Sunday March 20, 2016
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur M@ilbox
Kaieteur M@ilbox
Three lessons to be learnt from the recent LGE
Youth For Local Government expresses its appreciation on LGE
DEAR EDITOR, Many observers, including the government and the opposition PPP, framed the recent Local Government Elections (LGE) as a referendum on the APNU+AFC Coalition’s performance in government. In many respects it is a characterization that’s difficult to avoid. Coming mere months after a bitterly fought general election which resulted in a razor thin win for the Coalition, both the government and the opposition wanted that characterization for different reasons. It was hoped that a good showing by the governing coalition would give it much needed confidence that its stewardship is on track and that it enjoys the validation, at least, of its constituency. For the opposition PPP, a good performance would satisfy the party that its loss of the general election represents a temporary setback and that its constituency continues to reject the Coalition. In the end, the LGE and
the results which have so far been made available tell us very little, if anything, about the electorate’s feelings about the Coalition’s tenure in office. So as it turned out, the elections were not a referendum on the government. Rather they tell us more about the general state of politics in the country, including the attitude of the general populace—it was a referendum on our general political condition. Perhaps the most revealing outcome of the election was the low voter turnout. From all accounts it seems to have been below 50%. Many have blamed the low turnout on Friday on a lack of voter education and or voter disinterest. I think the latter is closer to the truth. But we have to explain why the steep decline in interest a mere 10 months after the general election. I think it has to do with the inability of political parties, in and out of office, to politically engage citizens beyond asking for votes or
partisan political abuse. Until political parties engage the people in meaningful ways and do so regularly, we will continue to see some energy at general elections and very little afterwards. The second lesson of the recent LGE’s is that despite voter disinterest, those who bother to vote are motivated by the parties. One cannot fault the Independent groups and individuals for trying. But when it comes to elections, Guyana is simply not ready at this juncture for any challenge to the political party. Independent thought and action are appreciated once they are not tied to elections. The third lesson is that the LGE showed no swing away from the traditional ethnic voting patterns. In that regard these elections were a mere extension of the general elections. Mr. Jagdeo was brutally honest when he said that the PPP first line of action is to secure its East Indian base. David Hinds
DEAR EDITOR, Recent, prominent articles by the Kaieteur News certainly served to inform the public on the level of corruption under the PPP administration. I must congratulate Kaieteur News for its interest and exposure on this particular issue. The dismissal of Mr. Badree should be seen as a good step to ensure proper management and accountability at GUYOIL. However, I have a few questions for the general public and probably those that have exhibited a keen interest in GUYOIL’S operations, especially since the focus seem to be against a company that has been doing legitimate business with GUYOIL and may very well be the target of
disgruntled PPP activists. The current CEO of GUYOIL, Mr. Reggie Bhagwandin, has been in the employ of GUYOIL for over two decades and would have served as its Operations Manager for a long time. Since the current administration has seen it fit to promote him to CEO (ag), it has to be quite sure that he was not aware or was in no way involved in the decisions taken by Mr. Badree. It is quite difficult for me to comprehend how this was possible but stranger things have happened. Is it true that Mr. Bhagwandin’s family has lucrative transportation contracts with GUYOIL? If so, this must be investigated as it certainly represents a conflict of interest. Is Mr. Bhagwandin
related to the Amins? I was reliably informed that sensible business arrangements with GUYOIL are being targeted while conflict of interest issues are allowed to fester. It has now been revealed that GUYOIL has a contract to transport fuel for a local business which pays freight on its cargo significantly reducing GUYOIL’S cost, yet that company is being targeted. Our country experienced some changes recently BUT it seems as though the old rulers still have control and power. I still do question the political affiliation/influence of Mr. Sharma, CEO of GEA, and Mr. Bhagwandin, CEO of GUYOIL, in the execution of their jobs. Concerned citizen
Questions surround Mr. Bhagwandin, CEO of Guyoil
DEAR EDITOR, March 18th 2016 will be chronicled in our history books as the “return of local government elections” A day that all of the candidates and members of Youth For Local Government will never forget. While the polls did not go in our favor, we refuse to view this process as a loss for we have gained a lot. We have gained a wealth of experience and knowledge throughout this elections process. We have formed relationships and forged friendships and for this we are grateful. Most importantly, we have started a movement that will outlive us. We have done what no other group of youth has ever done in Guyana before, hence for these simple reasons we stand a proud group of youth committed to being real change agents. Like all the other groups we expected more votes even as we recognized very early that “blind voting” would negatively affect the process as was evident in constituency 13. We expected a low voter turnout but wish
to place no blame, rather to say it was the choice of many not to vote and that they did. This clearly shows how we as a people value this fundamental right. Shockingly there was also a disturbingly low turnout among our fellow youth which will be working to remedy by engaging youth through the YFLG platform. The Youth for Local Government congratulates the APNU/AFC coalition, the PPP/c, Team Legacy and Team Benschop all of whom have earned seats at the City
Council. We wish all those to be sworn in as Councilors success, blessings and guidance during your tenure and we look forward to working along with the council whenever necessary. In closing we wish to extend heartfelt gratitude to those who supported us, your well wishes and prayers were appreciated and will be our driving force for the next three years. Clayton Halley Youth For Local government
Urgent Inquiry needed at the Georgetown Hospital DEAR EDITOR, The Kaieteur News journalist and other reporters who encountered the abuses by Dr. Amir at the GPHC, as reported in the KN, got a taste of what is normal at the GPHC. There needs to be an investigation into how Drs. Amir and Dr. Rambarran runs the hospital. Many unacceptable things are common occurrences. All
of this under the watch of the Health Ministry. It is not surprising the Minister cannot be found for a comment. Those doctors know they are running things the way they want to. The change ordinary people vote for does not include the GPHC. It is business as usual. An inquiry at the GPHC is long overdue. Ossie Betham
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Kaieteur News
Sunday March 20, 2016
Kaieteur M@ilbox
Kaieteur M@ilbox
Finance Minister is bordering on double standards
The negative side of the functions of the smart phone
DEAR EDITOR, Finance Minister Winston Jordan’s position that he is guided by the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) position on the issue of wages and salaries for public sector workers cannot be allowed to go unnoticed. The IMF is a regulatory body and advises a country. The IMF does not dictate for any country. To take an advice as a mandate is to abrogate the responsibility to work with stakeholders in chartering a direction indigenous to the people’s needs. The minister can well learn from history. In 1999 at the conclusion of the 57-day strike by public sector workers, the PPP/C administration conceded to go to arbitration. At the conclusion of this exercise the arbiters led by Dr. Aubrey Armstrong awarded a 30 percent wage increase, which was far in excess of what was recommended by the IMF. The PPP/C administration went to the IMF and advised of the need to pay based on an agreement between the government and workers. This was accepted by the IMF, the Inter-American Bank (IDB) and World Bank, and the workers were paid. The APNU+AFC administration is on record saying it is pursuing a Green Economy, which according to
international standards is measured on the Human Development Index (HDI). The IMF is measuring growth and development by using Gross Domestic Products (GDP). Since this administration has been elected to manage the country, it is instructive to note that while it is pursuing development along the lines of the Green Economy it is allowing itself to be dictated by an external agency using different instrument to measure growth and development. When this administration paid Cabinet and Members of Parliament increases in 2015, such were justified based on the HDI. The government and its spokespersons in justifying the increases did not make an argument on the strength of the economy to pay. The argument they made was premised on the social factors in society. In fact, what the government did is used the factor in the HDI to pay themselves, but now the government is conveniently using the GDP as the instrument to determine how rank and file workers will be paid increase in wages and salaries. These double standards must not be allowed to permeate the society. Conscious of what the
government’s argument was as it relates to the increases in 2015, when the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) met with the Minister of Finance on the issue of budget consultation for 2016, GTUC deliberately structured its presentation based on the Green Economy and not the GDP. The minister commended the GTUC and referred to the presentation as “thinking outside of the box.” GTUC is an organisation of national character and the presentation was made conscious of our role in shaping and influencing the national policies, programmes and laws that would redound to the benefit of workers, past, present and potential. The process of collective bargaining is constitutional and legal. Section 23 (1) of the Trade Recognition Act speaks to the responsibility of the employer to negotiate in good faith with the workers’ representatives. In this case, more than ever the Government of Guyana is called upon to respect the law and the workers’ rights and negotiate with the public sector unions in good faith. The HDI index that was used to determine salary increases for Cabinet and Members of Parliament who are government workers, must also be used as the barometer in determining wages and salaries for the remaining government workers. Lincoln Lewis General Secretary GTUC
DEAR EDITOR, I once heard someone referred to these high-tec multi feature cell phones as the book of good and evil. No one can deny the quantumleap in mass communication and lighting speed dissemination of information globally. Gadgets, cellphones, smart phone, Iphone, tablet, I-pad and a host of others have swarmed and taken over the world like a plague. It is unthinkable that there is a country that isn’t affected by it, inconceivable of any home in today’s modern world without them. This is the mode of the world in which we live today; a fantastic development that has dawn upon us and which we can’t shrug off, turn a blind eye to or wish away or else we become shackled. I tell you these gadgets/ instruments are like magic – like a genie “your wish is my command”, almost anything imagine could be done by them, they are programmed to the very last scintilla on almost every topic/subject like a God! The key and operative word is download – by the way, they are programmed with one called “Siri” who answers all your questions. The million dollar question here is how do we check and prevent the minds of our infants from being systematically polluted? How can we avoid them feeding from this technological trough of debauchery? I heard someone saying that one positive of these high-tech phones is that they keep our
young people occupied and out of trouble! I fail to see that their obsession is not so much for positive elevation but moreso for being a participant feeding off a wellspring of orgies. But lo! as said above our children are light years ahead of us, with a touch of the finger they can make fools of us, did we bargain for this, hell no! but this is what happens when one is not in control of circumstances surrounding their existence. Then is when you know that you are cooked, dwarfed and overwhelmed by forces/ technology in that you are led by the nose. Yes, all these fancy gadgets – which by the way are changing with every sun-set, that we show off and feel proud and privileged that we can acquire them at any cost, boast about their infinite features which is indeed mind-boggling but sadly those fine infinite features lag behind the preponderance of. Editor, I’m not making a claim at being self-righteous no! if only these sexual perverted videos were only within the reach of grown adults – exclusive adult audience – then maybe there would not have been the need for much concern, but the
space they inhabit is so pervasive even when casually playing around, unintentionally, an accidental touch and they are in your face as the brother said happened with him which henceforth the floodgates of wanton carnal bombardment is flung open – mental poison that defile and deform the minds of our children. And this is one reason and unfortunately so for our young men and women who have been influenced have accept to indulge for fun or money, then you know that they are lost souls. Then we have to wonder aloud what is this world coming to. But wait a minute it is said that good and evil are of the same source, the binary pair that is package with progress/development – goes together like a horse and carriage; so then where does that leaves us? Chasing our tail? Baying at the moon? Caleb Carr author of the “Alienist” quoted in it from one William James “whilst part of what we perceive comes through our senses from the objects before our eyes, another part (and this may be the larger part) always comes out of our own minds”. I’m confused. Frank Fyffe
DEAR EDITOR, To the Ministry of Education I want you to look into this matter as early as possible. A certain person (name supplied) is the only man that gets all the printing work from the Ministry of
Education especially Region #4. This man does not have a printer. His friend does his printing for him. He has friends in the Region 4 network. Give the printer work to those who have printing facilities. Region 4 employee
The Education Ministry has a favourite printer
Sunday March 20, 2016
Kaieteur News
‘Quiet man’ threatens to blow Britain’s ruling party apart over Europe Reuters - British Prime Minister David Cameron was forced into a hasty cabinet reshuffle yesterday as the dramatic resignation of a senior minister threatened to widen divisions over Europe within the ruling Conservative party. The rancorous departure of Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, a leading campaigner for Britain to quit the European Union, also deals a blow to the political ambitions of Chancellor George Osborne, commentators said. Cameron and Osborne are both urging Britons to vote to remain in the EU in a June 23 referendum but many Conservative members of parliament and activists favour a “Brexit”. The issue has riven the party for decades. In his resignation letter on Friday, Duncan Smith, a former Conservative party leader, cited cuts to disability benefits outlined in Osborne’s annual budget last week, which also included tax cuts for richer households. He
complained about pressure from the Treasury to cut welfare payments in order to meet fiscal conditions set out by Osborne. “I am unable to watch passively whilst certain policies are enacted in order to meet the fiscal self-imposed restraints that I believe are more and more perceived as distinctly political rather than in the national economic interest,” he wrote.
By suggesting that cuts were hitting the poor harder than the rich, Duncan Smith also cast doubt on one of Cameron’s key mantras, that austerity was being equally shared by all. His letter concluded: “I hope as the government goes forward you can look again ... at the balance of the cuts you have insisted upon and wonder if enough has been done to ensure ‘we are all in this together’.” Responding, Cameron said he was “puzzled and disappointed” by Duncan Smith’s decision to leave the Cabinet post he has held since 2010. Yesterday, he appointed former Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb, who wants Britain to stay in the EU, to the role. The bitter tone of the letter from the self-styled “quiet man” of British politics was reminiscent of a speech made by senior minister Geoffrey Howe when he quit Margaret Thatcher’s cabinet in 1990 over Europe, which contributed to her downfall.
Reuters - Austria’s Green Party yesterday called on an Austrian lawmaker to resign after he compared refugees to “Neanderthals who trample under foot the rights of women”. In remarks in parliament last week which he reiterated later in a statement, Robert Lugar said most refugees and migrants arriving in Austria were “uneducated, religiously blinded, fanatical (and) impossible to integrate. Austria has mainly served as a conduit into Germany for refugees and migrants from the Middle East and Africa but has absorbed a similar number of asylum seekers relative to
its much smaller population. It has angered other European Union states by setting a cap on the number of asylum seekers it accepts a step Brussels said was unlawful. The coalition government has adopted tough rhetoric on migrants as the far-right Freedom Party attracts more than 30 percent approval ratings in voter surveys, about 10 percentage points ahead of each of the ruling centrist coalition parties. Lugar is chairman of the Team Stronach parliamentary group, founded in 2012 by Frank Stronach, an AustrianCanadian businessman who
has criticised the euro and has called for a simpler tax system and a shrunken public sector. “Now we bring such Neanderthals here who thank God had been extinct in our country,” he said. In the last parliamentary elections in 2013, Team Stronach got around 5.7 percent of the votes, but it now barely registers in opinion polls. “Not only is your speech explicitly discriminatory, but it also endangers the safety of all who live and r e s i d e i n t h i s country,” several opposition Green politicians said in an open letter.
Reuters - Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif joined his Turkish hosts in Istanbul yesterday in condemning a suicide bombing by suspected Kurdish militants in a main shopping district that killed five people. Zarif, on a visit to bolster bilateral trade and discuss political differences over the war in neighbouring Syria, said the bombing - which also injured 36 people - “displays the ugly face of terrorism”. Iran has been a strong strategic ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
since the start of the uprising against him, while Turkey has been one of his fiercest critics, supporting his opponents and giving refuge to rebel fighters. While Ankara and Tehran remain divided over the conflict in Syria, Zarif and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu said both sides wanted to mend a relationship that could help establishment of peace and stability in the Middle East. Turkey’s foreign ministry has said the aim of the talks during Zarif’s visit will be “current regional and international developments”
as well as relations between the two countries. Zarif suggested business would be high on the agenda. “We are seeking the best possible level of economic cooperation with Turkey after the nuclear deal,” he told reporters in Istanbul. After the lifting of international sanctions this year following a deal with Western powers to curb its nuclear program, Iran has become the biggest economy to rejoin the global trading system since the Soviet Union broke up more than two decades ago.
Iain Duncan Smith
Austrian politician under fire for comparing refugees to Neanderthals
Iran’s Zarif to discuss business, Syria on Turkey visit
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Kaieteur News
Sunday March 20, 2016
Sunday March 20, 2016
Dem boys seh...
GNBA pussyfooting wid de airwaves Careful wid you words. Once they are said they can only be forgiven, not forgotten. Moses and Lennox Shadick, de man who head de Broadcast Authority, need not forget dem words. Dem got words that does remain in people’s memory fuh a lifetime. De entire coalition, even Moses, did seh when Jagdeo issue dem radio, TV and cable licence, it was wrong and dem should be revoked. One year into office and this still to happen. As a matter of fact, Moses now saying more licences can be issued. In short, he telling people to lef de people wid de licence dem get illegally. But he colleagues dem saying, “Tek dem all back and create a level playing field.” All Guyana agree wid that except de people who get dem licence fuh free. Dem boys want ask de GNBA if somebody bully dem and tek way dem personal property wha dem gun do? Allow dem to build a house suh that dem and dem family can live a good life while you and you family live on de road? Dem boys want to remind de GNBA people that dem licence is not mining claims or forestry land that was illegally given away, all Guyana know to who and who. Gold and diamond plus lumber does done but de airwaves remain forever. That is why dem boys suh serious about de airwaves. According to Leonard Shadick, one of de excuse is that people spend money to buy equipment and start up dem radio station. Dem boys want to know if Leonard Shadick buy a thiefing sheep and spend money to dress she up, and six months later, de owner pull up wid de police at he sheep pen for it, if he expect de owner to tell de police that Leonard should keep de sheep because he spend money fuh dress it up. Utter nonsense. Leonard Shadick trying to also seh that if people go down that route to revoke dem licence then de people gun tie up de matter in de court house fuh years. Dem boys want tell him is everybody waiting fuh de last five years and another 50 years wouldn’t hurt dem waiting for a level playing field rather than tek de new set of rejected frequencies dem willing to issue to dem boys and dem other media houses. De Bible seh. Joseph wait 13 years Abraham wait 25 years Jesus wait 30 years Moses, not this one, wait 40 years. Dem boys prepare to wait even if it tek 50 years. Wha dem boys want everybody to know is that dem frequencies ain’t deh pun no radio so it mean that dem boys and de others will pay a licence fee to talk to demself and listen to dem own voice and pay . Another thing de same Leonard Shadick and Moses was discussing is that people must learn fuh tek wha dem get and wait fuh wha dem want. Kwame use to tek wha he get and dem boys ain’t certain if dem two gun tek wha people gie dem. Dem boys want to know if de two of dem tek man and wait till dem get wife. Talk half and dem boys want Moses and Leonard to know dem boys don’t know how or when fuh done talk.
Kaieteur News
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Concessions will now be capped The ad hoc system which allowed investors to benefit from open-ended concessions will soon be a thing of the past, says Finance Minister, Winston Jordan. The politician said that the scheme is one which is no longer sustainable and as such, a much more beneficial and legal policy will be in place. He said that moves are already being made in this regard. “For the foreseeable future, we will have to use an incentive regime to attract and encourage investors but we will have to use a regime that is more sustainable.” The Finance Minister added, “What was done before was that concessions were given out in an uncontrolled manner. You would see in some cases that concessions given to certain firms or persons were openended and worse yet, not monitored.” The Member of Parliament said that his Ministry is hoping to define the manner in which the concessions are granted, while pushing to have the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), monitor the concessions better in a much more effective way. He said, “In fact, investors or businesses are supposed to file annual returns with the GRA and this has not been done in almost every instance…so we need to move swiftly because not to do so is an illegal act. It also means that the relevant agencies are not doing their job.” The Finance Minister emphasized the point that concessions must be capped. Asked if this will affect the exorbitant concession deals granted under the previous regime to certain companies, Jordan said, “Any new system will change the way things are.” He added, “I don’t want to be unfair but there are laws and if they are not followed then the relevant agencies
– Finance Minister
Finance Minister, Winston Jordan must move to enforce the laws or and retract the concessions granted.” The ad hoc system in which concessions were granted under the previous regime was heavily criticized by the coalition party on the 2015 election campaign trail. These criticisms were brought to the front burner when the PPP struck a handsome concession deal with a local contractor to repair the fibre optic cable from Lethem to Georgetown. This was part of the EGovernance initiative launched under the previous Government. That contract was signed by former Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon and Faisal Mohamed of Dax Contracting Services with the latter party receiving billions of dollars in concessions. Apart from the magnitude of the tax concessions granted, what was a serious matter of concern to the APNU+AFC party was the fact that the contract said nothing about penalties to be effected if Dax did not follow through with the obligations of the arrangement to repair and maintain the Brazil to Guyana fibre optic cable. The contract lacked a termination clause and even a time for completion. But when the coalition party assumed office, it brought an end to this arrangement.
Former Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon
Former Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh
Additionally, the APNU+AFC spoke out against the controversial Marriott Hotel which has been the recipient of extravagant tax holidays and tax breaks similar to Dax. Given the aforementioned “concession-trend”, the APNU+AFC party had concluded that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C) granted concessions in three packages— Gold, Silver and Bronze. Junior Finance Minister, Jaipaul Sharma, had said that the gold package is the firstclass tax concessions that the former Government granted through the former Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, to
its family and best friends. The silver package was for party members and the bronze package represents the tax concessions that were given to its supporters. Sharma, an accountant, had said that he was disgusted at the manner in which the then PPP Government discriminates when it comes to investments. He added, “The thing that is most despicable about this (former) administration is that in no sector or no area can you find it operating with an ounce of decency or transparency and accountability.” (By Kiana Wilburg)
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Kaieteur News
If radio, cable, TV licences not revoked, Guyana loses By Kiana Wilburg
Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge, has now added his voice to the debate over the revocation of the granted radio and cable licences under the Jagdeo regime. Greenidge said that as far as he is aware, the coalition party has not changed its position on this matter. He made it clear that his support for the revocation of those unlawful licences during the 2015 election campaign remains the same. The Foreign Affairs Minister said, “I most certainly do hold the same view and, of course, stand by my earlier comments on the matter. Nothing has occurred by way of new information to persuade me to change my mind. The act by former President Bharrat Jagdeo was improper, reprehensible and illegal.” The Member of Parliament said that as a President, one should not use the position to hand out state assets to family, associates’ families and or political parties. He said that it was wrong in 2011
Sunday March 20, 2016
- Foreign Affairs Minister and it is still wrong. Greenidge said that if the illegal radio and cable licences are not revoked then Guyana would lose. “If it were my personal or your property that had been stolen and misappropriated, you would not think it necessary to ask if the wrong committed should be corrected. We should stop regarding national assets and state property as free goods which involve no loss if misappropriated. If we do, then we all lose.” The Foreign Affairs Minister said that he believes legal grounds do exist for the revocation of the radio and cable licences. He said that there is always a legal basis on which to challenge actions that public officials are empowered to take under the law. The Member of Parliament said that such actions are subject to administrative law and are to be exercised in the public interest unless a
Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge
GNBA Chairman, Leonard Craig Jagdeo’s best friend Bobby Ramroop
Former president, Bharrat Jagdeo
specified category of beneficiary is named in the law. Greenidge said that the decision is not to be exercised arbitrarily but on the basis of advice from the relevant competent authority and should not be for the benefit of the public official, his/her associates or relatives. The Foreign Affairs Minister said that officials with certain powers should know that
their actions have to be exercised in good faith and for the purposes set out in the Broadcast Act, in a manner consistent with the relevant considerations such as citizens’ rights set out in the Constitution itself. “Mr Jagdeo’s decision did not meet this test so it should not stand. If beneficiaries of criminal actions by state officials can expect to continue to enjoy the benefits then corruption is unlikely to be ever stamped out. The risk of disclosure, exposure and reversal is itself a powerful deterrent,” expressed the politician. He continued, “But if wrongdoers and the beneficiaries of wrongdoing know that the improper decisions are likely to be reversed even after the passage of relatively long periods of time they will not
be so keen to be party to such behaviour again.” The Foreign Affairs Minister said that as soon as Jagdeo’s decision was made public, everyone was aware
Chairman of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA), Leonard Craig, continues to dodge questions which require him to explain to the nation where the Authority is on the revocation of the illegally granted licences under the Jagdeo regime. This is in spite of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo making it clear a few days ago that Craig should set the record straight.
