Haley and Durban street 2 bedroom ($40,000) 3 bedroom $75,000 ‘B’ Field Sophia. #622-0036, 223-1273 1 5-bedroom house in Good Hope, Rooms in Albertown, 2 bedroom apartment in Eccles. Contact: 225-3234

Chef, Assistant chef, Cashier - Waiter call: 611-5615, 2257933 or visit us at 173 Sheriff street. KITCHEN ASSISTANT (HOUSEKEEPING DAYSHIFT) REQUIRED AT AAGMAN RESTAURANT. CONTACT: 219-0158 BETWEEN 9AM - 5 PM (WEEKDAYS) Accounts clerk- knowledge of NIS,PAYE,VAT and QuickBooks. Call: 614-4358 Female cleaner for office in Eccles. Call: 233-2745 Experienced sales persons with CXC qualifications. Apply @ Christine’s Variety, Lombard Street. Contact: 2278529/626-8003 Vacancy for sales girl. Apply in person to Alabama Trading 65 Robb Street Bond. 1 Security, Farm workers, maintenance workers, labour. Call: 265-3586 8am-4pm For Civil Engineer must have 8 years or more experience, call for appointment #6287981, 672-3409 Experienced male sales attendant, stocktaking knowledge, computer literate, excellent service attitude, able bodied. Key Food McDoom Village. One maid with cooking skills and one cleaner helper. Call: 231-0734 1-Grillman hrs 4:00pm1:30am, 1 mature nanny livein , 1-kitchen asst. 8:00am5:00pm. Contact X’s Grill & Cuisine 675-2550 10am5:30pm

DOLLY’SCARRENTAL-CALL: 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 OUTINGS, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807 WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP RATES,SPECIAL OFFERS! . CALL: 690-6494

LAND FOR SALE Parafaite Harmonie, Eccles, Uivlugt, Tuschen, Covent Garden, Herstelling, Diamond, Providence, Zeelugt. Tel# 686-9608 Eccles $7M Farm $3.5M Uivlugt $3.2M Parafaite Harmonie- $1.5M $1.8M & $2.6M Schnoord- $3M. Tel# 656-0701/611-7223 18,731 acres mining land Gold & Diamond Mazaruni $5,000,000 USD Contact: 6951356, 687-8445 Parafaite Harmonie main road 2M 1.5M Parafaite (10) year up 3M 3.5 Eccles 6M Uivlugt 2.8M Call: 604-6724 Parafaite Harmonie 2.5M 3M 1.5M Eccles 6.5M Providence 4M Uivlugt 3M all price negotiable. Call: 666-2326 100 acres agricultural land, right bank, Barima river, NWD, Essequibo. #668-7687/ 677-9638 Land @ Tuschen Housing Scheme, near school, 3 minutes away from main road. Call: 0011-407-491-2026 email: gzplayter@aol.com

EDUCATION

SALON

CXC adults classes (Business & Science subjects) Form 1-5 lessons, Grade 2-6 lessons (slow learners, personal tutor) #690-5008,618-0649

Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. - Cosmetology Courses: $90,000 Nail Technician Course: $35,000. Call: 647-1773/688-0009

Electronic classes beginning March 6th. Enroll early, limited spaces. Abdul Electronics. Tel: 226-6551/ 225-0391.

TAXI SERVICE GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 2257878 (24HRS) AJ TAXI SERVICE Tel: 2316403/223-6400. 24 hrs 36-37 Robb & Cummings street. Comfort, Safety, Reliable. Continued on page 69

Sunday March 04, 2018

PAGE 69

Kaieteur News

CONSUMER CONCERNS

HONEY - A profitable industry awaiting development By PAT DIAL Honey is a product, which consumers have always used. We therefore welcomed the recent effort, which was launched to modernise and expand the Honey Industry. From time to time over the last century, there has been talk and sporadic effort by Governments to revivify the industry but such efforts were never sustained. It is hoped that this effort would be more fruitful. In the Colonial Administration, the Ministry of Agriculture always maintained a small section, which could supply Queens so that prospective beekeepers could begin their own hives. This beekeeping section was situated at the back of the Botanical Gardens before this back section of it was detached. In this section, there were a number of hives which were used to give teachers in training an exposure to beekeeping and to give more intensive training to teachers who would be specialising in Agriculture, since it was the educational ideal at the time that all primary schools should have school gardens where the pupils would be taught the rudiments of Agriculture. School groups from all over the country would visit the section where the apiarist would explain how honey was made. These educational efforts by the Ministries of Agriculture and Education have now been phased away. A number of private beekeepers have continued to produce honey but most of the honey used was still imported. Most beekeepers were amateurs and the only commercial institution among them was that of the Rajkumar family of West Coast, Berbice. After eighty years, Rajkumar honey is still found in the supermarkets. Before Independence, the bees usually hived were capilanos, a European bee that was non-aggressive and easy to manage. After Independence, Africanized bees made their appearance and gradually became the main strain in Guyana. A Brazilian scientist was experimenting with crossbreeding European and African bees. Some of the crossbred Africanized bees escaped from his laboratory, nested in the jungles and multiplied at an astronomical rate, taking over South and Central America and parts of the United States. The Africanized bees, though excellent honey

producers, were very aggressive and fierce and attacked in unrelenting swarms, sometimes killing humans and animals with the poison of their numerous stings. The presence of Africanized bees has put another dimension to beekeeping and the honey industry in Guyana. Honey is among the oldest foods known to Man. It was gathered in the wilds in early pre-historic times. In all ancient civilizations - the Indian, Chinese, Babylonian, Hebrew and Egyptian - it was used for a variety of purposes. It was offered to the gods, used for funerary purposes, used as a food and a medication. Today, its uses and even the methods of gathering in the wilds have changed very little over thousands of years. As a food, it is still much valued. It is regarded as one of the best sweeteners and an increasing number of people are replacing traditional jams and marmalades and other sweeteners with it. References to its value, as a food, are found in many ancient writings, as for example, the Promised Land in the Bible is a land of “milk and honey”. Moreover, the ambrosias which the gods of the various ancient religions delighted in was honey-based or the meads of which the North Europeans were so fond. As a medication, its use has been continuous over thousands of years in much the same way as it is used today. It is used in the treatment of burns, various skin ailments and abscesses, colds and ‘flus and stomach ailments. It is also used in cosmetics. The honey produced and sold in Guyana is usually pure honey but it is almost all multi-floral, since it is quite rare for any local apiary to have special types of flowers, as for example orange blossoms, on which the bees are able to feed. Apiaries near to the sugar estates tend to have their bees feed on cane sugar while those near to the mangroves, on mangrove flowers. But local honey producers would tend to describe their product a multi-floral. Imported honeys, except the very select and expensive ones tend to be diluted with other substances such as corn syrup and are usually a blend of several types of honey. In this sense, the pure local honeys are preferable. Honey is a product in demand worldwide and the Guyana market is open and steadily growing. The by-

products of honey, especially the wax, are used in cosmetics, medically, also to produce a large variety of products. With the large land mass of the country, unlimited honey production is possible. The honey industry therefore has great prospects of growth and profitability. For the industry to take off, it needs to be fully modernised. The equipment used must be the most effective and efficient. Even small changes could bring about greater production and productivity as for example when hives changed from fixed to movable honeycomb containers. The foreign markets, their various regulations and needs must be professionally studied so that the Guyanese

