Freedom of expression Dear Editor, It is a sad day when the many are stifled by the few. When our words are seen as weapons and our thoughts are viewed with guile. May we not say when we feel wronged; when we feel injustice is upon us or when we experience the religion of corruption? Is it only right for the few in power to take from us even that freedom of thought, of question, of belief in the will of many, and our joint ability
to encourage change and justice for all? How much longer will the few amongst us that are given the opportunity to lead take advantage of the gift we have bestowed upon them? To see and not see, to discuss and then ignore and to participate with reckless disregard, these errors are the joint neglect for our people and our rights. Many have spoken of Article 18 and the dangers it facilitates, yet it was proposed by those who
have known oppression, and have been neglected by those who have also experienced the sadness of lack of freedom and opportunity for full participation. How easy has it been for some to neglect their suffering while out of power? It’s a sad day for all who forget their past and think that the laws they embrace may turn against them not. In silence you ask me to stand, Jamil Changlee
Sedition on the internet From page 4 the act we are contemplating introducing, the word disaffection is a strange word to use in the circumstance, since it does not convey an attempt to cause civil strife which is the intention of the Covenant on civil and political rights, but can be used to identify actions which may not at all be seditious. For example, if I say that this is a lousy government, I am certainly showing little affection for it, but I am not saying let’s get guns and cutlasses and attack the parliament, that would clearly be seditious. So I don’t like that word, it can mean anything in a court, especially ours, and it appears in no restriction to freedom of expression I have seen elsewhere. So the word disaffection is entirely the wrong word to use in ours. Politicians must be aware that the right to criticize them is far wider than the right to criticize a private citizen. Public officials by accepting public office must be aware that the latitude of comment and criticism on their every deed or action is far wider than for private citizens. This concept appears in a judgement of Justice Dyal Singh in Trinidad and Tobago in the action no. 4789 of 1982. And then there is the landmark judgement of the European Court of Human Rights in 1991 in the matter between Sunday Times v. United Kingdom. “Freedom of expression constitutes one of the most essential foundations of a democratic society, subject to the prescribed exceptions of the covenant [i.e. respect the rights and reputations of others and not do any act which can disrupt public order, morals etc.] it is not only applicable to information and ideas which are favorably received or regarded as inoffensive, but also to those that offend, shock or disturb. Such are the demands of that pluralism, tolerance and broadmindedness without which there is no democratic
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society”. Mr. Kirton should make the distinction between private communications and public ones, there are no restrictions against private communication, all restrictions to freedom of expression are in regards to public speech, and my interpretation of the proposed legislation is that it pertains to public communications only. It would be ludicrous for the Guyana Government to decide that they are going to restrict the freedom of speech of private communications between friends. Facebook can hardly be described as private communication. But the internet must at some point be regulated, and Great Britain and the US are currently seeking ways to do just that, therefore it is inevitable that it will at some time be done, the question is how can a poor country like Guyana seek to introduce regulations on the internet which both Great Britain and the US have found to be very expensive? Fix the congestion problem on the East Bank highway with the little money we do have, resolve some of the issues facing GuySuCo then none of the thousands of people inconvenienced every day will lose affection for the government. And when we do set about to fix anything, please let us make laws which we can effectively enforce ,within our territory and jurisdiction. We are constantly passing laws which are patently unconstitutional; for example the constitution now has an equality clause, but we passed a law here which effectively says that you cannot get prescriptive rights for Government land, but you can get it on private people’s land. There are many examples, the terrorist bill contains many unconstitutional and unenforceable laws and is repetitive and verbose, which were comments made by the excellent Mr. Keith Massiah. By doing these things we are showing the world how
illiterate our Guyana governments are; I said this more than 15 years ago. We have a broadcast Act which is riddled with numerous violations to constitutional freedoms. For example, article 19 sub. (C) says that “while recognizing the special role of the state owned media, the broadcast industry is plural and open to fair competition”. So all private broadcasters must compete fairly in the marketplace for advertising, but the state owned radio and TV stations and state-owned newspaper are immune from that provision, since they are special and can and do compete with private broadcasters unfairly, because not only are they in the marketplace competing for the limited advertising dollar, NCN is also receiving government subventions annually through the budget. In the case of the newspaper, it receives unfair subventions for capital purchases. No other democratic country with a functioning legal system allows these inequalities and passes laws which are in collision with the constitution of the country. If nothing else, I am being consistent. When I was invited to step down from the board of GuySuCo to take up a position in diversification at Wales, I immediately ran into problems, since I had completely different views of GuySuCo’s diversification than some of the senior functionaries. It was their opinion that since I was being paid by the corporation, I must tow the corporate line and overlook all of the shenanigans which I saw going on and become one of the good old boys. I couldn’t do it, since I would b e a h y p o c r i t e . GuySuCo cannot diversify i t s o p e r a t i o ns using the failed managers of the company as they are doing even now, they have to seek help from specialists in the various fields outside of the company. Yours faithfully Tony Vieira
A stark reminder of what we have been relegated to DEAR EDITOR, The commemoration of Arrival Day has arrived again and the wrecked Monument Site at Palmyra is a stark reminder and symbolic of what Indians and Guyanese as a whole have been relegated to by this Coalition Government in just three years. On March 15th, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Venkatachalam Mahalingam unveiled the site for the Indian Arrival monument at Palmyra Village. The structure to be built was supposed to display six bronze figures of three men, two women and a child illustrating Indians in their daily lives. However, from the inception the construction of this monument was shrouded in
secrecy, even the RDC was not given the bills of quantities or were informed about the name of the contractor so that the Region could be an oversight body during the construction. In addition, it was long after the collapse that it was then revealed that the eventual contractor was not the lowest bidder. T his also tells the nature of the award itself.It must also be recalled that the designers had warned the contractor that the base of the monument was built too high and that it could not accommodate the plans and designs and the placement of the figures among other things. Their warnings went unheeded. After the collapse of the unfinished monument, an engineer confirmed that the
contractor did substandard work. He said that, ‘They were backfilling the inside of the building, but they did not tie the structure to avoid what happened. The concrete is still not yet fully cured and they should have used steel to tie the walls from the insides to keep the structure in place. The other option would have been to secure it from the outside.’ Even workers on site had complained that they were not being paid and that they hardly saw the contractor. This alone would suggest gross negligence by the contractor. It is alleged that some of these workers are still to be paid.But what has become of this contractor? Was he blacklisted? Was he paid for (Continued on page 6)
Kitty Public Road roundabout alternative DEAR EDITOR, Thanks for sharing the proposed roundabout at Kitty Public Road in your publication. I wonder if a traffic analysis was done to determine the efficiency of this two-lane roundabout as compared to the existing maneuvers from traffic lights. I am not a roundabout expert, but at face value there are some poor design considerations. Firstly, I do not think a two-lane roundabout is the better geometric option, considering the existing roadway alignments. A two-lane roundabout would require a greater length for weaving traffic and sight distances, and hence the need for a large diameter central island for higher operating speeds. Weaving means traffic trying to change lanes. My suggestion would be to restrict users to a single lane around the roundabout. By
having a one-lane circle, it is much easier for other users to enter and exit the circle at higher speeds. Secondly, the roundabout is not pedestrian-friendly; in the long term, pedestrian crossing lights may be required. Thirdly, a driver on the seawall road trying to enter the roundabout will have to look far backwards in order to proceed into the circle. That is a poor design consideration. As much as possible,
the designer should allow the pedestrians and the drivers to see the traffic at a right angle. Fourthly, I would suggest cutting out the left turn to go to the seawall from the roundabout. Traffic roundabouts with too many maneuvers are a recipe for accidents and loss of efficiency. Finally, I would like to share with your readers a preliminary roundabout design for the same location that may be helpful. Ralph Seegobin, PE.
