Kaieteur News

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday March 27, 2019

Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

The same two forces and a crippling malaise Reports making the rounds note that political and electoral matters remain unchanged on the Guyanese scene. The thinking of the reasonable has been that, because of the sharp acrimonies and ugly embarrassments, which continue to torment local politics, and dispirit the conscientious, the opportunity and circumstance was ripe for movement. There has not been a scintilla of anything resembling such a sometimes yearned for development. From pulpit to pasture, from city to countryside, and from schools of learning to schools of raucous dissent, there were great anxieties and wretchedness over the deplorable state of affairs in the political realm. The bitterness, the naked emotions, and the terrible weight placed on a bent over nation and its peoples all fostered great outrage. Wherever observed or examined - parliament, print media, social media, the social milieu, the stumps - it was the same descent into that which disturbs and deters. Nobody wanted to be close to the barbarisms, or part of them or so citizens said and postured, while it was nice to say. A couple of groups rose to the moment and came out in the open: new political parties. A separate handful of the thoughtful and patriotic announced their arrivals: a new interest group here, a pressure group there, clusters of the caring and the patriotic. One would have thought that these newcomers would gain some traction, establish presence. They can barely attract any substantial audience, any sustained listening. The initial flickers of interest quickly faded into obscurity and doomed those new people to a similar fate, which was either dismissed as afterthoughts, ignored as out of place, rendered irrelevancies in the tumultuous surges of the sweeping coarseness of Guyanese politics. After all the lamenting and crying and beating of breasts, there is the unchanging sameness of always. No hearing. No differentiating. No moving. Here is some food for thought: a chunk of concerned, objective, truly independent civil society votes in the right spaces could translate to two seats. Unfortunately, that chunk is the ash of a mirage; unavailable and not there. Not today. Maybe next time. There is only the unalterable fixity of the devastating and self-defeating: Race! Race politics! Race division! Race deformities! Race results!After all the disgust and boiling anger at local politicians and local political brutishness, what does all of this say? It says one thing, and one thing only: that at the end of the day, Guyanese are enchanted and excited by what they condemn and curse. After all the talk, Guyanese are addicted to what has enslaved: the old politics, the old racial turmoil and vulnerabilities, and the old social traumas. Leaders and parties know this. They fuel it and fatten it; and then they feed on it. Where have all the supposedly rational and horrified disappeared? Try searching for them and good luck finding those now elusive Guyanese. Look at them now: The same so-called sensible in the midst that bemoaned the divide; those same people who once shook heads in dismay, today identify spiritually and philosophically with the racial rancidness and cultivated racial calamities; that translates to unflagging support at the polls. In statistics, it is called reversion to the mean. In Creolese: ‘Dawg like fuh suck egg’. There is an abundance of both. Thus, the carcass of a stricken, contemptible electorate remains to testify to the chronic sickliness that diminishes. The biggest hoax perpetrated in Guyana during elections times is not that which politicians play upon citizens. No! Only the one that an abused, numbed, and lost electorate plays upon itself.For the skeptical, simply look at where things are today in late March and clearly, there are only two forces alive and at work in the political process; the same two. Today, the groups and new people stand as forlorn monuments to Guyanese futility. And Guyanese malaise, too. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Such is “the still sad music of humanity” (Wordsworth).

Editor’s Note; If your sent letter was not published and you felt its contents were valid and devoid of libel or personal attacks, please contact us by phone or email.

Investing in Adult Education is a worthwhile endeavour DEAR EDITOR, Guyana has poor education standards, in comparison to the developed Democracies, which is compounded by “The BrainDrain” as many Guyanese seek to escape Guyana to live abroad. This education problem (or lack of education) needs urgent attention as investment in education normally pays off in the

medium to long term. As a start, the Government should consider investing in some Adult Education Centres to facilitate the re-education of the adult population to meet current demand and future demand. Investing in Adult Education is a worthwhile endeavour as it not only educate the adult population but this will also help parents

to help and encourage their children in their education pursuits. Everyone accept that parents should spend more time helping to educate their children. However, how can this be achieved when many of the parents themselves are deemed uneducated? Fifty Adult Education Centres throughout Guyana would cost in the region of

G$10B (estimated cost). The bonus is that an educated workforce would encourage investment into Guyana. I accept that the money may not be there for this investment and that more urgent problems need to be prioritised. However, it is a Long Term Investment that will pay dividends in the future. Yours faithfully Sean Ori

Government has now usurped power and occupies office illegally DEAR EDITOR, The overpowering stench and corruption in the ethnically divisive politics of my native land spanning a period of seven decades has emasculated its citizenry of their economic and human rights. Yet this remains a carefully guarded national secret as neither of the two major ethnic parties will admit this established and proven fact. The coalition government comprising mainly of the People’s National Congress, The Alliance for Change and the Working People’s Alliance has lost its coat of

convenience and only the People’s National Congress remains as a political organisation within the Coalition with solid ethnic support mainly among Guyanese of African descent. Coalition is a temporary alliance of political parties and since both the Alliance For Change and the Working People’s Alliance have no political support, the People’s National Congress has irretrievably shed its cover as a disguise, which it ardently sought based on its history. The argument proposed by the Government of Guyana regarding what

constitutes a majority in the no-confidence motion is simply nonsensical and contains a deeply inherent flaw. Yet the current unlawful government continues to s q u a n d e r t h e n a t i o n ’s revenues without any accountability defending their unreasonable, ridiculous and unlawful attempt to extend their political life in office. The Guyana Court of Appeal’s decision regarding what constitutes a majority is erroneous in law and even though it is in effect binding until overturned by a superior court, it ought not to be respected. Inevitably, The

Caribbean Court of Justice will simply overturn this decision or risk its own reputation and legal competence not excluding the careful consideration of the legal calibre and ethnicity of the seven judges who sit at its judicial table. There is no constitutional crisis in the nation as the Guyana Constitution is the product of an unlawful referendum in 1978 and written by the late Dr. Mohamed Shahabudeen under the explicit instructions of the late Forbes Burnham. A living legal document cannot derive its power and have as (Continued on page 6)

Wednesday March 27, 2019

SERIOUS QUESTIONS FOR A RECONVENING OF PARLIAMENT DEAR EDITOR, Our 11th Parliament may best be at an end whatever the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) may yet rule on the majority that would have been required for the successful passage of the “No-Confidence Motion” (NCM) last December. A number of potentially difficult questions are now before us beyond the question of the majority required. We may be in a puddle that is of our Government’s own making. The Coalition Government raised two questions on whether the vote of Charandass should even have been recognized (which challenges, if accepted, would have left the vote as a tie, 32-32, and the NCM not carried). On the question of dual citizenship, in my understanding of a not learned fellow, the Chief Justice’s(CJ) ruling which I understand still stands - the CJ ruled that persons with dual citizenship should not have been eligible to be on

nomination lists, should not have been selected and should not be sitting in Parliament. However, being there and to that time not knowing, Mr. Charandass’s vote was valid when cast, but would not be valid at any subsequent voting. With respect to dual citizens now in our Parliament, I understand that before the CJ’s ruling there was no thinking that their continuing sitting could have been challenged. They could have been removed by petition from the opposing side, but within six months of becoming an MP – that time is long gone. Now, it may at first seem that they can be removed only by their own resignation or by the Representative of their List notifying the Speaker of the party’s withdrawal and replacement of such dual citizens. Even so, we must sense now strong moral questions before the dual citizen MPs themselves, but not only them, before their

Leaders and the Representatives of their Lists also.However, there is now the CJ’s recent declaration and it being acted upon – enforced.Further, my understanding of the CJ’s rulings raises questions, now that we all know, whether the vote of a dual citizen continuing to sit in Parliament, should hereafter be counted. Editor, fellow citizens have raised in their letters the question whether we Guyanese being what we are, should not find certain years of residency sufficient and dual citizenship ignored? A good question but one if widely enough accepted is a question for the next or the next after Parliament, where a coming together for a twothirds majority in Parliament might suffice. Meetings, sometime of bodies and minds, cannot be escaped. Yours truly, Samuel A.A. Hinds Former President and Former Prime Minister

The Guyanese people deserve better DEAR EDITOR, Indeed its words that form us and we are its creatures. We are aptly reminded of this principle, every second we occupy God’s green Earth, by the great books. What is noticeable and quite remarkable is the fact that we are fed-up with unstoppable doses of the most vicious, vile and vitriolic language on social media. Like the framers of the constitution, I am positive that the inventors of this medium never anticipated its usage in the ways it has been since November 21 2018. It may be argued that it is expressions of our social discontent; well, I can live with that, this type of discontent usually takes such forms. Except that, it gets worse and borders on the dark realm of hatred, and frustrations. That is dangerous especially when the political leadership of one particular party is not acting responsibly and seem not to care what his outpourings could lead to. Surely, we can have disagreements without

being disrespectful and frankly speaking, I could never recall at any moment, under a particular leader’s tenure, when this country enjoyed a peaceable moment (you research the history). Just at that point, when we are beginning to breathe easily again that leader wants to bring us back to that darkness. He wants to destroy what has been built. But it is your (the voters’) choice to make. I had decades of this nonsense, and shudder to think that I could slip into the ‘golden years’ with these appendages. The infamous vote of 21st of November 2018, is obscene as it is a grand theft. No amount of window dressings can determine otherwise. It exposes nonetheless the fragile and divisive nature of our politics. No one is even bothered about any outcomes here, just this obsession with power at all cost and by any means necessary. Do not hold your breath for any remarkable turnaround anytime soon; it

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is not going to happen despite the optimist I am. Until we arrive, again, at that place where we espouse and embrace the value that to attain the highest office of the land it must be through the content of our character, and the issues that we hold dear, not by how we look. The APNU/AFC government has stumbled along the way they have been accused on some occasion of being corrupt; let’s hold their feet to the fire, the economy indeed is a bit sluggish but there was an endless amount of that under the previous administration too. Let us make them accountable. Our people must desist from double standard and work together. For Guyanese of all races, culture and creed, if one party can give you something more beautiful and better than life, go for that, because we deserve a better life, and a crime free society. You choose. D. Jones

All the races of our country should be identified as Guyanese and not by race DEAR EDITOR, As we await the CCJ decision on the NCM vote interpretation of the constitution, all politicians should tone down their recklessness. They must stop instigating fear, hate and racism among the people. Some politicians begin to message the view that Indo Guyanese should be fearful if the APNU+AFC return in Government and what will happen to them. These misleading statements only create a crisis in the country. During election, supporters of both parties find themselves in the streets and in many ways violate the laws causing disruption. This engaged a reaction from supporters of all parties and others causing disruption, and sometimes, unfortunate incidences occur. I remember during the PPP years in Government, former Presidents, including Jagdeo, on all election campaign promising inclusionary democracy. This is not new; we have heard Jagdeo and Ramator speak about this before. We have also heard fear and racism being preached dividing the country. We can’t encourage this kind of behaviour to continue; we must act responsibly. With the NCM vote, civil servants were encouraged to refuse to perform their civic duties, contractors were threatened and Ministers were informed of International sanctions. Jagdeo and his supporters demanded the resignation of the Cabinet and President, calling for election in ninety days after the NCM vote in Parliament in an uncalled for threatening way. Jagdeo and his followers objected to the Government seeking judiciary interpretation of the constitution on the NCM vote in Parliament on 21 December 2018. They were happy for the Chief Justice’s decision. Then the Court of Appeal validated the Government and changed the situation.