From page 68 PROPERTY FOR SALE Yorrowkabra, Linden Highway, House, Chicken pen, New foundation, Land 200' x 100' Fenced, water & light. 6.5M neg. Contact: 6867180 Property for sale (1) 3 story building at 97 Sugarcane street S/Rvldt Gardens. Price US 1.5M neg. Tel: 695-1356 & 6878445 House & Land @ Diamond, 3 bedrooms big yard space. Price $21.5 million Tel# 6966327/603-3949 Serious enquiries only! Land with small 2 bedroom wooden house in Diamond 4th Bridge, Price $5 Million. Tel: 690-6327/603-3949 Lot 15 Public road #2 Village. West Coast Berbice. 49ft by 10,314ft. $20M. Contact:6487109/686-4818 Lot 51 New Road Vreed-enhoop, West Bank Demerara. Contact Andy on: 671-4420 New building with two apartment downstairs for sale.10 minutes from Georgetown .Call:675-1510/ 613-7964 (1) 2 storey building, 1 Flat concrete on transported land 36ft x 180ft @ Lot 91 Triump Side line dam, Agriculture road $50M neg. Tel:670-5127

DRESSMAKING Classes in Designing and Sewing as a hobby or career. Call Sharmie (Canadian trained) # 676-6312

exporter would not find them insuperable and be discouraged. And it is quite easy for the Guyanese exporter to be discouraged because all producers are single farmers and are largely country folk. There are no commercial companies as in the developed countries. For the honey industry to

take off and be a substantial job-creator and foreign exchange earner, the Ministry of Agriculture and Go-Invest must be involved. The officers deployed to deal with the Industry must have an empathy with it and must understand that it is unique and very different from other industries. They must be fully

abreast with advances in equipment and methods and techniques of the modern industry abroad and quickly share such knowledge with the apiarists. If Government gave its full and committed support to revolutionizing the industry, it could open an avenue of profitable employment and foreign exchange earnings.

PAGE 70

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 04, 2018

Sunday March 04, 2018

PAGE 71

Kaieteur News

One more bandit captured in Berbice shootout By Malisa Playter Harry

…shocked family can’t believe Adelphi man’s gang involvement

The life of a former New Amsterdam Multilateral School student was cut short after he was shot dead by ranks in ‘B’ Division over his alleged involvement in a robbery committed on a busin e s s m a n . Amar Bissoon, 21, of Adelphi Village, East Canje, Berbice who attended the A-level school in Berbice and was well known by many, has left persons shocked and baffled as they try to piece together what may have led the youth to turn to a life of crime. A life they said, they didn’t know existed until after he was k i l l e d . When this publication visited the home of the young man, relatives and friends were gathered discussing what took place. However, they refused to engage with the media. They stated that they do not know what happened and were unaware that Bissoon was involved in any illegal activity. An uncle of the young man said, Bissoon “never go in a boat to we knowing “. A resident in the area said she knew Bissoon and his family for years. “He came from a good background. I don’t know what happened or how he end up there. He got a small brother and the two of them does normally bring out cow to graze and so in the morning.” A Facebook post by a young man who seemed to have known Bissoon for some time read, “He wears an innocent mask but beneath is someone totally different.” He further went on to state: “He went to one of the highest schools in the region and look what he turned out to be. Amar should have known better and lead by example but every rope has an end.” The comments below the post indicated that persons had high expectations for him, not expecting he would turn along the path of crime. Bissoon wrote seven subjects at CSEC level, gaining six. He graduated in 2014 at the New Amsterdam Multilateral School. Information also gathered revealed that a cousin of his was two weeks ago committed to stand trial in the Berbice High Court for murd e r . Meanwhile, at the home of Indarjit Sham, a Cane Harvester attached to the Rose Hall Estate, his three children ages 17, 15 and 14 were visibly in tears, standing at their door leading to the bottom flat of their home in Betsy Ground, East Canje. His father and brother were also at home preparing for wake. Sham’s eldest daughter said she last saw her

Berbice River and based on further information, the ranks proceeded to a location where the robbery allegedly took place. There, they discovered all of the animals with their legs bound and the other stolen property loaded inside of a camouflaged aluminium b o a t .

Killed: Indarjit Sham

Killed: Amar Bissoon

The seized guns and shells father just around 5:00 am when he told them that he was going fishing but he did not mention where. According to her, it is a norm for him to engage in fishing since it was for home use. He was expected to return later that day; he never did. ”Late yesterday, somebody bring a message that something happened to my father in the creek and that was it,” the devastated teen managed to mutter. Brother of the now dead man, Nandkumar Sham, 35, a fisherman explained that he has always advised his brother to stay out of trouble. “People does always accuse he of doing wrong thing but people never see he do wrong thing. I still ain’t believe my brother do that what happen there”. He said it is strange that his brother would venture to fish alone since they normally do so together. He was described as a ‘good father’. His family denied his involvement in any crime and stated that they did not know who Amar Bissoon was when a s k e d . Amar Bissoon and Indarjit

Sham were reportedly a part of a gang of six that invaded a ranch owned by Krishna Persaud, proprietor of K. Persaud and Sons trucking service of Vryheid, New Amsterdam, Berbice. Two other members, identified as Timothy Sampson and another, both from the Canje area were arrested. Another gang member is at large after one was captured yesterday. Details have since revealed that two workers for Persaud were on the ranch in Pottoco Creek, Berbice River, when the six men approached them. They were held at gunpoint; the men then stole 23 sheep, 15 ducks, a solar panel, a radio, a quantity of rope, and other valuables; property of a 50-year-old businessman of Vryheid, West Canje, Berbice. They loaded the items on a boat and subsequently esc a p e d . Shortly after the robbery occurred, police in ‘B’ Division were informed and a team led by a Senior Detective, acting on intelligence, intercepted a boat with the two suspects who are in custody, in the

It was after the ranks disembarked their boat that they were confronted by the now dead men who discharged several rounds at them. The officers quickly adapted tactical positions and returned fire, fatally wounding the men who were positively identified by the victims as mem-

bers of the gang who committed the robbery. A 12-gauge pump action shotgun, a .32 pistol, eleven live cartridges, and five live.32 rounds were found in possession of the bandits. Also three spent cartridges and a .32 spent shell were retrieved at the scene.

