Thursday March 09, 2017
PAGE 5
Kaieteur News
Twelve private schools The ultimate failure of GECOM under Surujbally EDITOR, titions, shortly after their elec- ance which satisfactorily recertain direction. object to VAT on tuition fees DEAR It is Guyana’s democratic flect Guyana’s ethnicities and He noted that police in- tions were concluded. DEAR EDITOR, We write on behalf of the administrators and parents of Mae’s Schools, the New Guyana School, The School of Nations, The Business School, Green Acres School, Cherry Blossom Play School, Apex Academy, Concord Academy, Westfield Preparatory, ISA Islamic School, Saraswati Vidya Niketan (SVN) and Chase Academy, regarding the recent introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) on tuition fees for students attending private educational institutions. While we recognize the need for Government to enhance revenues, we strongly hold that a tax on education is not the right step in reaching that goal. Moreover, our institutions have enabled many Guyanese to reach new plateaus, which have positively redounded to the wider society. On that score, our contributions to nation building are probably most tangible, and we are committed to playing a continued role in this regard. We hold that efforts for our children’s education should be encouraged by an enlightened Government rather than be taxed. Needless to point out, our efforts will not only serve the interest of our children but, at the same time, have lasting repercussions for the country’s future as well. The issue of tax compliance, we believe, is distinct and falls on the shoulder of
the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). We hold that all institutions should be compliant with the laws of the land but, at the same time, this cannot be couched with the issue we are representing. It is generally agreed, in our times, that the need for a knowledge-based society is an integral component for small nations such as ours to progress and develop. We urge, as others have before us, that the Government carefully review this policy with intent to remove VAT on private school tuition. Stacey French – Administrator, Mae’s Schools Margarita DeArmasAdministrator, The New Guyana School, Inc. Dr. Brian O’Toole - Administrator, The School of Nations, Inc. James Bovell- Director, The Business School Marilyn Green- Director, Green Acres School Colleen Roberts- Director, Cherry Blossom School Shazad Ali- Director, Apex Academy Vilma Cromwell – Administrator, Concord Academy Desiree Tilbury- Administrator, Westfield Preparatory Akram Hussain- Director, ISA Islamic School Swami AksharanandaDirector, Saraswati Vidya Niketan (SVN) Henry Chase- Director, Chase Academy
We left the bound yard one... From page 4 This branding never occurs when Africans, Amerindians or any other group speaks on behalf of their communities. This is not a cry of victimhood but an observation about the obvious discrimination directed at the Indian Guyanese population which is designed to keep us voiceless. I wish to say to those Indian Guyanese who are fearful of embracing their ethnic identity: we left the bound yard one hundred years ago. We are free to give voice in music, dance, literature, etc., and free to express ourselves. The next step would be the inclusion of these and other Indian Guyanese expressions on the national stage beyond the tokenism that now exists. President David Granger in his address at Leonora last Sunday to mark the abolition centenary not only expressed his appreciation for the Indian contribution to Guyana’s development but assured us that we are very much part of a united Guyana. This even as
the state-owned “Guyana Chronicle” participates in the assault on myself, Mr Dev, and PPP MP, Mr Adrian Anamayah who also spoke at the NCC on behalf of Opposition Leader BharratJagdeo. While this assault directly contradicts the President’s own message of inclusion and respect for diversity, I want to believe that the President is sincere about his message to our community. This should mean that all hate speech and bigotry directed at any individual or group should be condemned and should have no place in Guyana. Ryhaan Shah
process, and GECOM, who would be winners, one way or the other when the matter of judicial determination of electoral integrity is fully ventilated and decided in the courts and no one should stand in its way…..unless there is something to hide or an attempt is underway to obfuscate what really transpired in 2015 and to delay the 2020 elections! Dr. Surujbally goes further into bringing his tenure at GECOM into questioning and disrepute. He, perhaps too readily, accords with the Government’s position that a Judge or a person who can be appointed as a Judge is, a priori, according to his interpretation, suited for appointment as GECOM Chairman, if he is “fit and proper.” This construct of Dr. Surujbally would appear to rule his appointment out from the very beginning and appears to be an admission of his ‘squatting’ on the position all these years. Surujbally tries to adopt an enigmatic posture with respect to the mysterious appearance of fake statements of poll (SOPs) into the count during 2015 elections. He adverts to existing “empirical” data which could point in a
vestigations led nowhere and called on the media to exercise more vigilance and to pursue the issue. The question which naturally arises is why is Surujbally sitting on data, empirical or otherwise, which could help solve this deeply troubling puzzle? Why should anyone, most of all the Chairman of an Elections Commission, fuel speculations and allow these to run rife with respect to the penetration of the GECOM system by fake statements of poll? Is it not required of Dr. Surujbally to reveal publically his empirical data to help solve this mystery as an aspect of his stewardship and legacy at GECOM? Is it not within the remit of the Chairman of the Elections Commission to investigate and report fully on this matter? We should all be prepared to let the chips fall where they may in resolution of this crucial issue. Guyana is still awaiting reports from GECOM on the 2015 National and Regional Elections and on the 2016 Local Government Elections. Elections Commissions in jurisdictions with which Dr. Surujbally is familiar have published the reports on their elections, petitions or no pe-
Dr. Surujbally has balked at allowing for the 2015 elections report to be done and provided to the commission, the public, and the national stakeholders. Monthly and annual reports of GECOM are infrequent and generally of poor usability as are meetings of the Commission. Oversight of the commission is poor with complaints of some commissioners being “embedded” there while others do not have the same access….this against a backdrop of Surujbally refusing to provide common space and facilitation to commissioners to do research or to meet members of the public. Surujbally has also refused to provide documented information to the commissioners on allegations in the media on financial mismanagement and other irregularities at the institution but has studiedly made assertions in the media and in an appraisal on the very good performance of the executive in the face of an ongoing audit by the State Auditors of GECOM. Dr. Surujbally’s insistence on not adopting any course of action to have GECOM’s employment practices result in an environment and appear-
multicultural character is a signal failure towards GECOM avoiding charges and perceptions of ethnic bias. The blinkered approach to this problem allows for the continuing shutting out of representative sections of the electorate from participating fully in democratic action and oversight and this in itself impairs our, admittedly, evolving democracy at all levels and in all spheres. And, lastly, the lack of any perceived urgency in modernizing electoral systems by allowing for the adoption of enhanced biometrics, e-registration and e-tabulation as adjunct to the current system speaks volumes on the ultimate failure of GECOM under Dr. Surujbally. A failure in stewardship and accountability, due to elitist, obdurate, and opportunistic leadership, has resulted in a corrosive atmosphere and the undermining of tried and proven administrative and professional practice, which has continuing negative impacts and portend a future of enormous risk. We at GECOM cannot continue to fail our country Robeson Benn PPP/C GECOM Commissioner
Can Govt. make alternative arrangements if the bridge collapses? DEAR EDITOR, Two weeks ago I climbed in a mini bus just after 2 PM in the afternoon, with the intention of heading across the Demerara River to visit relatives at No. One Canal. After a smooth ride up the East Bank, the bus turned into the entrance of the Harbor Bridge. There the commotion began. There were lanes of traffic backed up to the East Bank road since the Bridge was open for river traffic. Okay, not a biggie, thought I. Given the lanes of backed up traffic to the toll booths, I figure the bridge was closed for a while and would soon be open to vehicular traffic. One hot sweltering hour later, having passed the hour with everyone else squished up in the mini bus and listening to two drivers cussing each other out because one
would not move up to allow another to drive out onto the public road, we were all still there waiting patiently for the bridge to open. Someone mentioned that they were working on something on the bridge. Everyone else waited patiently since their homes were on the other side of the river. After another half hour I had had enough and bailed out of the bus, paid the driver and caught a Timehri bus heading back to town. As we drove north there were two or three lanes of traffic from the bridge, lining the roadway, all the way past Eccles and
Agricola. The line extended as far as the DIH complex. Then I got to thinking; what if something did go wrong with the Harbor Bridge and traffic could not traverse it. Does Government have any contingency plans to get people across the river? Can they, in a few hours get the ferry working from the two stellings? I doubt it; given
the state of both stellings. Apart from the speed boats, how can people and cargo get across the river if the aging bridge fails? It makes it all the more urgent that the new bridge be built ASAP. Don’t let us wait for the old clanker we currently rely on to fail us. Remember, it is long past its expiration date. Malcolm Alves
PAGE 6
Kaieteur News
Please use the roadways responsibly to save lives DEAR EDITOR, Throughout the years of the Guyana Police Force’s existence, since I can recall, I am now obliged to commend these men and women of this noble profession for the professional manner in which they speak to the public and also conduct themselves while in the public domain. The feelings and looks of concerns with ones’ interest whilst maintaining law and order is now a hallmark of the Guyana Police Force, and commendable However, there is the need for the general public to further assist the Guyana Police Force specifically the members of the Traffic Department since very often we are saddened by the report of a life being loss through the neglect that some will argue to be deliberate; it is most important to realize the precious gift a life that was lost. Being a frequent road user, I have observed on numerous occasions the way pedestrians use their crossing whether at traffic lights or elsewhere. I refer to an instance recently among others where I saw a school child who stood no more than ten feet from a pedestrian crossing desirous of crossing the road but his intentions were only known when he ran
across the road through the busy traffic. Furthermore, I have seen cyclist using the pedestrian’s crossing as their crossing. It is the writers’ view that the Guyana Police Force has been working effortlessly to reduce the road carnage and it is now the work of every civilian citizen of this beautiful country to continue what we have learnt from the numerous traffic outreaches and workshops hosted by the Guyana Police Force Traffic Department and the Road Safety Council throughout time. Every parent must preach to their child the correct way of using the road, every motorist must adhere to the five Cs, every cyclist must conform to the safety measures given to them through the laws and not to infringe on those of others. The Bible outlines that love gives in order to save the loss. We may not all be Christians but we all cry, we all bleed, we all feel pain, we are all answerable to our creator whenever the day comes. Let us be ambassadors of Love not only in our homes, or businesses but also on our road, as we enjoy this journey of life ALISTER BURKE Commuter
Barack Obama will be awarded for his courage DEAR EDITOR, The erstwhile United States President Barack Obama was recently named this year’s winner of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library’s “Profile in Courage” award, an annual honor for leaders who stand up to political opponents. We also learn that the museum cited Obama’s signature healthcare reform law, which the incumbent United Sates President has vowed to repeal and replace, and cited restoration of diplomatic ties with Cuba and also the Paris climate change deal as key reasons for his selection. President Obama has embodied the definition of courage throughout his two terms in office. He represented all
Americans with decency, integrity, and an unshakeable commitment to the greater good. The award takes its name from Kennedy’s 1957 Pulitzer Prize-winning book about eight U.S. Senators who took principled stands on unpopular issues. Previous winners include former presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush, Gabrielle Giffords, the former United States representative who left Congress after a gunman shot her in the head and John McCain, the U.S. senator and former prisoner of war. Mr. Obama will receive the award in a ceremony at the waterfront of the Boston Kennedy library in May this year. Rooplall Dudhnath
Thursday March 09, 2017
Not comfortable with the Minister’s assurance about oil spills DEAR EDITOR, Minister Trotman recently assured the citizens of Guyana that this country is prepared for an oil spill. If ‘prepared’ means being able to stop long term or irreversible damage to marine waters and biodiversity from any oil spill, then we are the only country in the world in that happy position. If the Minister’s statement means something less, then Guyanese citizens should be seriously concerned. Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd (EEPGL) intend to drill about 5,000 metres (more than 3 miles) down into the sea-bed. The sea-bed itself is 1800 metres (over a mile) deep. Is the Minister aware of the risks posed by one single deep water well - let alone the 17 wells EEPGL intends to build? In 2010 the deep water well Macondo blew out, killing 11 people. If Minister Trotman has read the report “Deep Water the Gulf Oil Disaster and the Future of Offshore Drilling” (commissioned by President Obama) he could not possibly conclude that Guyana is prepared for an oil spill. Macondo dumped about 4,900,000barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. The impact on marine wildlife was devastating and even harmed
Guyana’s marine turtles thousands of miles away. If the rich and technologically advanced USA could not protect its own marine environment, why does Minister Trotman think that our Civil Defence Commission and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency will do better? Minister Trotman has said that Exxon would be obligated to deal with the spill. It took BP 152 days to ‘kill’ the Macondo well. Is Exxon going to do any better? Exxon’s record does not bear scrutiny. Exxon has been fined hundreds of millions of dollars in the USA for pollution, spills and leaks. The Exxon Valdez spilled 11,000,000 gallons of oil in the pristine Alaskan environment. The oil covered 11,000 square miles of ocean and is estimated to have killed hundreds of thousands of birds and animals including at least 22 orcas, 300 harbour seals, 2,800 sea otters, 250,000 sea birds, and unknown numbers of salmon and herring. No amount of money can bring them back from the dead. Exxon has apparently spilled more than 1,000,000 gallons of oil into the Niger Delta. Last month the UK Guardian reported that Exxon is being investigated for an oil spill in
the Bass Strait, Australia. The Environmental Protection Act 1996 requires an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for every ‘project’ which could have a significant effect on the environment. Rather than carry out the separate EIAs required by law EEPGL has bundled together in one environmental impact assessment, 17 deep water wells, off-shore facilities, onshore facilities, flaring, use of chemicals, marine discharges, transportation of oil through Guyana’s marine environment, decommissioning etc. EEPGL’s Environmental Impact Assessment Statement, a glossy 485 pages now open for public comment, is hopelessly inadequate. Should we trust Exxon? Exxon has been under investigation in the United States for misleading the public, has been investigated by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and has been fined for anticompetitive behaviour in the USA. In October 2016 the High Court in Chad imposed a fine of US$74 billion on Exxon for underpaying royalties. All of this makes transparency critical for the Guyanese people and Minister Trotman should immediately release the current contract.