Jagdeo and the PPP/C is heading to the (CCJ) to have the judiciary system address the NCM interpretation of the constitution. How dishonest and misleading Jagdeo and his supporters could be; they’re now reaching out to the very same judiciary system that they objected to when the Government seeks to have the situations addressed through the courts. Jagdeo is aware that the Government and the Opposition PPP/C have the right to have the NCM VOTE interpretation of the constitution addressed through the Judiciary System. How serious is the opposition leader, Jagdeo, to play a role in government “helping to bring people together and craft a future for Guyana that includes all, including the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R).” I would like to remind all that I (we) have heard Jagdeo and some of his supporters speaking about this cultural revolutionary changes always at election. Since the NCM the opposition leader and his supporters travelling around preaching fear, hate and racism, this is the same person on radio speaking about cultural tolerance and togetherness.

It is difficult to understand Jagdeo’s truthfulness of himself, his party and his love for country. His attitude to the media has not changed; he’s very disrespectful when questioned about his tenure as President and Leader of his party. Speaking about his knowledge and expertise in developing the natural resources of the Country is so untruthful, he was head of the Government when he signed many of the natural industrial developmental contracts, that is exploiting Guyanese, and the give all kinds of concessions beneficial to the many companies doing business in Guyana. It is my hope that Jagdeo, in Government or not, would stand by his words of doing and preaching cultural tolerance and togetherness, working with whoever is the Government for the betterment of the country so that we can have all the races of our beautiful country identified as Guyanese and not by race. David Sandiford

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Nagamania comes back to haunt Guyana DEAR EDITOR, The decision of the appeal court to invalidate the NCM formerly upheld by the Chief Justice by a 2 to 1 majority decision, on the grounds that 34 votes and not 33, is a majority of 65, is the most shocking chapter of the saga of the NCM. After being laughed at by the entire nation, Moses Nagamotoo returned, as if from exile, to have the last laugh. Alas! No one could have envision the triumph of Nagamotoo ludicrous mathematical theory of “one half top up plus one” = to majority of 65. To think that this would have been propagated by two judges on a triumvir of the appellate court was defying to logic. But it happened! Memories of Freddie Kissoon mentioning of a waste land called Guyana comes to mind! Despite the fact that nowhere in our constitution does the word absolute appeared before majority, QC Dr Francis Alexis, somehow managed to create some sort of telepathic or optical illusion to make the word “absolute” appear before majority in Article 106 of the constitution, to resonate with two of the judges cerebrum. Anil Nandlall contends that he had no clue that they could have lost the case on Maths. As a result no mathematician was retained by the PPP in their

submissions. Albeit! The two judges did not find it necessary to consult expert advice before making their decision. The two judges seem to have concurred with Dr Alexis thesis that because of the gravity of the situation a simple majority was not enough to pass the motion and that an absolute majority was needed, bearing in mind the constitution is not enshrined with the words simple or absolute before the word majority in any instance. Even simple logic seems to have been defied in this decision. It is obvious that our constitution framers instituted oddity of numbers of representatives of the people to avoid deadlock or equality around the middle of the odd number sixty five. Clearly! It had to be intended that a majority always had to exist on one side in all scenarios to avoid deadlock in governance structures. Hence a majority should exist at all times and that majority is intended to triumph in all scenarios, including a NCM. Had anything more been required, they (the framers) would have stated it. I always held the opinion that the law (constitution) is language. This decision reeks of dissent from that opinion. Let’s do some math to see if we can recreate how the magic of Dr. Alexis worked! Sixty five divided by 2 equal

to 32.5, bearing in mind that we now have two equal portions of 32.5. The argument suggests we cannot have half of a person, in progression, if we have to create whole numbers based on mathematical principles, after point 5, we have to go to the next whole number, bear in mind that there are two portions of 32.5 that has to be taken to 33 to constitute two halves of the national assembly on a presumed scenario before the NCM because the constitution states, “more than one half of the elected members of the national assembly.” In this scenario the total members of the national assembly goes to 66- totally unrealistic. Topping up one half would take the total member of the Assembly to 65.5. Naturally, the other half cannot be left languishing at 32.5 since their theory states that there is no half a person! How do we justify the creation of an extra person by the use of this formula? Our constitution evolved from the British system where a precedent was created in 1979 when Margret Thatcher won a no confidence motion against the Govt. of James Callahamby’s one vote. Sadly! Two of the judges did not consider that precedent. The last chapter of this saga leads to the CCJ. Rudolph Singh

Wednesday March 27, 2019

OUR LEADERS MUST NOT TAKE OUR EXPECTATIONS FOR GRANTED DEAR EDITOR, Do we understand what democracy is and what it does to governments and countries that embrace it? Democracy is like truth. It is pure! It does not discriminate. It will not be ignored and it will not go away once it first is proclaimed. When countries decide that Democracy will be their preferred type of governance, they mostly unwittingly accept that there will be constant change and evolution because the democratic ideology insists that established institutions, ideas, policies, etc. evolve, change and develop on a regular basis in order to prevent the inevitable human frailty that produces greed, power-thirst, corruption, nepotism and all the other negative conditions that come in other ideologies, from taking root and to ensure the best possible quality of life for its citizens. That is why, in democratic countries, no government can theoretically remain in power indefinitely. And that is mainly due to the power of the ballot. All politicians without exception - become hooked on the power trip that comes with winning an election. But, in almost every case, they falter, despite their best efforts, in delivering their campaign promises to

the people’s satisfaction. On top of that, citizens of democracies crave and expect the highest levels of performance and excellence by their governments (which in a way might be a bit too extreme or elusive given the fact that human beings make up governments) and that level of performance/excellence is never forthcoming. That is why the best, most astute politicians inevitably get rejected either by the ballot or by the limits on their terms in office (an essential linchpin of democracy). So, you ask the question, what must a politician do when he/she finds him/herself in power in a democracy for the first time? The answer to that question is twofold. First, the politician must have a clear understanding of how democracy works, that he/ she will never be able to satisfy all the needs of his/her and opposing constituents, that his/her time in power is finite, that any breach of norms, rules or the law for that matter, will be severely frowned upon and dealt with either in the courts or at the ballot, and second, he/she must be prepared to work at any level in public service when his/her government is operating under the aegis of democracy and is out of power. That means that a poli-

Government has now usurped power ... From page 4 its origins an unlawful source and yet both the People’s National Congress and the People’s Progressive Party unequivocally support this unlawful document and animatedly make reference to it as the nation’s constitution. What makes the current Government of Guyana illegal is not based on the provisions of the illegal 1978 Burnham constitution.Its status of illegality is borne on the basis that a majority of Members of Parliament have voted against it in a motion put forward by the opposition and the ninety days period in which to name an election date is reasonable and consistent with political conventions and actions in the civilized world. More importantly, the ninety days is not only adequate given local circumstances and conditions, but the Government was provided with more than reasonable notice and time in which to call an election. The Government of Guyana has chosen its own inexplicable conduct and courses of action not excluding the irresponsible positions advocated by the Guyana Elections Commis-

sion. Guyana’s political history spanning seven decades of government and opposition of the People’s National Congress and the People’s Progressive Party has seen the nation tumbled from the top of the Caribbean steadily downwards. The economic cost to the nation of these two political pariahs measures eighty percent of its gross domestic product and its per capita income. In other words, Guyanese families are only earning today 20% of what they would have earned had the nation acquired responsible governance. In human terms, the nation has lost in excess of one hundred percent of its population, in that period, which resides relatively comfortably outside its national borders. In actual nominal and local dollars, a nuclear family with both parents working is losing, on average, approx. $460,000.00 per month. This is the unbearably high and gradually accumulated cost that has been borne on the backs of Guyanese families for what appears now to be three decades short of one hundred years. The parameters of the continuity of

this perennial human crisis resulting from irresponsible governance is driven on the adamant refusal of either of these two political vampires to completely submit to the strict requirements of the Rule of Law and implementing policies and actions in the interests of the Guyanese nation as opposed to their own individual interests.By having these two ethnically supported political forces at the helm of their nation, whether by choice or powered by the loathing of the other ethnic side, makes it extremely difficult for the emergence of a viable third political force.Inevitably and quite soon, an election will be held and based on this entrenched political power model, these two political vampires are likely to be returned as the government and the opposition as ninety percent of the nation’s electorate will accordingly endorse their support.In plain and simple terms, Guyanese of African descent will vote for the People’s National Congress and Guyanese of East Indian descent will vote for the People’s Progressive Party. Kris Kooblall Toronto, Canada

tician must have a plan ‘B’ that does not include lining his/her pockets while in office in order to enjoy a golden parachute type retirement after they leave. We have seen presidents, prime ministers and other prominent members of government either go to jail or become public servants in other capacities like mayors, college lecturers, community leaders, etc. after they unavoidably leave office. Of course, there are cases where governments understand the essentials of democracy and they make their best efforts to demonstrate that understanding when for example, citizens become anxious over particular issues. Government officials get fired or are asked to resign, cabinets get shuffled and reshuffled, referendums are held and, in rare cases, presidents and other members sometimes resign. On the other hand, some governments in so-called democracies do the exact opposite because they never grasped the underpinnings of the democratic ideology. They use threats, they dig in on their unpopular decisions and employ propaganda overload, among other futile efforts to remain in office. Others get so lost in the in their power bubbles that they never see defeat until it confronts them at the next elections. So where do we stand here in our beautiful Guyana? We have run the gamut of situations that arise in democratic states. We have had an autocrat rise out of what was first seen to be the perfect formation of a democracy immediately following independence in 1966 - the Burnham era. We had genuine democratic leadership following that during the Hoyte and Jagan terms and we had the many calamitous years combining the illegal government of Janet Jagan, a naturalized Guyanese citizen, and the disaster that came with Jagdeo afterwards. So here we are with Granger at the helm and from all appearances, it looks like we have found our way back on track to democratic rule. But do all the members of our government, and the opposition for that matter, understand how democracy works and what is expected of them and what they must expect for themselves relative to what the citizens’ expectations and powers are? As Guyanese citizens, we will continue to hold our leaders to the highest standard of democracy that is possible and they must never take our expectations for granted. Concerned Citizen

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Wednesday March 27, 2019

Works commence on Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling -commuters,vendors breathe sigh of relief

Safety repairs being executed at the Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling Commuters using speedboat transport from Vreed-enHoop to Georgetown (and vice versa) were yesterday very appreciative that repairs to the stelling structure on the West Demerara has finally begun. Works on the Vreeden-Hoop stelling began a few days ago, and areas immediately targeted are those more badly damaged by the elements, and areas in an almost complete state of disintegration.Workers told Kaieteur News yesterday that they were affecting repairs to areas that are being used by commuters on a constant basis. These include the stairways adjacent to where the speedboats are moored, sections of rotten floorboards, and also some main pillars holding sections of the structure upright. Yesterday murmurs of gratitude emanated from commuters, boat captains and vendors as repair works were being executed. Taxi drivers were equally thankful of the fact that works had begun to ensure their operations on the facility become safer, and incident-free.