PAGE 72

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

Authorities face dilemma with homes near seawalls Heavy overtopping and floods within the last few days have awakened the harsh realities of climate change. In fact, the proximity of homes to the country’s seawalls, which serve as the last line of defence, was never made more stark than when flood waters gushed over the walls flooding streets and homes on West Demerara. The problem, according to authorities, is that the façade drains near the seawalls which are supposed to take the overtopping, are either simply too small, nonexistent or there are difficulties accessing the area for maintenance because of illegal structures in the way. Over time, housing schemes, like Ocean View, Uitvlugt, sprang up with properties developed and businesses opened. Residents could have never predicted the brutal waves that pounded the area started Thursday night. It was terrifying, and for some, never happened like that before. Ocean View was one of the three villages that bore the brunt of the high tides that started Thursday night. Also affected were Stewartville, Leonora and other parts of Uitvlugt. More than 300 homes were badly affected and tens of millions of dollars in losses recorded, officials said yesterday. The Leonora Cottage Hospital was forced to close after more than a foot of water covered the ground floor. Emergency workers established shelters for almost 40 children and as many adults at two separate locations. Yesterday, inspecting the scene and sharing out supplies were Prime Minister (ag), Carl Greenidge, and representatives of the region

and various ministries. Greenidge, who is the Foreign Minister, noted that from his briefings, the main problem seems to be the overtopping-- the strength and force of the water coming over the wall Residents claimed to have seen waves nearly 100 feet h i g h . Greenidge acknowledged that there is not much that can be done but a number of ministries are collaborating with supplies and emergency centers established. Hot meals are being provided also. With more high tides expected today and tomorrow, the official noted that it is an ongoing situation. In all, more than 1,000 people are said to be affected with losses. Questioned about the thinking of the administration in light of the increased risk and incidences of high waves, Greenidge pointed out that it is a fact that workers need space for equipment to access the areas near the sea defense structures. One of the challenges is that drains are not big enough to take off the water. There is need for bigger drains. Greenidge, a former Chief Planning Officer, made it clear that Government can’t just pick up affected persons and dump them elsewhere. Acknowledging that the situation of persons living close to the sea defence happened over time, the acting PM also said that some of them are there knowing the risks. Of course, there will, in some cases be very little that can be done to remedy the situation In the short term, authorities will have to “try” and minimise the problems. “For the medium term, we have to look at the arrangement; where the

- no plans to “wholesale” shift capital city

The calm yesterday at Uitvlugt sluices, West Coast Demerara, before another high tide houses are, where the seawall is, the size of the drains…to ensure they are in accordance with the requirements and the law.” Greenidge admitted that some decisions will be unpopular with affected persons. “But if you have a house that does not allow a drain to be built here, you endanger the people behind you, health wise and also in terms of physical structures.” Greenidge stressed that now is not the time for blame. Asked about long terms plans of moving the capital, Greenidge said that it has been raised before. “There are options in

Al Qaeda af te afffilia iliate claims rresponsibility esponsibility for Bur kina F aso a ttac ks Burkina Faso attac ttacks OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) - A Mali-based al Qaeda affiliate claimed responsibility yesterday for attacks in neighbouring Burkina Faso that left 16 people dead, including eight gunmen, at the army headquarters and French embassy, Mauritanian news agency Alakhbar reported. Eighty others were

wounded in the coordinated attacks in the capital Ouagadougou, which follow two other major assaults there in the past two years. The group, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), often uses Alakhbar and other Mauritanian news agencies to claim responsibility for strikes against civilian and military targets across

West Africa’s Sahel region. Alakhbar, citing a message from the group, reported that the attacks were carried out in response to the killing of one of JNIM’s leaders, Mohamed Hacen al-Ancari, in a recent raid by French forces. France intervened in Mali in 2013 to drive back Islamist militants who had seized the country’s desert north. It retains about 4,000 troops deployed across its former colonies in the arid Sahel region as part of the anti-terror Operation Barkhane and has aggressively gone after militant group leaders.

terms of our development in the medium to long term for the expansion of office, industry and commerce, elsewhere.” But the acting PM is not thinking that way. He said that when one thinks of business, agriculture and other activities located in a place that is at risk, then there are issues of competitiveness because of high prices. “I don’t really envisage that you are going to have any wholesale movement of the

capital. But a lot of the new development will have to take place elsewhere.” He noted that the West and East Demerara are locations with the highest density areas in this whole region, even in the Americas. “So it is not a cheap exercise you talking about…picking people and moving them.” Greenidge believed that it will have to take collaborative effort from the Central Housing and Planning

Authority as well as the Ministry of Communities to enforce rules based on a sensible plan. He pointed out that it could have never been envisioned the current “chaos” of Georgetown when it was started in the 18-19th century. It will take discipline as a people to organise how businesses, housing and other activities have to be l o c a t e d . Rules will have to be observed.

Moscow sees extended U.S. sanctions over Ukraine as unlawful MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin considers sanctions against Russia over the situation in Ukraine that Washington extended for one more year as unlawful, Russia’s RIA state news agency quoted the Kremlin spokesman as saying yesterday. U.S. President Donald Trump, in a letter dated March 2 and published on the White House website, said sanctions against Russia for its role in the Ukrainian crisis and annexation of Crimea should remain in place beyond March 6.“I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13660,” Trump said in the letter published on www.whitehouse.gov. Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for President Vladimir Putin, said Moscow has never been the initiator of these sanctions. “We consider them as unlawful and harmful not only for the people of our two countries but for the whole world,” RIA quoted Peskov as saying. The U.S. imposed sanctions against Russia in 2014, targeting individuals and slapping restrictions on the Russian banking, energy and technology sectors that limited their access to global capital markets and cooperation with foreign partners.

President Vladimir Putin

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

North Korea threatens to ‘counter’ U.S. over military drills SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea threatened yesterday to “counter the U.S.” if the United States holds joint military exercises with South Korea, and said it would not beg for talks with Washington. The United States is due to start joint exercises in early April, a South Korean presidential security adviser said last week according to Yonhap news agency - the latest in a series of drills that the north has regularly described as a threat. “If the U.S. finally holds joint military exercises while keeping sanctions on the DPRK, the DPRK will counter the U.S. by its own mode of counteraction and the U.S. will be made to own all responsibilities for the ensuing consequences,” North Korea’s official KCNA news agency said in its commentary, saying the drills would harm reconciliation efforts on the peninsula. The DPRK is the acronym of the country’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. On Feb. 23, the United States said it was imposing its largest package of sanctions to pressure North Korea to give up its nuclear and missile programmes. President Donald Trump warned of a “phase two” that could be “very, very unfortunate for the world” if the steps did not

Donald Trump

Kim Jong Un

work.North Korea has slammed Trump’s unilateral sanctions against it, but it said it was open to talks with the United States during senior North Korean officials’ visit to South Korea for the Olympics last month .The White House said any talks with North Korea must lead to an end of its nuclear programme.North Korea reiterated yesterday that it was willing to talk to the United States but said it would never sit with any precondition. North Korean foreign ministry spokesman was quoted by state media KCNA news agency as saying “we will neither beg for dialogue nor evade the military option claimed by the U.S.”