“If beneficiaries of criminal actions by state officials can expect to continue to enjoy the benefits then corruption is unlikely to be ever stamped out.” - Foreign Affairs Minister of the fact that it was improper. He said that the beneficiaries, too, would have been immediately aware that they ran the risk of losing the licences and those who were foolish enough to purchase it from them did so in the full knowledge that they ran the risk of loss. Greenidge said that he would argue for the law to be invoked. In the meantime,
Kaieteur News had contacted Craig on the issue. He had said, “I am not willing to make a statement on this matter just yet. We are meeting next week on it. I am not willing to speak on this today and I shall speak on this at a press conference after our meeting.” The GNBA Chairman said that his Public Relations Officer would be dealing with (continued on page 65)
Sunday March 20, 2016
Kaieteur News
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Drug enforcement ranks increase busts at airports Law enforcement agents have been working feverishly around the clock to prosecute drug traffickers. They hope, one day, to halt what is widely believed to be one of the most profitable illicit economies. Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU) and Police Narcotic ranks have been able to apprehend a number of outgoing passengers who attempted to smuggle narcotics out of the country in some of the most ingenuous ways at the main Ports of Entry. For this year, there have been several convictions resulting from these drug busts. There were other cases of persons being remanded to prison pending the outcome of a trial. Last Sunday, ranks from the Police Narcotics Unit on duty at the Ogle International Airport, East Coast Demerara, arrested a Guyanese national, who was an outgoing passenger with 17 kilograms, 572 grams of cannabis sativa (marijuana) in his luggage. The most recent case was that of 41-year-old Sadeeka Odie of 187 Thomas Street, Kitty, Georgetown. Odie was jailed for four years, two Mondays ago, in the
Providence Magistrate’s Court for attempting to traffic 9.27 kilograms of cocaine in achar to the USA via the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Timehri. Also on that same day, Surinamese national 21-yearold Damario Cheslie was jailed for three years, after admitting to having a parcel with cocaine concealed inside a condom in her vagina. Cheslie had also ingested 42 pellets containing cocaine. They all amounted to 526 grams. She was busted with the cocaine on May 17, 2015 at the Ogle International Airport. At the time she was an outgoing passenger on a LIAT flight destined for Barbados. In another case, on February 2, a former Special Constable was jailed for 60 months by a City Magistrate after he was found guilty of conspiring to traffic cocaine in rum bottles at the CJIA. Jermaine Bristol, 31, of Lot 2034 Stevedore Housing Scheme, Georgetown was paid to pass a quantity of cocaine concealed in rum to an American citizen, who was an outgoing passenger destined for JFK Airport, USA on November 17, 2014. The citizen was later
Sadeeka Odie
Jermaine Bristol
Damario Cheslie
busted with the drug at JKF. The following day, Kwame Cumberbatch, a former national cyclist was jailed for a total of seven years and ordered to pay a fine of $2,137,000 after admitting to having cocaine in his underwear at the Ogle International Airport. Cumberbatch, 26, of 54 Cummings Street, Lodge, Georgetown had planned to traffic the drug to Barbados and even ingested 16 pellets of cocaine. He appeared before two Magistrates at different courts and pleaded guilty to
two charges which stated that he had a total of 712 grams of cocaine in his possession for the purpose of trafficking. Court facts revealed that Cumberbatch was an outgoing passenger at the Ogle International Airport. He had checked in to travel on LIAT Flight #LI306 destined for Trinidad and Tobago en route to Barbados. Ranks from the Narcotics Branch stationed at the airport conducted routine searches on Cumberbatch and found 46 pellet-shaped parcels wrapped in transparent plastic in his
underwear. He had also confessed to swallowing 16 pellets containing cocaine. On February 19, three Immigration Officers and a female security guard attached to the CJIA Timehri were remanded to prison after
cocaine was unearthed in the baggage hold of a Dynamic Airways flight at the John F. Kennedy Airport. Oral David, 29, of Lot 401 Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara; Orin Harris, 24, of Lot TN 74 Timehri; Raduskie Wright, 24, of Lot 271 #77 New Housing Scheme, Corentyne Berbice and security guard Dian Jackson, 29, of Lot 1717 Soesdyke pleaded not guilty to a charge of conspiring to traffic narcotics read to them by the Chief Magistrate. According to reports, a package of cocaine was unearthed in the baggage hold of the flight after it landed at JFK, New York on February 2. Reports are that the cocaine was placed in the baggage hold by a local handler and was unearthed by a handling staff while clearing luggage from the aircraft. (Feona Morrison)
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Kaieteur News
Region 10 proposes 5-yr tourism development plan The Region Ten Tourism Sector in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism is in the process of implementing a five-year Tourism Development Plan. A meeting focused on further discussing the implementation and advancement of the plan. It was chaired by Director General of the Tourism Ministry, Donald Sinclair, and attended by various stakeholders of Region Ten. The venue was the conference room of the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN) Building recently. According to the Director General, the main focus of the visit was to give an idea of how the Plan would be structured. He said, “This Plan will make way for proposals and requests for funding from donor agencies. It will also
pave the way for requests to be made from Government Ministries. The final document would be useful as a manual, which would contain suitable reference for those seeking to request information about the Region.” Three required sections were outlined for the Regional Tourism Development Plan. These sections include background information on Region Ten, which is a brief historical background; main economic activities; its tourism resources including the main tourism stakeholders and accommodations. Also, an action plan which includes the identification of seven hotspots or priority attractions, accommodations for upgrade and other relevant services to be advanced, is required.
Sunday March 20, 2016
Magistrate’s sentence encourages dishonesty The current sentencing policy employed by some Magistrates has led a local businessman to conclude that stealing in Guyana is a profitable venture. This was after his former employee was fined $100,000 by a city Magistrate for embezzling $500,000. In the process he made a profit of $400,000. The livid businessman is Frank Sanichara, Chief Executive Officer of Sueria Manufacturing Company. The convict is former employee, Kevin Waaldijk. And to add insult to injury, Waaldijk took to the social media to boast about his freedom leaving Sanichara to lament his loss. “It is profitable to steal in Guyana; if you talk to any 10 businessmen, they will tell you that embezzlement has become a crisis, and the court is not doing us any favour,” Sanichara told Kaieteur
…man fined less than quarter of what he stole News. Waaldijk, who was employed as a salesman by Sanichara’s company, was arrested last August after he was accused of embezzling the funds he was entrusted with. After a trial that lasted almost eight months, he was found guilty by Magistrate Fabayo Azore in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Friday last. But instead of imposing a mandatory prison sentence, the Magistrate ordered Waaldijk to pay a fine of $100,000, much to the businessman’s surprise. The penalty also shocked the police ranks who had worked on the case. In court, Waaldijk smiled and cast a mocking glance at Sanichara when he heard the verdict. The fine was quickly paid
from the $150,000 bail that Waaldijk had posted. An obviously disappointed Sanichara told Kaieteur News that while he is not too familiar with the sentencing guidelines for such offences, he is certain that justice was not served. “My staff and the two police officers went to court back and forth several times and this is the outcome,” the businessman declared. No mention was even made of restitution of the stolen cash by the convict. “The fine that he paid goes to the state; I lost $500,000 and I get nothing; so where’s the justice?” Sanichara asked. “This man made a profit!” he added. He said that he now sees why a number of businessmen have very little faith in the court system of this country. “They wasted the court’s time, the police time also,” the businessman stated. Recently the magistracy has been coming under much scrutiny over what some described as “outrageous” sentencing.
Magistrates have been chided for imposing mandatory prison sentences for persons who commit “minor offences” such as possession of smoking utensils, while giving a slap on the wrist to persons who are convicted of indictable offences such as drug trafficking. Two years ago, a Magistrate imposed a suspended sentence on a man who was found guilty of trafficking in over 50 kilograms of cocaine. But the lack of application of a strict sen t e n c i n g guideline might all come to an end soon as the government and the Judiciary have agreed to work towards a solution. “During the frank and cordial exchange of views, both sides recognise the need for a review of sentencing guidelines, the reform of laws to allow the exercise by Magistrates of greater discretion in imposing sentences, including for drugrelated offences…,” a recent statement from the office of the Prime Minister stated.
Sunday March 20, 2016
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Govt. satisfied with LGE voter turnout, return of democracy
From left: Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, President David Granger and Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan President David Granger yesterday described Friday’s Local Government Election (LGE) as a victory for democracy and a step forward for inclusionary governance. Granger, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon; and Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, also pronounced themselves satisfied with the voter turnout. Granger, who protested for LGE to be held while still opposition leader, made this pronouncement during a press conference at the Ministry of the Presidency. He affirmed that the entitlement of citizens to participate in decision-making in their Municipal and Neighborhood Councils has now been restored. “The Local Government Elections of Friday, March 18, 2016 were not only the duty of the government but were a victory for democracy and an opportunity for inclusionary governance,” Granger stated. “The elections were a return to constitutionality after a lapse of nearly two decades under the previous administration.” Granger stated that the elections achieved several points, one of which was to empower citizens, in accordance with the Constitution of Guyana, to freely exercise their right to
elect councillors of their choice. He also noted that through the elections, Central, Regional and Municipal levels of Government can effectively work. He also noted that with the establishment of new towns – at Mabaruma, Bartica and Lethem – the elections of Mayors and Town Councils will ensure that each region is administered by a capital and public services and economic development will be improved. Granger also agreed with the suggestions that candidates won because of big party endorsements. He noted that those who won in this way share the party’s vision for “clean, green communities and integration of the work of Central, Regional and Municipal Councils for high quality governance.” However, Granger made it clear that the party never obstructed anyone from contesting as independents. This will come in the wake of preliminary results showing that independents such as ‘Team Benschop for Mayor’ making heavy losses in the elections. LOW VOTER TURNOUT Questions were also raised about the fact that there seemed to be a generally low voter turnout. Harmon noted that the low turnout
was actually not unusual in such elections. “Democratic renewal is (occurring) at all levels,” Harmon said. “We have some hesitation, skepticism about what it is all about but eventually education solves that and the people’s experience in their communities. So while we don’t have specific figures from GECOM, I do believe that the turnout was satisfactory.” “If you check the elections in Canada, where the Prime Minister was elected, you will see that it was 30 percent,” Harmon continued. “So in our communities, we will have to intensify the voter education and the level of participation in administration of the communities.” Harmon also noted that the Government’s decision not to make March 18 a holiday was largely vindicated. He noted that some people went to work and left early, in order to vote. After a two decade absence, the much anticipated Local Government Elections returned on Friday, only to be welcomed by a low voter turnout. Pictures proliferate of empty polling stations, at times when they have traditionally had lines for the General and Regional elections. Polling Stations
countrywide opened at 6:00hrs and closed at 18:00hrs. Throughout that day, text messages were being sent to citizens providing the relevant information to assist voters in locating their respective polling stations and why they should vote. A whopping 507,663 voters were captured on the Official Voters’ List and 1,562 Polling Stations were open to facilitate voting. The Local
Authorities (Elections) Act was amended in 2009 to include as many people as possible, apart from political parties to present themselves as candidates. There were 83 groups, three political parties, 63 individual candidates, three political parties and 17 voluntary groups. Kaieteur News met with electors after they had cast their ballot yesterday and they expressed some
concerns. The most common issue was that persons did not know where they were supposed to vote. Some electors stated that the LGEs Polling Stations were different from the Polling Stations they would have visited to vote for the General Elections. Many also said that they did not know who they were voting for; they just showed up because they were required to vote.
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Sunday March 20, 2016
Police rank in viral video to appear in court tomorrow The police rank at the heart of a video taken after a vehicular smash up on Thursday, which went viral on social media, is expected to appear in the Providence Magistrate’s Court tomorrow. The accident victim is a taxi driver who had just parked his car to drop off his two children after a day of fun on the sea wall.
Vivian Paul, 38, of 74 Herstelling, East Bank Demerara (EBD), said that he had just parked his car and had gone to the front to examine the bonnet. By that time his children, Vivian Jr., 12, who was celebrating his birthday, and Kevin, 10, were walking towards the house. Paul said that as he was throwing water
into the engine he suddenly saw a car come speeding behind his car and then he felt a great impact. Paul recalled that he could see his car from an upturned view as he flipped over several times into the air. Paul stated that he lost consciousness afterwards. He had a few lucid moments until he regained full consciousness as he was being assisted to a vehicle to take him to the hospital. He recalled that a large crowd had formed on the road by then. “I just praise God that my sons were out of the car, because they would have been injured,” a thankful Paul said afterwards. Paul also related that it was yesterday that police came and eventually took a statement from him. Kaieteur News also spoke to a resident who actually witnessed the accident. According to the resident, he saw Paul’s children exit his car and then Paul came out and went to the bonnet to check on something. He related that as Paul was throwing water, a car, which was speeding, slammed into the back of the car. The eyewitness related that the transmitted impact sent Paul somersaulting into the air, until he landed approximately fifteen feet from the point of impact, on someone’s bridge. He stated that he moved to get a closer look and saw that the car was driven by a policeman in uniform. However, he stated that the large crowd which gathered around the police officer obscured his vision. This publication was also able to view video footage taken of the officer after the accident. In the video, he can be seen exchanging words with a large crowd surrounding his vehicle. The crowd, for its part, made statements like, “He drunk” and “He is a disgrace to his uniform”. The rank could be seen smiling and laughing and even referencing $5M which he had available. It is unclear what the ranks’ immediate actions were after the video ended. Yesterday, Senior Superintendent Ashram, Officer in Charge of Traffic at Brickdam, confirmed that the matter is being investigated and that the rank, whom he identified as Barnwell, has been under close arrest since
A still photo of the police rank from social media group ‘Guyanese tingzz’
38-year-old Vivian Paul the night of the accident. Ashram also said that the matter will be before the Providence Magistrate’s Court tomorrow.
GECOM not responsible for low voter turnout – Chairman Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commissions (GECOM), Dr. Steve Surujbally, has said that the low turn out to the Local Government Elections (LGE) held on Friday should not be laid squarely at the feet of GECOM. Dr. Surujbally was at the time responding to questions at GECOM‘s post election press briefing held at the Commission’s Waterloo Street, Georgetown office yesterday. The LGE held on March 18, last, was greeted by a low voter turnout in several sections of the country. The elections which are scheduled to be held every three years took place after some 22 years. Based on preliminary calculations GECOM officials have disclosed that the voter turnout for the Disciplined Services was about 55.5 per cent while response by the rest of the elections ranged between 38 %-39 %.
GECOM’s Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally Dr. Surujbally has noted however, that GECOM is not shouldering the responsibility of failure to adequately educate the populace on the matters of the LGE. “It is not our job,” Surujbally noted adding that if you look at the prescription in the law for GECOM’s functions you might be hard
pressed to find civic and voter education.” The Chairman noted that in times past political groups and election observers took responsibility for the voter education. He explained that GECOM later took responsible for providing the information to the public. According to the Chairman, GECOM used every opportunity within the last few months to ensure information about the elections is available to the public, even until the day before the elections were held. Dr. Surujbally noted, “Too many people did not even know the candidates in their areas so it‘s not GECOM’s fault. We felt that perhaps more work should have been done by the people (candidate) who wanted to be in position of leadership.” But PPP/C Commissioner Bibi Shadick disagreed with Continued on page 71
Sunday March 20, 2016
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Executive and Judiciary working to address prison congestion - Nagamootoo A high-level Government team recently met with the Chancellor of the Judiciary, the Director of Public Prosecution and other senior members of the judicial system to identify measures that could address the problem of over-crowding at the Georgetown Prison. The talks which lasted over two hours were held in the Boardroom of the Court of Appeal. Government Ministers representing the Executive at the talks were Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo; Vice President and Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan; Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams; and Minister of State, Joseph Harmon. The justice system was represented by the Chancellor Carl Singh, Acting Chief Justice, Yonette Cummings-Edwards; Director of Public Prosecution, Shalimar Hack and Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan. Nagamootoo said, “We are to have follow-up meetings after an exchange of information and completion of an inventory as to how many prisoners are affected”, he disclosed. The Prime Minister described the talks as “very successful” in addressing the prison and justice system. “We are assured that the Chancellor, the DPP, the judiciary and the Magistracy are fully on board,” he said. Chancellor Singh assured the delegation that all necessary initiatives will be considered to expedite trials and to review bail to reduce the number of prisoners on remand. Vice President and Public Security Minister, Khemraj
The teams were further assured that the DPP would continue the process of nolle prosequi in High Court matters where victims and complainants could not be located, after careful judicial review of the circumstances in each case. Both the Government and judicial sides expressed a strong view that, as far as possible, the police ought to take relevant statements and
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo Ramjattan, undertook to compile an inventory of prisoners on remand who would be placed in categories in accordance with the offences for which they have been charged. It is expected that Magistrates would expedite trial or grant bail to remove prisoners which could ease the overcrowding of the jails. The Chancellor will be giving consideration to hiring temporary magistrates, once financing could be guaranteed. After the riots at the Georgetown Prison earlier this month, Chancellor Singh had contacted Harmon to offer assurance that the Judiciary would support initiatives to ease over-crowing at all five prison locations in Guyana. Besides over-crowding, the Executive and judicial teams identified need for strict enforcement of ticketing for traffic violations, where the regulations apply, instead of motorists being summoned to appear before the courts.
PPP /C claims 60% victory in LGE The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) has noted that the party was victorious with over 60% of the votes cast in the 70 Local Authority Areas which the party contested. In a detailed statement to the press yesterday, the main opposition party outlined that thousands of members and volunteers demonstrated their commitment and courage to PPP/C through their long and tireless hours of work: door-to-door campaigns, educating communities on the Party’s vision for development, among other commendable activities. “As a result of this overwhelming electoral
support, the PPP/C emerged.” “So impressive was the victory that the party won the majority of votes in some Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs)...” The PPP/C noted it is impressed by the generosity, unity and solidarity of its supporters, members and volunteers as they collectively embrace the democratic process and delivering victory to the Party. “Without every single one of you, the dream for a better Guyana would be impossible.” However the PPP/C noted its intention to raise in the National Assembly the abuses of State resources by (continued on page 65)
fully prepare cases for the prosecution before charges are laid. If that were done, it would prevent the remand of alleged offenders to prison pending collection of further evidence or advice from the DPP. Kaieteur News understands that both sides recognized the need for a review of sentencing guidelines, the reform of laws to allow the exercise by Magistrates of
greater discretion in imposing sentences, including for drugrelated offences. The need for the police to coordinate with the magistrate in the supervision of community service, instead of a term of imprisonment, was also stressed since community service would keep a number of petty offenders out of the jails. The Prime Minister has expressed great satisfaction
over the progress at the talks, and assured that he would bring to the President’s attention the areas that would require follow-up in order to bring an ease to the prison situation. He disclosed that within an hour of conclusion of talks, he has briefed the President and alerted him about areas for possible government funding of short term initiatives.
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Int’l Observers laud Local Gov’t Elections process The International Observers of the Local Government Elections (LGE) yesterday, declared that the elections were free, fair and credible. The U.S. Embassy, British High Commission and Canadian High Commission yesterday congratulated the Guyanese populace on the democratic process that is, the LGEs which was conducted on Friday. “We wish to reiterate our strong and considered opinion that the voting and counting processes in the Guyanese local government elections were free, fair, and credible,”. The entities stated that their diplomatic observer teams, consisting of some 90 observers, which spread throughout nine regions, found nothing to question the integrity or credibility of the voting process. The International Observers continued that “once again” the Guyana Elections Commission
(GECOM) has done a “credible job” in ensuring that “this critical election day phase of the process was free and fair.” “We would like to congratulate Chairman Dr. Steve Surujbally, Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield, and the Commissioners and staff of the Guyana Elections Commission for their successful organization of these polls.” Meanwhile, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/ C), made several requests in District 6 for limited recounts of polls in several constituencies. This was revealed by the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield at a GECOM press conference yesterday. “The request for recounts were made in the Municipality of Rose Hall, it’s a limited recount where the request is made for recounts in Constituencies 5 and 7. In the Municipality of Maida-
- PPP requests recount in District 6
From Left: Public Relations Officer (PRO)of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Tamara Rodney; GECOM Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally; and the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, at a GECOM Press Conference yesterday at the Commission’s Waterloo Street location. Tarlogie, again on the Corentyne, there’s a request for a recount; limited recount in one particular constituency…and in Macedonia/Joppa Local Authority Area (request) for the recount of one constituency,” In Rose Hall, Lowenfield said, there was a probable tie that might have resulted in the call for a recount. Meanwhile, the issue in the other areas was strictly a
“number games”; all numerical issues. The process was overall a smooth one. Lowenfield continued that there are still some “statutory subsets” for GECOM to satisfy before the entire exercise can be brought to a close. This, he said, will be done in a matter of days as is prescribed within the parameters of the laws that guide the conduct of these
elections. The election was held in 71 Local Authority Areas, which includes 62 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and nine municipalities – an overall total of 508 Constituencies. Of the 508 constituencies,149 of these were a “no contest” since only one party would have expressed interest in contesting in the election. A whopping 507,663
voters were captured on the Official Voters’ List and 1,562 Polling Stations were open to facilitate voting. The Local Authorities (Elections) Act was amended in 2009 to include as many people as possible, apart from political parties to present themselves as candidates. There were 83 groups, three political parties, 63 individual candidates three Political Parties, and 17 voluntary groups.
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Improving the integrity of Georgetown – a work in progress
Town Clerk, Royston King
Georgetown, our capital city.
By Sharmain Grainger There were numerous boastful remarks coming out of City Hall during the past week that Georgetown is well on its way to salvaging the title of “Garden City”. And there is definitely evidence to support this development – cleaner drains and alleyways, tidier streets, and many people seem to be more inclined to embrace a culture of cleanliness. And Town Clerk, Mr. Royston King, has certainly been gaining a lot of support during the past few months to get things done. He was only too proud to speak of this last week. In animated form, he spoke of bringing to fruition projects in abundance, that have helped to evolve the state of the capital city. Key among the projects that have helped to improve
the integrity of the city was the extensive drainage works undertaken. And works in this regard were conducted in Lacytown, Bourda, Wortmanville, Werk-en-Rust, Agricola, McDoom, Houston, Meadow Bank, Campbellville, East and West Ruimveldt, North and South Ruimveldt, Albouystown, Charlestown, Queenstown, Atlantic Ville, Cummings Lodge, Roxanne Burnham Gardens, and a number of other areas. But what was interesting to hear King speak of last week was the fact that the works undertaken were not simply done in a haphazard manner, which was the suspected mode of operation at City Hall in the not so distant past. To carry out the much needed drainage works, the municipality with King at its helm, was able to embrace a strategic tactic which was
dubbed a “community-led model” by the Town Clerk. This, according to him, simply meant that residents from the respective communities were recruited to clean the drains, the alleyways, cut the overgrowth and undertake all the other necessary grooming of their respective environments. A laudable tactic indeed, as based on King’s report there was a twin benefit to reap. This translated to the provision of employment for people who were otherwise unemployed - being recruited to clean-up their own communities, one at a time. This was definitely an initiative that was well backed by Government which has been pushing for a green culture that fosters environmentally friendly ways by the citizenry. Moreover, there were
THE BACCOO SPEAKS When the society thought that things were getting under control, when one thought that the situation in the Camp Street jail would serve as a deterrent to criminal behaviour, some gunmen would come out to continue where they left off toward the end of last year. There would be an execution in the city. There will be another shooting in the eastern part of the country. In both cases the police would strike gold. They are going to make arrests. **
Murder is never far away. A dispute would see a murder in the interior. Alcohol would be at the root of the killing, because some people simply lose all sense of reasoning when they drink. The killer would be set upon by people in the vicinity. He would sustain injuries. ** A fire would break out in a kitchen because someone forgot a pot on the fire for much too long. Quick action by neighbours would avert total disaster.
sufficient funds made available to the municipality to fuel its ‘community-led’ model. According to King, the municipality was able to provide contracts to the tune of $1.5 million to these communities. Ahead of the awarding of contracts though, each community had to submit the
names of up to about 20 individuals participating in the projects. And according to King, the completion of each community project spanned a period of at least 21 days. “We believe it worked well for us, because in the first instance we gave people a chance to participate in an activity aimed at cleaning up
the environment, and the second thing we were able to do was to have them take ownership and responsibility for the physical state of their communities,” King asserted. He continued, “We believe if residents take ownership for the condition of their own local communities we will get Continued on page 46
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Can Guyana checkmate tax evasion with FATCA? (Part 2) By Kiana Wilburg Two weeks ago, I shared with you, extracts of my interview with Chartered Accountant Shawn Naughton, on the importance of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and how Guyana stands to benefit from getting on board. But as it is with everything, there are advantages and disadvantages, and in our discussion, Naughton and I examined both sides of the spectrum. For those who missed the first edition, FATCA is an international tax tool for improving compliance by US taxpayers with the tax laws of the USA. The US tax laws provide that all its citizens and resident taxpayers are to be taxed on their worldwide income. In that edition, Naughton addressed some key issues, expounding on the effect FATCA would have on Guyana and concerns about FATCA as it relates to Guyana. (See the following link for more details: http:// www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2016/03/06/can-guyana-
checkmate-tax-evasionwith-fatca/) Today, we look at Guyana’s ability to receive information about its elusive taxpayers through this programme, and what is required of Guyana in order to be eligible for it. Kaieteur News (KN): From what you have said, the residence of a taxpayer is important in deciding which country has the right to tax a person. Please clarify how this works. Shawn Naughton (SN): The question of taxing rights is a sovereign issue and must be provided for via the domestic tax laws of a country. It is however true that the taxresidence of a person and the place in which he earns his income are the two most common factors determining which country has the right to tax that income. Guyana’s tax laws provide that all income earned in Guyana should be taxed in Guyana. This is commonly referred to as “source taxing rights” (the right to tax income sourced in that country). Virtually all countries agree
that if income is earned in that country it should be taxed there, so they have included this rule in their tax laws. Taxing rights based on a taxpayers’ residence and/or citizenship is a secondary taxing right. What this means is, should a taxpayer earn income in one country but is a resident or a citizen of another country he may be subjected to “taxing-up” in the second country. The first country would have priority rights to tax (source taxing rights) and the second taxing-up rights. As an example, if you are a citizen of the USA but earn salary in Guyana of $2,000, Guyana will tax the $2,000 (since the money was sourced here). USA would tax the same $2,000 because you are a US citizen. If the Guyana tax on the $2,000 turns out to be say $500 and US tax $600, USA will tax-up ($600-$500=$100 which should be paid to USA). Effectively the USA has given relief for the Guyana tax paid (called double tax relief) since the $2,000 income was taxed twice (once by Guyana and again
$600-$0=$600 since Guyana waved its rights to tax. Simply stated, in many cases the company would not end up getting a tax waiver or exemption, as a result of foreign tax paid, and Guyana would lose the tax revenue. Care should therefore be taken when offering tax waivers to companies.