It was emphasised that the immediate repairs were temporary safety measures, paving the way for more intensified renovations to be done in the near future.Senior Engineer at the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Jermaine Braithwaite in a previous interview had indicated that the structure is in a dilapidated state, citing that a substantial section of the structure may require complete over-

hauling - from the pillars in the river to the roof, floor and other areas.According to Braithwaite, the scope of works intended for the structure also includes upgrades to accommodate more speedboats, since there is an ongoing congestion problem at both the Vreed-en-Hoop and Georgetown Stellings. He added that the Ministry intends to have structural elements implemented to ensure

order, and avoid the present chaos when mooring of speedboats occur and passengers traverse the stelling. As stated by Braithwaite, the Ministry has already solicited the services of Mott McDonald, a consultancy group from the United Kingdom, to conduct feasibility studies on rehabilitative works to be done on both stellings. The consultancy is being funded under a grant

scheme by the United Kingdom government, through the United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund (UKCIF). The contract which began in October 2018 is expected to conclude by November of this year. Braithwaite informed that among projects to be done are components geared at flood prevention and much more. He said presently environmental assessments and other

related studies are still in progress. According to Braithwaite, Government has already received funding for the first phase of upgrading of the Vreed-en-Hoop and Georgetown Stellings. The Vreed-en-Hoop Boat Stelling is also used by pedestrians to park their bicycles and motorcycles as they go about their errands, and by clothes and food vendors who ply their trade daily.

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Wednesday March 27, 2019

City Hall undergoes forensic audit - further implementation of CoI recommendations in progress

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ity Hall is currently undergoing a fo rensic audit as part of the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into its operations. During a recent statutory meeting of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, Town Clerk (Ag) Sharon Harry Munroe disclosed that the city administration has been cooperating with the Audit Office as that entity seeks to conduct a thorough audit of the books. The disclosure comes days after Mayor Ubraj Narine and Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore engaged in discussions with officials of the Local Government Commission towards the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) and improving conditions of work for staff at City Hall.

While the details of the meeting have not been revealed, Kaieteur News understands that the Mayor has met with senior officials of City Hall to discuss matters relating to their employment. Mayor Narine had previously expressed his dissatisfaction with the work of some departments in the municipality. He has exploring avenues in an effort to bring about an overall improvement in that regard. On November 30, last, the CoI report was handed over by lone Commissioner Justice Cecil Kennard (ret’d) to Chairman of the Local Government Commission (LGC), Mortimer Mingo. The report had called for several senior officers to be terminated for their poor management of the affairs of the city; and that where irregularities are found, criminal investigation and charges be laid against defaulting officers.In

light of the findings, the CoI recommended that there be further investigations in the form of a forensic audit to be conducted by the Audit Office. The report called for officers to be disciplined even as that audit is being conducted. Kennard had posited that it would only be fair that the CoI recommend a detailed forensic audit be done into all transactions between April 1, 2015, and October 31, 2018. �I have found that there is prima facie evidence to s u p p o r t s k u l l d u g g e r y. Moreover, where there is evidence of such activities, criminal and or civil proceedings should commence forthwith,� Kennard outlined. The report also recommended that the State Asset Recovery Agency and the Police should lead a joint probe to ascertain the relevant criminal charge(s) to be laid.

Wednesday March 27, 2019

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33 is the absolute majority Some persons, including some highly educated individuals, are becoming utterly confused over this idea of a majority – simple, absolute, special or super. Some are confusing themselves by arguing that an absolute majority is half plus one. Half plus one is just one of the two general formulae which are used to calculate an absolute majority, and it applies only where there is an even number of the voting population. But before one gets to the formula, the public should be clear in their minds as to what is a majority. A majority simply means one more than all of its rivals. It is like in boxing, where two judges vote in favour of one boxer and the other judge votes for the second boxer. In the past, this used to be called a split decision. Today, it is referred to as a majority decision, because there were two in favour and one against. Or it is like in the court, where two judges agree with a point of law and the other disagrees. In that case, on that point, there is a majority in favour of the point. In order to determine a majority to pass a decision in a 65-seat National Assembly, what is looked for is the minimum or the least majority. This is the threshold for achieving a majority. Once this threshold is reached, you have what is termed the minimum majority needed. In a 65-seat parliament, the least majority you can have is 33-32. You cannot have lower than that. But you can have a higher majority. You can have 34-31 or 35-30 right through to 65-0. So in order for a motion or a Bill to be passed, it must receive at least one more vote

than its rivals. This is the definition of a majority – one more than its rivals. It is the definition which was used in the Killman case, which was one of the cases cited by those who challenged the validity of the no-confidence motion on the ground that the majority needed to pass the motion was 34 and not 33. Now the concept of what is ‘rivals’ is different for a simple majority than it is for absolute majority. In a simple majority, as explained in an earlier column, the majority required is the majority of those voting. So, by the definition of ‘one more than its rivals”, once one side gets at least one more vote than the other side, then a simple majority has been obtained, regardless of how many persons in total voted. An absolute majority, on the other hand, requires a majority of the votes of all those eligible to vote. This means that all the abstentions are counted with the negative votes. It means that if in a 65-seat parliament, 32 persons vote ‘yes’, 30 vote ‘no’ and 3 abstain, the vote is not carried because the 30 ‘no’ votes have to be added to the three who abstained. This gives 33. It means that the no votes and abstentions (33) are greater than the ‘yes’ votes (32) and therefore the decision is not carried. The minimum majority required for an absolute majority is fixed, because the number of persons eligible to vote is fixed. It also means that if in a vote of a simple majority, everyone who is eligible to vote, votes either yes or no, then the simply majority is tantamount to an absolute majority. Thus, if in a 65-seat National Assembly, everyone votes either ‘yes’ or ‘no’, the minimum simple

majority is the same as the minimum absolute majority, since in both cases everyone voted. This brings us to the formula for calculating the minimum simple and the minimum absolute majority, where there are no abstentions. If there is an even number of total votes, then you take half and add one. Thus if there are 64 votes, half of this is 32. It means that if one side gets 32, the other side also gets 32. This is a tie. Therefore this is not one more than all rivals. As such, for an even number, you are required to add one to the half. In that case you will add one to 32 and therefore the majority becomes 33. Another version of the same formula is to add 2 to the 64 and divide by 2. Again you will get 33. In an odd-number parliament, however, the formula is to find the half and then round it up to the next highest whole number. This then becomes the minimum majority. Thus, in a 65-seat Assembly, half of 65 is 32.5 which when rounded to the highest whole number is 33. This is the majority, since the other side will get 32 which is one less than its rival. Another version of the same formula is to add 1 to the total voting population of 65 and then divide by 2. This gives 66 divided by 2 or 33. Thirty-three is one more than 32 and therefore meets the definition of at least one more than its rival. This was the formula which was used in both Vanuatu and in Anguilla. In the former, since the Speaker was eligible to vote, the voting population became 52 and not 51. Half of this was 26, to which one was added. Therefore, it required 27 votes

DEM BOYS SEH

Chinee people tekking over Guyoil wuk Fuh years Guyana always had companies dat does import fuel. Dat is de biggest thing in de country. It does use up de most foreign exchange and without dat nutten can’t happen. Factory can’t wuk and people would live in darkness. Dem cars and minibuses can’t run and de people who going to de North West would have to swim because de planes would not get aviation fuel. Shell, Texaco, Esso and companies like dat use to get licence to bring in gas, diesel and kero and all dem odda fuel. Times change. Texaco sell out and Guyana set up a company name Guyoil. Shell sell out to Sol and Esso sell

out to Rubis. Wid all dat selling, Guyana decide to give more licence to nuff odda people. Even dem Chinee who getting into everything now, including fuel. Dem boys seh, no Chinee ever get a licence but dem got Guyanese who behaving like if dem born in China. One of dem name Sue, because he like Sue, get a licence to bring in fuel. He open a gas station and de next thing you know is only Chinee was buying from dat station. Dem boys call it a Chinee gas station. Mr. Sue start to bring in fuel and he was wukking through a middle man to get to de Chinee. As soon as he get a breakthrough, he start to deal directly wid dem Chinee. Now de man suing Mr. Sue.

Dis same Mr. Sue rent out he licence to dem Chinee and dat is how dem start bringing in dem own fuel. Every Chinee company start to get dem own fuel because dat is how Chinee stay. Dem boys suspect dat de same thing dat happening in Venezuela happening in Guyana.Venezuela got a parallel government. Guyana got a parallel Guyoil and is not dat de government set dat up. In fact, dem boys seh de government clueless about wha going on. Is like if dem live in anodda world. While Sol and Rubis does pay taxes, de Chinee company and Mr. Sue getting away wid murder. Talk half and don’t ask if Chinee tekking over, deh done tek over.

for the vote to be carried. In the case of Anguilla, a special majority of two-thirds quorum of the 11-person National Assembly was required for a sitting to be lawful. 11 is an odd number and two-thirds of 11 is 7.3. This was then rounded to the next highest whole number which is 8. Eight then becomes the majority. In the case of Guyana, the total number of persons eligible to vote in the National Assembly is 65, an odd number. Half of this is 32.5. In order to find the majority, it needs to be rounded off to the next highest number which is 33. As a check, you can apply the other version of the formula for odd-number populations. This means that one is added to 65 and divided by 2 to find the

absolute majority. When this is done, the result is also 33. Thirty-three is one greater than 32 and therefore it meets the test of a majority. There is a simple way of validating whether 33 is the least absolute majority in cases where 65 persons are eligible to vote. Recall, it was argued earlier than when everyone who is eligible to vote, votes either ‘yes’ or ‘no’, then the minimum simple majority becomes the same as the minimum absolute majority. In a 65-seat National Assembly, the simple majority, where there are no abstentions, is 33. Therefore, it means that, where there are no abstentions, the absolute majority is equal to the simple majority which has to be the same 33. Thirty-four (34) therefore

cannot be an absolute majority if the simple majority is 33, in a situation where everyone who is eligible to vote, voted and where there were no abstentions.

PAGE 10

Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 27, 2019

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Today, at Cuffy Square, Cuffy will cry in his grave at what he sees I was painting the town with my wife last month in celebration of our 40th marriage anniversary (not wedding – we didn’t have a wedding; we just married each other at the post office) when I ran straight into the Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan. Ronald is a longstanding friend and one of the ministers I feel is of better quality. I told him it was our anniversary, and he made an amusing comment on the longevity of marriage. Afterwards I mentioned to him that I am seeing him at a most appropriate time. The day before, I wrote about a heart-breaking story of a very small businessman who applied to Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) in Ronald’s ministry) for a land permit to

set up an auto-electrician workshop in Kitty. Without visiting the location, they turned him down with Guyana’s most absurd explanation - Kitty is a housing area. In the column, I counted more than 200 business places in just four streets in close proximity to Pike Street where he wanted to set up. Ronald promised to look into it. The next day, I got a call from Mr. Saul, the CEO, who conceded that the particular area is not zoned for houses exclusively, and does have a large number of business places. He agreed to investigate. Do I have to feel guilty knowing that thousands of others do not have the opportunity to meet with a minister and ask for a correction to a wrong done?