“Whether peace desired by our nation and the rest of the world settles on the Korean peninsula or a situation that no one desires is developed in the vicious cycle of confrontation depends entirely on the attitude of the U.S.” the spokesman said, according to KCNA. South Korea plans to send a special envoy to North Korea in response to an invitation from leader Kim Jong Un, South Korean President Moon Jae-in told Trump in a phone call on Thursday. The Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang last month gave a boost to recent engagement between the two Koreas after sharply rising tensions over the North’s missile programme.

PAGE 73

PAGE 74

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

T hr ee Columbians ar hree arrr ested in connection with submarine find The Submarine found

PARAMARIBO, Suriname – CMC – The Police have arrested three Colombian nationals in connection with the find of a narcotics submarine in a remote river recently and more arrests are expected. According to the authorities “it is likely that Surinamese nationals provided support (to whoever operated the boat) for drug transports”.The flat semi-submersible vessel was found by a “Special Team of Investors” who launched a search after a tip. The boat was stuck in the mud of a shallow river in District Saramacca, just off the coast with neighbouring Guyana. The police report that the engine of the submarine appears broken. It’s also not known when it entered Suriname. The Colombian nationals were apprehended in its immediate vicinity. However, their identities and involvement with the boat were not provided. According to the police, they are con-

cerned as the drug trade can disturb the social and economic order in the country. The law officers also stated that they are in the process of identifying criminal gangs “to prevent our country from being characterized as a place where it is easy to ship narcotics through. (But) our open borders represent a big challenge”. The authorities say the Colombians were cooperating with neighbouring countries to be able to battle the transshipment of illegal drugs in a targeted manner.” This not the first time a narcotics submarine has been found in this section of South America. The first vessel of this kind was found on August 14 2014 in a tributary of the Waini River near the country’s northwest border with Venezuela. It was believed that it was part of a largescale operation by transport groups that were serious about trafficking illicit goods across the Atlantic Ocean.

Oil and gas explorations to resume off Jamaica’s south coast KINGSTON, Jamaica CMC – British multinational company, Tullow Oil Limited, will conduct the first ever 3D seismic survey off Jamaica’s south coast this month, as the Government continues oil and gas explorations in the island’s territorial waters. The exercise is being carried out under a Production Sharing Agreement with the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) that was signed in 2014, and follows a 2D survey that Tullow conducted in 2016. Oil and Gas Manager at PCJ, Brian Richardson, who made the disclosure during a Jamaica Information Service Think Tank on Thursday, said the area of focus for the latest exploration is between the Pedro Banks and Portland Cottage. The process will entail a survey vessel capturing detailed 3D imagery of rock layers beneath the seafloor to identify potential oil and gas reserves.

Brian Richardson Richardson said once this exercise is completed, Tullow will be better positioned to determine whether they will undertake drilling “probably beyond the year 2020”. He pointed out that based on the extent of work involved; the 3D survey is expected to last 60 days, unlike

the 2D format, which takes two to three weeks. Richardson explained that the difference between the previous exercise and the latest is that “the 3D survey will be taking a lot more snapshots of the subsurface in order to get a more holistic view of (this, which) will be more reliable”. He said following the initial 60-day 3D survey, the data-processing exercise could take up to a year to be completed. Group General Manager for PCJ, Winston Watson, said based on what has evolved, “we are fairly optimistic that there is something out there”. The PCJ is the statutory body mandated by the Government to execute its energy programme for Jamaica. This involves renewables and facilitating oil and gas exploration in pursuit of new energy sources for Jamaica as well as operating the Stateowned refinery.

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

Iranian official calls on West to scrap nuclear arms before any missile talks

A military truck carrying a missile and a picture of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is seen during a parade marking the anniversary of the Iran-Iraq war (1980-88). REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi/TIMA DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran will not negotiate over its ballistic missiles until the United States and Europe dismantle nuclear weapons and longrange missiles, a top Iranian military official said yesterday. Separately, Iran confirmed that the Iranian foreign minister had met his former U.S. counterpart John Kerry on the sidelines of a Munich meeting last month. The New Yorker magazine earlier reported that Kerry had urged Tehran not to abandon a 2015 nuclear deal, despite tensions with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. While Iran has accepted curbs on its nuclear work which it says is for purely peaceful purposes - it has repeatedly refused to discuss its missile programme, something the United States and European countries have

called for. “The condition for negotiating Iran’s missiles is the destruction of the nuclear weapons and long-range missiles of the United States and Europe,” Iranian Armed Forces spokesman Masoud Jazayeri was quoted by the state news agency IRNA as saying. Iran says its missile programme is defensive, and that it is not related to Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers which led to the lifting of sanctions against the country. European powers and Iran have started talks over Tehran’s role in the Middle East and will meet again this month in Italy as part of efforts to prove to Trump that they are meeting his concerns over the 2015 nuclear deal. On Friday, the New Yorker

reported that during a meeting, which it said was attended by others involved in the nuclear deal, “Kerry quietly urged the Iranians not to abandon the deal or violate its terms - whatever the Trump Administration does”. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi, quoted by IRNA, said that Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif “has always met on the sidelines of such international summits with attending personalities and elites ... in the framework of preserving Iranian interests”. Zarif had met on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference with “John Kerry and Ernest Moniz, foreign and energy ministers of the previous U.S. government, who have a critical attitude towards Trump Administration policies”, Qasemi said.

Expatriates permitted to remain in BVI if offered jobs TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands CMC – Premier Dr. Orlando Smith says expatriates will not be asked to leave the territory if they have been offered jobs contributing to hurricane relief.The statement made by the Premier on Thursday, contradicts a policy implemented by the government three months ago, in which persons who found jobs would be asked to leave the territory if they have been living here for less than three years.However, Smith said – “Those who are here will continue to work once they have been offered employment. Those who are coming in will also be offered work.” “We are facilitating the entry of new workers because there are not sufficient workers in the territory. We are also, as I’ve said before, not asking people who have been offered employment to leave the territory,” he added. In the previous policy, only persons liv-

Premier Dr. Orlando Smith ing or working in the BVI for five years or more were allowed to stay while transitioning to a new job.