President Granger has made public commitments to a green economy and has even mentioned ‘replenishment’ of biodiversity, a visionary change from the current dreary dogma of ‘sustainability’ in an impoverished natural world. Given Exxon’s estimate of a recoverable resource of 800,000,000 to 1,400,000,000 barrels of oil, there is more than enough money to protect and replenish our national patrimony. Indeed we are required to do so by Article 36 of the Constitution which says that, “The wellbeing for the nation depends upon preserving clean air, fertile soils, pure water and the rich diversity of plants, animals and ecosystems.” So, Exxon must be made to carry out this oil venture in compliance with the law, using the best available technology, and with systems designed to protect, not damage, the environment. The oil money should be invested in a properly constituted sovereign wealth trust fund and divided on the one hand between replenishment and protection of our national patrimony and on the other hand guaranteed income for every born Guyanese. Otherwise, why are we doing this? Melinda Janki
There must be a fresh start between these two stakeholders DEAR EDITOR, Relations between the private sector and the government of any country are critical to the development of the country. Some private companies are at times quite “mercenary”...focusing only on maximizing profits while disregarding the need to pay taxes, pay proper wages and offer good working conditions etc. But an entire private sector cannot be punished for the faults of a few. Further, various governments of a country, when they take office may offer different incentives from that of the previous government to the private sector. In doing so may favor those who donated handsomely to their elections campaign. Unless these incentives violate any campaign financing or other laws, then such actions are just the politics of business or the
business of politics. Beneficiaries of such favors, once not in contravention of any law, should not be targets of a new government. But it must be ensured that these incentives are used for the purposes for which they were granted and that job creation is one of the results. In recent letters I have been pointing to various examples in this hemisphere where governments and their private sector have been intensifying their collaboration and cooperation. Just last week the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) announced a plan to facilitate financing for the private sector in its member states. The Monetary Council of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) approved and signed an agreement establishing the Eastern Caribbean
Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation to facilitate the private sector access to financing. The Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation is designed to encourage financial institutions in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) to increase their lending to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises through the provision of partial credit guarantees to facilitate access to financing by the private sector. The Council also agreed that commercial banks should be encouraged to increase lending to the private sector as a means of spurring growth. In the US, many Caribbean governments, jointly with their private sectors are looking at ways of influencing the implementation of the provisions of HR 4939—The US/Caribbean Strategic En-
gagement Act which inter alia, provides for assistance in promoting the economic development of Caribbean countries. Here again the Guyanese private sector and government need to be working together on a strategy to identify initiatives, programs and priorities that would help develop the economy. The Diaspora too can also play a meaningful role here. Against this backdrop, I am concerned about the current unease in the relationship between the Private Sector Commission of Guyana (and by extension the private sector as a whole) and the Government of Guyana. I point to these recent developments in other countries as yet another form of evidence as to how the private sector and governments in other parts of our hemisphere are working together for the common good of the people. It is my sincere hope that the Government of Guyana and the private sector of Guyana could embark on “A Fresh Start” and engage immediately in consultations that would lead to enhanced confidence in each other and collaboration on workable programs to create much needed employment and grow the economy. Wesley Kirton
Thursday March 09, 2017
PAGE 7
Kaieteur News
In just two years under PPP...
Revenue loss from exemptions to companies almost $100B –Tax Reform Committee It appears that tax incentives and holidays during the rule of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) were not only awarded in a very reckless manner to businesses, but without any review to ascertain what the nation was receiving in return. In this regard, a comprehensive report that was prepared by the Tax Reform Committee (TRC) exposed that within the space of two years under the PPP rule, the revenue loss from exemptions to companies was almost $100B. The Committee, which was established by the APNU+AFC regime, in its report sought to explain the scope of tax incentives and holidays in Guyana, while noting the revenue loss for those areas. With respect to incentives, the Committee explained that these are typically provided to companies
and businessmen, in the expectation that they would lead to greater volumes of investment and re-investment, than would otherwise be the case. The Committee noted that the incentives may relate to both foreign and local investors. It said that these can be designed to be more generous, depending on the expected benefits, in terms of level of investment, number of jobs to be created, the vintage nature of the technology to be transferred, the number of employees to be trained, etc. The Committee said that the latter conditions may be expressly stated in the form of performance requirements for the receipt of the incentives. In addition, the Committee commented that the types of incentives may comprise exemptions of various sorts,
Chartered Accountant, Chris Ram
GRA Boss, Godfrey Statia
NICIL Chairman, Dr. Maurice Odle
such as customs duties, value added tax (VAT), and excise taxes. It said that customs duties are concentrated in fuel products, industrial inputs and passenger cars; VAT in industrial inputs; and excise
tax in fuel products and passenger cars. The committee also noted that there are investments and accelerated depreciation allowances, along with ExportProcessing Zone (EPZ)-type
A man who admitted to stealing from Mashramani revellers was yesterday sentenced to 12 months imprisonment after he was arraigned before Magistrate Fabayo Azore in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The charge read that on February 23 at Brickdam, Georgetown, Wayne Barker, 35, of McDoom, East Bank Demerara, stole one purse valued $2,000 and one Cellular phone worth $80,000 from Caroline Isaacs. The man pleaded guilty to the charge after it was read to
him by the Magistrate. He told the court that he was under the influence of alcohol due to the Mashramani celebration. The court heard that on the same day, Barker stole from Jessica Puran, one purse valued $3,000, one cellular phone worth $23,000 and $15,000 in cash. Barker pleaded guilty to the charge after it was read to him and told the court “yes, I did thief the stuff from the ladies, but I did not mean to do it.” Police Prosecutor Simone
Payne told the court that the Virtual Complainants are not known to the accused and on the day in question they all were part of the float parade when he pushed his hands in their bags and took out the articles mentioned in the charge. Barker was seen by other revellers putting the articles in a black bag. Prosecutor Payne also informed the court that the items were not recovered. When asked by the Magistrate if he would like to say anything before she passed
infrastructure facilities, and the incentives mix, which may depend on whether the economic activity is included in the incentives legislative and regulatory framework. Besides the aforementioned exemptions, the TRC said that the other major incentives tool relates to the granting of tax holidays. Based on data provided by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Committee pointed out that companies/ businesses accounted for about 78 per cent of the total value of exemptions, in terms of revenue lost to the national treasury in 2014. The Committee said that the types of exemptions responsible for the revenue loss related to customs duties, VAT, excise taxes and stamp duty foregone. The Committee said,
Man jailed for stealing from Mash revellers down the sentencing Barker stated “madam, it was a busy day, and I was only following the women to make sure that no one thief from them, because they were both dancing in the crowd. After the crowd was getting more and more big, I decided to take out their purse to keep it for safety...so I decided to place it in a black bag.” The man further told the court that he was previously jailed and released for a similar offence.
“Revenue loss would also pertain to the granting of tax holidays. Because of the failure to comply with the requirement in the Investment Act for an audit of tax holidays granted and the laying of the report thereon in the National Assembly, it is not possible to determine the revenue foregone in the granting of tax holidays in Guyana.” The Committee continued, “The entities that are involved in the granting of tax holidays are GO-Invest, the Guyana Revenue Authority and the Ministry of Finance. However, it does not appear that there is any mechanism in place for any post-approval audit or review.” It added, “For the year 2014, the revenue loss from exemptions, alone, relating to companies/businesses was equivalent to $43.2 billion, and for all beneficiary categories, $55.6 billion. In 2015, the revenue loss from exemptions alone, relating to companies/businesses, was $56.6 billion.” Additionally, the TRC said that the total corporate tax remissions/exemptions were equivalent to 31 percent of Central Government tax revenue and exceeded actual corporate tax revenue in 2014. The Tax Reform Committee was established in August 2015. It was chaired by economist, Dr. Maurice Odle, and included tax specialists such as Christopher Ram, GRA Boss Godfrey Statia and Dr. Thomas Singh.
PAGE 8
Body of pensioner found in trench
Controversy surrounds the death of 69-year-old Wilfred Bacchus, whose body was found in a trench, a stone’s throw from his Lot 38 Coghlan Dam Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara home last Monday. While Bacchus’ relatives have reported that he drowned, a Post Mortem Examination done by Dr. Nehaul Singh yesterday revealed that the pensioner did not drown, since there was no water in his lungs. There were marks of violence on his body and lacerations on his head. Kaieteur News understands that investigators have asked Bacchus’ relatives to return to the station today to give further statements. According to information received, the pensioner left his home Sunday afternoon to go and guard a house that is being constructed not far from his home. The following day, when his son-in-law, Asgar Ali was heading to work, he called out for the pensioner, but did not get a response.
- PM reveals victim was murdered
Dead: Wilfred Bacchus “I went in the yard and look for him because normally when I pass around four in the morning and call, he does answer,” Ali said. He further explained that he went back home and informed his family that he did not see Bacchus at the premises. “Everybody went back and search, and then we went and report it (the man
Thursday March 09, 2017
Kaieteur News
missing). When the police come, we went in the trench and search and we found his body,” Ali noted. He added that there was blood on Bacchus’ head and hands but they never thought that someone had killed him. “No one heard anything, so we don’t know what happen with him and this area is very quiet,” a neighbour said. The victim’s wife, Rosalyn Singh said that her husband had been imbibing the night before he died. “I beg him not to go to work, but he insisted that he had to go.” The woman said that her husband was a quiet individual who had no problem with anyone in the area. “He goes his way straight and come his way straight,” Singh said. She noted that they were all shocked when they were informed that he had been killed. The investigation is ongoing.
Govt. decides against complete review of Exxon’s oil exploration contract …Moves to add royalty clause By Abena RockcliffeCampbell The age-old agreement signed between the Government of Guyana and oil giant ExxonMobil will stand. Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman recently indicated that the government has decided to add a few clauses but will not be deleting any of the existing provisions. “We have decided against a complete overhaul. Instead, we will add some new features,” said Trotman, as he spoke about progress being made by the APNU+AFC government to secure Guyana’s wealth. The move not to review the contract represents a change of heart, as government had originally signaled its intention to tighten the document. While the complete review will no longer be done, Trotman said that ExxonMobil is committed to facilitating all additional clauses. The Minister said that some clauses will be added to facilitate an environmental project in promotion of the muchtouted green economy. Also, a royalty rate will be added. Last June, Trotman had told Kaieteur News that the contact that is currently governing ExxonMobil’s oil exploration is one that has been signed since 1999. That would have been during the reign of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/
Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman C) government. ”It’s a pretty old agreement, but it remains enforced, because we respect the sanctity of above board agreements. However, government has taken the opportunity to have the agreement reviewed, if not wholly, certain parts.” He had said that the contract was being reviewed to secure an even stronger relationship with the
American company. The Natural Resources Minister had also told Kaieteur News that it was imperative that the contract be updated to conform with standards of today, as having been signed in 1999, the contact can be considered outdated in some areas. He had explained that there are some industry practices which would have evolved over the years. Trotman was asked if he felt the contract provides adequate protection for Guyana as a young nation about to enter into the oil business. He replied, “It is relative. I think that the agreement signed in 1999 perhaps represented the best that Guyana could have gotten at the time. The agreement itself is not a bad one, but with the passage of time… from 1999 to 2016, we believe that there are some areas that can be strengthened; and we are working with the company to do so.” ExxonMobil is the only company that has so far found oil in commercial quantities in Guyana.
Correction During the opening of tenders at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), on Tuesday last, contractors vied for the contract to procure pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for Regional Health Centres. Kaieteur News inadvertently published that Mike’s Pharmacy’s bid was $74M when in fact, it was $24M.
