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

EDITORIAL

RUMOR-MONGERING Guyana is a rumor-mongering society. Rumormongering is one of the mysteries of life that many find pleasure in doing. Fanned by the social media, rumor-mongering has been in constant over-drive in the country. It is obvious that most of the citizens will never be able to live without rumor, which thrives on sensational and salacious stories. While it is difficult to understand the motivation of those who indulge in spreading rumors, the truth is, it is done to impress the public, to cause strife or to sabotage governments. Some rumors are more vicious than others in that they could destroy relationships and the careers of individuals. Others can be quite ruinous to the government and to the country. While rumors have and will continue to be a part of life in Guyana, they should not be dignified with a response from the government if they do not pose any serious threats to the nation. Whether or not rumors originate from the opposition, they spread like wildfires and tend to take on a life of their own. They could make or break people, especially those public officials suspicious of alleged wrongdoings. However, the government’s public relations team should be more proactive in debunking rumors. Two of the latest and perhaps very dangerous rumors are the recent arrests and questioning of the opposition leader and several ex-ministers and exofficials of the last administration by the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU). The opposition characterized the arrests as a witch-hunt against the leaders of the PPP and that they were designed to divert attention from the failures of the government to develop the economy, create jobs and reduce the high crime rate. The other rumor is that the government intends to close the sugar estates so as to spite the sugar workers who are supporters of the PPP and who will inevitably vote for that party irrespective if the government continues to subsidize GUYSUCO and save their jobs. The first rumor has caused many, including supporters of the PPP, to cast the government in a bad light as being spiteful against the leaders of the PPP. The second rumor is even more devastating to the 18,000 who earn their livelihood working at the sugar estates. It is an attempt to fool the sugar workers into believing that the government intends to close all the sugar estates. However, the government public relations team seems incapable of debunking this kind of rumor. This should be the remit of the Ministry of Information which has been very quiet on a number of rumors by the opposition. Those in the opposition who love their country should resist the temptation to spread these rumors, although the job of the opposition is to create animosity against the government. The opposition should be more responsible because it is obvious that such rumors could cause growing concerns and heightened tensions among the sugar workers. The truth is that the government has not made a decision on the future of all the sugar estates. It is insisting, though, that it will not kill sugar. It has admitted to being ready to close the loss making sugar estates given the high cost of maintenance. And where the estates are closed the government is creating conditions for the continued employment of the sugar workers. Rumors are not truths and cannot be prevented but the government should have an efficient public relations team in place to debunk those rumors that are considered detrimental to unity and to the country. The government must preserve all that is good.

Friday March 19, 2016

Kaieteur M@ilbox Send your letters to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com

He is the best person to lead a third party is 2020 Dear Editor, I read the exchange between C h r i s t o p h e r R a m a n d Ta c u m a Ogunseye about the coming of the third party and wasn’t surprised at the news. It was bound to happen. Once the AFC got overtaken by the PNC, once the PNC did not live up to expectations, and once the PPP did not throw up new leadership, a third party was in the making. All the signs are pointing to its formation. There are several letters in the press about its coming and names like Nigel Hughes and Freddie Kissoon as the likely candidates to lead the list. When one searches Guyana to find a presentable candidate to lead a third party, there is no one near to Ralph Ramkarran. The name Freddie Kissoon is obvious to anyone. But my preference would be Ralph Ramkarran. Here are

my reasons for opting for Ralph than Freddie Kissoon. If I was to choose between the two as to who is popular and most admired, my pick would be Freddie. As a person without baggage, as a multi-racial person, as Guyanese who fights for rights over wrongs, as a modest, humble academic/activist, Freddie stands alone. His record is larger than life. My strong opinion is that except for Walter Rodney who paid the ultimate price, Freddie Kissoon has endured more state victimization than any other Guyanese. Leading a political party, winning an election and becoming a policy-maker, is another thing altogether. While I admire the idealism and courage of Freddie Kissoon, I certainly do not support his ideological politics. It has no place in government. This is where I see

Ralph Ramkarran as an unbeatable candidate in 2020. More of the ordinary folks and the university type would vote for Freddie. I don’t think Freddie would pick up even one vote from the business class and the middle class people throughout Guyana. The middle classes in Guyana would not accept the ideological types like Freddie Kissoon. You cannot keep up with the writings of Freddie (to do a column seven days a week is remarkable) and because his views are so voluminous you can easily gleam what types of beliefs he has. Freddie hates the middle classes and the wealthy classes. He takes his acceptance of the working class too far. He goes beyond what is radically acceptable. These sections of society would not support a (Continued on page 6)

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Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox Is karma catching up with Bharrat Even Jagdeo and the PPP increase, much the same as Jagdeo? toTrump has caused Obama’s have voiced their concerns in DEAR EDITOR, The PNC-Coalition thinks they have to jail Jagdeo. That is because even the staunchest of President Granger’s supporters will tell you, that if elections were held today, Jagdeo would win, hands down. The Granger-led Coalition has so disappointed its supporters that the party is now running at a favorability rating that might even be lower than in the dark days when Robert Corbin was the PNC leader. Granger is turning out to be a worse manager than Corbin. In fact, what is even more noteworthy is that Grander has caused Burnham’s favorability rating

favorability ratings to go up. When you are so inept that Burnham is more likable than you, then you know that you are in deep trouble. The administrators of this country – the PNCites – are at a complete loss as to what to do with Guyana. And they are running out of precious time. Half of their term in office has evaporated and with each passing day, there seems to be other realities that prove that the current government is lost. So much so that the general consensus, from both PPP members and PNC supporters is that the 2020 elections will be hard for the Coalition to win.

this regard. The expanding technological age of cell phones, Wifi and other electronic mediums, will make rigging difficult. The only other clear path to a 2020 victory for the Coalition is for the administration to jail Jagdeo and some of the PPP top brass. And that seems to be the plan. When the SARU laid claims of criminality against Jagdeo (Continued on page 6)

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We stand in solidarity with Latoya Nugent DEAR EDITOR, We stand in full solidarity with Latoya Nugent, cofounder of the Tambourine Army of Jamaica and executive director of WE-Change, who was arrested by members of the Counter-Terrorism and Organized Crime Division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force on Tuesday, March 14, 2017. They have since charged her with “use of a computer for malicious communication” under the Cybercrimes Act. She spent the night of March 14 in custody at the Duhaney Park police station to await a bail hearing at the St. Andrew Parish Court in Half Way Tree in Kingston. The arrest and charge of Latoya Nugent is a sad reflection on the Jamaican state. We understand that Latoya was not well while in custody and was taken to hospital on March 15 and was unable to attend court. She has now been granted bail and a new court date set for March 22. We also express solidarity with Nadeen Spence of Mary Seacole Hall, another founder of Tambourine Army who was also questioned and intimidated by the police. Why was Latoya arrested? Because she boldly spoke truth to power, using her Facebook page to name persons (some holding high office in various prominent institutions) who were identified by their victims as sexual predators. There will doubtless be people who oppose this kind of action, but those of us who have signed this

letter, who are from the generations who fought and fought and fought to change laws and then fought again for them to be implemented only to watch domestic and sexual violence against women and girls and young boys increase and grow more vicious and more tolerated and normalised, are united in the view that the time had come for more radical action to be taken. We salute the Tambourine Army for its courage. We support the Caribbean youth-led feminists like #LifeInLeggings, Womantra, CatchAFyah and other emerging women’s rights organisations and those progressive men and men’s groups and networks that speak out against violence against women and children such as CARIMAN. In taking the action she took, Latoya gave life to the UN Women’s #BeBoldForChange theme under which marches were held across the Caribbean on March 11 – all synchronized to commence at 3.00 PM. Latoya’s organization #Tambourine Army were featured in the Guyana Press Stabroek News “In The Diaspora” column on Monday, March 13.It was also the subject of an article in the UK Guardian newspaper. In Guyana, our march, organized by the UG Students Society Against Human Rights Violations, was led by UG student and survivor of domestic violence, Akola Thompson. The Guyana march was a March for Girls and Against All Forms of Gender Based Violence. We marched in solidarity with

#LifeInLeggings (Barbados), #Tambourine Army (Jamaica), and groups who marched in Trinidad & Tobago and other Caribbean islands. We marched in support of the UNWomen call#BeBoldForChange. Red Thread, Help & Shelter, Guyanese Girls Rock, GuyBow, The Witness Project, Women & Gender Equality Commission, Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association, ChildLink, Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination, Guyana Trans United, Citizens Against Rape and individual rights defenders all marched and many spoke at the Rally held at the Square of the Revolution afterwards, including Natasha, survivor of domestic violence and Twinkle, champion of transgender rights. The Tambourine Army does not stand alone. Latoya Nugent does not stand alone. Touch one, touch all – not only all in Jamaica but all in the region and in the regional diaspora. Touch one, touch all! Guyanese women’s rights and gender justice organisations and activists endorse the many statements in solidarity with Latoya from Jamaica and around the Caribbean and within the diaspora and add our collective voice to the call for respect for her fundamental human rights to defend women and children – girls and boys – against acts of sexual and other forms of violence. Naming &shaming perpetrators is essential. It is they who should be behind

He is the best person to lead a third... From page 4 Freddie Kissoon as a presidential candidate. If there are plans for this, then the movers and shakers behind the third party better scuttle those plans as soon as possible. Freddie Kissoon may be Guyana’s Don Quixote and rightly so. My description of him is the Guyanese Don Quixote in hippie clothes with a hippie hair style. I love Freddie as he is at the moment. Don’t move from that niche, Freddie. From that niche, you have become a national hero. Any reconfiguration of Guyanese politics has to start

with Ralph Ramkarran. My bet is that he is going to be the presidential candidate of that third party. Ralph has all the prerequisites to lead a third party. It would be insulting to Ralph to list his curriculum vitae in this letter. I cannot see which Guyanese (other than Freddie Kissoon which I have discounted) can come close to him if he was to throw his hat in the ring for 2020. Where Freddie Kissoon is strong on ideological beliefs and philosophical dreams, Ralph is a pragmatist par excellence. Ralph would reach out to every section of the Guyanese nation, and would find accep-

tance from every section of the Guyanese society. What I think Ralph will do is to retain the 10 percent AFC votes, retain the PPP votes and slice off PNC votes and Amerindian votes. From all that we have been hearing, it looks like the third party will come into the political arena but I do not know if Ralph Ramkarran has been approached. Names we are hearing about are Freddie Kissoon, Christopher Ram, and Nigel Hughes. Those are names can and will win the 2020 elections but only if led by Ralph Ramkarran. Deonarine Karran

bars and not the defenders of human rights. We deplore state action that blocks citizens and their organisations anywhere in the Caribbean and the wider world from the right to associate, to speak out in defence of human rights and to condemn all acts of child abuse, gender-based violence and violence against all vulnerable groups. We call on the Jamaican authorities to drop the charges against Latoya Nugent. All states of the Caribbean should support breaking the silence of victims/survivors of human rights violations and upholding these rights to ensure that justice is done! Latoya, solidarity, respect and love from Guyana! Students Society Against Human Rights Violations Red Thread Help & Shelter ChildLink Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination Witness Project Guyana Trans United GuyBow Amerindian Peoples Association Alicea Foundation Mothers in Black Guyana Citizens Initiative Citizens Against Rape Women & Gender Equality Commission Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association Guyana Equality Forum Youth Media Guyana Makushi Research Unit Guyanese Organisationof Indigenous Peoples Vanda Radzik Andaiye VidyarathaKissoon Janice M Jackson Joel Simpson Norwell Hinds SherlinaNageer Melissa Ifill Sadie Amin Denise Dias Beverley Harper Janette Bulkan Nicolette Roach Raquel Thomas Sharon Ousman Kay Lagan SyeadaManbodh Melinda Janki Charlene Wilkinson Mary Valenzuela Leila Jagdeo Bonita Harris Jocelyn Dow

Draft revised Code of Conduct still a bland document DEAR EDITOR, The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) considers the Draft Revised Code of Conduct an improvement over the original version but still too bland and generalized to serve as an effective guide to the ethical realities facing parliamentarians in Guyana. Our electoral system meets only the crudest tests having no constituencies, lacking gender balance, accountability to party leaders rather than electors and selection of MPs by party leaders. Ethnic polarization of politics further erodes the quality of parliamentary life. In these circumstances, the GHRA would recommend an approach to developing a Code of Conduct that aims to constantly challenge all Ministers and office holders of their ethical duty to off-set the limitations and unconstitutional features of our political systems. Such a process would tend more in the direc-

tion of a detailed Code rather than reliance on general principles. Matters of confidential information and separation of government from political party business are not addressed at all effectively. In its Submission on the original Draft Code in October 2015, the GHRA had recommended with respect to the former that “The more effective way of insulating confidential information from unauthorized leaks is for the Government to enforce Public Service rules against employing party activists in senior Public Service positions.” With respect to separating party and government business, the GHRA had recommended “The difficult area of where Government business ends and party business begins needs more rigorous treatment.” Much the best guide to relations between officials and staff, particularly with respect to what is (Continued on page 7)

Is karma catching up with... From page 5 and the other PPP henchmen, what they did in essence was secure the rights to now publicly and secretly treat these PPP leaders as criminal suspects. Having laid these claims, of possible criminal activities, against the PPP bigwigs, the administration can now go to a judge and get permission to secretly survey all those who are now in their ‘criminal’ drag net. The SARU will now be able to tap their phones, observe and record their movements, look into their financial activities and that of anyone doing business with them. Of course we know that the eavesdropping equipment is already in the country. Roger Khan is said to have imported two of the machines which it was said that Dr. Ramsammy signed for. By the time 2020 rolls around, there will be so much dirt on Jagdeo and PPP leaders, and they will have so many charges to answer to, that they will not have the stamina, time, or credibility to mount any kind of formative election campaign. The PPP, like the WPA, has been badly trained. They cannot function without a few key people. The PPP is rudderless without Jagdeo and Luncheon.

From the moment the formal charges of criminal conduct were laid against Jagdeo and those PPP elites, all their meetings; all their electronic conversations; and all their phone conversations are now likely to be scrutinized by the State, to build a solid case against them. They are now virtual enemies of the State. If the PNC-Coalition (partnering with the British and American governments), can keep those PPP strategists busily fighting litigations to stay out of jail, it will provide an insurmountable challenge for the entire party. It is widely believed that during Jagdeo’s reign, the phones and activities of Guyanese citizens were illegally monitored, sometimes with venomous consequences. Could it be that the pigeons of the PPP administration are coming home to roust? Is karma catching up with Jagdeo? The criminal charging of Jagdeo looks like a strategic plan of cementing the return of the Coalition. Because of the PNCCoalition’s mammoth failures, this approach seems to be their best bet at maintaining the governance of this country. They had better hope it works. Dr. Vishnu Bandhu

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to The widespread failures in nursing Smart City Solutions continues badly our national systems failed us. I however, reexaminations need investigating defy our government have main optimistic that our auDEAR EDITOR, I have been following with interest the dismal performance of trainee nurses at their final State Examinations. According to media reports, only twenty-three of the one hundred and eighty-nine students who recently sat the resit exams were successful. This is consistent with a pattern especially at the level of the Professional Nursing Programme in which over half of the students failed in one or more of the examinable areas both at the academic and clinical levels. As a former teacher, I found this to be most interesting, which in my view war-

rants an investigation as to the reasons for such an unsatisfactory performance. Something seems fundamentally wrong, not necessarily with the students, but with the measurement and evaluation tools employed to access student performance at examinations. Most, if not all, of the students satisfied the minimum entry requirements for admission to the programme and it is difficult to understand how, with a properly delivered curricula and evaluation system, the failure rate is so high. It seems that the current system of evaluation of student performance at our

nursing schools needs to be revisited and an independent body should be up by the authorities to evaluate student performance and the teaching/learning environment at our nursing schools. The University of Guyana or the Measurement and Evaluation of the Ministry of Education could be requested to render assistance in this regard. Apart from the demoralization experienced and loss of potential earnings by nurses who fail, it is also an additional cost on the government to carry these students for another year or two. Hydar Ally

APNU+AFC SUSPENDS PARKING METER CONTRACT TO BUY TIME DEAR EDITOR, APNU+AFC is now using kerfuffling as a dark art to trick people. The recent request to the M&CC to suspend the parking meter contract is a trick, hoping to buy time for the protests to disappear. But the people cannot be fooled so easily. Rather than immediate revocation, APNU+AFC’s timid request for a three-month suspension only heightens the suspicion that there is something unholy about the parking meter contract. The arrogance of SCS, the parking meter company, in their refusal to comply with court orders and their attempt to disavow a Cabinet decision this week adds to the suspicion of corruption that goes all the way to the belly of APNU+AFC. What gives SCS such spunk? Citizens in their individual capacities and as part of various organizations, political, civil and cultural, have made their feelings clear from the start - the parking meter contract is a corrupt deal, among the most corrupt in our history and a “contract from hell”. Citizens are not ambiguous, they are explicit and clear - the contract must be revoked. This past Thursday, people came out in overwhelming numbers for the 7th straight week to demand the termination of the contract. No one is asking any more for reduced rates and less punitive measures, everyone is demanding the revocation. The solidarity of the citizens had political support from the PPP even before the public protests started. Now theAFC and the WPA, partners in theAPNU+AFC coalition, have also come out supporting revocation. But the Government, a coalition that includes the PNC, WPA and AFC, remains stubborn, twisting like a pretzel in finding ways for the protest to go away. Having reviewed the contract

and allowing it to be implemented and having provided the empowering platform, the parking meter by-laws,APNU+AFC first sought to placate people by negotiating with the M&CC and the SCS to reduce the parking rates. They followed by asking for the suspension of the wheel clamping. As the protests persisted, APNU+AFC last week, through President Granger’s right-hand man, Joe Harmon, announced that APNU+AFC is awaiting further inputs from the citizens before it takes further action. It was a galling insult to the Guyanese people whose views have been clear by their public protests, town hall meetings, letters to the government, letters in the media, social media protests, etc. for several months now. In the midst of the 7th protest, APNU+AFC announced that Cabinet has requested the M&CC to suspend the contract for three months. But the call for a suspension is another trick as APNU+AFC twists even more than the most twisted pretzel. Given that individuals in the government have expressed their agreement with the people that the contract is, indeed, a “contract from hell” and given that the AFC and the WPA have now come out and denounce the contract, one has to wonder why APNU+AFC is sticking with the contract. APNU+AFC is hoping and betting that after three months the public scorn for this contract would “cool off” and the contract would quietly be resumed. They are completely under-estimating the revulsion the people have for the “contract from hell”. If President Granger and his colleagues, including Cabinet members from WPA and AFC, are so convinced that the contract is inimical to the national interest and is

deficient in its compliance with our procurement laws, why then all this kerfuffling. They already reviewed the contract. Both the Ministries of Legal Affairs and the Attorney General and the Ministry of Finance did detailed reviews. The President had meetings with the M&CC and the SCS. The people’s views have been front and center for the last two months in the form of public protest, town halls, media publications and on social media. Something is rotten in this deal and the reluctance of APNU+AFC to act decisively exposes the complicity of APNU+AFC. There is an unholy interest in keeping the contract that have led people to believe the contract was concocted at Congress Place between Cush of the National Parking System and one or more persons from the PNC. Could this be the reason why APNU+AFC is so engaged in this kerfuffling game and why they are twisting like a pretzel to buy time for the protests to go away? Mark my word, in three months’ time, the protests will still be alive! APNU+AFC will not be able to trick people. Three months will not help. There is nothing more for us to find out in another review of the contract. It is a “contract from hell”, as the reviews by the Ministries of Legal Affairs and Finance and the Attorney General revealed before. There is nothing new that APNU+AFC can discover in the next three months. It is a rotten, corrupt, stench-disgusting contract. Another review will not remove the stench of corruption from this contract. The only decent thing right now is for the complete, unequivocal revocation of the contract. Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

DEAR EDITOR, The MOVEMENT AGAINST PARKING METERS (MAPM) expresses its dissatisfaction and disgust that in spite of Central Government’s suspension of the parking meter by-laws, Smart City Solutions (GeoPark), continues to bully citizens in the streets of Georgetown into paying for parking. The usual clamping exercises and intimidation tactics could be seen in full force on Saturday 18th, 2017. The release said that with the official suspension of the by-laws by Minister Ronald Bulkan, the company cannot enforce the parking rules that they had previously put in

place and they have no legal basis upon which to collect money or clamp the vehicles of citizens. The Civil Society Group strongly urges all citizens to not submit to any form of intimidation and further, calls upon the local Police Force and the judicial system to protect the people of Guyana. “Nowhere else in this world can a company of Guyanese origin, disregard the laws of a foreign country and its Government in this way without consequences. What or whom has emboldened Smart City Solutions to enslave our people and get away with it? If this is allowed to continue, it speaks volumes of how

thorities will soon come to their senses and be vigilant against this unlawful, foreign intruder who shows no respect for us Guyanese on our own soil”, said Sharon LalljeeRichard, an ardent MAPM supporter. The Movement Against Parking Meters (MAPM) acknowledges the three month suspension from Government and sees it as a positive first step in the right direction. The Movement continues to call for a complete revocation of both the parking meter contract and its supporting bylaws. Movement Against Parking Meters (MAPM) PR Team

Draft revised Code of Conduct still... From page 6 appropriate and inappropriate regarding their engaging in political activity is the US Hatch Act which the GHRA provided in its original submission. Unfortunately, the subCommittee charged with revising the Draft Code seems to have lacked the diversity and weight required for a task of this nature. While reference is made to the list of Codes studied from other jurisdictions, no mention is made of domestic submissions received in the earlier round of consultation. SPECIFIC COMMENTS Specific comments below are sequenced according to the headings in the Revised Draft Code document. Ten Principles of Public Life Integrity: The proposed Code makes no reference whatever to declaration of assets. Only by reference to the requirements of the Integrity Commission contained under this Principle can any inference be drawn about assets. While legally this may be acceptable, the absence of explicit reference to this issue is peculiar, because in the public mind it is the raison d’etre of a Code of Conduct. We propose that the Code explicitly address Declaration of Assets. Discrimination In view of the attempt to be exhaustive in listing the grounds of discrimination the absence of ‘sexual orientation’ appears not to be an oversight. The GHRA proposes it be included. Article 8 - Sexual Miscon-

duct The GHRA finds subparagraph (1) unacceptable in its entirety. Sexual harassment and offensive sexual conduct constitute unacceptable behavior under any circumstances, not limited to ‘during the performance of his or her official duties’. Indeed, we would propose the following formulation: Any Person in public life may be liable to prosecution under Section 23(1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2009 pertaining to ‘inducement, threat or deception’ who: (1) engages in comments, gestures or physical contact of a sexual nature or any other such offensive conduct of this kind; or (2) pursues a course of conduct by which he or she exploits his/her position or authority for sexual gratification. Article 12 - Breach of Code This Section is generally unsatisfactory and excessively deferential to the President. In light of recent experience in Guyana, ex-

clusion of the President from any oversight with respect to his observance of the Code leaves the Code vulnerable to ridicule. In as much as the Integrity Commission is the logical body to exercise a monitoring function over the Code of Conduct, the Act is flawed in discriminating against persons who are not members of religious organizations in its selection of Commissioners. This issue is further complicated by the growing practice of selecting religious leaders to occupy Parliamentary seats. In light of these difficulties the GHRA would favour lodging responsibility for enforcing the Code of Conduct with the Ombudsperson. Rather than a range of sanctions appropriate to the nature of the breach, the revised Code limits sanctions only to “the person in public life may be removed from office”, encouraging the notion that a lesser breach may be overlooked. Executive Committee Guyana Human Rights Association

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Vehicle owners gear down for April 1 used tyres restrictions In two weeks’ times, vehicle owners will be gearing down as Guyana starts implementing a restriction on used tyres. The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) which will be overseeing the monitoring will not be allowing used tyres for motor cars, vans, pickups, Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and minibuses to enter the country. Rather, the tyre shops and wholesalers would have to start preparing themselves to deal with new ones. GRA is expected as early as this week to issue the guidelines on the restrictions which will not affect truck operators and other categories of vehicles. The stocks that are in hand will be allowed to be sold with a tentative July month-end deadline proposed. While Government has reduced taxes on new tyres from 30 to 15 percent, and VAT charges from 16 to 14, it remains to be seen how vehicle owners deal with the cost of new tyres. Government has been arguing that measures are in keeping with a programme to green Guyana and improve road safety. A huge stock of old tyres at the Haags Bosch dump site in Eccles has created a headache for waste management managers.

GRA has also been arguing that used tyres will not last as long as new ones. A shortage of staff at the Guyana National Bureau of Standards which currently monitors used tyres importation has made it impossible for a proper check of the used tyre imports, raising questions about safety. Yesterday, checks by Kaieteur News at a number of dealers found that they are aware and resigned to the April 1, deadline. A number of them have stocked up. However, it will be anything but cheap for a new tyre. One for a Toyota Premio car with 16 inch rims will cost between $15,000 and $19,000, according to dealers on the East Bank. The bus tyres are around those prices too. That will represent a steep ask for a used tyre which runs between $4,000 and $7,000 each. Guyana first learnt of the plan to restrict during the budget presentation last year. Meanwhile, a plan by government to have new cars outfitted with new tyres when they land here may be modified. GRA is reportedly looking at new standards that will dictate the quality of tyres that has to be on the rims. Last year, when Government presented the national

budget for this year, it was made final‌the deadline for used tyres importation for the categories above would be April 1st of this year. There are scores of tyre shops around the country with at least 20 containers or an estimated 20,000 used tyres entering Guyana annually. With the taxes on new tyres too high, many car owners had been opting for the cheaper, used tyres. Operators had met with the Guyana Revenue Authority and warned that vehicle owners will not afford to buy new tyres. However, the used tyres association has reportedly been meeting with GRA on the hurdles that will arise.

The price for a new tyre for a 16 inch rim for a Toyota Premio could cost between $15,000-$19,000, dealers say.