PAGE 75

PAGE 76

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

Judge reserves ruling in matter involving Chief Justice PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - CMC – A High Court judge has reserved until, Tuesday, her ruling in a matter in which the Chief Justice, Ivor Archie, is seeking to prevent the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago (LATT) from conducting an investigation into allegations against him. Justice Nadia Kangloo heard more than seven hours of arguments Friday from attorneys representing both sides as the embattled head of the judiciary moved to halt the investigations against him. In November last year, the LATT called on Archie to publicly address allegations in the local media, particularly the Sunday and Daily Express newspapers, that he had discussed security arrangements for judges with a personal friend. Media reports have linked Chief Justice Archie to discussing security arrangements for judges with a personal friend and late last year, the friend, Dillian Johnson, told police that he had information on individuals who want to kill him. Johnson had survived a gun attack on him at his home in Gasparillo, in southern

Chief Justice, Ivor Archie Trinidad. The allegations also include that the Chief Justice used his office to request Housing Development Corporation (HDC) housing for persons whom he knew and that he discussed the issue of security for judges with someone who was not a judge.Late last year, Chief Justice Archie, indicating then that he was not at “lib-

erty’ to say much at this time, denied media reports regarding the security of judges in Trinidad and Tobago. When the matter came up for hearing on Friday, attorneys for The Chief Justice, who was present in the court, said their client was also asking for the report of the association to be quashed and the association restrained from

taking that report and the external advice to its membership. According to Archie, the association was not empowered – constitutionally or statutorily to probe into his conduct. In earlier arguments, Ian Benjamin – who is part of a team led by former Attorney General John Jeremie, SC, – argued that the association is only empowered to investigate lawyers and complained of a lack of fairness by the association in its treatment of Archie. “You’ve already condemned us.” He added that the association’s probe, while well intentioned, was, “legally misinformed, misconceived and goes against the rule of law.”“You cannot speak out

of both sides of the mouth. You can’t say you have no power to discipline but have the power to investigate. We say you have no power.” In response, Senior Counsel Christopher Hamel-Smith, who represented LATT, said the association is simply trying to ascertain the facts in the allegations, before considering taking it to the prime minister. “It is not about using the Constitution to limit or stop the scrutiny of someone so high in the hierarchy by someone so low in the hierarchy.” He further explained that at this stage all the association was embarking on was ascertaining the facts contained in the allegations against the Chief Justice before a complaint is submitted to the prime minister.

In an affidavit filed in support of his claim, Archie contended that the “reckless” and concerted series of publications in the press, which contained allegations against him, were “highly defamatory” in that they “falsely, improperly and maliciously” suggested he was corrupt and corruptly used office in concert with convicted felons. Archie said the allegations appear to be part of a concerted effort, unlawfully, to damage the Judiciary, impair confidence in the administration of justice and drive him from office, outside of the Section 137 procedure. He admitted that his responses to the allegations have been restrained but said this was not because they were true.

Teachers Reject Government Wage Offer The Gleaner - Public school teachers have rejected the Government’s latest wage offer by a vote of 313 to 37.The teachers, who are represented by the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), have been offered a 16 per cent wage increase over four years, but have in-

structed their union to head back to the negotiating table.The teachers have previously rejected two offers that would have increased their salaries by six per cent over two years. Yesterday’s meeting was held at Wolmer’s High School for Boys in central Kingston.

Sunday March 04, 2018

Triple jumper Rojas and shot putter Walsh strike gold BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas, an athletics heroine who has shone in dark times for her country, again made her compatriots proud as she successfully defended her triple jump crown at the world indoor championships yesterday. Tom Walsh, a New Zealander who never fulfilled his mother’s dream of him becoming a rugby All Black, again excelled in his preferred athletic field, winning the shot gold with a record-breaking put on the penultimate morning of the four-day worlds. Christian Coleman, the U.S. sprinter tipped to take up Usain Bolt’s mantle as the world’s fastest man, was the center of attention at Arena Birmingham as he overcame an early stumble before eas-

PAGE 77

Kaieteur News

ing into the 60 meters semifinals. Rojas’s victory, after she belatedly roused herself to produce a fifth-round winning leap of 14.63 meters, the best in the world this year, proved another emotional one for the dramatic figure from Caracas. When she won the equivalent crown in London last year to become the first Venezuelan to strike gold at an outdoor world championships, Rojas dedicated her triumph to her country, which was embroiled in political and economic strife. Again, after adding a third world title to her impressive resume at the age of just 22, Rojas felt moved to declare:”This is a great achievement for Venezuela, for our nation. I hope I brought a bit of joy to them and they

enjoyed watching it.” The woman coached by Cuba’s former Olympic long jump champion Ivan Pedroso in Madrid had looked as if she might miss out as the Birmingham-based Jamaican Kimberly Williams led with a fine series, headed by her third round 14.48m. Yet before her fifth round effort, Rojas started whooping loudly to get the crowd involved and soared out to 14.63. Williams was unable to respond, with Spain’s Ana Peleteiro taking the bronze with 14.40. RIGHT CHOICE Walsh, rapidly becoming as dominant in the shot put arena as his female compatriot Valerie Adams has been, put the competition to bed with his opening effort of 22.13 meters, which he matched in the third round. Then, with the competition won and to the accompani-

Sunday March 04, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Plans for getting together with friends or a romantic partner might have to be postponed because of professional responsibilities that need attention. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Your health has been glowing over the past few weeks, Taurus, but today you're likely to feel a little under the weather. This is probably due to nothing more exotic than stress.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Today you might feel stifled by your current situation. Perhaps you're thinking of changing jobs or professions, or maybe you're considering moving to a more exotic place. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Attempts to master a new computer program or other form of high-tech equipment could seem to be going nowhere, Scorpio. You might tend to doubt your ability and thus feel very frustrated.

GEMINI(May 21–June 2 0 ) You might have planned an exciting evening with friends or your current love interest, but you have to postpone it due to forces beyond your control.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) The rapid level of growth that you've probably been experiencing could suddenly prove too much for you today,

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Upsetting events in the neighborhood might have family members in a funk. This could be something major like construction crews tearing up the streets

CAPRI (Dec.22–Jan.19) The energy that has propelled you forward for the past several weeks might seem to lag a bit today, causing you momentary panic that your progress won't continue. As a result, you could be feeling a bit blue.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Today you might hear a rather distressing rumor about one or more people you know or perhaps about your working situation. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Personal or professional projects you've been working on might be moving a bit more slowly than you're comfortable with today, Virgo. You may wonder if this is because you aren't doing something right.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Today you might experience a slight (and very temporary) dark night of the soul, Aquarius. You could take a long look at your life and, even though you're doing well PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) A group with which you're affiliated could be excited about a course of action that you might not feel is wise now, Pisces.

ment of rock music in the dimly-lit arena, the 26-yearold unleashed his celebratory‘shot in the dark’ of 22.31 meters, a lifetime best and Oceania record that put him fourth on the all-time list. The mark also erased East German Ulf Timmermann’s 31year-old championship record of 22.24m, the longest-standing world indoor championship mark. However, it also spelled bad news for Walsh’s coach, who had promised to grow‘mutton chop’ facial hair for the next nine months if his charge won with a personal best. Walsh, who was a talented rugby player and cricketer as a youngster, reckoned that his mum, who had wanted him to concentrate on rugby, would now accept he had made the right choice to pursue athletics. “If you knew my mother, you would know that she would never disagree with something she has said. But I made the right decision,” said a smiling Walsh, who consigned Germany’s David Storl (21.44) to silver and Czech Tomas Stanek (also 21.44), who was relegated to bronze on the countback. “Mum will be pretty happy. It is great to have parents supporting you, whatever you do.” The men’s 60 meters, the championships’ blue riband event, was set for a dramatic conclusion in the semi-finals and final later on Saturday after world record holder Coleman had overcome a brief stumble to ease through in a modest 6.71 seconds. The quickest man going into the semis will be Coleman’s U.S. team mate Ronnie Baker, who clocked 6.57 seconds while there was much delight that Kim Collins, the popular 41-year-old veteran from St Kitts & Nevis in his final competition, also qualified.