Chartered Accountant, Shawn Naughton by the USA). Note that Guyana’s tax laws also provide for double tax relief. If a company which is subject to source taxing in Guyana (because it operates here) is offered a period of ‘no tax’, whether or not it makes a profit during that period, the company could end up being taxed in full in its country of residence, since there is no tax paid in Guyana to relieve. Continuing with the example, the US tax would be
KN: Is determining residence difficult? How is it determined? SN: Well first let me explain that the USA is one of only a few countries to tax based on citizenship. In the USA, citizenship for taxing purposes is based on the country’s immigration law definition of a citizen. Tax-residence is however a term defined by tax law. The residence of an individual is usually based on that individual’s presence in a country. The individual’s connections to the country may need to be considered, in addition to presence, where presence alone cannot establish residence. A company’s country of
residence is usually where it was incorporated and/or where it is managed. In Guyana, a company is resident where it is managed and controlled. Given this definition, a company could have been incorporated and operating in Barbados, but be Guyana resident for tax purposes. This fact has implications for Guyanese taxpayers who may register a company in say, Delaware USA, a tax haven which charges no tax on company profits, in an attempt to avoid paying Guyana tax. Such a company may still remain taxable here if it is managed and controlled here. It should be noted that Guyana’s definition of a company’s residence makes migration of such companies (changing its place of residence; place with taxing up rights) relatively easy. The place of incorporation is the place of residence of a company under US tax law. For a US incorporated company to migrate, another company with a foreign place (continued on page 45)
Sunday March 20, 2016
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== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==
Al Pacino is among a list of ten artists drawn from around the world that I would put as the best talent I have seen on film. I always wondered why I chose “People I know” as my favourite Pacino movie. I even bought the DVD for my daughter. Actually the film comes close to run-of-the-mill stuff, without any flair or subtlety or sophistication to the plot, but it is the Pacino film I prefer. The reason has to be Freudian. The overall theme of the film is that people are not what you think they are. I don’t need an Al Pacino ‘B’ grade movie to tell me that. But still the film has a subliminal message – people will always be found in places where others are deceived into thinking they are positive humans. I think it is because there are deep aspects to my personal life, I have chosen
“People I Know” as my favourite Pacino flick. I was reminded the other day in the Kaieteur News offices that I am still to write my memoirs. If I write my memoirs there will be two opposing kinds of reactions. To bat safely, I will have to evade historical facts and philosophical and moral indictments of PEOPLE I KNOW (my emphasis). It will be a boring read. Guyanese will laugh at me and inquire why I wrote with such unexciting aridity. If I was to speak my mind on the PEOPLE I KNOW, I will spend every day of my life until I die, walking up the steps of the High Court to respond to thousands of lawsuits. I may tell the truth and the truth will hurt many who sit in high places, on high moral pedestals, and many who are supposed to be icons for the present and future generations to look up to.
I thought of this Pacino movie when I read that the President said that after the over 50 forensic audits into governmental entities are complete, foreign investigators will be brought in. The President went on to state that he is in favour of local personnel, but there may be the need to have foreign people. I take a different position. I don’t want to see any local police or local financial expert or judicial investigator, period. Let me digress a bit. I never thought I could entertain thoughts of opposing the eradication of the Privy Council in London to replace it with our own Caribbean Court of Justice. At the philosophical and cultural levels, I am a quintessential Caribbean man. Life without the Caribbean presence in me is something I never contemplated and I will never think of. But my attitude to the
Privy Council came under serious strain when I spent five years in the High Court defending President Jagdeo’s libel writ and the contempt of court writ filed by Juan Edghill. There and then I began to understand why the Trinidadian and Jamaican people are hesitant about stopping the white man in London from hearing appeals from Caribbean lower courts. Maybe they think those British judges have more integrity and independence than our Caribbean judges. I don’t blame them. What I saw in those five years scared me about the Caribbean Court of Justice. In another article I will have more to say about the court papers for division of property by the former wife of anti-colonial icon and practicing attorney, Ashton Chase. Let’s return to the foreign investigators.
My contention is that in an extremely sensitive issue like the decision to charge and prosecute former highlevel functionaries of the former PPP Government, I have no faith in scores of our police officers, financial experts and judicial officials. Don’t get me wrong. I never used the word “ALL.” I wrote the word, SCORES.” And those “SCORES” will come from those very professions I referred to a few lines above. There is a complex, labyrinthine web that permeates this society in frightening ways. I am not only frightened, but live in deep dread about only Guyanese police, Guyanese financial experts and Guyanese judicial officials being left to make the decision to decide if wrongdoing was done, after they research the findings of the forensic audits. I repeat what I believe in,
Frederick Kissoon and I hold that belief the way a churchgoer accepts the existence of God – there should be foreign investigators who should be given the authority to make pronouncements on the violation of the law during the life of the past regime. My dear readers, you think you know the PEOPLE I KNOW? Sorry if I sound chauvinistic, but you don’t. This is a sinful, devilish, immoral country. I sound religious, even though I am not.
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Sunday March 20, 2016
GOVT. RECALIBRATING CARBON CREDITS AGREEMENT WITH NORWAY The landmark agreement between Norway and Guyana signed in 2009 was supposed to have been premised on renewable energy initiatives, indigenous community development projects, development of the ICT sector, and establishment of a state-of-the-art biodiversity research centre at the University of Guyana. From 2009 to 2015 next to none of these was accomplished. According to Norway in 2009, “Guyana remains heavily forested and does not currently face significant deforestation pressure”. That was pre-Baishanlin. Forest cover had remained constant between 1990 and 2005, then former president Bharrat Jagdeo began travelling the world offering to place Guyana’s forests under international supervision if other countries paid ‘his
citizens’ to “not deforest the tropical landscapes”. His campaign received major support when Norway announced first a $30 million recompense for Guyana to implement an “avoided deforestation” plan with a promise of an additional US$250M through to 2015. It was one of the biggest forest conservation deals ever signed. It was also an economic handshake for this small nation that boasted an intact rainforest covering an area larger than England. Both sides had signaled their intention to “provide the world with a working example of how partnerships between developed and developing countries can save the world’s tropical forests”. This was not Jagdeo’s first foray into the developed world seeking recompense for keeping Guyana’s forests
intact. Prior to the 2009 signing with Norway, Jagdeo had made an unprecedented offer in 2007 to place Guyana’s entire standing forests under the control of a British-led international body in return for a bilateral deal with the UK to secure development aid and the technical assistance needed to switch to a low carbon economy. That was a nonstarter. Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) is a worldwide effort to create a financial value for the carbon stored in forests, offering incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions, and encouraging domestic and foreign investments in low-carbon projects. REDD+ goes beyond deforestation and forest degradation. It
includes forest conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. The deal with Norway was inked under the REDD+ initiative. Guyana’s responsibility was to maintain the delicate balance between economic activities such as mining and logging and preserving its stands of forests. The deal was essentially an economic incentive for the government to keep our forests intact. Norway kept its promise and disbursed a portion of the funds over the first two years, but by 2011 the PPP government had begun to renege on its end of the bargain. Holes – huge cutouts very visible from high altitude - began to appear in the forest canopy then a major local newspaper, the Kaieteur News, printed a damning expose on the unchecked,
careless desecration and diminution of our forests by the Chinese logging company, Baishanlin, and the Indian company Vaitarna Holdings. Timber was being cut without regard to specie or age and exported in unbelievably large quantities with little to no monitoring by the PPP government and its agencies. Norway took a step back around 2012 to re-examine the deliverables on the Guyana side. They discovered our broken promises, the decimated forests and consequently activated the prescribed measures to prorate carbon credit payments to Guyana. The agreement expired in 2015 with approximately half of the agreed US$250M unremitted to Guyana. Then another damning discovery was made this
year. Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, announced that all, 100% of our productive forests had been parceled out by the PPP government before they were booted out of office in May 2015. This betrayal of Guyanese people and their children’s children, the betrayal of the unprecedented lucrative agreement with Norway, and of Guyana’s international image and standing was difficult for Guyanese to swallow. It exposed the venal intentions of Jagdeo and his cronies to pocket the benefits of Norway’s largesse without delivering on the binding commitments they made with Norway and the rest of the Climate Change community. When the excrement went airborne, they (PPP) sought to do some damage control by Continued on page 46
Sunday March 20, 2016
Kaieteur News
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MY COLUMN
One must always believe I have heard people say, repeatedly, “Never say never.” Indeed all things are possible and if anyone needed an example, then that person only had to watch how England chased down 229 in a 20-over game on Friday. For starters, when South Africa posted more than 80 in the first six overs, many of us cricket pundits concluded that the game had been taken away from England. I am certain that even the staunchest English supporter concluded that the game was all but over. When it was their turn the England team did even better in the first six overs. In the end that team prevailed and boosted the view that one should never say never. When the crime wave was at its highest there were many who said that there would be no end to the crime situation. It became a political issue. The opposition made it a campaign issue and spoke of plans to curb it. The government people on the campaign trail
tried to nullify the situation by contending that should the opposition get into power then it would send its people to rob and rape the government supporters. Never say never. The crime dipped so spectacularly that people began to relax. Then something else happened. The police suddenly went into the archives and began to solve crimes that had seemed unsolvable. Before long the police began to arrest people soon after they committed crimes. I remember earlier this year when there was a spate of murders in West Berbice. There was a particularly gruesome killing that saw two people being hacked to death in their own homes. No one in the neighborhood wanted to believe that the killers actually came from among them. But the police did, and arrested them hours later. And this was after the same group had torched a house and caused the death of a woman.
Again, there was the adage that one should never say never. At least the criminals learnt that they should not believe that they would never be caught. There was the question of cleaning up Georgetown. Things had reached the stage where people came to the belief that the city would never be clean again as it once was in the early days. Indeed, the government had released $1 billion to clean up the city and the other parts of the country. But for all that money, Georgetown was just as stink. Suddenly things changed. Today it is a showpiece. People are actually boasting about their city and inviting people to come and see it. Of course, there have been criticisms about the spending but as things go, there will always be criticisms no matter what one does. The Kitty Market was consigned to the rubble pile. Today it is being rehabilitated, something that people
thought was impossible. Of course, I am still wondering why things had to reach such a stage that the authorities had to close sections of the market.But there is more to this adage. Soon after May, after people had come to believe that there was rampant corruption during the tenure of the previous administration, there were a series of audits. Preliminary reports were that there was a lot wrong. That was how people began to say that many were going to jail.I did read some of the reports and I also concluded that the prison doors would soon open to welcome new occupants. Months passed and soon people began to conclude that people would never go to jail. But given the old adage I would say that people should have patience. There should be no hurry to charge, because we all know that it is useless to rush when the evidence just would not stand up in a court of law. But what have the
auditors found? For one, they never sought to have someone examine the income tax returns of some of the previous leaders. Many of them became filthy rich, but I am certain that they paid the barest minimum in taxes. In the United States, the authorities were in pursuit of members of the Mafia. They couldn’t catch them with drugs nor did they get them on smuggled items such as alcohol and guns. But they got them on taxes. Many of them could not show the taxes they paid to justify the assets they had. The tax collectors, perhaps fearful of Government authority, simply turned a blind eye to many of them. The message was that the tax people were never going to go after these white collar tax dodgers. Now that there is a change in the administration, I am not prepared to say that they would never be brought to justice.
Adam Harris The decision would be taken to go back seven years. That is when those who say that the big ones are never made to pay for their sins would be proven wrong. I remember the days when one had to get tax clearances before one could leave the country. In those days, regardless of whether one was an ordinary public servant or a Government Minister, one had to pay one’s taxes. So rather than saying that the tax people would never go after the big ones, simply believe that one should never say never.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday March 20, 2016
The Father of Local Government in British Guiana - James McFarlane Corry (Address by His Excellency President David Granger on Thursday March 17, 2016 at the commemoration service in honour of James McFarlane Corry) James McFarlane Corry is the acknowledged and celebrated ‘Father of Local Government in British Guiana.’ He is remembered for his sedulous work in Den Amstel and in the villages of Guyana and for his visionary leadership in the establishment of a chain of Cooperative Credit banks. CORRY, THE MAN James McFarlane Corry was born in 1850, the son of a Congregational Minister of the Bethesda group of churches in West Demerara. He worshipped in the Congregational Church and a memorial plaque is attached to the Eastern wall of the Smith’s Memorial Church in Georgetown paying tribute to his stewardship. He also attended Bethesda Congregational School and Queen’s College. Den Amstel and Fellowship was declared to be a ‘Village District’ in 1892. Corry was elected its third Village Chairman in 1895 and served until 1922. He was a village leader, founding the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) branch in Den Amstel in 1888 and remaining President for 27 Years. The Association was credited, at that time, with providing for “…the moral and intellectual
H.E. President David Granger
improvement of the villagers…” among other things. He was a professional man, becoming a
Magistrate’s Clerk in 1881 and being regarded as “…an example of thoroughness in the preparation and presentation of his work.” He was appointed as a stipendiary Magistrate in 1911 and also served as a Justice of the Peace in this District (West Demerara). CORRYAND THE CONTEMPORARY CONDITIONS The ‘Village Movement’ started in 1839, the year after Emancipation. The peasant proprietors, in little over a decade, expended over one million dollars to acquire more than 6,000 hectares to establish our first villages. About half of the former enslaved population, about 40,000 persons, moved from the plantations into free villages during that period. Sugar planters, known collectively in history as the ‘Plantocracy’, controlled the legislature, known as the ‘Court of Policy’. They tried every device, legislative and vindictive, to strangle the development of free villages which rivalled the plantations for labour. There were, nevertheless, numerous outstanding examples of resilience and independence in agriculture, manufacture and village management. Some villages had begun to establish agricultural societies and to hold ‘District Agricultural Shows.’ Christian Improvement Associations were formed and a Conference of School Managers and Teachers
was inaugurated in 1896. Many villages, however, suffered from repeated flooding, disease and declining production and population. CORRY, THE CHAIRMAN Corry, at this time serving as Chairman of Den Amstel, inaugurated the countrywide Village Chairmen’s Conference. He was elected its first Chairman in 1904 and served for two decades until his death in 1924. Norman Cameron, in his book ‘The Evolution of the Negro,’ wrote of Corry’s tenure as Chairman of the Conference: His annual addresses “preserved his views on local government, the serious attitude which he took of the share of government entrusted to the villagers, his passionate appeals to his fellow Chairmen and Councillors for co-operation and to Government for fair-play and a recognition of their services.” The Village Chairman’s Conference was aimed at improving village life and strengthening local democracy. Cameron wrote that its objective was: “…that those who were appointed Chairmen should come together, year after year, discuss village affairs, make suggestions among themselves for the improvement of the Villages and, generally, to get such Continued on page 48
Sunday March 20, 2016
Kaieteur News
The realities of A&E Departments that you may not know By Dr. Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine As I was reading a blog from an emergency medicine physician on patient misconceptions of an Emergency Department (ED), I couldn’t help but to share some of it today and add some local flair. It is unfortunate but EDs are considered to be one of the most misunderstood places. Even Hospital Administrators often fail to grasp the real role of EDs. It is a dynamic environment where the best decisions are most often made by the persons working there daily. Today I will share a few of many misunderstood facts on EDs which I hope to help enlighten you on what’s really going on in the medical fast lane. OUR MAIN GOAL IS TO SAVE THE SICKEST FIRST Wait times in most EDs are ridiculous. But, if you have a real emergency, you won’t have to wait. We have protocols that classify persons according to their levels of illness. If you have a life-threatening condition you will be seen long before the person who checked in for a police medical because of a spat with someone else. Patients with chief complaints like “gunshot to abdomen” and “found down/ unresponsive” don’t wait to be seen. And if the day ever comes (God forbid) that you have one of those problems, you won’t either. WE MAY NOT ALWAYS TRUST YOU You may be the most honest person in the world, but a little bit of skepticism is part of doing our job well. We have patients who fake illnesses just to get family attention. Then there are relatives who make up symptoms so that they can leave their elderly relative with us while they get on with life. So please bear with us if we do a pregnancy test although you said you are not sexually active. PHONES ARE NOT YOUR FRIEND IN THE ED Please put down your phone while we’re in the room. If you answer your phone while being spoken to then it tells the ED staff that although you came to see a health care professional you are, in fact, more interested in speaking with someone else. Taking videos of patients and staff is also wrong and unethical. EATING IN THE ED IS OFTEN NOT THE BEST OPTION If you’re the patient, don’t expect to eat until your workup is over. Nurses spend ridiculous amounts of time
Dr. Zulfikar Bux trying to track down doctors to ask if the abdominal pain patient on bed 18 can eat. Every shift I hear a patient literally complain about hunger (Which is often a good sign that he/she is not that sick.) If there is any possibility you might need to be sedated for a procedure, you don’t get to eat. You won’t starve. I promise. It’s one of those places where eating may cause more harm than good. PAIN HAS NEVER KILLED ANYONEAND SOMETIMES ZERO PAIN IS UNREALISTIC. When you put your hand on the stove, pain tells you to pull it away to avoid deeper, more serious burns. Pain is a safety mechanism, a warning. Acute pain is miserable and all-consuming, but it won’t kill you unless the cause will kill you. Chronic pain is depressing and debilitating but if the cause is not life-threatening, the pain is not life-threatening (it just feels like it). Sometimes the only possible way to take away all your pain is to give you so much medication you stop breathing reliably. You living on a breathing machine until your neck strain gets better just isn’t an option. WE MAY NOT ALWAYS BE ABLE TO COMFORT YOUR WANTS Hospitals are putting a
huge emphasis on service and “customer satisfaction.” But we are busy. If I’m rushing to get back to a patient with a heart rate of 160 and you ask me for a blanket, it puts me in a bad spot. I want to acknowledge your request, but it’s hard for me to justify going to get it right at that moment. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve finished running through a plan with the patient (my priority) when a family member asks me to get him/her some food or coffee. Administration wants us to serve you, to look out for your comfort, which is important, but we are more concerned about the other sick patients waiting for us to come to their help. It is a hard road to walk, but we will always have to err on the side of taking care of the sick over comfort. WE MAY NOT ALWAYS MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS We don’t want you in the ED any longer than you have to be in the ED. We’d love to discharge you. We’d love to get you a bed upstairs. But if these things aren’t happening, it’s not because we’ve forgotten about you. If you get labs and an imaging study, no less than seven people will have been involved in your ED course. Your care may not be efficient, but it should be thorough and excellent. Sometimes, your expectations won’t be met. This may be because your expectations were inconsistent with sound medical guidelines; or it may be because, despite our best efforts, we failed to provide you with ideal care, but everyone is genuinely trying to do right by you. If you have concerns, please voice them (as calmly and respectfully as you can). We want to figure everything out, make you feel better. My best advice is to avoid the emergency department altogether if you can. But if you have a real emergency, there’s no better place to be.
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Sunday March 20, 2016
SUNDAY SPECIAL NATIONALASSEMBLY CLERK ACQUIRES 54,000 ACRES OF MINING LANDS – SAYS NO LAWS BROKEN
Winston Brassington
Sherlock Isaacs Over a three-year period, starting in 2012, long-serving Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, managed to acquire over 45 concessions of mining lands. However, the official last week Saturday (Mar. 12) said that nothing in the law bars him from conducting mining operations. The lands are in excess of 54,000 acres. There have been concerns in recent years, especially by small miners, over the availability of mining lands. The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), as regulator for mining, has been under constant fire for its handling of mining lands. Isaacs’ name was among a number of others on a list released to Kaieteur News, with question marks raised. With his position as Clerk of the National Assembly, Isaacs as a Constitutional Office holder has a critical public administrative role as well as being a specialist in the rules of parliamentary procedures and practices. When contacted, the official explained that the concessions were applied for and legally granted for the conduct of mining operations. “No illegal or unlawful act was committed. Article 158(5) (c) of the Constitution is clear. It does not prevent me, as Clerk of the National Assembly, from being in business,” he said. The Constitution, Isaacs insisted, does not say that he cannot be a farmer or miner and cannot hold concessions for agricultural or mining purposes. SALE OF GTT 20% SHARES…NEW GOVT’S HANDS TIED DUE TO RECKLESS SALE CONTRACT – ODLE From all indications, the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL)—under Winston Brassington’s management—was in such a haste to sell Government’s share in the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) Company that it failed terribly to formulate a proper sale agreement. As a result, the new government is having a hard time trying to secure the outstanding sum owed by Datang Telecom Technology and Industry Group. In 2012, NICIL sold Government’s shares in GT&T for US$30M of which Datang paid up US$25M. The balance of US$5M was to be paid within a period of two years, but that
account is yet to be settled. Brassington failed to get the Chinese company to settle its debt. Because NICIL’s management has been unable to secure the outstanding sum, the Board of NICIL has intervened. However, even the Board is having a hard time in this regard. Chairman of NICIL’s Board of Directors, Dr. Maurice Odle, told Kaieteur News that Datang is now saying that it will not pay up unless it is given more seats on GTT’s Board of Directors. The 20 percent shares it now owns only entitles Datang to one seat on the Board. However, the company is holding out that it must inherit all that the Government of Guyana enjoyed while it was in possession of the shares. It was a case of government having a privileged position and being given two seats on the Board. But according to Dr. Odle, GTT is not willing to give Datang more than that to which it is entitled. Dr. Odle, who described GTT as an “innocent partner” said that the telephone company is maintaining that Government and Datang have to sort out their own problems. However, he said that the company is only willing to give Datang a seat commensurate with the amount of shares it owns. “Nothing more, nothing less”.
Chairman of the GNBA board, Leonard Craig available in the radio spectrum for new applicants, some major spots are already taken up. Considering this, some officials within GNBA and even critics outside of the entity are questioning Nagamootoo’s reasoning for favouring the award of new licences without addressing expeditiously, those illegally granted. On several occasions, the Chairman of the GNBA board, Leonard Craig has been questioned on this state of affairs. Before Nagamootoo’s utterances to the media, Craig had failed to give any clear answer on the revocation of unlawful licences. He would only say that the Board will host a press conference with the media. He made this promise last year and this year and it is yet to be fulfilled. US$138M CJIA EXPANSION…GOVT. WILL NOT HONOUR “SWEETHEART TAX PRIVILEGES” PPP GRANTED CONTRACTOR
Patterson said that while some of these changes have already been explained to the media, he highlighted that one “sweetheart tax privilege” that was removed, was the arrangement for the former Ministry of Public Works to pay all customs duties for CHEC, should any of its requests be refused by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). This was enshrined in the initial US$138M contract. In a brief but impassioned statement, the Minister of Public Infrastructure asserted, “The coalition administration is determined to regularize the system of how contracts were granted and how they were crafted under the previous regime. But we want to ensure we do this the right way. In addition to this, when we review contracts, Government, I assure, would not follow through with honouring sweetheart privileges granted to contractors under the past regime. It simply can’t, because it would only foster an unfair, bitter and lopsided environment, the very kind that we are making moves to destroy.” TUESDAY EDITION BENEFITTING IN OFFICE….MAKE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE – RAM
MONDAY EDITION PRIME SPOTS ON BROADCASTING SPECTRUM GONE – GNBA OFFICIALS Signals from Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo that he may issue new broadcasting licences instead of rescinding those illegally granted under the Jagdeo regime are not being well received by several officials within the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) and other critics outside of the entity. The officials who spoke with Kaieteur News last Sunday said that Nagamootoo would be making a big political mistake were he to follow through with such an approach. They made it clear that the system has to be regularized. Towards this end, the officials emphasized that the illegalities in the Broadcasting sector, one of which includes the unlawful granting of radio and cable licences by Former President Bharat Jagdeo to his friends and “favourites”, must be addressed. Significantly, Kaieteur News was also made aware by several officials within GNBA that all the prime spots for television channel frequencies, as well as cable are all gone because of the PPP’s ad hoc scheme. They noted that while some space is still
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo
Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson The review of contracts signed under the previous administration may be seen by some critics as a slow process, but Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson assured that it is a procedure that will be fulfilled effectively. To support his position in this regard, he made reference to the fact that Government has made the bold move of reviewing the contract of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport granted to China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC). The now amended contract, he says, removes unfair practices and policies which were signed in the deal.