The answer is no. What I did was right. It is for this reason; I think what will take place today at Square of the Revolution will make Cuffy turn in his grave. Thousands like the auto-electrician will be at Cuffy Square begging to be served, but they will not be. In a full-page, coloured placement last Sunday in this newspaper, our new leaders since 2015 have arranged for the people of Guyana to come and meet with ministers and heads of vital government agencies to discuss problems they have with state services. The list takes in every ministry including the subfunctions of the ministry. For example, the Ministry of Communities has a housing department which is administered by a minister of state. Citizens are advised to

bring documentary proof to substantiate their complaints. I cannot enumerate all the institutions that will be at Cuffy Square today because of space constraint. There will be 30 of them, including GPL, NIS, GRA, Georgetown City Council, etc. Most of the ministers will be present, including the powerful Prime Minister. This is a gargantuan expression of political ugliness. This is a colossal manifestation of power arrogance. This is a huge demonstration of arrogant humiliation of an entire nation. This is a prodigious exercise of political deception. This is a large indication of mediocre leaders drowning in their own self-created miasma. This is stupendous stupidity on display. 1 - People will be insulted, because this is a show designed to fool people because an election is in the air. 2- People will be humiliated because of the shape of the event. You are

asking people to take their complaints to 30 state receptacles of authority. There will be vast attendance and the lines will be long and winding, which will be too lengthy to canopy every person from the midday Sunday. 3 – The valid complaints will run into thousands and they will be left on the shelf for reasons that are obvious to anyone who has lived in this country the past ten, fifteen, twenty, thirty years. CH&PA, the City Engineer’s Office, Lands and Surveys, Police Complaints Authority, NIS, Deeds Registry, UG, the various ministries, among them, have dozens of thousands of citizens’ requests over a long, long period of time, which have remained unanswered. 4- Don’t meet with citizens and crowd them in the tropical sun just to pledge your ear. Put systems in place in the bureaucracy so public servants, public sector workers and police officials can serve the citizenry,

Frederick Kissoon service that they need to provide their lives with the comfort humans are entitled to. 5- Can our leaders tell this nation how they are going to quickly facilitate those thousands after the Cuffy Square event is over? Who are they going to give these documents to so they can be fast tracked? And why were they lying there since twenty years ago? The descendants of Cuffy and our indentured servants will be humiliated and insulted today. Today Cuffy will weep. Correction: An apology to the Swiss Ambassador to Venezuela. The man in permanent detention at Diamond Police Station is Swedish not Swiss.

Wednesday March 27, 2019

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo

Wednesday March 27, 2019

No-confidence motion…

Opposition files appeal at CCJ A notice of appeal has been filed on behalf of Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, through his lawyers, in relation to the decision of the Court of Appeal in Guyana on the NoConfidence Motion cases. In the application filed by lead attorney Anil Nandlall, a request was made for Special

Leave to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to consider the application. The application is seeking an order treating the hearing of this application as urgent and a further order for an expedited hearing of the application. Additionally, Nandlall is asking for an order directing

that the hearing of the application for special leave to appeal be treated as the hearing of the appeal against the majority judgment of the Court of Appeal given on the 22nd March, 2019, in relation to the cases as well as an order setting aside and/or reversing the majority judgment of the Court of Appeal of Guyana given on the 22nd March, 2019 and a restoration of the decision of the acting Chief Justice made on the 31st January, 2019. Further, the lawyer is asking for a declaration that Resolution of the National Assembly No. 101 is valid and effectual; and declaration that the no confidence motion moved by the Leader of the Opposition was validly passed on the 21st December, 2018 by a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly; a declaration that thirty-three (33) votes/ members constitutes a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly within the meaning of Article 106 (6) of the Constitution of Guyana. According to the application, the lawyer is anticipating that there will be costs in the Caribbean Court of Justice and such further or other order/s as may be just and appropriate. Kaieteur news understands that there will be a Case Management Conference (CMC) conducted by the CCJ, on Friday morning (29th March 2019), with respect to this matter. Last Friday, the Court of Appeal by a decision of 2-1 disagreed with the argument that 33 Members of Parliament (MPs) can effectively pass a No-Confidence Motion against the Government. Appellate Judges, Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Dawn Gregory upheld the argument that an absolute majority is required for the passage of no-confidence motion against the Government. The two Judges agreed an absolute majority in the context, calls for 34; not 33 votes of all elected members of the National Assembly. Justice Rishi Persaud, on the other hand, disagreed. He ruled the no-confidence motion was validly passed by 33 to 32 votes. That decision was previously handed down by Chief Justice Roxane George at the High Court. However, in her ruling, Justice Cummings-Edwards said the Chief Justice’s calculation of 33 votes was for a “simple majority.” She held that a no-confidence motion cannot be upheld using the

same yardstick that is applied for the passage of ordinary legislation, since it results in much more grave circumstances — the toppling of a government. Both Appellate Judges (Cummings-Edwards and Gregory) alluded to the submissions proffered by Queen’s Counsel (QC) Dr. Francis Alexis, a former Attorney General of Grenada, who has been hired by the Attorney General of Guyana, Basil Williams, to argue the government’s case at the Court of Appeal in relation to the no-confidence motion matters. The Queen’s Counsel had amplified the arguments that were already raised at the High Court. He insisted that there was a miscalculation of votes, and that in order for the motion to be passed, an “absolute majority” of all elected members was required. According to him, in calculating the “absolute majority”, the 65 members of the National Assembly had to be divided by two, which would result in 32.5, but since the 0.5 represents half and there is no half-member, that number needs to rounded off to 33, and add one more, making the majority 34 –an absolute majority. QC Alexis had also submitted, “But you can only round up if a fraction is the result. A fraction comes into the exercise. You cannot get away from that. A fraction is rounded up, not down. That’s why the fraction was rounded up in the case of Hughes v Rogers.” He argued that the Chief Justice failed to apply this rule when arriving at a majority, since, in her judgment she explained that it was not required, given that it was an odd number House. The longstanding jurist also argued that passing a no-confidence motion is not on the same level as passing ordinary laws, which would require a simple majority, that is, a majority of all elected members present and voting on a particular exercise. Meanwhile in affirming the ruling by Chief Justice, Justice Rishi Persaud said, “With the greatest respect to Dr. Alexis, the formula of firstly dividing by half then rounding up to the nearest whole (number) plus 1 has no application here. It does not amount to logic and common sense where there is an uneven number of members, unless of course that specific formula is prescribed.”

Wednesday March 27, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

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Kaieteur News

Cabinet resumes meetings Persaud should not have sat as a parliamentarian in light of the fact that he had dual citizenship, in conflict with the laws, which state that allegiance must only be pledged to Guyana if one wants to sit in the law-making chambers. Government then took the matter to the Court of Appeal. On Friday, three judges Chancellor (ag), Yonette Cummings and Justices Rishi

Finance Minister Winston Jordan (left) and Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge on their way to the Cabinet meeting yesterday. Government has resumed meetings of the Cabinet of Ministers, days after a majority ruling in the Court of Appeal over a no-confidence vote. For the government, it would signal their insistence that it will be business as usual. The state media was on hand at the Ministry of the Presidency. According to Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally, the Cabinet meeting was set to take a number of important decisions. She said that her colleagues were looking forward to the first meeting of the Cabinet. Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo noted that his government has always maintained that the judiciary has an important role to play. He said that the fact that the Court of Appeal by majority decision has found that the no-confidence motion has fallen, the government is continuing to do the business for which it has been elected. He said that based on the

Wednesday March 27, 2019

Court of Appeal’s decisions last Friday, it is clear that there is a need for a review of the decisions of the Lower Court. On December 21st, Government parliamentarian, Charrandass Persaud, joined with Opposition in voting ‘yes’ to a no confidence motion tabled by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo. The shock vote triggered a collapse of the one-seat majority Coalition Government and months of uncertainty as the courts were dragged in. Persaud left Guyana within hours, under the protection of the Canadian government…he has dual citizenship with that country. The no-confidence vote activated clauses in the Constitution of Guyana, which call for elections in 90 days. However, the government challenged the legality of Persaud’s vote. At the High Court, Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George, in her opinion deemed the vote as carried. However, she said that

PM Moses Nagamootoo heading to the Cabinet meeting.

…days after Appeal Court ruling Persaud and Dawn Gregoryall gave their decision. Justices Cummings and Gregory said that the 33-32 vote was not carried as the 65-seat National Assembly required an absolute majority of 34 for a no-confidence motion to be carried. Justice Persaud disagreed. The Court of Appeal

decisions have in effect nullified the no-confidence votes. The Opposition had signaled its intentions to approach the final review court - the Caribbean Court of Justice – and yesterday did file its appeal. Over the last few months, since the December 21

motion, the Cabinet has not been meeting. The Cabinet was supposed to have resigned in accordance with the Constitution. Government had since insisted that there was no Cabinet meeting, rather, the meetings were ministerial plenaries. However, there were decisions taken there that have been published in the Official Gazette.

Wednesday March 27, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 15

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 27, 2019

US$150M airport renovation… Consultants red-flagged contractor for numerous breaches …but complaints were tucked away T

he US$150M Timehri airport project has dragged on now four years past its deadline, and it is pellucid that Guyana is getting way less than what it contracted China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) for. The project is currently the country’s largest onland infrastructural project and it is about to be handed over. Overlooking the project for Guyana were two companies MMM Group from Canada and CEMCO, a local engi-

neering consultancy. Since the start of construction in 2013, the consultants have issued numerous notices, red-flagging environmental and other breaches by CHEC. According to insiders, however, it appears that the Chinese contractor has “very good friends”, starting with the previous administration under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic and continuing into this Coalition Government. Despite a significant number of worrying environmen-

China Harbour was cited numerous times for environmental and other breaches but little was done in terms of corrective action.

tal breaches, CHEC was allowed to continue on its merry way. “What I can tell you is that numerous reports were prepared. They were given to the people that matter, including the project manager. CHEC did not really care. They seemed to be protected,” said an official close to the project. Officials have been tightlipped, noting that the project is not being handled by the management of the Cheddi Jagan International

Airport Corporation, but rather, by a team at the Ministry of Public Infrastructure. In fact, there were cases when recommendations were made for money to be withheld pending corrective actions by CHEC. “Then you hear that the go-ahead has been given for payments to be made.” The attitude to CHEC coupled with details that are now emerging about the actual contract that the Government of Guyana signed with CHEC, have been

raising eyebrows across the country. Not only were the costs in the 2011 contract significantly inflated, but CHEC was allowed to simultaneously conduct construction of the MovieTowne project at Liliendaal. “The lines became blurred when it comes to duty free concession for the airport and what was going elsewhere. There are so many things that are wrong with this project and how we as

a people of Guyana handled it…that it is shocking,” the official said. In 2011, CHEC told the then Government, under Bharrat Jagdeo, it could find financing and build a new terminal building and longer runway for wide-body jets for US$150M. Guyana, without going to tender, signed the contract with the Chinese contractor. The financing was not found until a year later. The actual construction (Continued on page 31)