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I support the call for a separate Ministry of Labour DEAR EDITOR, I support the May Day call by Mr. Lincoln Lewis for a separate Ministry of Labour, as was the case under the previous PPP/C administration. Labour is far too important to be subsumed under the rubric of a Department of a Ministry. It is the source of creation of all wealth. Workers are therefore entitled to a full Ministry to guard against the excesses of capital, be they private or public. People, and their labour, should not
be treated simply as another factor of production but, more importantly the sole reason for the creation of all wealth. According to economic theory, there is a natural tendency for capital to exploit labour and there is therefore a need for governments, in particular those that profess to be labour-oriented, to put in place strong mechanisms both at the legislative and executive levels to protect labour. It does not follow that the
creation of a new labour ministry necessarily entails adding to an already bloated ministerial bureaucracy. Several ministries, in particular the newly-created ones, can be integrated in the work of the more established Ministries. By reducing labour to departmental status, the administration is in effect making a statement that labour is of secondary importance and that profits are more important than people. Hydar Ally
A stark reminder of what ... From page 6 the substandard work? This contractor continues to get contracts by the
Government,and at the RDC Statutory meeting last Thursday, it was revealed by the Vice Chairman that the con-
tractor was already paid $80 million for the collapsed structure! The total contract sum was $97 million. It is an insult to one’s sensibilities that 82% of the contract sum would have been gifted to this contractor when a casual inspection by any engineer would have unearthed the grossly substandard work that was being done. Who certified the work at various stages to facilitate payments to this errant contractor? However, this collapsed monument probably was foretelling what lay ahead, since we saw the descendants of these Indentured servants being treated with such rancor and disdain by this Government to the extent that their livelihoods are at stake, their children are starving and cannot afford the basic necessities of life while those in Government are enjoying the ‘good life’. On this day, there is need to do serious introspection as to where we go as a nation, when there no longer exists equal emp l o y m e n t o pportunities and corruption is engulfing every facet of our lives. Our leaders must respect our people and give some relevance and credence to our motto: One People, One Nation, One Destiny. Guyana belongs to all of us! Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf RDC Councilor Region 6
Saturday May 05, 2018
A travesty of justice From page 4 US$200,000 as a downpayment and was given until 1993 to pay the rest at 6 percent interest, at a time when the market rate for interest on industrial loans and credit ranged from 35 percent to 40 percent. Workers at the company had actually made a bid for the entity since 1989. Their bid on May 10, 1989 was US1.0 million, but after some hesitancy on the part of the government, they increased their offer to US$1.2 million. This sum was equivalent to G$150.2 million in 1991, as compared to Giddings’ offer which was equivalent to G$142.6 million. Naturally, the workers were very peeved over this sale since their offer involved a down-payment of US$404,000 at the signing of the agreement and US$808,000 in two equal annual instalments. Interestingly, another bidder was a Caricom paint company, McEnearney Alstons Group, which offered US$1.5, with the group owning 51 percent of the equity, government 24 percent and the workers 25 percent. It should be noted that the down-payment of US$200,000 by Giddings was less than the net value of the stock, outstanding debts owed to the company and other prepayments minus payments to creditors, which meant that the government of Guyana, in real terms, actually financed the purchase of the company by the new owner! 4.GRMMA complexes The GRMMA complexes at Black Bush Polder and Corriverton were sold off in August 1991 to the foreign firm, Curacao Investment Trust Company Ltd., for US$3.8 million. But these companies were valued at US$14.9 million. The same firm had earlier bought other GRMMA complexes at Ruimzigt and Wakenaam for US$2.5 million. The value of both complexes, complete with installations and fertile lands, was US$8.5 million. At Anna Regina, the GRMMA complex, valued at US$14.2 million, was sold to a
St Vincent firm for US$4.2 million and was renamed “Caricom Rice Mills Ltd.” The sale of these complexes raised much concern among local investors. The problem was not only the sale price, but also the fact that local investors who made higher bids for the entities were ignored. No reasons were given for the rejection of their higher bids. 5. G u y a n a Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n Corporation The Guyana Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Corporation (GTC), which was a profit-making business and net foreign exchange earner, was sold off in late 1990 to Atlantic Tele-Network (ATN), based in the US Virgin Islands for US$16.5 million. The GTC was at the time suffering from bad management, but at the time of sale, it had some G$400 million in bank “liquidity” and outstanding sums due and payable to it, and was earning a net figure of about US$2 million to US$4 million annually. Based on the sales agreement, ATN acquired 80 percent of the enterprise, with the government retaining the remaining 20 percent. There was much local criticism of the government for disposing of the company for such a low price, and the PPP expressed the view that at least 20 percent of the entity should have been offered to the Guyanese private sector. The new privatized entity, under the name Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Compan y Ltd. (GT&T), began operations in January 1991. When the PPP assumed Government in 1992, the IMF programme was still in place. However, in contrast to the PNC approach, one of the first things that the Cheddi Jagan Administration did was to lay in t h e N a t i o n a l Assembly, a White Paper that comprehensively set out the principles by which the Government will be guided, in relation to disposal of state assets. Primary among those guidelines was that the assets were to be disposed of by a privatisation unit and the Government owned and
controlled NICIL, and the mechanism for disposal was a transparent public bidding and tendering process. This White Paper was unanimously approved in the National Assembly. Significantly, the combined composition of the privatisation unit and the NICIL board consisted of a partnership between representatives of the Government and representatives of the labour movement, the private sector, the Parliamentary Opposition and the consumer organisations. Finally, every sale was to receive the imprimatur of Cabinet. The PPP also reintroduced the scrutiny of the Auditor General, who enjoyed an unhindered mandate, to audit these sales and transmit the audit report to the National Assembly for it to be examined by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), chaired by an Opposition Member of Parliament (MP). Audited Financial Statements of NICIL were also laid annually by the Minister of Finance in the National Assembly. Additionally, periodic publications of the details of these sales, including a description of the properties, the purchase prices, the purchasers and the dates of the public tender/ advertisements were done and disseminated to the press and the public and laid in the National Assembly. The three transactions, which formed the subject of the criminal charges filed against Singh and Brassington, largely, complied with the aforementioned procedures. There is no allegation of dishonesty in the charges because there is no evidence of the same. Certainly, the properties were sold at prices determined by market forces. In short, these men are charged for simply discharging the functions of their office and executing the directions of their superiors. Had they not done so, they would have been liable to be dismissed and perhaps liable to be charged for Misconduct in Public Office. The charges are therefore, at best, a travesty o f j ustice and at worst, nonsensical. The Director of Public Prosecutions’ refusal, thus far, to terminate these charges, remains one of the crudest abdications of the constitutional responsibilities of that office, in recent times. Mohabir Anil Nandlall, MP Attorney-at-Law
In a highly unusual move, the state-owned Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) has been fined by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for failing to provide an improved service and meeting targets.According to the regulator, the fine is equivalent to five percent of the total value of the dividends that would have been due to the shareholders (Government of Guyana) for the year 2017. It would be the first time in years that the regulator has made known such a penalty. In its decision dated April 25, 2018, and made public yesterday, PUC disclosed that the decision emanated from a review of GPL’s Operating Standards and Performance Targets (OSPT) for 2017. GPL has been facing tough criticisms over the years with aging infrastructure, and infrastructure and timely investments unable to keep up with growing power demands.As a result, the company has been battling total system shutdowns in especially the integrated Berbice and Demerara systems. GPL has hired experienced Jamaican utility executive, Albert Gordon, as its Chief to turn things around. According to the PUC, in its previous order, it cautioned that it was not appropriate to make any award of a monetary penalty on the company. It was made clear then that PUC expected GPL to make a concerted effort to fulfill its mandate to provide a safe service at reasonable price to consumers. “Unfortunately, our expectations of an improved service did not materialize. The Commission, in fulfillment of its obligations and having considered the
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Officials of the PUC during a recent hearing. extent to which the company has failed to meet the OSPT, together with the impact on the Licensees’ consumers, hereby fines the company in the amount of 5% of the total value of the dividend payable to the company’s shareholders in the just concluded calendar year.” The Commission warned that it will continue to monitor the operation of GPL and it will demand a reporting on its “standards as the Commission deems fit”. PUC is charged with overseeing not only the operations of GPL, but other monopolies including Digicel, the Guyana and Telegraph Company and the Guyana Water Inc.Sitting on the PUC as Chairperson is Dela Britton with the other Commissioners being Maurice Solomon and Rajendra Bissessar. The Secretary/Legal Officer is Vidiahar Persaud while Moorsalene Sankar is the Financial Analyst 1. PUC explained that the licence granted to GPL was amended on October 4th, 2010 which made provision for GPL to submit with effect from 2011 its OSPT on a one and five-year basis. Among other things, GPL has to report to the PUC on its Customer Interruptions, Voltage Regulation, Meter Reading, Issuance of Bills,
System Losses and energy availability. GPL also has to report on how well it is doing with its collections. PUC made it clear that failures to meet standards, could see the commission using its powers to impose a monetary penalty on the company in an amount not to exceed 25 percent of the total value of the dividends payable to the company’s shareholder(s) in the calendar year under consideration. It was explained that on March 27, last, the Commission held a public hearing at Cara Lodge, Quamina Street, Georgetown. Off Target Concerning customer interruptions, it is the intent to limit the average number of outages a consumer would have experienced during the year to no more than 75. However, the average number of outages experienced by a consumer for 2017 was 128. GPL blamed the problems on a shortfall of generation because of a failed alternator on one of the 6.9 megawatt sets. It was noted also that the reserve capacity of the company is not significant. GPL has also been set targets to limit the amount of hours that customers would have experienced outages.