In recent years, public officials and other executives of state agencies have been coming under fire for questionable decisions taken during the course of their duties. Recently, another scenario has crept in—that of officials receiving concessions like mining lands and other benefits while in office- some of them extravagant. In a number of cases, some of the officials in defending their questionable decisions said they were following instructions from the Government. While the decisions taken and the land and other concessions that the officials benefitted from might not have been illegal, the transactions have raised serious ethical and moral questions. On Monday, Attorney-at-Law and President of the Guyana Bar Association, Christopher Ram, was of the firm belief that the urgent adoption of a Code of Conduct for public officials, which is in draft form at the moment, will solve of the dilemma facing the David Granger administration. ”Our position (Bar Association) is that any Code of Conduct for public officials should be one that is legally enforceable. You cannot have a code that no one takes (Continued on page 33)
Sunday March 20, 2016
(From page 32) seriously because of an absence of penalties,” Ram said. RAMJATTAN MAINTAINS THAT JAGDEO’S BROADCASTING LICENCES MUST BE REVOKED
Khemraj Ramjattan Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, said, Monday, that he has said enough on the campaign trail about the importance of the revocation of all illegally granted broadcasting licences and as such, will maintain those statements today. His comments were in response to questions about Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo favouring the issuing of more licences as opposed to the revocation of illegal ones. Ramjattan made it clear that he would not comment on Nagamootoo’s statements at this time but reiterated that his position on the matter, as expressed on the 2015 election campaign trail, will remain unchanged. The Minister of Public Security had emphasized during that time that there is no doubt that the issuing of radio licences and the spectrum to certain people alone is something that is unconstitutional and is repugnant to any true democracy. Ramjattan had said that former President Bharat Jagdeo’s calculated granting of the licences was political and deemed it “control freakism”. REMIGRANT FOUND DEAD WITH HANDS AND FEET BOUND IN SOESDYKE HOUSE
Anthony Breedy When residents of Hill Foot, Soesdyke did not see Anthony Breedy on Monday morning, alarm bells began ringing. They
Kaieteur News
checked his house and made a shocking discovery at around 11:00 hours. The 60-year-old agriculturist’s body was found in the lower flat of his two-storey house, with multiple injuries to his head. His hands and feet were bound. Police are almost convinced that Breedy was the victim of a robbery, since parts of his home were ransacked. His sister Yvette Breedy told this newspaper that she last spoke to him on Saturday. She said that she received a call from someone who told her that there was a robbery at her brother’s house and they should check on him. Anthony Breedy lived alone. Yvette Breedy said when they arrived at the house they were shocked by what they saw. “Somebody went to see him and saw the house open. When they called they got no response. When they pushed the door and went in, they saw him lying on the floor tied up,” Yvette Breedy told this newspaper. The woman said she is unaware that her brother had any problems with anyone. According to family members, Anthony Breedy was an agriculturist who returned to Guyana a year ago from Montserrat. He was reportedly farming on the plot of land he acquired in the Linden/Soesdyke Highway.
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not properly managing the lands it had under its control. Worth billions of dollars, large swaths of lands, especially on the East Bank of Demerara, between Eccles and Diamond, were parceled off to several private developers, including Chinese companies. It involved several hundreds of acres of prime lands, including for areas behind Republic Park, at Providence, Herstelling, and even in the Golden Grove area. The lands were sold for between $500,000 per acre to up to $9M per acre, with no clear indications what impacted the price difference. DR. ROOPNARAINE AT ODDS WITH NAGAMOOTOO OVER GRANTED RADIO LICENCES
TEEN BURIEDALIVE ASANOTHER PIT CAVES-IN
WEDNESDAY EDITION GOVT. REFUSES TO ACT AGAINST ERRANT HOUSING DEVELOPERS …AS THOUSANDS LANGUISH FOR HOUSE LOTS – SAME SITUATION EXISTS WITH RADIO LICENCES
Former Minister of Housing, Irfaan Ali In recent years, housing developments across the nation and gold mining became two of the biggest drivers of the economy. With a huge demand for house lots and even turn-key homes, the spinoffs have created thousands of jobs for contractors, hardware suppliers, surveyors and financial institutions to the tune of billions of dollars annually. However, the housing sector has slowed significantly as Government essentially runs out of land. It is the same with the radio frequencies with dozens of applications not being processed and there are no useful frequencies available. More than 25,000 housing applications exist on file across the country. In East Demerara, there are no more lands available, housing officials and Government say. A vast number of those 25,000 applications are for the Demerara area. It appears now that the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), under former Minister of Housing, Irfaan Ali, was
Soesdyke home on Monday. The killers then made off with Breedy’s Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) and other valuables. But the ex-convict’s luck ran out Tuesday, when police arrested him on the East Coast of Demerara, shortly after he had stashed the stolen vehicle. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum revealed that the suspect was still carrying Mr. Breedy’s Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card when he was held. The Crime Chief also said that police recovered the victim’s vehicle at Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara. The detained man is Paul Goriah, of Timehri Squatting Area. He was recently released from prison following a break and enter and larceny and narcotics conviction. His alleged accomplices are also from the same Timehri squatting community. Blanhum said that the suspect is cooperating with investigators, while police continue to hunt for the other suspects.
Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine “You may say one thing on the election campaign trail, but when you get into office and it does not seem as though you can deliver what is expected, then you have an obligation to explain it to your supporters.” This was Education Minister, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine’s response to recent statements attributed to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo on radio licences arbitrarily granted under the Jagdeo regime. The First Vice President said, recently, that he would prefer to see new licences being issued as opposed to the revocation of others. Dr. Roopnaraine told this newspaper, Tuesday, he would not want to contradict his Prime Minister in public, but noted that his views during the 2015 election campaign trail on the matter remain unchanged. The Minister of Education said that the radio licences which were granted during the Jagdeo rule, indeed represent a most grave injustice on the nation. He said that he believes that it has to be reviewed. The Member of Parliament said, “Indeed the licences were arbitrarily given out. This was my position on the campaign trail and I maintain it today. But I do know that we promised the nation that we would review those licences, the conditions under which they were granted, and the violations which occurred since then. ”We should move seriously and expeditiously in that manner and be guided by the outcome of that review. If the review finds that the licences were unlawfully granted as we believe them to be, then by all means they should be revoked.” EX-CON, TWO OTHERS KILLED SOESDYKE REMIGRANT – BANK CARD, VEHICLE RECOVERED A 28-year-old ex-convict and two others killed 60-year-old remigrant Anthony Breedy, whose bound body was found in his Hill Foot,
The country’s regulator of the mining sector is upset with the casual attitude of some miners when it comes to safety. The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) made this assertion on Tuesday following news that yet another mine worker has perished in a pit cave-in. This time, the incident occurred in the Konawaruk area Mining District 2 in Region Eight. The victim is 19-year-old Trenton Sebastian. GGMC stated that at approximately 15:15 hrs on March 14, 2016 (Monday), a pit cavein occurred while a dredge purportedly owned by a Sherwin Grenada was operating.” A team of GGMC officials and police travelled to the area to conduct investigations. THURSDAY EDITION PM NAGAMOOTOO IN FAVOUR OF REVOKING ILLEGAL RADIO LICENCES Amidst mounting criticisms from various quarters, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, on Wednesday, clarified his stance on the radio, television and cable licences which were granted during the Jagdeo regime. The First Vice President stated that he is all for the revocation of those licences. He emphasized that it is the position he held during the election campaign and it is the same today. Nagamootoo said that he has decided to clear the air on the matter because his comments at the commissioning of the teleport for the National Communications Network were “misinterpreted.” ”My comments were misconstrued. If they were reported on in the manner in which it was meant then we would not have all these different statements against me.” Nagamootoo emphasized that his comments were in no way meant to signal to the nation that he is against the revocation of licences which were illegally awarded to certain individuals. He noted that it is not his responsibility or job to do so. He said that this rests with the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA). ”GNBA has to do their job and revoking licences is their issue. If I interfere, I would be accused of political interference. I know that the board has set up a subcommittee to look (Continued on page 34)
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Kaieteur News
Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd
Attorney-at-Law Selwyn Pieters
(From page 33) into this matter and it is chaired by Anthony Vieira.” He is knowledgeable in broadcasting and is capable and competent in this regard. But I cannot pronounce on the work of the board or the subcommittee on that matter. They would have to pronounce on that.”
where you were?” Lewis made it clear that he did not see any officers during that time, but that they were finally informed that the front door was open by a prisoner who appeared next to him on the catwalk. Lewis also denied seeing prisoners blocking other prisoners from leaving.
PRISON DEATHS COI…PRISON OFFICERS MADE NO EFFORT TO FREE INMATES DURING THE FIRE- PRISONER
REMIGRANT TOOK KILLER TO HIS HOME -POLICE DETAIN SUSPECT’S GIRLFRIEND WITH LOOT
Capital A Block inmate, Dwayne Lewis, who continued his testimony Wednesday before the tribunal probing the circumstances of the deaths of 17 Camp Street prisoners, has submitted sworn statements that, contrary to what is being portrayed, no efforts were made to free prisoners trapped in the burning cell block. Lewis, a Muslim, made these statements under questioning from Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd. Todd made these queries after Lewis’ intense cross examination by Selwyn Pieters, legal representative of the Guyana Police
Sunday March 20, 2016
Police have arrested the girlfriend of the man who has confessed to killing 60-yearold re-migrant Agriculturist Anthony Breedy. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed Wednesday that the woman was held in the vicinity of the Demerara Harbour Bridge early Wednesday morning with some of the items stolen from Breedy’s house, in a car that she was driving. According to the Crime Chief, the woman’s house at Bagotville was subse-
Dwayne Lewis having a look at pictures presented by Selwyn Pieters
East Coast of Demerara, shortly after he had hidden Breedy’s stolen vehicle. At the time he was still carrying Breedy’s Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card. The body of the 60-year-old agriculturist was found around 11:00 hours on Monday in the lower flat of his house at Hill Foot, Soesdyke. His limbs were bound and he bore injuries to his head. His home was ransacked.
According to the agreement, the Qualanders were to pay $10M up front and the balance with the passing of the transport. The price would raise eyebrows as other developers were made to pay between $4M and $9M per acre, further north on East Bank Demerara, in the Providence and Herstelling areas.
US$50M INDIAN SECURED FOR EAST BANK/EAST COAST ROAD PROJECT
SUBCOMMITTEE RECOMMENDED ILLEGAL RADIO LICENCES MUST BE REVOKED “WE HAVE TO START FROM SCRATCH” –GNBA MEMBER
Guyana will now be able to benefit from a US$50M line of credit for the East Coast/East Bank Road Linkage Project. This was made possible through an agreement that was signed Wednesday between Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan and the Exim Bank of India. Present at the meeting which was held at the Boardroom of the Ministry of Finance was Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson and other officials of his Ministry. Also present was Indian High Commissioner, Venkatachalam Mahalingam, who said that the agreement represents just one phase of the project. He said that he is anxiously awaiting the award of the contract.
THREE DAYS BEFORE 2011 ELECTIONS… RAMOTAR’S CLOSE FRIEND BUYS PRIME LAND AT $0.5M PER ACRE, OTHERS PAY $4M-$9M PER ACRE
Chairman of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA), Leonard Craig continues to dodge questions which require him to explain to the nation where the Authority is on the revocation of the illegally granted licences under the Jagdeo regime. This is in spite of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo making it clear two days ago that Craig would be the one to set the record straight. On Thursday Kaieteur News contacted Craig on the issue. He said, “I am not willing to make a statement on this matter just yet. We are meeting next week on it. I am not willing to speak on this today and I shall speak on this at a press conference after our meeting.” The GNBA Chairman said that his Public Relations Officer would be dealing with the information on the related dates. It was since (Continued on page 35)
The Diamond and Golden Grove housing schemes, East Bank Demerara, have been described as two of the largest in the country. As questions continue into the operations of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), it appears that entity had held onto a large plot east of the Golden Grove area. Three days before the November 28, 2011 general elections, CH&PA entered into an agreement with Savitrie Qualander, Mohamed ‘Arafat’ Qualander and Saudia Qualander, principals of Queensway, a Water Street business place. Mohamed Qualander is said to be a close friend of former President Donald Ramotar. The agreement for Block 22A of Block Y, Golden Grove, described the plot of land as being 35 acres. The price was $18.375M or $525,000 per acre. Each acre could provide up to eight reasonably sized lots.
Queensway owner Mohamed ‘Arafat’ Qualander
FRIDAY EDITION
(Left) Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, during the signing of the agreement Force (GPF) and the Guyana Prison Service (GPS). “(I was in there) for over an hour or two after the fire started,” Lewis said. “(During the fire) I was at the door calling for God.” “While you were at the door calling for God,” Todd asked. “Did you see any officer, for example prison officer, fire, police, any officer in uniform making attempts to get to
quently searched and the dead man’s cellular phone was discovered there. He said that investigators were still on the hunt for two other suspects implicated by the man in custody, ex-convict Paul Goriah. “The ranks are working around the clock to seal up this matter,” Blanhum told this newspaper. Goriah was arrested on Tuesday on the
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(From page 34) last year that Craig has been promising to meet with the media. This newspaper also asked Craig if he received reports, whether oral or written, from the subcommittee that was established to look into the issue of the illegally granted broadcasting licenses, among other issues. To this Craig said, “I guess they will do that at the meeting next week…But that is a matter for the press conference.” He was also asked to say why the board is only having a meeting regarding the way forward on the matter, when the subcommittee would have been set up by him since last year.Craig said, “Because now that certain things are being said in the press, it behooves the board to consider and reconsider the matter.” When this publication contacted the Head of the Subcommittee, Anthony Vieira, he asserted emphatically, “The whole broadcasting sector, from the licences to the Act, needs to be regularized. We need to start from scratch.” SOESDYKE REMIGRANT’S MURDER … REMAINING SUSPECTS CAPTURED A massive operation by the police, including members of its SWAT unit, ended with the capture on Thursday of the two remaining suspects in the brutal murder of Soesdyke-based Agriculturist Anthony Breedy. The two men surrendered after they were cornered in a bushy area in the West Bank
Kaieteur News
Berbice village of Ithaca, where they were reportedly hiding out since Sunday. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Kaieteur News that the men were captured and were brought to the city for questioning. The men had been implicated by the prime suspect in Breedy’s murder, ex-convict Paul Goriah, who was nabbed on Tuesday on the East Coast of Demerara, a day after the victim’s body was discovered. According to the Crime Chief, the police, acting on information, swooped down on the usually low key village in what was described by residents as a well organized operation, seen for the first time in their community. He said that the police were told that the men were armed and hence they adopted a tactical but cautious posture by surrounding a large area where the men had sought refuge. Realizing that they were cornered, one of the men quickly surrendered, while the other remained in hiding for awhile. He was eventually persuaded by his partner to come out. No weapon was found on the men but when questioned, they took investigators to another location in the village where they had stashed a .32 pistol. AFTER TWO-DECADE HIATUS…HISTORIC LOCAL GOVT. ELECTIONS The nation went to the polls on Friday for Local Government Elections (LGE) for the first time in over two decades.
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in a statement issued Thursday evening said that it had been working arduously to ensure successful operations when Polls opened at 6:00 am countrywide. According to GECOM, the Ballots for outlying areas were transported via aircraft Thursday. The ballots for Georgetown and locations near to the capital city were transported from 3:00 am Friday. Five hundred and seven thousand, six hundred and sixty-three Electors were registered on the Official Voters’ List and a total of one thousand, five hundred and sixty- two Polling Stations were opened to facilitate voting, GECOM advised. The Local Authorities (Elections) Act was amended in 2009 to include as many people as possible, apart from Political Parties. The total number of Groups, Political Parties and Individual Candidates contesting these Elections were 83; three Political Parties, 17 Volun-
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tary Groups and 63 Individual Candidates. SATURDAY EDITION CITIZENS SHOW DISINTEREST AS TURNOUT ESTIMATED BELOW 50% After a 22-year absence, the much anticipated Local Government Elections returned Friday only to be welcomed by a low voter turnout – estimated below 50% Several ranks stationed at the various Polling Stations stated that the process was indeed smooth and peaceful. Polling Stations countrywide opened at 06:00hrs and closed at 18:00hrs. Throughout the day, text messages were being sent to citizens providing the relevant information to assist voters in locating their respective polling stations and why they should vote. Kaieteur News met with some electors (Continued on page 36)
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(From page 35) after they had cast their ballot and they expressed some concerns. The most common issue was, not knowing where people were supposed to vote. Some electors stated that the LGEs Polling Stations were different from the Polling Stations they would have visited to vote for the General Elections. Many also said that they did not know who they were voting for; they just showed up because they were required to vote. GEABOARD, GUYOILINVESTIGATE PETROTRIN FUEL SHIPMENTS The questionable acquisition of fuel for the Guyana Oil Company (GuyOil) is continu-
Kaieteur News
ing to engage the attention of authorities. On Friday, Lance Hinds, Chairman of Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), the agency that oversees oil imports to the country, disclosed that since the new Board was appointed in January, a number of issues were being examined. These include details of the billions of dollars spent annually for fuel to GuyOil. However, the official declined to go into specifics. But GEA officials confirmed that the GuyOil Board, headed by former Parliamentarian, Lance Carberry, is looking into several aspects of the shipments from the Trinidad oil company– PetroTrin. The oil shipments are but part of a number of burning issues that have placed GEA un-
Sunday March 20, 2016
der the microscope in recent times. The agency is under fire for its seeming inaction to stop what appears to be significant smuggling of fuel into the country. It appeared that fuel was not only being smuggled in modified fishing vessels from Venezuela, but also in from established border free zone areas. The fuel from those border areas is supposed to be used within those areas because of the absence of monitoring, but there are indications that fuel is smuggled to the city and to the mining districts. It was estimated by GEA and other government officials that more than half of the fuel brought in the country is not being declared. Official figures indicated that annually, Guyana, a non-producer, officially imports an average of five million barrels of oil, annually. In 2011, the oil purchases were US$561M. It accounts for biggest chunk of foreign currency spending annually. It was disclosed recently that GuyOil was sharing costs with a private supplier to ship oil to Guyana from Trinidad. This raised questions, as Government in January disclosed that the country only has two weeks supply of fuel at a time.
Guyana has storage capacity of up to 80,000 barrels of oil at any one time, it has been reported. SUSPECTS CONFESS TO SOESDYKE REMIGRANT’S MURDER The three suspects in the brutal murder of Soesdyke-based Agriculturist, Anthony Breedy are likely to make their first court appearance tomorrow. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said that the two suspects who were captured on Thursday in a bushy area in the West Bank Berbice Village of Ithaca, have confessed to the murder of the remigrant. Blanhum said that investigators were trying to get as much information from the three suspects who are in custody so that they can build a solid case. The Crime Chief said that the confessions that ranks received Friday from the two murder suspects, who were on the run since the murder, are consistent with that provided by the prime suspect in Breedy’s murder, ex-convict Paul Goriah. Goriah was nabbed on Tuesday on the East Coast Demerara, one day after the victim’s body was discovered. He implicated the two other suspects.
The three suspects in the brutal murder of Soesdyke-based Agriculturist, Anthony Breedy
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Can Guyana checkmate tax evasion with ... From page 26 of residence would need to purchase the US Company. The UK tax statute provides that companies incorporated there are resident there. UK tax laws also provide that a company’s place of ‘central management and control’ would determine its residence; ‘central management and control’ being defined by case law. Like Guyana, the UK rules allow the UK to argue that a company which was incorporated in another country is UK resident, because the UK is its place of management. Companies incorporated in the UK are also resident there, which means that the UK retains residence taxing rights. Simply put, should a company be incorporated and be carrying on a business in the UK, that company remains UK resident, regardless of whether the company is also resident under the laws of another country. Where a company is found to be resident under the laws of two countries there may be a tax treaty between the two countries which allows only one of the countries to assume residence taxing rights.
These rules are referred to as ‘treaty tie breaker rules’. If there is no treaty between the countries then both countries retain residence taxing rights which can result in unrelieved double tax (an impediment to international trade). I am sure you would agree that this has been my most technical answer so far. That is because this is a technical issue. Companies should always seek the advice of an international tax specialist in answering international tax questions. KN: What does Guyana have to do to achieve the status it hopes to reach under FATCA? SN: The USA needs partners to help it enforce FATCA provisions. They need us. There will however be a need to achieve an acceptable standard of data /
information protection to minimize risk of legal proceedings being instituted against any or all of the countries involved, for the way a taxpayer’s data/ information was handled. All FATCA partners must meet this standard. Secondly, FATCA on its own does not provide for reciprocity. For Guyana to receive information on its taxpayers, it must agree to this separately with the USA. Guyana signed a reciprocal Tax Information Exchange Agreement in 1992. The condition for reciprocity is therefore already satisfied. KN: Could you please provide an example to demonstrate how FATCA will impact US citizens operating businesses here? SN: I am glad you asked this. When I delivered a copy
of my article “FATCA; Guyana’s Pilot into International Tax” to Kaieteur News Publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall, he immediately pointed out that there are implications for virtually all local companies, as nearly all are owned by US citizen(s)”. There are tax implications for all. Assuming the US citizens did not report their Guyanese income to USA as required, the following will likely result: * If the entity is considered separate from its owners the entity is likely to be non-US resident (so USA would not have taxing-up rights on the entity). The IRS would however have rights to tax-up income of the entity distributed to the owner(s) as dividends. This is because the USA taxes its citizens on dividend income received from non-resident companies.
If no distributions are made by the entity, the US would have no rights to tax (either the entity or its owner(s)). Note that a payment by an entity may be classed as dividends if that payment effectively serves the same purpose as dividends (distributing wealth the entity earned, to its owner(s)). * Where the entity is considered one and the same with its owner(s), the income of the entity does not need first be distributed to its owner(s) before taxing-up will apply. As soon as the income is earned by the entity it is treated as earned by its owner(s), so taxing-up should apply immediately. The IRS will assess for back years to recover revenue lost as its tax laws so allow. Associated penalties will also be charged by the IRS. The
IRS can also conduct a tax audit to establish whether the chargeable income, based on which taxes were paid to Guyana, was fair. If for example, IRS establishes that the chargeable income for a year should have been US$2,000,000 while Guyana taxed chargeable income of only US$1,000,000 the IRS may assess for US$700,000 (35% assumed) while Guyana assessed for US$250,000 (25% assumed). Taxing up would be US$700,000US$250,000 = US$450,000. This is the reason for FATCA. FATCA is part of a stimulus programme. Its purpose is to raise revenue for economically stimulating investments which should ultimately result in job creation in the USA. (To be continued)
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GOVT. RECALIBRATING... From page 28 writing to the Norwegian government. Even in the face of irrefutable, visible evidence, the PPP was bold enough to tell Norway that Minister Trotman had lied. Jagdeo kept up the charade claiming that “only 55 percent of the forests” were doled out to be cut down. He didn’t talk about any plans for regeneration/replanting of the decimated forests by mining or logging which were contained in the strategy document. He simply showed the world that he had little concept of the national forest blueprint, the separation of areas earmarked for forest products production, agriculture, conservation and communities. His 55 percent claim referred to all of Guyana’s forested lands. Unbelievable! This was one bald attempt to save face, to save the integrity of his LCDS and hide his true nature and intent from the pundits in and around the United Nations that had dubbed him the “Champion of the Earth” a few years earlier. That reminds us … one highly acclaimed Russian
Economist had dubbed Jagdeo’s LCDS “Junk Economics” when it was first unveiled. Incidentally, Russia was one of the countries that awarded him one of the several Honorary Doctorate degrees he collected during his presidency. ‘Junk Economics!’ That was the first time that some of us noneconomists had come across that derisive term. Then the goodly Russian Economist went on to recalibrate the high-sounding projects contained in the document. Whether it was this or another international academic of high repute, someone tossed the LCDS into the garbage heap (we had plenty of those every few metres in every ward of the capital city at the time). These ‘projects’, they said, had no tangible or immediate, or even eventual benefits for Guyanese people. Distributing a few solar power panels very selectively to vulnerable hinterland residents who professed support for the PPP party was not a low carbon strategy. That was politicking. Planting a few hundred mangrove
trees along the East Coast Demerara Atlantic shoreline is only part of what should have been a comprehensive project to re-plant mangroves along the entire length of coastline from Berbice to Essequibo. Mangroves provide the best natural protection from shoreline erosion and ultimately from rising sea levels and salination of our fresh water rivers and creeks. This coalition government is now in the process of renegotiating the Norway agreement. Minister Trotman affirmed Guyana’s commitment to the partnership with the Kingdom of Norway at the January 2016 meeting with the Norwegian Ambassador to Brazil and Guyana, H.E. Aud Marit Wiig. This time, the proceeds will go towards real development of the people who live off of and sustain the forests around them. Citizens in urban and rural areas as well as the hinterland will also reap the benefits of properly designed infrastructural, health, social and environmental projects that will surely raise Guyana’s international profile.
