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Monday May 06, 2019
Kaieteur News
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
ARRIVAL
They are still arriving hundreds of years later. That would not be here, but over there. Everywhere but here. So they are continuously leaving and arriving. From the perilous seas to the plantations of toil to the pastures of commerce to the provinces of bright lights and, last, to the planes that ferry them around or out of the region. In between, for the favoured few, there have been interludes in parliament, the penthouse and among the powerbrokers at different times along the way. It has been one hard ride: exploited by contemporaries, well-wishers, leaders and comrades; and, from the memories and perspectives of the Guyanese East Indian (in itself a contradiction in terms), that enduring anathema: competitors turned hard seasonal enemies. Arrival has been a checkered board and troubled chalice. Arrival for Indians has been a long journey with mileposts that identify from the illiterate to sophisticate to commercial pirate to political laureate, if not reprobate; the latter depends on the passions of the times and environment. The Indian has progressed from the surrounding view of being a cultural expatriate to that of a hard-earned place in the genres of rhythms and fashions, food and the fusion of sounds. It has been bluesy. Nowadays, there is ingrained cultural sensitivity: overarchingly so, emphatically so, even triumphantly so for long intervals. Thrift, perseverance, limited success, and a faded ‘Guyanese dream’ have all contributed to a different kind of Indian today. They are not helped by certain entrenched stereotypes, many uncalled for, some not much off. The challenge is to do more than arrive: Grow into new dimensions and carry others with them, including those who resist, those who look backward, those who manipulate or deny or seek to relegate to places undesired and unbecoming. As an indication of arrival, there must be willingness to be independent, critical, and self-sufficient politically. That is a hard one, and is either as arduous as the first boat ride, and maybe just as irreversible. Literacy and numeracy and bureaucracy are no longer the formidable, near insurmountable barriers that they used to be. Time to be more culturally expansive and receptive. Does not mean to assimilate, rather the thinking has to be more oriented to participating more fully in the responsibilities of citizens. The security apparatus comes to mind and the nursing profession as well. These must be neither specters nor offlimits arenas. Though there are more visible presences, there is still much ground to cover, many a rough sea to sail to arrive there from the where that is the here of today. There are no outcast professions; only those that violate obligations of the law and high ideals of character. Unfortunately, there are too many from the ranks, who have made killings in the dark fields. Do not accrue in the positive and warming column. There is spirited zeal and cohesiveness for things and times electoral; there has to be similar enthusiasm for those issues and dismal places that remind of national failure: domestic abuse and violence; alcoholism; buying and selling of favours. There is no uniqueness or special monopoly to these practices, as they ripple endlessly across every layer of this land. Arrival at that privileged place where there is confidence enough to challenge with justification, regardless as to who is involved, who is obviously stained. This starts with looking internally-deep and long and unflinchinglyand challenging oneself first to stand on one’s own two feet, and then to be ready to disdain and dismiss the ugly, the dirty, and the crafty. Do so regardless of who happens to be in need of such remediation, be he friend or foe. That is real arrival; without the need for a helping hand-from the boat of despair, of fear, and of uncertainty-from clever users and the dependency of rank, trickledown paternalism. From any source whatsoever. Announce arrival by looking ahead to what are the possibilities. Right here.