While that target was 85 hours for last year, GPL recorded just over 133 hours. Again, the blame was largely on the shortfall of generation. GPL was also not able to meet targets on voltage regulations.With regards to meter reading, the power company was required last year to read 97% of the commercial consumers and 90 percent of the residential customers. For the former, only 91 percent of the large customers were read, while 88 percent was recorded for residential customers. Location of meters and access were said to be two of the biggest problems. However, GPL managed to send bills promptly to customers. It met this target. With regards to paying creditors, it seemed that GPL made no jokes. It was able to settle with creditors in the 26 days it set as a target.
GPL reported that though it did not do the 30 days set for collections of monies, it managed 35, an improvement over the previous year. Town Council and NDCs owedLate payments from the Neighborhood Democratic Councils with respect to street lighting, the Municipality of the Mayor and City Council and Guyana Water Incorporated posed challenges too. With regards to systems losses, GPL had been set a target of 27.6 percent of the total power produced. However, for 2017, the system losses were 29.60 percent of dispatched power. The explanations offered by the company for not meeting the target were a shortage of essential materials and meters. For 2016, GPL was required to achieve an average availability of 80%.
The company reported that average availability w as 78.24%.GPL claimed that the unexpected failure of a number of generation sets were responsible for the standard not being met. The regulator in its statement yesterday stressed that the performance of the company with respect to interruptions and the length of time consumers experienced those, deteriorated over the years. “In reviewing the performance of this standard, the Commission believes that it was foreseeable that there would have been the consequential generation shortfall and that the company should have made adequate provision to mitigate this,” the regulator said. With regards to not meeting targets of reading meters of commercial customers, PUC noted that the company’s failure to meet the standard and the reasons given for the failure were noted.“GPL has been consistently not achieving this standard, notwithstanding the fact that the total number of this class of consumers is very small.” PUC pointed out that meters are integral in the provision of a service to consumers and it is difficult to envisage that such a situation was allowed to (Continued on page 22)
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GAWU points to sugar woes and declining economic growth in IMF meeting The state of the sugar industry and the declining economic growth rate dominated the discussions held between the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday. The Union made this known in a statement it issued to the media fraternity yesterday. GAWU said that the crucial meeting which was held at its Kingston Head Office was in keeping with the Fund’s annual Article IV exercise where it assesses the country’s economic situation after hearing from the Government and other stakeholders. GAWU noted that the IMF was keen to hear about its views on the developments in
the sugar industry. The Union said, “We shared with them, the sad situation that is now playing out in many villages as thousands of workers have been put on the breadline following the closure of four sugar estates during the last two years. “We lamented that the decisions to minimize the sugar industry was taken without any study to really assess the ramifications.” GAWU told the IMF that had such an examination been properly conducted, and more so sincerely pursued, then the Government could have very well avoided the harshness of the situation today.The Union also used the opportunity to share its
concerns about the economy. It highlighted that Guyana had a 2.1 per cent growth rate in 2017 as against the IMF’s expected growth rate of 3.5 percent. GAWU said that the significant gap between the two figures was indeed worrying. The Union noted that the IMF team explained that some sectors of the economy fell below expectations hence the less than anticipated economic growth.GAWU said that it considered the engagement with the IMF to be fruitful. “Our frank discussions, we believe, helped the team to have a better understanding of workers’ concerns and the situation in the sugar industry,” the Union concluded.
Public investment should be done gradually- IMF The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has advised the Government of Guyana to be prudent in any attempt to increase public investment. This recommendation was made in a November 2017 report that the IMF handed to the government. The report details the findings of an IMF team that perused the Power Sharing Agreement Guyana signed with ExxonMobil in 2016.
The same team also evaluated government’s preparation for first oil and the government’s intentions for the handling of oil revenues. The team noted government’s stated policy intention to use part of the oil revenue to scale up investment. IMF said that given this intention, government needs to strengthen public investment management capacity. “This includes project appraisal and selection, implementation,
procurement, and monitoring and evaluation.” IMF said, too, that there is also a need to identify constraints, whether in the private or public sector, that will limit the ability to effectively implement public investment projects. Further, the mission noted, “Concerns about absorption capacity suggest that any scaling-up of public investment should only be done in a gradual manner.”
Saturday May 05, 2018
Sufficient evidence against couple allegedly busted with ganja in gas bottles
C
ustoms Anti Narcotic Unit ( C A N U ) , Prosecutor Konyo Sandiford, yesterday closed her case against Malika Softleigh and her husband, Colin Denny, who are accused of trafficking over 120 pounds of marijuana in gas cylinders. The prosecutor is contending that there is sufficient evidence against the duo for them to be convicted of the offence by the court. Denny 37, a baker and Softleigh, 35, a housewife, both of Charles and Howes Streets, Charlestown,Georgetown have denied the charge which alleged that between November 14, 2017 and November 15, 2017 at Lot 6 Tucville Terrace, Georgetown, they trafficked 57.9 kilograms of marijuana. They were released on $400,000 bail each. Appearing for them is Attorney-at-law James Bond. On November 15, 2017, CANU ranks acting on information went to house at the aforementioned address where they found three 100pound gas cylinders. Reports indicate that the cylinders were purchased by Softleigh and sent to Berbice and returned to Georgetown at the Tucville, Georgetown home of Softleigh’s cousin. It was there that the cylinders were cut open and mud was found stuffed into the bottom along with black plastic. When the plastics were removed several parcels of transparent packages containing leaves, seeds and stems were discovered. As a result, all the occupants in the home at the time were arrested.
Colin Denny
Malika Softleigh
Yesterday, Sandiford was forced to close the case for the prosecution after two witnesses failed to show up despite summons and messages being sent for them. Thereafter, both Softleigh and Denny said that the police case against them is weak. They both said that they were not present when the gas cylinders were found. During his contentions in a no-case submission, Bond said that there is no way, shape or form that his clients can be called on to lead a defence since the evidence produced by the prosecution is tenuous. According to Bond, there is no evidence, “not even circumstantial evidence” to support that his clients were in possession of a narcotic substance for the purpose of trafficking. Bond disclosed that the prosecution’s evidence points to one Elizabeth Softleigh having control of the gas cylinders, which were later found to have contained marijuana.On the other hand, Sandiford contended that a prima facie case was made out
against the duo for trafficking a narcotic. The prosecutor said that the state has no need to prove that Softleigh and Denny had possession of the narcotics but rather the state has to prove that they intended to traffic it. She went on to explain that according to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, trafficking constitutes the manufacturing, exportation, distribution, sale, transportation… of narcotics. The prosecutor added that the intention of the defendants to traffic the illegal drugs was supported by the evidence of Elizabeth, who in her testimony, told the court that the gas bottles were brought to her home. Sandiford said that in separate caution statements to the police, Denny and Softleigh admitted that they saw the gas cylinders at Elizabeth’s home prior to them being confiscated by CANU ranks. This trial continues before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman on Monday when Denny and Softleigh will call witnesses in their defence.