Wednesday March 27, 2019

PAGE 25

Kaieteur News

Two charged for separate murders Yesterday in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, David Smith and Emanuel McLeod were remanded to prison when they appeared individually before the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for the criminal offence of murder. Smith, 31, of Bamboo Landing, Cuyuni River is accused of murdering his cousin during a row over a hammock. The miner was not required to plead to the indictable offence, which alleged that on March 22, last, at Black Water Island Backdam, Cuyuni River, he murdered Dave Boyal. Facts of the charge presented by police prosecutor Gordon Mansfield indicated that on the day in question, Smith who was reportedly intoxicated, entered the mining camp, and began to cut down the hammocks. An argument reportedly ensued between the parties and this annoyed Smith, who allegedly armed himself with an arrow

and stabbed Boyal to the left side of his abdomen, which resulted in injuries that led to his death. The matter was adjourned until April 10, 2019 at the Bartica Magistrates’ Court, where Smith is expected to make his next appearance. Meanwhile, McLeod also was not required to plead to his indictable charge which alleged that on March 24, 2019 at 111 Miles Mahdia, Potaro River, he murdered Herbert Willie. The miner informed the court that he is just 19 years of age and resides at 111 Miles Mahdia. He was remanded to prison until April 16. The matter will be called in Mahdia Magistrate’s Court for the next hearing. According to prosecutor Mansfield, on March 19, the police at Mahdia received certain information, which resulted Continued on page 28

Emanuel McLeod

David Smith

PAGE 26

Wednesday March 27, 2019

Kaieteur News

Murder accused freed

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DEAD: Orette West

FREED: Kevin Garraway

High Court Judge Navindra Singh directed a jury to return a not guilty verdict after ruling that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence against 23-year-old Kevin Garraway, who had been accused of murdering Orette West, formerly of Tucville, Georgetown. Garraway, formerly of Calendar Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, was indicted for the capital offence, murder. The killing occurred at a popular liming spot in Vigilance, East Coast Demerara. According to information, on the day in question, Garraway and West’s girlfriend had a misunderstanding during which the woman walked up to Garraway and enquired of him if he “wanted a problem.” There was an alleged confrontation and West, then 28, of Tucville Terrace, Georgetown, walked up to Garraway and pushed him away. A scuffle reportedly ensued between the men, and it was alleged that Garraway knifed West about the body, causing him to fall to the ground. The injured man was later rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. A post mortem revealed that West died of shock and haemorrhage due to stab wounds to his neck. It was reported that Garraway fled after the committing the crime, and was held some three months later by detectives of Police ‘A’ Division at a house in Albouystown, Georgetown. Upon his arraignment before the Judge and a 12-member jury, Garraway, who was accompanied by his Attorney-at-law Maxwell McKay, pleaded not guilty. Thereafter, his trial commenced, during which State Prosecutors called six witnesses. These included the father, sister and brother of the deceased along with a few police ranks. After considering the evidence led by the prosecution, Justice Singh told the court that based on a caution statement given to police by Garraway, it was clear he acted in self defence—a form of defence provided for under the laws of Guyana. As such, the Judge held that the prosecution failed to prove its case against Garraway and directed the jury to return a not guilty verdict. Before informing Garraway that he was free to go, Justice Singh urged him to see this as a second chance at life and to “stay clear from similar situations.” Relatives and friends of Garraway, who had spent almost three years on remand, rejoiced when the handcuffs and foot shackles were removed from him. He was greeted by hugs and kisses.

Miner charged for illegal gun, ammo Raphael Edmond, 50, was on Monday brought before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, where he answered to two charges of being in possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. The accused, who is a miner and hails from Stronghold Canal, Pomeroon River, entered not guilty pleas to the charges after they were read to him. It is alleged that on March 22, last, at Kupang Backdam, Cuyuni River, he had in his possession 29 live rounds of ammunition. Also it was alleged that on the same date and location, he had in his possession one shotgun. Police prosecutor Gordon Mansfield had no objection to bail, and same was granted in the sum of $70,000. The matter was adjourned until April 17, at the Bartica Magistrates’ Courts. According to reports, on the day in question, police acting on information received went to the location mentioned in the charge - the mining camp at which the defendant operates and a search was conducted. The search revealed the illegal gun and ammunition. Edmond was taken into police custody and was later charged.

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Two charged for... From page 25 in them heading to the location. Upon arrival at the location, in the vicinity of the Mahdia Primary School, the victim was found lying on the road bleeding from what appeared to be stab wounds. He was taken to the Mahdia Hospital where he was treated and admitted. On the same day, police received further information which directed them to the location of the accused. McLeod was contacted by the police and told of the allegation where under caution, he reportedly admitted to the offence. On March 24, last, Willie was transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he succumbed while receiving treatment.

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New Nursery School for Bamia/Amelia’s Ward The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB)’s bid openings saw the Nursery School Project for the Bamia Community receiving eight bids. The small community of Bamia, on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, some half of a mile from Amelia’s Ward, was promised the new school since the first half of 2017, and then promised again during Budget 2019 discussions. Other notable projects bid for at yesterday’s tender opening are consultancy services for two new Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) registration offices at Hydronie (Region Three) and Kamarang (Region Seven), the design of another at Crane (Region Three), and new uniform material for the Guyana Police Service. Regional Democratic Council, Region 10 Construction of Bamia/Amelia’s Ward Nursery School

Ministry of the Presidency - SCCYS Construction of New Perimeter Fence at National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue

Parliament Office - Renovating the Police Sanitary Area

Audit Office of Guyana - Provision of Audit Services

Construction of Concrete, Galvanized and Chain-link Perimeter Fence at Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Homestretch Avenue Supreme Court of Judicature - Procurement of Office Materials & Stationery Supplies

Guyana Elections Commission Design and Supervision of Construction of Registration Office at Crane West Bank Demerara, Region 3

Provision of Services for the Maintenance of Air Condition Unit

Consultancy Services: Design and Supervision for the Extension of Registration Office at Hydronie Parika, East Bank Essequibo, Region 3

Consultancy Services: Design and Supervision for the Construction of Registration Office at Kamarang Village, Region 7

>>>> Continued on page 30 <<<<

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Wednesday March 27, 2019

Student beats colleagues with fist, belt; Education Ministry launches probe

The student with the belt in his hand and one of his colleagues attempting to ward off blows. The Ministry of Education has launched an investigation into an incident that occurred at the New Amsterdam Technical Institute recently where a male student allegedly assaulted three other students while in their classroom. It was after a video surfaced online purportedly

showing the student physically assaulting three of his classmates with his fists and a belt that authorities were made aware. The teen was seen in the video slamming the head of one of the students to the desk while throwing blows at the other two students’ heads and upper body. A few minutes into the video the

young man whipped out his belt and began to continuously thrash his classmates to the upper body and head while they sat in their seats trying to block the blows. In the video, the aggressor could also be heard shouting “why ya’ll troubling me” while other classmates recorded the disturbing act and some even cheered him on. A relative of one of the teens has since confirmed with the media that his face was left swollen and he was in pain due to the actions of the irate student. The other two are also nursing head and upper body injuries. When Kaieteur News sought to speak with the acting principal of NATI the publication was denied, a staff member was sent out to say that she was in a meeting, after waiting for nearly 30 minutes. The Assistant Chief Education Officer (ACEOTechnical) and the Institute’s administration have since been advised by the Chief Education Officer (CEO) Mr Marcel Hutson, to ensure that a thorough and expeditious investigation into the incident is conducted. The Education Ministry assured that the appropriate action(s) will be taken and the findings of the investigation will be made public when available.

The New Amsterdam Technical Institute

New Nursery School for... From page 11 Ministry of Public Security Procurement of Mounted Branch Equipment - Guyana Police Service

Procurement of Uniform Materials - Community Policing Groups

Procurement and Janitorial and Cleaning Supplies - Guyana Prison Service

Liverpool man stabbed, slashed; attacker arrested A 25-year-old unemployed man of Liverpool Village, Corentyne, Berbice is now a patient in the Accident and Emergency Unit of the New Amsterdam Hospital after he was attacked by a fellow villager who moved to Berbice last year, reportedly from the city. Listed as stable at the institution is Sherlando Chisholm called “Chucky”. His mother, Marian Skeete, 63, told this publication that there was an issue between her son and the alleged assailant on Sunday that subsequently led to the stabbing. However, police sources have since indicated that the suspect known as “Rastaman” and the victim were engaged in a heated argument when “Rastaman” armed himself with his farming tools and dealt Chisholm several stab wounds and chops about his body. “Yesterday this same rastaman (attacker) beat a friend of my son with a cutlass and the boy get a cut somewhere but the bai na go station because you know how the police dem does run. This morning when I left to go the market like something tell me seh fuh tell me son na go on the road, but next thing you know I see people running. When me see the crowd me run and this bai and the rasta bai lay down pon the ground, but if you see blood on meh son skin”, Skeete recalled. She explained that when she inquired, she was told that the “Rastaman” called her son a “pussy” and an argument erupted, leading to the fight. The “Rastaman” reportedly armed himself with a knife and dealt five stabs to Chisholm’s right lower abdomen and also dealt him a slash with the said weapon. He also received chop wounds to his hands.

Procurement of Uniform Materials, Lots 1-4, Guyana Police Service

Hospitalised: Sherlando Chisholm called “Chucky “After he get me son, he a jook he up and nobody na know he had another knife, but the man when he done, he tek all he tools and walk to the station and seh “ah just stab up a man”. This man like he do some act and come Berbice, he is a town man come up, we na really know he well, he does do farming”, the woman said. The alleged attacker is currently in police custody assisting with investigations.

Wednesday March 27, 2019

Consultants red-flagged ... From page 16 began in 2013. It appeared that CHEC did little preparatory work. It started on the northern side of the airport runway, dumping thousands of truckloads of sand. However, work had to be halted because of poor soil conditions. In 2015, upon entering office, the Coalition Government halted the project and conducted a review. The entire project was drastically modified and instead of a new terminal building to house an arrival and departure area, there is a smaller arrival area. The old terminal was gutted and renovated for the departure area.Instead of the attractive skylights to save energy, a bland roof has been installed at the smaller arrival terminal. Eight passenger bridges have been reduced to four. The contractor was given hundreds of millions of dollars in tax concessions including on trucks and materials.It was reported that containers of material, also granted concessions, ended

up elsewhere. As if that was not enough, it was discovered that the actual contract was riddled with inflated prices. For example a 40-inch TV display cost over $1.2M, about $900,000 more than what it was selling for in 2011. Perhaps the most glaring of all was the amount of sand. CHEC said it delivered over one million truckloads of sands from the pits that they were given free of cost. Yet, CHEC placed a cost of $7,000 per truckload to move the sand a short distance away.Local truckers say that they could have done it for about $4,000.The price tag for sand alone for the airport is estimated at a staggering US$35M, the cost of the Berbice Bridge.The government has been largely silent, not even releasing the new designs of the modified project.In essence, it is a state secret of how the US$150M was spent on what should have been a showpiece for Guyana.CHEC is supposed to hand the airport over in a matter of weeks.