An audit of the CJIA must be carried out to assure the people that there was no hanky-panky DEAR EDITOR, It has been reported in the news media on April 30 that Mr. Donald Ramotar, a former PPP/C President of the Republic opined that the APNU+AFC government had re-negotiated a contract with China Harbour Engineering Co. (CHEC) to expand the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and scaled down its former scope while costs have increased with the application of questionable engineering practices and use of inferior materials. Hence the need for a public inquiry/audit of the project to ascertain whether there were any evidence of corruption, fraud and incompetence in project execution. The PPP/C government had received funding from the People’s Republic of China and in 2011 awarded a turnkey contract (design+build) to CHEC to refurbish CJIA at a cost of US$150M. No feasibility study nor was a preliminary engineering study carried out by the PPP/C Govt. to
determine justification for the project and decisions for its expediency was based on questionable political imperatives such as anticipated increase in tourism, easing of airport congestion and replacing aged facilities. Mr. Ramotar failed however in his missive to recognise that the high crime rate in the country, lack of adequate infrastructures, corruption and political squabbles were adversely affecting tourism and investments so badly needed to develop the economy and employ those youths roaming the streets looking for work. He also appeared oblivious to the failed PPP/C projects such as the Skeldon Sugar Factory, Hope Canal, Supernaam Ferry Stelling, Amaila Falls Hydropower and EB/ECD roads, all with large costs and time overruns. None of these projects had a public inquiry and audit to establish any evidence of corruption, fraud and incompetence in their execution.
When the government changed, reconstruction of CJIA continued under the APNU+AFC which initially had serious reservations regarding its objectives and financial viability. Accordingly it halted construction. During the pause, it apparently considered several alternatives including termination of the project but finally decided to re-negotiate the contract with scaled down facilities in order to reduce anticipated increased costs and justify already spent resources. The Ministry of Public Works (MPW) was appointed supervising consultant for this project. Unfortunately its personnel did not have the skill and experience necessary to supervise and monitor this project. For example, they did not direct the contractor to carryout geo-technical investigations to determine soil bearing capacity for the runway extension before construction started since this was a turnkey contract.
Therefore problems were encountered during construction which necessitated a change of design in the middle of construction at a high cost to the government. The supervising consultant has since changed and the CJIA project is almost completed. The airport fees have recently skyrocketed and there is more to come as additional funding will be required to complete the project as per design. The intrigues with which this project was executed would require that an audit be carried out to assure the people that there were no hanky-panky activities in its execution while giving the government valuable information as to the cause for the time and costs overruns and whether there was any corruption. The information thus obtained should help to better manage and execute future government financed projects. Yours truly, Charles Sohan
Lethem’s AFC PR concerned about issues surrounding Regional Tender Board DEAR EDITOR, Please permit me some space in your letter columns, to highlight the plight of the contractors in Lethem town that was recently dreadfully overlooked and sidelined by the Chairman of the Tender Board i.e. the Regional Executive Officer (REO) Carl Parker. I must say that we all loved the fact that there was a change of government back in May 2015 and the Guyanese people give this administration all the glory and blessings and love and confidence as they entered office based on their promises and appeals to the masses and songs of unity were singing all across Guyana. However, as time progressed, we all know what unfolded. The issue here is a guy who is no stranger to controversy and who is no stranger to the press and who was gifted the REO Position shortly after May 2015. The Rupununi people have no problem with the guy, he is an ambitious person, intelligent and courageous but it is the manner in which he handles power and the affairs of the region. That is why it is quite appalling on how the contracts were awarded and who they were awarded to. Editor, no evaluation was done, therefore Tender Board