Agencies should publish annual reports of tax holidays granted, investment agreements -Committee The Tax Reform Committee (TRC), which was established by the Government, has recommended a number of ways in which the system governing tax holidays can be strengthened so as to prevent the abuses of the past. In this regard, the Committee suggested that the relevant agencies could provide tax incentives through tax laws which must be based on clear and rational criteria and reduce ministerial discretion to an absolute minimum. It said that agencies should also publish an annual statement on tax expenditures and revenue foregone while noting that this in itself inhibits arbitrary and willy-nilly granting of incentives and related corruption. Based on systematically collected data, the TRC said that efforts should be made

GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia by the government to undertake periodic reviews of the tax incentive system and its costs and benefits, in the context of stated government objectives. It said that the govern-

ment should also perform an annual audit of the concessions granted to companies and or individuals to determine if renewal would be recommended. The Committee said in its comprehensive report that it strongly recommends that the relevant agencies publish annual reports of tax holidays granted and investment agreements entered into. Furthermore, in its reform of the structure of Investment Agreements, the Committee said that the Government could usefully include the consideration of the investment priority categories in the Priority Lists required under section 36 of the Investment Act. The members of the Committee also said that the Government should also establish clearer parameters and guidelines for entering into of

Investment Agreements, so as to reduce the discretionary powers of the Minister. The Committee also suggested the introduction of a post-audit system for concessions granted including the posting of a bond/guarantee to ensure that commitments are met. With respect to incentives, the Committee explained that these are typically provided to companies and businessmen in the expectation that they would lead to greater volumes of investment and reinvestment, than would otherwise be the case. The Committee noted that the incentives may relate to both foreign and local investors. It said that these can be designed to be more generous depending on the (Continued on page 64)

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BLANHUM FOR OVERSEAS TRAINING ON CYBERCRIME Cabinet has granted approval for Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum, to attend the Caribbean stakeholders’ meeting in Cyber Security which will be held in Antigua and Barbuda on March 24. This was revealed by Minister of State Joseph Harmon at a post- Cabinet media at the Ministry of the Presidency, Georgetown on Friday last. The Minister said that the meeting will inform delegates of the state of cybercrime in the Caribbean, and also, provide insight in building a strategic cyber security awareness programme. Further, the delegates will be informed about the development of an ideal cyber security awareness and education campaign for the region. According to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) website, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, in collaboration with t h e C a r i b b e a n Telecommunications Union (CTU), will be hosting the symposium. The theme for the seminar is ‘ICT: Driving 21st Century Intelligent Services’. CTU Secretary General, Ms. Bernadette Lewis, explained that the purpose of the week’s activities is “to raise awareness of the ICT

Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum

Traffic Chief, Deon Moore

revolution, the implications for policy, legislation and regulations and how they can be employed to transform existing operations; to foster social inclusion; provide ICTbased the challenges we face in the region and promote national and regional development,” CARICOM reported. Guyana’s participation in the event will come against the backdrop of the state building its capacity to deal with cybercrime-related matters. Just recently, the international Cybercrime Capacity Building Project for Latin America and the Caribbean came to an end in Panama. The project was

aimed at enhancing the capacity of selected International Police (INTERPOL) membercountries to counter cybercrime through the provision of specialised training, access to cyber forensic equipment; and the coordination of cybercrime operational activities. Detective Sergeant Junior Blair, and Julia Jonas, of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) were part of that initiative. Meanwhile, the Cybercrime Bill of 2016 (Bill No. 17/2016) was laid in the National Assembly and was subsequently sent to a special select committee for consideration. The Bill seeks to combat cybercrime through creating offences of

Sheriff Street/Mandela Avenue expansion...

GPL, GTT awarded $50M in contracts for relocation of utilities In the past, the timely relocation of utilities had proven to be a major stumbling block in Government projects being carried out on time. This was one of the reasons for the completion date of the East Bank Demerara Road Expansion Project – and other projects being delayed. The Government is seemingly trying a different approach, since contracts in the sum of $50,095,649 have been awarded to local companies for the relocation of utilities to pave the way for the expansion of the multibillion-dollar Sheriff Street/Mandela Avenue Road Expansion Project. The Sheriff Street– Mandela Avenue Project is being funded by the InterAmerican Development Bank. The contract was signed on March 15, 2013. The scope of works for the Sheriff Street into Mandela Avenue road corridor includes asphaltic pavement, road safety, upgrading traffic intersection

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Kaieteur News

signals at each of the major road junctions, and traffic and drainage improvement works. There is also expected to be structural works to Continued on page 12

cybercrime to make provision for penalties, investigation and prosecution of the offences and related matters. Minister Joseph Harmon also reported that the Guyana Police Force’s Senior Superintendent, Traffic Chief Deon Moore, will be participating in a study tour sponsored by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) which will be held in Mexico and Colombia from March 25 to April 1, 2017. The study tour is aimed at analysing the urban transport problems and trends; it will also strive for providing recommen d a t i o n s on matters regarding the public transport infrastructure, operations and financing and institutional organisation. Additionally, a research officer from the Ministry of Public Security will be attending the seventh meeting of the Technical Work Group (TWG) of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI). The meeting will be held in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago from April 4 to April 6, 2017 Minister Harmon said that the meeting will focus on atrisk youths and vulnerable populations, to develop a strategic plan to reach high risk youths, evidence-based decision making and the implementation of a work programme.

Dem boys seh...

Holder con heself and nuff rice farmers When Venezuela get vex and decide to stop tekking rice from Guyana Maduro know that he would hurt dem rice farmers. He didn’t care that he was starving he own people. But de people always got a way to solve dem own problems. De rice farmers cut a deal and dem was shipping rice just like old times. Old people got a saying that every day bucket does go to well one day de bottom gun drop out. Every so often de boat coming and carrying back rice. One day de bottom did drop out and it lef in de Essequibo River. Dem boys know that Tom drunk but Tom ain’t stupid. As soon as de boat sink de Venezuelans ketch dem corner and lef de boat and de rice. Couple people still cooking because dem go pun de boat and help demself to free rice. Is that same freeness got nuff other farmers in problems. Somebody announce that Guyana starting to sell rice to Mexico. De newspaper front page talk that Guyana selling 150,000 tonnes of rice. From de time de rice farmers see this some of dem go to Courts and tek credit fuh pay when de rice sell. People buy Combine and some buy tractor. Was big celebration. Some people even go and start a sporting even before dem get a cent in dem hand. Yesterday, somebody peep Mexico card and see that de country ain’t buying one grain of rice from Guyana. Dem boys see that de country indeed buying 150,000 tonnes of rice but that rice coming from places like Uncle Sam, Vietnam and places like that. When dem boys ask Holder wha going one he claim how he didn’t announce anything bout Mexico buying Guyana rice and that it didn’t come from his office. But when de news buss de man never deny it. He mek people believe that he was doing something. He even try to fool Soulja Bai. Well dem boys warning him not to go near any rice miller or rice farmer any time soon. Talk half and help Holder hide.

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Kaieteur News

Corpse of man shot with arrow CDB to strengthen transparency with US$250,000 found in shallow grave at Rupununi The Board of Directors of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has approved funding of US$250,000 to strengthen financial transparency, and assist in preventing the pulling out of Correspondent Banking Relationships (CBRs) from the Region. This would come less than one month after Heads of the Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) participated in the 28th InterSessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM. The pulling out of CBRs was high on the agenda. During that meeting, also, Heads of Government under the Chairmanship of Guyana’s President, David Granger, considered the Strategy and Action Plan submitted by the Committee of Central Bank Governors. The Committee of Ministers of Finance with responsibility for Correspondent Financing was tasked with assuming the oversight of the plan’s rollout. Correspondent banking is a bilateral arrangement, often involving a mutual cross-

A mini health check is the first step to donating blood

border relationship in multiple currencies. A correspondent banking arrangement involves one bank (the correspondent) providing a deposit account or other liability accounts, and related services, to another bank (the respondent), often including its affiliates. The arrangement requires the exchange of messages to settle transactions by crediting and debiting those accounts. Correspondent banking enables the provision of domestic and cross-border payments. These relationships facilitate a range of transactions and services, including the execution of third-party payments, trade finance, the banks’ own cash clearing, liquidity management and short-term borrowing or investment needs in a particular currency. In the Guyana context, Bank of America, the largest correspondent bank in the United States of America dealing with local banks, severed ties with several commercial banks last August. Based on previous reports, additional problems have surfaced, with commercial banks and citizens both coming out with allegations of a foreign currency shortage. The nation has also seen rapid fluctuations in the exchange

rates, specifically as it relates to the United States Dollar. According to the CARICOM website, the CDBfunded project will be a pilot initiative, and will include The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Jamaica, and members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States. The project has three components: strengthening the implementation of, and compliance with, international financial integrity standards by governments in the Region, including updating laws and regulations as required; increasing the technical capacity of banks and credit unions in the Caribbean to conduct customer due diligence, and adopt anti-money laundering best practices; and improving public-private sector coordination with regulators to more effectively address de-risking and develop a mechanism for on-going dialogue between this group and external regulators and foreign banks. The project will be implemented over three years in partnership with the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), a member of the InterAmerican Development Bank Group. MIF will also manage the project. Components two and three will be executed by the Office of the Secretary of the Association of Supervisors of Banks of the Americas.

Police are on the hunt for a 28-year-old man who allegedly clubbed and shot his cousin with an arrow last Thursday before burying the body in a shallow grave. The body of Arnold Gordon, 24, a labourer of Crapaud Pond, Kumu Village, Central Rupununi, was found in a grave around 16.30hrs on Friday in an area known as Tiger Plate, Central Rupununi. The victim was shot with an arrow under his right armpit. An iron rod was also found near the murder scene. The sole eyewitness to the killing is said to be a sixyear-old boy, who is the slain man’s cousin. According to reports, Gordon and his six-year-old

- cousin is prime suspect cousin left home around 17:00hrs on Thursday to fish at a pond next to the Tiger Plate area. While in the area, Gordon encountered the 28year-old cousin, who is unemployed, and an argument ensued. It is alleged that the suspect picked up a piece of wood and a metal rod and struck Gordon. The six-year-old, who was with Gordon, ran back home and told his grandmother. When Gordon failed to return home the following day, Gordon’s mother reported the matter to a Toshao, who informed the police. The Toshao and a team

conducted a search for Gordon and eventually located what appeared to be a shallow grave in some bushes about twenty feet from the suspect’s camp. After a few minutes of digging, they saw a hand protruding from the grave. They notified police, who dug up the grave, which was about two feet deep, and found Gordon’s corpse. The body was taken to the Lethem Hospital. The suspect was still at large yesterday. There have reportedly been five murders, all due to disorderly behaviour, so far in F Division.

Alleged breaches on duty free concessions…

GRA demands businessman pay $212M in duties, taxes A Berbice businessman has taken the Minister of Finance and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to court over a decision to cancel his concessions and make him pay more than $200M in customs duties and taxes. According to court documents, the businessman, Inshanally Bacchus, Chief Executive Officer of I & R Bacchus Trucking Service of Bush Lot Village, West Coast Berbice, was granted an Order or Rule Nisi of Certiorari, directed to the Minister of Finance, quashing his decision made

on November 23rd, 2016. That decision, by the minister, purports to terminate the Investment Development Mineral Prospecting, Mining and Stone Quarrying Agreement entered on March 13th, 2014, between the businessman and the Government of Guyana, represented by the Minister of Finance. The businessman, through his arguments, said that the decision was capricious, whimsical, arbitrary, in breach of the rules of natural justice, in violation of his legitimate expectations

and is unlawful, null, void and of no effect. The Minister of Finance was called upon to show cause why this order nisi should not made absolute. Another order was also issued to Fitzroy Corlette, Head of GRA’s Law Enforcement, quashing his decision to demand from the applicant by letter dated November 22nd, 2016, the sum of $212.3M as Customs duties and taxes. Those Customs duties and taxes related to certain machinery, equipment and motor vehicles, Bacchus stressed, represents penalties on tax exemptions which were lawfully granted. Corlette and GRA were asked to defend the decision, barring which it would be overturned. Bacchus was also granted an order or Rule Nisi of Prohibition against GRA restraining it and its servants and/or agents from seizing, forfeiting and/or disposing certain machinery, equipment and motor vehicles, and that GRA be made to show reasons why the orders should not be absolute. BAUXITE DEAL According to the affidavit supporting his contentions, the businessman said that on October 29th, 2013, he entered into a written agreement with Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc., a mining company carrying out certain mining operations mainly at Kurubuka, Upper Berbice River, Guyana. These included excavating and transporting bauxite overburden. The businessman by way (Continued on page 63)

Sunday March 19, 2017

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NEW GPC denies failing to satisfy 2015 drugs contract The New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (New GPC) has categorically rejected allegations that it is yet to supply the drugs for a contract that was awarded to it by the PPP regime three days before the 2015 General and Regional Elections. The company, which is owned by Dr. Ranjisingh “Bobby” Ramroop, made it clear in a statement that it has supplied all drugs for its contracts with the government for 2015, including all rollover contracts. NEW GPC said that delivery notes and other necessary documents are available as proof of this statement and can be inspected. These however were not attached as evidence or supplied in its statement to the media. The company is contending that the Auditor General’s Office, which would have conducted the audit during 2016, can attest to the veracity of this statement. The NEW GPC remarks come in wake of a report that the Ministry of Public Health is still awaiting the supply of the drugs for the 2015 contract. The Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Public Health, Terrence Esseboom, told Kaieteur News that “up to now, there is nothing to show” for the $1B cheque tha t w a s received by NEW GPC on May 8, 2015. The official said, “We are still waiting for drugs New GPC was paid for. Nothing was received for it. And they received contracts after that.” Esseboom reminded that the payment arrangement which allowed New GPC to uplift the entire billion-dollar cheque awarded to it by the former regime was contrary to all the country’s procurement procedures. Furthermore, the company also stated, “We note also the billions of dollars in sole-sourced contracts to other pharma

NEW GPC Owner, Ranjisingh “Bobby” Ramroop suppliers, including ANSA McAL in 2015, 2016 and 2017. We expect the authorities would have better explanations for the contracts that were all sole-sourced, other than for ‘emergencies’, which was also the explanation for the Albouystown ‘warehouse’ lease.” It added, “The NEWGPC is concerned about the apparent compulsion by public officials to use the Kaieteur News to smear the reputation it has laboriously rebuilt over the last two decades. “NEWGPC calls upon the politicians to desist from using these types of fake news as diversionary tactics from very real problems the health sector is facing. It is our fiduciary duty to the shareholders of NEWGPC, which includes the government, to leave no stone unturned to defend their interests.” NEWGPC also noted that it prides itself on its professional approach, as the leading Caribbean manufacturer of

pharmaceuticals, to maintain the supply chain in an area of national life where it is literally a matter of life and death for citizens. Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, had described the situation surrounding the health contracts and New GPC as nothing but “kick-down-the door banditry.” Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge, had said that he found the actions of the previous Government in the lead-up to the May 11, 2015 polls, to be evidence of how “evil, corrupt, greedy and ruthless” it can be. He had stated that days before May 11, the past administration sought to chastise the media, particularly Kaieteur News and Stabroek News, when the entities exposed its “nasty and most corrupt acts.” This newspaper had reported that the former administration had given out contracts for the procurement of drugs worth some US$12.8 million to New GPC. Three Cabinet Minutes had been leaked and reproduced in the electronic media. The document showed that Cabinet approved its most expensive contract for $6,730,526 dated April 23, 2015. It was signed by former Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon. Greenidge had said that the PPP/C had given so much to New GPC’s owner, Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop, by breaking the laws, that it has made him “a king in his country.” “Another critical point we need to pay attention to, and that is the fact that Ramroop was given the opportunity to

supply almost 85 percent of the country’s drugs for nearly 20 years. Considering the empire he has been able to build through the sole sourcing of drugs, we see clearly, too, for how long value for money in the health sector has been evaded.” It was estimated that over a period of seven years, more than US$200 million was spent on drug purchases, with the lion’s share going to

New GPC. Greenidge had said that the control Jagdeo gave Ramroop over the Health Sector was not only unhealthy for the competitive market, but it also marred attempts at transparency and accountability. The politician had reiterated that through the sole sourcing of drugs, “Jagdeo and his government did not only ruthlessly rob

the nation, but invited his best friend to help to further corrupt the system and to rob the poor people at the same time.” New GPC has been a feature in the Auditor General’s report over the years, with several instances focused on multimillion-dollar deficiencies in the procurement and supply of drugs under the previous administration.

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Kaieteur News

Deep worry for Caribbean sugar as Europe prepares to lift limits on beet

Tate and Lyle is Guyana’s biggest customer, located in London, Europe. E u r o p e (www.esmmagazine.com) West Indies plantations built from the 17th century to feed demand from the sugar trade drove a nexus of commerce, capital and manufacture that fomented the industrial revolution and modern financial markets. More than 300 years later, Europe is set to deliver a crippling blow to a trade that once made up almost a fifth of its entire imports, and has sustained developingcountry sugar cane farmers since. The European Union’s decision to remove limits on its own beet-sugar output from October means less demand for cane growers

from Jamaica in the Caribbean, to the Pacific island of Fiji, and Swaziland in southern Africa. “Within a decade or so, I can see the EU market for raw sugar from the Caribbean being all but a matter of history,” said David Jessop, an adviser to companies and governments on trade and investment in the region. “The challenge from the Caribbean perspective is what they can do, if anything, to ensure the future of their industry.” Jamaica, Belize and Mauritius were among a group of more than 10 nations that benefited from quotaand duty-free access for 1.6 million metric tonnes of mostly raw-sugar shipments to the EU in 2015-16. The

GPL, GTT awarded $50M... From page 9 bridges, culverts and other supporting infrastructure. Pavement works will include the construction of a twolane roadway with a median partitioning the two lanes along Sheriff Street. The first section of Mandela Avenue will involve expansion from a two-lane to a four-lane roadway with a median in the centre, while the second section will consist of three lanes. During the Post-Cabinet Press Briefing yesterday at the Ministry of the Presidency, Georgetown, Minister of State Joseph Harmon revealed that a contract in the sum of $27,841,000 was awarded to the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited (GTT) for the relocation of telephone utilities. For the electricity utilities relocation, a contract in the sum of $22,254,649 awarded to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL). “These works are preliminary to the expansion and the extension of Mandela Avenue/Sheriff Street.” Harmon noted. Meanwhile, the awarding of these contracts would come days after contractors vied for a component (Lot Four) of the project during the opening of tenders at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) earlier this week. The engineer’s estimate was announced at $5.3M. Among the bidders, was Surrey Paving and Aggregate Company Limited – a Jamaican company which is currently part of a joint venture with local contractor – BK International Incorporated – carrying out works on the US$42M West Demerara Road Expansion Project. Kares Engineering Incorporated, which found itself in hot water after one of its creations – the $1B Kato Secondary School – began experiencing structural defects, was also among the bidders. Earlier this year, the initiative had its project re-scope completed following protracted delays and back in July 2016, the NPTAB received five bids for the project. The engineer’s estimate back then was announced at US$36.4M.

amount, which can vary yearby-year, represented about half the European bloc’s imports of the commodity. Europe’s Sugar Market Consolidates As Efficient Producers Grow While the countries will retain those privileges, their high-cost cane plantations may struggle to compete against EU beet farmers who are boosting yields and increasing scale. European output may expand by about 17% to more than 20 million tonnes and imports sink by about half with the changes, Rabobank says. Fiji, Mauritius, Belize and Guyana have been shipping about 80% or so of their sugar exports to the EU, and Jamaica at least 60%, according to a 218-page report from LMC International Ltd. funded by the trading bloc. Some also have among the highest costs. Belize and Guyana produce less than six tonnes of sugar per hectare

cultivated, compared with an average of about 10 for giants like Brazil, LMC says. The cane sugar they ship to Europe is then refined, with about a third going through the UK Supplies from most other countries incur high import duties. “It’s not that we want to leave those suppliers behind,” said Gerald Mason, senior vice president of corporate affairs at Londonbased refiner Tate & Lyle Sugars. “But if Europe has made the white sugar market really competitive, we have to have access to more competitive supplies.” EU trade cooperation with the African, Caribbean and Pacific sugar nations dates to the birth of the European Economic Community in 1957. After the UK’s accession in 1973, Britain won agreement to extend to the bloc the preferential relations it had offered to former colonies. The system evolved from purchases at fixed prices into duty- and

quota-free access. Imperial possessions such as Barbados were founded on the trade in sugar, and the slaves who lived and died working the plantations. One perished for every tonne produced, according to some accounts. JAM AND TEA The result not only changed European tastes, bringing jam and sugared tea and coffee to the masses, but built fortunes that spurred capital and insurance markets in London and Amsterdam. Demand for cast iron and machinery used in sugar processing and refining, and the extra calories that fuelled a developing working class, drove a path to the industrial revolution. The European beet sugar industry that now threatens cane farmers itself has roots in one of the defining events of the continent’s history. It was Britain’s naval blockade of Napoleonic France at the start of the 19th century that prodded the French to seek an alternative to Caribbean supplies. Even today, the business is being affected by the UK’s spiky relationship with the continent, as Britain’s vote to leave the EU casts a fog over future trade ties. “Countries are now suggesting to the UK government that post-Brexit, they ought to be looking after their traditional trade partners,” Chris Bennett, managing director of the Caribbean Council business lobby, said in London. Producers have already cut reliance on the industry, with sugar making up a small part of their economies. Mauritius has boosted its textile and tourism businesses. The country has increased refining to add

The US$200M plus Skeldon project that was commissioned in Berbice back in 2009.

value to their crops and aims to sell specialty sugars such as Muscovado and Demerara, and meet requirements for fair trade labeling that appeals to consumers ready to pay more for ethically produced goods. Growing markets in Africa and Asia are being courted. Still, for many raw sugar remains a major export, as well as a source of hard currency and rural employment. Caribbean nations will meet in Kingston, Jamaica, this month to discuss the “existential threats” to the industry. “We are working so hard to establish new markets and to establish byproducts of sugar,” Karl Samuda, Jamaica’s agriculture and industry minister, said in an interview. “Although we have to depend on it now, and we will continue to depend on it for some time, we have to look to transitioning to valueadded products such as ethanol and expansion of our rum industry.” While sugar from cane still accounts for about 80% of the total sweetener produced, growers risk not only losing their most important market, but facing new rival exporters as European growers expand. That will boost market supply and cut prices. Rabobank’s Ruud Schers estimates the premium European sugar commands over world prices may slump to below 100 euros ($106) a tonne, from an average of 146 euros from 2009 through 2016. “It’ll be very much a question of the survival of the fittest,” said Devesh Dukhira, chief executive officer of the Mauritius Sugar Syndicate, representing growers. “Competition will become much fiercer and the price is going to go down.”

Sunday March 19, 2017

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Kaieteur News

Mother calls for investigation into daughter’s ‘questionable’ surgery Although it was the ugly sutures that caused Ms Kelsie Browne to question whether the doctor who operated on her daughter had done his work properly, it was however, his conflicting reason for the operation in the first place that has forced her to call for a thorough investigation. According to Ms. Browne, while she had no knowledge of why her 15year old daughter was operated on, ahead of surgery the operating doctor told her that her daughter had an inflamed appendix. Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix which is a three and a half inch long tube of tissue that extends from the large intestine. According to reports, the classic symptoms of appendicitis include: dull pain near the navel or the upper abdomen that becomes sharp as it moves to the lower right abdomen; loss of appetite; nausea and/or vomiting soon after abdominal pain begins; abdominal swelling; fever of 99-102 degrees Fahrenheit and the inability to pass gas. Browne in recounting how her daughter became a patient of the Region Seven Bartica Hospital in the first instance, disclosed that she brought her daughter, Phebehola Stanford, to the hospital on March 5 last. This was due to the fact that her daughter was experiencing a severe case of diarrhoea and vomiting. “She started getting stomach pains on Saturday, but we thought that it would pass...we went to church and everything, but on Sunday it was just too much for her,” said Browne of her daughter. As such, she said that she

Phebehola Stanford underwent a surgical operation at the Bartica Hospital that has left her mother, Ms. Kelsie Browne, with more questions than answers took her daughter to the hospital hoping that she would be able to at least get a gravol injection to stop the vomiting. “I wasn’t too worried about the diarrhoea, because I was prepared to go and buy the ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts) for her, but it was really this vomiting that had me worried,” the woman related. According to Browne, at the hospital her daughter was attended to by a female doctor who administered the requested injection, but also decided to admit her daughter for observation overnight. Browne disclosed that the doctor revealed that she made the decision to admit Stanford since they resided some distance away - at One and Half Miles Bartica, Potaro Road. “She said she didn’t want my daughter to develop any complications during the night and it was best for her

to stay in the hospital.” Browne said that she left her daughter in the care of the hospital and returned the next day to visit. It was then that she was informed by a nurse that her daughter would have to undergo surgery. The nurse, according to Browne, was unable to share the reason for the surgery. “I asked the nurse why my daughter needed surgery, but all she said was that she didn’t know, but it could help to save my daughter’s life,” Browne recounted. The woman said that she learnt that the decision for the surgery was made by a Cuban male doctor who assumed duty on the ward the day after her daughter was admitted. “I tried to find out why she needed the surgery...but because I was so worried and I didn’t want anything to happen, I decided to sign, giving consent for the surgery,” revealed Browne, who recalled that she was worried that despite being given medical attention, her daughter continued to experience severe pain. But it wasn’t until after the surgery, Browne said, that she was able to have a brief conversation with the doctor, who said that the surgery was warranted because an ultrasound revealed that her daughter had an inflamed appendix. “He said that he could see what looked like pus in her belly and surgery was the only option...he left me thinking too that by giving consent, I helped to save my daughter’s life.” Browne said that she waited at the hospital for the entire twohour operation and continued to wait until her daughter revived and became alert of her surroundings. But the woman said that she became enraged when she examined the wound left by the surgical procedure.

The Baccoo Speaks Social services are being called on to do much more than anticipated. In the coming days there will be a rash of reports of children being abused by people close to them. One such case will involve a little girl in a depressed community west of the city. The police are going to be called in, but sometimes money does a lot to thwart the course of justice. **

There is going to be a settlement in a causing death

case. A young man is going to offer a sum of money as compensation. It will reveal the premium people put on a life and how much people will spend to keep out of jail. ** A drowning during a picnic will once more plunge a family into gloom. As things go, this drowning will happen in full view, but no one will recall the moment when the victim encounters difficulties.

“It was this ugly horrible cut left on my daughter with these horrible looking stitches from my daughter’s vagina area to her navel. This is my young daughter with these cuts! I know women who got cut for their babies and didn’t have a horrible cut like what he left on my daughter,” the woman lamented. The woman said it was upon seeing that she started to question whether the doctor had in fact removed her daughter’s appendix. “Nobody showed me anything and nobody was explaining anything to me either,” said the evidently irked woman. In fact, she disclosed that while visiting her daughter, she was barely able to prevent her from

coming off of the hospital bed in a manner that could have burst the sutures. “The nurses weren’t even telling this child that she should come off the bed on her side and not straight forward...it seems like nobody was doing anything to really help this child,” said the distraught woman. Browne has since taken her concerns to the Regional Health Officer of the hospital, Dr. Edward Sagala, who has promised to investigate all of her concerns. “I want this to go public...I want people to know that these doctors need to say what they are doing...when I

started questioning the doctor, he kept saying he cut my daughter so big in case he had to do something else instead of the appendix,” said the woman who is convinced that the doctor has not been entirely truthful about what the surgery truly entailed. According to the woman, days after the surgery her daughter continued to experience the same discomfort in addition to pains to her side and spine. “I am only praying for my daughter to make a full recovery and I want to get to the bottom of what really happened in that operating room,” the woman asserted.