Thursday March 09, 2017
PAGE 9
Kaieteur News
VAT on SBAs? The government has quite skillfully neutralized widespread protests over its taxes on private medical services and private tuition, by playing the poor off against the rich. People were told that there is always an option to avoid the tax: seek public health care and public education. In other words, the rich can afford to pay and this is why they opt for the private medical services and private education. The playoff between the poor and rich was taken a step further. The government claimed that some private schools were collectively earning billions of dollars and some of them were not compliant with their taxes. The poor man, upon learning about these things, will most certainly question why he should support the pro-
tests against VAT on private education. He will be drawn into the argument that the rich people can afford to pay and that some rich schools are not paying their taxes. Poor children, however, are not going to escape the VAT. The VAT is now being applied to ink cartridges. This will affect the rich and it will also affect the poor, but the effect on the poor will be more severe. The price of printing documents will increase at this time since the stationery shops which usually do photocopying and printing of assignments will pass on the VAT on the ink to the children. The price of printing and photocopying will increase. This will affect poor students. This is School-Based Assessment (SBA) season. There is a mad rush for students who are now complet-
ing their SBAs. The number of assignments which students have to submit is quite numerous and the cost of the printing and the photocopying will add to the miseries of parents who are already hurting from the fact that business activity is contracting in the country. Poor students are therefore going to be hit hard, because of the volume of SBAs which they will have to print. The VAT will add up and reach thousands of dollars. Things are tight in the economy right now. People are trying hard to make ends meet. And the additional cost of printing and photocopying of documents will affect all students, and not just those doing their SBAs. There is a new trend that is taking place in teaching. The Ministry of Education should look into this.
Dem boys seh...
Soulja Bai didn’t jump and Jagdeo pull parachute When SOCU pick up Jagdeo and he kavakamites dem Tuesday and carry dem to de headquarters, dem boys did not know Jagdeo was interfered with. Dem boys hear how SOCU had him sitting on a wooden bench like de criminal he is. Jagdeo look spaced out; he eye couldn’t focus. When he lef de SOCU head office, he hold a press conference. Is then dem boys realize after looking at him de man was traumatized. De interfering probably do something wid he brain. He stammer and he stutter. He stammer and he stutter ten times in two minutes. He seh how Soulja Bai and SOCU witchhunting. Dem boys never know he was a witch. In fact dem boys don’t know plenty things about him. What dem boys know is dem can’t believe nutten wha de politicians seh in Guyana, Since Tuesday everybody asking serious questions and dem getting answers, but dem
don’t know who to believe. One question is whether de govt going after Jagdeo and he kavakamites fuh tekking de Pradoville 2 land or whether Jagdeo and he kavakamites find demself in a corner and looking fuh sympathy. To solve de problem is very simple. Dem boys have de solution but it is a matter of trust. Dem can do exactly wha a young couple did last week from de Marriott rooftop. Dem decide to commit suicide after going through a very difficult and very, very hard time. Dem decide dem gun jump together off de rooftop after counting one—two—three. De girl jump; but de boy stay. He watch her fall and then see she open a parachute. Is who betray who? Dem boys want to know who will be de girl fuh jump. Everybody know it got to be Jagdeo, because he is de scamp always wid a trick up he sleeve. Talk half and wonder who betray who.
It seems that children are being overloaded with assignments which require them to download and print pictures of various things. Some students are being asked to do this as many as three times per week. They are being asked to print stacks of images and information from off the internet. It does seem as if all some teachers are doing is having the children do all the research and then printing up for the teacher to show that the homework was done. Those students who have printers at home are able to do so easily. But think about the plight of a poor child who has no printer at all and whose
teacher is warning him that unless he brings the printed images to school he will be penalized. The poor child has to now go to an internet café, pay for internet time, and then pay to print the documents which he is required t0 submit to his teacher. This imposes a cost on the child’s parents. Now with VAT on printing ink, it would not be surprising if that cost goes up. The government should clarify whether persons are required to pay VAT on ink cartridges. If they are not, then the government should issue a statement asking those who are charging VAT on ink cartridges to desist from this
practice and refund their customers the VAT which may have been paid. The Ministry of Education should discourage this practice of teachers - of asking students to print stuff off the internet. Students should be given text books which cover the syllabuses of the various subjects taught in school. These text books should have the images, so that poor children do not have to spend hundreds of dollars to print unnecessary assignments each week.
PAGE 10
Thursday March 09, 2017
Kaieteur News
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
A daughter’s embrace of a fallen leader I saw a photograph of Roger Luncheon’s daughter embracing him after he left the SOCU head office. The young lady looks like my daughter’s friend, when the two attended School of the Nations. This column was typed Wednesday morning at Kaieteur News because blackout came at 9 o’clock on Tuesday night and GPL said the electricity won’t be back until way in the afternoon of Wednesday. It meant I didn’t get time to ask my daughter if the young lady in the photograph was her friend. The embrace reminds me of the families’ grief of fallen leaders. It happens all the time. We have read about it since time immemorial, and we will continue to read about. I have asked in several of these columns; when undemocratic leaders harm their subjects why do these family members not remonstrate with them because after the fall, the consequences can be very de-
pressing. Twice I mentioned the grief and anger of Saddam Hussein’s daughter. But the record would show that untold numbers died under this man’s rule, including two of his own sons-in-law. They defected, went to another country, returned to Iraq and were mysteriously murdered. Surely, family members must ask their parents who are in power for explanations, when they pick up the papers and read, or see on television, the news of critics being killed, workers being dismissed and vast wealth accumulated. The daughter of President Forbes Burnham wrote that when Sister Hazel Campayne, her head teacher of Saint Rose’s High School was transferred from there to an interior location after she joined a picket line, she asked her father why that was done. The problem with authoritarian leaders is that power intoxicates their mind and
they are unable to see that power like everything in life is fleeting. Prime Minister Patrick Manning was very dismissive of the concern of his Member of Parliament, Keith Rowley. Manning even moved against Rowley and wanted him removed. Manning called a general election midway in his term and lost. The very Keith Rowley became the leader of Manning’s party and Manning lived long enough to see Keith Rowley become Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. That is what power does to people. Manning was assured of victory. Power blinds people from their mortality. I remember a person very close to Desmond Hoyte had warned him about the 1992 elections, and that he could lose it. The former police officer was advising Hoyte about constitutional changes, but Hoyte chose not to listen. It is interesting to note that both Hoyte and Manning
did not live long after they lost power. Will future human society
Frederick Kissoon be any different? I doubt it. Power is a dangerous Molotov cocktail. It combines authority, arrogance, ignorance, invincibility, insensitivity, cruelty, inhumanity, abandonment, nepotism and many other negative elements. But it is the attitude of false invincibility that in the end proves fatal. From Cheddi Jagan right down to the last
PPP president, Donald Ramotar, the permanent thought that had completely swept the soul of the PPP’s leadership was that it was a natural born winner whose destiny was to control Guyana. Both Cheddi Jagan and his wife infused that mythology into every young leader they protégéd from the time the PPP lost power in 1964; and it will never stop. If one content-analyzes every major speech to PPP constituencies by every major PPP leader since the PPP lost office in May 2015, the recurring theme is that the 2011 and 2015 elections were rigged. The other side of the coin is that these leaders are saying that the PPP cannot lose power. When young leaders listen to this false invincibility, they inculcate the seminal teaching of the Jagans, that the PPP cannot lose power. What happens then is that
young men and women who have imbibed this doctrine, when they get into power, they behave as permanent leaders. This was the fateful road Jagdeo took, and those he strung along with him accepted the permanency of the PPP’s hegemony. Priya Manickchand did not believe the PPP would be out of office in the 2015 election when the year before she acted out of protocol at the residence of the US Ambassador. Kwame McCoy never believed the PPP could lose an election when he assaulted Mark Benschop. Winston Brassington saw the PPP as unbeatable so he used NICIL as if it was personal and not private property. One could go with these names, but Jagdeo needs special mention. He acted as a sempiternal monarch. Had he read about the fate of Charles the First, he would not have ended up in the SOCU office.
Thursday March 09, 2017
Cop fingered in AK-47 smuggling from TSU disappears Shevan Marks, the police corporal who attempted to smuggle an AK-47 assault rifle out of the Guyana Police Force (GPF)’s Tactical Service Unit (TSU) compound at Eve Leary, Georgetown is now missing, after he was placed on close arrest. According to reports, the police do not know where Marks is, and this has now left the force in a quandary since his accomplice on the day of the incident is still in custody. The Force now has to apply for more time to question a civilian that was arrested with Marks at the time. Marks was arrested after he allegedly attempted to fa-
cilitate the smuggling of an AK-47 assault rifle out of the TSU compound. The Corporal and a civilian were taken into custody while the vehicle, bearing registration number, PNN 795 was impounded at the Criminal Investigation Department. An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) was among several persons fingered in the allegation. Reports are that the Corporal collected the weapon and placed it in the vehicle. A civilian entered the TSU headquarters and attempted to drive the vehicle out of the compound, but was stopped when the guards at the gate noticed him driving out given
the fact he had walked in a few minutes earlier. The vehicle was subjected to a search and the weapon was discovered. Kaieteur News understands that before Marks was apprehended, ranks checked the civilian’s phone and discovered there were text messages between the corporal and him. There were also messages between the ASP and the civilian. The individual also had the numbers of several other ranks stored in his cellular phone and as such, they are questioning those who were identified. Ranks from the force’s Major Crimes Unit are questioning the ranks.
Bartica to get radio station by May The town of Bartica is scheduled to have its own radio station by May 2017, Region Seven’s Chairman, Gordon Bradford, has disclosed. The establishment of the radio station, the Chairman said, means that the dissemination of information to the public will become much easier. “Many times you would invite people, but how many people would come to a meeting to hear, and how many people would take the information they receive back to their community? But, when we can speak on the radio and you tune in, we will be able to disseminate more information and people would have a bet-
ter grasp and understanding of what we are really talking about,” the Chairman explained. The Bartica Learning Research Centre has been identified as the building where the radio station will be housed. The Office of the Prime Minister recently advertised for bids for the construction of facilities for the Bartica Radio Station. “This is another one of the government’s effort to ensure that all indigenous communities are connected, and are able to effectively share information. The government has already established a number of radio stations in various indigenous
PAGE 11
Kaieteur News
communities which include Radio Lethem in Region Nine and Radio Mabaruma in Region One. Region Nine also has a community radio station, Paiwomak,” a release from the government indicated. Additionally, there were invitations for bids for the construction of facilities for Mahdia Radio Station in Region Eight. “The aim of the government’s community radio stations project is to link the indigenous communities through communication. The established radio stations are all affiliates of the National Communications Network (NCN) and are broadcasting on the national frequency.”
Guyana battles deportee problem Amidst fears that Guyana could see a number of persons deported amidst stricter controls in the US, government has admitted that it is trying to cope with the situation. The administration is working to implement programmes to reintegrate involuntary re-migrants, commonly called deportees into the society, Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, disclosed yesterday in a statement. The Minister stated that the government first engages the relevant country’s immigration officials before the decision is made to deport Guyanese, but this country has little say over who are deported. The Minister explained that though there are private programmes on stream to reintegrate deportees, the government is also doing its part. “I know that there are private initiatives taken to assist in resettlement of what they call involuntary re-migrants. There are programmes developing privately, and government is also considering the best ways to assist these involuntary re-migrants to be resettled in Guyana,” Minister Felix explained. As at December 2016, there were almost two dozen Guyanese deportees from the
Min. of Citizenship Winston Felix US at once. Some of them had left Guyana as children and knew no one here. Minster Felix emphasised that Guyanese who often overstay their expected time when travelling overseas also burden Guyana’s immigration system. He alluded to the fact that the Ministry has been dealing with, and continues to deal with those deportees who visited the US on a visa and are found overstaying their time. He added that the number of these cases is increasing yearly, and it is time to put an end to it. The Minister of Citizenship acknowledged that there are instances where Guyanese have had terrible experiences in other countries. He said, however, the underlying issue is with Guyanese following the immi-
gration policies to decrease the number of deportations to their homeland. “These are issues we have been coping with day after day, week after week. I see no reason to dramatise it. We have a new situation developing in the world today, and all we have to do is to organise ourselves, to be able to effectively manage the situation if the numbers increase at any one time,” Minister Felix indicated. The Minister reiterated that the government will do its best to create an enabling environment for deportees to become productive citizens. He also urged the Guyanese not to overstay their time in other countries. The Citizenship Ministry continues to work along with the Guyana Police Force and the Foreign Affairs Ministry to monitor and assist the involuntary migrants to reintegrate. New US President, Donald Trump, had announced a controversial plan to deport persons with criminal backgrounds, with a number of controls in key cities like New York, reported. The US is home to over 300,000 Guyanese. A number of Guyanese have reportedly been sent back home since Trump took office.