Success, Ariel... From page 83 overs. Richard Persaud struck 25 while Mohamed Rafeek made 20; the pair added 40 for the third wicket after Ron Ramanuth went for 15. Success Masters and Ariel Masters will clash in the Masters’ final from 09:00hrs today on pitch one. Simultaneously Regal All stars and Success All stars will battle in the open final on pitch two. The competition will then conclude with the Masters heavyweight final which pits Regal Masters against Mike’s Wellman. (Zaheer Mohamed)

England hold nerve to beat New Zealand by four runs WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Ben Stokes’ brilliant diving catch proved the catalyst for a spectacular middle-order collapse, while Chris Woakes bowled a superb final over as England beat New Zealand by four runs in their third oneday international yesterday. The hosts had looked comfortably placed to chase down England’s 234 when Stokes turned the game as spinners Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid took five wickets for 23 runs between them in the space of 41 balls. New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, who scored his 11th one-day century, however, combined with Mitchell Santner to halt the slide and then gave the hosts hopes of achieving a remarkable win with a 96-run partnership.Santner was then unluckily run out for 41 when Woakes got his hand to a straight drive from Williamson and deflected the ball back onto the stumps, leaving the all-rounder stranded and New Zealand 199 for seven with 4.4 overs remaining. Tom Curran and Woakes then bowled brilliantly at the

death, with the latter restricting Williamson from scoring the 15 runs needed to win in the last over. Williamson, who needed a six off the final ball to win the game, or a four to secure a tie, failed to make contact and finished 112 not out with his side on 230-8 to leave England with a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. “Brilliant game of cricket,” England captain Eoin Morgan said. “Our spin twins did a fantastic job. “The pressure shifted a little bit with the WilliamsonSantner partnership and it was a tight game that could have gone either way.” All of England’s batsmen had got starts but only Morgan looked comfortable on the drop-in pitch that appeared to be twopaced and providing inconsistent bounce as he top-scored with 48 and shared a 71-run partnership with Stokes. Scores: England 234 (Morgan 48, Sodhi 3-53) beat New Zealand 230 for 8 (Williamson 112*, Moeen 336) by four runs

PAGE 78

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

From page 75 and senior golfer Maurice Solomon played a great game to emerge the champion in the Sanjay’s Jewellery Classic Golf tournament. The results of the day’s tournament were as follows: Nearest to The Pin – Mohanlall Dinanauth. Best Gross was decided on a Back 9 Count-back since Mike Mangal tied with Avinash Persaud for gross 75. Mangal won with 36 against Persaud’s 38 on the countback. Best Net places were: 1st – Maurice Solomon 65/25, and 2nd Mike Mangal 67/8. 3rd and 4th places were decided on a Back 9 count-back since three golfers, Brian Hackett, Assrodeen Shaw and Richard Haniff tied for net 70. From that count-back places were 3rd Brian Hackett 70/19; and 4th Aasrodeen Shaw 70/18. So keen was the day’s competition that even net scores of 71, 72 and 73 had ties. Tying for net 71 were Moahanlall Dinanauth 71/6 and Parmanand Persaud 71/ 11. Next were Patrick Prashad 72/9, Shanella Webster 72/17 and Joaan Deo 72/18. Then there were Avinash Persaud 73/2, Kassim Khan 73/8 and Munaf Arjune 73/10.

Berbice claim GCB Dave West Indian Imports U15 tourney Berbice were crowned champions of the Guyana Cricket Board Dave West Indian Imports inter county U15 50-over tournament which concluded at Bourda. In a match which was reduced to 25 overs due to rain, Berbice managed 88 all out in 25 overs. Jonathan Rampersaud made 19, while

Zynul Ramsammy and Mahendra Gopilall made 15 each and Antowne Alexander 14. Shafeek Khan claimed 414, while Chanderpaul Ramraj and 3-15. In reply, Demerara truggled after losing two quick wickets in the first two overs with the score on three. Nicholas Rajpat came in at number three but fell for eight while Romel Datterdeen was caught for 2. Chandrapaul Ramraj top scored with nine as Isia Thorne captured 3 for 18, while Budhram Rampersaud had 2-5 and Jonathon Rampersaud 2-15. The leading run-scorer for this tournament was Zyunl Ramsammy with 63 runs. Jonathon Rampersaud walked away with both the Man-of-the-Match and Most Valuable Player awards with a total of 15 wickets in the tournament, a best of 5 for 12.

GuyanaNRA host successful AGM The Guyana NRA (GNRA), which is led by President Brigadier Patrick West, recently held its Annual General Meeting (AGM). Despite President West being unable to attend as a result of pressing duties, the business of the association was discussed in keeping with the association’s constitution. Following the membership’s agreement at last year’s AGM, the next elections will take place in 2020. Two reports were presented along with a similar amount of motions. Honorary Secretary Ryan Sampson in his report enlightened members of the milestone which the association achieved in last year’s celebration of its 150th Anniversary which coincided with the

hosting of the West Indies Fullbore Championship, which saw representative teams from England, Ireland, Canada, Falkland Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda, and Bermuda. This event he noted was the council’s main focus for 2017. A special committee was formulated and chaired by Mr. Ransford Goodluck. Sampson also noted that Fullbore Captain Mr. Mahendra Persaud played a significant role in relation to the successful hosting of the West Indies championships which also included the complete refurbishment of the Timehri Rifle Ranges. The fullbore section now has 24 targets, an increase from 14. The smallbore section now has five bays to stage multiple stages of IPSC shoots. The Secretary also expressed in his report, thanks to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) which provided an excavator to assist with the refurbishment of the ranges. The Timehri Rifle Ranges is now deemed a world class range and accolades have been extended to the GuyanaNRA President from the international participants as well as the Secretary General of ICFRA, Mr. Phil Harrison. Sampson expressed gratitude to association Patron, His Excellency President David Granger, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Hon. Dr. George Norton and Minister of Education Hon. Nicolette Henry, who had previously held the sports portfolio, for their assistance. Also coming for praise were the Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Police Force

Diamond Upsetters FC President Andre Fortune (2nd right) receives the soccer clipboard and whistle from Ralph Green in the presence of club Secretary Ms. Hazel Ferdinand (left), Treasurer Flacton Hendricks (right) and some of the junior members.