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Guyana women’s hockey team completes tour to Canada... From page 40 American Cup (IPAC) which is scheduled for Pottsville, Pennsylvania in March 2020. The last time the Guyana women participated in international indoor hockey was back in 2017 when the IPAC was held here in Georgetown at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH). This selection for Canada saw as many as six new faces on the 14 member squad with five of them under 16-years-old. The Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) deliberately searched for young talent emerging from the Smalta/Icool Junior tournaments over the past couple of years in an effort to begin preparation for the next four year cycle in which the aim is for Guyana to attempt to qualify, for the first time ever, for an indoor World Cup. Guyana opened its series

in Canada on the morning of March 22nd with a match against the Asian indoor champions Kazakhstan. From the outset it could be seen that the Kazaks were far more experienced than the young Guyanese who seemed to also struggle a bit with the fast smooth wooden surface on the University of Toronto Athletic Centre. While Kazakhstan put the Guyanese under tremendous pressure in the first half, superb goalkeeping by Alysa Xavier and solid defence work from Guyana’s most experienced players, Marisha Fernandes and Trisha Woodroffe, kept the scores at 0-0. The second half would see the tide swing in Guyana’s favour as Woodroffe hammered home two powerful direct penalty

corner flicks in the 27th and 29th minutes to give Guyana a 2-0 lead. Kazakhstan gave it their all in the final ten minutes and came close to scoring on a few occasions but Xavier kept them at bay, aside from one penalty corner goal in the final minute. The 2-1 victory for Guyana over the highly ranked Kazak’s was an unexpected positive start for the Guyanese. The second match for Guyana that very same afternoon proved much tougher as the well-rehearsed and experienced Canadians piled on pressure on the Guyanese, who defended bravely to keep the score to 0-0 at the half before eventually losing 6-0. The second day saw Guyana facing Canada White who had defeated Kazakhstan by 2-1 on the pre-

Wednesday March 27, 2019 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Some strange dreams could stimulate your imagination and start you on new avenues of exploration. You might at some point play detective. What you seek is likely to be within your psyche.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Paperwork involving finances, perhaps personal, perhaps involving your employer's funds, or both, is likely to need some intense attention during the day.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Reading could take up a lot of your time today, Taurus. Books on psychology or the occult sciences might seem interesting, particularly as your intuition is operating on a higher level than usual.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Today you may want to spend your free time alone, contemplating various ideas, Scorpio. Spiritual or metaphysical philosophies from ancient cultures or foreign lands might be more appealing than usual.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your mind is likely to be on your finances today, and you may be searching for previously unknown ways to advance yourself.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Today, Sagittarius, your mind may turn toward deep subjects. You could explore the sciences, psychology, the occult, or metaphysics.

CANCER(June21–July22) Increased communication with a close friend or lover, more on a subtle than verbal level, could bring you closer and enrich your relationship. Quiet time spend together today could generate a new sense of closeness.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) A sudden upsurge in your intuition could have you feeling more in tune to the thoughts, feelings, and desires of others. Your communication is going to be clear and open as a result.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Today you might crave solitude, perhaps for meditation or to contemplate your current situation. You may feel you're at a crossroads and need to decide which way to go. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You might spend a lot of time in conversation with friends who share your interests. Their insights could lead to new insights on your part, Virgo, and vice versa.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Your mind is strong and focused today. As a result, you're probably feeling especially physically robust. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Expect to spend much of your day alone, Pisces. Information obtained from books or videos, perhaps involving history, philosophy, or religion, might inspire you to look deeper into a subject and turn it to your own advantage.

Guyana’s goalkeeper, Alysa Xavier (right) was outstanding throughout the tournament. vious day. Both teams fought hard to gain the upper hand in this match but it finished 00 which was enough to see the teams meet again in the semi-final which Guyana lost 3-2 after sudden death penalties. The semi-final loss meant Guyana had to face the Kazaks once more for the bronze medal match which turned out to be anti-climactic for the Guyanese as they lost 4-1. Team Guyana Coach Philip Fernandes indicated that, despite the disappointing placement of his team in the end, a great many of the objectives were achieved during the series. Fernandes shared that the team, being fully aware of their unfavourable ranking and inexperience, had set a target to win or draw at least one match in the series. As it turns out they won a match and drew twice during the series. Fernandes noted that the Guyanese defended well throughout the series but needed to improve on their offensive skills and ability to turn chances into goals. All four of Guyana’s goals came via the penalty corner route which highlighted the fact that they were not able to score in the run of play. While it is difficult to single out play-

Narayan Ramdhani... From page 41 4thPlace (Doubles)- ACAC #2 Tournament in Alberta Canada 2019 1-Gold (Singles) & 4thPlace Doubles)- ACAC #1 Tournament in Alberta Canada 2018 1-Silver- Kings University Open Doubles in Edmonton Canada 2018 The Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) is extremely pleased of his performances and have no doubt that he is one of Guyana’s most consistent and decorated athlete who continues to show his talent & success in the international arena.

ers in a team sport, the coach was high in praise for goalkeeper Alysa Xavier who, in his opinion was the best goalkeeper in the series. Fernandes pointed out that aside from Gabriella Xavier and Nicole Eastman, both of whom carried the brunt of the attack, Sarah Klautky and Abosaide Cadogan had encouraging moments and showed that they had the foot speed to match the seniors. Guyana must now try to find a facility on which to train for the IPAC in 2020. While the Guyana Hockey Board

recently signed an MOU with the government for some land on Durban Park, that will take some time to develop and so in the meantime the GHB cannot afford to sit back and wait as the other nations have clearly begun to prepare. The tile floor accessed by the GHB in 2017 remains inaccessible as basketball prefers to use the wooden surface at the CASH and so the GHB will need to try to find a temporary space where they can lay down the floor and have their teams train to be ready for 2020.

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Board to apologise to Simmons, ready to settle legal claims BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Newlyelected Cricket West Indies president, Ricky Skerritt, says he intends to issue an apology to former head coach Phil Simmons, for recent controversial comments by his predecessor, Dave Cameron, who labelled the

Trinidadian’s hiring as a “bad decision”. And the former St Kitts and Nevis government minister, who stunned Cameron in last Sunday’s CWI elections in Jamaica, hinted that the regional governing body was poised to settle the long-running legal

dispute over damages with Simmons. Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with CMC Sports yesterday, a passionate Skerritt said Simmons had been “very competent” in his time in charge of West Indies, and described his sacking as one of the low points in West Indies cricket during the

last administration. During the recent election campaign, Cameron told a Jamaica radio station that CWI “made a bad decision when we hired Phil and we had to get out of that situation”. But Skerritt, who said he was involved in Simmons’s hiring, disagreed. “In our opinion, the Phil Simmons issue was one of the unfortunate developments over the last few years,” Skerritt said. “Phil Simmons is an excellent coach, a world class coach. I think my predecessor made an unfortunate statement when he said it was a mistake hiring Phil Simmons. “I was involved in the interview panel that recruited Phil Simmons from a long list of competitors and Phil Simmons was the best candidate, and he proved himself in terms of his results on the field to have been a very competent coach.” He added: “And if it is one thing that I’m going to do as

president of Cricket West Indies is to apologise to Phil Simmons for having been referred to as a mistake. Cricket West Indies did not make a mistake when Phil Simmons was recruited.” Simmons was abruptly axed in September 2016 just days before the start of a series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, for what CWI said were “differences in culture and strategic approach”. The Caribbean side were promptly whitewashed in the Twenty20 and one-day series, before also losing the threeTest series, 2-1. Skerritt said he remained skeptical about the reasons behind Simmons’s dismissal. “There might be some more underlying causes which we are not privy to,” the former West Indies team manager noted. The matter has since been the subject of a court case between Simmons and the board, with Cameron saying

recently the former West Indies player had claimed too much in damages, causing the matter to drag on. CWI had already admitted liability in the matter. A court hearing was set for yesterday and Skerritt gave the assurance that the matter would soon be a thing of the past. “Within minutes of becoming president – literally within minutes – as soon as the annual general meeting ended, I was able to have a quick brief from the chief financial officer and the chief operations officer on the matter,” Skerritt said. “And I’m confident that matter will be sorted out very, very quickly, if it actually hasn’t been sorted out already today (yesterday). I will find out tomorrow (today) morning and as soon as the matter is settled, Cricket West Indies will put out a statement accordingly.”

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GFF Elite League Season 4

Fruta Conquerors oppose Santos today at GFC City side Santos Football Club will make its debut in the Guyana Football Federation Elite League Season 4 this evening when they come up against seasoned campaigners and defending champions, Fruta Conquerors. This evening’s match would also be the first this season for the Conquerors side which is gearing up to represent Guyana at the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) Caribbean Club Shield in Curacao from April 5-15, next. Their unit, Coached by Sampson Gilbert, will feature a bevy of seasoned campaigners led by Gregory Richardson, Vurlon Mills, Derrick Carter (GK), Eon Alleyne, King Solomon Austin, Anthony Benfield, Manasseh Primo, Domini Garnett, Rishawn Sandiford, Kester Alleyne, Trevor Jones

and Jahall Greaves among others. Santos, one of two teams to make it into the highest tier of football in Guyana along with Police following the promotion and relegation phase, will look to start on a winning note by toppling the Conquerors and while it would be a monumental task, certainly it is not insurmountable. Hoping to make a solid impression from the start in propelling Santos are elder statesman Jermaine Fraser, Alex Murray (GK), Trevor Lewis, Josephus Charles, Randy Roberts, Vasrile Cantzalaar, Nkosi Whyte, Orin Yarde, Dellon David, Donte Forde, Ryan October, Samuel Dey, Jamaine Beckles, Jermaine Padmore and Winston Ali among others. Meanwhile, on Friday the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary will host a double header from 18:30hrs when Santos

oppose Ann’s Grove to be followed by the main event between home team Police and Fruta Conquerors. The Mackenzie Sports Club Ground in Linden will host Saturday’s lone match between host Milerock and GDF from 20:00hrs, while two more matches are slated for Sunday at Den Amstel Ground, West Coast Demerara at 14:00hrs and 16:00hrs. First up at 14:00hrs would be Western Tigers and Victoria Kings to be followed by Den Amstel and Buxton United. In previous matches, a Delon Lanferman hat-trick guided Den Amstel to a comfortable 5-0 win over Ann’s Grove United. Lanferman was on target in the 15th, 26th and 75th minutes. The other goals came from Kester Jacobs in the 83rd minute and Jamal Harvey in the 85th minute.

Victoria Kings drew with Buxton United which had taken the lead in the 3rd minute through a Shemar Fraser goal. The Kings left it late to equalise when Clevon Barnwell scored with just one minute to go in

regulation time. In the clash of the law enforcement officers, the GDF arrested debutants Guyana Police Force 2-0; Sherwyn Caesar (16th) and Jerome Richardson (77) the players firing the GDF to

victory. And Andrew Murray’s 6th minute strike was all that was needed for Western Tigers to put away Milerock in the first match of this fourth edition of the Elite League.