PAGE 12
Thursday March 09, 2017
Kaieteur News
Ansa McAl refutes claims of receiving $M drug contract through sole sourcing Ansa McAl Trading Limited (AMTL) sought to set the record straight yesterday regarding statements which were being circulated in the media that it benefitted from a million-dollar contract for the procurement of emergency pharmaceutical supplies through the process of sole sourcing. In a statement to the media last night, the conglomerate chronicled the events leading up to how it was awarded a contract for the supply of drugs in the sum of $605M. The company explained that a meeting was held in the conference room of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on January 16, last. The entity said that the meeting was held with all sup-
pliers in an effort to address stock shortages and the urgent need for some products. Ansa McAl said that it was announced that this was because the previous invite to tender in November of 2016 had been compromised, resulting in a further delay of supply. The company said that tender documents had been prepared for emergency supplies with specific tendering process requirements. AMTL made it clear that contrary to comments of “sole sourcing” being in play, it was one of four companies asked to bid on a list of products that the GHPC had indicated was either low or out of stock. This was also confirmed to Kaieteur News by CEO of GPHC, Alan Johnson and the National Procurement
and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB). AMTL said that it adhered to the process and submitted a bid on February 14, last. “AMTL tendered for 300 plus items and was successful and awarded 118 items within the tender. AMTL adhered to the procuring process which required a submission of an invoice of the awarded items which must be delivered within the 14 working days.” The company stressed that it prides itself being renowned for branded, quality products, as it represents 13 of the top 25 pharmaceutical companies in the world. Officials at Ansa McAl made it clear that those companies and their products have proven to be compliant, safe and of the correct efficacy.
Shot bandit dead ID’d as fisherman The man who was shot and killed Tuesday morning during an attempted robbery at the Guy Gas Complex at Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara (EBD) has been identified as a 37year-old fisherman of Covent Garden, East Bank Demerara (EBD). Trevor Simmons was identified by his wife, Amanda Emmanuel at Memorial Gardens yesterday in the presence of police ranks. Simmons was shot to the forehead and chest when security guard, Matthew Reid opened fire on him and his two accomplices who had scaled the fence at Guy Gas Complex. According to information received, the three bandits scaled the fence while armed with knives and a cutlass. Not knowing that the security guard was armed, two of the men attempted to use a ladder to get up to the guard hut. In the process of doing this, the security guard was alerted and upon seeing this, armed
himself with his weapon and opened fire. Simmons and his accomplice reportedly fell off the ladder and managed to run back to the fence where two men managed to escape, but Simmons collapsed. A police source who responded to the scene explained that the security guard had no idea that he had killed one of the bandits. It was only after ranks searched the area that they found his bloodied body. “The guard hut is high and they (bandit) used the ladder… so after the security hear, he open fire and they run away. The bandits shot at him too,” the source said. “We get the report that three bandits try to rob this place so we went to do the investigation. It was while searching the area that we see the body.” The police believed that Simmons’ accomplices might have sustained gunshot wounds. The investigation is ongoing.
2012 Diamond H/Scheme murder trial commences The murder trial of Christopher Da Silva has commenced before Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Georgetown. Da Silva had been indicted for the murder of Rayaad Khan. The incident occurred on June 28, 2012 at 17th Avenue Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara. Khan was fatally stabbed in the chest with a broken glass bottle. The accused and Khan had allegedly been involved in a misunderstanding prior to his death. Following the empanelling of a mixed jury yesterday, Prosecutor Siand Dhurjon presented his opening address in the matter. He told the jury that it is the re-
sponsibility of the State to prove that the accused is guilty of the charge for which he stands indicted. He noted that there are elements that are essential to proving this; the State must prove that the victim died; that he is dead as a result of sustaining injuries by the hand of the accused and that he died within a year and a day that those injuries were inflicted. According to Dhurjon, the Post Mortem examination had revealed that Rayaad Khan died of shock due to a single stab wound that punctured a vital artery. During his trial, the accused will be represented by Attorneys -at -law Maxwell Mc Kay and Mark Waldron. State Prosecutors Siand Dhurjon and Tuanna Hardy are set to call 12 witnesses. Yesterday, Police Detective Desmond Johnny testified that he was the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Eve Leary in June 2012
when he received certain information which led to him visiting a crime scene at Diamond Housing Scheme. He said that while there he observed what appeared to be spots of blood on the roadway. The witness said that he took photographs of the suspected blood spots. Not too far away, Johnny said that he saw a “right side pink slipper and a white cap” among some grass; there were also spots of what appeared to blood around the grass. Detective Johnny told the court that the following day, he returned to the crime scene. On this occasion, the policeman said that further checks were made to the yard where the crime allegedly occurred. He said that while there he found a bunch of keys on a black string and he observed what appeared to be spatters of blood in the yard. The policeman recalled that photographs were also taken of the suspected blood spots found in the yard.
Thursday March 09, 2017
PAGE 21
Kaieteur News
Women in U.S. sacrifice day’s pay in anti-Trump protests (Reuters) Women demonstrated across the United States on Wednesday in favour of economic equality and against President Donald Trump’s policies on abortion and healthcare for “A Day Without a Woman,” some skipping work or boycotting stores. Looking to seize upon the momentum of the Women’s March on Washington on Jan. 21, the day after Trump’s inauguration, the one-day protest coincides with International Women’s Day with events in more than 50 countries, organizers said. The day was modeled in part after proimmigrant demonstrations on Feb. 16, the latest in a series of anti-Trump protests since his November 8 election. “I had to go to show that is not my president. Every time he opens his mouth, it’s a garbage can,” said Iloane Lila, 73, who joined thousands of women at a rally in New York City’s Central Park. Lila, a Trinidad native, said she asked for the day off from her job as a nanny and attended her first-ever political rally in January, prompted by her anger at Trump.
A similar crowd gathered at Washington and other rallies were planned in cities such as Atlanta, Chicago and San Francisco. At least three U.S. school districts, in Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina, closed on Wednesday because of staff shortages. Trump, whose 11-year-old comments about grabbing and kissing women against their will surfaced during the campaign, took to his Twitter account early on Wednesday to cite International Women’s Day and the “critical role” of women around the world. “I have tremendous respect for women and the many roles they serve that are vital to the fabric of our society and our economy,” the Republican president tweeted. It was unknown how many women may have sacrificed a day’s pay or withheld their purchasing power from the economy. At a rally of about 100 people in St. Petersburg, Florida, Tammye Moore, 55, a self-employed event planner said she was taking an earnings hit to attend.
A woman is arrested as she protested yesterday in New York “It’s important enough to pause for this cause, because the loss would be greater for me not to be here today,”
Moore said. By having women, who make up 47 percent of the U.S. civilian labour force, flex their
economic muscle, organizers hope to call attention to the gender pay gap, access to reproductive health services,
and Trump’s actions that have restricted access to abortion overseas.Photo in Thursday as protesting women
PAGE 22
Kaieteur News
VEHICLE FOR SALE 1-Leyland DAF GRR Series; excellent condition. Call: 6804101 1 Mitsubishi box Canter for sale. Call: 679-9261/671-1568 SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, C a n a da & UK; Guyana p assport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 6267040; 265-4535. INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Repairs to refrigerators washing machine, gas stove, all units. Call Lindon: 641-1086/ 694-2202 Repairs to washers, dryers, stoves, deep fryers, control system etc. Call: 619-0793/ 699-8802 Eagle’s: Re-gas -$8,000, Washing machine repairs, Gas Stove, Plasma flat Screen & more. Call: 6972969/646-0966 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158
ENTERTAINMENT Jubilee Resort: pool, water slide, boating, paintball, games, etc, open daily – 10:00am-6:00pm. Call: 2258915/623-7313
LAND FOR SALE Land @ Soesdyke, 6 lots measuring 135’X175’. Call: 627-3334/696-8935, email:fcranmore@guyana voice.com
1 New model Vitz, press start, A/C, excellent condition $1.5M, good for bank purchases, 1 Toyota Verossa -$2.3M. Call: 639-2490
Land for sale @ Dowden Street, Kitty 125’X57’. Call: 619-4152/ 227-1905
Nissan Pathfinder Jeep, Toyota Vigo pickup, great bargain. C all: 609-7766
La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.3M, Uitvlugt -$2.3M, $2M – Call: 642-1252
Toyota Passo PPP -$900,000 negotiable, Toyota IST PNN -$1.2M negotiable. Excellent condition. Call: 623-9121
1 Lot of land @ Yarrowkabra $950,000. Call: 672-5876 Transported corner lot with approved building plan @ 90 Garnett & Republic Streets, Newtown Kitty. Call: 6016000/227-3305 Transported land for sale size 37X270 @ Coglan Dam, Vreed-en-Hoop, W.B.D. Call: 650-5644/677-9938
One Nissan Duke, lady driven in immaculate condition, PTT Series, low mileage, price -$3M. Call: 6530018/666-7748 Dwayne Stephen Auto Sales! New Shipment of Vehicle: Rush, Blue Bird, Note, Axio, Allion. Call: 665-2330/ 6486869 VACANCY
SALON - Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. - Cosmetology Courses: $120,000 - Technician Course: $45,000. Call: 6471773/660-5257
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. 1 14 feet Aluminum Boat, 1 15 HP Yamaha Outboard Engine (Short Foot), 1 Cummings-10 KVA Generator Call: 664-5807 CAT 215 Excavator, Leyland DAF 55 Tipper Truck, D4H CAT Bulldozer. Call: 2750538/ 683-7225 1- CAT 320 BL Excavators, 428- CAT Backhoe, 1 CAT 930 Front End, 9 wheeled pneumatic roller, Double Steel drum compactor- Call: 2750538/ 683-7225 2 Leyland Dump truck (55210), 1 Caterpillar Backhoe, owner migrating, very good condition. Call: 672-5876 Great Deals on video games & all gaming consoles. PC, video games & repairs – Call: 672-2566; 265-3231 Design & Make Aluminum windows, doors, stainless rails, showcases, rolling shutters, make & install automatic doors. Call: 2336818/677-5599/659-9999
WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP REATES,SPECIALOFFERS FOR THE SEASON. CALL: 690-6494
AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL: PICKUP, 9-11 SEAT MIN BUS, GOOD FORAIRPOTR & FAMILY OUTING, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807
1-2 Bedroom apartment to rent fully furnished, including internet, cable, TV, parking available. E.C.D –Call: 6672536 Self-contained semifurnished apartments located at Diamond Housing Scheme. Call: 679-8792 Vreed-en-Hoop Junction: office, storage bond, lesson place, church -$20,000 per month. Call: 603-6400
One driver/porter from Diamond, Grove area. Call: 2161043, 677-6620 Wanted land to buy at Tuschen, Uitvlugt, Zeelugt, La Parfaite Harmonie, best price offered. Call: 657-9594 Mature couple to live in and work at a Resort in Parika. Call: 231-0363 between MonFri 9am-4pm 2 Experienced straight stitch sewing machine operator. Call: 627-9621 1 Gas/Arch welder @ Broad Street Charlestown, Fat man Welding Shop. Call: 223-5595/ 643-9125 Urgently needed workers to work at Ice Company @ Meadow Bank Wharf, training provided. Call: 231-1408/ 6429191/ between 8am-1pm. Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252/674-4665 Wash bay boys @ Nandy Park E.B.D- Call: 233-5227 One shop assistant to work in the Interior, must have experienced. Call: 679-0565 A tutor is needed for a 13year old boy from overseas. Call: 218-0192/ 696-1479
3 Bedrooms upper flat located at Vreed-en-Hoop, 3rd Building in from Junction. Call: 673-3064
Samsung tab 3 kids -$30,000, LG k7 smart phone- $50,000, Motorola Droid Max -$35,000. Call: 621-9604/ 694-1748
1-3 Storey building located at 128 Akawini and Sheriff Street. Call: 652-1504/ 2200365
Drivers and cars wanted, soliciting contracts from companies for taxi service. Call: 219-2712/ 682-6747
Berkley 6inch high pressure pump with 855 Cummings engine only 500 hours EX USA fire station, price -$2M. Call: 652-4540
2 Bedrooms executive furnished with all modern conveniences. Call: 622-5725/ 664-1070
Now Hiring: cashier, porters & driver for canters. Apply at Nimbus, 79 Albert & Laluni Streets. Call: 231-7002
PROPERTY FOR SALE Transported property @ Grove and Diamond $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461
VACANCY
Salon Equipment. Call: 2653586 8am-4pm TO LET 3 Bedrooms apartment for rent, bottom flat. Call:2258084/689-6001
House for sale & removal at Campbellville 23ftX40ftContact Ganesh: 614-6202 1 Front building & a 2 storey building on 1 (lot) 180 Charlotte Street Bourda W30XL120 $55M negotiable. Call: 624-7341/ 227-6817/226-5183
CAR RENTAL DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM
Modern, private, selfcontained furnished or unfurnished one bedroom apartment for rent across Zeeburg School. Call: 2770397
WANTED
1 Canteen for rent in Georgetown. Call: 679-9762
Generator 855 Cummings only 700 house. EX USA standby 250KW, price $2.5M. Call: 652-4540
TAXI SERVICE GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 225-7878 (24HRS)
PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 ,EMAIL:PRO_ A U T O R E N T A L @YAHOO.COM
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Lot 14 Croal & Longden Street: 4 Storey building (infront Demico). Call: 6631876 Downstairs apartment @ Lot 148cc, Eccles Housing Scheme, prime business place @ Bagotstown, Public Road, E.B.D- Call: 233-2252/ 6623337/680-4375
XBOX 360 Console -$35,000, PS2 Console -$17,000, Dell Inspiron B130 Laptop -$25,000 .Call: 621-9604/ 694-1748
2 Bedrooms apartment in Eccles New Scheme, rooms in Alberttown. Call: 225-3234 CAR RENTAL
Thursday March 09, 2017
LEARN TO DRIVE FOR SALE/FOR RENT Large 3 Bedrooms house for rent or sale @ La Parfaite Harmonie, W.B.D, upstairs + downstairs -$40,000 monthly. Call: 690-5061
C. Persaud & N. Outar Driving School formerly Soman & Sons Driving School @ Maraj Building- Call: 644-5166; 6222872; 615-0964; 689-5997 (affordable packages).