Zamin Hamid proudly displays his tokens in the presence of Mukesh Appiah left and Matthew Appiah right. and the Guyana Revenue Authority, Crown Mining Supplies, Industrial Safety Supplies Inc., Secure Innovations and Concepts Inc., Queensway Security, Banks DIH Ltd, Sterling Products, Modern Optical Services and Noble House Seafoods, among others. Acting Fullbore Captain Dylan Fields reported that the fullbore shooters have once more made Guyana proud with their exceptional performances by retaining both Team titles, Long and Short range on home soil. Fields reported that Mr. Mahendra Persaud was second overall just two points behind the winner Mr. Gary Alexander of Ireland in the Individual Shoot. Persaud however won the top West Indian Trophy. In the 150th Shoot won by David Calvert, Mr. Lennox Braithwaite was second and was the top West Indian in this shoot. Mr. Roberto Tiwari was second in the O’Class category to seal the outstanding team performance. Fullbore members Mahendra Persaud and Lennox Braithwaite also had great performances at the Commonwealth Shooting Federation pre-championship competition in Australia last October, finishing eighth and sixth respectively. The duo will certainly be looking for a good showing at Commonwealth Games in April at the same venue. In Smallbore shooting, Vice Captain Gordon Richards reported that Mr. Harold Hopkinson represented Guyana at overseas shoots in Suriname, Barbados, Aruba, USA and the World IPSC Championship in France. Richards informed that Hopkinson’s self-sponsorship must be commended and he continues to equip himself with world class equipment to elevate his performance. He has had mixed fortunes but

very encouraging for him to continue shooting in 2018. He has been a top shot in Guyana for a number of years and has been sharing his knowledge with the younger shooters. As the IPSC Director, Hopkinson continues to ensure that shoots are held under the correct guidelines. He has also provided sponsorship and resources towards the improvement of smallbore shooting in Guyana. Members were also informed that Mr. Rajiv Latchanna also attended shoots in Suriname.

staying healthy at that age to the extent he can still play the game. He urged the youngsters around to emulate the attitude and commitment of this senior citizen. Other senior citizens honored were the oldest living resident in the area, 97 year old Gulcharran Kandie, Bharrat Budhram, Partab Mangal and Nelson Crandon.

Appiah family honours Berbice eldest active cricketer, Zamin Hamid

Sponsor of the East Bank Football Association Under11 League, USA based Ralph Green made a presentation of equipment to the Diamond Upsetters Football Club at the Diamond Community Center ground. Green, who was on a short visit home said that he was impressed with the commitment and desire of the young Diamond Upsetters club which ended fourth in the just concluded 2017 edition of the U-11 League. Diamond Upsetters’ goalkeeper, Joshua Dias was named the Best Goalkeeper of the League. Club President Andre Fortune in accepting the gifts on behalf of his club expressed gratitude to Green for the timely donation. Fortune said that the club will ensure that the equipment is cared for and would be used to enhance the development of the players by Coach, Kevin Padmore Snr. Green wished the club continued success and has promised to continue looking out for the club by making more donations in the future. The equipment received included shin guards, two sets of bibs, two sets of cones as well as a soccer clipboard board for the coach and a fox40 whistle.

Fyrish Second Division cricketer, 73 year old Zamin Hamid, was recently honored by the Appiah family for his contribution to the development of the game as a player and administrator and his role in community development. He is also the eldest active player in the County of Berbice. He participated in the inaugural Ramnarine Appiah Memorial Cricket Competition and was one of the outstanding bowlers. He also participates in New Building Society Limited and Raffik and Sons Second Division Cricket Competitions and every other tournament organised by the Berbice Cricket Board. At a simple ceremony held recently, Mukesh Appiah presented a beautiful plaque to Hamid with his photograph engraved, medals, trophies and a button. The recipient expressed gratitude to the Appiah family for recognising his contribution to society in general and promised that he will continue to help with the development of the game in the county. Appiah praised Hamid for

Diamond Upsetters receive equipment boost from Ralph Green

Sunday March 04, 2018

PAGE 79

Kaieteur News

We take a look back at the key events that took place and made the news in the local sporting arena over the past week Colin ‘Superman’ Lewis wins best boxer overall, parks Ferrari in the process Colin ‘Superman’ Lewis bullied his way to a first round TKO victory over the hapless St. Lucian Nathan Ferrari at the National Gymnasium, during the main bout of the Patrick Forde Memorial Open Boxing which was organised by the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) in collaboration with McDonald’s Promotion. This was a rematch of the light welterweight finals of the Caribbean Development Boxing amateur tournament that punched off December last in the Caribbean Island of St. L u c i a ; F e r r a r i ’s n a t i v e land. And, ‘Superman’ proved that his victory in the island republic event wasn’t a fluke and with support of the scores of cheering home fans that filled up the ring side admission and stands, he didn’t disappoint the Guyanese and the referee was forced to stop the contest in the first round. A straight right from ‘Superman’ Lewis that landed on Ferrari’s chin accounted for the first knock down. The St. Lucian composed himself after and fired some spirited

blows in retaliation but the more dominant in form and attacking prowess, ‘Superman’, shrugged off the challenges and dealt a flurry of blows and winded Ferrari, gifting himself the TKO victory which was decided by referee Lawrence Assanah. ‘Superman’ was awarded the Best Boxer elite and overall trophies. Meanwhile, Deeron Williams (school boy best boxer), Ravin Rodrigues (junior best boxer), Chris Moore (youth best boxer) and Alisha Jackman (female best boxer) also took home trophies and one year’s bragging rights from the event which is in its second annual year. Two of Guyana’s brightest prospects, Keevin Allicock and Desmond Amsterdam also improved their records on Sunday in exciting fashion. Allicock forced Jamal Eastman’s corner to throw in the towel in the second round, while the referee stopped the contest since Amsterdam’s onslaught on his opponent Kelvin Wielzen of Suriname could’ve been lethal. Local standouts, Chris Moore and Joel Williamson also ensured that Guyana sent back home the two other Surinamese, Toni Lin and Blond Pikienito with unanimous losses.

Brenessa Thompson scorches to new personal best 200m at SEC Games Guyanese athlete Brenessa Thompson scorched the track to a new personal best indoor time at the SEC Games in Texas, United States. Thompson ran 23.15 in the heats for Texas A&M which she represents while studying there. She started well and held a tight corner to come out ahead of her nearest challenger and power home for the victory. Her win bests her previous indoor top time of 23.36 as she beat Shania Collins of Tennessee comfortably. On her facebook page Thompson posted, “Survive and advance. Thank you God for a great race day. #TrustTheprocess”, in recognition of her excellent effort

Green returned at the helm of the GRFU; will not seek re-election in 2020 President of the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) Peter Green was returned to lead the union for the next two years un-opposed when the entity held its Annual General Meeting at the National Resource Center, Woolford Avenue and Camp Street. Green, who has been at the helm of the body since 2013, has indicated that this would be his final term leading the body which has found

Best Boxer overall, Superman Lewis lands a left hook on St. Lucian Nathan Ferrari during the first round TKO itself $5Million in the red. In his acceptance remarks last evening, Green stated that he is excited to continue leading the GRFU and has promised that the financial plight of the body would be reversed. Green also noted that the domestic season will have to scrum off shortly and they would also be looking at increasing the pool of young players available to the union for development. Green, who seemed to be in a no nonsense mood told the players who turned out in their numbers at the meeting that they would have to focus more on their fitness levels as well as the new anti doping regulations and rules that are in place this year. The AGM accepted reports from the President and

Secretary, Petal Adams who was also re-elected defeating Terrance Grant 24 votes to 4, Grant was not present but had submitted a letter indicating his willingness to contest the post. The financial statement was deferred to another meeting since the audited statement has not been completed by the auditors. In what can be termed history, three sports journalists have been elected as part of the executive, Rawle Toney (Junior Vice President) defeating Troy Yhip 17 votes to 10, Joshua Griffith was also nominated but he declined. The other two journalist’s elected are Esan Griffith (Public Relations Officer) and Tristan Joseph (Committee Member). The other members

of the executive are Major Earl Edghill (Senior Vice President) he defeated Griffith 20 votes to 8. Ryan Gonsalves, who was appointed during the previous term as Treasurer, has now taken up the position full time; Peter Campayne will serve as the new Assistant Secretary/Treasurer, while the Committee members are Teleay McAlmont, Kevon David and Sherlock Solomon.