From page 25 more public buy-in, more support, and we will save more money and be able to sustain the works done in those communities”. But King was able to spearhead even more laudable undertakings in the capital city, complete with the needed support. Works were carried out, and in some cases are still ongoing, on a number of infrastructural upgrades and enhancements around the city and on municipal buildings. Among them, moves towards the complete restoration of the Kitty Market. But who knew that the restoration of the Kitty Market was even possible?
For many years this municipal facility was left to fall apart with absolutely no intervention to even save its historic value. But King interestingly enough dared to embark upon this project which has brought life and vitality to a structure that was merely a shell waiting to collapse. “Many people thought that we actually couldn’t do it, but we have shown them that we have the skills and the competencies to get work done,” King declared with pride last week. The works being done will undeniably create the kind of public impact that City Hall is looking for in order to help it to generate the kind of money
required to provide services and facilities to the citizens of Georgetown. This is in light of the fact, and King has confessed to this too, that the number one issue that continues to face the municipality, like so many others, is that of finances. The fact that the measures that have been fast tracked by King are geared towards not only improving the environment but also the revenue earning ability of the municipality, not only speaks well for his leadership ability, but also the sustainability of the integrity of the city as well, something that has been woefully lacking for many years.
Improving the integrity of...
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The Father of... From page 30 information as would help them in the management of their affairs with intelligence and success;” or, as was later expressed, “to assist one another in the art of managing our own affairs, to discuss the best means of carrying on our work, and to watch legislation as it affects our Villages.” The Conference’s first agenda was progressive and extensive. Matters to be discussed included the collection of rates; the office of overseer; the custody of village money; the sanitary improvement of villages; the establishment of other local agricultural societies such as the one in Victoria Village; the introduction of village reading rooms and libraries, and Government aid in the form of grants, loans and agricultural instruction. CORRYANDTHE COOPERATIVECREDIT BANKS Corry, at this time, ever serious and studious, became aware of the functioning of ‘Raiffeisen’ banks in Austria. These banks were founded by Friederich Wilhelm Raiffeisen and provided small loans, at low rates, for designated purposes, to worthy members of the German agrarian population. Corry thought it would be good for local small farmers in British Guiana to have access to similar sources of credit. He brought the idea to the notice of the Conference in August 1904, admitting, at the same time, that he knew nothing of how such banks actually functioned. The Conference decided to obtain help and, as a result, certain representatives of Conference were invited to a meeting of the Royal Agricultural and Commercial Society (RACS) where a paper was presented on the subject. Certain members of Victoria Village modified the suggested plan to suit their local conditions and, in August 1905, started the first local Co-operative Credit Bank. Others followed, some succeeded and some subsided. The banks at Victoria and Buxton in Demerara and Rose Hall in Berbice, “were reported as doing well under their energetic managers,” by 1912. The Conference came to the conclusion that the central Government would have to play a part if the best results were to be obtained. It therefore urged the establishment of similar banks but operated by Government. The idea was not adopted at first but, it is recorded: “… the efforts of the people’s representatives and the spirit of self-help displayed by the farmers were rewarded when in 1914, Government started to operate District Credit Banks. There were three at the end of 1915. In the next year, 15 were added to that number. At the 1917 Conference, it was decided to request the Government to retain the services of the energetic official who had been establishing those banks, solely for work in connection with
them. The request was granted.” The Co-operative Credit Bank did much good work in saving the small farmers from loan sharks and assorted moneylenders. It assisted them to overcome the vagaries and the inevitable difficult periods which afflict peasant farming on the coastland. Corry was recognised as the individual “who had brought forward the movement.” He, himself, was fully conscious of the importance of having such loan banks in the villages and was satisfied with the fact that the Conference had done something creditable in inaugurating those banks. Corry announced, on the occasion of celebrating the silver jubilee of the Village Ordinance: As a permanent memorial of our appreciation and that measure…I invite this Conference to make a practical effort to firmly establish the Co-operative Credit Banks in our Colony, and hand down to posterity as our contribution to the progress of our people, and as a result to the progress of the Colony at large.” CORRY, THE LEADER James McFarlane Corry was a leader. He gave the Village Chairmen’s Conference its initial direction and the benefit of leadership. It was similar to the leadership that had appeared in the Agricultural Improvement Societies. The Conference and the Societies worked towards similar objectives - the improvement of the lives of proprietors with house lots and farm lands and the improvement of village conditions in general. The social significance of independent village institutions can be measured by the statistics concerning the number and size of the villages. Villages numbered 214, of which 96 were in Berbice, 66 in Demerara and 52 in Essequibo by 1902. The village population had nearly doubled from 44,456 to 86,935 persons. The value of village property had increased by half a million dollars and there were 13,969 proprietors owning 31, 255 hectares (77,234 acres) – all in the period 1848-1902. CORRY’S PLACE IN GUYANESEHISTORY James McFarlane Corry died at the age of 74 years in 1924. He bequeathed a rich legacy of leadership in rural communities, Christian stewardship, organisational ability, communication skills, visionary planning and public service. Corry was a great guide and a worthy helmsman during a difficult stage in the evolution of rural Guyana. There is no better epitaph to Corry’s life than Cameron’s conclusion that he was “one of the greatest leaders of his people in this Colony (British Guiana), even though his activities were mostly restricted to the Villages.” James McFarlane Corry will always have a place in the history of our country and the memory of people who live in villages such as Den Amstel.
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Negative Effects of Beer Beer is an alcoholic beverage believed by many to be the oldest fermented drink. It is made by blending cereal grains like barley or other starchy sources like millet or corn with water and then fermenting the mixture with the use of brewer’s yeast. The fluid is also infused with hops to give it its characteristic bitter taste. Modern brewing methods typically clarify the fluid with a variety of clarifying agents so as to produce a distinctly clean and bright color. Currently the most widely consumed alcoholic beverage around the world, beer has its ill effects on health and so avoidance of the drink may be prudent. Read further and discover more about the negative effects of beer and why the Superhuman Food Pyramid recommends you avoid this source of hydration to help in your quest to Become Superhuman. Beer Risks: Alcohol consumption has long been linked to weight gain. Beer, in particular, takes most of the flak hence the term “beer belly” which refers to the infamous paunch often sported by regular consumers of the beverage. While intake may lead to weight gain in general, it is often associated with beer drinkers and the reason for this may be the drink’s popularity. After all, it is the third most widely consumed drink after water and tea. Alcohol intake, and beer consumption for that matter, bring about weight gain via a number of mechanisms. For one, a typical bottle of beer has anywhere from 120 calories
to 150 calories. Because it is relatively cheaper than its other alcohol counterparts like wine, it’s essentially easy to overdo consumption. For another, beer promotes appetite. And so all those helpings of greasy pizza, chips, and chicken wings one eats while downing beers all contribute to the caloric overload. Alcohol breakdown takes precedence over fat burning as well. This means frequent beer drinking coupled with heavy caloric intake from food can result in the fat to remain unmetabolized and therefore stored in the body as added mass. Beer is contraindicated in particular segments of the population as well. For instance, individuals who have chronic gastrointestinal disorders are advised against consumption of the beverage as it is associated with irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal pain and dyspepsia. http:// superhumancoach.com.
What Are the Benefits of Eating Salmon Fish? According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium seafood watch, wild-caught Alaskan salmon is a sustainable food option, or a “best choice” for your health as well as the environment. Lower in saturated fat than beef, salmon is a heart-healthy fish. It is richer in omega-3 fats, a type of healthpromoting unsaturated fat, than most other fish varieties. Like most animal foods, it is rich in protein as well as many vitamins and minerals essential for human health. Vitamin B Rich Salmon is rich in many B vitamins. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, a cooked portion of wild Atlantic salmon provides 0.828 milligrams, or 48 percent of the recommended daily value, for vitamin B-2 and 17.13 milligrams of vitamin B-3, or 84 percent of the DV. These vitamins are important for energy metabolism
as well as proper nervous system function. Vitamin B-6 helps break down stored energy, in the form of glycogen in the liver and muscles, into glucose to keep blood sugar steady. Source of Minerals Most varieties of seafood are rich in minerals, particularly the trace mineral selenium, and salmon is no exception. A 6-ounce cooked portion of wild Atlantic salmon provides nearly 80 micrograms, meeting over 100 percent of the DV of 70 micrograms. Source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids According to an article published in October 2006 in the “Journal of theAmerican Medical Association,” consuming fish, especially fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, promotes optimal health of the cardiovascular system. http:// www.livestrong.com.
Sunday March 20, 2016
Kaieteur News
Adele to headline at Glastonbury Festival
Adele has revealed she is to headline at this year’s Glastonbury Festival. The pop star will join rock band Muse and Coldplay as one of the leading acts at the event. Adele broke the news to fans while performing at London’s O2 arena. The singer will top the bill on Saturday night at the festival in Worthy Farm, Somerset, the festival’s Twitter page confirmed. Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis tweeted: “What a great honour it is to have the wonderful Adele confirmed for this year’s Saturday night headline spot on the Pyramid Stage!” News of her appearance met with a mixed reaction on
Twitter One wrote: ”This ought to be interesting.” Another tweeted: “Adele headlining signals that Glastonbury is now just a family day out rather than the rock festival it used to be.” Meanwhile, the Supermassive Black Hole singers will make history by performing on the Pyramid Stage on the Friday night. They will become the first band ever to have headlined every night of the festival, having headlined Saturday night in 2010 and Sunday in 2004. Adele’s latest album, 25, has sold more than 19 million copies worldwide. http:// news.sky.com.
Indiana Jones: Harrison Ford back for new film
Harrison Ford is to play Indiana Jones in a fifth instalment of the film series to be released 38 years after Raiders Of The Lost Ark. Walt Disney Co said the new, as yet untitled film will be directed by Steven Spielberg and is expected to be in cinemas in three years’ time. “Indiana Jones is one of the greatest heroes in cinematic history and we can’t wait to bring him back to the screen in 2019,” Disney chairman Alan Horn said in a statement. It will come 11 years after the fourth movie in the franchise, 2008’s Indiana Jones And The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The other films in the series are Indiana Jones And The Temple of Doom (1984) and Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (1989). Ford’s actionhero archaeologist ‘Indy’ was recently declared the greatest movie personality of all
time, beating Ian Fleming’s James Bond into second place. Ford, 73, also took third place in the poll for his role as Han Solo in the Star Wars films, voted for by readers of Empire magazine. There had been speculation that Shia LaBeouf, who played Jones’ sidekick in Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull, might take up the hero’s whip. But in October, the films’ series producer declared the role would only ever be played by Ford. Frank Marshall said: “We are not doing the Bond thing where we’re going to call somebody else Indiana Jones.” In November, Spielberg had said he would love to make a fifth Indiana Jones before Ford turns 80. “I am hoping one day to make it to a fifth Indiana Jones,” he said, adding: “I would hope to make it before Harrison Ford is 80 and I get much older.” http://news.sky.com.
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If radio, cable, TV licences not revoked, Guyana loses From page 10 the information on the related dates. It was since last year that Craig has been promising to meet with the media. This newspaper also asked Craig if he received reports, whether oral or written, from the subcommittee that was established to look into the issue of the illegally granted broadcasting licenses, among other issues. To this Craig said, “I guess they will do that at the meeting next week…But that is a matter for the press conference.” He was also asked to say why the board is only having a meeting regarding the way forward on the matter, when the subcommittee would have been set up by him since last year. Craig said, “Because now that certain things are being
said in the press, it behoves the board to consider and reconsider the matter.” When this publication contacted the Head of the Subcommittee, Anthony Vieira, he provided more clarity on the issues. The broadcast veteran said that there are a number of things wrong with Guyana’s broadcasting sector and as such, it becomes imperative for the entire system to be revamped, so that an environment of fairness can be had. While Craig was not willing to say if he received reports from the subcommittee on the illegal radio licences, Vieira said that this was in fact done since last year with the understanding that revocation must be done. He noted, however, there are still some kinks which have to be ironed out
regarding the way in which it will be accomplished. Weeks before leaving office, former President Bharrat Jagdeo awarded his best friend, Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop, five radio frequencies; New Guyana Company Limited, five, and Telcor and Cultural Broadcasting Inc., another five. Jagdeo also ordered the grant of two cable licences to two of his closest friends, Vishok Persaud and Brian Yong. GNBA Officials revealed recently that Jagdeo’s ad hoc approach has led to prime spots on the spectrum being taken up. All premium spots on the television and cable channel frequencies are gone. There is little space left for new applicants on the radio spectrum.
Smyth Street man executed (From page 3) garment similar to the gunman’s in his car. The suspect is reportedly employed as an armed security guard at the same hotel and bar at which he was detained. A source said that Small had also worked at the same bar. Several relatives and friends gathered at Small’s home yesterday as they learnt about his death. His aunt, Gail Ann Edwards, said that she was awakened by the sound of gunshots and then heard her nephew’s screams. “When we run out we see he (Small) lying in blood. He was dead already,” his aunt lamented. Relatives could not say if Small had any problems with anyone. “All that we know is that the neighbour said that they saw a silver-grey car was parked there (in close proximity to the house). We can’t say if it was waiting on him or what,” the aunt said. When asked if Small had any problem with the law, his
relatives said that the father of one was a loving and jovial person who was always targeted by the police. “The police always harass him. We had to go the media and so to get this harassment to stop. When any robbery happened, they (police) always coming to pick him up and then they hold he for 72 hours and loose he,” a relative said. In January 2010, Small was shot when a gunman opened fire and killed one of his friends, Vibert Weekes, a short distance away from the popular “Red Dragon” night club on Robb Street. There are reports that a bet of $100,000 made between Small and the gunman cost Weekes his life. In January 2012, Small was remanded to prison on an attempted murder charge. The allegation was that on January 9, 2012, with intent to commit murder, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded New York-based Guyanese Felix Alleyne, who lost one of his kidneys after Small shot him.
That case was subsequently dismissed after Alleyne refused to testify in the case. In June 2012, Small, a former footballer was shot three times at a football match by a gunman who approached him from behind. In November 2013, he was among three who were jointly charged with break and enter and larceny committed on Central Electronics located on Robb Street, Georgetown. It was alleged that they stole $9.2M worth of items, including a flat screen television set and a metal safe, along with cash. Some have suggested that Small may have been slain for his alleged role as an informant. In February, 2013, three bandits were shot dead by police, while attempting to enter the premises of businessman Wayne Heber at Premnaranjan Place, Prashad Nagar. Relatives of Leon Gittens, one of the slain men, alleged that O’ Riley Small had come to Gittens’ home and called him out that night.
PPP /C claims 60% victory in ... From page 15 the APNU+AFC and to call for a full-scale investigation into the matter. “Further, the party calls on the International Community to take note of this troublesome development which clearly undermines and erodes confidence in the electoral process in Guyana.” The party also reiterated that all the delays for the holding of Local Government Elections were due to the persistent street
demonstrations, legal and other challenges raised by those who used every possible means to throw up obstacles in the path for Local Government Elections. “The impressive v ictorie s s c o r e d b y t h e PPP/C clearly vindicate its long held view that the Party was always prepared to contest Local Government Elections and could never be held responsible for delaying these elections.
“As a Party we will continue to work hard to improve people’s lives and to prevent democracy from sliding backward.” “We are on the way to reclaiming our country, saving it from ruin and destruction by the hands of those who have demonstrated their only interest in government is to be revengeful, spiteful and discriminatory.” The PPP/C, promises to elaborate further as the official results become known.
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Sunday March 20, 2016
Estate manager relents, Rose Hall strike called off The warring parties in the Rose Hall Canje Estate workers’ dispute met on Friday and a decision was made to call off the strike. Yesterday, the Rose Hall remained a desolate place. No work was going on at the location. The Administrative area which includes the factory, looked like a ghost town. Police had to rush to the location on Wednesday and Thursday to back up the Estate Security after workers, angered by the behaviour of recently appointed Estate Manager, Yudi Persaud, took strike action and invaded the
compound and administrative building. The Manager had insulted and used derogatory remarks to the workers. He reportedly even refused to meet with the workers who were demanding answers as to why they were not being given enough work during the week. For two consecutive weekends cane harvesters were not offered adequate work. They said that they were prepared to work every day, including Tuesdays. The workers said that there was no reason why the estate could not give them
Police Cammander Assistant Commissioner Ian Amsterdam with Estate Security Inspector Satrohan Dayaram at the scene of the strike work. They stated that in the entire corporation it is only Rose Hall Estate that decided not to provide work for its workers. The workers are questioning why the manager
has adopted this stance, since “the weather is excellent and the factory is working”. They view the action of the Manager as an attempt to sabotage the industry and prevent them from earning a
decent livable wage. One representative stated that two Tuesdays ago, 46 extra workers turned out to work, since the estate did not burn enough cane. On that day the gang harvested 76 punts of cane. “Imagine 46 of us had to sit on the dam and instead of cutting cane had to suck cane. “If that is not undermining the corporation, what is?” The meeting which was held involved a team from Guysuco head office, a team from the Rose Hall Estate, the workers union GAWU and the representatives from the various gangs.
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STANDARDS IN FOCUS Green completes ‘The Rocky but Righteous Road to Independence’ The Caribbean Cooperation for ‘The Rocky but Righteous Road to Independence’ is a publication that chronicles, through the eyes of the author, how Guyana became an independent nation. The author is Mr. Hamilton Green, who just days ago left the office of Mayor after serving in that capacity for more than two decades. The publication was completed just a few weeks ago in time to enlighten the nation about Guyana’s trek to independence even as preparations are being made to celebrate 50 years of independence. Guyana became an independent nation on May 26, 1966 effectively emancipating itself from British colonial rule. The introduction of the publication, according to Green, represents his “contribution to the youth and not so young of this country.” This is in light of the fact, he said, that he saw the need to share his views of the measures taken towards independence. Green recalled that he is among three individuals still alive who had roles to play in the process. Llewellyn John, attorney-at-law and former Councillor at the Georgetown municipality, along with Green, is the surviving person who took part in a constitutional independence conference. The conference was held in London at Marble
Former Mayor, Mr. Hamilton Green House in November of 1965. And it was at that London conference that the date for independence was set. And it was because of the wealth of information he possesses about how Guyana gained its independence, Green said that he was inclined to write the publication. “I believe I have a duty to write about that conference to tell you how we arrived at the date of May 26... To tell you what are the events that led up to that final conference in London, a conference that a certain party did not attend and perhaps that is why we do not have the zeal, the enthusiasm, the eagerness as we celebrate our golden jubilee,” said Green during a farewell forum held in his honour at City Hall last week. But Green was not willing
to share much else about his completed writings since he is hopeful that persons would seek to acquire their own copy. Guyana was able to secure independence during the Prime Ministerial tenure of Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham who a few years later was named Executive President. And last week, Green, in emphasising his desire to ensure that Guyana’s history is known said, “I have a responsibility to write so that our young people would know the history of our country...a nation that is bereft of its history is nothing at all. “The Europeans created a history for their own purposes, and a difficulty we’ve had in Guyana (is that) many of our contemporary leaders have not written and I want to make that my legacy...to write from my own experiences so that you and your children’s children will have a document upon which to anchor their forward movement,” said Green. He urged last week, “You have got to know your history, your background to know where you are and to know where you are going...” According to Green, who currently holds the portfolio of Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), he was encouraged to do some writing by some influential people.
Accreditation (CCA) Scheme - A proven success in Guyana The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) in its capacity as the National Accreditation Focal Point (NAFP) is the administrative link for promoting the use of the Caribbean Cooperation for Accreditation (CCA) Scheme among Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) in Guyana. The CCA was developed to provide CABs (inspection, testing and certification bodies) with regional opportunities to access affordable and readily available technical assistance on their road to accreditation. This support provided to CABs is based on the principles of mutual cooperation and collaboration amongst participating member states’ NAFPs, the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) and the National Accreditation Bodies (NABs). CABs desirous of being accredited can contact the GNBS-NAFP or the CROSQ Secretariat to obtain information on the accreditation process. In Guyana, the NAFP provides gap analyses, training and
technical assistance on the ISO/IEC 17025, ISO 15189, ISO/IEC 17020 and the ISO/ IEC 17065 conformity assessment standards to the CABs desirous of obtaining accreditation status. The NAFP also notifies the CAB on the Regional choices for accreditation services. The Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC) and the Trinidad and Tobago Laboratory Accreditation Service (TTLABS) are providing such services and a CAB can choose the Accreditation Body of its choice. The CAB makes contact with the accreditation body to commence the official application process for accreditation. The Guyana Rice Development Board’s Central Laboratory and the Eureka Medical Laboratories Inc. have utilized the services of the CCA and have successfully achieved accreditation status. These laboratories have given good commendation on the services and support received through the NAFP and by extension the staff of the Conformity Assessment
Department of the GNBS, the CCA and CROSQ. It is important to note that these laboratories were first certified to the National Standard, GYS 170, ‘General requirements for the operation of a laboratory’ which accelerated the accreditation process. Recognition must also be given to the CROSQ and its implementing partners such as the European Union and Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) Germany for the unwavering support provided to the GNBS to build its capacity over the years to better provide standardisation services to its stakeholders. The CCA SchemeProviding opportunities for affordable Accreditation Services in Guyana! For further information, please contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 2190065, 219-0066 or visit the GNBS website: www.gnbsgy.org
A mini health check is the first step to donating blood.
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Sunday March 20, 2016
LBT Women encouraged to test the laws On Thursday, last, the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) and the Advancing Partners and Communities (APC) – Guyana Project held its seventh monthly “Lunch Talk” forum. This month the discussion focused on “Women and Workplace Discrimination” as part of a series of activities being held to commemorate International Women’s Day 2016 observed on March 8. Under the theme “Pledge for Parity,” Commissioner Renata Chuck-A-Sang on the Women and Gender Equality Commission (WGEC) sat with Ms. Renuka Anandjit, Programme Director of the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) and Mr. Nicholas Persaud, Stigma and GenderBased Violence Specialist at APC to discuss how women still struggle for equal rights and opportunities, particularly in the workplace. The session was moderated by S e c r e t a r y o f S A SOD’s Board of Directors, Ms. Alana Da Silva. SASOD’s Advocacy and Communications Officer, Ms. Schemel Patrick, who leads the organization’s portfolio for women and gender issues, introduced the forum sharing that women’s advancement and leadership are central to economic development, but, workplace discrimination based on gender and sexuality is rampant in Guyana. “This hinders productivity and advancement for all workers. Transgender women especially face unrestrained discrimination when accessing employment because of their gender identity,” Patrick lamented. She added that those who go through their transitioning during the period of
employment are often denied promotions or fired unjustly with no real consequences under the law for discrimination based on their gender identity. Guyanese lesbian and bisexual women have also reported discrimination in the labour market which results in joblessness, unjust denial of promotions or unfair dismissals. Commissioner Chuck-ASang expressed her vision and that of the Commission – an environment where the rights of women are recognized as human rights and gender equality is realized in Guyana – which are goals of the Commission since it was established in 2003. “Guyana has some strong laws, like the Domestic Violence Act 1996 and particularly the Sexual Offences Act 2010 which are modern, progressive and gender-inclusive legislation. But despite this, there still is sexual harassment in workplaces and no policy or laws specifically directed at this heinous act perpetrated against all genders, especially women – not saying that men are not subjected to these offences but if men aren’t even protected, imagine how vulnerable women are,” Chuck-A-Sang said. In her response as to what the Women and Gender Equality Commission is doing to tackle gender inequality in the workplace generally and workplace discrimination against lesbian, bisexual a n d t r a n s g e n d e r (LBT) women who are often forgotten in these conversations the Commissioner made a strong charge for the public to test the legislation and pressure the judiciary to hold the government accountable. “Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity are not
The panelists
Participants at the forum
included from the Prevention of Discrimination Act 1997. It is unfortunate that people, women especially who identify as lesbian, bisexual or transgender, do not have
any legislative backing but I encourage anyone to find a lawyer who is willing to test the laws. We do not have many lawyers in Guyana with such interests, but the people
need to test the laws and hold the government accountable.” Chuck-A-Sang further called for the public to be involved in the Commission’s
work. “Write a letter, set up an appointment on the date when the Commissioners meet monthly, approach us on these issues – get your voices heard, stand up.”