never met to conduct such evaluations, the opposition never saw a published list of awarded contracts and as such one had to only guess or depend on hearsay from the streets of Lethem as to who really won which ever contracts. As a result of this, the contractors that were denied contracts could not have appealed since it’s by law that a contractor has five working days to appeal to Tender Board after projects were awarded if he/she felt they are the best person for the job. They had no clue on what took place since it wasn’t done in a transparent manner. Editor, one can only agree that this REO has ultimately hijacked the Regional Tender Board here in Lethem and persons including the opposition members in this Region are reluctant to highlight this injustice done to credible contractors whom have a proven track record and who would have strapped themselves with all the necessary documentations and who possess all the necessary tools and equipment only to be overlooked. Editor, I made sure what I am saying here is factual since my brother-in-law, who is the Regional Vice Chairman (and please note we support different parties) was quizzed
on why they are taking the REO so lightly and it was revealed that they ask him for a publish list of the awarded contracts but the REO was dodging them and he also refused to meet with them. This writer is quite sure that the necessary procedures were taken in the other regions where awarding of contracts are concerned. It is only fair enough to conclude now that Carl Parker is the Tender Board and the Tender Board is Carl Parker. Moreover, it is no secret that this REO return with vengeance, to get to the people who would have opposed his actions and views, but it appears that he has more guts than sense. A letter was published last year December (please open the link where a bunch of fake names were undersigned), when we very well know exactly who wrote it. Fake just like the person who wrote it. h t t p : / / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2018/12/21/let-carl-parkerreturn/ I don’t need to sign a fake name to get my way because I am not scared of anything or anybody. In that letter, the person hiding behind fake names accused the Chairman and the Vice Chairman of riding the previous REO, and that they are promoting racism and hate throughout the Rupununi,
among other things, which are all lies and fake news. Editor, what follows in the upcoming paragraphs will expose this current REO’s hypocrisy. I know the persons who signed their names below that letter wouldn’t even recognise their own names if it were written on a piece of paper, they are a bunch of dunce. So the writer hiding his face like Bin Laden instruct those men which are his cronies to sign their names. Maybe he thinks Lethem has a bunch of dunce like his cronies whom he recruited and turn them into contractors. In another letter, I will outline their records to the nation. Today though, we are labelled as ‘oppositionist’ even as I would have stand at his side like a disciple, eat from the same table and ‘cuss’ the PPP with him back in opposition and campaign alongside him, slept in the same house, since at the time, his daughter and I were good friends and still are, I shared the same views with him because we wanted to see the back of the PPP so badly. My dad, who was bidding for Government projects since in the late 80s, he even drove this guy all across Guyana i.e. to and from Georgetown, free of cost, paid Continued on page 6
Monday May 06, 2019
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Kaieteur News
Personal reflections on 181st anniversary of Indian Arrival Day DEAR EDITOR, May 5th (2019) marks the 181st anniversary of Indian Arrival Day in Guyana. There had been some debate about whether to call this event a “celebration”. In Guyana it is called simply, “Indian Arrival Day”. Celebration or Observance - it makes little difference. Reflecting on these last 181-years in Guyana (as well as in Fiji, Mauritius, South Africa, Suriname, Trinidad, Jamaica and elsewhere), and on the development and progress of Indians - socially, economically, culturally, levels of freedom enjoyed - I would say it was a good decision our ancestors made when they signed up to go to the sugar colonies. I have visited some of the villages in the Indentured Belt (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal), saw economic and social conditions there, and formed my considered opinion that we, the descendants of those indentured are better off today than had our ancestors never left. (I suspect this statement will stir debate and argument - that would be a good thing to stimulate thought). Indians now settled in former sugar colonies around the world came at a heavy price, sacrifice and toil, and “much punishment”. Those
Indentured Labour Contracts were designed to put them in jail for the slightest “violation” and to make them sweat and bleed for every shilling they earned. The conditions of servitude a nd living were maybe one or two steps above slavery which had already been abolished. Our ancestors were tough mentally and physically - they survived and together with the older settled population helped to build a new economy and forge a new diverse culture. I am glad my ancestors made the decision to leave India. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal are still today the poorest region in the Union of India. The public schools are in terrible condition; unemployment rate in the region is above 15%; and these States are run by the most corrupt leaders compared to the rest of India. REPATRIATION OF INDENTURED Dr. Ramesh Gampat’s recent book on “Plantation Hinduism” is chockfull on details of Indian life in Guyanese villages - an evolutionary study of their development. Too much detail. Much to his credit. He reported that 25% of all indentured Indians to Guyana returned to India upon satisfactory