Property for sale @ Low lands Hope E.C.D; 4 bedrooms house upstairs and downstairs -$9M negotiable. Call: 647-0655 Two houses and land for sale at Agriculture Road E.C.D. Call: 642-9633
Vacancy for one Driver / Expediter contact Leonard# 609-5123 Receptionist, Male Security guard age 30-45, 233 South Road Lacytown. Call: 225-0198 1 Female cleaner for office in Eccles and home. Call: 233-2745 Woodmizer and moulder, operator, porters @ Eccles, E.B.D. Call Richard: 6097675/ 674-1705/233-2614 Accounts Clerk for Eccles, Industrial Site area knowledge of NIS, PAYE, VAT, Quickbooks. Call: 614-4358 Continued on page 23
Thursday March 09, 2017
PAGE 23
Kaieteur News
Legal challenge over tribunal
House lots on Black Bush playground…
Court orders AG to Dilemma caused by NDC failure to make pay Nandlall costs for application – Regional Chairman delay in proceedings Attorney General Basil Williams has been ordered to pay $10,000 in court cost to Attorney Anil Nandlall, before he files an affidavit in response to action against the State by Chairman of the Public Service Commission, Carvil Duncan. The matter continued before Justice Franklyn Holder at the High Court in Georgetown, on Tuesday. The date was fixed for Mr. Duncan and his Confidential Secretary to take the witness stand. Nandlall appeared for Duncan and was prepared to proceed. However, the Attorney General (AG), who is appearing for the Prime Minister, informed the court that he was not prepared to proceed with cross-examination, because an affidavit which the court granted him leave to file over a month ago was not yet filed. The AG claimed that he needed to file that Affidavit before he could begin cross-examination and he requested further time to do so. The court therefore granted him one week to do so and ordered that he pay costs to Nandlall in the sum of ten thousand dollars before the affidavit is filed. The sum represents cost for the AG’s unpreparedness to proceed with the matter on the date fixed by the court. The date was also fixed for the court to reconcile this crucial inconsistency between the various affidavits. In order to do so, Justice Holder ordered the parties to be cross-examined. The matter is fixed for continuation on Wednesday the 15th March, 2017 at 09:15 hours. The case was filed last October after Chairman of the Public Service Commission, Carvil Duncan, through his attorney, approached the High Court seeking an order to suspend the work of a Presidential Tribunal that had been set up to determine whether the criminal charges he is currently facing is enough to have him removed from office. That order was granted by Justice Holder. It prohibits the three-member Tribunal from investigating and pronouncing on whether Duncan should remain a Member of the Public Service Commission, Judicial Service Commission and the Police Service Commission. Nandlall has told the court in writing that the inquiry by the Tribunal prejudices Carvil Duncan’s fair trial rights. Nandlall also said that the grounds upon which the Tribunal was launched are unlawful, unconstitutional, premature, prejudicial, contrary to the rules of natural justice, arbitrary, capricious, in breach of
Carvil Duncan Duncan’s legitimate expectation and is null, void and of no effect. Justice Holder therefore quashed Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo’s advice to President David Granger that the question of removing Duncan from those Commissions ought to be investigated on similar grounds of it being unlawful. Duncan said in court papers that he never received the Prime Minister’s letter asking him to show cause why a Tribunal should not have been set up to investigate his removal from office. He said he was never afforded an opportunity to be heard. Additionally, Duncan contended that “no hearing was afforded to me prior to the Prime Minister tendering his advice to the President to launch that my removal from office should be investigated pursuant to Article 225 (4) of the Constitution and therefore, the tribunal itself was unlawfully established, and that the course of action which the tribunal is embarking upon is in violation of and repugnant to the presumption of innocence accorded to me as a fundamental right and freedom by Article 144 of the Constitution and therefore the tribunal will be acting unconstitutionally, unlawfully and illegally”.
One of the homes that was erected on the playground.
Region 6 Chairman, David Armogan Just weeks ago some residents of Yakusari, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, vented their frustration on a matter that has been circulating for years. The residents complained that house lots are located on a plot of land that is reportedly used by youths in the community for extra-curricular activities. Regional Chairman of Region 6, David Armogan, during a brief interview at his office told the media that the playground is indeed being occupied by some residents
but was never marked off by the Neighbourhood Democratic Council as a community playground. “The NDC should have applied for that area as a playfield. Unfortunately, the NDC never did that and so based on the lands and surveys map, they have that plot of land as vacant,” Armogan explained. He said that because the land was not demarcated, the Lands and Surveys Commission would have no records showing that it is indeed a playground, “so what happens is that people applied… and Lands and Surveys not knowing based on their maps that they have they identified that area as vacant for house lots, and a few people were given leases to occupy the playground, which should not have happened”. Armogan disclosed that he has since written to Presi-
dent David Granger along with the Lands and Surveys Commission and the Ministry of Communities to intervene into the matter so that an alternative can be given that will satisfy both sides. It is his view that if the NDC had not made such a blunder, the Lands and Surveys Commission would have had it mapped out as a playground. The commission has since made the effort to rectify the mistake with other options being given. There is a possibility that the leases could be cancelled and alternative portions of land will be given as compensation.
From page 22
VACANCY Sales Representative needed for hardware related item, good working vehicle needed, attractive compensation. Call: 602-4337 Cook/Baker and Kitchen Assistant for interior location. Applicants must be experienced, for details call: 618-2020 ACCOMMODATION Secret Villa apartments fully furnished, hot & cold water, Jacuzzi, air condition from $20USD daily. Call: 225-6337/ 266-5244/668-0306 Harmony Inn: Furnished self contained apartments & rooms from $20USD daily. Call: 218-1400/ 694-7817
EDUCATIONAL Electronic Course: starting 14th March. Hands on training repairing all types of TV’s etc. Call: 226-6551/ 225-0391 Now Registering! 9 Courses Diploma in computers $40,000, Computerize Accounting, Graphics Programs @ MicroGraphics, Vreed-enHoop. Call: 264-3057 Visa Processing Centre: all visitors and students visa for USA & Canada. MicroGraphics, Vreed-enHoop. Call: 264-3057
PAGE 24
Kaieteur News
Thursday March 09, 2017
Opposition party wants government to outline measures to deal with deportees KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The main opposition People’s National Party (PNP) Wednesday has called on the Jamaica government to state what steps are being taken to accommodate and reintegrate deportees from the United Kingdom into the local society. The authorities have confirmed that several deportees from the United Kingdom are due here and the Ministry of National Security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the British High Commission have been holding talks on the issue. Since September 2016, when 432 persons were
deported, figures show that more than 100 Jamaicans have been deported from the United Kingdom with many complaining that they have no family ties in Jamaica. In a statement, the Ministry of National Security said that all legal avenues of appeal in the UK have been exhausted and that the deportees have no legal rights in the UK. It said as a result, Jamaica is obligated, under international law, to receive its nationals on their return. “The standard arrangements have been put in place by the Ministry of National
Security, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, the British High Commission and at least one local voluntary organisation to receive the Jamaican nationals to be returned to the island on a charter flight from the United Kingdom,” the ministry said. However the PNP said it wants the Andrew Holness government “to indicate what arrangements have been made to reintegrate the deportees into the society having regard to the reports that many have been living in the UK for many years and may not have any current relatives in the island”.
Police in full control of SOCU investigations... From page 17 Commission, Ramesh Dookhoo, daug h t e r o f former President Donald Ramotar and General Manager of Guyana Gold Board, Lisaveta Ramotar, son of former Labour Minister Nanda Gopaul, Dr Gansham Singh, former Deputy Head of the National Industrial
and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Marcia Nadir-Sharma and former Minister of Natural Resources Robert Persaud. The list lengthened yesterday when former Ministers of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali, former Minister of Education,
Priya Manickchand, former Minister of Tourism Shaik Baksh, former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, former Minister of Public Service, Jennifer Westford, former Minister of Labour, Nanda Gopaul and former Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, were called in for questioning.
Thursday March 09, 2017
PAGE 25
Kaieteur News
Man convicted in murder of school children UK Parliamentarian blasts Jamaica KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – A man, who shot and killed four people, including three school boys, in an incident that enraged Jamaicans, is to be sentenced on April 6 after he was found guilty on Tuesday in the Circuit Court for the parish of Clarendon. The jury took less than an hour to find Jermaine Turner guilty in the April 15, 2015 murders of 14-year-old Raymond Givans, a student of Vere Technical High School; 14-year-old Ricardo Briscoe of the Garvey Maceo High School and 16-year-old Alex Turner of Central High School. He was also found guilty of murdering 35-year-old Marquis Hamilton, an accounts clerk at the Sugar Company of Jamaica. Turner had pleaded not
guilty to the offences and claimed during the three-week trial that he was at a different location at the time of the killings. The Court heard that Hamilton and his common law wife were seated on the perimeter wall of their residence and that the three boys, who were on their way home, stopped near the house to tap into an unsecured wireless Internet service. The couple was approached by Turner and an accomplice, with Turner, armed with a gun, instructing his cohort to search and rob Hamilton and the woman of their cellular phones. The woman eventually escaped, but Hamilton and the boys were ordered to lie face down, after which Turner shot the boys execution style
in their heads. Hamilton was shot in the chest. Turner was held during a police operation and the phones belonging to Hamilton and his spouse were taken from him and a relative. He was later charged with four counts of murder, robbery with aggravation and possession of illegal firearm and ammunition, while the relative was charged with receiving stolen property. Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Paula Llewellyn told the Jamaica Observer that she hopes the conviction will provide some amount of closure for the families of the victims. “The police did their job and the court system worked,” she told the newspaper.
Way paved for Guyana to introduce... From page 13 that migration has become one of the biggest challenges globally, and a political response is needed to deal with the fact that there is an increase in international migration. As such, the European Union has over the last decade made major steps toward building a comprehensive migration policy based on common political principles and solidarity, which is important internally and externally. He said that the EU migration policy is based on better organising legal migration and fostering world managed mobility, preventing and combating irregular migration and eradicating Trafficking in Persons, maximising the development impact of migration and mobility, promoting international protection and enhancing the external dimension of asylum and the respect of human rights. IOM's Regional Coordination Officer for the Caribbean, Robert Natiello said that the organisation is committed to the principle that regular and orderly migration must be beneficial to the migrants as well as the societies that send and receive migrants. HUMAN TRAFFICKING “The process of emitting visas is an important part of ensuring the regular and orderly migration process. When we have irregular migration processes, we have seen that this opens up migrants to many vulnerable situations and they can fall
into situations of human rights violations, Trafficking in Persons and smuggling of migrants. So we are pleased to be able to provide technical assistance for this type of work,” he said. Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings and Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin were also present at the event. Minister Cummings said that there is a link between migration and morbidity. As such, she said that the Ministry of Public Health welcomes the report due to the threat of emerging and re-emerging diseases such as Chikungunya and Zika. “Guyana has to guard its frontiers. We have to be alert… we want to protect our citizens and ensure that in tourism there is safety and security,” she said. Minister Gaskin said that his Ministry looks forward to collaborations with the Department of Citizenship and other stakeholders in looking at the recommendations of the report in order to regularise the visa issuance system in Guyana, particularly with regard to business visas. “ We h a v e i n v e s t o r s from various parts of the world and not all of those countries have visa waivers. So it is important for us to have a visa system in place that works well and today's report shows that work has begun and there
is a concrete set of recommendations that will form the basis for lasting improvements to the system going forward,” he said. IOM Consultant, Patricia Bell, compiled the report. In her remarks, she said that during the research period, she found that government policy was one, which encouraged managed migration. She added that there was a ministerial and departmental will to improve and modernise the visa system as well as dedicated and committed officers at every level of the immigration process. “Improvements within the recommendations will result in a robust, simplified and traveller friendly process,” she said. Now that the report is completed, Minister Felix said that the Department of Citizenship will look at the recommendations, decide which are feasible and come up with a plan of action for the implementation of the EVisa system.
for rejecting Britain’s prison offer KINGSTON, Jamaica,– The Jamaica Government is yet to respond to a scathing rebuke by a British parliamentarian who criticized the island’s rejection of a £25 million (US$30.5 million) offer from the United Kingdom government to construct a new prison. Philip Hollobone, a member of the British Con-
servative Party, labeled Jamaica’s decision a “complete disgrace”, according to a report in The Sun. So peeved was Hollobone that he proposed that Jamaican nationals in UK jails be immediately deported or the Andrew Holness Government foot the bill to maintain their upkeep in British jails.