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CONSUMER CONCERNS
Developing new standards for consumer goods and services PAT DIAL One of the greatest concerns which the Guyana Consumers Association, and indeed consumer advocates worldwide have is the standard of goods and services offered to consumers. The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) over the years has been facilitating the making of the Standards for various consumer goods and services. They source International and Caribbean Standards, subject these to rigid research and discussion, and hold public consultations where stakeholders and members of the public are invited to give their inputs before the Standard is finally formulated. When the Standard is formulated, it is then sent to the Cabinet for their approval as to whether the Standard should be mandatory or advisory. GNBS has Standards on a very large number of goods and services but neither the Business community nor the Consumer community makes enough use of them. The business community and consumers are urged to contact the Bureau in respect of those Standards affecting the goods and services in which they have an interest. The two very knowledgeable, helpful and dedicated officers of the Bureau with whom the GCA often relates are Ms Ramrattie Karan and Ms Andrea Mendonca. We consider it appropriate to now mention a few of the recent Standards which the Bureau has facilitated so as to illustrate how relevant those standards are and to encourage consumers and the business community to make use of them. Most of the footwear imported and sold in Guyana originates in East Asia. Unfortunately, most of this footwear tend to have serious defects as for example, the very poor paste used to paste on soles which come apart after a very few wears. Or the very poor material with which the uppers are made, an
example of this being the use of cloth sprayed over very neatly with some kind of vinyl paint deceitfully appearing to be vinyl. The vinyl paint peels off in a few weeks and the shoes have to be discarded. Or the very weak children’s shoes which don’t last out a school term, putting a heavy financial burden on parents to keep replacing their children’s footwear. Complaints of this type has led to the formulation of a recent Standard for footwear which now offers some protection to the consumer and is a guide to the importer to source footwear which conforms to the Standard. Another Standard we should mention is that which affect bottled drinking water. Most consumers do not realize that not all bottled drinking water is healthy. Some waters sold on the Guyanese market have an unacceptably high level of bacteria and we have had complaints of unhealthy solids being in the water. We should always remind ourselves that several of the companies which offer bottled drinking water do not have the infrastructure to produce a wholesome and healthy product. The Bureau has two Standards on bottled drinking water; one refers to quality and the other refers to the production process and a production code. GNBS and the Food and Drugs Department do inspections and tests from time to time but they do not have enough personnel and resources to constantly monitor the bottled water market. This places a responsibility on the consumer being able to discriminate on the kind of water he buys. The Bureau has a Standard for gold jewelry
where the carat of the gold used must be stamped on the piece. This Standard is particularly important in protecting unsuspecting buyers, especially from the Diaspora, of being sold a 12carat piece for a 16 or 18 carat one. The existence of the Bureau’s Standard has lessened this type of dishonesty. There are other recent Standards formulated for Bread and Rice and Noise pollution. Regarding Bread, for instance, many of the bakers are unacquainted with the Bread Standard and often dilute ingredients. Most small bakers mix far too much sugar in their dough thus endangering unsuspecting sufferers from Diabetes. Over the years, the Guyana Consumers Association has been petitioning the relevant Authorities to enforce the Law which bans music and loud noises in the public transport - the minibuses. We will again be making representations within the next few weeks.At the end of the month and early in April, the GNBS will hold public consultations on the Paint Ball game and Textiles. At the moment Bed and Breakfast consultations are taking place and we shall have a Bed and Breakfast Standard in the next several weeks. The consumer community and the public as a whole are enjoined to attend GNBS Standard consultations and make their inputs. In the event that consumers have any complaint or problem, they may contact the Guyana Consumers Association, the Consumers Division of the Ministry of Business or the Consumer and Competition Commission. GCA’s email:patdial26@gmail.com
ARE YOU MALE? DO YOU KNOW ANY MALE PERSONS? THEN READ THIS By Dr. Neromini Fagu Most people already know that maintaining good oral health is important to overall health but recent studies have shown why it is especially crucial that men pay close attention to their teeth and gums. Research has linked good oral health with longevity, but did you know that men are less likely than women to take care of their physical health and as well as their oral health? Surprisingly, one of the most common reasons why people don’t get frequent dental check-ups is simply because they are male. When it comes to oral health, statistics show that the average man brushes his teeth 1.9 times a day and will lose 5.4 teeth by age 72. If he smokes, he can plan on losing 12 teeth by age 72. Men are also more likely to develop oral and throat cancer and gum disease.
According to studies by the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) and the American Dental Association (ADA), men are less likely than women to seek preventive dental care and often neglect their oral health for years. The following are some of their findings: · The average man is less likely to brush his teeth after every meal (20.5 percent compared with 28.7 percent for women). · The average man is less likely to brush his teeth twice a day (49 percent compared with 56.8 percent for women). · Men are more likely to develop gum disease than are women: ages 30 to 54 years: 34 percent of men compared with 23 percent of women; and ages 55 to 90 years: 56 percent of men compared to 44 percent of women.
Dr. Neromini Fagu An online poll by the AGD of dentists and consumers confirms the traditional stereotype that men are less likely to visit the dentist than their female counterparts: · Nearly 45 percent of respondents felt that men don’t see a need to go to the dentist. · About 30 percent of those polled reported that men may not visit the dentist because they are afraid or embarrassed to go. · Almost 18 percent revealed that men just don’t have the time for a dental visit. · About five percent felt that men don’t even have a regular dentist. Although it’s important for all men to be diligent with their oral care, some men should take extra care to make sure they are practicing good oral hygiene: Continued on page 71
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SERVICES
WANTED
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
Farmer to work and live in – Call: 622-4386; 696-4397
Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana passport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. Building Construction: house plans & estimates, floor sanding, lacquering & painting, boat for Santa Mission –Call: 650-4362 Repairs & spare, fridge, freezer, A/C, washers, stoves – Contact Nick: 6831312, 627-3206 INNOVATIVE MARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included.
VEHICLE FOR SALE
- Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. - Cosmetology Courses: $120,000 - Technician Course: $45,000. Call: 647-1773/660-5257
Transport property located @ Rosignol W.B.B: 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, fully furnished. Call: 679-3496; 6026333; 330-2576; 699-4689 (motivated settler)
LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.
Unregistered Bluebird 2006 model, TV, Reverse Camera, Dark interior low mileage $2.3M. Call: 655-3400
Flat house in Grove, (corner property) 1 Block from main road, price negotiable. Call: 1905-626-2572
5 Acre farm at Pearl E.B.D, bearing fruit trees, equipped chicken pens etc, terms of sale negotiable. Call: 692-1999
Transported property @ Grove $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461 3068 Amelia’s Ward Linden: 4 bedrooms, 1 self-containedCall: 640-4731; 641-6450
Live and pluck chicken- Call: 220-1043; 621-4304 One 30", 4 burner gas stove with large oven, owner migrating. Call: 613-0836 or 259-0953
House & land fully furnished, 3 self contained rooms, 1 master bedroom, alarm systems, 9 cameras, 7 AC units. Call: 628-0016; 667-2536 2-2 Storey concrete structure 26X58- Call: 644-9552. 26X40Call: 622-9903, Anna Catherina, New Scheme, special deals, serious enquiries only. Transported property, prime, furnished liquor restaurant & bar, 2 freezers, 1 pools table, double lot @ E.C.D$26.5M neg. Call: 600-7228
Spare for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, motors, etc. Call: 225-9032;647-2943;6045198
FOR RENT
1 Skilled bobcat operator must have at least 3yrs experienced. Call: 265-3024; 609-0766
House for rent, top flat 3 bedrooms, bottom flat, 3 bedrooms @ First Bridge Diamond.Call:664-1030;613-5212
Hairdresser/sales representative needed for hair products. Must have a vehicle. Call: 231-4999; 6770480, email:irbcguy@gmail. com
Gold and Diamond mining land for rent in Ekereku & Siparuni area. Call: 615-8810 or 668-3100 One room to rent -$6,000 weekly, North Ruimveldt. Call: 661-2773
One bulldozer operator to work in West Bank area. Call: 694-3978; 627-9909
Austin Power’s Repairs & Services: Re-gas, fridge, AC, freezer, stove, house wiring & washers. Call: 685-2588; 613-1711
One salesgirl for shop on E.C.D age 17-24. Text your information to: 617-7823
Specialised in A/C installation, service, repair fridges, freezer & re-gas systems. Call: 656-6708, 648-3955
One domestic cleaner & must be able to prepare vegetarian meals, apply in person @ Alabama Trading G/Town.
Passport forms, taxation etc. Call Sir Dinesh: 666-6889 Brian Moe @ 642-3543: Computer Technician: FB/ Brian.Moe.165: Home and Office visits at your comfort!! Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158
Housekeeper to cook for an Indian Family in Turkeyen, 6 days @ $15,000 weekly. Police clearance and reference required. Call: 655-6766
SURINAME EASTER WEEKEND TOUR TRIP: SHOPPING, FUN, TOURS & SIGHTSEEING DOLPHINS MARCH 23RD -28TH, 2016. CALL: 692-7270; 6655171; 639-2663; 223-0056
FOR SALE
1 Live in domestic to work, salary -$60,000. Call: 6741767, 685-8720; 661-5992
Repairs to LED, Plasma, LCD and all other electronic equipment. Ordering of circuit boards. Abdul Electronics. Call: 225-0391
TOURS
PROPERTY FOR SALE
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
One experienced cook, with knowledge in baking, apply in person @ Bistro, 36 Public Road, La Grange W.B.D-Call: 678-3400
Repairs at low cost: Fridges, air- conditioners, washing machines, TVs, microwaves, freezers- Call:629-4946 or 225-4822
SALON
Table hands – Call: 225-7417 between 11:00hrs-16:00hrs One experience captain to ply from Georgetown to Bartica must be 55 years and over. Contact: 650-0402
1 Male cook (baheir) to cook in the Interior. Call: 678-0565
Porters: apply in person on Tuesdays & Thursdays at Survival Shopping Complex, 173 Sheriff St. Must be18yrs old We pay cash for land in Eccles, Herstelling, Parfaite Harmonie, Farm, Uitvlugt, Zeelugt, Berbice & East Coast. Call: 611-7223; 6042207 Female worker needed @ Regent Street, starting $12,000 – Call: 672-0429 Highly skilled person who can fillet fish. $5,000 per day. (2) A computer operator who has a knowledge of Quickbook. Must be able to download accounts and to enter them into a Quickbook programmes. Call 697-5221 TAXI SERVICES GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 225-7878 (24HRS)
Sunday March 20, 2016
Upper flat, 3 bedrooms at Golden Grove Housing SchemeCall: 625-4195; 624-8120 Lodge apartments (Vlisssengen/Durban): unfurnished $40,000-$90,000 monthly, furnished (for visitors) USD$600USD$1,000 monthly- Call: 677-9638 Lodge (Vlissengen/ Durban): Professional/Office/ Business space, (no food retailing). Call: 677-9638. Self-contained rooms in Prashad Nagar. Tel: 227-2993 Two bedrooms, bottom flat, with A/C, hot & cold, security, overseas clients only- Call: 226-1519 Office space at 50 Brickdam, Stabroek (opposite GTT Blackberry Store). Call: 2264332; 683-6221
Diamond: $15M & $14M, Grove: $9.5M, New Road V/ Hoop: $6M, Pouderoyen:$45M, Goed Fortuin : $7M, La Grange $10M. Call: 604-6724 Furnished 6 bedrooms house with attic, 4 self contained bedrooms located @ Anna Catherina, New Housing Scheme. Call: 611-5354; 6154728 Brand new house in Republic Gardens, E.B.D: 3 bedrooms, all self contained, selling as is -$22M negotiable, owner migrating, need quick sale. Call: 639-8182; 233-5117 2 Storey property: 4 bedrooms ( 1 m a s t e r ) , grilled, toilet (both flat) , concrete fence @ Q68 Guyhoc Gardens, Ruimveldt. Call: 231-9174
175 DAF dump truck #GNN 5366- Call: 664-1030; 613-5212 Labrottie puppies (jet black) for sale @ $50,000/each; 5 weeks fully de-wormed & vaccinated. Call: 654-7683 One complete snow cone cart in excellent condition. Call: 600-5325 Land in Diamond. Call: 6987807 Complete 48 feet fishing boat: 1-48 & 1- 40 Yamaha engine, 2700lb seine, GPS, solar, ice box Contact: 663-0457, 6575171. Brand new KIA sports SUV. Call: 624-5650 Cheap! Cheap! CCTV Security Surveillance Kit, 8 Channels DVR with built in Hard Drive, 8 bullet cameras – Tel: 621-4740; 686-3500 Dachshund puppies -$10,000. Call: 216-0521; 694-3567
TO LET Two bedrooms apartment in Eccles, fully furnished for short & long term. Call: 2253234; 698-7807 Executive furnished suite in Diamond. Ideal for foreigners. Call: 600-2466
One roadside, 2 storey building @ V/Hoop, ground excellent for restaurant or other business –Call: 6540779
Eccles furnished apartment includes cable, Wi-Fi, A/C, etc. Call: 233-3974; 660-9139
House for sale @ Fourth Street, Aberttown. Call: 6229951 from 8:00-5:00.
2 Bedrooms apartment for rent with toilet & bath inside at Section ‘B’ Field, Turkeyen. Call: 231-2669; 646-4976
2 Storey concrete building, 1 master room, 3 bedrooms 30’X58’ @ Xora Avenue, Eccles -$56M negotiable – Call: 672-4190
1 Toyota Ractis (motor car) 2006 model: navigation, TV, reverse camera, price negotiable. Owner migrating. Call: 666-3745; 612-2133 Smart choice Auto: 08&06 Premio, 08&06 Allion, 212, Runx, IST, Fielder. Call: 6523820; 665-4529 Prado TZ, Automatic diesel, PHH series -$4.5M, fully loaded-Call: 233-2546; 688-5554 2005 SPACIO -$2.2M NEG, 2006 PREMIO-$2.3M NEG, NOAH & VOXY-$1.7M NEG. ALL VEHICLES FULLY LOADED & UNREGISTERED. CALL: 642-7295 One Toyota Hilux E/Cab pickup M/T 3RZ engine. Call: 676-0931 Toyota Runx Motor Car, No: PRR2733. Call: 628-2876 Toyota Fielder & L-Touring Wagon, AT192, AE100, Funcargo, Tundra, Pickup 4X4 solid DEF, (Ducati 1098cc). Call: 644-5096; 6971453 HB Allion for sale “as is, where is”, best offer. Call: 690-2250 Toyota Carina 212 -$1.1M, Toyota Ipsum -$2.2M, Nissan Pathfinder -$1.6M, Toyota Vigo -$4.5M. Prices negotiable- Call: 609-7766/ 225-8427
One Toyota Spacio PPP series in excellent condition. Call: 600-2466 1 Fishing boat 46feet, round bottom, 48 Yamaha engine, 17 hundred pound 5"7", seine – Call: 259-3170; 661-6938
House & land (3yrs old) for sale at Canal No.2 Polder, 53/ 4 rice land elsewhere. Call: 718-657-9040; 266-2897; 6909331 Church and 2 storey building Lot 180 Charlotte Street Bourda-Call: 227-6817; 6247341
Honda CRV (RD5), stick gear, PNN series - $2.1M negotiable. Call: 691-1198
LAND FOR SALE Land for sale in Eccles, immediate position + transport -$4.9M-Call:624-2857 Eight (8)Acres farm land at Kuru Kururu with creek passing through-Call: 643-1861 Eccles -$6M, Herstelling -$3M, La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.6M & $2.6M, Dairy (100ftx50ft) -$3M. Call: 604-2207; 611-7223
CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS& SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 , EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM Wing’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up rental- Call: 690-6494 Aidan’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up, cheapest rate, low security- Call: 698-7807 CAKES & PASTRIES
Courses in cake decoration, pastry making & cookery; La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.3M, also edible images and Herstelling (100ftX50ft) -$3M, Wedding dresses for sale. Zeelugt -$2M, Uitvlugt- Call: 670-0798 $2.5M, Eccles-$5M. Call: 6042207; 611-7223 Continued on page 71
Sunday March 20, 2016
Kaieteur News
Page 71
Coalition to discuss future of alleged child molester — Granger - But GECOM says no provisions for recall For further action to be taken against Winston Harding, who was nominated in Constituency 13 (East and West Ruimveldt) with the backing of A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), consultations will have to be held within the party. This is according to President David Granger, during a press conference at Office of the Presidency yesterday. He stated that the party’s withdrawal of its support for Harding, after allegations that he was a child molester arose, remains in effect, but further action must
be discussed within the Peoples’ National Congress Reform (PNCR) and the coalition. Preliminary results of the Local Government Elections (LGE) show that APNU+AFC has swept Georgetown. In Harding’s constituency, voters have placed him in a comfortable position despite the party withdrawal of its support. It remains to be seen whether Harding will go on to take his council seat. But while Granger has indicated that steps within the party will be taken, the election authority has something to say.
During a press conference yesterday, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) affirmed that there are no provisions for a recall of Harding. GECOM Chairman Dr. Steve Surujbally noted that there was a Nomination Day and contestants were accepted. “A party can say that we are not supporting a contestant,” he said. “But you cannot remove him from that list of candidates.” GECOM Commissioner, Vincent Alexander, also explained that the local government legislation does
ARE YOU MALE? DO YOU KNOW... From page 69 Men who take medications: Since men are more likely to suffer from heart attacks, they also are more likely to be on medications that can cause dry mouth. If you take medication for the heart or blood pressure, or if you take antidepressants, your salivary flow could be reduced thereby increasing the risk for cavities. Saliva helps to wash away food particles and neutralize the tooth-attacking acids formed by plaque. Men who have dry mouth may need to increase their water intake to ease their symptoms. Their dentist will also be able to suggest saliva substitutes or other alternatives to promote saliva flow. Men who use tobacco: Men who smoke or chew tobacco have a greater risk for gum disease and oral cancer. Even men who don’t use tobacco are more likely than
women to have gum disease or cancer, so using tobacco increases that risk. Age is also a factor and 95 percent of oral cancers occur in those over 40 years of age. The most frequent oral cancer sites are the tongue, the floor of the mouth, soft palate tissues in back of the tongue, and the lips and gums. If not diagnosed and treated in its early stages, oral cancer can spread causing pain and even death. It is important for men who use tobacco to see a dentist frequently for cleanings and oral cancer screening. Men who play sports: Men who play sports have a greater likelihood for trauma to their mouths and teeth. When playing contact sports, such as football, soccer, hockey, basketball or baseball, it is important to use a mouthguard, which is a flexible appliance made of plastic that protects teeth from trauma.
Men who want a more professional presence: In today’s world esthetics play an important role and your overall appearance can affect your professionallife. Having a great smile— showing healthy teeth and gums— has a lot of value in the business world. No more excuses for the men. The men need to take their oral health seriously. These are some of the important reasons why men especially should ensure that they visit their dentist regularly, and practise proper oral hygiene at home. In general, we all should be proactive and do not procrastinate and wait until pain is being experienced to take action. For more information contact OMNI DENTAL at 295 Quamina Street, Georgetown Tel: 227-0025, Parika Tel: 260-3133 or send emails to nerominifagu@hotmail.com.
not provide for a recall of Harding, as an elected councilor. He noted that far from it being a legal question, it was a moral and political question. However, he did note that the party could ask him to resign as a councilor, but it will be up to him to accede. Meanwhile, Granger was asked about calls for the removal of Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence, over comments she made about Harding. Lawrence was asked about the nomination of Harding. In response, Lawrence was reported in sections of the media to have said, “This is a family issue that has been going on and on and on for whatever reason. I can’t tell you, because if I had a brother, even if there was an accusation, this is not how I would go about helping him.” In the wake of this, Red Thread, picketed Lawrence’s office and called for her removal. Head of Red Thread, Karen De Souza, described Lawrence’s statements as seeking to excuse Harding’s charge. De Souza noted how puzzling it
From page 70
Alleged child molester, Winston Harding was that they came from the Minister of Social Protection. The group has described the Minister as unfit for her office. Help and Shelter has also noted that while Harding may not have been convicted, the fact that he was charged as reported in the media should give cause for concern. In response to the queries, Granger promised to seek an explanation from Minister Lawrence about the circumstances of Harding’s selection as a candidate.
GECOM not responsible... From page 14 Dr. Surujbally. She believed that GECOM civic and voter education should have begun much earlier. Shadick said that the verbose advertisements, last minute appointment of a Public Relations Officer by GECOM and the fact the many voters might have had to work on Elections Day could possibly be among the reasons for the low turnout. Meanwhile GECOM’s Chief Elections Officer, (CEO) Keith Lowenfield pointed out that the Commission had planned for the Local Government Elections following the hosting of the Regional and General Elections held last May. He said that in his opinion the March 18 elections were successfully conducted notwithstanding some minor glitches. Lowenfeild said that none-the-less recommendations will be made towards improvements of participation by the public and contestants in time for the next LGE.
VACANCY Male security, male desk staff, 30-45yrs old @ 233 South Road Lacytown. Call: 2250198 Security officers wanted by security company-Contact: 672-1920, between 8:00am5:00pm DRIVER/Salesman: 3 years driving experience with Van or Lorry. Call: 676- 6700 ACCOUNTS CLERK, MINIMUM qualification CXC Accounts Grades I,II, familiar with QuickBooks POS & Accounts. Email : info@guygas.com Site Engineer/Technician, experienced Human Resource Personnel, good salary and opportunity for personal development. Call: 261-2280; 668-7104 Vacancy exists for a maid; specialize in Indian and English cuisine. Call: 2310734
PROPERTY FOR SALE Lot 67 First Street Garden of Eden E.B.D – 7 (seven) acres of land with two buildings. Call: 639-8376 La Parfaite Harmonie: $1M & $1.3M, Uitvlugt: $3M, Providence: $9M & $4.5M, Kitty-$18M, Sandpit @ Yarrowkabra -$90M. Call: 604-6724
PEN PAL Indian male is seeking female, age 30-33yrs. Write: M.D, 7475 Goreway DR #47 Mississauga on L4T 3T3 Canada. Hindu male is seeking female age 24-31yrs for relationship. Call or Text: 592-666-6487
FOR OUR ADVERTISING RATES CALL US ON TEL: 226-8210
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Kaieteur News
Sunday March 20, 2016
Elusive bandit nabbed after jumping into trench After being on the run for just over 24 hours and managing to elude capture on a few occasions a bandit who had robbed a popular New Amsterdam businessman and his wife on Tuesday evening was fished out of a trench like an alligator. The man was captured around 21:00 hrs in trench at Angoy’s Avenue after he was cornered on a motor bike which had arrived to take him to safety.
The bandit after being ambushed and dealt some blows, plunged into a trench and remained there for a considerable length of time until the police came and rescued him from the angry residents. The bandit who reportedly hails for Ruimveldt in Georgetown had pounced upon the E and B General Merchandise and Candy Shop situated at Lot 12/13 Strand, New Amsterdam, next
to the New Amsterdam market. That business is operated by Danny Sankar, called “Dutty Dan”, and his wife, Babita Sankar. The thief who was unmasked and armed with a handgun had made his move around 18:45 hrs just about the time the proprietors were about to lock up. The man had opened fire three times, one on a friend of the business couple who was
helping them pack up, once at Babita and the third time at Danny, all from close range. Luckily he missed all three. The bandit escaped with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth in cash, jewelry and phone cards Danny Sankar, who had left to collect his car, was just returning with his vehicle. At the same time the thief was escaping so the man accelerated his vehicle and chased after the bandit through Chapel Street and was shot at, but the bandit missed. Sankar however managed to strike the thief at least four times with his vehicle causing a bend on the bumper.