fulfillment of their contracts. Eric Williams (From Columbus to Castro, page 352) provided identical stats as Gampat’s - 25% repatriated from British Guiana, 16% from Trinidad. (You may speculate that conditions in Guyana were worse than Trinidad’s). On this IAD anniversary, I’d share two interesting stories. I got to Calcutta, hired a guide to help me find two villages - great grandfather’s and great grandmother’s who left Calcutta on the Pandora in 1873. The guide studied the documents. He asked: “Were these people husband and wife?” I said, yes. He said, “Not possible. One village is Katwa in Burdwan, West Bengal; the other is 400 miles away in Mohenidabad, Azamgarh in UP”. No one gets married to another 400 miles away. DEPOT MARRIAGES How could they have met? From the literature, we learned of “depot marriages” – hundreds and probably thousands of such marriages. I am now certain my great grandparents had a “depotmarriage”. Elders saw a “young boy and girl”, each age 20 - and made an easy marriage-match. Communication with each other may have been difficult at first – one spoke Bhojpuri
GTT IS COMMITTED TO LIBERALISATION DEAR EDITOR, As liberalisation continues to be a topic of discussion, we want the community and our customers to know GTT’s stance on the matter. GTT is committed to liberalisation and will continue to invest and grow as we move Guyana into a new era. We are very proud of Guyana’s growth and the part we’ve played in it and we take this responsibility very seriously. GTT will continue to improve and modernize. In the last decade alone, we are proud to have deployed 700% more internet connections to homes and
businesses – moving from 10,000 in 2010 to more than 70,000 today. Over the last 10 years alone, GTT has invested more than 200 million USD to build telecommunications infrastructure. We’re dedicated to keeping hundreds of thousands of Guyanese connected. Today, more than ever people rely on the internet and since January 2018, we have seen almost 500% increase in internet traffic. We are committed to our employees and customers. We are one of Guyana’s largest and strongest
employers providing direct employment for more than 800 people and have consistently employed and trained more than 600 over the last 28 years. At GTT, we want our children across Guyana to be empowered to do their assignments and school based assessments (SBAs) using our connectivity. Sincerely, Justin Nedd GTT CEO
Hindi, the other Bengali. I would have loved to know the details. Regrettably – little oral history passed down. My grandfather and father (born in British Guiana) and their siblings had always passed on the same story – they were married, recruited together and travelled to B.G. on the same ship. Now I know I have discovered some new information. What else we don’t know – for both, this could have been their second marriage. (At that time the average marriage age was probably 15 or 16). Each could have been running away from his/her own family crisis. Famines were sweeping the region in 1873, it wouldn’t have taken much for the recruiters (Arkatees) to entice them with “easy jobs, good pay” in the sugar colonies. Second story ( I n t e r c a s t e marriages): One guide phoned another guide speaking Hindi, one telling the other my documents were all fake, saying ‘it was not possible for my great grandparents to have been married to each other’.
Why not? They were from different castes Bagdee and Ahir – and there could have been no intermarriages between these castes. I thought to myself, “What the hell do these guys know?” Gaiutra B a h a d u r, author of the seminal book, Coolie Woman, explained: “As the ships sailed off from Port Calcutta, many of the indentured cut their caste threads and threw them in the river”. And, many of the caste beliefs and customs ended just as dramatically. This was too much for those Guides to comprehend. We the descendants know differently. It was a sort of liberation from India’s 3,000year-old caste beliefs. Bahadur also wrote of another type of liberation – women’s lib – a theme that ran throughout her book. Women whose marriages fell apart, women with child out of wedlock or thrown out of parents’ homes for whatever reason were terribly oppressed by that old society’s mores. They need liberation and freedom. What a boon Indentureship was? Many of