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Kaieteur News

Colin Clarke’s murder: Carjacking or execution? By Michael Jordan From what his friends and family told me last week, taxi driver Colin Clarke made quite a few fatal errors on Friday, November 27, 2015. First, he picked up a tall, fair-complexioned, dreadlocked man near a bar at the Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling, even though he had felt uneasy about this passenger, who had hired him earlier that day. Second, as had happened on the earlier trip, Clarke allowed his passenger, who had a strange accent, to sit in the back seat of the shiny Toyota Allion he was driving. But that passenger had given Clarke $5,000 for that first trip to the East Bank of Essequibo. Perhaps it was the thought of making another $5,000 that made the 57-yearold Clarke less cautious than he should have been. Clarke, known as ‘Ole Boy’, lived at his sister’s home in Crane Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara. He had worked as a mini-bus driver for several years, but in the latter part of 2015, a woman, with whom Clarke had a previous relationship, hired him to drive her Toyota Allion, HC 4993. From reports, he would return the car every night at seven. But on the night of Friday,

November 27, 2015, the woman contacted Clarke’s sister to enquire about Clarke’s whereabouts, since he had not returned the vehicle. Clarke’s relatives were unable to contact him, since he had no cell phone. The following day, one of Clarke’s sisters contacted a close friend of Clarke’s and informed the friend that her brother was missing. The friend became alarmed. The previous day, Clarke had told the friend that he was soliciting passengers near the Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling when a tall, fair-complexioned man with dreadlocks and “plenty gold teeth” attempted to hire him. Because the man had “a funny accent”, Clarke had said that he found it difficult to make out what the man was saying, and asked a female taxi driver to take the passenger. The woman reportedly took the man to Crane, West Coast Demerara, and the man reportedly paid her $1,000. Later that day, the same man reportedly approached Clarke and asked to be taken to Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo. Clarke reportedly agreed, and told the friend that the man sat in the back seat. Since he felt uneasy, the taxi driver reportedly suggested that the passenger sit next to him.

Clubbed to death and dumped in a canal: Taxi driver Shurland Dalloo

Strangled and dumped in a canal: Taxi driver Colin Clarke, called “Ole Boy’

“I like sit in the back seat,” the passenger reportedly retorted. On arriving at their destination, Clare reportedly took the passenger to a back street in another community. The man exited and spoke on his cell phone, while flashing several five thousand-dollar notes. Clarke reportedly became even more suspicious, and exited his car and began to converse with some men who were working nearby, to give the passenger the impression that he knew the men. Later, the passenger re-

portedly stopped near a house and engaged in a heated conversation with a woman. He then returned to the car and Clarke took him back to Vreed-en-Hoop, where the passenger gave Clarke $5,000. At around 3.00 p.m. that same day, the same passenger reportedly approached Clarke and requested to be taken back to Tuschen. Clarke reportedly picked him up…then disappeared. On Thursday, December 3, 2015, six days after Colin Clarke’s disappearance, residents of Uitvlugt, on an early morning stroll, detected a foul smell in the vicinity of a bridge. The villagers alerted the police, and soon after, they pulled a man’s decom-

posed body from beneath the bridge. The victim was Colin Clarke...and he had suffered a cruel death. The murder weapon was a strip of barbed wire, with sticks tied at both ends. The killer had drawn this improvised weapon so tightly around his victim’s throat that flesh was left embedded in it. But where was the victim’s car? That mystery was solved a week later, when the Toyota Allion was discovered under a house at Perth, Mahaicony, East Bank Demerara. While the licence plates were missing, the vehicle was intact. The house was occupied by an elderly couple. The elderly male occupant told investigators that a man had brought the car to the house and had asked the resident to keep it, until he returned from Suriname. Because the man was an acquaintance of his son, who was out of the country, the homeowner agreed. But after weeks passed and the man failed to return to collect the car, the homeowner became suspicious and contacted the police. Detectives also found Clarke’s driver’s licence in the vehicle. They also reportedly observed bloodstains in the

back seat, and this led them to believe that Clarke had wounded his attacker. Clarke is said to have always carried a sharp ‘chopper’ in his vehicle in the event of being attacked. Police reportedly have a name and description of the individual who left the vehicle at Mahaicony. But he bears no resemblance to the “tall, fair, dreadlocked man with gold teeth” that allegedly hired Clarke on the day he was slain. This other man is said to be tall, dark, and with’ full’ eyes. When he had met with Clarke’s mother and sisters in 2015, former Commander of the Police West Demerara Division, Stephen Mansell had assured them that investigators were working on a few leads and hoped to make a breakthrough. That breakthrough has not come, although police have reportedly assured Clarke’s relatives that they know the prime suspect’s identity. This suspect is believed to be the same individual who left the car at Mahaicony. Meanwhile, some of Clarke’s relatives have suggested that he was not a victim of a carjacking. There are some hints that jealousy over a woman could have led someone to hire the individual who killed Clarke. “This killing is a ‘set-up,’ this is no robbery,” one relative told me. “The people (owners) get back their car intact.” One sister, however, suggested that the individual who killed her brother may also have murdered Shurland Dalloo, a taxi driver who was slain a month prior to Clarke being killed. Dalloo’s decomposed body was found one week after he went missing in a canal at Onverwagt, Number 27, West Coast Berbice, a few miles from where Clarke’s car was recovered. Dalloo also operated on the West Coast Demerara, but was based at Parika. His car, a silver-grey Toyota Carina, has not been recovered. If you have any further information on this case or any other, please contact us at our Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown office or by telep h o n e . We can be reached on telephone numbers 22-58458, 2258465, or 22-58491. You need not disclose your identity. You can also contact Michael Jordan at his email addresses: mjdragon@hotmail.com; or kamarangnight@gmail.com

Sunday March 19, 2017

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Kaieteur News

I’m not going anywhere, but my soul is pained During the anti-parking meter protest on March 9, (Dr. David Hinds missed being clamped by seconds last Friday, as we left a television interview with Malika Ramsey), a middle-aged woman with a mixed accent (Guyanese and foreign) came up to me and said, “Are you leaving Guyana?” She said, she read in my column that I was leaving. It had to do with how I framed my words in the final paragraph of my Sunday, March 5, 2017 column, titled, “The Heart Has Its Reason, Mr. Persaud”. These were the ending lines; “I am riding out into the sunset to spend my remaining years with my family and two pets.” The nice lady with her picket in hand probably misinterpreted those words to mean, I am finished with activism and leaving Guyana. When I told her I wasn’t leaving, she said a few instructive words which I will

not repeat here. At the last picket on March 16, she was there again. I’m not leaving Guyana and no Hobbesian condition or Hobbesian Leviathan will force me out of Guyana. And Guyana’s continuing journey into the moral abyss will not cause me to leave. I am going to spend out my years in the land that I have a love/hate relation with. But the capacity of the heart, soul and mind is not limitless. There comes a time in the search for truth, justice and civilization, that one feels that there is only so much more one can contribute. I came from an era where hope was alive, and hope brought liberation. This is not the time in Guyana to hope and dream and wait for liberation. It isn’t coming. One still has to complete the journey, but reason left this country a long time ago. I see so many things happening to this country that it

puts too much of strain on my soul. I read a letter signed by more than a dozen organizations and individuals, voicing concern over the arrest and charge of a woman who exposed wrongdoing and violations in Jamaica. But why go till to Jamaica? There are Guyanese citizens who have been wronged and are being wronged everyday in this Faustian, Mephistophelean, Kafkaesque wasteland, and there are no letters in the newspapers signed by dozens of people. Where were those signatures when a Berbice magistrate sentenced an 18year-old girl to six months for merely crossing over to Suriname with a speedboat without an immigration stamp - an act that started before my generation was born and goes on every single day between Guyana and Suriname. We don’t see letters with dozens of signatures when poor

women guards write about ruthless exploitation by security firms. One of the things about our Guyanese activists that irk me is their open hypocrisy. They simply barefacedly choose which victim to support. It as if these people have convenient moral values. CarolAnn Munroe, a treason accused who was freed, wrote a letter to this newspaper that was almost a full page, describing how she and her two small children, one of whom was sick at the time, were treated when the police came to arrest her. It was a moving story. The people who signed their names to that missive about the Jamaican woman were in Timbuktu at the time of the publication of the Munroe letter, so they couldn’t write to the newspaper. Now they are back, they could do so. There are things that go on in this country that really pierce the soul of a human.

There are plans to make closing hours at midnight from the 2a.m. stipulation. Is that more of a pressing matter than our rundown public schools, our rundown university? No, I am not leaving Guyana, but my soul has had enough of this incredible nihilism of a fading horizon. I leave you with some lines of a 1974 Johnny Mathis song I dedicated to my wife when we were courting. It is the story of my life. You and me against the world, Sometimes it seems like you and me against the world, When all the others turn their backs and walked away, You can count on me to stay. You and me against the world, Sometimes it seems like you and me against the world And for all the times we’ve

Frederick Kissoon cried I always felt that God was on our side. And when one of us is gone, And one of us is left to carry on, Then remembering will have to do, Our memories alone will get us through Think about the days of me and you, Of you and me against the world.

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Sunday March 19, 2017

Kaieteur News

Consumers’ Rights stay in focus Guyana joined the rest of the world and commemorated World Consumer Rights Day on Wednesday March 15, 2017 under the theme ‘Building a Digital World Consumers can Trust’. Since 2015, the Consumer Affairs Department of the Ministry of Business, in partnership with the National Bureau of Standards, the Government Analyst, Food and Drugs Department, the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission, the Public Utilities Commission and NGOs like the Guyana Consumers Association, has been campaigning strongly on the “Know your Rights” platform. The main premise is that business affairs on both sides

of the counter are conducted more smoothly when everyone, both vendor and buyer, is aware of their rights, their responsibilities, the required courtesies, and the elements of Good Customer Service. Of course, this approach is also hitched to the fact that retailers, wholesalers, service providers and manufacturers are consumers too. They have to purchase goods, services and primary products so their rights are just as deeply enshrined in the Consumer Charter. Unfortunately, this fact is not always acknowledged. The business community sometimes assumes (as do many consumers) that the onus to perform excellent

Customer Services falls on them alone. They often feel burdened by their responsibilities to their customers, and customers sometimes display an insufficient understanding of their own responsibilities (see below), focusing instead on their rights. The fact that our commercial world (our social and religious world as well) has gone digital does not remove any of these responsibilities, not from consumers nor the business community. Because commerce in Guyana is still people-intensive requiring face-to-face interactions, business owners and their staff still have a responsibility to deliver good, courteous service and reliable goods,

and to maintain consumer trust. Consumers still have the responsibility to pay all of their bills when they are due, to ensure that his/her utilization or consumption of goods and services is in compliance with the manufacturers’ specifications, and since everyone carries some responsibility for the environment, consumers are also responsible for careful disposal of wrappers and packaging materials, kitchen and other household waste, especially those that are nonbiodegradable such as coconut shells and plastics. The AFC on International Consumer Rights Day 2017, joined Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin as he urged everyone to be very careful with and protective of their personal data online. The 2017 theme was: “Building a Digital World Consumers can Trust” We live in a data-driven and technology focused environment. Consumers’ digital footprints are becoming increasingly larger, with a growing trail of personal data that’s more public than we could ever imagine. Data that is shared online may be derived from web surfing, telephone communication, social media, online shopping and information researched on the many search engines available, among them Google, Yahoo, Bing, Baidu, AOL, Ask.com and Excite. This is in addition to the data you create. On the business front, retailers should be looking at various ways to offer our consumers customized shopping experiences. You also need to examine your consumer engagement strategies, especially because consumers have become

more aware and protective of their personal data and the many issues related to data privacy and security. Many people now shop online, so now there is much that we all have to do to woo our consumers back to our counters. When we look more closely, we find that digital shopping brings with it an increased need to protect personal information. You see, online exposure of personal and financial data opens up too many opportunities for security breaches. Identity theft, over-spamming and ignored customer complaints are common, and have negatively influenced consumer trust. This makes it even more important for vendors to take consumer confidence into consideration as we move to digitize our businesses. We have to find ways to understand consumers better, to stay in tune with their changing habits, and connect with them more frequently. Proactive communication we believe will continue to influence the great customer experiences we are striving for. Here are a few easy ways to accomplish this: * Build trust online with positive, honest product descriptions, terms and policies * Respond immediately and simply to consumers’ complaints, queries, etc. * Utilize open platforms and consumer fora to resolve general issues * Be transparent and really protect consumers’ personal information * Maintain an online facility for consumer feedback, e.g. Facebook and your website, and make sure that your responses are fast and truthful. You know the consequences of posting inaccu-

rate information. * Offer better value than your competitors in the form of rewards, incentives, holiday and other special deals * Initiate solid CSR programmes e.g. in education, sports, environmental management or social activities and post them on your site These principles will help you to build and sustain consumer trust. IMPORTANCE OF CONSUMER EDUCATION With International Consumer Rights Day having recently been observed, we take the opportunity to remind all consumers that you have to know your rights and demand that those rights are respected and protected. It is widely recognized that consumer education is an essential complement to effective consumer services, to enforcement of the regulations and dispute resolution. We referred earlier to the fact that online shopping is the new fad in Guyana. It is not difficult to surmise that this fad has grown so quickly because the products available in our local marketplace are often substandard counterfeits (knock-offs) of household items and appliances, shoes and clothing, food, furniture, cosmetics and even technological implements and instruments. This is the Third World, and not much has changed in two decades, with respect to product dumping by distributors in metropolitan countries. We also live in a world of aggressive advertising. Guyana’s geographical location does not preclude our citizens from access to products advertised on the worldwide web and cable television. In fact, it pro v e s t h a t Guyana and the Caribbean are psychically affiliated to North America, where many of our families and friends reside. This must be one explanation for the fast growth of the online shopping industry. But with that growth comes a lot of responsibility for the protection of people’s personal data. This is not to be taken lightly. The meteoric growth of technology has come along with the equally fast emergence of cyber theft, hacking, and a host of other digital challenges. The government is living up to its promise to provide the platforms for the digitization of our economy. Along with it comes the need to educate our citizens not only about your rights, but about your own responsibilities in the dissemination and protection of your data.

Sunday March 19, 2017

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Kaieteur News

My column

The PPP destroyed the nursing programme The presence of people in protests at a time when these very people stayed in the woodwork claiming fear of victimization is a sure sign that social conditions have changed. It is also a sign that people are confident that their voices are now being heard. But sometimes such is the feeling of freedom that people grasp at anything to gain attention. There was the parking meter issue that I can only conclude took a turn to the stage it is, because of the weekly protests staged by a class of people who no longer feel that they have to stay in their homes and mutter about their discontent. One big issue involves the award of a contract to Ansa McAl for the supply of drugs. In the first instance, it was widely acknowledged that there was a shortage of drugs stemming from both corruption and an abuse of the system that operated. People reported going to hospitals and clinics for prescriptions only to be told that they would have to buy supplies. So entrenched was the shortage that poor people were sent to pharmacies that sported full shelves. A probe would have revealed that most of these supplies in the pharmacies came from the public system. There were people in the Ministry of Health and the Georgetown Public Hospital who were siphoning off drugs—taking would be a better word—and giving them to the pharmacies. With every report of a shortage came the response that there was no shortage. In fact, only recently the former Minister of Health, Dr George Norton, admitted that there were shortages. The administration changed the Minister and installed Ms. Volda Lawrence. The first thing that she did was to visit the hospitals and

clinics. There she was confronted with the harsh reality that people inside were stealing the drugs. A subsequent audit also revealed that a supplier during the previous administration received close to one billion dollars for a shipment of drugs. There is no evidence that the shipment has arrived. No one has been charged for fraud. Ms. Lawrence was confronted with the shortage, so she caused four tenders to be awarded, three of them to smaller suppliers and one to Ansa McAl. No one is talking about the tender awarded to the other three, but the focus is on Ansa McAl. Suddenly the champions of freedom and democracy are claiming that the award was less than transparent. From my layman’s point of view, I have had to deal with the perennial reports of shortages, sometimes going into my pocket to help people buy the prescription they needed. I also knew that the regular tender process would take a few months. The people would have had to tolerate the shortage and the government would have had to face even more criticisms. That the Minister took the decision she did is not being commended, even as the complaints of drug shortages have been drastically minimized. No one is paying attention to the fact that the ordinary man is getting his supplies. I heard about the rampant corruption; of procurement officers being filthy rich because they would stall requests until a preferred supplier could procure the drugs. This continued for a long time, and whenever someone was confronted the end result was that the person would be removed. No one has even been prosecuted, although there was abundant evidence. On Friday I asked Minis-

ter Joseph Harmon about the failure to prosecute the culprits, and got the reply that there must be due process. Failing this, there would be further noise and protests and claims of dictatorship. The situation is a vicious cycle. There is a lot wrong with the health system and corrective measures are not even forthcoming, because people are busy protecting each other. I had cause to mention the doctor who was fetching out a piece of equipment from the Georgetown Public Hospital. Immediately as he was caught there was the big cover-up. One doctor stepped forward to proclaim that this doctor, whose wife is also a doctor, was borrowing the piece of equipment. I would believe that if one were to borrow something one would have to use a system, the first step of which would be to make a request. The next thing has to do with nursing education. I remember taking the then Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy to task for contending that Guyana would counter the disappearance of nurses by training more people. The result is that the classes are so huge that very few can be taught. The students are wasting their time, because many are not even being taught. The recent results of the professional nursing examinations tell the story. Of 179 candidates, a mere 23 passed. This would be tolerated in no education system. As a former teacher there was the adage that a student has not learnt if the teacher has not taught. Massive failures must be blamed on the teachers. This high fail rate has been with us for years, but there has not been an examination of the people imparting the knowledge. I doubt that some are qualified. There

has also been no attempt to reduce the intakes, so that the classrooms can be properly managed. The shocking result was that not one person passed from the Linden School of Nursing. No more than four passed from the New Amsterdam School of Nursing and four passed from the St Joseph School. What the system is doing is pushing a group of enterprising young nurses to suicide, because I have heard that some of them have been failing for two years. More shocking is the fact that after the results were leaked, the various public schools maintained a veil of silence. Many of the known tutors chose to hide from scrutiny. I am still to see officialdom face the press to discuss this situation. No one wants to talk about the failure because whatever happens, the tutors are being paid. I wish the students would form themselves into a group and talk about this situation. They must bare their souls, because this situation would continue if left unattended. I am not going to ask the Minister to comment, although she must have called in the

various people responsible. I want to talk with the heads of the various nursing schools. One of my daughters passed through the Georgetown School. Back then, in 2002, the classes were a fraction of what they are today. There were 15 in her class. Two failed and five were asked to re-write one subject. My daughter told me that once a student failed nursing that was considered an outright failure. Sister Vashti Hinds was heading the Georgetown School of Nursing. The administration sought to have a class of 35 in 2002, but Sister Hinds objected and got it down to 15. Dr Leslie Ramsammy tormented her, but she stuck to her guns. When the torment became too much after her class graduated she quit, but she ensured that there were professional nurses in the system. Ramsammy’s way is prevailing today, with dire consequences. In 2002, the classes were manageable. I watched the volume of work my daughter did; saw the kind of help she was able to offer to her colleagues and to tutors. I helped her with the necessary research. She got an award at

Adam Harris her graduation and I have the trophy at my home to prove it. So good was the programme that when my daughter migrated in 2008, six months later she was a State Registered Nurse. She is now earning about five times what I earn today. Back home, it must be recognized that nurses are the backbone of the health system, so it is not by accident that people are complaining about the treatment. We do not have qualified nurses and each year the situation is getting worse. We need to go back to what should be— smaller classes and adequate tutors. Volda Lawrence has her work cut out for her.

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Sunday March 19, 2017

Kaieteur News

Social cohesion and multiculturalism (Excerpts from an address by HE David Granger at a Social Cohesion Validation workshop on March 16, 2017) The Cooperative Republic of Guyana, according to its Constitution, is “…an indivisible, secular, democratic state.” It is an inclusive democracy. It is a multicultural society ¯ a nation of various beliefs, customs, ethnicities and languages. We believe that there is a way to harmonise relations and reduce conflict among social groups. We believe that social cohesion is the thread that will bind these various groups together. Guyana, like any other society in the world, is characterised by differences but these need not be antagonistic or violent. Our 350-year colonial experience left scars. Boatloads of humans were trafficked, many involuntarily,

from Africa, Asia and Europe, to toil on the plantations with no thought of whether they could, or how they would, live together after their labours. Riots on the plantations and the ‘Disturbances’ in the immediate pre-Independence period, left race relations in tatters. The state, after Independence, had to take steps to reverse these adversarial relations and to remove the misunderstandings which had led to conflict. Ethnic polarisation, however, remained an unhappy and unfortunate feature of political organisation and, in turn, spawned social marginalization. These fissures have been compounded by differences based on gender, generation and geography. Guyana today, still needs to stanch the sort of social erosion that degenerated into civil violence of the ‘Troubles’

in the recent past. We still see how easily the ranting of a few rancorous persons can rekindle racial animosity, a retrograde step which has no place in modern society. We expressed alarm, on another occasion: “…at the vocal efforts by those persons to promote social division. We warn[ed] that such inflammatory tirades run the risk of degenerating into social instability, of fostering distrust and of fomenting disorder.” We pointed out that Guyana “…a micro-state of three quarters of a million people, with [ample] landspace…and with bountiful natural resources and beautiful people ¯ need not be divided. We can build cooperative relationships at all levels of our society among our religious and ethnic groups, among our political parties

and among communities. Discord, arising out of ethnic, economic, political, religious and other differences ¯ as we have discovered painfully during the 26 Ð/$%þ¨ Disturbances Ð/$%þ¨ of 1964 and the 26 Ð/$%þ¨ Troubles Ð/$%þ¨ of 2002 ¯ has the potential to spawn hatred. Our nation has been scarred by violence which left a lingering legacy of distrust with the threat of disorder. Monuments have been erected to the victims of violence during the 26 Ð/$%þ¨ Troubles’ between 2002 and 2008. Memories have not been erased. We have to work together to repair that damage, restore trust and rebuild the bases of a ‘moral community’ which enable us to trust each other. We are a multi-religious, multiethnic and multi-cultural country and always will be. This diversity is an asset, not a liability. We are proud to belong to a society of many faiths. We are proud of the mosaic of ethnicities in our country.” Social cohesion has, as its objective, the weaving of various social, economic and political strands into a community in which everyone enjoys a sense of belonging and in which differences are recognized and respected. Social cohesion is concerned with enhancing cooperation and collaboration among citizens, civil society, institutions and the state. Social cohesion is aimed at: - encouraging greater equality and building bridges across the boundaries of class, ethnicity, gender and geography; - enhancing increased access to public services such as education, health, housing, human safety and social protection; and, - ensuring goodwill, harmony, peace, security, tolerance and understanding. Social cohesion is essen-

tial for everyone’s existence. The absence of social cohesion will inflict unbearable social and economic costs. We are reminded of the works of the English philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, who warned – in his masterpiece ‘Leviathan’ written 366 years ago during the English Civil War – of a state of: “… continual fear and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” The quest for order, peace and safety is eternal. Social cohesion is indispensable to human safety and public security. We proposed, at the first ‘Social Cohesion Roundtable’ in September 2015, a five-point programme to promote a cohesive society. We aimed at: - eliminating income disparities caused by poverty; - eradicating the worst forms of inequality, including gaps between the rich and poor and between coastland and hinterland and between rural and urban areas; - embracing inclusivity at the political and social levels to involve other stakeholders, citizens and the community; - enhancing social protection and reducing unemployment; and, - ensuring equal access to education so as to ensure greater equality in opportunity. We established the Ministry of Social Cohesion with the specific objective of implementing this programme and of promoting greater inclusion. This Ministry is not ornamental. It has an onerous obligation to contribute to building a nation in which “…diversities are embraced, conflicts resolved, networks and collaboration with stakeholders strengthened and decision-making processes result in equal opportunities for all.” The Ministry has been tasked with the responsibil-

ity of promoting good relations among individuals, communities and groups in society. It has a duty to ensure, also, that political and institutional authority is exercised in a manner that promotes equality and inclusivity. The Ministry’s mandate is to be measured not by the size of its budget but by its accomplishment in harmonizing social relations. Its achievement can be calculated in the economic dividend earned from reducing enmity and harnessing the energy of all of our peoples. The Ministry’s work will be visible in the form of greater protection to the vulnerable, including the elderly, youth and the poor. Its work is expected to improve popular participation by promoting cooperation over confrontation and by fostering consensual relations among individuals, families, communities and social groups. It is expected, also, to enhance relations by ensuring the involvement of civil society, the business community, the diaspora, political parties and trade unions in the national decision-making processes. The Ministry’s task, also, is the effective management of our multicultural diversity. The nation’s multicultural character is an asset, not a liability. Our multicultural tapestry adds to our richness and uniqueness as nation. It is a cause for celebration. We are fortunate to belong to a country in which the culture of the indigenous peoples of the Americas coexists with cultures which came from Africa, Asia and Europe. Multiculturalism must not become an impediment to social cohesion. It must not be a source of discord, disunity and division. We are proud of being part of a society in which a Hindu mandir, a Muslim masjid and a Christian church can coexist in the same community without engendering rancour or riots. We are proud of the fact that Amerindian, Indian and African communities can coexist without degenerating into a state of nature – “of war of all against all.” We feel a great sense of satisfaction that religious differences do not erupt into violent conflict and race riots. We are pleased by the level of goodwill and understanding which exists among the social groups. We must build on this solid foundation.