On the last occasion the bag the bandit was carrying with the money burst and some of the cash fell out. As he was about to turn around to tackle the supposedly injured bandit, the thief scaled a fence and disappeared in a yard. The police were informed and responded in a timely manner with the SWAT team, patrols and crime scene detectives. However the man managed to elude capture by hiding in a drain, a toilet and an empty cinema. He reportedly spent most of the time in a dirty alleyway. He had during his escape run and left behind a haversack, a toque and a pack
of cigarettes. He was reportedly seen crawling out early in the morning, but before the police could arrive he was whisked away in a vehicle to a house in Fort Ordnance. Subsequent checks at the house found a pair of muddy boots which were soaked to be washed. The man was not there. The occupant of that house was arrested and taken into custody. Although injured, the man spent most of Wednesday moving from place to place in his effort to elude capture. Further intelligence led his pursuers to Angoy’s Avenue where he was captured. He has reportedly confessed to the crime and told investigators he was sent to do a job. He did not know who the man was that he was going to rob. He took investigators back to the locations where he reportedly hid during the night. He also told investigators that he lost everything and threw away the gun during the night. Neither the gun nor the money was found. He is expected to be charged shortly. Sankar had informed the media that it was the fourth time that he has been robbed. He had stated that he had applied three times for a licensed firearm, but on each occasion he was denied. He has been operating his business on large a scale for about 25 years now.
Sunday March 20, 2016
Kaieteur News
Brazil’s Rousseff and Lula knew about bribery scheme – Veja magazine SAO PAULO (Reuters) A senator accused of involvement in Brazil’s biggest corruption scandal said President Dilma Rousseff and her predecessor Lula were both aware of it and tried to block prosecutors from investigating, Veja magazine said yesterday. In an interview with Brazil’s best-selling weekly news magazine, Senator Delcidio do Amaral said Rousseff ’s successful presidential campaigns in 2010 and 2014 were financed with money from the graft scheme. Amaral was the leader of the ruling Workers’ Party (PT) in the Senate and a close Rousseff ally until he was arrested in November on charges of attempting to bribe a former executive of state-run oil company Petrobras in exchange for his silence in the investigation.. He left the party this week after agreeing a plea bargain, one of several such deals that prosecutors have used to advance their probe.
Amaral’s comments may increase the pressure on Rousseff, whose approval ratings have been hard hit by the worst recession in decades and who faces impeachment proceedings in Congress over separate allegations of manipulating budget accounts. Calls to request comment from the presidency were not
immediately answered. A spokesman for former president Lula said Amaral was a defendant trying to get legal benefits, and that he did not have evidence of what he told the magazine. Both Rousseff and Lula have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. According to the senator, Lula negotiated the appointment of directors at Petrobras on behalf of political parties and was aware of how the parties used their influence over the company for campaign financing via kick-backs from contractors working for the state oil firm. “Lula negotiated directly with parties the appointment of directors at Petrobras and knew how the parties used them, especially in campaign financing,” Amaral told Veja, which is critical of Rousseff’s left-leaning administration. “Dilma inherited and benefited from the scheme, which financed her political campaigns. Dilma also knew about everything.”
of three days. An autopsy to ascertain the exact cause of death of the infant has been undertaken and the revived Death Review
Committee met to determine the circumstances and events surrounding the untimely passing of the infant at the hospital. (Caribbean News)
Dilma Rousseff
Grenada Govt. denies reports of three gastroenteritis infant deaths ST GEORGE’S, Grenada — The ministry of health in Grenada has denied reports that three babies had died as a result of gastroenteritis at the General Hospital last weekend. In a press statement on Wednesday, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) said it had learnt of the deaths of three children over the weekend at the General Hospital, reportedly from gastroenteritis.The NDC called for the immediate resignation or dismissal of the minister for health, Nickolas Steele. However, according to the government, one infant/ toddler (and not three babies as claimed by the NDC) died on the weekend in question after being cared for at the General Hospital for a period
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Sunday March 20, 2016
Barbados postpones introduction of new policy to fingerprint Barbadians BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – Barbados has deferred plans to introduce new immigration policies that would have Barbadians fingerprinted when leaving and entering the island from April 1 this year. The Barbados Immigration Department said that “accordingly, until further notice, no passengers, whether Barbadian or nonnational, will be required to be fingerprinted”. Acting Chief Immigration Officer, Wayne Marshall, said the decision to defer the start of the biometrics screening programme was taken to allow the department more time to re-examine some of the issues, especially the legal issues, raised in the public arena, both orally and in writing, and to increase public awareness about the initiative. Last week, Opposition Leader Mia Mottley criticised the move and told legislators that the measure was flawed and would be challenged in the court. “You cannot take fingerprints from April 1. Against which data base would you be assessing these finger prints? “There is no data base to assess these fingerprints against. This is in the estimates, over two million dollars (One Barbados dollar =US$0.50 cents) to spend and
then secondly what are you going to do when a Barbadian citizens says I am not giving you my finger prints. “Where are you going to deport them to? You can’t deport your own citizens. So if you can’t deport them, you then criminalise your citizens,” she told Parliament as she made her contribution to the 2016-17 Estimates on Expenditure and Revenue. She said the measure would make “criminals of all good people who are frighten about the breach of privacy of their fingerprints”. Earlier this month, attorney and social activist David Comissiong wrote to Prime Minister Freundel Stuart calling on him to outline the reasons for introducing the new immigration policies. In his letter, Comissiong said that he had also written to the Minister Responsible for Immigration Darcy Boyce and the former Chief Immigration Officer Erine Griffith on the issue but to date has received no response. In his letter, which was made available to the media, Comissiong said that he had been informed that the Immigration (Biometrics) Regulations 2015 were made by Prime Minister Stuart in his capacity as Minister Responsible for Immigration. Last month, former attorney general Dale
Wayne Marshall
Marshall questioned the wisdom in having Barbadian nationals leaving or returning to the country be subjected to being finger printed. The Acting Chief Immigration Officer said that all legal procedures previously undertaken in adopting the Immigration (Biometric) Regulations, 2015, will be revisited, and any irregularities found corrected.
T&T PersardBissessar under pressure; accused of hiring relatives PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - Allegations of a breach of the Parliament rules against the hiring of relatives gathered momentum yesterday with fresh claims that Opposition Leader Kamla PersadBissessar has broken the rules too. Reports surfaced Friday that Persad-Bissessar has employed two of her relatives at her Siparia constituency office for well over a decade. With the recent dismissal of Marlene McDonald as housing minister, which was triggered by the revelations that she had -employed her romantic partner, Michael Carew, and his brother, Lennox, in her Port of Spain South constituency office, the issue of nepotism in the hiring in constituency offices has come under the spotlight. On Facebook and WhatsApp, messages were being posted yesterday alleging that Usha Persad and Lisa Harry, employees at the Siparia constituency office, were related to Persad-Bissessar. (Jamaica Observer)
Sunday March 20, 2016
Kaieteur News
Plane crashes in Russia, all 62 people on board killed
A view shows the crash site of Flight FZ981, a Boeing 737-800 operated by Dubai-based budget carrier Flydubai, at the airport of Rostov-On-Don, Russia, yesterday REUTERS/Stringer
Reuters - All 62 people aboard a passenger jet flying from Dubai to southern Russia were killed when their plane crashed on its second attempt to land at Rostov-on-Don airport yesterday, Russian officials said. Russia’s emergencies ministry said the aircraft, a Boeing (BA.N) 737-800 operated by Dubai-based budget carrier Flydubai, crashed at 0340 (0040 GMT). Most of those on board were Russian. “The aircraft hit the ground and broke into pieces,” the Investigative Committee of Russia said in a statement on its website. “There were 55 passengers aboard and seven crew members. They all died.” Both of the plane’s flight recorders have been recovered undamaged, the committee said in a statement. According to the
independent U.S.-based Flight Safety Foundation, there was strong wind at the airport with a speed of 43 kilometres per hour, with gusts up to 69 kilometres, but visibility was reasonable. “Different versions of what happened are being looked into, including crew error, a technical failure and bad weather conditions,” the committee said. It said the plane was in a mid-air holding pattern for more than two hours. The crash occurred more than two hours after the plane, flight number FZ981, was scheduled to land. Russia’s Interfax news agency cited a source in the emergency services as saying the pilot changed his mind about landing on the approach to the airport. “For an unknown reason, several minutes before the landing, the pilot reconsidered
and decided to make another circuit, but wasn’t able to,” Interfax quoted the source as saying. Flydubai’s CEO Ghaith alGhaith told a news conference in the Gulf Arab emirate that it was “too early” to determine the cause of the crash. “We will have information about the circumstances of the incident and the black box in the future, and an investigation is being conducted in cooperation with the Russian authorities and we are waiting to see the results,” Ghaith said. Security officials in the Middle East are on heightened alert for militant threats to aviation following the Islamic State claim of responsibility for downing a Russian passenger plane over E g y p t ’s Sinai Peninsula in late October, in which all 224 people on board died.
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Inequality curbs enthusiasm for Obama visit among Cuba’s poor HAVANA (Reuters) Fluttering U.S. flags, fixed-up roads and fresh paint on colonial buildings convey the optimism in Havana ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama’s historic visit this weekend, but rising inequality sours the mood for some of the city’s poor. The White House says the first such trip by a U.S. president since Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution is a step toward better lives for Cuban people suffering under a U.S. embargo. The Obama policy has specifically targeted Cuba’s small but growing private sector with measures such as allowing sales of farm and construction equipment for non-state enterprises. Private-sector workers already enjoy advantages over those at the bottom of the income ladder, who must survive on meager state salaries and rations. These low-paid workers feel left behind as prices rise, and see Obama’s visit as far removed from their difficult lives. “He’ll come, take a ride in a vintage car and smoke a cigar - then he’s gone,” said Alberto Hernandez, a AfroCuban street sweeper, whose salary of 240 Cuban pesos a month, about $10, makes it hard to afford basics like
toothpaste, he said. Like many in Cuba, Hernandez remembers the most prosperous era to be the 1980s, when the Soviet Union still funded the Communistled island. In contrast, even fervent supporters of Obama in the city see the ongoing U.S. embargo as a leading cause of poverty. Low wages are not new to Cuba, and they are augmented by heavilysubsidised food, along with free healthcare and other government handouts, but the contrast with a relatively successful new middle class is stark. “This is one of the biggest challenges for the state - to control inequality,” said Cuban sociologist Aurelio Alonso. “It must allow inequality to grow as little as possible.” There are no available figures for Cuban wealth
Barack Obama
distribution, but the gap between rich and poor is visibly far narrower than in most other parts of Latin America, with most of the island’s nouveau-riche living modestly by global standards.
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UWI: Poor secondary and tertiary Maths performance needs urgent intervention BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – University of the West Indies (UWI) officials are calling for more action and less talk across the region to confront the low performance in Mathematics at the secondary and tertiary level. Dean in the Faculty of Science and Technology at the UWI Cave Hill Campus, Dr Colin Depradine, said the situation has reached the stage where urgent intervention is required. He was the lead spokesperson on a
symposium on mathematics held weekend at the university to devise a plan to counter the challenge. Dr Depradine said what is required is innovative, sustainable, and actionable ideas. “The fact is that we live in a cash-strapped environment within the region and so any approaches that we adopt has to be different from what is normally seen in the world. Copying others has pretty much failed and will continue to fail.
Our situation is unique to us and we must adopt unique solutions,” he said. Dean in the Faculty of Social Sciences, Dr Justin Robinson pointed to a “Maths phobia” in the region, noting that there appears be competency in the subject area up to 11-Plus exams, which rapidly reverses at the secondary school level. That problem, Dr Robinson said, often spills over into the university. “For the last academic year we delivered in our faculty 132 courses and of those courses there were 31 that had a failure rate higher than 25 per cent and 29 of those courses were mathematical courses,” he said. “What we find as well is that in many areas analysis can be enhanced if you bring to bear the Mathematics but a lot of students, even though they’re doing their degree, are not getting the maximum benefit because they almost wind up sitting down on the soft side of the discipline.” The theme of the conference was ‘Dare to be Different: Revitalizing Mathematics’.
Sunday March 20, 2016
Elections only way to stability in Haiti, UN envoy says PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – A protracted political crisis in Haiti may hamper the stabilization gains achieved in recent year and further decline the island nation’s economic growth, the top United Nations official in the country told the Security Council Friday. Briefing the Council, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), Sandra Honoré, said the next few weeks would be decisive for the short and mid-term prospects for Haiti’s democratic consolidation. “There is therefore no alternative to the return, as soon as possible, to the path of institutional and political stability, through the completion of the pending elections,” she said. On February 14, the Haitian National Assembly elected Jocelerme Privert as the island nation’s interim President, one week after former President Michel Martelly departed without a successor. Privert will serve as interim
Sandra Honoré
President for 120 days, with an election scheduled for April 24, following an agreement between Haitian stakeholders to preserve institutional continuity and further the electoral process. Despite efforts to preserve the timeline, “tensions continue to run high, with a political class yet to unite behind a common vision for the political process,” said Honoré. In recent weeks, the confirmation of the Prime Minister and the reestablishment of the Provisional Electoral Council
have been delayed. Honoré, in a joint statement with other members of the international community represented in the so called “Core Group” (Brazil, Canada, Spain, France, United States, European Union and Organization of American States), expressed “grave concern” about the delays. The Core Group strongly urged the Parliament to play its role in implementing the 5 February Agreement and vote on the Prime Minister ’s government policy without delay. (Caribbean360)
Sunday March 20, 2016
Kaieteur News
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Nand Persaud... Jacobs claims 5-wicket haul, Johnson’s... (From page 75) match up will see the animals racing for a winning pocket of $ 400,000 and trophy. The Guyana Bred three year old maiden horses will have a chance at competing for the first prize of $300,000 and trophy over 1100M. Animals classified H3 and lower will be racing over a distance of 1400M for a winning package of $ $250,000 and trophy. The final event will be for animals classified J1 and lower over 1100M for a pole position taking of $200,000 and trophy. Other horses such as Cat Messiah, Comprador, It’s My Choice, Witchy Poo, Firing Line, Red Rocket, Isn’t She Charming and Midnight Blue are all expected to feature prominently at the days meet.
(From page 79) same over and spanked him for four before playing a delightful straight drive off Motie then hitting the 20year-old left-arm spinner for another four. The 50 was brought up in the 12th over as both batsmen looked very positive with Thomas playing a lovely flowing on-drive drive off Motie who bowled too quickly and by Tea the visitors had reached 70-1 with Thomas on32 and Blackwood on 33. After Tea, Motie struck twice in quick succession when he induced the righthanded Thomas who pushed forward to one that turned and touched it to the Keeper in the third over after Tea to break the 65-run stand. Thomas’ 32 included five fours and a six, while Andre McCarty was LBW for three at 74-3. Paul Palmer stroked
The events will be held under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority. A part from the riveting horseracing the organizers will be distributing free kites to children. The mighty Crown Vibes International Sound Company will be in the house to provide musical vibes during the day and for the after party to follow. Interested persons can contact Chandu Ramkissoon (624-9063 or 232-0633), Irshad Mohammed on 6641650, Fazal Habibulla on telephone no 657-7010, Ramnauth 337- 5311 or 6971979 Campton Sancho on 6900569 and Rajendra “Jim-Jo” Jagdeo on 618-7278 for any information. The coordinator is Nazrudeen Jumbo Jet Mohammed Jr. (Samuel Whyte)
Sunday March 20, 2016 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Opportunities for romance will develop through group endeavors; however, the association isn't likely to last. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Travel will be most enticing. Consider a cruise. Don't get involved in other people's problems. Entertainment could be pleasing if it is of an energetic nature. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Upgrading at this point is not a bad plan. Don't let children or elders put demands on your time. Your competitive nature will enable you to win any contest you enter. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Sudden romantic infatuations could lead to a significant and prosperous connection. Take a close look at contracts and agreements that have been offered to you. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Put in some extra hours and finish those careful jobs before you move on to some fun and games. Others may want to steal your thunder when they realize your ideas are pretty solid. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You will be full of good ideas, and your choice of activities may bring you enrichment far beyond your expectations. Opportunities to make financial gains will develop through your connections with other people.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You might have a problem juggling your time. Try not to be too lavish with your lover. Make some notes regarding the changes that you should make. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Try not to donate to organizations if you can hardly afford to take care of yourself. You may not be able to help, but your support will be favorable. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Your courage and willpower will enable you to get rid of destructive habits as well. Do not expect too much from others. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Take time to help a friend who hasn't been feeling well. Although it does look promising, be careful not to overextend yourself or you will lose in the long run. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Good day for romance. Be careful not to misplace your wallet or belongings. Don't let your jealous imagination play games with you. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Look for something entertaining to do. You've got that competitive edge. Be careful signing important contracts today. This is a wonderful day to look into courses or hobbies that interest you.
Motie for a sweetly timed four but was LBW for six as Motie struck for the third time in the first 30-minutes after Tea as the Scorpions lost their sting and sunk to 88-4. But disaster struck for the Jaguars when Motie hurt his finger on his bowling hand while trying to field to his own bowling and his over had to be completed by Bishoo. Devon Thomas, one of only three batsmen in the Scorpions team with a century this season joined Blackwood, the only Test player in the side and together they tried to repair the damage. Blackwood reached his fifty from 106 balls, 115 minutes with six fours, while Devon Thomas who scored a century in the penultimate round, danced into Bishoo and lofted him over the top for four. Blackwood smashed Bishoo over the extra cover boundary for six as he continued to counter-attack. But Reifer was re-introduced and a short ball crashed into the helmet of 21year-old rookie Aldane Thomas but Reifer pitched up the next ball was driven dismissively to the cover boundary. Devon Thomas swept Permaul twice and stroked him for a third four in an expensive over and Motie, with his finger heavily bandaged, returned to the attack for the last 10 minutes of the day. Devon Thomas played an irresponsible sweep in the penultimate over of the day and West Indies U-19 ViceCaptain Kemo Paul almost pulled off a stunning catch on the mid wicket boundary but luckily for the Antiguan batsman, Paul’s momentum carried him over the boundary and a six was signaled by Paul. In scores from the other two games: Leewards vs Barbados PCL Leewards: 18/1 Carty 2*, Louis 7*, Powell 8 (stumps) and 119 Hamilton 42; Powell 33 Cummins 2/30 Roach 2/21 Warrican 3/33 Barbados: 436 Dowrich 96, Chase 62, Stoute 42, Phillips 42; Cornwall 5 Louis 2 T&T vs Windwards - PCL T&T 33/1 (stumps) Guillen 9*; Sebastien 1 and 211 Deonarine 91*;Mayers 3/ 37 Johnson 1/33 L.Edwards 4/ 77 Sebastien 2/62 Windwards: 289 Smith 127, Theophile 73; Khan 4/93, Emrit 3/59, Jagessar 3/74
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Kaieteur News
Sunday March 20, 2016
Pakistan edge thriller by two runs in rainy end Berbice Volleyball Association name U19 team for overseas tour Defending champions the Berbice Volleyball Association (BVA) has named a strong 14 man team that will once aga i n b e t r a v e l l i n g t o Trinidad and Tobago in their effort to retain top honours when they competed in the FLOW sponsored junior volleyball tournament in the Twin Island Republic. When the team made their entry into the competition last year they swept all and sundry and came out victorious. Thus they will be returning to the land of “the Humming Bird”, to show that their win in their inaugural appearance was no fluke. Most of the squad which has been in place since last year was selected following a series of trial matches and practice sessions conducted by the BVA and according national head coach Levi Nedd they are expected to triumph again. Teams are expected from Trinidad and Tobago, St Kitts and Barbados among other places. The tournament will be played in Mayaro Trinidad. Nedd, who was also a former national captain and the current President of the BVA, will accompany the team as Manager/ Coach. The team, which is dominated by players of the Port Mourant Training Centre (PMTC), will be led by captained by Youganand Dhoray of Albion United, while the vice captain is Davendra Latchman of Port Mourant Training Centre (PMTC). The rest
of the squad reads; Klondyke R o d n e y, Marcellos Hector, Samuel Fraser, Vickram Nandram, Reaad Razak, Jermaine Munroe, Lezon Khan, Joel Cort, Joel Hughes, Ralwyn Heywood all of The PMTC along with Ravi Rampartab of No 52 Survivors and Kellon Leitch of Tain Humanitarian. They are expected to participate in their final practice match today against a strong PMTC select team at the PMTC all purpose court from 10:00 hrs. Other officials accompanying the team are Malika Jervis, Devindra Budhoo and Nadine Benjamin. The team is expected back home on Easter Sunday. (Samuel Whyte)
ESPNcricinfo - Pakistan Women nearly saw victory slip away as they made a mess of a straightforward chase of 97 against India Women, but good deeds upfront with the bat and a torrential downpour in Delhi helped them escape with a two-run win on the Duckworth-Lewis method. The players went off the field with Pakistan precariously placed at 77 for 6 in 16 overs, and gusty winds that brought with it a storm subsided India’s hopes of a heist as their Women’s World T20 campaign received a body blow. Pakistan were cruising high and happy at 44 for 1 in eight overs courtesy Sidra Ameen’s fiery start, before Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Harmanpreet Kaur picked up two wickets to revive the hosts. A shaky middle order then survived a lively Jhulan Goswami burst, but only just. However, they kept receiving generous offerings from time to time courtesy India’s spinners as Pakistan ate into the target. The match truly sprung to
life when Iram Javed’s ferocious flat-batted slap was superbly taken by a diving Mithali Raj at cover as Pakistan slipped to 71 for 4, still needing 27 off 34 balls. While Pakistan’s inability to work the singles forced them to bring out the big hits, India’s eagerness to close out the contest resulted in a few mishaps. Sushma Verma, the wicketkeeper, missed a runout and a stumping in the space of three deliveries, before sending back Sana Mir, the Pakistan captain, for a duck with a direct hit to give India sniff; Pakistan were in shaky waters at 77 for 6. There was a major sign of turbulence and a crash landing seemed inevitable as India’s hopes soared. But it was all too brief as rains put paid their hopes of clinching a come-from-behind win. The unlikely win looked a distant possibility when India dug themselves into a pit they could not quite get out of. Some excellent captaincy by
BCB/Tenelec inc Under-15 two-innings cricket competition starts tomorrow The annual Tenelec Inc. one day, two innings under15 inter club tournament for teams in Berbice is set to commence tomorrow across several grounds in Berbice. The competition sponsored by Bobby Deonarine and Tom Gruntzel out of Washington, USA has produced several players such as Narsingh Deonarine, Devendra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Assad Fudadin, Royston Crandon, Brandon Bess and many more. Two recent stars out of this tournament are West Indies under-19 captain Shimron Hetmyer and his former youth team mate Gudakesh Motie.
The board is taking advantage of the prolonged dry weather and Easter holidays with twenty teams participating in five (5) geographical zones. Only cricketers born on or after 1st September, 2001 can participate in this competition. Tomorrow’s first round fixtures: Zone A (West Berbice) Bush Lot United Sports Club vs Achievers at Bush Lot Blairmont Community Centre vs Bush Lot United New Generation at Blairmont Weldaad - Bye Zone B (East Bank/New Amsterdam/Canje) Edinburgh vs Tucber Park at
Edinburgh Young Warriors - Bye Zone C (Lower Corentyne) Albion Community Centre vs Rose Hall Town Farfan & Mendes B at Albion Tamarind Root vs Rose Hall Town Farfan & Mendes A at Hampshire Zone D (Lower/Central Corentyne) Port Mourant vs Big Star at Port Mourant Rose Hall Town Metro Females vs Mibicuri Strikers at Area “H” Meanwhile, Zone E (Upper Corentyne) get started on Thursday 24th March, 2016. All matches are scheduled to start at 10.30.
Mir, backed by some accurate spin bowling on a slow Kotla deck byAnamAmin, the left-arm spinner, allowed Pakistan to strangulate India. They bowled as many as 30 dots in the first six overs as India appeared to have been stuck in quick sand as they limped to 7 for 2. Mithali Raj struggled for timing, but hung around. Strangely enough, her lack of purpose allowed Pakistan to weave a web even as her deputy Kaur struggled to get bat to ball. Mir and Sadia Yousuf built on Anam’s good work to ensure India’s most accomplished pair had to force the pace and use their brute force to clear the ropes. One such effort resulted in Raj holing out off a full toss to
deep midwicket, while Kaur found the long-off fielder. That India inched close to 100 was thanks to a late turbocharge by Veda Krishnamurthy, who hit three fours, in her 19-ball 24, while Jhulan Goswami and Shikha Pandey muscled 24 between them to give India hope. However, that Pakistan hit nine boundaries in their first 12 overs, much before the rain arrived, in comparison to India’s six in 20 overs, eventually proved to be the clincher. Scores: Pakistan 77 for 6 (Ameen 26, Gayakwad 1-11) beat India 96 for 7 (Krishnamurthy 24, Amin 19, Iqbal 1-13) by two runs (D/ L method).