“Their Ambassador should be called in and urgent arrangements should be made or some other solution to deport convicted Jamaican nationals who are taking prison places in our own jails. “If they won’t accept them we should send the Jamaican government a bill for their annual incarceration,” he said.
PAGE 26
Kaieteur News
Thursday March 09, 2017
Thursday March 09, 2017
PAGE 27
Kaieteur News
Imran Khan calls Darren Sammy ‘third-class’, angers fans KARACHI, Pakistan (AFP) — Pakistan cricket legend Imran Khan angered fans Tuesday after a leaked video emerged of him describing international stars who agreed to play in the country despite security threats as “third-class” and anonymous. The remarks by the 64year-old who now leads a major political party were captured by a local journalist on a mobile phone and uploaded online, where it sparked a furious backlash including from many of his own supporters. Khan, a vocal critic of the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, had opposed staging Sunday’s final of the Pakistan Super League in Lahore instead of the UAE where earlier matches were
played, citing security grounds. He later appeared to soften his position, using Twitter to congratulate the public on their participation and enthusiasm in a match widely hailed by observers for unifying the country, which has not hosted a major national team since 2009 when Islamist gunmen attacked a touring Sri Lanka side. But speaking to party aides on Tuesday, he criticised the tournament and poked fun at the nine foreign players who agreed to play despite a recent resurgence in violence. “I didn’t even know the names of the ‘phateechar’ players,” he said, using a derogatory term that roughly translates as “third-class”,
while others around him laughed. “I think they grabbed some people from Africa and others from elsewhere to claim that they were foreign players,” he added. The video went viral online where many rushed to defend the foreign stars, particularly two-time World T20 winner Darren Sammy of the West Indies, who led Peshawar Zalmi to victory and whose dancing celebrations and effusive praise of Pakistan had made him a major hit with fans. “These #Phateechar players have put in more effort in restoring the international cricket than the so called selfless leader,” wrote Twitter user Rabiya Naveed. Another user,
Thursday March 09, 2017 ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Find out what they're up to, and see if you can pick up where you left off. Make some notes regarding the changes that you should make.
LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) Group endeavors will provide you with entertainment. Look into joining groups that can give you hands-on advice about business.
TAURUS (Apr. 21- may 21) You will be able to work in fine detail and present the best possible proposal. Your efforts won't go unnoticed; however, someone you work with may get jealous.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) You should be on the road. Things may not be as they sound. Your efforts will be rewarded handsomely.
GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Travel will be good if you are seeking knowledge. Your partner may be reluctant to tell you how they feel. Think twice before you volunteer information. CANCER (June 22-July 22) You will easily charm members of the opposite sex. Be diplomatic but stem when it comes to giving of yourself. Enjoy taking courses or lecturing others. LEO (July 23-Aug 22) You will meet some interesting people if you attend promotional functions. VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Put your plans into motion by presenting your intentions to those who should be able to give you financial support.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) You may want to make changes that will not be to their liking. Keep on your toes when dealing with others. Mishaps due to preoccupation will be upsetting. CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) If you haven't already, don't be afraid to start your own small business on the side. You may be overly emotional when dealing with your mate. AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) Don't be disappointed if you don't get your way emotionally. Your questions will help you ferret out secret information. PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) You may want to put everyone to work on a project that will keep them all too busy to complain. Adventure will result in added knowledge.
@Dr_sheffield123, wrote “I am ur diehard fan but u made me upset like millions & am thinking whthr u r in ur senses or have lost ur mind?” Some suggested Khan was motivated by petty jealousy because the government which he opposes had taken credit for the success of the match. He later appeared on the local TV network Geo News, doubling down on his position. “Sammy was captain but he is not a big player,” he said. “Had Chris Gayle come, had Kevin Pietersen come, I would have said they were big international stars.” Gayle featured for Karachi Kings in the matches held in Dubai and Sharjah but his team failed to qualify for the final. Pietersen withdrew from the final over security fears along with other Quetta players Rilee Rossouw from South Africa, Luke Wright
West Indies cricketer Darren Sammy. (Photo: AFP) and Tymal Mills, who are both from England. The row also reached parliament with defence minister Khawaja Asif condemning
Khan on a point of order. “I can’t even repeat those derogatory remarks because they are so insulting to the players,” he said.
PAGE 28
Kaieteur News
GCB/DMLAS/MOE Nat School’s cricket league
Thursday March 09, 2017
West Indian Russell could face extended ban
Fordyce’s unbeaten 68 & Barrett’s hat-trick lead Mahaicony to win Mahaica blown away for 17 By Sean Devers On a sun kissed day at the Fairfield ground, Winden Fordyce’s responsible unbeaten 68 and a hat-trick from Omprakash Bharrat powered Mahaicony combined to an emphatic 160-run victory over Mahaica Combined in the GCB/ DML AS/ MOE National Combined Secondary Schools’ Cricket League yesterday. The 15-year-old lefthanded Winden Fordyce reached the boundary seven times and cleared it once in a well calculated unbeaten 68 from 107 balls and shared in three useful partnerships to lift Mahaicony from 66-6 to 177 all out in 38.4 overs. Opener Shoaib Shaw (9) featured in a 57-run second wicket stand with Fordyce who then propped up the lower order with a 37-run ninth wicket partnership with Joshua Tapping (15) and 39 for the last wicket with Alistair Bovell (7). Leg-spinner Sudesh David took 4-48 and Cordel Martins 2-26. The 16 year-old Bharrat, who opened both the batting and bowling, captured 4-2 from four overs including a hat-trick and got excellent support from Kateshwar Jagdeo, who finished with 34 including two wickets off successive deliveries as Mahaica were demolished for 17 in 9.1 overs after losing
nine wickets for four runs. Mahaicony elected to bat on a track which kept low and a heavy outfield after the late arrival of the Mahaica team resulted in the contest being reduced 40 overs per side. They lost Bharrat (1) when he was bowled by Martins in the second over to bring Fordyce to the crease. Both batsmen took their time to score but their occupation of the crease was heartening, with Fordyce hitting Tyrese Layne for the first boundary in the fourth over and followed it up with another one in the same over to break the shackles. Fordyce swept David for four and the 50 was posted in the 12th over before Shaw, who faced 32 balls, was taken at mid-on at 60-2 after displaying a sound technique. T-shirts, used by other players previously in the tournament were sent with the lunches by the GCB, for the Mahaica players, some of whom wore black trousers giving the impression that there were two Umpires at square-leg and when they changed into the t-shirts in the middle of the field, it might have affected the concentration of the batsmen. Ghansham Premchan bowled Chanderpaul Ramkisoon for a duck at 60-3 to trigger a middle order collapse with David removing
Chatterpaul Durga (5) and Roland Deguar for a duck as two wickets fell on 65. Aubrey Joseph and Daniel Ramotar both fells for ducks as Mahaicony slumped to 797 but Fordyce was still there and appeared to have a good head on his shoulders. He soon reached his first school cricket fifty from 79 balls with six fours and a pulled six off David. But when Jagdeo (1) was bowled by Layne just after the 100 was posted in the 26th over, it seemed as if Fordyce would quickly run out of partners but he upped the tempo towards the end of his innings and good support from Tapping, whose cameo 15 lasted just 10 balls and included three fours to take some of the pressure off Fordyce. But David removed Tapping at 138 and Bovell and Fordyce endured their team recovered from 101-8 to 177 before Bovell was LBW to Denzel Wilson. Fordyce started the Mahaica Combined slide when he bowled Lakeram Ramkisoon (1) at 2-1 and after Jagdeo sent back David (4) at 13-2, Bharrat began his demolition job and rocked back the stumps of Ghansham Premchan (1), Wilson (0) and Trevon Charles (0) in three balls with the score on 15-5 before Jagdeo removed Martins (0) and Satrohan Doednauth (0) in two balls one run later as six batsmen failed to score.
West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell (C front) sits at a desk during a meeting of an independent anti-doping tribunal at the Jamaica Conference Centre next to his lawyers Patrick Foster (L, rear, partially obscured) and Donovan Walker, in Kingston, Jamaica January 31, 2017....(REUTERS/Gilbert Bellamy) (Reuters) West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell is facing the prospect of an extension to his one-year ban for a doping whereabouts rule violation. Jamaica’s anti-doping commission (JADCO) is pushing for the maximum two-year suspension to be imposed on the 28-year-
old Russell, who was banned in January for one year. JADCO chief executive Carey Brown told Reuters on Wednesday that his organisation had filed an a p p e a l w i t h J a maica’s five-member anti-doping Appeals Tribunal. “(JADCO) has ap-
pealed,” Brown said. Russell, a two-times Twenty20 World Cup winner, was revealed to have committed the violation a year ago after registering three filing failures in 2015. That constituted a failed d r u g s t e s t u n d e r Wo r l d A n t i - D o p ing Agency (WADA) rules.
Sri Lanka’s Mendis misses double ton, Bangladesh face uphill task
West Coast Demerara beat West Bank by 7 wkts U/Demerara/Highway face E/Bank Demerara today at Bayroc West Coast Demerara beat West Bank Demerara by seven wickets in the GCB/ DML AS/ MOE National Combined Secondary Schools’ Cricket 50-over League yesterday at the Meten-Meer-Zorg ground. West Bank were bowled out for 83 in 28 overs Aaron Seepersaud was the only batsman to show any resistance with 18. Bowling West Coast, Ajita Persaud (4-13) and Andrew Seepersaud (315) did the damage with the ball. In reply, West Coast reached 84-3 in just 21.3 overs with Kevin Chrispina making 41 not out as Aaron Seepersaud took 2-21. Upper Demerara-Highway will play East Bank Demerara today at the Bayroc ground before the West
Kusal Mendis and Niroshan Dickwella added a brisk 110 for the fifth wicket, Sri Lanka v Bangladesh, 1st Test, Galle, 2nd day, ©AFP
Kevin Chrispina top scored with 41 to take West Coast home yesterday. Demerara Combined team, which was selected after yesterday’s match , face Upper Demerara-East Bank combined team which will be picked after today’s game in
Linden. Also on today is the Berbice Inter School’s final with Lower Corentyne Secondary facing Number 8 Secondary at Port Mourant
(Reuters) Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis fell agonisingly short of a maiden double century but his career-best 194 propelled the hosts to 494 all out against Bangladesh in the first innings of the first test yesterday. In reply, the tourists finished day two on 133-2, still 361 runs behind, at the Galle International Stadium. Bangladesh’s Soumya Sarkar, who raised 118 runs with fellow opener Tamim Iqbal (57), was batting on 66 at stumps with skipper Mushfiqur Rahim on one at the other end. Mendis, resuming on his
overnight score of 166, eclipsed his previous best of 176 when he attempted a hook shot off Subhasis Roy and Mustafizur Rahman caught the top-edge, but not before the fielder trod on the boundary rope. Mendis smacked Mehedi Hasan Miraz for his fourth sixth to race to 192 but fell to the off-spinner when Tamim took a brilliant catch in the deep. Realising momentum was taking him across the rope after taking the catch, Tamim lobbed the ball back into play and returned to pouch it, ending Mendis’ 285-ball
knock which also included 19 boundaries. Mendis added 110 runs with Niroshan Dickwella whose fluent 75 off 76 balls included six boundaries and a six. Down the order, Dilruwan Perera scored 51 before the hosts were all out an hour after the lunch break. Mehedi was the pick of the Bangladesh bowlers, claiming 4-113. Scores: Bangladesh 133 for 2 (Sarkar 66*, Tamim 57) trail Sri Lanka 494 (Mendis 194, Gunaratne 85, Dickwella 75, Perera 51, Mehedi 4-113) by 361 runs.