Saturday May 05, 2018
Kaieteur News
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GPL slapped with ... From page 7 continue for such an inordinate period of time. “The impact, if any, on
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Office clerk Senior/Junior CXC English/Mathematics, Computer knowledge an asset, Call: 223-7500 If you need a job or training, we can help www.jobfairworldwide.com Call: 233-6997, 622-1957 Labourer/Porter to work in Georgetown. Call: 618-2020 Experienced painter. Apply in person at Alabama Trading, Georgetown Ferry Stelling, Stabroek. Workshop Driver, Operation supervisor, Registered Car/ Van license. Call: 227-1717 Drivers & Customer service attendants. Applications can be sent to Beacon Cafe. Call: 225-9409 for more information
consumers and on the company, may be negligible however, the Commission is of the view that the company should take pride in its performance and to ensure at a minimum it achieves this standard in 2018.” PUC blasted the power company over the high levels of system losses, expressing disappointing that the standards were not met. One percent is equivalent to about $200M, which meant that consumers were saddled with this cost. “From the inception of GPL in October 1999 to the end of 2017, the cost of system losses to the company and by extension to the consumers was more than US$400 million,” PUC disclosed. Relative to the size of the economy this is a significant figure with the overall cost being an impairment to the lives of its citizens. “This is contrary to the mandate of the utility, which is part of its fabric in the promotion of human development to the nation, by providing a quality service at an affordable price. To not achieve this standard, reflects adversely on the company’s endeavours.”
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Today, we at Kaieteur News join the nation to celebrate Arrival Day as we do so, we pray that we all [the races of our nation] continue to strive to embrace our motto of ‘One People, One Nation and One Destiny’ as we move forward as a unified nation.
INDIAN ACTION COMMITTEE
The Indian Action Committee (IAC) wishes all Guyanese a Happy Arrival Day, and, especially, calls upon all citizens to remember the 180th Anniversary of the Arrival of East Indians to Guyana. The IAC, an organization, which promotes and preserves Indian culture and deals with the issues and concerns of persons of IndoGuyanese origin, over the years has provided Guyanese with historical information regarding the arrival of just over 239,000 Indian immigrants who came to this country aboard 245 Coolie Ships which made a total of 534 voyages across the Kaalaa Paanii between 1838 and 1917. The IAC also has clarified and corrected statistical errors pertaining to the arrival of the first two Coolie Ships, the WHITBY and the HESPERUS, which between them landed a total of 423 persons including 382 indentured males, 14 indentured females, 21 children and 6 Christian Anglo- Indian interpreter/ superintendents. The IAC, as the organization has done over the years continues to recognize the endeavours by these Indian immigrants and their descendants, the persons of Indo-Guyanese origin, to develop this country. The IAC, which has recognized important
contributions by giving awards to persons from Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo, is aware that tens of thousands of East Indians have made valuable efforts in all fields of human activity in this country including business and commerce, banking and finance, the sugar and rice industries, coconuts and other crops, fishery and livestock, mining and quarrying, forestry and sawmilling, education and academia, medicine and law, journalism and communications, accounting and insurance, private and national security, the hospitality and aviation sectors, the alcohol and beverage industries, sport and entertainment, culture and religion, and politics, and governance. As all Guyanese share in this commemoration, the IAC is cognizant of the sharp downturn in Guyana’s economy over the past few years, evidence being the steadily declining economic growth rate and the worrying fact that the country’s Foreign Currency reserves have dropped below US$500 million for the first time since 2009, and in combination with global economic events, hardships have fallen upon the poor class of Guyanese especially those dislocated in the sugar industry and those currently threatened by the planned downsizing of part of the bauxite industry. The IAC is saddened by
the surge in criminal activity in recent years and is shocked and horrified, that on the eve of this significant commemoration, in excess of a dozen Guyanese fishermen have been brutally murdered by pirates, believed to be other Guyanese fishermen. The IAC is nauseated by the egregio u s s e d i t i o n clause that was included in the proposed Cyber Crime Bill and calls upon all Guyanese to oppose this deliberate act to deny the citizens of this country, including those of IndoGuyanese origin; the democratic right to freely express themselves without fear since it runs contrary to international norms and violates our supreme law, the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. Today, when the IAC looks back, the organization is amazed how those groups of seemingly helpless Indians, many of whom were illiterate, speaking in different tongues, following different customs, b e l o n g i n g t o different religions, belonging to different castes, over the generations, managed to fuse together while seamlessly merging into the wider environment to become the strong pillar of Guyana, a young nation born out of sweat and toil, along with similar endeavours of the other ethnic groups that comprise this nation. A Happy Arrival Day to all!
PEOPLE’S PROGRESSIVE PARTY The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) takes this opportunity to extend greetings to all Guyanese on the occasion of Arrival Day, observed on May 5. It is a day of much significance and one that has been designated to commemorate the arrival of all Guyanese ancestors who came to our nation’s shores at various points of our history. Arrival Day also affords us the opportunity to be imbued with a tremendous sense of pride and reflect on the selfless and invaluable contributions our ancestors and their descendants made to the development of our nation. Their untold sacrifices and resoluteness, which must not be allowed to be
forgotten, led to the building of a str o n g n a t i o n a n d improved standards of living for future generations. The determined efforts of our ancestors, despite the hardships they faced, to remain steadfast and to preserve their cultural traditions have led to the c r e a t i o n o f a r i ch and colourful mosaic, which is our multi-ethnic, multireligious and multi-cultural Guyana. This diversity has become our hallmark. As we all observe this day and to pay homage to our ancestors, who braved dark seas during their arduous journey, our Party urges reflection of their valiant efforts so that we can all continue to be inspired and be better able to contextualize
the value of our gains. Inspired by the sacrifices and achievements of our ancestors, we must remain determined to build upon the gains that have been made to: ensure that our c ountry remains a place for all of it sons and daughters; to safeguard our hard won freedoms; to ensure that peace is not compromised; and to ensure that the safety of our people is paramount. Our Party would also like to commend all those who have worked steadfastly over the years and those who continue to do so in the promotion of activities designed to foster greater awareness and preserve our history, values and cultural traditions. Happy Arrival Day to all!
Minister Of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton Today, we celebrate the true essence of our nation – our ancestors and their arrival to these shores. Guyana is a product of six peoples – Our First Peoples, the Amerindians, along with the Europeans, Africans, Portuguese, Chinese and East Indians. Together, they birthed a culturally distinct nation, and as we bask in the glory of all that we are as a people, it is important that we honour our ancestors, who transformed a land that witnessed their blood, sweat and tears, into a place that each of us can now find solace. I believe that even before we attempted to become ‘One People’ of ‘One Nation’, we were all following ‘One destiny’. It seems more than a mere coincidence that six very different peoples, with their own cultures, traditions and beliefs could be so neatly amalgamated to create one single identity – that of the Guyanese. I describe it as sheer brilliance, perhaps orchestrated by a divine force. Arrival of the East Indians May 5 calls for double celebration, as it marks the 180th anniversary since the arrival of the first batch of Indian Immigrants. They came as Indentured labourers in 1838, on two
ships – S.S. Whitby and the Hesperus. Between the years 1838 and 1917, a total of 240,000 Indians arrived. They weathered the cruelties of indentureship, and when that system ended more than a century ago, approximately 70 percent of the Indian Immigrants who came, chose to persevere and make Guyana their home. Today, their descendants account for approximately 40% of the country’s population, and have made invaluable contributions to the growth of every facet of this nation – academically, politically, culturally, etc. The Indian culture is an integral part of Guyana’s vibrant identity – from the foods and clothing to the religions and holidays. Guyanese of Indian origins have been successful in keeping their traditions and practices alive, while remaining respectful of those of their brothers and sisters of different ancestry. On this occasion of Arrival Day, let us all pledge to intensify our roles in building this nation. Our ancestors did that for us, and we now, owe it to those who may come after. Let us unite to build our country. Happy Arrival Day Guyana!