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Kaieteur News

Police Commissioner B/Day Inter-Division T20 cricket

Two hat-tricks and three fifties highlight day 6 action By Sean Devers Two hat-tricks and three fifties highlighted day six of the Commissioner of Police Birth Anniversary InterDivision and Branches T20 cricket Tournament at the Eve Leary ground with ‘A’ Division and ‘F’ Division registering victories. With a raucous working crowd in hot conditions watching, ‘A’ Division beat Officers by six wickets in the

first game yesterday as Jason Heyliger’s 4-5 included a hattrick. Richard Leacock, Dervon Crandon and Patrick Morris had two wickets as Officers were shot out for 66 despite 17 from Ravendra Budram. Heyliger joined Garfield Moore who took a hat-trick against ‘G’ Division and returned with the bat to score an unbeaten 30 with four boundaries. He got support

from Darson LaRose (22) as Stephen Harris took 3-12. In the afternoon game, ‘F’ Division beat Headquarters by fours in a thrilling comefrom-behind win after HQ had galloped to 123-1 in 12 overs. Kevin Boodie hit Lennox Crawford on the roof of the Officers Mess before he was removed by Quintin Sampson for 22 at 27-1 before Andre Lyght Jr and Dwayne Dodson

flayed the bowling to all parts of the rough Police ground with Lyght being the butcher and Dodson the surgeon in their 98-run stand. A top edged sweep over the keeper’s head for four brought up Lyght’s 50 before he fell at 123-1 for 58 to spark a dramatic collapse and when Kanhniya Ramkarran (9) was stunningly caught by Dillion Melville from a skier to point off Trevor Benn at 153-3, HQ lost their next six wickets for six runs. The lively Marvin Peters removed Kevin Allicock, Skipper Troy Benn and Munilall Persaud, all for ducks in three consecutive balls before getting rid of Dodson who batted beautifully in his 56 with six fours and a six. After Dodson departed at 164-9 HQ could only manage 169 after at the half way point of their innings a 250 plus total was on the cards. Peters, who captured the second hat-trick for the day and third for the tournament, ended with 311 while Trevor Benn took 3-33 for ‘F’ Division who reached 171-6 in 18.2

Pacer Marvin Peters registered the second hat-trick yesterday. overs. Burly left-hander Micheal Jobe got going with a couple of murderous boundaries off Ramkarran before he fell for 22 in the fourth over. Troy Benn (2-28) and Ramkarran (2-23) kept the required run rate in check with some quick wickets before Trevor Benn (18) supported the aggressive Lennox Andrews who hit Ramkarran for six to finish the contest and end unbeaten on 54. In the replayed games on Monday, ‘E’ Division beat ‘C’

Division by 13 runs after ‘E’ made 150-6 with Lawrence Sears top scoring with 31 as Regional Rodrigues (3-20) and Rondel Daniels (2-23) bowled well for ‘C’ who were bowled out for 137. Jamal Chisholm made 33 as left-arm spinner Anthony Adams took 4-12 and got support from Khemraj Chand with 2-26. In the afternoon game, ‘D’ Division beat TSU by eight wickets. TSU reached 140-9 with Bertrum Carmichael making 40 before retiring hurt as Boshnarine Lalbachan taking 4-10 and Devon Archer 2-21. ‘D’ Division responded with 144-2 from 16.3 overs as Ronald Alayne hit three sixes in 37, Odean Hill hitting six fours in an unbeaten 32 and Raul Simboo reaching the boundary three times and clearing it once in an undefeated 28. Denary Henry chipped in with 16 and added 72 for the first wicket with Alayne before Alayne and Hill featured in an unfinished 64-run third wicket partnership The competition continues today with two matches.

61st Caribbean Table Tennis Championships

Guyana women off to a positive start in team championship The trio of Chelsea Edghill, Trenace Lowe and Natalie Cummings, bounced back well yesterday after suffering a come from behind 3-1 defeat to the Dominican Republic (DR) in the final of the Pan Am Cup and Pan American Championships qualifiers, to win both of their Caribbean Table Tennis Championships women’s team round-robin matches yesterday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) on Homestretch Avenue. It is a positive start for the women who would have been gutted after being unable to fend off DR on Monday night but yesterday morning, they made no mistakes in their clash against Martinique, closing off the match in

three straight sets. Although the clash against Barbados later in the afternoon was a bit tricky, they won 3-1. First, the doubles team of Chelsea Edghill and Natalie Cummings won the first match, and then Trenace Lowe won the first single. Lowe was expected to close off the match in the third game but the ‘land of the flying fish’ rallied through to eventually win 20-18 before Edghill finished the match in the third game. The men continued to struggle yesterday and they lost their only game against DR 3-0. The tournament continues until Sunday with the singles’ championship commencing tomorrow. (Calvin Chapman)

Guyana’s Joel Alleyne tries to get some bottom spin on the ball during their loss to Dominican Republic yesterday afternoon at CASH. Christopher Franklin is his teammate.

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Fortune misses World Masters Indoor Championships Reigning World Masters’ Outdoor 200m women’s champion, Alisha Fortune, will not be able to go for glory in this year ’s Indoor Championships that is being hosted in Poland from March 24-30, due to issues stemming from funding and flight availability. In a correspondence to Kaieteur Sport, Fortune, who at the outdoor championship which was held in Malaga,

Spain, in 2018, had amassed three me d a l s i n c l u d i n g Silver in the 100m and 400m events to go along with her gold Medal, noted that she didn’t get a flight to go to United States (U.S.) where she would have procured a Polish visa. Not procuring the flight was due to the fact that sponsorship for the event was received quite late. In addition, Fortune explained

that she didn’t even had the full sponsorship for her to participate in the event but Guyanese living in Poland had reached out to her and offered accommodation which would’ve alleviated the cost of the trip. Fortune expressed gratitude to all the sponsors that contributed to her fund to participate in the games and although she is disappointed to not be able to compete, she

Floodlights lose to Parika Defenders despite Beharry’s fine all-round performance In a specially arranged T20 softball game in honour of the 65th birth anniversary of Ramchand Ragbeer, President of the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association, played last Friday under lights at the famous DCC cricket ground, Parika Defenders won by 16 runs in a keenly contested game. The visitors, winner of “Guyana Softball Cup 8” Over 50 tournament, won the toss and took first strike, amassing 198 for 9 off their 20 overs. Muneshwar Balgobin topscored with 59 and got support from Anthony Arjune 48 and Dubraj Singh 27. Bowling for Floodlights, Jailall Deodas took 3 for 15, former Berbice Senior Inter County all-rounder Anil Beharry had 3 for 25 and Rabindra Singh 2 for 19. In reply, the host threatened but fell short by 16 runs losing eight wickets in the process when their overs expired. Beharry led the way with a brutal 103 and got support from Seeraj

Bheemsain 35 and Khalid Baksh 26. Devanand Kannan was superb in taking four wickets for Parika Defenders. Beharry was adjudged best batsman and man of the match, Kannan best bowler and Singh the best fielder. Kenrick Persaud, Captain of Parika Defenders collected the winning trophy. All trophies were donated by Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Stall, Bourda Market and Market Road, Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice. In the other game, Payless lost to Factory Price by five

runs. However, no scores were available. The Floodlights team also toured Antigua as part of the celebration of the president’s birthday losing the Windball and Tapeball games but won the feature softball match. The GFSCA takes the opportunity to thank the Antigua and Barbuda Softball Cricket Association for their kind hospitality and a well organised tour. Parika Defenders, Payless and Factory Price were also thanked for their participation in the Friday night games.

explained that she has to pick her head up and look to the next meet, where she will use the funds already raised. “I want to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has assisted me. The North Central and Caribbean World Masters

Outdoor Championships will be this July and we will use the funds raised to compete at that event which will be held in Canada,” Fortune noted. The persons/entities that contributed to Fortune’s fund raising include,

Beterverwagting Neighbourhood Democratic Council, Dr. Julian Amsterdam, Star Party Rentals, Modern Optical, KP Thomas and Sons, Challus McKinnon of HIEB, John Fernandes Limited and the Guyana

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Wednesday March 27, 2019

Kaieteur News

5th Annual Kares Engineering Fitness Challenge set for Sunday - National Park Tarmac set to sizzle with local and overseas athletes By Franklin Wilson Some 29 RX athletes (male and female) from Guyana and Suriname will collide on Sunday at the National Park Tarmac in combat for the title and lucrative cash prizes as the Fittest Male and Female when the 5th Annual Kares Engineering sponsored Fitness Challenge comes off. Last evening at the Genesis Fitness Gym, located at Lot D Durban Street, Lodge, the Guyana Fitness Games

organised event was unveiled to the Media and attended by representatives of the various main sponsors as well as Director of Sport, Christopher Jones. Ms. Jordana RamsayGonsalves in her presentation gave a summary of what fans can expect sharing, almost 30 local athletes (Linden, Berbice, Georgetown) will be on show including the reigning champion Dillon Mahadeo who will be the

athlete to beat, having won for the past three years. Female winner, Delice Adonis and Semonica Duke will be among the ladies in contention. Ms. RamsayGonsalves also informed that this year for the first time the Kares Engineering Teen Challenge would see just over a dozen youths battling for the top spot and bragging rights as the Fittest Teen. There will also be the 3rd Annual Charity

Challenge also sponsored by Kares Engineering, while some of Guyana’s top trainers will be competing in the Kares Engineering Charity Challenge where $100,000 each would be given to two charities chosen by the Title Sponsor. The organisers have been approached by athletes from the ‘Land of the Flying Fish’ Barbados to compete but it is not certain at this point, given the late interest that they would be able to compete. Already confirmed is the largest contingent to come from Suriname, seven (7) in total. Director of Sport Christopher Jones applauded the Guyana Fitness Games for once again putting together the event and more importantly contributing towards the push for a fitter nation. Jones also recognized the sponsors that have partnered with the entity make the event a reality citing that government alone cannot do it.

“We often stress the point that it is important to have a fit nation, a healthy nation. It reduces monies that would otherwise be spent in or through the Ministry of Health; a body in motion, stays in motion and what you are doing in your little way, which you may not recognize, lends to the government’s thrust to bring about that healthy nation.” He noted that through this activity, persons might very well be motivated to join a gym or even go out in the mornings or afternoons to jog and stay fit and healthy. The national sports commission is always committed to lend support whenever that call is made to us and we would want to continue to lend support to you in whatever way possible to see that these games continue into the future.” Jones noted that what has been accomplished by Guyana Fitness Games has even gone beyond these shores, mentioning the representatives from other Caribbean nations that will attend.

Also sharing brief remarks on their company’s partnership with Guyana Fitness Games were Ansa Mc Al’s Fharis Mohamed, Christopher Barran of BPI Guyana Inc., and Nurse Tyrell of St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. Also sharing the head table last evening were Event Organisers, Noshavyah King and Jamie Mc Donald. Action will commence at 13:00hrs on Sunday at the National Park Tarmac with the admission fee being $1000, children under 10 years would be admitted free. Tickets are on sale at Genesis Fitness Gym (Durban St.) and Fitness Express on Sheriff and John Streets, Campbellville. The sponsors of the event are Kares Engineering, Ansa McAl through their Lucozade, Mackeson and Icool Water brands, Pollo Tropical, BPI Guyana Inc., Trophy Stall, Starr Party Rentals, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, Cellular Plus, Massy Industries, Fitness Elite, Fitness Express and Genesis Fitness Gym.