Sunday March 19, 2017

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Kaieteur News

Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Painful and Debilitating Illness By Dr Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine Have you ever had or seen someone who has C h i k u n g u n y a ? I t ’s a terribly painful and debilitating time. The joint pains and stiffness are sometimes unbearable. Now imagine having to live like that. The reality is that patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis have to live with similar joint pains and i m m o b i l i t y. O v e r o n e p e r c e n t o f t h e w o r l d ’s population suffers with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Some are undiagnosed and are left to suffer without proper treatment. Today we will shed some light on this incurable condition. WHAT IS RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS? Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that causes pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints. It is one of many different types of arthritis. Doctors do not know what causes it. But they do know that it happens when the body’s infection-fighting system, called the immune system, “attacks” the joints. HOW CAN I TELL WHETHER I HAVE RHEUMATOIDARTHRITIS

OR ANOTHER TYPE OF ARTHRITIS? You cannot tell. Only a doctor can tell you that. But there are some clues to l o o k f o r. F o r i n s t a n c e , rheumatoid arthritis usually starts by affecting the small joints in the fingers, the balls of the feet, and the wrists. It usually affects both the left and the right side at the same time. (Other types of arthritis tend to first affect larger joints, like the knees or hips. And they might affect one side much more than the other.) ARE THERE SYMPTOMS TO LOOK FOR? Yes. Symptoms include: · Pain, swelling, limited motion, warmth and tightness around affected j o i n t s , which most commonly include the hands and wrists, feet and ankles, elbows, shoulders, neck, knees and hips, usually in a symmetrical pattern. Over time, joints may develop deformities. · Fatigue, soreness, stiffness and aching, particularly in the morning and afternoon (described as morning stiffness and afternoon fatigue) · Lumps or rheumatoid nodules below the skin · Weight loss · Low-grade fever and

sweats · Trouble sleeping · Weakness and loss of mobility · Depression from unbearable pains and stiffness WHAT HAPPENS AS RHEUMATOIDARTHRITIS GETS WORSE? Even though it might start in the fingers and toes, rheumatoid arthritis can affect any of the joints. Sometimes it damages the joints forever. Plus, rheumatoid arthritis can cause problems in other parts of the body, such as the heart, lungs, or eyes. Doctors have no way of knowing which people will get which symptoms or how bad the effects will be. WHATARE THE TREATMENTS FOR RHEUMATOIDARTHRITIS? If your doctor tells you that you have rheumatoid arthritis, start treatment right away. Do not wait until your symptoms get worse. Getting treated early can help prevent a lot of the damage the disease can do to your body. There are dozens of medicines for rheumatoid arthritis. The right one for you will depend on: - How bad your symptoms are - How many of your joints are affected

- How your disease has changed over time - What side effects you feel with the medicines you try - What your X-rays look like - The results of certain blood tests In general, the treatment options include: - Medicines called “nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,” also known as NSAIDs - Medicines called steroids - Medicines called “disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs” also known as “DMARDs” People who have severe pain that does not get better with the medicines listed above sometimes get narcotic pain medicines. IS THEREANYTHING I CAN DO ON MY OWN TO

FEEL BETTER? Yes. It is very important that you stay active. You might want to avoid being active because you are in pain. But that can make things worse. It will make your muscles weak and your joints stiffer than they already are. A physical therapist can help you figure out which exercises will do the most good. An occupational therapist can help you figure out how to keep doing the everyday tasks you need to do—even with arthritis. Another thing you can do to on your own is to eat a healthy diet. People with rheumatoid arthritis are at risk for heart disease, so avoid fatty foods. Instead, eats lots of fruits and vegetables WHAT IS LIFE LIKE WITH TREATMENT?

Dr. Zulfikar Bux Early, effective treatment can help you live well with rheumatoid arthritis, although the severity of the disease and its response to therapy are highly variable. Eating healthy, regular checkups, and using your medications as prescribed by your doctor, are your best options with this debilitating illness.

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Kaieteur News

SUNDAY SPECIAL UNPRINCIPLED IMPORTERS, CROOKED HEALTH STAFF FASHION DRUG SHORTAGE LAWRENCE Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, has been able to establish the real reason behind the drug shortage in the system. Lawrence blamed a conspiracy among some drug suppliers and public health ministry staff for the crisis in the sector. In her missive to the media, Lawrence explained how she sought to address the matter. She said that she was “greeted with the news of a shortage of drugs in the system” upon her appointment and immediately held talks with Material Management Unit (MMU) staff of the Ministry of Public Health. She said that she also visited several regional hospitals and met with the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation executives to correct the problem. Three months after, Lawrence said that she was still uncovering a combination of skulduggery, collusion, delinquency, deliberate breaching of established sector protocols by Public Health staff, manipulation of the system by some importers with the support of employees and a fabrication of records including evidence of bogus receipts. So pervasive is the practice that “We have had to call in the police to deal with staff who are selling drugs to private pharmacies,” Lawrence disclosed. The Minister stressed that the current drug shortage was a ploy manufactured by “Some unprincipled importers and crooked Public Health staff to enrich themselves.” ANSA MCAL IS ONLY COMPANY TO EVER PROVIDE COLD STORAGE FACILITIES FOR DRUGS –LAWRENCE

—EVEN THOUGH NEW GPC WAS SOLE SUPPLIER FOR OVER 20 YEARS — OTHER COMPANIES WERE NOT A PART OF CONTRACT FOR EMERGENCY DRUGS DUE TO ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS The collusion between moles in the public health system and a few crooked suppliers of pharmaceuticals is what led to the Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, taking a controversial route in the recent procurement of emergency pharmaceuticals for the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). The minister made this statement to the press last week Saturday in an effort to correct misleading comments in some sections in the media. The misguided comments, she said, were in relation to certain documents which were leaked to the media, giving the false impression that the hospital tried to procure drugs from Ansa McAl Trading Limited through sole sourcing. Lawrence stressed however that Ansa McAl was among four com-

panies from which these emergency supplies were procured. The other companies were New GPC, Health 2000 and Chirosyn Discovery. The Minister of Public Health said that other companies were not a part of this process due to ongoing investigations into their late/or nondelivery of critical drugs which they were contracted to procure for GPHC during 2016. She said that some of these pharmaceuticals were overdue by as much as six months, which exacerbated the drug shortage at the hospital. She explained that moves were made to fast track the procurement of these pharmaceuticals to minimise the negative effects on patients due to the shortage of some critical drugs. ”This influenced the decision to seek the green light from the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) for Ansa McAl to supply drugs and pharmaceuticals to the tune of some $605M.” Lawrence explained that Ansa McAl is one of only two companies in Guyana that can provide the cold chain storage necessary to maintain the integrity of a wide range of pharmaceuticals that are critical in the health care sector, in Guyana. ”Ansa McAl not only air freighted the drugs (this helped spike the cost to import the items) for the public health sector, but also donated four refrigerators to GPHC to store the emergency supplies at the internationally acceptable temperature of 20 to 80C. No other company in the history of the institution has provided cold storage facilities at the hospital even though, at least one of them (NEW GPC) was the sole supplier of pharmaceuticals to the institution for over 20 years.” Lawrence said that all pharmaceuticals for the entire nation was sole-sourced from that company for billions of tax-payers’ dollars. During that period, she said that GPHC

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used icepacks to store these sensitive drugs at the facility, because the main refrigerator was in poor condition and unable to maintain the correct temperature for these drugs endangering their efficacy, potency and integrity. Lawrence stressed that she was unwilling to jeopardise the sector and patients’ lives and took what may appear to be the now-controversial route. MONDAY EDITION DESPITE EXXON’S CONTROVERSIALRELATIONS WITH SOME NATIONS…GUYANA WILL NOT BE A WALKOVER – GREENIDGE Even though there have been reports about the “questionable” operations of ExxonMobil in other territories, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge is confident that “Guyana will not be a walkover.” In a recent interview, Greenidge said that many members of the Government have had experience in dealing with multinational companies worth billions of dollars.

He said that based on that experience, valuable lessons were learnt. As such, Greenidge said that the Government is fully aware of how it must approach USA oil giant, ExxonMobil, to get the best results for Guyana, while complying with the principles of transparency and accountability. The Vice President said, “When ALCAN, a Canadian mining company and aluminum manufacturer and REYNOLDS, a bauxite company, were operating here, they operated in times when companies felt that they did not even have to answer to the government. And that’s especially if they were North American. But we learnt a lot of lessons of what to do and what not to do…” With that in mind, Greenidge said that Guyanese have no reason to get “unnecessarily agitated” when it comes to ExxonMobil. ”Listen, we are interested in transparency and we are not going to be a walk over. ExxonMobil, in the period which we have been dealing with them, can account for the payments made to the government and we would be able to have that information.” COP SHOOTS TAXI DRIVER WHILE CHASING BANDITS WHO ROBBED HIM A police corporal has been detained after he shot a man twice while in pursuit of two bandits who robbed him of gold jewellery in Saffon Street, Charlestown Sunday. Kenneth Hoyte, 46, a taxi-driver of Tucville, Georgetown was shot to the left hand and knee during the confrontation and was admitted to the Georgetown Hospital in a stable condition. Kaieteur News understands that the police rank of Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, was driving south along Saffon Street in the busy La Penitence Market traffic, when he was confronted by two males; one (Continued on page 29)

Sunday March 19, 2017

(From page 28) on a bicycle and the other on foot. The rank alleged that the cyclist held him at gunpoint, while the other robber snatched his gold chain and a gold band and escaped. According to information, the police corporal claimed that he exited the vehicle and pursued the suspects, who discharged several rounds in his direction. The rank said he returned fire. Shortly after, it was discovered that Hoyte, who was in the vicinity, received two gunshot wounds. He was transported to the hospital by the same policeman. Police in a release said that a female passer-by found the jewellery which purportedly belonged to the police rank and handed it over to him. Nine spent shells were recovered from the scene. TUESDAY EDITION 622 CASES DISPOSED OF AT NIGHT COURTS – AS FIVE MAGISTRATES SUCCESSFULLYATTACK BACKLOG A total of 622 cases were heard in the Night Courts from the period October 19, 2016 to February 28, 2017 at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The Magistrates who were assigned to tackle the backlog were Magistrate Beverly BishopCheddie, Magistrate Brendon Glasford, Magistrate Madan Kissoon, Magistrate Leslie Benjamin and Magistrate Liza Hanoman. Magistrate Kissoon heard 113 matters in Courts 10 and 11; Magistrate Bishop- Cheddie heard 110 matters in Court Six, Magistrate Glasford heard 146 matters in Court 12, Magistrate Benjamin heard 149 matters in Courts Eight and Nine and Magistrate Hanoman heard a total of 105 matters in Court Seven. The introduction of night court has helped to ease the delay and cleared the backlog that had been accumulating for some time. The number of cases reaching the court increased and it was becoming an insurmountable task to have timely trials. PRADOVILLE 2 PROBE…SOCU WANTS TO QUESTION ‘FUZZY’SATTAUR AND FORMER HOUSING OFFICIAL The Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) is trying to locate Mohamed ‘Fuzzy’ Sattaur, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Communications Network (NCN) and Taslim Baksh, former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) for questioning into the Pradoville 2 investigations. According to a SOCU official, that entity has been trying to make contact with the two men for about three months now. The official said that as far as the police know, the two

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VENEZUELAN RICE SHIP SINKING OFFSHORE ESSEQUIBO

men have not left the jurisdiction but they cannot be found at their normal addresses. The official explained that it is important that the two men are questioned to complete the investigations into the Pradoville 2 probe. Baksh is also wanted for questioning into the sale of scrap metal that was done by the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) when they were in government. In mid-2012, a leaked report into investigations at the state-owned NCN revealed startling details of how Sattaur and another manager attempted to pressure female staffers to backdate a $3.6 million invoice to January to cover up their tracks. But the staffers, from the Marketing Department, refused and later told investigators that they thought it unethical at the time. The leaked report, while not making it clear, suggested that the at-

tempts were made even while the investigations were ongoing or about to start. The report also suggested that both officials were probably desperate at the time. Sattaur was at the helm at NCN when the National Investment and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) reportedly paid over $100M to relocate the tower from the controversial Pradoville 2 housing scheme to Dairy Road, La Parafaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara and that charge was then borne by NCN. Taslim Baksh was a top housing man under the previous administration, reporting to Housing Minister, Irfaan Ali. He was in charge of overseeing the construction of hundreds of Government-built homes on East Bank Demerara, from Eccles to Providence, including some of the lowcost ones.

The coast guard and other relevant authorities are still investigating the matter of a ship that began sinking a few miles off the Essequibo Coast around Wednesday of last week. The ship is currently going down approximately two miles off the shore of the Devonshire Castle Hampton Court area on the Essequibo Coast. Investigations revealed that the vessel of Venezuelan origin was transporting rice back to that country at the time of the incident. According to local fishermen, the stern of the vessel is currently under water whilst the bow remains afloat. It is believed that the ship sprang a leak while out on the ocean. Due to high tides and enormous waves, the vessel was washed closer to shore. The crew on board the vessel (all Venezuelan nationals) was rescued without any serious casualties. Though a huge quantity of the rice was destroyed by salt water, it was reported that those rescuing the crew were also helping themselves to the rice on board. WEDNESDAY EDITION CABINET TELLS CITY HALL TO SUSPEND PARKING METERS FOR THREE MONTHS …COMPANY TO TAKE MATTER TO COURT The parking meter project has been halted for three months as a result of a Cabinet decision Tuesday. Government sources have con-

firmed that the matter had engaged Cabinet’s attention for a number of weeks and a decision has been made. According to information received, Cabinet asked Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan to inform the Georgetown Mayor and City Council to place the project on hold for three months and to use the period to engage stakeholders, particularly the protesters who for six weeks have called for the revocation of the project. In light of this decision, the company, Smart City Solutions who signed the contract with City Hall to implement paid parking, will not sit idly by for three months. A source close to the company said that if the suspension goes into effect, Smart City Solutions will take the matter to court. The action comes months after public outcry began against the project. Protesters have described the implementation of the project as a clear case of bullyism. CASINO ROBBERY ACCUSED AMONG FIVE REMANDED FOR ATTEMPT MURDER,ARMED ROBBERIES Junior Stuart, one of the three men released on bail for a robbery at the then Princess Casino last year, was one of five men remanded to prison in relation to two recent robberies at Diamond, East Bank Demerara. Stuart, 31, a graphic artist, of Lot 14 Thomas Street, Kitty, Georgetown; Kasi Heyligar, 34, of Lot 42 Shell Road Kitty; Delon Morgan, 31, of Lot 27 Dowding (Continued on page 30)

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(From page 29) Street, Kitty; Georgetown; and Richard Seonarine (no address given) will make another court appearance on March 22. Particulars of the first charge against them alleged that on March 3, last, at Third Avenue Diamond, East Bank Demerara, while in the company of others and armed with guns, they robbed Aaron Akbar of $834,000. Based on reports, the virtual complainant had just withdrawn money from a commercial bank at Diamond, East Bank Demerara when he was robbed. The man was departing the bank’s premises when he was reportedly pounced upon by Stuart and his accomplices and relieved of a bag containing the cash. Thereafter, the men jumped into a waiting car and fled the s c e n e . Police intercepted the car and arrested the men, when it was discovered they were known chara c t e r s . Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum had said that several licence plates were seized from two of the men.

Kaieteur News

It was further alleged that on March 3, at the same location, while armed with guns, they robbed Esau Akbar of $7,000 cash and a BLU cell phone valued $15,000. The quartet was not required to plead to the indictable charges read to them by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan. Stuart was represented by Attorney Dexter Todd. Attorney Adrian Thompson was retained by Heligar and Morgan, while Seonarine was unrepresented. During a bail application, To d d a r g u e d t h a t h i s c l i e n t was placed on 12 identification parades and was never picked out. In his address to the court, Seonarine told the court that he was arrested by police at his workplace and was forced to sleep on a bench while in custody. He also said that he is the sole breadwinner for his family. Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones opposed bail for the ac-

cused based on the fact that other charges are still to be filed against them. According to the Prosecutor, Stuart gave p o l i c e c o n f l i c t i n g a d d r e s ses and has a pending robbery under-arms charge before the court. These matters were transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court for March 31. Meanwhile, Heyligar was remanded to prison on another robbery under-arms charge. He was indicted with Kurt Kendall whose name was mentioned in the charge. Police are still to arrest Kendall. However, based on reports, Kendall was previously charge for robbery under-arms. THURSDAY EDITION PROFESSIONAL NURSES EXAM RE-SIT… ONLY 23 OF 179 CANDIDATES SECURE OVERALL PASSES … Of the 179 students who were required to re-sit the 2016 State Fi-

Sunday March 19, 2017

nal Nurses examination last month a mere 23 passed all segments of the examination. This means that although a number of the students passed some segments of the examination, the majority of them will have to re-sit at least three of the five segments of the examination if they are to eventually achieve the goal of becoming professional nurses. The aspects of the examination that most of the candidates were required to pass on this occasion were Functional Nursing Paper I; Functional Nursing Paper II; Clinical Nursing Paper I, Clinical Nursing Paper II and Practical. Based on the raw data seen by this publication, the Georgetown School of Nursing, which entered the most candidates (74), secured a total of nine overall passes in all aspects of the examination. A further seven candidates of the same nursing school were required to only resit one or two aspects of the examination suggesting that they

had passed the other segments previously. Of the 43 New Amsterdam Nursing School candidates, three passed all aspects of the examination while two others passed one segment each, again suggesting that they had passed the other segments at an earlier sitting. The St. Joseph Mercy Hospital recorded two overall passes among its 16 candidates. There were, however, no overall passes secured by candidates of the Charles Roza Nursing School in Linden. This publication was informed that while the raw data suggest an appalling state of affairs, it is not clear whether the Ministry of Education which was tasked with preparing, administering and marking the examination, would have applied the requisite formula to determine the actual performance of each individual candidate. “There are instances when the raw data might show that a candidate did not do so well and another candidate doing very well but when the formula is applied the results could be very different,” an official explained. The Ministry of Education was given the responsibility of dealing with the examination since there were allegations that the original examination, which was administered in October of last year, was leaked. It was believed too that the leaking of examination was the doing of official(s) within the Guyana Nursing Council. The Council has over the years been the mandated body to prepare, administer and mark the examination. There are reports that suggest that persons within the Council have for years been involved in the unscrupulous act of leaking examination papers ahead of the actual sittings. Following its own investigation, the Ministry of Public Health had called in the Guyana Police Force to conduct an investigation into the allegations made in October of last (Continued on page 31)

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(From page 30) year following the sitting of the State Finals. PUBLIC HEALTH MINISTRY PLACES EMPHASIS ON QUALITY OF IMPORTED DRUGS —INVESTIGATION ONGOING INTO “FAKE” DRUGS BYA DRUG SUPPLIER TO GPHC As it continues to ferret out the loopholes within the system, the Ministry of Public Health is also making moves to address the quality of drugs being imported by some suppliers. Senior officials within the Ministry of Public Health said, recently, that emphasis is being placed by some critics on the cost of the pharmaceuticals being purchased. However, none is being placed on the quality of drugs imported for the health sector, the officials stressed. ”Most of the pharmaceuticals imported are generic drugs from Third World countries. In many cases these drugs are not produced under international standards.” The Public Health officials said that many of the manufacturers are not certified with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) while others are not approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the treatment of certain diseases. Kaieteur News was also able to confirm that there is even an ongoing investigation into “inferior or fake” drugs which were supplied to the Georgetown Public Hospital by one local supplier. The matter is being investigated by the Analyst Food and Drug Department. The Ministry noted, however, that this is not the case with all suppliers of drugs. The officials said that the drugs imported by Ansa McAl Trading Limited are from internationally renowned manufacturers who are both ISO certified and whose pharmaceuticals can be verified by checks on the WHO website. Additionally, Ansa McAl Trading Limited recently lauded the return of a level playing field in the procurement of drugs and other pharmaceuticals after being shut out from the system for several years. This was because for over 20 years, one company, New GPC, was the beneficiary of billions of dollars worth in contracts through sole sourcing. New GPC is owed by Dr. Ranjisinghi “Bobby” Ramroop, a friend of former President and now Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo. FRIDAY EDITION RICE INDUSTRY SHOCKER! ALESIE WALKS AWAYAFTER 25 YEARs After more than 25 years of operation locally, the Alesie Rice Group is closing its five mills and will cease doing business in Guyana. According to Board Chairman Turhane Doerga, the rice industry contributes half a billion annually to the government coffers, and with Alesie

leaving the sector, Guyana stands to lose both monetarily as well as by way of influence. According to Doerga, while the company had been operating with many constraints, recent developments have necessitated this move – not least of which is the lack of coherent policies, something that continues to plague the sector. The former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the rice group explained that after the last election it was hoped that the ruling administration would have advanced different policies from their predecessors. Doerga said that the Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) during its time in government marginalized and ostracized the group, and this was also a contributing factor. Doerga reflected that he was hopeful that the APNU+AFC coalition government would have made a difference in this regard. However, he is contending that the agriculture sector is in rapid decline and the Ministry of Agriculture is bereft of ideas to arrest the spiral. Added to those setbacks, Doerga is contending that there is a worrying lack of policies by the government to address the issues that are affecting the industry. He is adamant that vital strategies are needed to guide the industry and persons that are involved in the selling of rice and paddy. The veteran rice miller opined that in the absence of policies it is unlikely that the rice industry will function the way it ought to. A displeased Doerga said that an alleged cartel culture between selected rice millers and government is not helping the industry either. He said that at the moment there are chosen rice millers who seem to be having a greater say in the industry and special privileges are constantly

being extended to them. Doerga said that with all of those issues considered, it is no longer feasible for the Alesie Group to continue to ply their trade in Guyana. Further, he said that because Alesie is a fair trading company, at the least they are only allowed to pay rice farmers market price for paddy and with the current price, the company can no longer continue to do profitable business. When contacted, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder said that he would not comment on the arguments advanced by Alesie for exiting the rice industry, but he would say that the government is working tirelessly to address a number of issues within the industry. Alesie’s departure comes at a time when the government is actively looking to secure new markets for the rice industry. This development will put up to 300 persons out of work. The rice mills that will be sold are Ruimzeight – with 32 silos, two dryers, a 16-ton mill and a newlyrefurbished parboiled plant; Wakenaam, that currently has 12 silos; and facilities at Corriverton and Leguan. The Alesie Group of Companies consists of a network of rice-mills, PRIVATE SECTOR RAISES CONCERNS WITH IMFABOUT LOSS OF INVESTOR CONFIDENCE, TAXATION A delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is currently in Guyana to assess the health of the economy. In doing so, it engaged various bodies in discussions, with one such forum being held with the Private Sector Commission (PSC). In that meeting, the Commission lauded the Government’s efforts to

operationalize the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) and hold Local Government Elections which was not held for over 20 years. But, be that as it may, Head of the Commission, Eddie Boyer told Kaieteur News that other concerns were raised with the IMF delegation. He said that these were in relation to instances of sole sourcing, the decline in value of the Guyana dollar, and loss of investor confidence. With regard to sole sourcing, Boyer told Kaieteur News that the team meeting with the Commission did not go into details in this regard. He commented that the IMF comes to Guyana “fully knowledgeable of the issues facing the nation.” With regard to the decline in the value of the Guyana dollar, Boyer said that it was suggested by the representatives of the Fund that a flexible exchange rate, which allowed the currency to revalue itself in response to market forces, was ideal. But of all the issues discussed, the most worrying to the Private Sector is the apparent loss of investor confidence. Boyer said that members of the PSC pointed to increased taxation and a degree of uncertainty which reflects the direction in which the economy is moving. ”If you don’t have investor confidence and the Government cannot arrest the decline in the economy then we are going to go further down, and we want to work with them to arrest the decline. A number of sectors have been complaining, from manufacturing to tourism, and they have been talking about the state of the economy,” Boyer said. He added, “We are committed towards working in the national interest.” Additionally, Boyer said that the PSC team also raised concerns regarding taxation and Value Added

Tax (VAT) being applied to a number of items and services such as water and electricity bills, as well as on private tuition fees. ”These things are affecting consumer spending,” the PSC head asserted. ”We also indicated we have not seen any change in pricing since the VAT was reduced from 16 to 14 percent. Maybe it is too early to see this, but we still made our concerns in this regard known,” Boyer added. The visit by the IMF delegation is in keeping with its Article IV Mission. Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF usually holds bilateral discussions with members every year. During those consultations, the mission reviews the overall economic developments in the country, as well as its policy measures aimed at maintaining economic stability, ensuring a sustainable external balance and further liberalizing foreign trade. Upon the completion of the IMF mission consultations, the IMF Executive Board discusses the staff report and issues an assessment of the country’s economic situation and the adequacy of its economic policy measures, based on a comprehensive analysis of the overall economic situation and a wider fiscal policy strategy of the member country. PARKING METER SUSPENSION…DEFIANT TOWN CLERK TELLS BULKAN “NO DEAL!” …PROTESTERS CLAMP MOUTHS, VOW LONG HAUL TO REVOCATION The Town Clerk of the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown (Continued on page 32)

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(From page 31) (M&CC) Royston King has written Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan informing him that a suspension of the parking meter contract to consult with protesters would not be possible. Kaieteur News was informed of the development and confirmed it, when Deputy Mayor and Acting Town Clerk, Sherod Duncan, was contacted Thursday. Duncan said that indeed a letter written by King, expressing the inability to suspend the project was communicated to the Minister. The Acting Mayor gave a general sense of what the correspondence addressed. He said that the Minister was told that the three-month suspension as was recommended by Cabinet would result in a breach of the agreement signed with Smart City Solutions (SCS) which would create a situation whereby the company would have to be reimbursed all of its investment. Further, Duncan said that t h e To w n C l e r k u l t i m a t e l y asked Bulkan to provide more clarity on the recommendation, to assist the council to fully

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understand government’s position. Duncan said that ultimately he is clear about Cabinet’s recommendation regarding the suspension of the contract, and is imploring City Hall in the spirit of goodwill and the working relationship it has with central government, to accede to the request in the national interest. He said that the communication to the company must go through the office of the Town Clerk, since King is the person through whom the council enters into contracts and as such is the point person. The company has maintained that it will continue enforcing paid parking in the City, and up until Wednesday last had confirmed that it has not been officially notified of any decision to halt the project. On Wednesday, Duncan had said that City Hall would be re-engaging the citizens of Georgetown on the matter of paid parking. He said that the Town Clerk would be communicating this to SCS shortly. SATURDAY EDITION DPP ORDERS REOPENING OF COURTNEY CRUM-EWING MURDER CASE Six months after a tearful Regan Rodrigues walked out of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts proclaiming his innocence, having been freed of the murder of political activist, Courtney Crum-Ewing; the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has ordered that the case be reopened. Crum-Ewing’s bullet-riddled body was found on March 10, 2015, at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, where he had reportedly been urging residents to vote against the then ruling People Progressive Party (PPP/C). His bull-horn was found next to his bloodied body. One month later, 37-year-old Rodrigues called “Grey Boy” was charged with the activist’s murder.