Wiltshire siblings outstanding in... (From page 77) Category B Makeda Harding defeated Maya Collins 11/9, 11/1, 11/9. Category C produced another thrilling battle when Gianni Carpenter edged Ethan Jonas three games to two. Gianni won the first game 11/6 but dropped the second game 9/11. He won the third game 11/7 but lost the fourth 11/8. However, he was a comfortable winner in the fifth game 11/3. Ethan Jonas bounced back from this loss to then defeat Dominic Collins 11/9, 5/11, 11/3, 11/7. Samuel Ince-Carvahal had two victories in the morning session firstly beating Demetrius De Abreu 11/ 1, 11/1, 11/2 and then disposing of Michael Alphonso 11/7, 11/4, 11/5. In Category D Abosaide Cadogan recovered from her loss the previous evening to Madison Fernandes, to upset front runner in the group Kirsten Gomes, who prior the this had not lost a match in the tournament. Kirsten won the first game 11/ 3 and then the second game 12/10 but Abosaide took the third game 11/3, and then the fourth 11/5. Abosaide then comfortably won the fifth game 11/3. Madison Fernandes then defeated Aliyah Persaud 11/5, 11/7, 11/6.
Sunday March 20, 2016
Kaieteur News
Page 79
West Demerara overcome Nand Persaud and Company East Coast to retain title Limited makes massive ...Georgetown thump East Bank investment in $10M event Guyana Cup Fever horserace meet
Preparations are continuing for the Guyana Cup Fever Horserace meet set for Sunday March 27 (Easter Sunday) at the famous Arima Park Turf Club, Rising Sun, West Coast Berbice. With just over a week to go before the much anticipated event one of Guyana’s largest rice producers, the Nand Persaud Company limited, the producers of the popular Karibee, has come forward to make a major investment in the event. On Friday Managing Director of the Company Mohin Persaud presented a cheque for a significant sum to assistant organiser Compton Sancho at the company’s head office at No.36 Village, Corentyne. Karibee Rice is no stranger to the sporting arena as they are the sponsors of the Karibee male and female cricket teams and has been sponsoring, football, cricket,
basketball and other sporting and community activities. According to Manager Mohin Persaud their involvement is part o f t h e company’s corporate responsibilities. He sees horseracing as one of the sports that brings people of all classes together and the company is always willing to get involved in such events. Seven races are listed on the days programme with over $10,000 in cash and trophies are up for grabs with some 40 horses entered to participate already. The feature A and lower event is already being eagerly anticipated with most of the top runners in the country down to take part. With new sensation to the racing arena Golden Blue Echo of the Nand Persaud Karibee Rice Stable looking for another win, the likes of
C.P Got Even, Just call Me Bass, Princess She Not, American Boss, Score’s Even and Plum Plum will hav e o t h e r i d e a s a n d with others such as Spit Fire, Jack in My Style, Street Prince, Giants Time, Diplomatic Cat, Kazi Azaria, Unsettled, Perfect Wind Strom, Goodwill Boy, Lady B u d a p e s t a n d We s t e r n Charm also expected to participate. The 1400M event is looking ominous as they race for the sumptuous $1.2million winner ’s money and trophy. The other events listed on the day are the F class event. The winning take is $600,000 and trophy over 1400M. There is an 1100M event for West Indies bred three year old animals for a top prize of $400,000 and trophy. The G2 and lower 1400M (Continued on page 73)
Berbice Cricket Board names players for under-17 trial matches The BCB junior selection panel led by Leslie Solomon has shortlisted 35 players to take part in two trials matches to select the Berbice under17 team to participate in the upcoming inter county tournament. The matches will be of fifty overs a side and will be played at the Albion Sports Complex on Monday and Tuesday March 21 and 22, 2016 respectively. According to the release, performances of this weekend matches of the 2016 Memorex under-17 inter club cricket competition will also be taken into consideration. The BCB takes the opportunity to say thanks to Anthony Ameerally for sponsoring inter club under-17 cricket
competition in the county. Mention was also made of Republic Bank (Guyana) Lim-
ited, NCN and Tenelec Inc. All of the players are products of these competitions.
The final round of the Demerara Cricket Board U19 Inter-Association 50-over tournament saw West Demerara beating East Coast by six runs to retain the title and Georgetown thrashing East Bank by 249 runs. Playing at the Enterprise Busta Sports Club ground, West Demerara scored 183 all out from 47.5 overs, taking first knock. Their innings was built on the back of Ronaldo Renee who crafted a fine 108;
Pradesh Balkishun was the pick of the bowlers with 3-40, Bhaskar Yadram and Danunka Ngqondo had 2-33 each. East Coast were bowled out for 177 in the 49th over in reply. Vishwanauth Ramlakan struck 46, while Bhaskar Yadram got 39, Gavin Boodwah 33 and Rajpaul Gopaul 25. Rishie Looknauth snared 3-31, Mark Jeffers 2-23, Neil Mc Clean 2-27, and Malcolm Hubbard 2-31. At DCC, Ronaldo Ali
Mohamed slammed 128 to guide Georgetown to 399, batting first. Joshua Persaud scored 97 and Raymond Perez 57. Christian Husbands and Sagar Hatheramani grabbed three and two wickets respectively. East Bank folded for 150 in reply with Hatheramani scoring 30; Timothy Mc Almont took four wickets, while Darshan Persaud had three.
Regional heads to meat after weak AMBC performance Following a poor performance at the recently concluded AMBC boxing Qualifier, English speaking Caribbean nations are to meet to carry out a post mortem and plot the way for the future of the sport in the region. This meeting is being pushed by president of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association Steve Ninvalle with support from Barbados, St Lucia and Jamaica and is set for May in Barbados. Ninvalle informed that the Caribbean could not get together three fighters in the finals despite having more than 20 boxers at the competition. Guyana sent two boxers and both lost in their opening matches. Ninvalle said, “The results say that locally there is a something lacking and, regionally there is also a deficiency. I have had several reports from Argentina and they all tell of the same thing. In these turbulent waters it’s either we row together or sink individually.” “The region has had teams preparing for months in Cuba. Several of those teams have turned up empty
handed. To the best of my knowledge only Trinidadian heavyweight Nigel Paul has made it into the final and is guaranteed a trip to Rio,” he added. President of the St Lucian Amateur Boxing Association David ‘Shakes’ Christopher, acknowledged that the Caribbean faced several challenges in Buenos Aries, some having nothing to do with talent deficiency. He said most decisions given against regional fighters were nothing less that atrocious, calling it…”It was robbery without mask. I am still astounded by what I witnessed…..” Ninvalle said everything would be put on the table during the regional meeting including the much touted idea of a regional Olympic Box Off. Head of the Jamaica Amateur Boxing Association Stephen Jones, despite the unfavorable results, extended heartfelt appreciation to the boxers for their efforts in carrying our flags high on the other side of the world. He
congratulated Trinidad for their fighter who made it through. Jones noted, “That being said, from all the feedback that I’ve received, I’m heartened to understand that there is a very minimal gap that separates the boxers from those countries that did qualify, and ours. None of the Caribbean boxers were outclassed, it’s just the minor technicalities that need to be adjusted in order to take us to that next level, and this can only come from increased activity in our region.” “The Caribbean boxing fraternity is determined to continue assessing our position and building on the positives, as is evidenced by the immediate call for a meeting of the minds to analyze what was and chart the course for what needs to be. Jamaica, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cayman Island, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St Lucia, St Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago and the US Virgin Islands attended the Olympic qualifier.
Page 80
Kaieteur News
National ‘Race of Champions’ Meet
Racers battle today for CMRC selection -Watch out for Jeffrey versus Vieira showdown
These models could provide additional excitement for racing fans today. To d a y ’s National ‘Race of Champions’ Meet which takes place at the South Dakota Circuit promises to produce lots of excitement and daredevilry, especially with the
chance of selection to represent Guyana at the upcoming opening leg of the CMRC up for grabs. Word from within the fraternity is that all the groups have been fully subscribed
Anamayah memorial basketball semi-final set for today Ithaca Hardliners take on Rose Hall Jammers The first semi final of the Anamayah Memorial first division Basketball competition for teams in Berbice is set to tip off today. The game will bring together Group B winners Ithaca Hardliners and Group A runners up Rose Hall Jammers who are the defending champions at the Rose Hall town Basketball court beginning at 16:00 hrs. The other semi final will be played next Sunday between
the Group A winners the unbeaten Fyrish Black Sharks and group B runners up New Amsterdam Warriors at the Black Sharks court. At stake in the competition are cash and other incentives for the winning and runner-up teams and other outstanding players. The tournament is being organised by sport enthusiast Vibert Garnett. (Samuel Whyte)
and fans could expect some enthralling battles in every category. With the return of Caribbean and national champion Kristian Jeffrey for the Meet, his presence has served to underline the seriousness of the event and coupled with the return of former champion Mark Vieira, it is almost clear that today’s winners will be the fans. The Group 4 division, widely regarded as the marquee category, is once again expected to live up to that billing with Kevin Jeffrey, Irfaan Kalamadeen, Danny Persaud and Andrew King joining forces with the Vieiras and young Jeffrey to provide an exhilarating spectacle for the fans. Then there is the Superbike division and this segment too guarantees fans will be on the edge of their seats as former champion Stephen ‘Valentino Rossi’ Vieira attempts to recapture his glory when he takes to the starting grid against cousins Elliott and Matthew in addition to the experienced Joel Neblett and another young and upcoming speedster in Kevin Persaud. The other groups should also be very competitive with the Group 1 and 2 as usual anticipated to provide scorching rivalry. Among those who could emerge as stars on the day are Roshan Ali, Chet Singh, Rameeze Mohamed and Shan Seejattan. Meanwhile, among the sponsors on board to date are GTT and Fly Jamaica and admission to the races is $1,000 for adults and $500 for children under the age of 12 years. Starting time is 09:30 hrs.
Sunday March 20, 2016
STAG / EBFA Senior League
Grove, Soesdyke, Mocha, Herstelling face off today Defending champions Grove Hi Tech will be going for their second win in as many matches when the STAG / East Bank Football Association Senior League continues today at the Grove Playfield with another double header. Grove, having defeated Herstelling Raiders 4-1 in the league’s first match will face a sterner test this afternoon
from 13:30hrs when they oppose Soesdyke Falcons which also won their opening match coming from behind against Kuru Kururu Warriors, 3-2 on Sunday last. The likes of Lloyd Matthews, Nickolai Matthews, Mervin Squires and Denzil Crawford will be at the helm of the Grove side in their quest to make in two out of two. Soesdyke will be
no easy opponent as they have in their armory the dangerous Mervin Joseph who is also their Captain, Collis Massiah, Kelcy Benson, Tyrell Khan, Troy Johnson and John Stell. In the main match, Herstelling Raiders will be aiming to rebound from their opening loss when they lock horns with Mocha Champs. Kick off time is 13:30hrs.
Sri Lanka v West Indies, World T20 2016, Group 1, Bangalore
Handicapped SL wander into WI territory ESPNcricinfo - Sri Lanka have been happy to fly under the radar. As a matter of fact, they are the defending champions, but they cling to the underdog tag like it’s a life vest. Just as well, because they are heading straight into a storm. Chris Gayle is in his home town - A cosy little realm of flat pitches, short boundaries and spoilt fans called Bangalore. Gayle loves it here - he hit 175 at the M Chinnaswamy and has it emblazoned on his RCB jersey and the fans love him right back. Of course, that does not mean they will stop expecting him to hit another 175. So do Sri Lanka have a sufficiently skilled kill joy among them? Nuwan Kulasekara has the wiles. Angelo Mathews can certainly annoy. Rangana Herath has to have a magic wand stowed somewhere on his person. But there is a name missing from that list. A man who can remove the 22 yards from the equation, and match the West Indian gunslingers’ for firepower. What’s more, he had done it all before too. Lasith Malinga was part of a Mumbai Indians line-up which forced Gayle to plod on for 10 off 24 balls in a chase of 210 in April 2015. He won’t be part of the
Chris Gayle warms up for a net session on the eve of West Indies’ game against Sri Lanka, World T20, Bangalore, March 19, 2016 ©AFP Sri Lanka team tomorrow, a proper blow considering the rematch of the 2012 final is likely to devolve into West Indies’ batsmen v Sri Lanka’s bowlers. WATCH OUT FOR Marlon Samuels is one of eight men still standing from West Indies’ title triumph in 2012. And it was his innings that refused Sri Lanka the joy of becoming world champions at home. A man capable of taking your breath away with his strokeplay and tear your hair out when he is out of form, Samuels continues to be an enigma 15 years since his debut. Dinesh Chandimal is remaking himself as a T20 opener. Some of that is because most reckon he can slip
into Mahela Jayawardene’s shoes. While that can be a heavy burden, Chandimal can turn it to his advantage. Presently he tries to hit the ball a bit too hard. For a batsman whose skill lies in timing and imagination, he does not need to rely on such crude tactics. Jayawardene certainly did not. TEAM NEWS Indications from West Indies’ training session on the eve of the match are that they would keep to the same XI that played England. They might be tempted to find a way to include Jason Holder, who had come out as an opener during the warm-up stage. Sri Lanka do have plenty of bowling options, and that is bound to come useful. They may retain the same XI that beat Afghanistan last Thursday. PITCH AND CONDITIONS Dharamsala and Nagpur have been slow on the take. Mumbai has been in the batsmen’s pockets, and if history is anything to go by, Bangalore will be too. There was a tinge of green to the pitch at M Chinnaswamy stadium, but it is unlikely to hinder strokeplay. If anything, it might help the ball come onto the bat quicker. Chasing has been the favoured route here, even without the complication of dew. The forecast is for a clear day, but a cloudy night.
Sunday March 20, 2016
Kaieteur News
Page 81
Wiltshire siblings outstanding in Kraft Toucan Industries Junior Skill level Tournament The Guyana Squash Association (GSA) in collaboration with its corporate sponsor Digicel is holding the Kraft Toucan Industries Junior Skill level tournament its first Junior tournament for 2016 at the Georgetown Club Inc. courts. Play continued
brother’s footsteps when she defeated Alec Melville in three competitive games 11/4, 11/9, 12/10. Shomari Wiltshire proved that his win the previous night against Alec Melville was no fluke as he out-dueled Taylor Fernandes in a marathon five game match.
Larissa Wiltshire
Shomari Wiltshire
yesterday on Friday night at the Georgetown Club Inc. courts with matches in eight categories. On Friday, Category A again proved to be the grouping which provided the main upsets. Larissa Wiltshire followed in her
Meanwhile, play continued yesterday morning at the Georgetown Club Inc. courts with matches in eight categories. In Category A Benjamin Mekdeci dropped his first game of the tournament in his match against Taylor
Pele FC to observe 45th Anniversary Pele Football Club has planned a number of activities in celebration of its 45th Anniversary starting on March 26 with U15 and U17 matches which will see Stella Maris Playing St. Stephens in an all female affair followed by Pele Masters facing Overseas Veterans and Pele Elite clashing with Alpha United Elite at the GFC ground. On March 27, the club will host youth fun day, while on Tuesday March 29 the organisation will present bags to several schools followed by a coaching seminar on Wednesday March 30 at the above named venue. On Thursday March 31, the club will engage Santos U15 and U17 before the veterans and Elite of both clubs clash. On Friday April 1, they will stage an essay competition with the winner receiving a computer and scholarship; the second and third place finisher will also be rewarded. The activities will conclude on April 1 with a Banquet at Georgetown Club.
Birthday 6 capture Gittens dominoes title Birthday 6 amassed 81 games to win the final of the Lyall Gittens Birth Anniversary dominoes competition which was contested on Wednesday night at Strikers Sports Club. Mix Up took the runner up spot with 79 games, while Thunder finished third on 77. Ken Wahl and Paul Thomas scored with 15 and 14 games respectively for the winners, while Gilbert Mendonca made the maximum 18 games and Mark Rodrigues 14 for Mix Up. Kevin Boston and Faye Joseph were Thunder leading players with 15 apiece. Mendonca took the MVP while Birthday 6 received a trophy and $130,000. Mix Up pocketed $60,000 while Thunder took home $30,000. Meanwhile, Gangster Dominoes team will be hosting a 12-team 4-game tournament today at Adealide Street. Entrance fee is $12,000 and double six time is 15:00 hrs. Prizes will be announced just before play commences.
Fernandes when he lost the third game but still won 11/6, 11/4, 9/11, 11/5. Larissa Wiltshire ensured that she
would not be one of the victims of her younger brother Shomari when she defeated him in four games
11/6, 11/5, 6/11, 11/8. Alec Melville bounced back from two successive defeats when he won a hard four game
match against Alex Cheeks 11/8, 6/11, 11/8, 11/4. In the lone match in (Continued on page 74)
Page 82
Milo U-20 Schools Football Competition
Kaieteur News
Sunday March 20, 2016
Defending champs Chase hit nine past Lodge to retain title
-First team in competition to win back-to-back titles Defending champions Chase Academic Foundation produced a ruthless performance in their 9-0 demolition of Lodge to retain the Milo Under-20 Schools Football Championship trophy yesterday, at the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue. The reigning title holders clearly saved their best display for the final in what could only be described as a one-sided affair that unfolded before another large turnout that included Milo representative Renita Sital, Director of Sport Christopher Jones, Ministry of Health official Dr. Dennis B a s s i e r, M i n i s t r y o f Education’s Nicholas Fraser, Guyana Football Federation Vice-President Rawlston
Adams and Petra Organisation Directors Marlan Cole and Troy Mendonca. In the feature game, Kelsey Benjamin led the rout with a helmet-trick in the 26th, 47th, 58th and 66th minutes, while Ralph Parris who netted a double in the 12th and 40th minutes, Ryan Hackett who fired a brace in the 24th and 50th minutes and Sonel Logan who scored a solo effort in the 82nd minute completed their tally. The win meant that Chase Academic Foundation not only won back to back titles and became the first team in the tournament’s history to do so, but also took away $500,000 towards a school project. Lodge did not go home
empty-handed and waltzed away with the runner-up trophy and $300,000 towards the funding of a school project. Parris opened the scoring when he outran his markers to punch past the advancing goalkeeper before Hackett made it 2-0 with a fierce leftfooter into the roof of the net. Benjamin commenced his domination with a strike from the left side of the box into the top left corner, before Parris returned to make it 4-0, hitting past the goalkeeper after a cross from the right side. Shortly after the resumption, Benjamin continued his assault after firing into the lower right corner. It was one-way traffic after then as Hackett completed his brace to push
the score line to 6-0, before Benjamin lashed in two more goals to close his tally, while substitute Logan got into the act to end Lodge’s misery. Earlier, in the third place playoff, South Ruimveldt eased past Queen’s College 2-0 with Cecil Jackman and Adrian Aaron netting in the 22nd and 23rd minutes respectively. South Ruimveldt won $200,000 towards the funding of a school project a n d Q u e e n ’s C o l l e g e received $100,000 towards the funding of a school initiative. Hackett was awarded the M os t Valuable P layer trophy, while the Highest Goal Scorer accolade went to Benjamin with eight goals. The Best Goalkeeper
South Ruimveldt scorers Cecil Jackman (left) and Adrian Aaron pose for a photo op yesterday. trophy was collected by Kevis Fraser of Chase Academic Foundation, with only one goal conceded in the entire event, while Coach
Vurlon Mills of the same institution was voted the Best Coach Award and Mae’s Secondary, the Most Disciplined Team.
Sunday March 20, 2016
Kaieteur News
Page 83
PCL Jacobs claims 5-wicket haul, Johnson’s 93, cricket Motie’s late burst keep Jaguars in control By Sean Devers A well constructed 93 by Leon Johnson, 62 from Jermaine Blackwood and a five-wicket haul from legspinner Damion Jacobs, highlighted action on the second day of the final round of the PCL First-Class tournament between Guyana Jaguars and Jamaica Scorpions yesterday at Providence. Johnson’s 28th FirstClass fifty, which lasted 185 balls, 266 minutes with six fours and a six, led the Jaguars to 420 with Jacobs taking 5-127 and pacer Jason
Dawes claiming 2-37. The Scorpions, led by Blackwood 16th fifty and an unbeaten 40 from Devon Thomas reached 171-5 by the close, still 100 runs away from the follow-on target. Aldane Thomas (21) and his unrelated namesake Antiguan Devon Thomas have so far added 51 for the sixth wicket. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie took three wickets in the final session to finish with 333, while left-arm pacer Raymond Refier supported with 2-43. The Jaguars resumed on
EBFA / Ralph Green U-11 League
Defending champs Herstelling exit following loss to Agricola
Agricola’s Floyd Boyce (left) and Herstelling Kai James battling for their teams yesterday at the Grove Playfield. A new champion would be crowned following the exit of defending champions Herstelling Raiders on account of their 3-1 loss to Agricola yesterday when the East Bank Football Association / Ralph Green sponsored Under-11 League continued at the Grove Playfield. Yesterday’s opening match saw Craig and Diamond United battling to a 0-0 draw with Craig and Grove Hi Tech set to face off in the final Group A match on Saturday. Grove are already assured of a place in the semifinals; a win will see them ending as the top team in the group. Diamond and Craig are on a point each and a loss for Craig will see the battle for the second place in the group coming down to goal difference. Agricola, after giving up a walk over to Friendship in their first match came with a mission to win and despite falling behind by the 6th minute, thanks to a Kai James strike for Hetstelling, Agricola kept on pressing. They would sink the equalizer three minutes later to ensure the first half ended 1-1. The second half was all Floyd Boyce’s half as his two goals ensured victory for Agricola and a place in the semifinals as the second team emerging from Group B behind Friendship. Boyce scored in the 19th and 21st minute of the 30th minute match.
297-4 and registered their third batting point before Devendra Bishoo (3) pulled Jacobs to backward square to leave the score on 306-5. Chris Barnwell joined Johnson who gloriously smashed Jacobs for consecutive boundaries to move into the 70s, while Barnwell pulled left-arm pacer Browne all along the ground behind square for four and dumped him for six the next ball. Barnwell then hammered Jacobs for another four in the next over as the Jaguars made it known early that were looking for a big total and trying to get it quickly as possible. An edge between first and second slip raced for four by Barnwell brought up the 350 and the fourth batting point. With regularly updates coming from St Kitts where Barbados, with seven points behind the Jaguars, were playing the Leewards being fed to the Guyana camp it was getting more important that the hosts pressed for a win. Barnwell made a cameo 25, which was decorated with three fours and a six and
Damion Jacobs bowled impressively yesterday to take 5-127. came from just 31 balls before he was trapped LBW to the impressive Jacobs who extracted some bounce and turn on a track with a tinge of green but had little pace in it. Barnwell’s demise came at 353 and ended an important 47-run sixth wicket stand with his Captain and brought Reifer to the crease. The left handed Bajan latched onto Jacobs and pounded him for a couple of fours. Johnson who continued to play in a delightful fashion and when he reached 86 he crossed the 800-run barrier. When seven short of his fifth century and third this season, Johnson flirted with a ball which left him from Devon Thomas and edged it
to the Keeper to end a wonderful innings which he again failed to convert into three figures. Reifer (11) was LBW to Jacobs and Veerasammy Permaul joined Anthony Bramble at 384-8 and together saw the Jaguars to 398-8 by Lunch. After the interval Permaul viciously cut Dawes for four before he was caught at first slip for 21 to give Jacobs his eighth fivewicket haul and 35th for the season to leave the Jaguars on 414-9. Motie (4) was bowled by Dawes to end the innings 27 minutes after Lunch setting the Scorpions 271 to avoid the follow-on. When began their reply John Campbell, with a
hundred and two fifties this season, pulled Reifer to midon at 15-1 after making just one. Shacaya Thomas stroked four boundaries in his first four scoring shots highlighted by an imperious cover drive off Reifer which raced along the fast outfield like a bullet. The burly Thomas pivoted and hooked Barnwell for six before Blackwood caressed Reifer for a magnificent cover driven boundary and when he over compensated and bowled into the pads of Blackwood who whipped it for a well timed off side four. Blackwood then launched into Reifer in the (Continued on page 33)
t r o Sp National ‘Race of Champions’ Meet
Racers battle today for CMRC selection -Watch out for Jeffrey versus Vieira showdown
CMRC champion Kristian Jeffrey leads the chasing pack at the first turn en route to one of his victories last year.
Milo U-20 Schools Football Competition
Defending champs Chase hit nine past Lodge to retain title
-First team in competition to win back-to-back titles
Milo Brand Representative Renita Sital hands over the winning trophy to Chase Academic Foundation Principal Henry Chase in the presence of the victorious team and officials yesterday.
Sri Lanka v West Indies, World T20 2016, Group 1, Bangalore
Handicapped SL wander into WI territory Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210