GUYANA AGRICULTURAL AND GENERAL WORKERS UNION As our country once again observes Arrival Day, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) takes the opportunity to extend greetings and best wishes to the people of Guyana. The observances always serve to remind us of the rich diversity and the unique multi-cultural composition of our nation. Indeed, it adds to the specialness of Guyana that people of different backgrounds can co-exist in harmony and unity as they all seek to improve their lives, a goal linked to building our country, which will surely augur well for the future generations. While Arrival Day – May 5 – though largely associated with the arrival of East Indians, the day reminds us of all indentured immigrants
brought to our land. Our research advises us that outside of the East Indians, the Madeiran Portuguese came in May 1835, the Chinese in 1853, as well as a few other ethnicities during that phase of colonialism. We are aware that the colonialists brought also labourers from Malta, Ireland, Germany and England. Arrival Day also reminds us of the reasons for the indentureship system. The then immigrants who replaced the emancipated slaves were made to toil in the fields of the sugar plantations to enrich the foreign owners of the plantations. Indentured labourers and their families were forced to exist in inhumane and atrocious conditions. And, like their compatriots, they were forced to engage in
several struggles, which gave us several martyrs, in order to bring about small improvements and meagre benefits in their lives and work conditions. Today, as we celebrate Arrival Day, the GAWU cannot fail to observe that the industry that cushioned our diversity is under severe threat. We are disheartened to note that the sugar industry, a large source of sustenance for thousands of Guyanese, has been minimized. For the workers and their families, the cane farmers, the shop owners, the market vendors, the bus drivers and others, the Sword of Damocles hangs over their heads as they are thrown into a state of great uncertainty and anxiety as the Administration, without (Continued on page 24)
PEOPLE’S NATIONAL CONGRESS REFORM The People’s National Congress Reform joins all likeminded groups, here at home and in the Diaspora, in celebrating the 180 th Anniversary of the arrival of East Indians in Guyana. This occasion offers the opportunity for the nation as a whole to recognise the important role that our East Indian ancestors and fellow compatriots have played in the development of Guyana. The Party also believes
that this is also an opportunity for the nation to understand that we all share a common destiny and that racial harmony, tolerance and understanding are essential to the further and overall development of this country. The development of Guyana can no longer be deferred; it is, therefore, essential that all stakeholders, especially political parties, and all relevant social groups and organisations make a firm
commitment to exercise honesty, maturity and good judgment in order that this nation can put an end to racism, which has often stymied the development of our society and nation. The PNCR, therefore, calls on all our citizens to reflect on the significance of this occasion and to take to heart the lesson that racial harmony and understanding are the keys to our survival and long-term development.
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Oil & Gas sector… Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Baroness Patricia Scotland, has recognized Guyana’s plea for assistance to establish a robust system before commercial oil production in 2020. Baroness Scotland, who is in Guyana for the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) workshop for regional judicial officers, addressed a Press Conference yesterday at NCN studios. “The government and the people of Guyana have been asking for assistance in terms of how we structure the new development so that it is in place before the money comes, the sort of guidelines and mechanisms which will make it very difficult for corrupt practices to grow and they will be building a resilient system and if we can, I know that Guyana wants to
Commonwealth recognizes Guyana’s push for system to fight corruption
From L-R: The Commonwealth’s Legal Advisor, Shadrach Haruna; Secretary General of The Commonwealth, Baroness Patricia Scotland; and The Commonwealth’s head of Countering Violent Extremism Unit, Mark Albon. have the most robust system in the world that it can deliver,” Baroness Scotland explained. The former United Kingdom Attorney General stated that the Secretariat is
very determined to be right alongside to make sure Guyana shines. She noted that assistance will be based on available finances, disclosing that the Secretariat is fac-
Legislation being considered... From page 17 excellent. That paper came out a week ago and it has been highlighted in the journal,” said Dr. Jindal. But according to him, “The buzz word in global surgery or global health is sustainability...” Dr. Jindal, moreover, explained that the Foundation has gracefully completed its task to train the local surgeons to undertake needed work and the time is now right for Guyana to become independent. He shared his belief that Guyana is positioned to become the hub for the entire Caricom when it comes to corneal transplant. “So if you have a viable eye bank then you can get as many corneas as possible,” said Dr. Jindal as he added, “we have been lobbying for a while for a law to be passed for there to be leg-
Saturday May 05, 2018
islative action by which the local physicians and surgeons can harvest the corneas and store them.” Unlike other organs of the body, Dr. Jindal said that corneas suitable for transplant can be harvested 24 hours after an individual dies. This therefore means that corneas can even be harvested while a body is stored in a mortuary. “This is unlike the kidneys [and other organs] that have to be transplanted from a living person...although that is easier it still requires legislative action,” underscored Dr. Jindal.He revealed too that Guyana through the GPHC, with Dr. Kishore Persaud in the lead with support from the Foundation, has also been doing outstanding work in the area of kidney transplant as well. “It is likely that Guyana
will become the hub for kidney transplant as well [for the Caribbean]...I can imagine George [Subraj] looking down and encouraging us and clapping his hands,” said Dr. Jindal as he reflected on the work started by founder of the Foundation, the now departed, George Subraj. Subraj, a Guyanese by birth, living in the United States, was regarded a philanthropist with a focus on lending support to his home land particularly in the areas of health and education. Since his demise, his family members have continued to keep his vision going. Among the members of the visiting team in addition to Dr. Jindal are Subraj's son Tony Subraj; Dr. Stephen Guy; Sharon Ann, Terren Orr, Mahindro 'Jay' Jainarine and Mr. Richard Mahase.
ing budget cuts. The Commonwealth’s Legal Advisor, Shadrach Haruna, noted that any economy is prone to corruption and bribery especially when natural resources are involved. “Countries where you have natural resources are always a problem with the management of such resources. What we have done actually is to see how we can assist the country develop very good procurement guidelines which also come from issues of Anti-Money Laundering/ Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT),” Haruna stated. He explained that it is criti-
cal to develop very robust procurement guidelines to assist with the procurement as well as the tendering procedures to ensure that there is transparency in tendering and the procurement of resources.“What we have been doing is also training prosecutors, investigators and the procurement officers to prevent instances of corruption and where it happens how to respond to it,” Haruna noted.Baroness Scotland noted that it absolutely critical that in going forward that members make sure that the systems are as robust as they can make them. Every jurisdiction is being challenged, according to her and the fire-
power needed to build some of the ammunition to fight crime and corruption is not present in the smaller countries of the Commonwealth. “What we are trying to do is to pool that knowledge so that all of us have a similar opportunity to engage in this fight because what the criminals do is they know no boundaries. They have a great conspiracy, which is international and multinational. What we are trying to do is build a conspiracy of our own, but this time it is going to be a conspiracy of the just so we can fight them back better,” Baroness Scotland noted. Notwithstanding the discovery of oil, the Commonwealth has been working with Guyana to ensure the fulfillment of a green state while meeting commitments to Paris climate change accord. “We do have an opportunity now to work together on this regenerative model of development. To try and take advantage of the oil and gas that’s there, but in a very sustainable way; not to do violence to our land and our oceans, but to be responsive and responsible. And it is a challenge, but I think the Government here in Guyana has made it clear that they wish to do that in a way that will be helpful,” Baroness Scotland stated.