Thursday March 09, 2017
PAGE 29
Kaieteur News
Windies chase valuable win as whitewash looms BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Back-to-back defeats to England last weekend have left West Indies facing a second straight series whitewash, a fate they will earnestly attempt to avoid when they contest the final One-Day International at Kensington Oval here today. The Caribbean side slumped to a 45-run loss in the opening game at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium last Thursday and two days later, lost by four wickets in the second encounter at the same venue. But even though the three-match series has already been decided, captain Jason Holder urged his side to stay focused on securing a victory especially with West Indies urgently needing to bolster their ranking in order to earn automatic qualification for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. “A win here obviously would be very valuable. Pakistan is ahead of us [in the one-day rankings] as well so we just need to pick up points there,” Holder told reporters here Wednesday. “We haven’t worked it out mathematically but we know the importance of every game especially playing a side that is higher ranked than us. We’ve got England now, Pakistan af-
West Indies captain Jason Holder (centre) listens on as convenor of selector, Courtney Browne (left) and head coach Stuart Law converse during a training session on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy WICB Media) Chris Woakes impressed with the bat in England’s four-wicket win in the second ODI © AFP terward, then we have India later down in the year and then we also have onedayers in England. “Those are all teams that are ranked higher than us. The magnitude of the situation is for us to win these games against higher ranked sides and I think once we do that, we’ll definitely qualify for the World Cup.” In both previous games, West Indies found themselves
with chances to turn the results their way, but lacked the killer instinct. Chasing 297 in the opener, they were 190 for four in the 39th over but threw away their last six wickets for 61 runs, to surrender meekly. Then, in last Sunday’s encounter, England plunged to 124 for six at the half-way stage in pursuit of 226 but West Indies proved sloppy in the field, and Joe Root (90 not
Young female referee Kenisha Prescott... From page 31 for a degree in social work at the University of Guyana, took charge of the Guadeloupe versus Martinique match on 3rd March at the Tournoi Paul Chillan, which brought together under-17 boys’ teams from Guyana and Frenchspeaking Caribbean territories including Haiti and French Guiana. “To know I was the first female referee at the ‘PC’ tournament was a good achievement and an honour,” Prescott said in an interview on the Turkeyen campus. “The experience was wonderful. It was a very intense game.” “It’s the first time I have actually been in a big stadium in front of a big crowd, so I was nervous at first, but it was good because I had the exposure, so I know now how to referee when I go to do international games.” Linden-born Prescott’s achievements coincide with International Women’s Day (8th March) and underline the
GFF’s commitment to increasing female participation in football at all levels of the game, from playing and coaching to refereeing and governance. The GFF currently has about 30 registered female referees who are active in the game, but is working to increase this number significantly this year. “We want to bring more young women into football and to give them as many opportunities as possible with a clear development pathway,” said GFF Technical Director Ian Greenwood. “Under our new approach and through developing links across the Caribbean, we are also giving young players and referees like Kenisha the exposure they need at a high level to learn and to progress.” The young Lindener is hoping to follow in the footsteps of internationally-renowned female Guyanese referees such as Dianne Ferreira-James and 2016 CONCACAF Female Referee of the Year nominee Maurees Skeete.
“I see myself becoming a FIFA referee,” she said. “That would mean that I would go to international matches like the World Cup and the Olympics.” With International Women’s Day in mind, Prescott encouraged other young women to get involved in all areas of football, especially refereeing. “We’re looking for a lot more females to come on, because there is only one FIFA referee we have in the country and it would be nice for others to come on board to make Guyana proud,” Prescott said. GFF Executive Committee member and President of the Guyana Football Referees Council Dion Inniss praised Kenisha’s achievements. “Kenisha is one of the budding stars in refereeing, and we are extremely happy that Martinique experience has open up her eyes to the possibilities that exists once she continues on this path,” former FIFA match official Inniss said.
out) and Chris Woakes (68 not out) capitalized, engineering an unbroken stand of 102 for the seventh wicket to frustrate the hosts. Holder said despite the two disappointing performances, the Windies had remained upbeat and were optimistic about turning their fortunes around. “The guys are in good spirits. Everybody wants to make their mark here. Obviously we’ve had two games and we’ve had some individual brilliance from players like Jason Mohammed and Jonathan Carter, Shannon’s (Gabriel) been pretty good – (Devendra) Bishoo and Ashley (Nurse) as well,” Holder pointed out. “I don’t think the spirits are daunted in the dressing room; I think everybody’s heads are held high. I just try to keep everyone in good spirits and everybody is in good spirits. We have a good vibe
on and off the field. It’s just a situation for us to execute. “We’ve also let ourselves down in the field in terms of dropping catches and being a bit sloppy in the field so that’s obviously an area we have paid some attention to, and I think once we hold those half chances, games can be a lot different for us.” Last October, West Indies were swept by Pakistan in a similar three-match series in United Arab Emirates. The following month, they struggled in Zimbabwe during the Tri-Nations Series involving the hosts and Sri Lanka, missing out on the final after winning just one of four games. Holder said across both the batting and bowling departments, there was obviously a need for more consistency from his players. “I’ve preached in the dressing room we need con-
sistency. The only way you can be consistent is if you get an opportunity to play …” he explained. “I just think it is important that we do a lot better at the top of our innings when we bat. We haven’t really gotten a good start in this tournament as yet. “I thought the bowling in the last game was a lot better than the first game. We got down to the last 10 overs and did a lot better and that’s all due down to the context of the game but I thought we fought really hard and had attacking options in the last game, we set attacking fields and we got wickets so for me we may just need to string that collective game together and take it all the way.” We s t I n d i e s h a v e brought fast bowler Miguel Cummins into the 13-man squad as a replacement for injured speedster Shannon Gabriel.
Regal Sports Softball set to commence... From page 29 participate in masters competitions. Kippins explained that their victory is the result of the hard work they put in prior to the tournament. “The win shows what can be achieved when playing together. We managed to stick to the game plan and keep it simple and these are some of the main reasons why we were successful,” he added. Skipper of the open side Fazal Rafiek lauded his players for their support and spoke highly of Sanasie on his bowling performance in the final. He stated that while there were some anxious moments, his players were
confident of going all the way. “We just had to ensure we made it to the final four and take it from there,” he said. Regal became the first team
from Guyana to win an unprecedented double when they won the New York Cup in 2016 and matched the feat in Florida Cup.
PAGE 30
Kaieteur News
Thursday March 09, 2017
Demerara U-15 team to Petra Organisation launches 2nd Annual Futsal Competition - action kicks off next Monday have training session Saturday at Ogle The management of the Demerara under-15 cricket team has issued a call for the players to assemble for a training session. The session is fixed for the Ogle ground on Saturday starting at 1:00pm as they prepare for upcoming action. The players called to be at the Ogle ground on Saturday for a prompt 1:00pm start are: 1. Shoib Shaw 2. Mahindra Dindyal
3. Chad Shivrattan 4. Edmond Pearson 5. Andre Seepersaud 6. Daniel Mootoo 7. Mark Ramanand 8. Chandrapaul Ramraj 9. Trevon Charles 10. Negusa Walters 11. Devanand Khemraj 12. Rayan Persaud 13. Ushardev Balgobin 14. Brandon Jaikarran The Coach is Dhanpaul and the Manager Latchman Yadram.
Mohamed’s Enterprise on board ‘Reaction’ Drag Meet The Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) ‘Reaction’ Drag Meet received a significant boost yesterday when Mohamed’s Enterprise added its support to the March 19 event, during a simple ceremony that was conducted at the GMR&SC Headquarters on Albert Street. The Meet, which will be held at the South Dakota Circuit has already attracted dragsters from Suriname, saw GMR&SC official Desiree Lee received the support on behalf of the club from Mohamed’s Enterprise representative Udoh Kanu in the presence of President Rameeze Mohamed. Lee in her remarks thanked the company for the kind gesture, stating that the generosity will go a long way in helping to provide fans with
Remaining committed to its stated agenda which is to give a hand towards the development of football, the Petra Organisation, one of the hardest working entities in the sport launched its 2nd Annual Futsal Tournament, during a simple ceremony that was held on Tuesday evening, at the Bransville Hotel on Pike Street, Prashad Nagar. In attendance were CoDirector of the Organisation Troy Mendonca, referees’ coordinator Wayne Griffith, defending champs Bent Street
Manager Troy Lambert and Petra official Clifford Jones. Speaking at the occasion, Mendonca said the tournament will comprise twentyfour teams from across the various wards in Georgetown, but also includes one each from Agricola and West Demerara’s Showstoppers, the reigning Guinness champion. He informed that prize monies totalling in excess of $800,000 will be up for grabs with the winners to receive $400,000, runner-up $200,000 and 3rd and 4th placed teams
$100,000 and $50,000 respectively. The Petra official also disclosed that the tournament which will run for eight nights starting next Monday will conclude on April 15, at the National Gymnasium. According to Mendonca, the opening round will be played on a knockout basis with the twelve winners advancing to the round robin stage after being divided into three groups of four after which the top two and the best two third placed finishers move into the quarter-finals. Mendonca extended thanks to the National
Sports Commission for allowing them the usage of the facility, adding that the entity has been very co-operative with the Organisation over the years. The teams invited are: champions Bent Street, Festival City, Stevedore Housing Scheme, Sparta Boss, Tiger Bay, Albouystown, North Ruimveldt, West Back Road, Leopold Street, West Front Road, Sophia, Agricola, Showstoppers, Alexander Village, Broad Street, Camp Street All Stars, Kitty, Globe Yard, Channel 9 Warriors, Hustlers, North East La Penitence, Back Circle, Campbellville and Tucville.
Windies clash with archrivals Aussies in opener
the best possible atmosphere on race-day. Mohamed in his presentation said that he is anticipating a large turnout of fans, adding that they are hard at work in ensuring that everything in place to provide fans with an exciting day of competition. According to the President, over 100 participants are confirmed to battle for supremacy in the various categories, adding that the season opening Meet is just a teaser for a bigger planned event which is to host an international drag race meet later this year. Up to $50,000 will be at stake for the fastest bus with free runs beginning from 09:00 hrs followed by qualifying at 10:00 hrs and the knock-out rounds from 11:00 hrs.
West Indies Women … to renew rivalry with Australia Women in opening game. LONDON, CMC – West Indies Women will open their Women’s World Cup campaign in June against arch-rivals Australia Women, in a repeat of last year ’s Twenty20 World Cup final in India. The Caribbean side and the Aussies also met in the final of the last 50-overs World Cup in India four years ago when the Aussies picked up their sixth title. They are two of eight teams clashing with each other in the round-robin preliminaries of the tournament, which will see 28 matches played from June
24 to July 23 in England. All preliminary games and the semi-finals will be played across Bristol, Ta u n t o n , L e i c e s t e r a n d Derby, with the final scheduled for historic Lord’s in London. “We are extremely excited about the ICC Women’s World Cup being staged at four outstanding county grounds which I am sure will provide the best possible showcase for the top players in the women’s game,” said Steve Elworthy, the World Cup’s managing director. “Today, the tickets for all the matches will go on sale and I am sure they will
be in high demand as each of the competing countries have large support in England and Wales. This promises to be the best ICC Women’s World Cup tournament and I am sure everyone will want to be a part of the event.” West Indies were one of four automatic qualifiers along with Australia, England and New Zealand, and enter the tournament as one of the favourites to take the title. In the 2013 final, they went down to the Aussies by 114 runs in Mumbai, and renew that rivalry in Taunton on June 26.
They host India Women three days later at the same venue before travelling to the East Midlands to take on South Africa Women in Leicester on July 2. Their final game in Taunton is against New Zealand Women on July 6 before clashing with Sri Lanka Women in Derby on July 9, Pakistan Women in Leicester on July 11 and England Women in Bristol on July 15. A doubleheader opens the tournament with New Zealand Women playing Sri Lanka Women in Bristol and England Women taking on India Women in Derby.