Sunday March 19, 2017

Hughes. WALES SUGAR WORKERS STORM OUT OF MINISTERS’ OUTREACH …OVER NON-PAYMENT OF SEVERANCE BENEFITS

it is only fair that they are given theirs. FIREFIGHTERSARRESTED AFTER RAIDING HOME OF FORMER COLLEAGUE ...WHILE PUTTING OUT BLAZE

After the charges were read to him, he told the court, “I know that in this country once money passes to the police they do respond to you… I am an APNU stronghold.” He further added that “I know (police officer) kill Crum-Ewing, because when they ask me to kill CrumEwing and Mark Benschop, I told them no, because I’m not no killer. I even went to the police to make a report on the matter and they never took my statement.” Rodrigues was subsequently freed on September 14, 2016. In the latest development, the DPP, Shalimar Ali-Hack issued a statement, remitting the case of the Guyana Police Force and Rodrigues to Magistrate Judy Latchman for reopening. According to the statement, the sole purpose of the case being reopened is to take further evidence from the police witnesses and to rule on the voluntariness of all oral statements of the accused. Last year, the case was discharged by Magistrate Judy Latchman when the Preliminary Inquiry was first conducted. It will now be prosecuted by Special Prosecutor Attorney-at-Law, Nigel

Cane harvesters attached to the Wales Sugar Estate on Friday stormed out of a ministers’ outreach programme at the Patentia Community Centre. The workers’ action was precipitated by the lack of clarity with regards to payment of severance benefits that were allegedly promised in December last year by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). Addressing a boisterous gathering, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan explained that the government finds itself in a difficult position, since the funds needed to pay the severance to some 317 cane harvesters is a burdensome $375M. Ramjattan said that at the moment the government has no money to offset this expense and GuySuCo is bankrupt, and they will not be able to pay that amount. Underscoring the complexity of the problem, the Public Security Minister said that in the past 22 months the government has doled out $32B to the sugar corporation, and it is no longer feasible for that entity to continue to milk the government’s coffers. Ramjattan also explained that the government needs to await a court decision that was brought against GuySuCo by the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU), challenging the corporation’s stance on the reason for not paying the cane harvesters severance. It was at this juncture that the farmers stormed out of the meeting and stood across the road from the community centre and proceeded to picket outside the venue. The cane harvesters are contending that other designations of staff at Wales estate were offered their severance, so

Four firefighters were arrested on Thursday after they reportedly raided the home of one of their former colleagues while putting out a blaze at Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, around 01:30 hrs. According to information received, two fire tenders—one from Central and another from West Ruimveldt—responded to a fire at the home of former fireman, Vibert Nurse, and in the process of putting out the blaze, removed a number of items from the property. Some of the stolen items include a flat screen television, a quantity of alcohol and a power drill among other items. When the items were discovered missing, Nurse immediately searched the fire tenders and discovered them in the fire truck that responded from West Ruimveldt. The matter was reported to the Guyana Fire Service and it was subsequently handed over to the Guyana Police Force. A police source explained that Nurse was at a birthday party when he found out that there was a fire at his home. When he returned home, the blaze was already put out by firemen who were still at the scene. Reports are that the victim went into his home and discovered that items were missing from part of the property that was not affected by the blaze. He immediately searched both fire tenders and discovered the items in one. Once found guilty, the men will be charged and placed before the court. They will also be charged departmentally by the Guyana Fire Service. “If you can do that to one of your own, what would you do to normal citizens. Firefighters are (Continued on page 41)

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Kaieteur News

According to court documents, the businessman, Inshanally Bacchus, Chief Executive Officer of I & R Bacchus Trucking Service of Bush Lot Village, West Coast Berbice, was granted an Order or Rule Nisi of Certiorari, directed to the Minister of Finance, quashing his decision made on November 23rd, 2016. That decision, by the minister, purports to terminate the Investment Development Mineral Prospecting, Mining and Stone Quarrying Agreement entered on March 13th, 2014, between the businessman and the Government of Guyana, represented by the Minister of Finance. The businessman, through his arguments, said that the decision was capricious, whimsical, arbitrary, in breach of the rules of natural justice, in violation of his legitimate expectations and is unlawful, null, void and of no effect. The Minister of Finance was called upon to show cause why this order nisi should

(From page 32) supposed to be caring. They are supposed to be the responder of people in need and if you are going to add to a person’s distress, then it doesn’t make sense having you,” a firefighter pointed out. MORUCAFARMER HACKED TO DEATH -SUSPECT IN CUSTODY The mutilated body of a 52-year-old man was found on the trail to his farm Friday morning in the Moruca Sub-district, Region One (Barima/Waini). The deceased has been identified as Ganga Persaud Changa of Santa Rosa Village, North-West District. According to the Divisional Commander, Senior Superintendent Ravindradat Boodram, the incident occurred sometime around 9am, and the suspect was taken into custody. The suspect, according to another source, has been identified as a 31-year-old resident of Koko Island, North West District. According to reports, Changa was heading to his farm at Koko Island, when he was approached by the suspect who was armed with a cutlass. The man reportedly began assaulting the Persaud who was dealt multiple chops about his body. His left hand and both feet were severed, reports have indicated. He also received wounds to the neck and back. The alleged assailant was found sometime later and a cutlass with bloodstains was recovered. Commander Boodram told this publication

that investigators are yet to narrow down what would have led to the attack and subsequent death of the farmer. Boodram asserted that the suspect is believed to be of unsound mind. However, there was no way to immediately verify this claim. “We will have to await maybe a certificate to confirm whether or not this is true,” Boodram explained. LETHEM COP CHARGED FOR SEXUALLYASSAULTING FEMALE DOCTORS Osbert Paul, a corporal in the Guyana Police Force, who is attached to the Lethem Station, was on Friday arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Paul was ordered to pay a total of $100,000 bail on two counts of sexual assault. It is alleged that Paul sexually assaulted two physicians who are attached to the Lethem Hospital. He will make his next appearance in the Lethem Magistrates’ Court. ALLEGED BREACHES ON DUTY FREE CONCESSIONS… GRA DEMANDS BUSINESSMAN PAY $212M IN DUTIES, TAXES A Berbice businessman has taken the Minister of Finance and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to court over a decision to cancel his concessions and make him pay more than $200M in customs duties and taxes.

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not made absolute. Another order was also issued to Fitzroy Corlette, Head of GRA’s Law Enforcement, quashing his decision to demand from the applicant by letter dated November 22nd, 2016, the sum of $212.3M as Customs duties and taxes. Those Customs duties and taxes related to certain machinery, equipment and motor vehicles, Bacchus stressed, represents penalties on tax exemptions which were lawfully granted. Corlette and GRA were asked to defend the decision, barring which it would be overturned. Bacchus was also granted an order or Rule Nisi of Prohibition against GRA restraining it and its servants and/or agents from seizing, forfeiting and/or disposing certain machinery, equipment and motor vehicles, and that GRA be made to show reasons why the orders should not be absolute.

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Court rules against SOCU in battle to access tax information A landmark decision on Friday by the High Court is likely to raise the debate of the legality of state investigators being allowed access to tax information of persons of interest. Chief Justice (ag), Yonette Cummings-Edwards, disagreed with the pleadings of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), a department of the police that has been investigating the theft of state assets, for the release of certain tax information. SOCU, more than a week ago, reportedly asked the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), the state’s tax collection entity, for information. However, GRA insisted that strict secrecy laws bar it from releasing the information. The law does indeed give GRA some legroom to release the tax information, once it is authorized by the President. However, the tax authority reportedly expressed misgivings about the information remaining confidential. It wanted reassurance that all steps would be taken protect it. SOCU, according to officials familiar with the case, did not agree with GRA, and decided to take the matter to court. On Friday afternoon, several top officials of GRA, included CommissionerGeneral Godfrey Statia, and his legal team, led by inhouse counsel, Hessaun Yassin, attended the inchambers proceedings before the judge. Representing SOCU was its head, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sydney James. The case would be significant for a number of reasons. It would be the first known attempts by SOCU into the uncharted waters of using tax information to investigate money launderers and others in the radar of the entity. With Guyana passing mandatory anti-money

SOCU’s head, Assistant Commissioner Sydney James

GRA’s Commissioner-General, Godfrey Statia

Chief Justice (ag), Yonette CummingsEdwards

GRA’s legal counsel, attorney-at-law Hessaun Yasin

laundering laws designed to reduce dirty money from entering the banking system, using tax information to investigate has been seen as one of the major tools by entities like SOCU. However, even if GRA is willing to help, the hurdles of overcoming the current Income Tax Act which governs how the authority operates remains just that hurdles. According to Section 4 (1) ”Every person who has any official duty or is employed in the administration of this Act shall regard and deal with all documents, information, returns, assessment lists and copies of those lists relating to the income or items of income of any person, as secret and confidential, and shall make and subscribe a declaration in the prescribed to that effect before a

magistrate.” Section 4 (2) goes further: ”Every person having possession of or control over any documents, information, returns, or assessments lists or copies of those lists, relating to the income or items of income of anyone who at any time communicates or attempts to communicate that information, or anything contained in the documents, returns, lists or copies to any person-Other than a person to whom he is authorized by the President to communicate it, or -Otherwise than for the purposes of this Act; shall be guilty of an offence.” With new management at GRA, Statia and his Governing Board of Directors had promised a hard line approach when it came to dealing with sensitive tax information. GRA has faced accusations in the past of illegally leaking sensitive tax information. In one case, tax information on Kaieteur News’ Publisher, Glenn Lall, was leaked to a paper close to the former administration.

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“We want to give teeth to the Integrity Commission” From all indications, the Coalition Government is moving full speed ahead with its proposal to amend the laws governing the Integrity Commission. On Thursday, Vice President and Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan responded to the opposition’s criticisms that the amendments, if effected, will give too much powers to President David Granger and State Minister, Joseph Harmon. Ramjattan, speaking with reporters on the sideline of a Social Cohesion event on Thursday, said that the government’s aim is to give “teeth” to the Integrity Commission, to ensure that the actual members that fall under its jurisdiction can be investigated as to their declaration. The Vice President explained that, “You have lots of people declaring that they have two million dollars in the bank, when they have a $200B, but how do we get to know that?” Ramjattan asked. To answer, he said that there has been a proposal for there to be an investigative team as part and parcel of the legislation. Ramjattan noted too that at least one recommendation has so far emerged for the

- Ramjattan responds to Jagdeo

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan commission to also be outfitted with a full-fledged prosecution unit. Additionally, the Minister said that Cabinet is currently looking over some “prominent names” to be nominated, so that President Granger can be advised on appointments made at the Integrity Commission. Responding specifically to the aforementioned criticisms made by Former

President and Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, Ramjattan declared that he sees nothing wrong with the proposed powers being in the hands of President Granger and Minister Harmon, who he referred to as the Head of State’s “closest agent.” “The President can’t do all the work, so you delegate it,” Ramjattan stated. He went further to declare that, “power ultimately must reside somewhere and we would prefer it to be the President rather than with the former President.” Ramjattan said firmly too, that the coalition administration, A Partnership for National Unity- Alliance For Change (APNU-AFC), will be forging ahead with its proposal, regardless of what the Opposition thinks. “He (Jagdeo) didn’t do

any of these things. He didn’t do the procurement commission…he didn’t do the bid protest committee. He didn’t start incorporating all these principles and prohibitions that we are now incorporating…he didn’t even appoint the commissioner…we will be

doing it,” Ramjattan said. He added, “We will be doing it and if people vex with us for doing those things, when 2020 come we will be thrown out, but people will then have to reflect and introspect what he did, as against what we did in our five years, and they’ll make their

decision.” Meanwhile, in relation to the Ministerial Code of Conduct, Jagdeo is of the view that the leadership of the coalition administration should perhaps be jailed, since its membership has already breached the code. “They breach this every single day, they should all be in jail by now…They are all in breach of these codes,” Jagdeo said.

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Sunday March 19, 2017

Sunday March 19, 2017

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Construction begins on Parfaite Harmonie Police Station Information reaching this newspaper from the police reveals that an average of five reported cases of burglaries occurring on a daily basis in the ever-growing La Parfaite Harmonie Housing Scheme, West Bank Demerara. After years of repeated complaints, efforts are finally being made to address the security issues being faced by the residents of that community. The building of a much needed Police Station has finally commenced. Back in November, the Ministry of Public Security opened tenders for the construction of the structure, as well as the procurement of it. Figures from the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) pinpointed the engineer’s estimate for the project as being $19.3M. It is unclear as to which of the 21 companies that submitted bids for the project, was awarded the contract. Divisional Commander Leslie James said yesterday that he could only confirm that construction to build the police station has started. Commissioner of Police (ag) David Ramnarine indicated same, adding that he has not yet received the document with all the specifics of the project. Efforts to contact Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan, were futile. The lowest bidder for the project was Mohabir Construction Company, pegging its asking price at $12.7M. Earlier this month, this newspaper reported on the daily security battles being fought by the residents of La Parfaite Harmonie. Break and enter cases in that area have for years caught the attention of the Guyana Police Force. The beauty and potential that is that community, has

Construction ongoing on the La Parfaite Harmonie Police Station often been tainted by the daily trauma experienced by residents. Most of the people from the neighborhood are unable to even get a good night’s rest, in fear of what they might wake up to find. Some persons go to bed with the fear of waking up to discover their doors sprawled and their houses empty. There are others who are even more afraid of opening their bedroom doors, only to find perpetrators standing on the other side, in the one place where they were supposed to feel most safe – their homes. While police did estimate an average of five reported cases of break and enter daily, the unreported cases also account for a figure that is believed to be significantly higher. The rich and poor, the young and old – those who live in zinc houses and those who live in mansions, are all victims. There have been many reports of persons tied up and beaten for their belongings.

Patrons and owners of supermarkets and variety stores have all been attacked. Just a few months ago, an elderly woman called ‘Aunty Sab,’ who resides on the Westminster main road, had her small wooden shack ransacked and burgled. The perpetrators took all they could get their hands on - the woman’s milk, sugar, teabags, and a small portable CD player. It was all that she had. This, like many of the other heartbreaking incidents, was not reported to the police. While the police station does come as an answer to the prayers of Parfaite residents, it is not their only concern. Most persons have also been asking for the erection of street lights in the ever expanding scheme.

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14 Surprising Health Benefits Of Wine You pop open the cork after a killer day at the office, and the luscious wine flows in mellow drops into your shiny glass. Then this voice whispers in your ear. “Should I be drinking wine?” You try to make healthy food choices and go to the gym and yoga a few times a week. Are you negating your efforts with a few sips? You know that over-indulging is a health nono, but what about a glass of wine a few times per week? Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve surely heard of the heart-healthy benefits of red wine. But this is not your big concern; you already exercise and eat pretty well. Prepare to be amazed. More than just being heart-healthy, wine has a slew of surprising health benefits, many of which stem from resveratrol. Some plants make resveratrol to fight off bacteria and fungi, or to withstand a drought or lack of nutrients. Red and purple grapes, blueberries, cranberries, mulberries, peanuts, and pistachios are sources. Resveratrol may be the wonder ingredient responsible for many of wine’s benefits. Isolating the resveratrol does not yield the same powers, indicating that a constellation of forces act together to protect the body. Most studies focus on the benefits of red wine because white grapes do not contain resveratrol. Prepare to be amazed and relieved. You’re about to learhow your wine-drinking ritual can be a powerful health

elixir. Check out the following fourteen benefits of wine that go way beyond heart healthiness. 1. Live longer That’s right. On the island of Ikarios, a recently discovered Blue Zone, people live longer than anywhere else in the world. Daily wine consumption is part of a dietary pattern that encourages long life through eating fewer animal-based foods and eating more plant-based foods. You’ll find the long-lived residents of Crete and Sardinia sipping dark red wine, a part of their anti-aging lifestyle. A 2007 study suggests procyanidins, compounds found in red wine tannins, help promote cardiovascular health. Wines produced in areas of southwest France and Sardinia, where people tend to live longer, have particularly high concentrations of the compound. Researchers at Harvard Medical School uncovered evidence that resveratrol directly activates a protein that promotes health and longevity in animal models. Resveratrol increases the activity of sirtuins (longevity pathways), a group of genes that protects the body from diseases of aging. 2. Get smarter Resveratrol may help improve short-term memory. After just 30 minutes of testing, researchers found that participants taking resveratrol had a significant increase in retention of words and showed faster performance in the portion of the brain

associated with the formation of new memories, learning, and emotions. 3. Banish breakouts with wine Resveratrol is able to inhibit the growth of acne-causing bacteria longer than benzoyl peroxide. And it works even better when combined with benzoyl peroxide. So far, drinking the antioxidant is the best way to benefit from its properties. Topical application in creams has not been proven as effective – so imbibe your antioxidants in wine, fruits, and veggies rather than buying expensive creams. 4. Wine may beat trips to the gym Would you rather drink wine or slave away at the gym? Scientists at the University of Alberta in Canada found that resveratrol improves heart, brain, and bone function; the same way these parts are improved when you go to the gym. Now imagine the benefits of doing both! 5. Say goodbye to the blues You know wine helps you relax…but depression? Researchers in Spainfound that men and women who drank two to seven glasses of wine per week were less likely to be diagnosed with depression. Even when taking into account lifestyle factors which could influence their findings, the reduced risk held strong. 6. Reduce (not increase) your risk of liver disease

Review confirms link between drug use and poor dental health A new review published online in the scientific journal Addiction has found that dental patients with substance use disorders have more tooth decay and periodontal disease than the general population, but are less likely to receive dental care. With drug use increasing by approximately three million new users each year, this is a problem that won’t disappear anytime soon. Drug use affects oral health through direct physiological routes such as dry mouth, an increased urge for snacking, clenching and grinding of teeth, and chemical erosion from applying cocaine to teeth and gums. The lifestyle that often accompanies problematic drug use also affects oral health through high sugar diets, malnutrition, poor oral hygiene, and lack of regular professional dental care. Dental care can be further compromised by tolerance to painkillers and

anaesthetics. Oral health has significant consequences on quality of life and general health. In addition to functional and selfesteem issues that accompany bad teeth, the chronic inflammation and bacteraemia (bacteria in the blood) characteristic of poor oral health increase the incidence of coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes and respiratory disease. There are simple steps that both dentists and doctors can take to improve this population’s oral health. Dentists should screen their patients for substance use, notice any advanced dental or periodontal disease inconsistent with patient age and consider referral to medical doctors for management. In patients with suspected substance use disorders, dentists should be aware of issues concerning treatment and consent when the patient is intoxicated and be alert to the

possibility of resistance to painkillers. Doctors and clinicians who care for people with substance use disorders should screen for oral diseases and arrange for dental care as needed, consider using sugar-free preparations when prescribing methadone, and warn patients of the oral health risks associated with dry mouth and cravings for sweet foods. These findings mirror those of increased dental decay and periodontal disease in people with severe mental illness, eating disorders and alcohol use disorders, compared with the general population. The review combined the results of 28 studies from around the world, which collectively provided data on 4,086 dental patients with substance use disorder and 28,031 controls. http:// www.medicalnewstoday.com/ releases/316412.php.

This study challenged conventional thinking about alcohol and liver disease. Modest wine consumption, defined as one glass a day, may decrease the prevalence of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Modest wine drinkers, as compared to teetotalers, cut their risk of NAFLD in half. And compared with wine drinkers, modest beer or liquor drinkers had four times the odds of having suspected NAFLD. 7. Promote healthy eyes Resveratrol stops out-ofcontrol blood vessel growth in the eyes, according to Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. This may help with treatment of diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Note that these studies were done in mice, so the dose for humans is not yet clear. But this is a great start. 8. Protect your pearly whites Did you know that drinking wine is a little-known way to protect your teeth from bacteria? We mentioned wine’s antimicrobial effects on the skin. Well, it also helps reduce bacteria on our teeth.Using five of the common oral plaque-causing bacteria, scientists noted almost complete degradation of the bacteria after applying the

biofilms with red wine. 9. Cut multiple cancer risks Breast Cancer Red grapes are the fruit best able to suppress the activity of aromatase, the enzyme used by breast tumors to produce their own estrogen – this is called an aromatase inhibitor. Red wine may serve as a nutritional aromatase inhibitor, which may ameliorate the elevated breast cancer risk associated with alcohol intake. Note that you can also eat red grapes; those with seeds are especially helpful. Resveratrol is also thought to kill cancer cells by cutting off a pathway that feeds cancer cells. COLON CANCER Studies show that moderate consumption of red wine can reduce the risk of colon cancer by 50%. PROSTATE CANCER Harvard Men’s Health Watch reports that men who drink an average of four to seven glasses of red wine per week have a 52% less chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer compared to those who don’t drink wine. Red wine appears particularly protective against advanced or aggressive cancers. Doctors speculate that flavonoids and resveratrol contain potent antioxidants and may counterbalance androgens, the

male hormones that stimulate the prostate. 10. Stave off those pesky sniffles So maybe grandma’s cold remedy isn’t so strange after all. A study looked at 4,000 faculty members at five universities across Spain. Those who drank wine were less likely to come down with a cold compared to those that drank beer or spirits. Researchers think that the antioxidants help lower inflammation and reduce the symptoms of colds. 11. Lower your cholesterol (without changing your diet) Resveratrol is thought to reduce LDL and increase HDL, meaning that our blood vessels are less likely to be coated with plaque. Even the American Heart Association admits that moderate consumption of any type of alcohol can increase your HDL, or good cholesterol, by about 12%. 12. Reduce the risk of stroke Wine may reduce your risk of ischemic stroke. In analyses adjusted for age, sex, and smoking, intake of wine on a monthly, weekly, or daily basis was associated with a lower risk of stroke compared with no wine intake. The benefits were not seen in beer or hard alcohol consumption.

13 Surprising Uses for Honey It’s often said that the famed ancient beauty Cleopatra would soak in honey and milk baths. Well, whether or not that’s true, it’s certainly not surprising that the story has persisted for so long — honey has a tremendous effect on the skin. And that’s not all — honey is a powerful antiseptic and a fantastic natural sugar substitute. Keep reading for these and more alternative uses for honey. Health 1. Relieve Hangovers. Had a little too much fun last night? A few tablespoons of honey, which is packed with fructose, will help speed up your body’s metabolism of alcohol. 2. Heal Wounds, Cuts, Scrapes & Burns. Don’t reach for the Neosporin the next time you cut or burn yourself — simply apply honey to the affected area. Honey works as a natural antiseptic. 3. Soothe Sore Throats and Coughs. Combine honey with the juice of one lemon and drink. It works like a wonder! 4. Remove Parasites. Hopefully you’ll never have to use this trick, but if you do,

combine equal parts honey, vinegar and water and drink. The combination of these three ingredients is the perfect parasite killer. Beauty 5. Moisturize Dry Skin. Honey is a fantastic moisturizer, especially on dry patches, like your elbows or hands — even your lips! Rub onto your dry, patchy skin and let it sit for about 30 minutes before washing off. Honey also makes a great lip balm! 6. Condition Damaged Hair. Honey is a great natural conditioner. You can simply add a teaspoon of the stuff to your regular shampoo to smooth your damaged locks. You can also combine it with olive oil for a deeper conditioning. Let it soak for 20 minutes with your hair wrapped in a towel before shampooing as usual. 7. Have an Amazing Bath. Relax your body and soak your skin in a soothing bath. Add 2 tablespoons of honey to 1 cup of hot water and let it dissolve for about 10 minutes. Add 2 or 3 drops of lavender essential oil and add it to your bath.

8. Remove Acne. Stubborn acne can really benefit from a small daily dab of honey. Place a band-aid over the pimple, and take it off 30 minutes later. 9. Give Yourself a Facial. Combine 2 teaspoons of milk with 2 tablespoons of honey. Cover your face with the mixture and let it sit for 10 minutes before washing off. Food 10. Boost Your Energy. Quit turning to coffee for your daily energy boost! Replace your cup of Joe with a cup of tea. Mix in a tablespoon or so of honey. 11. Substitute Honey for Sugar in Baking. For every cup of sugar a recipe calls for, replace it with 3/4 cup of honey. For best results, add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda and reduce another liquid in your recipe by 1/4 cup. Also, reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees. 12. Make Almond Milk from Scratch. You’ll find a great recipe here. 13. Make Infused Honeys. Why have plain old regular honey when you can have ginger lime honey or hot pepper honey? http:// www.care2.com.

Sunday March 19, 2017

Meghan Markle “Ready to Be Done” With Acting as Her and Prince Harry’s Romance Heats Up Will the upcoming seventh season of Suits be Meghan Markle’s last? The 35-year-old actress, who is Prince Harry’s girlfriend, recently returned to Toronto to prepare to film new episodes of the USA Network series but is “ready to be done with Suits” and with “acting in general,” a source told E! News exclusively Friday. “Even before Harry, she was starting to think about transitioning out of acting,” the source added. “She wants to focus on other worldly endeavors she is passionate about, like her philanthropy.” In January, Meghan spent a week in India on a World Vision Canada humanitarian mission to help impoverished women and girls. Kensington Palace confirmed her and Harry’s relationship in November. Meghan and the 32-year-old prince have spent time together in Toronto, his native London, Norway and most recently, Jamaica, where they attended his best friend’s wedding, which gave the actress a chance to get to know the prince’s inner circle better. While Meghan and Harry have been photographed together, including at the wedding, they have not yet made their official public debut as a couple at an official event. Harry is currently in London and has solo engagements in the U.K. throughout the beginning of next week. Meghan remains in Toronto, where she hangs out with close friends and goes to yoga classes and restaurants when she’s not filming Suits. The actress nowadays draws more paparazzi atten-

tion than ever due to her relationship with Harry. The source told E! News she’s “just keeping a super low profile right now.” “Meghan is the darling of Toronto,” the source said. “Locals love her so much and she really engaged herself into the community when she moved here for Suits years ago. The city basically adopted her and she fit right in. She’s just not as accessible now but she’s always been so kind and genuinely so sweet to people around town.” Meghan’s co-star Patrick J. Adams weighed in on the couple’s relationship in an interview with E! News’ Erin

Lim last month. “I’m super excited for her,” he said. “As you can imagine, it is a massive deal, obviously, if you hadn’t noticed. I didn’t wanna get involved. I just wanted to say, ‘I love you, I support you, I hope you’re happy. You seem really happy’ and if she ever needed anybody to talk to in the madness—’cause it is madness, it’s madness what the world puts somebody through when they’re going through this process.” “But if there’s anyone in the world who is designed to be able to deal with it and deal with it professionally, it’s Meghan Markle,” he added. http://www.eonline.com.