GUYANA AGRICULTURAL AND ... From page 23 remorse, closed the doors of several estates. It is disturbing that, at this time that their heirs of the labourers along with other fellow workers are forced to contend with harrowing circumstances arising from closure. It is especially disturbing for the Union that such thoughts are entertained especially when they are unnecessary. Sugar, we reiterate, has all possibilities of success but among other things, requires the active and material support and confidence of the powers-that-
be.As we celebrate Arrival Day, the GAWU urges all Guyanese to spare a moment to reflect on how far as a people we have come, the challenges we overcame, and the successes we have recorded. At this time, when we ought to be looking to reach new and higher plateaus, we see concerted efforts that will very likely reverse much of the progress that we have made and rightly can take pride in. Let us resist such efforts and get back on the development track. GAWU joins with all Guyana to celebrate Arrival Day.
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Saturday May 05, 2018
Survivor tells harrowing tale of staying awake two days in Atlantic Ocean By Staff Writer “I had to swim for two days to reach land and I almost gave up hope. I really do not know where the other men are.” Words from Sherwyn Lovell, one of the 16 fishermen who had been missing since Friday, after pirate attacks on four fishing boats. The 42-year-old Guyanese man who became emotional from time to time while being interviewed by Surinamese media personnel has the scars to show from the harrowing experience. Lovell suffered injuries to both arms and his left leg. He also had burns to his back, that he said, was a result of having hot oil thrown on him. When asked what plans he had, for work in the future, he said, “Fishing work? Me ain’t doing back fishing work.” Such was the impact of the experience he had, which has him fearing for his life. Lovell explained what transpired after the pirates boarded their vessel. The pirates had them unloading the catch onto the pirates’ boat. Even though the turbulence of the high seas created difficulties in the transfer, the pirates warned them against having fish dropping into the sea. “Don’t mek no fish go overboard, cause them snapper is gold. We gon chop out
- took chance, jumped overboard after seeing crewmember beaten Lovell when rescued.
Ralph ‘Burnham’ Couchman (you) neck”. Lovell claims his crewmember and friend, Ralph ‘Burnham’ Couchman, made a mistake and dropped a fish overboard. He was severely beaten by the pirates with a cutlass. Lovell was overwhelmed with emotions while telling the story of what happened to Burnham. He claimed that, at one time when he made an attempt to emerge from the ice box to see what led to the cries of his crewmembers, he was broadsided to his forehead. He had a scar to prove his story.Lovell didn’t want to die
there, so he made a decision to jump overboard. “I say to meself well me ain’t deading hay. If y’all fuh kill me, y’all could kill me overboard.” Lovell kept himself afloat and depended on the tide to carry him ashore. It was two days before he had his first glimpse of hope. The horrors didn’t end there, Lovell told of how he took almost a day on the seashore to recover, since the area where he landed, was a bushy area, and no immediate help was in sight. Sometime later, a boat passed and he beckoned for
help. He asked for a call, but the phone credit ran out. He then walked along the shores for a few more miles, while being eaten alive by sand flies and mosquitoes. His only relief came from dipping into the sea from time to time.
He got a second phone call through another passerby. He called the police and told them to send a chopper. He waited for quite some time before two boats came. The chopper passed a few times overhead.
Survivor: Sherwyn Lovell
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GSCL Inc., Ink Plus, Crown Mining Enterprise, Elegance Jewellery Softball
Fishermen beat Wellman by one run, RR Sport triumph
Persistent rain fall prevented any play at the Jai Hind Cricket Ground, Berbice on Sunday last in the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc. (GSCL), Ink Plus, Crown Mining Enterprise and Elegance Jewellery sponsored Softball tournament. Albion Masters, Success Masters and Albion were scheduled to battle at that venue. However, play went ahead as scheduled at the Malteenoes Sports Club in the Masters (Over-40) category on Sunday when Wellman lost to RR Masters by two wickets in a close encounter then on Tuesday they went down to Fishermen Masters by a single run. On Sunday, Wellman batted first and reached 129-6 from their 20 overs. Jagdesh
Ejaz Mohamed Persaud top scored with 39 and got support from Greg De Franca 30 and Lloyd Ruplall 20; Raymond Harper and Rudolph Johnson picked up two wickets each. Ejaz Mohamed then lashed
11 sixes and two fours in an unbeaten 93 that saw RR Masters to 135-8 from 19.4 overs. Latchman Kallicharran claimed 2-16. On Labour Day and at the said venue, Troy Ramsaywack slammed 69 and got support from B. Persaud 28 and Unnis Yusuf 24 in leading Fishermen Masters to 161-7 from their 20 overs. Greg De Franca took 2-14 and Wayne Jones 2-20. Wellman in response came woefully close as they were restricted to 160-6 from 20 overs. Jagdesh Persaud scored 31, Basil Persaud 27 and Nandram Samlall 19, Zameer Hassan snared 3-26. Entrance to the competition which is free has seen some of the top teams in the country participating.
Saturday May 05, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Pivotal career matters may need to be thought through today, Aries. A lot could be at stake at work in the very near future. Whatever tasks you need to tend to could require a lot of effort TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Today you might find that a long-term dream finally comes true. Perhaps a trip that you've fantasized about for a long time finally shows promise of actually happening, Taurus. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Some strange and rather gloomy dreams could come your way tonight, Gemini. They could, if you let them, catapult you into a rather depressed mood CANCER (June 21–July 22) A lack of communication with an unhappy family member could have you feeling a little downhearted, Cancer. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) The promise of a promotion or raise could be on your mind today, Leo. You might try to visualize the next steps and anticipate tasks that take more effort VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You might decide to spend a large part of the day working on a project that requires a lot of mental energy. Plans to spend some time with either a close friend or lover might not turn out to be quite what you'd hoped, Virgo.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) A gloomy guest could arrive today, Libra, and likely need some cheering up. Do the best you can, but don't try to do it by cooking a meal. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Some rather depressing information could come your way, Scorpio, but don't take it at face value. It might not be as bad as it seems. Check the facts before making yourself crazy. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Gloom over money matters might catch up with you at some point today, Sagittarius. However, there's nothing really major to worry about. Financially, your business affairs should be going well CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Today you might find yourself feeling a little low, Capricorn, but it doesn't seem as if there's any real reason for it. You may just have had a bad night and need some extra sleep. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Old memories, traumas, and phobias from the past could affect your mood today, Aquarius. You might feel depressed without really knowing why. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) A friend might be feeling a little depressed today and need some cheering up. Social events or group activities could be of great help in doing that, and it would do you some good as well, Pisces.
The winning prize of $100,000 in the Masters category and $50,000 in the Open segment. Play continues tomorrow.
EBFA working... From page 30 Swan ended 3rd to Kuru Kururu Warriors and winners, Timehri Panthers, twelve teams contested the league. The association is working with Swan to establish their club and new executive. Timehri Panthers recently held their elections and is now the Timehri Panthers Sports Club.
Berbice... From a page 28 work harder to ensure continued success. He added that the BCB’s aim is to ensure that Berbice cricket returns to its glory days adding that the passion for the game in the county is slowly returning. Foster indicated that the BCB has a number of developmental programmes in the pipeline for the junior players including massive coaching clinics and they have already secured sponsorship for a cricket academy in July.