Milo Schools’ Football tournament

St. John’s College and Lodge reach Q/final St John’s College and Lodge Secondary are the last two schools to secure semi-final spots in the ongoing Milo schools Football tournament 2019. In the battle of Georgetown based schools on Monday, St, John’s overcame St Stanislaus College 4-3. The St. Stanislaus scorers Josiah King (56th), Daniel Persaud (32nd) and Jerimiah Sampson (35th) were unable to outscore their opponents. Akeel Bennette (32nd), Tyreke Saunders (44th), Jaheim McPherson (58th) and Jared Corrica (76th) were the men responsible for the win. In the other game, Lodge overcame

Tucville 5-3. Lodge profited off a pair of braces from Dorwin George (18th and 22nd) and Curt Edwards (29th and 69th) as well as a Shemroy Myers 34th minute strike. Tucville on the other hand had a double from Dawanye Jones (62nd and 73rd) and Simeon Benn (17th). From this weekend, quarter final action gets going. On Saturday, Charlestown will play Annandale from 13:00 with Bishops taking on President’s College at 15:00. On Sunday, Linden’s Christianburg/ Wismar Secondary School (CWSS) will play Vergenoegen while Lodge and St John’s College will clash for the last semi-final spot. The tournament is also sponsored by the Ministry of Public Health.

Wednesday March 27, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 39

Bodybuilding has won, unity will be pursued - GABBFF Head

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ollowing last Sunday’s Guyana Amateur Body Building and Fitness Federation (GABBFF) AGM and elections which resulted in a changing of the guards, President Keavon Bess has stated that the sport would have won. The event saw a very large turnout of individuals which included athletes, administrators, judges and individuals. All that was needed to vote was payment of the stipulated $1000 fee; a whopping 101 persons were registered to vote, by far the largest turn out at such an event of the federation, if not the largest. The debates on issues including finances and the modus operandi of the body were heated at times but in the end, it was agreed that going forward, efforts would be made to seriously address members concerns. Bess in an invited comment following the AGM stated that body building won on the day: “The elections have been had and a new executive has been elected to continue the development of bodybuilding in Guyana. The numerous questions asked and discussions held

have caused most underlining issues to be buried and the remaining issues, after being clearly defined, can be steadfastly addressed.” Bess who served as Assistant Treasurer on the previous executive which was led by Businessman Coel Marks, who is now the Vice President, further stated that stakeholders of the sport has mandated two key players (Bess and Marks) in the sport to work together for the betterment of each athlete and stakeholder. “Bodybuilding won because the room for excuses has been diminished, if not extinguished. Bodybuilding won and for the next two years, bodybuilding in Guyana will continue to be paramount to its executive members. The intention is to ensure that there is full unity in the sport.” Among the plans for the next two years according to Bess, would be a full registration system of all the active athletes and to have such athletes issued with registration cards. Further he noted: “Constitutional reform is on the front burner and will be addressed from the next athlete’s and stakeholders meeting. Better and active

Minor league softball competition bowls off Friday

Samuel Kingston (right) receives the winning trophy at Penalty Spot Sports Bar at Sixth and Albert streets Georgetown.

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he inaugural Penalty Spot and Trophy Stall softball cricket competition is set to bowl off on Friday March 29 at 18:00hrs with lots at stake. “This is a minor league competition that is open to corporation teams and teams considered nonprofessionals. We want to give other players especially the young and upcoming

players a chance to play in a major competition,” said organizer, Samuel Kingston. Teams are required to pay an entrance fee of $16,000, while the games will be played with the small supreme balls at 10 overs per side. Kingston assured that balls will be at the match venues for sale. For more information and registration call Kingston on 619-5103.

committees must be established so as to not micromanage certain aspects of the sport for its

development. Relative to sponsorship, a marketing and sponsorship committee will be established so as to

draft and implement the best strategies for garnering sponsorship. These are but a few objectives of the new

executive.” Gratitude was extended to all the attendees of the GABBFF, AGM.

PAGE 40

Harold ‘Top Gun’ Hopkinson (center) with the other members of Team Guyana which competed at the Secure Innovations and Concepts Inc. sponsored IPSC Level 3, 2019 Amazon Shoot in Suriname last weekend.

Kaieteur News

Wednesday March 27, 2019

Secure Innovations and Concepts Inc. 2019 IPSC Level 3 Amazon Shoot – Suriname

Super Senior Hopkinson cops 2nd place in Senior Division The Guyana National R i f l e A s s o c i a t i o n ’s (GuyanaNRA) IPSC Regional Director, Mr. Harold Hopkinson, along with sanctioned handgun competitors, Dr. Pravesh H a r r y, M s . A n g e l i q u e DeGroot, the father son duo

of Andrew and John Pang from the Guyana Sport Shooting Federation, traveled to the neighboring country of Suriname, for the Secure Innovations and Concepts Inc. sponsored IPSC Level 3, 2019 Amazon Shoot. Battling a stomach bug that had him vomiting and nauseous, veteran hand gunner Harold ‘Top Gun’ Hopkinson pulled off a second place finish against his younger more fit competitors. As the only Super Senior, the 64 year-old Security Executive, shooting an out of the box CZ Shadow 2 Production gun was thrown into the younger more agile senior class. In an invited comment, Hopkinson said he was absolutely shocked that he got the silver medal since he was not convinced that he had shot well. The Regional Director said he was proud that his team members had put up a

valiant and commendable performance in front of their trainer Grand Master Ronald Brown. “They all finished just off the podium. There were 60 shooters from Aruba, Barbados, Curacao, French Guiana, Grenada, Jamaica, Trinidad and host Suriname.” He informed that the next destination would be Tr i n i d a d a n d To b a g o followed by the 25th Anniversary competition of the Aruba Practical Shooting Association. Hopkinson and his team members are extending thanks the Commissioner of Police. Mr. Leslie James, DSS, DSM, GRA Commissioner General Mr. Godfrey Statia, AA, the GuyanaNRA President Brigadier Patrick West, MSS, his GuyanaNRA Executive and the Handgun Captain, Mr. Dale Hing for their collective assistance in making the Suriname tour a possibility.

Guyana women’s hockey team completes tour to Canada - Preparation for IPAC continues immediately

Coach Fernandes believes that the younger players including Abosaide Cadogan (left) has the ability to compete with the more experienced stick women. A Guyanese national indoor women’s selection travelled to Canada on March 20th to compete in a Field Hockey Canada Invitational Indoor Hockey Tri-Nation series from March 22nd to 24th. Also invited to compete against a Canadian national selection and a Canadian President’s eleven was the national team of Kazakhstan. With a

ranking of 13th in the world, Kazakhstan were the highest ranked team of the series followed by Canada; ranked 17th and Guyana; ranked 31st. Guyana’s efforts to participate in this event were really motivated by the need to expose new young players to a high level of competition ahead of the next Indoor Pan (Continued on page 33)

Wednesday March 27, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 41

World Classic Powerlifting Championships

Guyana Shore Base Inc. supports Carlos Petterson’s quest to win gold By Franklin Wilson Reigning national 93kg powerlifting champion Carlos ‘The Showstopper’ Petterson who has also conquered all and sundry in the Caribbean and at the NAPF levels have his sights now firmly set on conquering his rivals at the World Championship level. Come June 3-15 next, Petterson would be flying the Golden Arrowhead at the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF), World Classic Powerlifting Championships set to take place Helsingborg, Sweden. It is always a challenge for athletes to raise the requisite funds to attend these championships but Petterson’s bid to conqueror and achieve has revived to full backing of his employer, Guyana Shore Base Inc., located at Houston, East Bank Demerara.

Yesterday at the entity’s location, General Manager Mr. Mark Edwards handed over an undisclosed sum to Petterson towards offsetting his expenses to Sweden in the presence of his Physio, Ms. Kathlyn Paul who would be accompanying Petterson. Edwards commented: “Well, we are extremely proud of Carlos and very happy to support him in his quest to bring back gold medals for Guyana. We are very proud of him and very pleased that he works for Guyana Shore Base Inc.” Peterson responded: “I must say thank you once again Mr. Edwards for not only supporting me immensely but also affording me the relevant time off in and out of work to prepare and be the best. As I did last year, I will do once again.” Petterson, who is being

Narayan Ramdhani cops top honours at Kings University Awards in Canada

Narayan displaying his Awards with the help of his Coaches. G u y a n a ’s N a r a y a n Ramdhani claimed the Most Valuable Player (MVP) & Athlete of the Year awards at the Kings University Athletes Awards night which was held in Edmonton, Alberta Canada, March 22 last. N a r a y a n w h o represented The King’s University Eagles B a d m i n t o n Te a m s a w himself on the podium at the Awards Presentation a number of times as he received the: 1. MVP Award 2. Athlete of the Year Award 3. Recognition for winning Gold at the ACAC Championships and Placed No.1 In Alberta

4. Recognition for winning Gold and Bronze at the CCAA National Championships and Placed No.3 in Canada 5. Recognition for winning the ACAC All C o n f e r e n c e Aw a r d o f outstanding Achievement in the field of College Sports in Alberta & for having been selected for 2018-19 All Conference Badminton Team. Other Achievements in his First Year Playing for The Kings Eagles Badminton Team Narayan won: 1-Silver (Singles) & 5thPlace (Doubles)- ACAC #3 Tournament in Alberta Canada 2019 1-Gold (Singles) & (Continued on page 33)

trained by one of Guyana’s most accomplished powerlifters, ‘Big’ John Edwards, is currently ranked joint 10th in the world in the 93kg class along with Brazilian David Coimbra. Petterson had sealed his p l a c e a t t h e Wo r l d Championships following record breaking performances when he had set new national Squat, Deadlift and Total records on the final day of the 16th Annual IPF/ NAPF North American Regional

Guyana Shore Base Inc. General Manager Mr. Mark Edwards (right) hands over sponsorship to Carlos Petterson in the presence of Physio, Ms. Kathlyn Paul. Powerlifting Championship in Mexico City, last August. He cemented his place for Sweden when he won gold in the Men’s Raw Open

93kg class and followed up that performance in the Men’s Equipped Open division claiming his second gold and setting a new

national Total record of 800kg, his Squat of 315kg was also a new national record as was his Deadlift mark of 330kg.

t r o Sp 61st Caribbean Table Tennis Championships

Guyana women off to a positive start in team championship

Natalie Cummings (second left) and Chelsea Edghill in action during their opening doubles win over Barbados in their second team match yesterday.

Director of Sport Christopher Jones (seated 2nd right) pictured with representatives of sponsors, organisers and some of the athletes including reigning champion Dillon Mahadeo, standing right following last evening launch.

5th Annual Kares Engineering Fitness Challenge set for Sunday - National Park Tarmac set to sizzle with local and overseas athletes 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.