This New Netflix Hack Will Maximize Your Binge-Watching Potential So, you’ve watched the introduction to a new show first the first time. You’ve heard the theme, you’ve seen the cool graphics and now you’re ready to dive in headfirst. But then the next episode begins and you have to go through it all over again. You’re over hearing Regina Spektor’s “You’ve Got Time” before Orange Is the New Black begins, so you try to fast forward but inevitably go to far and have to rewind. It’s an exhausting mission when all you’re trying to do is Netflix and chill.

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Well, Netflix heard you and has found a solution: a skip opening credits button. The streaming service is rolling out a button that will allow viewers to skip the introductions of some TV shows. Some Twitter users pointed out this week that a “skip intro” button appeared on House of Cards, Iron Fist and Mad Men. It’s unclear whether the button will appear on shows with cold opens, such as The Office. Although Netflix is still in the testing phase of the feature, people on social me-

dia already have proclaimed their love for it. “The ‘skip intro’ button on netflix is so great bc after watching the 12th episode in one day you get a little tired of hearing the song,” wrote one user. “Netflix finally has a Skip Intro button!!” commented another. “Whoever created the ‘skip intro’ button on Netflix is going places,” tweeted another. Rejoice, binge-watchers, because you’re well on your way to saving countless minutes on irritating songs. http://www.eonline.com,.

When Tyra Banks comes back, she really comes back. Just a few days after the announcement that she’ll be taking over for Nick Cannon as the host of America’s Got Talent, VH1 revealed that Tyra Banks will also be returning to her throne at the head of America’s Next Top Model. The model/actress/host/ entrepreneur extraordinaire had taken a backseat for VH1’s reboot of her beloved reality series to be behind the camera as an executive producer instead of in front of it after 22 cycles. Rita Ora took over as host for one season (which ended on March 8), but as Tyra said in a tweet, she missed her ANTM baby. “I’m overwhelmed and humbled by the intensity of the ANTM fan base whose deep affection for the show led me to have a change of heart,” Banks said in a statement. “After giving it a lot of thought, I realized that remaining behind the camera wasn’t enough because ANTM is woven into my DNA.” Banks’ fellow executive producer Ken Mok also released a statement, thanking Ora for all her hard work. “Tyra has always been the heart and soul of the franchise and her absence

was deeply felt by our fiercely loyal fans who missed their Queen of the Smize. We’d like to thank Rita Ora for being a great partner and total pro. She infused this new iteration of ANTM with passion and creativity and we wish her

nothing but the best in her future endeavors.” This may be a bummer for fans of Ora, but at least they still have her movie career. Cycle 24 of America’s Next Top Model will begin this summer on VH1. http:// www.eonline.com.

How Selena Gomez and The Weeknd Overcame Dark Times and Found Each Other Though Selena Gomez and The Weeknd have taken their love all over the world— from Los Angeles to Paris to Toronto—they traveled through some dark times before being able to do so. That cliché saying goes, “You can’t have a rainbow without a little rain,” and as corny as it may be, that certainly appears to be the case for this couple. First of all, before making headlines regarding her new relationship with The Weeknd, SelGo was making headlines for taking care of her relationship with herself. She took several months off last year and completely disappeared from the spotlight. During that time, she entered rehab program in Tennessee for 90 days to focus on her emotional well-being. In a recent interview with Vogue magazine, she explained that feeling totally worthless on her Revival tour ended up helping her to make the decision to seek treatment. “My self-esteem was shot,” she recalled. “I was depressed, anxious. I started to have panic attacks right before getting onstage or

right after leaving the stage. Basically I felt I wasn’t good enough, wasn’t capable.” So she canceled 30 shows and decided to focus on her health in the treatment program. “You have no idea how incredible it felt to just be with six girls, real people who

couldn’t give two s—ts about who I was, who were fighting for their lives,” she explained. “It was one of the hardest things I’ve done, but it was the best thing I’ve done.” It’s safe to say that taking the time she needed to be with herself eventually allowed her to be with someone else.

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Aunty Carla - a successful entrepreneur who made it through persistence, faith Carla Hopkinson, fondly referred to as “Aunty Carla”, is an Indigenous woman of Carib origin. This wife, mother and grandmother is from a small village called Dogg Point, in Bartica, Region Seven. Aunty Carla makes cassava bread, cassareep, tuma, piwari, and craft items, among others for sale. This industrious woman believes that “no work is easy; the easiest work is sitting and doing nothing. These days everybody wants the right amount of money, and it is for both men and women working. Logging, farming- is not for men alone, it’s for women as well.” Aunty Carla said that “she grew up (seeing her parents making the things that she now produces). She said that her parents were farmers and fishermen, so she learnt about this life from a very tender age. Aunty Carla has been living in Bartica for 42 years. She is not a resident of the town by birth, and while being employed at the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) for 27 years her indigenous way of life was still very much alive in her heart and evident in the way she lived. Her business is self-inte-

grated; she has two cassava farms in Dogg Point village. The raw material for her cassava bread and all the other products are made from the staple that comes from her farm. Materials for her craft items come from surrounding indigenous villages. Her cassareep in 24-ounce bottles are sold on ‘market day’ in Bartica which is on a Saturday, and when there is Village Day. Items such as the tuma and cassava bread are sent into the ‘backdam’ for sale. In her line of work, her husband has an integral role. Mr. Hopinson takes his wife’s finished products to the market. He does all the transportation, she said. Aunty Carla takes pride and joy in everything that she does; emphasizing her love for what she does. “If I have to grate cassava, I will get up at five and bathe and come over to my work area and begin to work. My lunch would catch me right in this area.” She said that the process is long and sometimes tiring, depending on the quantity of the order. “You are in the smoke all day, and at the end of the day, you smell like a smoke fish. On a busy day,

my house sees me till night. And the work does stop there because even though I have orders to take care of, I still have to take care of the home, ensuring that it’s clean and food is cooked among other things.” Aunty Carla said that her children are her priority. She said that she has six children alive and educating them is at the top of the list for her and her husband. She would ensure that her children have food and all that is necessary to attend school. She would also ensure that her husband was taken care before heading off to work. “I would ensure that his clothes are pressed, lunch is kept warm, and the house is clean because as you know men like to come home to clean house and a warm meal.” She added; “I am proud of myself, from where I started to where I am now. It has not been easy, but God has blessed these two hands of mine and it would be selfish of me to go back to Him and not have done anything with them,” Aunty Carla said. She told GINA that since the commencement of her business she has built her house, and added a grocery.

Aunty Carla and her products Like Aunty Carla said, her hands are blessed. She is also versatile in cooking such foods as fried rice, curried chicken and roti, dhal puri, phlourie, and cassava ball. Her cassareep can last a lifetime; the process to make one bottle takes three hours. The cassava is grated, placed in the matapee where the juice is extracted. The juice is then place on the fire and the “cream” is taken off. That liquid is cooked for hours until it reaches the consistency of the cassareep.

Her craft items which are on display and for resale throughout the year include fans, matapees, graters, and shifters are completed at different times due to the size and quantity of the orders that are placed. In terms of a market for her products, Aunty Carla said that if assistance was offered to her to have her products and work become more recognisable, she would accept. She said “Guyana has beautiful items to offer, not just internally, but on the in-

ternational scene as well.” Aunty Carla is also encouraging persons to be thankful for what they have and what God provides on a daily basis for them. This proud strong Carib woman entrepreneur encourages others, especially women, “to get up and get going and ask for advice.” She noted that young people are not humble enough to ask for advice; however she would still like them to know that life is about learning. (GINA)

Three-year-old $12M Hogg Island Police Station now a ‘white elephant’ In 2011, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/ C) government constructed a police outpost on Hogg Island, in the Essequibo River. The outpost was one of six additional police outposts that were on the cards to be constructed. The other five were located in St Cuthbert’s Mission, Aranka; North Ruimveldt, Abary; and Crabwood Creek. In November 2013, tenders were also opened under the Ministry of Home Affairs for the construction of the Hogg Island Police Outpost with four contractors bidding for the project. The table below illustrates the names of the bidders and their respective bid prices. Bidder Amount Khans Construction and Transportation Service $9.4M Best Investment $9.2M S&K Construction Services $9.5M Atlas Construction Inc. $11.4M The engineer’s estimate was announced at $11.8M. The building was reportedly completed in early 2014. Now two years later, the building is vacant and being overrun by weeds.

The $12M Hogg Island Police Station being overrun by weeds. A resident who lives close to the building, told Kaieteur News that since the building was constructed, it was never used. “It was built right next to the health centre and it (Outpost) never open. How they build it, just so it left. (Government) waste money here. Is nah best them bin buy two (boat) engines and give we?” Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara)’s

representative from the Prime Minister’s Office, Harry Narine Deokinanan, told Kaieteur News that he found out about the building during a visit to the island earlier this month. “I was with the Agriculture committee to reach farmers. There I was told by farmers. No one is maintaining it and I have informed the authorities,” Deokinanan said. Meanwhile, a number of

police stations across the country are set for rehabilitation. These include the Blairmont and Weldaad Police Stations on the West Coast Berbice (at an estimated cost of $10M at $8M r e s p e c t i v e l y ) , Beterverwagting Police Station, East Coast Demerara ($14M), No.51 Police Station ($10M), and the No.62 Police Outpost, Corentyne at an estimated $9M. In Georgetown, the Kitty

Police Station will be rehabilitated at a cost of $12.2M, and Grove/Diamond Police Station, East Bank Demerara ($10M). The Ministry of Public Security has already begun to invite eligible and interested

bidders by way of advertisements in the various newspapers. According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) report, the rehabilitated police stations will not cater for domestic violence cases. Others that will be rehabilitated to cater for domestic violence cases include Mibicuri, Cane Grove, La Grange, McKenzie, Kwakwani, Enachu, Issano, Aishalton, Annai, Suddie, Aurora and Mabaruma Police Stations. “The police stations would be remodelled to include a department for domestic violence cases and domestic violence case room with the provision of accommodation for children, a witness protection room, an automated case management room, an area for management of the public and a listening room. “The stations selected were based on recommendations made by the GPF to the Project Manager of the Citizen Security Strengthening Programme, Clement Henry.”

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VEHICLE FOR SALE

SERVICES

SALON

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

- Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. - Cosmetology Courses: $120,000 - Technician Course: $45,000. Call: 6471773/660-5257

Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana passport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 6267040; 265-4535.

Salon Dior, Industry, E.C.D, best in hair care, nail designs. Call: 600-2455/ 216-4097 for appointment.

Eagle’s: Re-gas -$8,000, Washing machine repairs, Gas Stove, Plasma flat Screen & more. Call: 697-2969/646-0966

PROPERTY FOR SALE Transported property @ Grove and Diamond $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461

Repairs to washers, dryers, stoves, deep fryers, control system etc. Call: 619-0793/ 699-8802

House for sale 2482 North Ruimveldt, 2 flat, no flooding , 6 feet fence, in secure area. Price $21M negotiable. Call: 233-5400/ 218-0595

Veterinary Services, East Side Animal Clinic @ 147 Section ‘A’ Grove Block ‘Y’ East Bank. Call: 216-4144/ 681-7215 Singh AC Service & Refrigeration, repairing auto A/C, washer, fridge & stove @ ZZ Durban Street Wortmanville. Call: 697-7807/ 683-6741 Building Contractor Estimates, house plan to be drawn give us a call: 2160671/692-8464/622-0267 Brian Moe @ 642-3543: Computer Technician, FB: Brian.Moe.165; Home and office visits at your comfort!! Passport, permanent & visitor visa application, Professional Immigration Consultant – Sabita Immigration Services. Call: 225-6496/ 662-6045

House/land with business- 5 bedrooms, 2 bath W.C.D, Anna Catherina. Call: 6142466 Goat Creek, Riverfront , 75 Acres land -$7M, Lanaballi River Front, 50 Acres -$9M. Diamond -$7.5M Call: 688-0087 Riviera Island: 145 Acres $30M, Tuschen property $5.8M, $6M, $15M. Call: 6880087 Tuschen 5,8,6,2 bedrooms; Hope- 2 bedrooms $7.8M. Call: 688-0087 Melani 2 bedrooms - $10M, Tuschen $11.5M & $25M, Canal #2 (15 acres) -$9M. Call:688-0087 Quick Sale! 3 Bedrooms house located in East La Penitence, price $13M negotiable, land size – 40X80 – Call: 645-6498 10 Minutes away from Georgetown, you can own your own home, now in construction, 3 bedrooms, 2 bath, concrete house. Call: 675-1510 One Roadside, 2 storey building @ V/Hoop (ideally business/residence). Call: 614-0107

PEN PAL Indian Male is seeking a serious relationship with female between age 20-30. Call: 653-09975

1-Leyland DAF GRR Series; excellent condition. Call: 6804101 1 New model Vitz, press start, A/C, excellent condition $1.5M, good for bank purchases, 1 Toyota Verossa -$2.3M. Call: 639-2490 Dwayne Stephen Auto Sales! New Shipment of Vehicle: Rush, Blue Bird, Note, Axio, Allion. Call: 665-2330/ 6486869 Next to new 2013 Silver Nissan March PWW series, new magrims & new tyres – price $2.6M negotiable. Call: 660-6145 Rita 01-02 Tractor Foreign used Massey Ferguson 165$1.7M, MF 135- $1.2M, MF 265-$2.2M, MF 165 Loader Tractor -$2.4M. Call: 682-5230

INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included.

Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158

Sunday March 19, 2017

Kaieteur News

1-2 Storey building 3 bedrooms upstairs, 2 apartments downstairs, all self-contained @ Avenue B Diamond, E.B.DCall: 658-5452

2005 Tacoma from Canada $2.4M ford 150 sports -$1.6M, Ford Ranger Sports - $1.5M. Call: 682-5230

TO LET 2 Bedrooms apartment in Eccles New Scheme, rooms in Alberttown. Call: 225-3234 Lodge apartments (Vlisssengen/ Durban): furnished (visitors) USD$600-$1,000 monthly, unfurnished 2 bedroom -$60,000, studio -$40,000 monthlyCall:668-7687/677-9638/697-6421 Lodge (Vlissengen/ Durban): Professional/Office/ Business (no food retailing) space. Call: 668-7687/ 6779638/697-6421 2 Bedrooms apartment for rental – Robb Street Boarda. Call: 227-5367/617-3749 One bedroom apartment fully grilled and tiled -$35,000 monthly. Call: 672-3699 Single room for Bachelor @ 11 Charles Street, Charlestown. Call: 223-4060

ACCOMMODATION Secret Villa apartments fully furnished, hot & cold water, Jacuzzi, air condition from $20USD daily. Call: 225-6337/ 266-5244/668-0306 Harmony Inn: Furnished self contained apartments & rooms from $20USD daily. Call: 218-1400/ 694-7817

VACANCY FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. CAT 215 Excavator, Leyland DAF 55 Tipper Truck, D4H CAT Bulldozer. Call: 2750538/ 683-7225 1- CAT 320 BL Excavators, 428- CAT Backhoe, 1 CAT 930 Front End, 9 wheeled pneumatic roller, Double Steel drum compactor- Call: 275-0538/ 683-7225 2 Leyland Dump truck (55210), 1 Caterpillar Backhoe, owner migrating, very good condition. Call: 672-5876 Fibre-Tech 220 9192/6907. Fiberglass, Resin materials in any quantity all for your repairs. One Mitsubishi Canter – Call: Rayon: 671-7108

Cook/Baker and Kitchen Assistant for interior location. Applicants must be experienced, for details call: 618-2020 Accounts Clerk for Eccles, Industrial Site area knowledge of NIS, PAYE, VAT, Quickbooks. Call: 6144358 Refrigeration & Ice Machine maintenance workers age 25 & older. Call: 231-1408/ 6429191 between 8 to 1pm Earn 5k-20K daily at home. Call: 233-6517/622-1957/ www.jobfairworldwide.com Gardener , watchman, handyman, guard – Call: 2237500 Monday – Friday 8:154:15pm, Saturday 8:15am1:15pm 1- Pump attendant – Call: 6240033; 1-customer service/ sales assistant. Call: 6240033

Great Deals on video games & all gaming consoles. PC, video games & repairs – Call: 672-2566; 265-3231

1 – Accounts/office assistant- Send CV to laltag@yahoo.com or whatsapp: 680-3863

Mix breed female pups Rottweiler & Brazilian Mastiff - 12weeks old, fully vaccinated. Call: 225-0301

Employment Available @ Hicks Ville Hotel: washer/ presser and hotel attendants. Call: 231-0951/ 223-3448

1 Big music set for sale, owner migrating.Call: 6905225

Experienced salesman. Apply with handwritten application to Key Food Trading, Mc Doom Village, next to post office.

Toyota Dyna Canter. Call: 680-3863/612-1082 Beauty Salon equipment. Call/whatsapp: 270-5074/ 259-3153/655-2142/616-6221 One 312 CL CAT Excavator Short Broom, owner leaving country, mint condition, 4600hrs, asking $14M. Call: 625-2685

One live in domestic to work in Mahaicony River, Serious person. Call: 655-9419 Experienced salesgirls apply @ R.Sookraj & Sons, 108 Regent Street Georgetown. Maid required work and cooking.Call:658-8669

XBOX 360 Console, Dell Inspiron B130 Laptop, Samsung tab 3 Kids LG K7 smart phone. Call: 621-9604/ 694-1748

1 Handyman with electrical knowledge @ Shield Intigrated Systems @ 57 Brickdam Road, to make appointments. Call: 690-6679

One Diesel welding generator 4 cylinder, 16000 W, Miller welding, generator new. Call: 6994300/ 228-2734

IT Technician to manage network at Shield Intigrated Systems at 57 Brickdam Road, to make appointment. Call: 690-6679

Fully Setup taxi service with 16 Radio sets, location Sherriff Street. S e r i o u s i n q u i r y o n l y. Call:695-0704

Office Assistant/Customer Representative. Contact Pacific Development Inc, Lot 3 Church Street, G/Town.

Wharf located in Friendship, EBD – selling with 3 ships. Call: 645-6498 We manufacture & export rattan furniture for hotels and homes. Mining claim in Puruni. Call: 233-3006/ 6585897/ 651-1969 Doberman pups- Call: 6997077/ 619-6086

WANTED One driver/porter from Diamond, Grove area. Call: 2161043, 677-6620 Urgently needed workers to work at Ice Company @ Meadow Bank Wharf, training provided. Call: 2311408/ 642-9191/ between 8am-1pm. One shop assistant to work in the Interior, must have experienced. Call: 678-0565 Female worker wanted sound secondary education, computer literate-Tel: 6225518 Farm Workers, preferably couple. Call: 265-3586 (8:00am-4:00pm, Mon- Sat) Live-in domestic must know to cook Indian Dishes $80,000 monthly, boarding & lodging free 25-40yrs – Call: 610-5043 Live in or live out waitress. Call: 643-9007/ 666-4647 Skidder/Loader operator, service man/ mechanic, experienced required. Call: 656-8754 1 Accounts Clerk, preferably from E.B.D – 5 subjects CXC minimum @ gtcareers592@gmail.com Sewing Machine mechanics, sewing machine operator, cover stitch, over lock and straight stitch @ Diamond Area. Call: 613-0953 Urgently needed investor to invest in gold purchasing in the Interior. Call: 658-7553 General Domestic @ Hilton Hotel. Call: 225-9211 Labourers for wood concession -$5,000 per dayCall: 618-0487 Female to work in real estate in Guyana & the USA, must have US Visa. Call: 233-3006/ 651-1969 We buy land in Eccles, Herstelling, Farm, Zeelugt, Bartica & Florida. All legal fees paid. Call: 233-3006/ 6511969 Pawn your land for up to $1M, only in Eccles, Herstelling, Farm, Zeelugt. Call: 233-3006/ 658-5897/ 6511969 Get up to $5M for your land in Eccles, Providence and Herstelling. Call: 233-3006/ 658-5897/ 651-1969

MASSAGE The Gent’s Spa: Massage done by Tiffany, mobile services. Book appointment now! Call: 677-5465

Female between age 35-50 to c a r e f o r a e l d e r l y person, A.S.A.P – Call: 692-1300 Continued on page 63

Sunday March 19, 2017

PAGE 63

Kaieteur News

CONSUMER CONSUMERCONCERNS CONCERNS

Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy) is curable and non-hereditary By PAT DIAL At the end of January, World Leprosy Day was observed worldwide and in Guyana, Dr Karen Cummings, Minister within the Public Health Ministry launched a month of activities on Sunday 29th January at the Palms geriatric centre. The month of activities will include a countrywide campaign to inform citizens of the disease and to aim to eliminate the stigma and prejudices against sufferers of the disease. Leprosy is one of the most destructive diseases to afflict human beings. It causes sores all over the body, destruction of the skin, loss of limbs and horrible disfigurement. In its advanced stages, it disables sufferers. It is one of the most ancient diseases known. Examples have been discovered in pre-historic remains and in the most ancient civilizations such as the Egyptian, Babylonian and Indian civilizations. Until the 19th century, people felt it was a divine curse on sufferers who were isolated from the rest of

Society. The only persons who gave help and succour to the sufferers were priests, monks and religious people. It was felt the disease was incurable, highly infectious and hereditary. Medical Science from ancient times until the 19th century tried a number of treatments, some of them quite grotesque, but no uniformly successful cure was found. The nearest treatment to full effectiveness was calmoogra oil which was a treatment given in the Vedas, the ancient Hindu texts of 4000 B.C. Examples of calmoogra oil effectuating cures were found in India and China. Western Medicine adopted calmoogra oil as a treatment and in the 19th century it was widely used. In Guyana, it was well-known and used. In 1873, Dr. Hansen, a Norwegian scientist, was able to isolate the bacteria which caused leprosy and this was the beginning of scientists working to find a successful cure. In the 20th century, a successful cure was discovered. That treatment was known as MDT - Multi

Drug Treatment and consisted of a combination of three drugs - Dapsone, Rifadin and Lamprene. Since the term or description, “leprosy”, had so many prejudices and negative connotations attached to it and to call some a “leper” was the worst of insults, the term “Hansen’s Disease” has now widely replaced it. Now, even doctors and other medical personnel use “Hansen’s Disease” to describe the disease. In Guyana, in the 19th century, sufferers from Hansen’s Disease were isolated on an island in the Essequibo River and most fatalistically considered the disease to be a death sentence. The disease was regarded as hereditary and children and relatives were equally shunned and before one married into a family, some research was done to ascertain whether anyone in that family had been infected by the disease. In the 20th century, a new era dawned. The inmates of the island in the Essequibo River were removed and eventually placed in the

GRA demands businessman pay... (From page 10) of letter dated November 14th, 2013, said he applied to the then Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, for a waiver of duty and taxes on a list of trucks and machinery. He submitted copies of the contract and quotations. According to Bacchus, the application was duly processed and he was informed by telephone to attend the office of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Upper Brickdam, where he was presented with an agreement already prepared for signature. Bacchus noted that he pointed out that his sole purpose was for work at the bauxite site and not gold mining. “I was then informed by officers of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and verily believed that the agreement was the standard proto-type agreement which were being used by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission for the purpose of recommending the grant of the concessions for which I applied to the Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment.” The agreement was also signed by the then Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh on behalf of Government and witnessed by GRA and GGMC staffers. The businessman said he was asked to apply to GRA for VAT exemptions on the equipment. This was granted for eight heavyduty Caterpillar machines. He also later was granted concessions by GRA on eight Caterpillar trucks and one excavator costing $464M. Bacchus said he applied for and was granted more duty free concessions in 2015. He spent almost $960M more. QUESTIONABLEARRANGEMENTS However, that same year, the businessman’s contract ended with the equipment parked for several months. In August, 2016, the businessman said he was contracted by China Harbour Inc. to transport

sand and loam for the construction of a new international airport at Timehri. He used some of the equipment he had purchased for the bauxite project. However, in November last year, the businessman said that GRA and Corlette wrote him and pointed out that his equipment and concessions were under investigation. “The investigation revealed that neither you nor your company is the holder of a Prospecting Licence, Mining Permit, Privilege nor any other licence issued by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), but was rather sub-contracted by RUSAL Bauxite Company of Guyana to remove overburden and transship bauxite from Kurubaka.” GRA insisted that this was contrary to the investment agreement, which specifically stated that he would be involved in the mining for silica sand and not his contractual obligation with the RUSAL Bauxite Company of Guyana to remove overburden and transship bauxite. GRA told the businessman that he had breached the conditions of the concessions when he also utilized some of the motor vehicles and equipment at the CJIA expansion project, “contrary to the purpose for which the concession was granted by GRA”. He was asked to pay $212.3M within 14 days of receipt of the letter. Failure to comply will result in GRA taking the necessary steps to locate, seize and immediately commence forfeiture and disposal proceedings of these items in accordance with the provisions of the Customs Act, Chapter 82:01. However, Bacchus took a lawyer, Anil Nandlall, who in a letter to the GRA contested the arguments and insisted that no conditions were breached. In addition to Nandlall, the other lawyers representing the businessman are Manoj Narayan, Sasha S. MahadeoNarayan and Rajendra Jaigobin.

Mahaica Hospital which was an institution specially built for Hansen Disease sufferers. Later, another treatment centre was developed at the Palms. Treatment in Guyana is free, but since the stigma and prejudice is still so strong, many who have contracted the disease put off going for treatment until the disease would have advanced. This month’s campaign is directed to exorcise the stigma and prejudice from Society. The disease is curable and efforts are being made at the international level and here in Guyana, to eradicate it completely as had been done in the case of small-pox. Small-pox was once one of the most feared diseases in the world. Before we conclude this offering, we would like to underline the following: Participate and have children participate in the information campaigns mounted by the Ministry of Public Health during the month; know that Hansen’s Disease is not hereditary and is curable, and that the earlier one seeks treatment, the greater are the chances of a quick cure. Most important, the Society must make the effort to deal with their prejudices against sufferers and must not shun or isolate them. To still hold such stigma and prejudices belong to an ancient world which would have had vestiges of barbarism.