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Kaieteur News
Berbice claim GCB/Hand-in-Hand Inter County U19 50over title with four-wkt win By Zaheer Mohamed Berbice captured the Guyana Cricket Board/Handin-Hand Inter County U19 50over title with a four-wicket victory over the National U17 Select Team yesterday at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. Berbice’s decision to insert the National U17 Select team paid dividends as spinner Keith Simpson pegged back their batting with some tidy bowling in hazy conditions, restricting them to 133 all out in 42.5 overs. The National U17s lost opener Sachin Singh (00) caught off Javed Karim before Navendra Persaud (01) was removed by
Kevlon Anderson as they were reduced to 2-1. The U17 lads found themselves in further trouble Mavendra Dindyal was run out for nine, while Anderson accounted for Marvan Prashad (02) and Yeudistir Persaud (04) was bowled by Leon Swamy leaving the score at 38-5. However, Seon Glasgow and Andre Seepersaud resurrected the innings with level-headed batting as they added 77 for the sixth-wicket. The duo rotated the strike nicely with nudges and pushes and picked up boundaries off the wayward balls. Glasgow hardly put a foot
wrong as he smashed seven fours and one six before he removed by Trevon Stanislaus for 51. Sepersaud got little support from the remaining batsmen but finished on 46 not out with seven fours and a six. Simpson finished with 4-33, while Kevlon Anderson claimed 2-19. Berbice lost Alex Algoo caught and bowled by Sylvon Williams for 10 with the score on 28 before Junior Sinclair was taken of Singh for 13. Left hander Javed Karim and skipper Kevin Sinclair steadied the chase nicely with a third-wicket stand of 43 before Sinclair was caught of left arm spinner Nigel Deodat for
28 with five fours. Karim executed some handsome drives as he struck three fours and one six but fell to Prashad for 38, while Kevlon Anderson (13) was caught off Deodat one run later. Despite losing Garfield Benjamin (01) who was bowled by Deodat, Berbice were well on their way to victory as Steve Deonarine and Swamy took them home without further hiccups with Swamy finishing on eight and Deonairne on five; Berbice ended on 137-6 in 37.2 overs. Deodat was the pick of the bowlers with 3-23 from 10 overs. Simpson was namedman-of-the-match. Demerara skipper Bhaskar Yadram received the trophy for scoring the most runs in the tournament (366); Ashmead Nedd was the leading wicket taker (22), while wicket-keeper Junior Sinclair took the prize for effecting the most dismissals (15). Speaking at the presentation ceremony Hand-inHand representative Safeena Juman said she is impressed with the talent of the young cricketers and thanked the GCB for a well organsied tournament. She pledged their continued support. Secretary of the GCB Anand Sanasie expressed gratitude to the sponsors and stated that the board’s
Man-of-the-match Keith Simpson accepts his prize from GCB TDO Colin Stuart. aim is to play as much cricket to give the selectors a closer look at the players so they can arrive at the best team. He added that the rules of the competition were followed and congratulated Berbice on their win. Sanasie reminded that Guyana have won the Regional U19 tournament for the past four years. He urged those selected for the National U17 team to put their best foot forward and made reference to Essequibian Keemo Paul who has made great
strides in the past two years. Speaking with the media following the presentation ceremony, President of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) Hilbert Foster said their team was well prepared for the tournament, adding that they have invested a lot in the players. He congratulated the management team for an excellent job. Foster feels that Guyana has a number of young talented cricketers but said the administration has to (Continued on page 27)
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Linden Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Competition
Does Silver Bullets have enough munitions to stop Dave & Celena? Could Silver Bullets stop the defending champions Dave & Celena’s All Stars is the question reverberating around the Mining Town of Linden as they prepare to bring the curtains down in the highly popular Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Competition tonight, at the Mackenzie Market Tarmac. The reigning Linden and national champions have defied all the odds and critics to make it to the final and will no doubt start as firm favourites to retain the title in front of what is anticipated to be another sellout crowd. The champs, who commenced this year’s competition with almost an entirely new unit, opened the defence of their title with a narrow loss on penalty kicks, but since
that early setback, they’ve rattled off several wins en route to tonight’s final showdown against an in-form Silver Bullets. Mortimer Giddings, who fired in a brace to set up the penalty shootout in their semi-final clash against Swag Entertainment, is expected to be supported by Alonzo Thorman and Rudy Halley, the heroes in their 3-0 won over Quiet Storm in quarterfinal action.On the other hand, Silver Bullets showed no mercy in their 4-0 drubbing of High Rollers with Jermaine Samuels hammering in all four goals.Earlier, they sent the star-studded NK Ballers crashing out of the competition courtesy of a solitary strike from Robin Adams. Their form too is rich and
Dave & Celena should expect stiff opposition from a team that has shown no fear for opponents. What is guaranteed is that the final will provide exhilarating action for the fans. The playoff for third place between High Rollers and Swag Entertainment is anticipated to supply the fireworks necessary to light up the night.At stake is $400,000, a trophy and an automatic spot in the national playoffs for the winning team, while second, third and fourth place teams cart off $150,000, $100,000 and $75,000 along with trophies respectively. The Plate section carries a top prize of $50,000. The tournament is also being sponsored by Colours Boutique on Robb Street.
Part of the action in this year’s Linden segment of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Competition.
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VĂŠron Mosengo-Omba... From page 33 The North Pakaraima Region is a densely forested area in Guyana, which is the home of some Indigenous tribes. This tournament is the premier sporting event of this vastly uninhabited rain forest connected by miles of unforgiving trails and treacherous rivers. The villag-
Saturday May 05, 2018
Kaieteur News
ers’ journey for days at a time, some as much as five days, to experience the excitement and true spirit of the beautiful game. The GFF extended an invitation to FIFA, including their documentary team, in March 2018 to attend the North Pakaraima Football Tournament.
EBFA working with Laluni to establish Football Club The East Bank Football Association (EBFA) on Monday last made a visit to the village of Laluni which is located about 25 minutes by road aback the village of Kuru Kururu on the Soesdyke/Linden highway with the aim of establishing a football club. This initial visit to the village, which is well known as a farming community, saw the association presenting two balls and some football gear including bibs as a means of encouragement. Receiving the donation on behalf of the community was Headmaster of Laluni Primary School, Mr. Anthon Abrams. Meeting with Thomas and
some of the players from the community prior to a match between them and the Kuru Kururu Warriors Football Club, EBFA President Franklin Wilson told the players that the association was very happy to visit them and is looking forward to working with them to establish the Laluni Football Club. Laluni is an active sporting community which plays a lot of cricket; the school would have also participated for many years in the Digicel Schools Football Championships. Accompanying Wilson on the visit were Coaching Staff of the EBFA/Scotiabank
Academy Training Centre led by Technical Development Officer (TDO) Devnon Winter along with Coach Orein Angoy and Amanda Angoy. Secretary of the Guyana Football Coaches Association, Dale Roberts was responsible for organising the visit. The EBFA will be making another visit to the community shortly. Meanwhile, the village of Swan, another neighbouring community to Kuru Kururu was visited by the EBFA in January and invited to participate in the just concluded GFF/Pele Alumini Frank Watson U15 League; (Continued on page 27)
Kaieteur News
Saturday May 05, 2018
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CONCACAF Caribbean Qualifiers
2018 Women’s Championship Kick Off This Weekend
M