Thursday March 02, 2017
Kaieteur News
Page 31
Minister Garrido-Lowe congratulates Under-17s’ Daniels Georgetown: Minister within the Ministry for Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Valerie Garrido-Lowe met “Thunderbolt Flour Power” Guyana Under-17 Boys’ National Team winger Orvil Daniels on Monday to congratulate the 14-year-old for his standout performances at the International Tournoi Paul Chillan in Martinique. Daniels, from Annai Central in the Rupununi, scored the opening goal in a memorable 3-1 win over Caribbean powerhouse Haiti on Saturday, and was a constant attacking threat during the tournament last week, which also involved French-speaking Caribbean territories such as Guadeloupe, Martinique and F r e n c h G u i a n a . To commemorate his remarkable achievements, Minister Garrido-Lowe presented Daniels with a framed copy of Guyana F o o t b a l l F e d e r a t i o n ’s “ExtraTime”, which featured an article about the player’s rise to the Under-17 national ranks. “ExtraTime” is a weekly production published in the Guyana Chronicle newspaper. “When I received the news of Orvil’s outstanding performance against Haiti, I was overwhelmed with emotions. I am so excited for
Orvil Daniels with Minister Garrido-Lowe and GFF representatives. him and his future as a f o o t b a l l e r, b u t m o r e importantly, what this means for every young boy and girl throughout the hinterland communities that dream about playing football for Guyana,” Minister GarridoLowe said. “I am deeply moved by the emphasis on hinterland football development by the new
leadership of the GFF. Their commitment to empowering indigenous footballers by creating opportunities is in perfect alignment with the demonstrated focus of the Government of Guyana.” Guyana Football F e d e r a t i o n Yo u t h Development Officer and Under-17 Head Coach Bryan Joseph said the GFF
was working to give more young talented boys and girls from hinterland communities the chance to reach their potential and to play for Guyana’s national teams. “We’re here today to honour one of the youngsters – Orvil Daniels. He went to Martinique and he did exceptionally well,” Joseph said. “This is part of the
ongoing efforts of the Guyana Football Federation and the Ministry to ensure that the Guyana national team is fully representative of all individuals across the land, including regions 1, 7, 8 and 9.” Daniels, who plays for Paiomak Warriors, was part of the Under-15 national squad that competed in French Guiana in December,
and was promoted to the Under-17 set-up because of h i s i m p r e s s i v e performances. “I feel proud of myself,” Daniels said. “I was very scared at first, but when I played a game I felt excited and I have come home with one goal. When I get older I want to be a national coach as well.”
Regal Sports Softball set to commence on March 19 Kippins, Rafiek pleased with Florida Cup success Regal Sports of Seaforth Street, Campbellville will be hosting a softball tournament set to commence on March 19 at several venues in Georgetown. The tournament will be contested in the open and over-45 categories with the open being played on a 15over basis while the over-45 will be of 20 overs duration. The small supreme balls will be used for the open and the white balls will be used for the over-45 segment and no entrance fee is required. Preliminary matches are set for Everest, GNICSC and DCC with the umpires calling play at 09:30 hrs. The winning teams in each category will take home a trophy and $100,000 and the runner ups a trophy and $25,000. Regal Sports which is a member of the Regal Stationery and Compute Centre sells sports
equipment and the entity would from time to time give back to young athletes so as to enhance their talent. Meanwhile Regal won both the open and masters titles in the recently concluded Florida Cup. In the finals which were held at Central Broward Regional Park and Stadium, Lauderhill, Regal Allstars defeated Hurricanes by 10 wickets while Regal Masters beat Orlando Masters by 47 runs. Batting first in the open category, Hurricanes were sent packing for 104 in 24 overs. Paul Suknandan made 23 and Ansar Baksh 22 as Tyrone Sanasie bagged 6-9 and Rohit Dutchin 2-3. Openers Richard Latif and Navin Singh then hit off the required target in 10.2 overs as they finished on 106 with out lost. Latif struck 74 and Singh 24. Regal Masters took first
Regal Open and Masters’ teams recorded another double victory in the Florida Cup. (file photo) strike and posted 199. Eric Thomas struck 82 off 29 balls while Rudolph Baker made 41. The duo steadied the innings with a stand of 129 off 42 balls which set the tone for Regal victory.
Orlando Masters were restricted to 152-8 in 18.3 overs in reply. Daniel Singh made 39, John Joseph 23 and Collin Gonglaves 20. Lennie Singh and Troy Kippins claimed two wickets each.
The tournament, which has grown significantly over the years, was held as part of Guyana’s 47th Republic Anniversary celebrations. Speaking with Kaieteur Sport in Seaforth Street
yesterday, Captain of the Masters team, Kippins said he is delighted with the victory, but is not to happy with players continuing to forge their age in order to (Continued on page 27)
Page 32
Kaieteur News
Thursday March 02, 2017
Cougars cop BFA U15 one-day tourney first place Highest goal scorer and Captain Delon Alleyne collecting the winner’s trophy from BFA VP Sherwin Forde.
NA United Captain Alex Ogleton receives the runner-up trophy from BFA VP Sherwin Forde.
BFA Under-16 champs Cougars with Coach Dane Johnson (right) and Manager Ceon Bristol. Cougars Football Club carted off the first place trophy when the Berbice Football Association (BFA) held a one-day Under-15 competition that a t t r a c t e d s i x t e a m s i n c luding debutants, Young Strikers. Captain of the winning team, Delon Alleyne orchestrated the first place win for Cougars when he blasted
South Turkeyen SC small goal football set for Sunday South Turkeyen Sports Committee 4-a-side small goal and penalty shootout competitions have been set for Sunday at the Vryheid’s Lust Basketball court. Six players are allowed to participate and action gets underway at
09:00hrs. Entrance fee is $3,000 and at stake are trophies and cash prizes donated by Tent City, Tr o p h y S t a l l B o u r d a Market, Henry Chase, Andrea Howard, Roysdale Forde, Zaman Ali and Frank Anthony.
in all three goals that sunk New Amsterdam United in the final. Alleyne also ended as the leading goal scorer of the competition. On their journey to the top spot, Cougars also defeated Young Strikers by the lone goal of that match, whilst they brushed aside Corriverton Links, 4-0.
New Amsterdam United in reaching the final got past both Arsenal Football Club and Hopetown United Rangers by similar 1-0 margins. Vice President of the BFA, Sherwin Forde presented the winning trophy to Cougars Captain Delon Alleyne and the runner-up accolade to NA United Captain, Alex Ogleton.
RHTY&SC Teams, Over-35 Group to launch Special Programme for Pensioners The eight cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, M.S and its over 35 Group on Monday 3rd of April would launch a special programme directed to about 300 old age pensioners in Rose Hall Town area on a monthly basis. The programme was approved at the Club’s biannual General Meeting which was held on Tuesday last at the J.C. Chandisingh Secondary School and would involve the distribution of refreshments and snacks to pensioners at the Rose Hall Town Post Office as they wait to uplift their monthly pension. Newly elected Vice President Mark Papannah stated that several pensioners had approached Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster about the Club assisting them on the first working day of each month. It was explained that hundreds of senior citizens turn up as early as 5:00AM to
uplift their pension and the majority of them have to wait until afternoon to do so without meals or snacks. The eight teams that would join hands with the Over 35 Group are the RHT Farfan and Mendes Under 15, Bakewell Under 17 and Second Division, Pepsi Under 19 and Intermediate, Metro Female and Gizmos & Gadgets Under 21 and First Division. The Club would provide a breakfast to each pensioner who needs one and arrangements would be put into place to accommodate at least 300 pensioners. Papannah explained that the programme would be held under the Club’s Tribute to Senior Citizens Campaign. Plans would also be put into place to provide some of the pensioners with food hampers in an effort to make their lives better. Funding for this monthly project would be obtained by hosting several fund raising
RHTY&SC Secretary /CEO Hilbert Foster
events by the eight cricket teams. Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster disclosed that the RHTY&SC, M.S would be placing special interest on the welfare of senior citizens during 2017 as it was important to recognise their contribution to the development in Guyana. Among the programmes that would be hosted and directed to Senior Citizens
are Tribute to Heroes, Tribute to Role Model Mothers, Tribute to Role Model Fathers and Ansa Mcal Region 6 Award of Excellence. Outstanding Senior Citizens from the township of Rose Hall would also be honoured as part of the 175th anniversary celebration of the purchase of Rose Hall by 57 free slaves in 1842.
Thursday March 09, 2017
Kaieteur News
Page 33
No Development Plan yet from athletics association By Edison Jefford The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) is still to produce its Development Plan, following a request from the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) after its Elections in December to have the document submitted by the end of January. AAG President, Aubrey Hutson had told Edwin Seeraj on his live television programme that the GOA had given associations the deadline for submissions. Hutson also committed to returning to the programme, ‘Sports Magazine’, to discuss details of the plan. However, GOA President, K. A. Juman Yassin made the shocking revelation in the media weeks ago that only two associations have so far submitted plans. The athletics association as one of the main constituents of the GOA was not among the two that were submitted. Hutson is yet to re-appear on the programme as promised to discuss the
development plan for the years leading up to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. The continued nonappearance of such an important document continues to characterise the association’s ineptitude. The plan, for instance, is supposed to be the blueprint for support from the Olympic body, as well as the road map for the development of athletes both domestically and internationally, addressing participation in key meets and preparation at varying levels. Without this important document, which is aimed at providing stakeholders with some insight to the direction of the association, underachievement will continue to prevail where there is obvious abundance of athletic talent simply because there is no vision. And if nothing else, the AAG continues to display its lack of vision. Following his retention of the Presidency last month, Hutson and the AAG came in for severe criticism on social media and
Aubrey Hutson in the print and electronic media for bypassing Olympic finalist, triple jumper, Troy Doris and double sprint record holder, Olympian, Brenessa Thompson for male and female ‘Athlete of the Year’ respectively. In addition, the myopia of the association was even more evident when it merely
mustered pieces of cloth and some folding chairs at YMCA Auditorium on Thomas Road to host an award ceremony – an occasion fit for a more appropriate location because athletes deserve the best as ambassadors of their country. This is how the year began for the AAG – with the same pitiable culture that has held Guyana’s athletic potential hostage. The 100m race is the premier event in athletics. A poor start makes it extremely difficult, but not impossible, to recover midway through the race. One would have hoped that with the inauspicious situation the AAG is enduring with its start in a new four-year term, it would have used its National Youth and Junior Championships two weekends ago at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora, to recover. But instead, the mismanagement of talent inexcusably and shamelessly continued. There were so many good performances at the youth and junior
competition that Guyana’s future in the sport is remarkably bright. The administration is where the failure is occurring. For instance, for the two days, while Guyana’s best young athletes were on show at Leonora, the stands were empty, simply because the AAG did nothing to mobilise the media, send out notice of the upcoming event or even a press release, which are all free mediums. Never mind, there was no radio and television advertising or a Facebook page counting down the days to the national event, there were free mechanisms available to the association, but instead, it chose to do nothing, as usual, to get people to see Guyana’s best athletes. The stadium was empty with great talent on show; this is the ‘incentive’ that the AAG continues to give athletes. It is unacceptable. The association could have been forgiven if it tried and failed at marketing the event and the athletes, but to do nothing at all is just
deplorable. If it wasn’t for the amateur efforts of Nial Stanton, no one would have known that the association was hosting a National Championship. Stanton prepared a flyer and invited people to support the activity on Facebook, which is how many came to know it was happening. Maybe it is good to let the AAG know that at this stage, Barbados has already named 20 athletes for the CARIFTA Games. Some of the athletes given to the AAG from the National Schools’ Championships last year were absent from the local competition two weekends ago, including those from the hinterland regions. The AAG perhaps has ditched a well-publicised plan to have more athletes represent Guyana at the CARIFTA Games in a c o l l e c t i v e e ff o r t . T h e association will have to absorb all the blame for not allowing athletes an equal opportunity. After all, the AAG is not a serious organisation.
Young female referee Kenisha Prescott stars in Martinique UG student is first female to officiate at Tournoi Paul Chillan Kenisha Prescott
Georgetown: Young Guyanese referee Kenisha Prescott has become the first female match official to take charge of a game at the International Tournoi Paul Chillan in Martinique, and the first to accompany a travelling Guyanese national youth squad, under the Guyana Football Federation’s new technical development plan.
The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Technical Department’s new policy involves giving as much international exposure as possible to both its young players and referees, in order to accelerate their development and to increase their potential for career advancement in football. Prescott, who is studying (Continued on page 27)
Kenisha Prescott (centre) about to do the coin toss before a match in Martinique.
rt o p S Mohamed’s Enterprise on Petra Organisation launches board ‘Reaction’ Drag Meet 2nd Annual Futsal Competition - action kicks off next Monday
GMR&SC official Desiree Lee collects the cheque from Mohamed’s Enterprise representative Udoh Kanu yesterday.
Co-Director of Petra Organisation Troy Mendonca (2nd left) flanked by referees’ co-ordinator Wayne Griffith (left), Bent Street manager Troy Lambert (right) and Petra official Clifford Jones on Tuesday.
GCB/DMLAS/MOE Nat School’s cricket league
Fordyce’s unbeaten 68 & Barrett’s hat-trick lead Mahaicony to win Mahaica blown away for 17
Winden Fordyce made a responsible unbeaten 68 yesterday. (Photos by Sean Devers)
Omprakash Bharrat is elated as Trevon Charles is bowled off his hat trick ball.
Windies chase valuable win as whitewash looms Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.