HEALTH Have your health checked through iridology- Monday April 3. Call Hazel’s Herbal Store: 226-9136

From page 62

LAND FOR SALE 1 Lot of land @ Yarrowkabra -$950,000. Call: 672-5876 Transported land for sale size 37X270 @ Coglan Dam, Vreed-en-Hoop, W.B.D. Call: 650-5644/677-9938 50X198 located in Friendship E.B.D –price $4.2M (negotiable). Call: 645-6498 Land at Lot 20 Philippi Corentyne Coast, situated on both sides of the highway. Call: 333-3717 East ½ 84 David Street, back lot for sale- Contact: 84davidstreet@gmail.com La Parfaite Harmonie -$1M, $1.3M (Corner lot) & $1.6M, we also buy and pawn land. Call: 233-3006/ 658-5897/6511969 Uitvlugt New Scheme (100ftX50ft) $3.5M (20FT Reserve) we buy and pawn land. Call: 233-3006/ 658-5897/ 651-1969 Farm (East Bank next Hersetlling), 100ftX50ft $3.5M, Cuyuni Mining Claim - $2.5M. Call: 233-3006/ 6585897/651-1969 Transported corner lot with approved building plan @ 90 Garnett & Republic Streets, Newtown Kitty. Call: 6016000/227-3305

EDUCATIONAL First Aid/CPR Course @ St. John Association, 110 Cowan St, Kingston for details. Call:225-9082

FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Lot 14 Croal & Longden Street: 4 Storey building (infront Demico). Call: 6631876 Vreed-en-Hoop Junction: office, storage bond, lesson place, church -$20,000 per month. Call: 603-6400 3 Bedrooms upper flat located at Vreed-en-Hoop, 3rd Building in from Junction. Call: 673-3064 Three storey 75ftX25ft building/bond. Call: 2230654/ 225-0604 Self-contained rooms in Prashad Nagar. Tel: 227-2993 Bottom flat house @ 25 North Road & Oronoque Street, fully furnished/ air condition/ residence /business.Call: 226-7012 1 Bottom flat 2 bedrooms @ Diamond E.C.D – Call: 6641030/ 654-7081 Three bedrooms bottom flat @ Lamaha Gardens. Call: 2255084/ 689-6001 Apartment for rent @ First Street MonRepos, E.C.D – Call: 602-4105/ 614-0005

TAXI SERVICE GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 225-7878 (24HRS)

Dietitian’s Clinic: dietary counseling for all disease conditions, BMI check, blood pressure testing etc. Call: 231-9335

LEARN TO DRIVE C. Persaud & N. Outar Driving School formerly Soman & Sons Driving School @ Maraj BuildingCall: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997 (affordable packages).

CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 677-7827, 6435122 ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL: PICKUP, 9-11 SEAT MIN BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPOTR & FAMILY OUTING, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807

CAR RENTAL DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP REATES,SPECIALOFFERS FOR THE SEASON. CALL: 690-6494

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Sunday March 19, 2017

Kaieteur News

President attends memorial service for Guyana’s former UN Ambassador

Former Mayor of Georgetown, Mr. Hamilton Green, Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland and President David Granger during the memorial service for the late Mr. Noel Gordon Sinclair President David Granger, on Friday evening, attended a special memorial service held in celebration of the life of the late Noel Sinclair, an eminent diplomat who once served as Guyana’s Ambassador to the United Nations (UN). The service was held at the St. George’s Cathedral. According to the Ministry of the Presidency, the service saw the attendance of a number of dignitaries including Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland; Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin; former Mayor of Georgetown, Hamilton Green and his former colleagues; Ambassador Colin Grandison from the CARICOM Secretariat,

Director General in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Audrey Waddell and Ambassador Elizabeth Harper. Born in 1940, Ambassador Sinclair had a long and distinguished career in the field of Foreign Service. He served as Third Secretary in Guyana’s Embassy in Caracas, a Second Secretary at Guyana’s Embassy in Washington from 1969 to 1972 and First Secretary in the country’s High Commission in Lusaka, Zambia from 1976 to 1979 before assuming the role as Permanent Representative to the UN in 1979. He died on February 4, after a prolonged battle with cancer.

Guyanese businessman removed from Interpol’s most wanted list Guyanese businessman, 41-year-old Oudit Narain Seenarain’s name had appeared on the International Police (Interpol)’s most wanted list a few months ago. His name and photograph, along with those of other persons of Guyanese nationality, were published in the both the print and social media. Seenarain in an interview with Kaieteur News yesterday, said that his name was removed from the list. How it appeared there in the first place, he explained, stemmed from allegations that were made by an individual who had accused him of kidnapping and assaulting another. The alleged victim was taken into questioning and provided statements to the law enforcement officials in the US. That individual was later charged with providing false statements. Seenarain said that after he had got wind that he was a part of Interpol’s most-wanted list, he immediately assembled a team of

foreign attorneys and contested the accusations made by Interpol. Legal documents were submitted to the agency dated July 18, 2016 and a reply was obtained from Interpol by letter on August 1, 2016. Seenarain was informed by Interpol that his request was admissible and that it was being processed. Interpol on September 12, 2016, informed the businessman that he had been removed from the list. “The commission consulted the National Central Bureau (NCB) of the United States. This NCB authorised the commission to inform you that there is no longer any information in Interpol’s database emanating from the United States concerning you,” Interpol in its correspondence stated. Expressing relief yesterday, Seenarain said that he can move freely without looking over his shoulder. He spoke about his friends distancing themselves from him and the massive decline in business that his company,

EMaster Corporation, had endured. Kaieteur News yesterday checked the Interpol’s most wanted list and found that Seenarain name was indeed taken off. However, additional checks to other site showed that he is still on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm (ATF) and Explosives Most Wanted list. The AFT stated that, “On or about June 2005, Seenarain was arrested for federal firearms trafficking. Seenarain failed to appear for his court hearing and the Northern District of Georgia Magistrate Judge issued another arrest warrant for him.” Seenarain is also wanted by the Sheriff ’s Office in Henry County, Georgia for a series of other offences. The businessman said that he is unaware of that list and suggested that the information might have been gotten from Interpol’s database. Seenarain said that he will have to make additional moves to address this matter.

Sunday March 19, 2017

Kaieteur News

Arts, Tourism Extravaganza

Debra Matthias from rave extraordinary jewelry The Roraima Duke Lodge was on Friday evening transformed into a gallery of the best that Guyana has to offer in the creative sector. There were more than 20 exhibits on show ranging from locally produced wines to leather, Amerindian pottery and hammocks, and upcycled jewellery was on display. First Lady Sandra Granger, after meeting and chatting with the exhibitors, encouraged them to package their products in a manner of which they would be proud. The First Lady tasked them with producing higher quality craft; and shared that she has been buying local crafts for many years. The President of the Guyana Creative Business Co-op Society (GCBCS), Mr. Nicholas Young, told the gathering the story of his first sale to a couple – a member of the Guyana Defence Force and his wife. The soldier and his wife went on to become the current President and First Lady of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, President Granger and Her Excellency, Sandra Granger. Young stated that the sale led him to refine his art and propelled him into the fore-

front of pottery production. Wine on cold cuts flowed throughout the evening, generously supplied by Banks DIH and Rosignol Butchery respectively Many of the exhibitors expressed their joy at the overwhelming support from other exhibitors and the quality of the displays. The members of the GCBCS will be exhibiting next weekend at the Courtyard’s Music, Food and Arts Festival and next month at the Georgetown Seawall in collaboration with Guyana International Volunteer Effort. There will be an Art exhibition at the Seawall and at the National Park where artists will perform and showcase their products. Winston Alexander will conduct a demonstration of Quick Painting performance displaying his uniqueness and considerable talent, which will be televised. Wayne Barrow, the organizer of the GCBCS stated that he was impressed with the response to the Extravaganza and the quality of the most seasoned and qualified craft persons in Guyana. The fact that Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) was willing to collaborate with the

GCBCS realizes the positive synergies to the tourism sector. Barrow further stated that when persons come together and work together many great benefits can be achieved. The collaboration with Courtyard’s Music, Food and Arts Festival next week is another victory given to the monthly exhibitions which have been planned, the craft persons stand to benefit enormously. When there is an awareness of the power of the creative sector as it realized in Barbados, Trinidad and Jamaica, the private sector will participate thereby ensuring the craftmen receive their due. The sector is worth over $100Billion and Guyana’s economy can benefit from that. “Every proud Guyanese needs to own something made by Guyanese hand and which contributes to employment within the sector. Every home and every Ministry of Government should have a piece of local art hanging from the wall. Every business should be providing locally crafted gifts to their employees. Every wedding event should be featuring local candles and fashion designs. Barrow further stated that Arts and Crafts must be a dominant part of our cultural landscape.

Agencies should publish annual reports... From page 8 expected benefits, in terms of level of investment, number of jobs to be created, the vintage nature of the technology to be transferred, the number of employees to be trained, etc. The Committee said that the latter conditions may be expressly stated in the form of performance requirements for the receipt of the incentives. Furthermore, the Committee commented that the types

of incentives may comprise exemptions of various sorts, such as customs duties, value added tax (VAT), and excise taxes. It said that customs duties are concentrated in fuel products, industrial inputs and passenger cars; VAT in industrial inputs; and excise tax in fuel products and passenger cars. In addition, it said that there are investments and accelerated depreciation allowances, along with Export-Processing Zone

(EPZ) type infrastructure facilities, and the incentives mix which may depend on whether the economic activity is included in the incentives legislative and regulatory framework. Besides the aforementioned exemptions, the TRC said that the other major incentives tool relates to the granting of tax holidays. The Tax Reform Committee was established in August 2015. It was chaired by economist, Dr. Maurice Odle, and included tax specialists such as Christopher Ram, Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Boss Godfrey Statia and Dr. Thomas Singh.

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Chuck Berry Dies at 90; Helped Define Rock ’n’ Roll (CNN) -Chuck Berry, a music pioneer often called “the Father of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” was found dead Saturday at a residence outside St. Louis, police in St. Charles County said. He was 90. A post on the St. Charles County police Facebook page said officers responded to a medical emergency at a residence around 12:40 p.m. (1:40 p.m. ET) Saturday and found an unresponsive man inside. “Unfortunately, the 90year-old man could not be revived and was pronounced deceased at 1:26 p.m.,” the post said. “The St. Charles County Police Department sadly confirms the death of Charles Edward Anderson Berry Sr., better known as legendary musician Chuck Berry.” Berry wrote and recorded “Johnny B. Goode” and “Sweet Little Sixteen” — songs every garage band and fledgling guitarist had to learn if they wanted to enter the rock ‘n’ roll fellowship. Berry took all-night hamburger stands, brown-eyed handsome men and V-8 Fords and turned them into the stuff of American poetry. By doing

so, he gave rise to followers beyond number, bar-band disciples of the electric guitar, who carried his musical message to the far corners of the Earth. Some of his most famous followers praised him on social media. Bruce Springsteen tweeted: “Chuck Berry was rock’s greatest practitioner, guitarist, and the greatest pure rock ‘n’ roll writer who ever lived.”The Rolling Stones posted on their website: “The Rolling Stones are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Chuck Berry. He was a true pioneer of rock ‘n’ roll and a massive influence on us. Chuck was not only a brilliant guitarist, singer and performer, but most importantly, he was a master craftsman as a songwriter. His songs will live forever. “But it was perhaps John Lennon — who died in 1980 — who put it most succinctly. “If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it ‘Chuck Berry.’”The list of Berry’s classics is as wellknown as his distinctive,

Dead: Chuck Berry chiming “Chuck Berry riff”: “Maybellene.” “Around and Around.” “Brown-Eyed Handsome Man.” “School Days.” “Memphis.” “Nadine.” “No Particular Place to Go.”They were deceptively simple tunes, many constructed with simple chord progressions and classic verse-chorus-verse formats, but their hearts could be as big as teenage hopes on a Saturday night.His music even went into outer space. When the two Voyager

spacecrafts were launched in 1977, each was accompanied on its journey to the outer reaches of the solar system by a phonograph record that contained sounds of Earth — including “Johnny B. Goode.”Berry, though, was modest about his influence.“My view remains that I do not deserve all the reward directed on my account for the accomplishments credited to the rock ‘n’ roll bank of music,” he wrote in his 1987

autobiography.He had a facility with lyrics others could only envy, words and phrases tossed off with a jazzman’s cool and a s u rg e o n ’s p r e c i s i o n . I n “You Never Can Tell,” he summed up a newlywed couple’s life in fewer than two dozen words: “They furnished off an apartment with a two-room Roebuck sale / The coolerator was crammed with TV dinners and ginger ale.”His delivery was often marked by hu-

mor, but he could also insert the scalpel when needed. After all, Berry — a black man who grew up in Jim Crow America, who was close to 30 when he had his first national hit — knew that those high schools were sometimes segregated, and those diners and highways didn’t always welcome him. “Brown-Eyed Handsome Man” could be read as the story of a brown-SKINNED handsome man, as rock critic Dave Marsh and others have noted; the Louisiana country boy of “Johnny B. Goode” wasn’t necessarily Caucasian. Or consider “Promised Land,” the story of a man escaping the South for California. He rides a Greyhound bus across Dixie, moves to a train to get “across Mississippi clean,” and finally enters the Golden State on a plane, dressed in a silk suit, “ w o r k i n ’ o n a T- b o n e steak.” It was the American dream in miniature, a success all the sweeter for overcoming racial prejudice — never overtly mentioned but present all the same.

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Preparations begin for Guyana TSC overcome Everest to book final spot wicket w i t h back with some steady bowlTransport SC defeated t h i r d Cup Fever Horserace meet host Everest CC by four runs Charwayne Mc Pherson ing. Event fixed for Sunday April 16 at Port Mourant Turf Club With less than a month to go for the Guyana Cup Fever 2017 horserace spectacle the organisers have released the provisional programme for the big occasion. Organised by the Port Mourant Turf Club in collaboration with the Jumbo Jet Auto sales and racing stables with business in Berbice and Demerara, the meet is set for Sunday 16 April at the Port Mourant (Big Yard) Turf Club. Eight races are listed for the day with over $8M in cash, trophies and other incentives up for grabs. The programme shows that the organisers are also moving in line to implement a number of new initiatives taken recently by those in the horseracing fraternity

with the rating and class of the animal being taken into consideration. A look at the provisional programme will show the feature event is for horses classified B1 and Lower for a winning take of $1M over 1900M and a combing purse of $2M. The E1 and lower West Indies bred will also be for E3 and lower US and Canadian non earners for 2016 and 2017 for a take home of $600,000 and trophy over 1200M. The G3 and lower event will also feature four years old horses over 1200M. The other events are for animals classified H3 and lower, Three years Guyana Bred and those classified I and lower, Three years Guyana Bred Maiden.

The will be a race for animals classified J2 and K, while the final event is for animals classified L class open. Top horses, stables and jockeys will be awarded with trophies compliments of Ramesh Sunich, Managing Director of the Trophy Stall of Bourda Market. A number of added attractions and incentives including free kites will be given away on race day. There will also be bouncy castle, trampoline and other attractions for children. Interested persons can contact Chandu Ramkissoon (624-9063 or 232-0633), Irshad Mohammed on 664-1650. The coordinator is Nazrudeen “Jumbo Jet” Mohammed Jr. (Samuel Whyte)

Sunday March 19, 2017 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Outings with relatives or good friends will provide you with stimulating conversation. You have so much to offer; open up and let your thoughts be known. Your ideas can be put into action. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Cutbacks at work will be a cause for worry. Be aware of any emotional deception. Do not sign legal contracts or documents today. You need to look into ways to change your self-image. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your professional attitude will not go unnoticed. You will be able to CANCER (June 21–July 22) Put your energy into learning new skills or picking up valuable information. You need to concentrate on your business ventures more than on your relationship today. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Get involved in sports events that will benefit your physical appearance. Be careful not to hurt someone's feelings. Travel and entertainment will be pleasurable. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Channel your efforts into achieving your goals. Be quiet about your intentions or ideas that might bring added cash. Don't neglect these problems; deal with them once and for all, then move on to more pleasurable

tasks. LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Dig deep, ferret out any hidden concerns before you sign your life away Join a choir or a drama club. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You may not see your situation clearly. Creative pursuits should payoff. Professionalism will be of utmost importance. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You can come into money that you don't necessarily work for. Your desire for excitement and adventure may be expensive. You've been hurt before and could be again if you don't play hard to get. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Offer good conversation and a nice soothing lunch. Acknowledge your lover's needs. Things at work have been moving quickly and you may be feeling a little uncertain about the changes taking place. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Work quietly at your own goals and forget about situations that you can do little about. You may want to have a heart-to-heart talk with a close and trusted friend. Travel for business will be advantageous. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Plans to make physical improvements may lead to psychological changes, too. Set your goals and stick to your guns.

to secure their spot in the final of the G e o r g e t o w n Cricket Association New Building Society second division 40-over tournament yesterday. TSC took first strike and managed 159 all out in 35.3 overs. Sunil Singh led with 51 and added 60 for the

w h o m a d e 2 4. Akshay a Persaud claimed 3-20; Richie Looknauth 3-24 and Azad Mohamed 2-29. Everest responded with 155 all out in 37.3 overs. Persaud hit 80, while Khemraj Ramdeen made 35. The duo put on 57 for the third wicket before Transport SC fought

However, Everest remained in the hunt and needed seven from the last over which was bowled by Oslyn Batson who conceded four to hand his team victory. Everest ended on 155 all out in 39.4 overs as Batson took 2-34. (Zaheer Mohamed)

Patient Pujara helps India to narrow... (From page 71) reply. Playing his 50th test, Vijay, then on 58, survived a bat-pad catch when the inside edge went undetected and Australia could not challenge the not-out decision having exhausted their reviews. The opener did not make the most of the reprieve, however. In the final over before lunch, Vijay jumped out to a Steve O’Keefe delivery only to be stumped for 82, which included 10 boundaries and a six. Virat Kohli walked out after lunch to thunderous applause, having stayed away from the field since injuring his shoulder on Thursday, and there was silence as he

GCC, DCC... (From page 69) wickets each. In reply, GNIC SC were restricted to 36-2 before Shun and Quincy Ovid Richardson stabilised the chase with a third wicket stand of 81. Shun clobbered three fours and seven sixes in a top score of 80 while Richardson hit five fours and two sixes in an even half century as GNIC SC reached 175-6. Jason Heyliger snared 3-9 and Raun Johnson 3-15.

departed after facing 23 balls that yielded six runs. Armed with the second new ball, Cummins induced Kohli into a loose drive and Australia skipper Steve Smith took a sharp catch at second slip. Ajinkya Rahane belied his reputation as a watchful batsman with a ramp shot more suited to limited-overs cricket, feathering a Cummins delivery to wicketkeeper Matthew Wade. Karun Nair lost his offstump to Josh Hazlewood and Ravichandran Ashwin could only glove a Cummins snorter to Wade in the final

session. Vijay dismissed suggestions that India had lost momentum towards the end. “Not really, I think the game is evenly poised,” the opener told reporters. “If we can get closer to the target and maybe if possible get a lead from there, it would be a good game in hand.” The four-test series is level at 1-1 with Dharamsala hosting the final match from March 25. Scores: India 360 for 6 (Pujara 130*, Vijay 82, Rahul 67, Cummins 4-59) trail Australia 451 by 91 runs. (Continued on page 65)

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South Africa clinch eight-wicket victory in second test (Reuters) Keshav Maharaj took career best figures of 6-40 as South Africa romped to an eightwicket victory over New Zealand on the extended third day of the second test yesterday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Hashim Amla and JP Duminy guided the tourists to victory in an additional 30 minutes of play at the Basin Reserve, the latter firing the boundary that saw the Proteas ease past the 81-run victory target to 83-2. Amla finished on 38 not out and the winning four gave Duminy an unbeaten 15 but it was a victory set up by their disciplined bowling unit, who had dismissed New Zealand for 171 in their second innings after tea. While Mahraj took the spoils and the man-of-thematch award, it was,

however, a first innings partnership between Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock that was the matchturning moment. De Kock and Bavuma combined for 160 runs to rescue the Proteas on the second day, when the hosts had reduced them to 94 for six after they had scrapped to 268 in their own first innings. The South African w i c k e t k e e p e r c o u n t e rattacked to score 91 and was ably supported by Bavuma’s 89. Their partnership tired the New Zealand attack out to the point where Morne M o r k e l a n d Ve r n o n Philander were able to produce a 57-run final wicket partnership that only ended on Saturday with the Proteas reaching 359 for a lead of 91. Fast bowler Morkel then

tore the top off New Zealand’s batting line-up with the first three wickets. Vernon Philander ’s nagging line and length and Kagiso Rabada’s pace put the hosts under immense pressure that allowed Maharaj to attack on a wicket that was assisting turn but deliveries were not exploding off it. Maharaj instead just kept floating the ball up, varying his pace and waiting for the impetuous shots from New Zealand’s batsmen to come, which did at regular intervals. Jeet Raval was the only batsman to provide any resistance as he was peppered by Morkel’s bouncers and took several blows to his hands and body. Raval, who survived three chances after he had passed 50, top scored with 80 before his dismissal to

Keshav Maharaj gets a hug from his captain Faf du Plessis after a wicket, New Zealand v South Africa, 2nd Test, Wellington, 3rd day,©Getty Images Maharaj after tea sparked a slump where New Zealand lost their last five wickets for 16 runs. The real concern for New Zealand, however, will be to balance their approach against the pace trio and then face the slower bowlers,

with even part-time offspinner JP Duminy taking a career-best 4-47 in the first innings. South Africa have also called in off-spinner Dane Piedt for what are expected to be spin-friendly conditions in the third test at

Seddon Park in Hamilton, starting on March 25. Scores: South Africa 83 for 2 (Amla 38*) and 359 (de Kock 91, Bavuma 89, de Grandhomme 3-52) beat New Zealand 268 and 171 (Raval 80, Maharaj 6-40) by eight wickets.

GTTA makes move to re-establish WBCA congratulates Joseph on CPL pick Steering Committee in Berbice T h e G u y a n a Ta b l e Tennis Association (GTTA) is making a concerted effort to take the game of Table Tennis to all parts of the country. The main aim is to reform and establish a Committee of Management (Sub Association) that will drive and assist with the development, advancement, promotion, marketing and administration of the sport in the respective regions. A number of such Committees have already been established with Region Six, East Berbice, Corentyne being the next stop. T h e G T TA h e l d a meeting this past week in New Amsterdam with a number of individuals and stakeholders with the requisite skills, knowledge and leadership qualities in view of forming a Committee to help manage and advance the sport in the region. According to GTTA President, Godfrey Munroe, Berbice is expected to play a key role in the advancement of the sport, thus the urgency to fast-track the establishment of a Committee to manage the sport. Munroe commended the work done by the last Committee, which made a concerted effort to keep the sport alive and have tournaments played. The meeting is expected to put

systems in place to hold elections for President, Senior Vice President, Junior Vice President, General Secretary, Treasurer and two Assistant Secretaries and committee members. One member will be on t h e G T TA E x e c u t i v e Committee. The Committee will operate as a SubAssociation with powers to organise tournaments. It is expected to be in place for two years. It will be mandated to present development plans and organise training camps for the advancement of the sport, including the training of coaches, teachers and players. Their goals will also include promotion of players and the sport and the establishment of a calendar of activities, which includes medium to long term plans. Establishing a website, Facebook page, newsletter etc, are all on the agenda of the new Committee. Formation of clubs, provision of training programmes for administrators among other developmental initiatives. The GTTA is committed to lending its support to the committee for the hosting of tournament/competitions and the provision of resources (balls racquets, robots and tables), to help in the development, coordination and organisation of the sport in

the region. The establishment of the Committee in the region is eagerly anticipated, given the soon to be implemented National Athlete Development Table Tennis for Schools Programme. The programme seeks to implement table tennis in a structured manner in schools targeting children between the ages of 6-15 years old in 106 schools across Guyana. Ten primary schools have already been earmarked to benefit from the pilot programme in East Berbice with five coming from the Corentyne District and five from the New Amsterdam/ Canje District. Coaches will be hired and paid to work with the students. Regional centers will be established to provide an avenue for after school programmes. Among the persons invited to the meeting were Army Officer, Ronny Joseph, Floyd Conway, Levi Nedd of the Guysuco Training Center, Seon Bristol of the Guyana Teachers Union, Wycliff Peters of the Guyana Teachers Union, Gibran Safaraz ITTF level 2 Coach, Dawn Murray of the University of Guyana, Journalist, Samuel Whyte, Desiree Lancaster Former National female Champion and Richard Thompson Bacchus. (Samuel Whyte)

West Berbice Cricket Association has congratulated pacer Keon Joseph on his selection to the Guyana Amazon Warriors team for the 2017

Caribbean Premier League. A WBCA release stated that Joseph is a committed cricketer who is willing to assist the youths and he has made tremendous

improvement in recent times. The Association would like to wish him well in the tournament and hopes that his input will boost the team’s chances.

Joseph out with keen injury Pestano replaces him, Shiv returns from US tomorrow By Sean Devers in Trinidad Guyana Jaguars fast bowler Keon Joseph returned to Guyana yesterday after left knee injury forced him to miss the seventh round Regional four-day match here against T&T’s Red Force which began on Friday at the Queens Park Oval. The 25-year-old Joseph, f r o m We s t B e r b i c e explained that the injury was caused by his front landing on the hard Jamaican pitches. “I did well in the last match and was looking forward for more success here but the medical people told me to rest my leg for a few weeks and hopefully I can be back for our next home game against the Leewards. I can walk on it but landing when I bowl is a problem,” the West Indies ‘A’ team pacer said. Joseph took 7-53 in the first innings of the Jamaica game which Guyana won outright and is the best bowling by a Guyanese in Jamaica. Colin Croft’s 7-64 was the previous best.

Keon Joseph Joseph, who has 69 wickets from 24 First-Class matches, will be replaced by fellow Berbician the uncapped Clinton Pestano who was expected to arrive in Trinidad yesterday morning. “He has never played First Class cricket and we will have three days here to get adjusted to the FirstClass set up here before going to Barbados for our last overseas game in the tournament,” Manager Rayon Griffith explained. Joseph is the second player who had to return

Clinton Pestano home due to injury after opening batsman Tagenarine Chanderpaul fractured his finger while batting in Jamaica and was replaced by Assad Fudadin. According to Griffith, Shiv Chanderpaul who left the team to travel to the USA and missed this match, will arrive here tomorrow and is available for the Barbados game which starts on Thursday. This is a young Jaguars side with Romero Shepherd at 22 in only his second game, while teenager Kemo Paul made his debut on Friday.