iami – The Confederatio n of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) confirmed yesterday the kickoff of the Concacaf Caribbean Qualifiers for the 2 0 1 8 W o m e n ’ s Championship. The first of the five groups is set to kick off today, May 5, with the balance of the matches to be played throughout the month, across five venues across the Caribbean. Dominican Republic (May 5-13), Haiti (May 913), Trinidad and Tobago (May 19-27), Antigua & Barbuda (May 23-27) and Guyana (May 23-27) will each host a group of the championship. The participants in each group were sorted during the official draw earlier this year. The final round of Caribbean qualifying will be disputed from August 25 — September 2, among the five first-round group winners. The top three finishers of the final round will qualify to the 2018 Concacaf Women’s Championship. The United States will welcome the region’s top women’s national teams for the 2018 Concacaf Women’s Championship, which will crown a regional champion and qualify three teams directly for the FIFA Wo m e n ’s Wo r l d C u p France 2019, plus the fourth-place finisher to an intercontinental playoff. T h e w o m e n ’s championship is scheduled to be played October 4-17, 2018 in N.C., Edinburg, Texas, and Frisco, Texas. As part of a year of w o m e n ’s f o o t b a l l i n Concacaf that includes the expanded Girls’ Under-15 Championship, and the Women’s Under-17 and Under-20 Championship, the Caribbean regional qualifying championship will provide access to top level international football to 22 Caribbean Member Associations and over 300 players, enhancing opportunity for development and growth of the women’s game in the region. In total, nearly 2000 female athletes will
participate in the Concacaf championships this year across the region. 2018 Concacaf C a r i b b e a n Wo m e n ’ s Qualifier – Match Schedule *Listed in local time Group A – Dominican Republic, Estadio Panamerico Saturday, May 5, 2018 14:00 Puerto Rico vs Anguilla 16:30 Dominican Republic vs Cuba Monday, May 7, 2018 14:00 Cuba vs Aruba 16:30 Puerto Rico vs Dominican Republic Wednesday, May 9, 2018 14:00 Anguilla vs Aruba 16:30 Cuba vs Puerto Rico Friday, May 11, 2018 14:00 Aruba vs Puerto Rico 16:30 Dominican Republic vs Anguilla Sunday, May 13, 2018 14:00 Anguilla vs Cuba 16:30 Aruba vs Dominican Republic Group B – Haiti, Stade Sylvio Cator Wednesday, May 9, 2018 16:00 Jamaica vs Guadeloupe 18:30 Haiti vs Martinique Friday, May 11, 2018 16:00 Martinique vs Jamaica 18:30 Guadeloupe vs Haiti Sunday, May 13, 2018 16:00 Guadeloupe vs Martinique 18:30 Jamaica vs Haiti Group C – Trinidad & Tobago, Ato Boldon Saturday, May 19, 2018 16:00 Dominica vs St. Kitts and Nevis 1 8 : 3 0 Tr i n i d a d & Tobago vs U.S. Virgin Islands Monday, May 21, 2018 1 6 : 0 0 U . S . Vi r g i n Islands vs Grenada 18:30 Dominica vs Trinidad & Tobago Wednesday, May 23, 2018 16:00 St. Kitts and Nevis vs Grenada 1 8 : 3 0 U . S . Vi r g i n Islands vs Dominica Friday, May 25, 2018 16:00 Grenada vs Dominica 1 8 : 3 0 Tr i n i d a d & Tobago vs St. Kitts and
Nevis Sunday, May 27, 2018 16:00 St. Kitts and Nevis vs U.S. Virgin Islands 18:30 Grenada vs Trinidad & Tobago Group D – Antigua and Barbuda, Antigua Recreation Ground Wednesday, May 23, 2018
16:00 St. Lucia vs Curacao 18:30 Antigua and Barbuda vs St. Vincent and the Grenadines Friday, May 25, 2018 16:00 St. Vincent and the Grenadines vs St. Lucia 18:30 Curacao vs Antigua and Barbuda Sunday, May 27, 2018
16:00 Curacao vs St. Vincent and the Grenadines 18:30 St. Lucia vs Antigua and Barbuda Group E – Guyana, Lenora Track & Field Wednesday, May 23, 2018 17:00 Barbados vs Suriname 19:30 Guyana vs
Bermuda Friday, May 25, 2018 17:00 Bermuda vs Barbados 19:30 Suriname vs Guyana Sunday, May 27, 2018 17:00 Suriname vs Bermuda 19:30 Barbados vs Guyana
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Saturday May 05, 2018
Munaf takes birthday glory at Ganesh Parts Inaugural Golf Tournament
From left: Golf Club President Aleem Hussain, Avinash Persaud, Ian Gouveia, Mike Mangal, Munaf Arjune, Club Treasurer Aasrodeen Shaw, Parmanand Persaud, Roy Cummings and Kassim Khan after the presentation.
I
t was a thrill and sweet glory as Munaf Arjune–very happy that the tournament was on his birthday - drove, chipped
and putted his way to the 1st place in the exciting Ganesh Parts Inaugural Golf Tournament played Tuesday, May 1 at the Lusignan Golf
Course. Rain had caused the tournament to be postponed from Sunday April 22. An almost full house of players turned up for this
inaugural tournament and while the more familiar names did their best, it was Munaf’s confident cool that c l e a r l y w o n t h e d a y. According to Munaf - who hadn’t been in the top places for quite a while -”The good feelings I had for my birthday just made the golfing nice, then too I played with President Aleem the day before (on Monday) and received some good inspiration and coaching.” The fierce competition resulted in some 14 golfers bunching in the Net range of 68-74. Prize winners were Avinash Persaud – Best Gross 70; Roy Cummings – Nearest the Pin (about 10 ft); Parmanand ‘Max’ Persaud – Longest Drive; and Best Net
placers:- 4th - Kassim Khan 69/10; 3rd – Ian Gouveia 69/15; 2nd – Mike Mangal 68/8 and 1st – Munaf Arjune 65/10. Others in the top lineup were Avinash Persaud 70/2; Richard Haniff 70/13; Hilbert Shields 70/18; Brian Hackett 71/19; Patrick Prashad 72/9; Bridgelall Harry 72/16; Haresh Tewari 73/18; Aleem Hussain 74/11; David Harry 74/12; Joaan Deo 74/17; and Ayube Subhan 74/18. Club Treasurer, Aasrodeen Shaw, representing Ganesh Parts, expressed the delight of the Company to be involved in sponsoring this event and their intention to continue to be supportive of the Lusignan Golf Club.
Ganesh Parts and General Store, of 36 Robb and King Streets, Lacytown, Georgetown,(Tel: 592-2262127) a dealer of used and new auto parts in Guyana and the sole distributor of Bridgestone tyres in Guyana, had been one of the willing sponsors of the Guyana Open 2017, Club President, Aleem Hussain, expressed gratitude for the staunch support of the Ganesh Parts. Longest Drive Parmanand Persaud NTP Roy Cummings Best Gross Avinash Persaud 4th Kassim Khan 69/10 654 8322 3rdIan Gouveia 69/18 2nd Mike Mangal 68/8 1st Munaf Arjune 65/10
Kaieteur News
Saturday May 05, 2018
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Véron Mosengo-Omba pays Courtesy Call on Minister Valarie Garrido-Lowe FIFA’s Director of Member Associations For Africa and the Caribbean, Véron Mosengo-Omba, Senior Manager, FIFA Development, Stacy LewisDaniels and President Wayne Forde on Thursday paid a courtesy visit to Honourable Minister Within The Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valarie Garrido-Lowe. The meeting was held at the Thomas Street office of the Hon. Minister where the she was informed of FIFA’s attendance at the North Pakaraima Football Tournament scheduled for August 19 - 26, 2018. Following the visit, M o s e n g o - O m b a commended the GFF President and the Hon. Minister for the work being done: “We had a very good meeting. GFF is doing a very good job. The objective of GFF is not to limit
football but to take the football to the rural areas, in the rainforest. The Minister is very supportive of this initiative to promote football to the Indigenous people. FIFA is also in support of this and, by extension; the FIFA President supports that too. Hence, I replied positively to the invitation of President Forde to attend the North Pakaraimas Football Tournament and to play with the footballers of that Region. This will be documented and shown to the world how football development is done.” Forde said the FIFA team will visit the Pakaraimas Region, in part, to afford FIFA a first-hand view of the unique challenges Guyana faces in football development and administration, especially in the hinterland communities: “Guyana will never realize
its true potential as a Football nation until such time, that we make the game accessible to our Indigenous brothers and sisters. The GFF’s goal is to highlight the unique challenges we must confront in order to implement a sustainable hinterland football development programme that will guide the investment strategy of the GFF, GoG and FIFA. The Minister briefed the guests of the Ministry’s investment in sport and sport development among the Indigenous population and some of the unique experiences/challenges of the hinterland communities. (Continued on page 30)
– FIFA Team to visit North Pakaraima Football Tournament in August
Courtesy Call to Hon. Minister Valarie Garrido-Lowe: From Left - Stacy Lewis-Daniels, Véron Mosengo-Omba, Valarie Garrido-Lowe and Wayne Forde during the visit.
rt o p S
Berbice claim GCB/Hand-in-Hand Inter County U19 50-over title with four-wkt win P. 28
The victorious Berbice team with representatives of the GCB and Hand-in-Hand.
EBFA working with Laluni to establish Football Club P. 30
EBFA President Franklin Wilson hands over the balls to Laluni Primary School Headmaster Anthon Abrams in the presence of players who are displaying some of the donated items. EBFA TDO Devnon Winter is at left and right, Orein Angoy and Amanda Angoy.
Linden Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ CompetitionP. 29
Does Silver Bullets have enough munitions to stop Dave & Celena? Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.