these women went to the sugar colonies – single but free – found new husbands, worked in the sugarcane fields, rebuilt their lives and in many cases prospered. Now that’s something to celebrate. The vast majority of Indentureds completed their labour contracts through discipline and hard work, saved money (the literature says they were “notorious for their thrift”) and invested in land and cattle and as the statistics showed 75% settled in the British Guiana colony. Travelling through the Coastland of Guyana t o d a y, the evidence is abundant that the descendants of our Indentured ancestors have flourished in this land. I am proud of our Indian ancestors and their contributions to Guyana. I do not condemn nor praise the British Colonial power and the Sugar Planters. I say only that the British government today (still a world power) has some moral responsibility for the welfare of these Indians in whatever former colonies they live. Mike Persaud
NIS denies woman pension for $1,000 or two contributions DEAR EDITOR, I write on behalf of a fellow Villager who has worked from 1997 to 2014 at a State Institution but is now being denied a National Insurance Scheme (NIS) pension because a revised contribution statement show her having a shortfall of two contributions or the equivalent of $1000 dollars in earnings. Editor, three years prior to her 60th birthday, this woman obtained a contribution statement showing her having 752 contributions, checked and verified by NIS officials; thus making her qualified for NIS pensions –
the qualifying contribution number being 750. However, six months before her 60th birthday she obtained another contribution statement showing her having 748 contributions a shortfall of two contributions and a difference of $976 in earnings; again checked and verified by NIS officials. The NIS offered this lady
a lump sum of just over $100,000 and suggested that she accept it and pursue the issue of the pension with the NIS board but she has refused to do so. I am trusting that this letter would catch the attention of person(s) out there who could help this woman get what is justly hers. Yours faithfully Patrick Hamilton
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Lethem’s AFC PR concerned about issues surrounding Regional... From page 4 his hotel bills and gave him cash for his personal use when his back was against the wall. That’s how good the friendship was. I don’t know where his cronies were back then, maybe he can say though. But because my father is the father-in-law of the Vice Chairman, he is one of the most senior contractor that is being victimised. Back in opposition, there was a cry for a level playing field and this same government was in the streets protesting and advocating for same. Today, the ball is in our court and we are not playing by the rules. I need not remind the masses which Minister is responsible for the Infrastructure Ministry and which party he comes from. This is a key reason why the government is at a standstill, it is a Coalition Government but it is ruling in favour of one type of people and not in favour of all the people. I must commend the Infrastructure Ministry for doing an excellent job throughout this country, it is so excellent that this Ministry did far better than the previous Government but certain elements within the local government level and at central government is costing us dearly. WHERE IT GETS INTERESTING This is where it gets interesting, a list with the awarded contracts was finally leaked and the list is bloated with a bunch of first timers and strong supporters of APNU and not AFC who have no record of paying taxes in this country, who have no record of work done in the respective field, who have no necessary tools and equipment and persons who are predominantly Afro
Guyanese, much to the dismay of this writer whose family wholeheartedly voted for Mr. Nagamootoo back in May 2015. It’s like the REO set an exam where one particular race is passing and the others are failing. Please note that nothing is wrong with blessing someone with a project or two, but key players with all the experiences and who have been paying their taxes and who have a proven track record must not be overlooked in favour of persons simply because of the texture of their hair. This is the moment when this anointed one (chosen by the Honourable Minister Bulkhan) was supposed to exercise unity, fairness and social cohesion and love, but he made division and hate and loyalty to the PNC got the best of him. Furthermore, a point to n o t e e d i t o r, i t w a s m y father’s transportation that was constantly used during the campaign period transporting supporters of the Coalition who were at the time, in opposition, back and forth and throughout the length and breadth of the Rupununi free of cost. The crowds that greeted you during the campaigns, three quarters of them got there with my f a t h e r ’s t r a n s p o r t a t i o n . Another prominent contractor who also campaign and is part of the AFC, Royston Fitzpatrick was over looked in favour of Afro Guyanese, this guy drove opposition leader at the time Mr. David Granger on several occasions whenever he visited the Rupununi. The other contractors were overlooked simply because the REO has this bold idea