Sunday March 19, 2017

Kaieteur News

GMR&SC ‘Reaction’ Drag Meet

Dutch dragsters aim to make things difficult for locals today Dragsters from neighbouring Dutch territory Suriname arrived in the country on Friday to participate in the season opening ‘Reaction’ Drag Meet which is being organised by the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) set for today, at the South Dakota Circuit. The Surinamese shortly after arrival said they are aiming to make things real diifficult for local competitors and has even boasted about dominating today’s event which is anticipated to see a large turnout of motor racing fans. Kaieteur Sport was unable to get the names of all the competitors who will be representing the Dutch territory, but reports indicate that they group is stacked with formidable drivers and riders, all capable of producing high clas performances. In the category for cars, Guyana’s Sean Persaud, who is the most dominant driver right now, Anand Ramchand and the Daby brothers Rondell and Peter will have to pull out all the stops to keep the

Sharima Khan

Dutch at bay according to early reports, but there is no doubt they possess the machines and courage to do so. Female driver Sharima Khan has always been a hit with the fans and she is expected to take to the starting line as well. In the Superbike division, the Surinamese will be represented as well and it will be interesting to

see how they fare against the most dominant Superbike dragster in Mark Menezes. The Porta Tree Timing System, which is equipped with specialised starting lights that allow quarter mile speeds to be recorded, will be used during the day’s races. Races commence at 12:00 hrs and admission for adults is $1000 and children $500.

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Guyana Karate College training residents of the Sophia Juvenile Holding Centre The Guyana Karate College whose aim and objective it is, to motivate, empower and support young people through the martial art of Karate-do, has begun providing training to the residents of the Sophia Juvenile Holding Centre which is located in the compound of the Sophia Training School. Sixth Degree Black Belt Sensei Jeffrey Wong, who is the Vice Chairman and Vice Chief Instructor of the GKC, is personally conducting the classes, as he firmly believes that while young people are usually naturally passionate about sports and have a lot of energy, they should be further encouraged and guided to spend that energy through the practice of sporting activities. Sensei Wong opined that Karate-do helps in a significant way in making people become disciplined and respectful of others, and with the introduction of the GKC karate programme, a big opportunity was being offered to the targeted young people of the Sophia Juvenile Holding Centre to lead a better life. The Guyana Karate College sees as part of its s o c i a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y, contributing of an enabling environment to help the juvenile offenders reformed

in a real sense. They believe that karate can help the youth when they leave the Centre to integrate into the society more smoothly as a consequence of the positive and health-related impacts of sports. According to sports research evidence, sporting activities can contribute to both physical and psychological development and will ultimately have a positive impact on the lives of young people. Sports and recreation, along with arts and crafts, have the potential to supply elements that are otherwise missing in the lives of disadvantaged youth. Therefore, sports can have a positive effect, if not on crime prevention directly, but on other factors that contribute to youth violence. These factors include enhancing self-esteem, learning the value of teamwork and developing greater selfdiscipline. Thus, effective sportsbased policy depends on the recognition of the conditions necessary to effect positive change in youth, including the factors that can help young people resist the urge to engage in violent behaviour. The Sophia Juvenile Holding Centre is the first facility of its kind locally for the reception, care and custody of children and

young persons under the orders of the court from age ten and over, but under the age of seventeen, who have come into conflict with the law, but who are not to be detained in the same manner like adult offenders. These include juveniles who have been held pending a charge, etc. and/or on remand and of juveniles who have completed the period of their sentence and are awaiting rehabilitation. Ms. Yvette Sancho the Administrator of the Centre, who ensures that the operations of the holding centre are administered in an efficient and effective manner, is supportive and enthusiastic about the introduction of karate-do and expressed hope that it will motivate some to decide to change their lives for the better. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Commander Clifton Hicken whose initiative it was to introduce Karate-do to the juveniles, is very interested to see how these youths are handled and is committed to investing time in the children of the nation. Commander Hicken has asked the Karate College to continue to show the juveniles love, care, kindness, and patience, as they make them martial artists and good citizens.

St. Stanislaus overcome Camille’s Institute St. Stanislaus defeated Camille’s Institute by ten wickets when the Forbes Burnham Foundation Secondary schools Windball tournament continued recently at the National Gymnasium. Playing in the female category, Camille’s Institute batted first and made 107-4 with Alicea Davidson scoring 80. St. Stanislaus responded with 108 without loss. Oumadavi Mando struck 80. Cummings Lodge beat Diamond Secondary by 28 runs. Cummings Lodge batted first and managed 115 without loss. Casey Charles slammed 86 and Sarah Amin 20. Diamond Secondary were limited to 87-2 in response. Malicia Fraser made 58, while Ruth Henry and Natasha Harry got 12 reach. Leonora Secondary o v e r c a m e P r e s i d e n t ’s College by 10 wickets.

Members of various teams prior to the day’s play.

President’s College took first strike and mustered 117-1. Jennifer Park hit 54, while Otefa Alfred got 40.

Leonora Secondary replied with 119 without loss. Stacy Adams stroked 63 and Stefan Ramnarine

42. Covent Garden got the better of Mae’s by 10 wickets. Mae’s batted first

and got to 117-1. Afruica Gentle struck 100 (16x6). Covent Garden Secondary

responded with 121 without loss. Makilla Maynard made 64 and Shelini Ramcharan 34.

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Kaieteur News

Digicel Regional First-Class cricket

Fudadin’s come-back fifty gives Jaguars lead Assad Fudadin clips Imran Khan through mid wicket responsible 57 yesterday.

Devendra Bishoo cuts for four as silly mid off take evasive action yesterday.

Reifer (50), Bishoo (39) contribute with bat By Sean Devers in Trinidad In association with Stag Beer, Cascadia Hotel & Vnet Communications Back in First-Class cricket for the first time this season As s ad F u d ad in anchored the Jaguars innings with a responsible 57 and shared in a valuable 89 -run thirdwicket stand with night watchman Devendra Bishoo who batted for just over three hours for his 39 to see Guyana Jaguars to 246 – 8 from 100 overs at the close of day two of their seventh round Digicel Regional Four-Day match against host T&T’ Red Force yesterday at the Queens’ Park Oval. The Guyanese Franchise are 44 runs ahead of the Red Force’s 202 and it was a day of slow scoring as Fudadin, reached the boundary eight times and faced 136 balls in a well calculated innings, while Bishoo played like a number three batsman and stroked the ball fluently in his 136-ball knock which included four boundaries. The pair joined forces in the second over of the day when Test opener Rajendra Chandrika, back in the side due to absence of the Chanderpauls, again fell cheaply. Vishaul Singh, who faced 64 balls in 22 with two boundaries and 25-year-old Raymon Reifer who has an unbeaten 50 from 126 balls with six fours, steadied the

ship with a 47-run partnership after Skipper Leon Johnson (7) endured another failure with the score on 149-5. Bryan Charles, the 21year-old off-spinner bowled 31 overs in only his fourth match at this level and so far has 3-70, while Guyanese born pacer Marlon Richards took 3-34 from 20 overs as the Red Force spent the entire day fielding in sweltering heat. With Reifer is Romero Shepherd on one. The day began in brilliant sunshine with the Jaguars on 38-1 and Chandrika moved from his overnight 12 to 16 with a controlled sweep off Charles but was soon removed by Richards for 17 at 47-2. Bishoo got going with a fluent cover drive for four off Charles, while Fudadin lofted Charles over mid-off for four before playing an even better straight drive to race to eight from two shots. But Charles, with 4-79 against the Windwards in Grenada in the last round, soon settled into a nice grove and bowling in Tandem with Richards kept the batsmen in shackles. Charles beat Fudadin a few times outside off stump but the left-handed Fudadin battled through the tough period as he and Bishoo, whose highest Test score is 45 and best at First-Class level is 47, were engaged in a battle of attrition on a track

which offered a lot more turn on day two. Bishoo on-drove leftarm spinner Khary Pierre for four to bring up the 50 in the 32 over, while he broke free by dancing into Imran Khan, who had a five-wicket haul in the last round, and dumped him back over his head for four to move into the 40s. Bishoo stroked pacer Anderson Phillip past midoff for four and then give himself room and smashed him to the cover boundary off the back foot two balls later. Four minutes to the interval, Fudadin lofted Jason Mohamed’s off-spin just short of the man running from long-off and by Lunch the Jaguars were 121-2 from 42 overs. Fudadin, who replaced the injured Tagenarine Chanderpaul in the side, was unbeaten on 42, Bishoo was on 38, and their third wicket stand on 74. After the interval, a small gathering watched as Fudadin hit Charles for four before tucking him to mid wicket for a single to post his 21 First-Class fifty from 128 balls with eight fours. Fudadin was soon caught and bowled by Charles at 136-3 to end the partnership 28 minutes after Lunch. Bishoo finally edged Richards to the Keeper after facing 129 balls, batting just over three hours for his level headed 39 to leave the Jaguars on 144-4. Although he scored the nd

st

most runs last season, Johnson has not fired in this format for the year and after falling cheaply twice in Jamaica the West Indies lefthander took his aggregate to 250 from 11 innings when he reached seven but then drove loosely at one that left him from Richards and seemed a bit unlucky to be given caught behind for seven at 149-5. Reifer opened his account with a glorious cover drive and he and the diminutive Singh, who played the supporting role, took their team to 168-5 by Tea with Reifer on 17 and Singh on seven. After Tea, Reifer stroked Khan magnificently past his ankles like a bullet and the pair batted sensibly before Singh was removed by Khary Pierre at 196-6 before Anthony Bramble was trapped LBW for a duck five runs later by the hard working Charles. Reifer and Permaul, the only Guyanese in the West Indies t20 squad to face Pakistan, saw the Jaguars to a lead before Reifer smashed Charles off the back foot for four to show why he is regarded by many as Guyana’s best all-rounder. With the Jaguars three runs from a bonus point, Permaul (24) was LBW to Richards, while Reifer reached his 10 First-Class fifty from 126 balls with six fours when he stroked Richards to deep cover for one in the last over of the day. th

Sunday March 19, 2017

Kaieteur News

PAGE 73

GCA Carib Beer first division T20

GCC, DCC, Police, MSC record victories

Christopher Barnwell By Zaheer Mohamed Georgetown Cricket Club, Demerara Cricket

Robin Bacchus Club, Police and Malteenoes Sports Club got off their Georgetown Cricket Association Carib Beer first

Kelvin Leitch division T20 campaign on a positive note with victories in the opening round yesterday.

Petra Organisation / GT Beer Futsal Competition

Fixtures released for the round robin phase

Part of the action in this year’s Petra Organisation / GT Beer Futsal Competition which is being played at the National Gymnasium.

-commences next Tuesday Organisers of the Petra Organisation / GT Beer Futsal Competition have released the fixtures for the upcoming round robin segment which commences next Tuesday evening, at the National Gymnasium. According to the release, there will be three nights of action, before the top two teams from the three groups and the best two third placed teams will advance to the quarterfinal phase. Winner of the tournament will receive $400,000 and the championship trophy, while the runner-up takes home $200,000 and a trophy. The third and fourth place finishers walk away with $100,000 and $50,000 respectively. The event is slated to conclude on April 15th.

Jason Heyliger (left) and Raun Johnson

Martin Pestano Belle At Bourda, host GCC defeated Guyana Defence Force by seven wickets. GDF were bowled out for 93 in 19.4 overs, batting first. After the loss of two early wickets, Leon Andrews and Terry Fraser added 30 for the third wicket before Fraser retired hurt on 15. Andrews eventually top scored with 30, while Jeremiah Harris and Dexter Solomon made 13 and 12 respectively. Robin Bacchus claimed 3-23 and Anthony Adams 2-9. GCC lost Bacchus (09) and Timothy Mc Almont (13) to be reduced to 28-2 before Martin Pestano Belle and Ronaldo Ali Mohamed put on 39 for the third wicket to steady the chase. Belle was dismissed for 32 (2x4), while Mohamed remained unbeaten on 25 and Joshua Wade 10; GCC finished on 94-3 in 19 overs. Damieon Waldron had 2-15. At DCC, the home team thumped University of

Guyana by 142 runs. Led by an attacking 60 from Christopher Barnwell, DCC posted 255-6, taking first strike. Barnwell who faced 23 balls slammed four fours and a similar number of sixes, shared in useful partnerships with Brian Sattaur and Sherfene Rutherford. Rutherford hit one four and five maximums in scoring 48 off 23 balls while Sattaur made 40. Kemol Savory chipped in with 37 off 13 balls (2x4,4x6), while Paul Wintz made 30 (2x4,3x6) off 10 balls. Linden Austin took 236 and Ray Newton 2-57. UG were restricted to 113-9 in reply. Darnell Douglas scored 31 before he was lbw to pacer Trevon Garraway, while Royston Alkins made 10 as Cohen Ismond grabbed 3-25, Garraway 2-33 and Steven Sankar 2-27. At Malteenoes SC, the host overcame Gandhi Youth

Organisation by 31 runs. Kandasammy Surujnarine hit six fours and two sixes in scoring 50 off 34 balls at the top of the order, while Steven Jacobs stroked 41 ( 1x4,2x6) from 24 balls and Stephen Browne 33 as MSC scored 155-4, batting first. Darshan Persaud and Prakash Chowtie had two wickets each. GYO were limited to 124-9 in response. Irfaan Alli hit four sixes in 33, while Keshan Singh made 26 (3x6). The pair added 66 for the last wicket after they were reduced to 66-9 as Jacobs captured 2-28. At Eve Leary, Police beat GNIC SC by six runs. Police scored 181-6, taking first strike. Kelvin Leitch struck 68 not out off 36 balls with three fours and five sixes, while Mark Robhe made 39 and Sherwin McPherson 20. Ryan Shun and Jermaine Grosvenor picked up two (Continued on page 65)

Gittens and Beharry Birthday Dominos on today @ Girl Guides Pavilion Over two hundred thousand dollars will be up for the taking at today’s Gittens and Beharry one-day birthday domino competition set for the Girl Guides Pavilion, Brickdam. According to Gittens, 18 invited teams will be battling in a two-round aggregate format with the final being three rounds. The team emerging as the winner will walk away with $110,000 along with a trophy with second place attracting $60,000 and trophy whilst 3rd and 4th place are tagged at $30,000 and $10,000 along with trophies. The MVP will earn $5,000 with the entrance fee being $12,000 per team. Gittens noted that the prizes are all guaranteed. Double six time is 13:00hrs.

Lyall Gittens displays the winning trophy.

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Sunday March 19, 2017

Kaieteur News

All set for GAPF fundraising Bench Press Comp. at Fitness Revolution Gym today With the aim of assisting itself in the area of garnering funds, the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF) will today host a novelty fund raising Bench Press Competition at the brand new Fitness Revolution Gym, located opposite GWI at LBI, East Coast Demerara. Public Relations Officer/Organising Secretary of the federation, Dr. Osmond Mack related that today’s fund raiser will also see the federation

selling bar-b-que and this has been made possible with a generous donation of chicken from Bounty Farm Ltd. through Manager, Keith Fernandes. Mack is calling on all fans, lovers and supporters of the sport to come out today to participate or cheer on their favourite competitor. Bar-b-que would be on sale from 13:00 to 17:00hrs while registration for the novelty bench press competition will begin at

11:00hrs and last until 12:30hrs with action pressing off at 13:00hrs. Competition would be open, no weight class with the winners being declared using the Wilks Coefficient or Wilks Points. Prizes will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place competitors in both male and female categories. The following are the Relaxed Rules competitors would be governed by: 1. Only the Start and Rack command will be given

2. Head, shoulders, Buttocks must be on the bench and Feet Flat on the floor 3. Lifter will be allowed to bounce the weight off the C h e s t

4. No Supportive gear will be allowed, i.e slingshots, bench shirts, elbow sleeves 5. Wrist wraps are allowed 6. NO Suicide Grip will be allowed, Thumbs must be

wrapped around the bar Other sponsors on board are Fitness Express, Mr. Jetto of Wild Caught Fishery Depot and Buddy’s Gym.

Fitness Paradise Gym launch ‘Elder-Fit’ Class

Elderly encouraged to exercise in comfortable atmosphere Colin ‘Mr. Clean’ Chesney bench pressing.

Jason Mohammed breaks into West Indies T20I squad

Trainer Oryan Joseph (standing left) and CEO of Fitness Paradise Gym Donald Sinclair (standing right) along with reigning Miss Fitness Paradise Xamera Kippins take time out for a photo with some of the Elder-Fit class yesterday. Fitness Paradise Gym, Located at Lance Gibbs Street, Queenstown yesterday launched their first Elder-Fit Class. Speaking with Kaieteur Sport at yesterday’s event, Fitness Paradise Gym CEO, Donald Sincl a i r n o t e d that the class will provide an opportunity for one hour of movement, dance, s tretching and phys ical games all done in a lively and fun atmosphere to give participants an experience o f h e a l t h y, e n j o y a b l e physical activity at their own pace. Sinclair who has spearheaded the setting up of a Gym at the Georgetown Prisons informed that this

initiative was inspired by an experience of bereavement on the part of a close relative o f h i s . ”And I thought that instead of her just being isolated by herself grieving, it would be good if she could be part of a group of persons being active, moving, doing dance movements and so on. So basically that is the inspiration for the elder-fit class.” Sinclair also informed that his thoughts coincided with those of Trainer Oryan Joseph who always expressed a desire to work with elderly persons. ”You know the elderly sometimes feel hesitant about being part of a regular gym session, so they prefer

very often to be with persons like themselves, so that is why we thought of having this special elder-fit class that would target those persons basically 60-years and over.” The first such class was held yesterday afternoon with a group of excited elders and will continue twice per week, every Friday from 17:00 – 18:00hrs and o n S a t u r d a y ’s f r o m 13:00hrs. Sinclair said the idea is to involve the participants in things they might remember: “Like dancing the twist, dancing the mash potatoes, playing games to keep them active.” The cost per month is $3,500. (Franklin Wilson)

ESPNCRICINFO Jason Mohammed, one of the only bright spots to emerge from a series whitewash by England, has been called up to the West Indies T20I squad for the first time. The 30-year old batsman struck back-to-back fifties earlier this month and could be vital to a side that is missing some of its biggest players. Chris Gayle has not played international cricket since the 2016 World T20. On top of that, Dwayne Bravo’s hamstring injury and Andre Russell’s ban took away two of the world’s best allrounders from Carlos Brathwaite’s side. But there was good news on Friday, when it was learnt that Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Samuel Badree and Lendl Simmons were picked for two of the four T20Is against Pakistan from March 26. A WICB release listing the 16-man squad on Saturday confirmed all four men were available to play the entire series. Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul also has the chance to be capped for the first time in T20Is. He picked up 12 wickets from eight List A matches in

Earlier this month, Jason Mohammed made 70 and 52 after returning to International cricket for the first time in two years © Getty Images January and February and will likely be the understudy to legspinner Samuel Badree and offspinner Sunil Narine, who were both in the top 10 of the ICC bowlers rankings in the shortest formats. Batsmen Jonathan Carter, who has recently become a regular in ODIs, and Rovman Powell, whose power-hitting has invoked comparisons with Russell, pushed the number of uncapped players in the s q u a d t o f o u r. T h e experience of Marlon Samuels and Jason Holder could offset that, although Holder has not played a T20I

match for West Indies since 2015. West Indies T20I squad Samuel Badree, Carlos Brathwaite (capt), Jonathan Carter, Andre Fletcher, Jason Holder, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Sunil Narine, Ve e r a s a m m y P e r m a u l , Kieron Pollard, Rovman Powell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Jerome Taylor, Chadwick Walton, Keswick Williams In: Jonathan Carter, Jason Mohammed, Ve e r a s a m m y P e r m a u l , Lendl Simmons Out: Dwayne Bravo, Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran.

Sunday March 19, 2017

Kaieteur News

Higher level of competition expected at CS&J tourney –Ninvalle President of the Guyana Boxing Association Steve Ninvalle has declared that the second edition of the Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors tournament will see competition of a higher quality than when the first was held here last year. The tournament is scheduled for May 12 to 14 at the National Gymnasium and already Suriname, Jamaica and St. Lucia have confirmed participation. It is anticipated that at least seven other nations will join the aforementioned three when the battle lines are drawn. “We expect a very high level of competition. The French speaking nations of Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana have signaled intention of participating and with that in mind the GBA will be encamping a team after the Pepsi Under-16 competition in April,” Ninvalle said yesterday. “In all we should have around one hundred boxers and officials taking part in

Steve Ninvalle the tournament.” The Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors tournament is the brainchild of Ninvalle and the first edition was held in Guyana last April. The tournament focuses on the nursery of the sport and is the first to be held in the Caribbean. Questioned on preparation for the upcoming event the GBA boss said that last week he met with Director of Sport Christopher Jones and a

team from the National Sports Commission. “That meeting went very well and was fruitful. We were asked to submit our four-year plan and at the end Mr. Jones pledged his unflinching support and assured that the NSC will play its part,” Ninvalle added. Meanwhile, St Lucia has confirmed eight boxers and two officials to the tournament. The team would be headed by president of the St. Lucia Boxing Association David ‘Shakes’ Christopher with Conrad Hunte as the coach. According to Ninvalle, Jamaica Boxing Association president Stephen Jones confirmed his country’s participation and will this week provide the size of the team. The GBA president is confident that Barbados, Trinidad a n d To b a g o , Antigua, Cayman Islands, Grenada and Bahamas will each send a team to Guyana.

Patient Pujara helps India to narrow deficit with Australia RANCHI, INDIA (Reuters) Top order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara compiled an industrious unbeaten century to keep India on course to match Australia’s first-innings total of 451 in the third test yesterday. Australia paceman Pat Cummins made a successful return to test cricket after five years in the wilderness, oozing hostility and claiming 4-59 on a placid track to help restrict the hosts to 360-6 on day three of the contest. Pujara was batting on 130 at stumps, the first century by an Indian batsman in the four-test series, having spent nearly seven hours at the crease to consolidate his team’s position in the contest. Wriddhiman Saha was giving him company on 18 with India still 91 runs behind. Pujara is a steady accumulator of runs in an Indian line-up of mostly flamboyant stroke-makers and his solid defence stood him in great stead as his 11th test century underlined the virtue of playing along the turf, minimising risks. The 29-year-old hit 17 boundaries in his composed

Cheteshwar Pujara raises his bat after bringing up his century, India v Australia, 3rd Test, Ranchi, 3rd day, ©Associated Press knock, often threading the ball through gaps and letting the exceptionally fast outfield carry it across the rope. Australia bowling coach David Saker said the contest was interestingly poised after a hard-fought day. “It’s great test-match cricket,” Saker, who was England’s bowling coach from 2010 to 2015, told reporters. “We really put them

under a lot of pressure. They absorbed it, especially Pujara who played a fantastic innings.” “We’re still ahead of the game but they are getting closer every over... we’ll be coming out pretty strong tomorrow.” Resuming the day on 120 for one, Pujara and Murali Vijay raised their sixth century partnership of the season to lead India’s strong (Continued on page 65)

PAGE 75

Trophy Stall among sponsors for Kennard’s Phagwah Horserace Meet

KMTC President Cecil Kennard accepts the trophy from Ramesh Sunich. Trophy Stall is the latest entity to lend support to the 45th Annual Kennard’s Memorial Phagwah Horserace meet set for today at Kennard’s Turf Club at Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne, Berbice, beginning at 1:00pm. Proprietor of Trophy Stall Ramesh Sunich presented one of the trophies which goes to the champion jockey to Cecil Kennard at the entity’s Bourda Market location recently. Kennard expressed gratitude to Sunich for the support, adding that sponsorship is of utmost importance for sport to be successful, while Sunich said he is happy to be associated with the event. Eight races are listed on the day’s card with $6M in trophies and cash incentives up for the taking. Over 70 horses have been entered to participate. The feature event is for horses classified ‘C’ and lower and a top class line up as been assembled with the likes of Golden Blue Echo, Lady Budapest, Honey Flow, Spit Fire, Unsettled, Climate Change, Brace Sky, Red and Lovely, Perfect Wind Strom, It MY Choice,

Keep on Swinging, Settling Star, Big Man Boss and Call me Boss. The horses will be competing over a distance of six furlongs for the $900,000 winner’s money and trophy. Horses running in the E and lower six furlongs event will aim for the top prize of $400,000 and trophy with the likes of Climate Change, Brace Sky, Perfect Wind storm, Storm Mark, Good will Boy, Release The Beast, Whichoo Poo, Got To Go Big Man Boss and Work Force are in the line up to compete. The event for horses classified ‘H’ and lower will see them battling over seven furlongs for a top prize of $250,000. Among the lot going are Big Man Boss, T and T, Captain Crook, Mid Night, Cat Messiah, Isnt She Charming, Fire in Line, It’s myTurn, Amazing Run, Sweet Return, Rosetta, Campador, Super Bowl and Anfield. Royal Pay Master, Miss Angalie, Guyana Gal, Natural Beauty, Mischief Maker, Snow Prince, the Rock and Fresh dance are among the three-year-old Guyana bred maidens horses

that will battle over six furlongs for the $200,000 first prize. The event for three-year old, Guyana bred horses have among them Royal Cash, Mary Ann, Red Region, Road to Romance, Puppy Tail, Party Time, Genuine risk, Miss Kristina and Seven Dust racing for the $150,000 first prize. Other events on the day’s programme are the six furlong event for ‘J’ and Lower horses over six furlongs for a first prize worth $140,000. The class L class open race for a first prize of $110,000 and the L class and lower event. Among the horses entered for the other three events are- Flow Joe, Lil Dude, Blacka, Unruly, Sweet Silence, Country Boy, Physical Distance, Call Dhe royal, Public Enemy, Gaza Youth, Red Jet, Miss Olympic, Sweet Escape, De Gump, Party Time, Pick Pocket, Sun Riser, Windy Killer, Summer Breezer, Sun Set and Red Jet, Kevin, Daddy’s Dollar, Royal Sun, Slim Shady, Blue Lightning, Confusion, I am Back, Royal Blaze among others. Action starts at 12:30pm.

Foreign Affairs ministry to host dominoes on March 24 The Foreign Affairs ministry will be hosting a public and private sector dominoes competition on March 24 at the Ministry of Agriculture canteen starting at 16:00hrs. At stake are trophies,

medals and cash incentives for the winning and runner up teams as well as the MVP. On Ma r c h 2 6 t h e entity will be staging at 6 overs knockout Tapeball competition at

Durban Park in which teams will compete for trophies and cash invectives. Entries close on March 22 at 16:30 hrs at the ministry or with James Lewis.

t r o Sp Digicel Regional First-Class cricket

Fudadin’s come-back fifty gives Jaguars lead Reifer (50), Bishoo (39) contribute with bat

Jaguars’ Raymon Reifer on drives during his unbeaten 50 yesterday. (Photos by Sean Devers)

GMR&SC ‘Reaction’ Drag Meet

Dutch dragsters aim to make things difficult for locals today Female dragster Sharima Khan (inside) seen at the starting line in one of her races at a previous Drag Meet.

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