Maurice Solomon eats the field in exciting Sanjay’s Jewellery Classic Golf tourney Playing in fine style under excellent golf course and weather conditions, veteran (Continued on page 74)

Brenessa Thompson in action in a previous competition. (facebook)

The 2018-2020 GRFU Executive pose for a photo following yesterday’s AGM. President Peter Green is seated at center, while Honorary Secretary Petal Adams is at right.

PAGE 80

Sunday March 04, 2018

Kaieteur News

2018 Milo Schools’ Under-18 football tournament

Chase, Bishops’ and Sir Leon lessons register big wins yesterday

Sir Leon Lessons Teon Forde fires home from close range to take the tally to 4-0 during his team’s 5-0 thrashing of St. Rose’s High yesterday in the Milo Schools’ football tournament. (Calvin Chapman photo). The Milo/Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) Schools’ Under-18 football tournament continued yesterday at the Ministry of Education (MOE) ground on CARIFESTA Avenue with triple header. All the teams registered big wins with Bish-

ops’ High School enjoying the largest victory after handing School of the Nations a hefty 9-0 thrashing. Bishops’ High’s Jeremiah Joseph lead the charge with a hat-trick after netting in the 36th, 57th and 66th minutes and he was supported well by

Lamar Williams who scored a brace. Brandon Walters, Darren Chan, Owen Jones and Romeo Bradford all scored once in the fantastic win.In the opening fixture, Chase Academic Foundation ended the unbeaten streak of Annandale with a 4-0 drub-

Sir Leon Lessons’ goal scorers from left, Zian Gray, Teon Forde, Luckort Forde and Ramsey pose for a photo after their 5-0 victory. (Calvin Chapman photo) bing. Jeremy Garrett, Rashawn Rich, Randel Peters and Nicholas McArthur were the scorers for the three-time defending champions. The feature game witnessed Sir Leon Lessons flailing St. Rose’s High 5-0. Five different players got on the

score sheet for the winners; Zian Grey (19th), Julian Bamfield (49th), Luckort Forde (45th), Teon Forde (59th) and Ryan Ramsey in the 59th minute. Today’s play will see Uitvlugt Secondary matching skills with Cummings Lodge

in the first game that kicks off at 12:00hrs, then Linden based Christianburg Wismar Secondary School will oppose Ann’s Grove Secondary with the feature match being contested between Morgan’s Learning Centre and Pure Masters Academy.

GCA’s Star Party Rentals, Trophy Stall & GISE 2-day cricket

DCC’s Persaud’s unbeaten 150 highlights truncated 1st day action Renee, Tage share 98-run stand for Everest The GCA’s Star Party Rentals, Trophy Stall & GISE two-day first division cricket tournament resumed with two matches yesterday after a long break due to rain and the unavailability of grounds in the City. At DCC, an entertaining unbeaten 150 from 18-yearold West Indies U-19 batsman Joshua Persaud was decorated with nine fours and 15 sixes as he shared in a 109run unfinished eight wicket stand with Guyana U-19 offspinner Sagar Hatheramani (36), who reached the boundary three times and cleared it thrice to lift DCC from 23-4 to 261-7 declared. Only West Indies U-16 Skipper Sachin Singh (28) reached double figures among the first six batsmen as fast bowler Stephen Harris, who removed Chris Barnwell and Raymond Perez for ducks with the score on 23, finished with 4-52, while pacer Raun Johnson (2-60) supported for Police who were 44-4 when stumps were drawn at 18:00hrs, still 217 behind DCC’s total. Andrew Lyght (3), Kevin Boodie (16), Mark Gonsalves (0) and Kemol Savory (5) were

DCC’S Joshua Persaud hit an unbeaten 150 to rescue his team from 23-4 against Police at DCC yesterday. the batsmen dismissed as West Indies U-19 left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd has so far taken 2-16 for the Queenstown side. Earlier, play began at 13:00hrs in hazy sunshine after overnight rain which left sections of the boundary edges soggy, preventing the scheduled 09:30 hrs start. DCC opted to bat on sluggish track with plenty of preparation moisture and were quickly on 15-1 when

Tevin Imlach (9) was LBW to Harris, while Trevon Griffith, back home after representing Jamaica Tallawahs in the Regional Super50 Festival, was trapped LBW by Johnson for six at 22-2. The left-handed Singh was dropped at slip off Johnson while Harris dismissed Barnwell, who played too early to a ball that ‘held up’ on surface to suffer a soft dismissal, while Harris got rid of Perez as two fell at 23 in the same over. Sherfane Rutherford (7) soon departed and when Singh perished, the star-studded DCC line-up was in Dire Straits before Persaud dispatched the hapless bowlers to all parts of the small ground and dominated the eightwicket partnership with Hatheramani. At Everest, in another truncated day which finally began at 12:30hrs, the home team were 195-9 when played ended at 17:30hrs. Malteenoes opted to field and Rookie pacer Rawle Merell got rid of Test batsman Rajendra Chandrika (12) as his struggles with the bat continued to leave the Hosts on 24-1. West Indies U-19 World

Police’s Stephen Harris (4-52) bowls to Trevon Griffith at DCC yesterday. Cup batsman Bhaskar Yadram (1) was caught and bowled by Kellon Carmichael at 32-2 before new CPL recruit Akshaya Persaud (7) was taken at point as Carmichael struck again at 49-3.Opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul played the supporting role in a 98-run fourth wicket stand with Renaldo Renee before they departed in the space of 16 runs. Renee pulled Merell to deep mid-wicket after hitting

five fours and two sixes in his aggressive 59, while the more sedate Chanderpaul was three away from his 50 when Gudakesh Motie called him and then sent him back as a stranded Chanderpaul was run out by a direct from Carlile Collins to leave Everest on 158-5. Richie Looknauth (4) and Travis Mohamed, who looks a vastly improved player from when he began training with

the Academy players two seasons ago, dumped Steven Jacobs back over his head for six before he fell at 192-7 after hitting two sixes in his 14. Motie (22) and Avishkar Ramgobin (1) were dismissed in quick succession as Carmichael had three wickets, while Merell and Marcus Watkins supported with two each. Both games are set to resume today from 09:30hrs. (Sean Devers)