that they are all PPP supporters and also because they are Indo Guyanese and Amerindians, as such they are being victimised. This Government never turned a blind eye on BK International, one of the largest construction firms in this country that gained most of its wealth from the PPPC administration, so what really is wrong with this guy? What kind of game is he playing? Isn’t it your democratic right to support a party of your choice? In his response to an article that was carried in the Kaieteur News on this issue, he mentioned all the bad things the PPP did to him which is understandable, but what he didn’t mention is what really happened when his PNC Government dismissed him from the Army after serving as a cadet officer, he also failed to mention that it was the PPP that sent him to University of Guyana and he also failed to mention why he was subsequently transferred to Region Eight and why he was hauled before the Magistrate’s Court. Editor, this writer can proudly say that he was never fortunate to be given a scholarship from a n y b o d y, I w a s p u s h e d around and around and around when I was seeking one as a 19- year-old Rupununi youth back in 2008 to pursue my Bachelor’s Degree. One of the reasons why I never voted for the PPP. I am still paying back my student’s loan today. So Parker should consider himself fortunate and stop hating and stop attacking my family. On the
question of me being a public servant and was awarded a project last year, this is something that I don’t deny, I was the lone bidder. But how come this REO don’t know that my very good “padna” who works with the Ministry of Agriculture in Lethem attached to GLDA is a public servant? How come this REO keeps on awarding him with contracts in Dietary every single year? How come this REO also award an 11 million dollar contract to another public servant in North Rupununi? I would advise this REO to conduct his duties in a professional manner and stop acting like a crab (one sided) I would like to hear my leader, Raphael Trotman who knows me personally to have a say on this. For too long we been allowing APNU to run the show, it’s time we show some credibility. NO TRANSPARENCY, CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND CRONYISM In addition, the question of accountability and t r a n s p a r e n c y, something that we cuss out the PPP for while in opposition, one just have to beg the question, where really is it now? Does this government really care about returning to office next year? How long will they keep on tolerating such barefacedness from this guy? Is this the way he will continue to run the business and affairs of t h i s r e g i o n a n d Te n d e r Board? He was trusted and tasked to handle the affairs of this region in a professional manner. Did the Honourable Ronald Bulkhan instruct this REO to carry out his duties in such a one-sided manner? Where is the so
called good life for all Guyanese? Where is the level playing field? Where is Transparency International Guyana Inc.? Where is Chairperson of the Public Procurement Commission, Ms. Carol Corbin? Next, if I am to mention the levels of conflict of interest, I’ll become the villain, the entire Lethem now knows who this guy awarded contracts to with some fancy millions in contracts being award to specific family members. I wouldn’t mention them here, I will challenge him to state it here whenever he r e p l i e s . I t ’s a s i m p l e challenge, so he will either publish it or state which of his family members he awarded them to. On the question of cronyism, this guy surrounds himself with his friends who suddenly bluff their way and become contractors out of the blues with no track record in this field. Now, one only wonders who is riding who or who is the rider and who is the donkey? His cronies park their vehicles and are practically living at his residence on a daily basis. He even took one of them along with him to Region Eight and allowed him to stay at his residence, gifted him several projects, brought him back with him here to the Rupununi and its business as usual. Yet he is saying that he is the best thing that ever happen to Region Nine. Never have I seen a public official in such a sensitive position as this, could get down so lawless. This guy can’t get more corrupt nor can’t get more reckless. He is on a suicide mission and I don’t expect the Honourable Bulkan to stop
him, Bulkan is a big Fan of him, I expect my A F C leaders to voice their concern, I expect them to be the people they said they are, I expect them to start calling the shots. I expect them to propose to cabinet to hire a few AFC b o u n d R E O ’s i n s o m e regions if we are elected again. And even then, I doubt they will do anything at all. Please understand editor, that it was never my intention to penned this letter because my vote helped this government into office just like all the rebellious Indians who were angry with the PPP, but after several interviews and discussions with these neglected contractors including my father, I had to let this country know what is being played out in this part of Guyana. We are in the season where society is crying for clean governance and at this sensitive time of elections public officials should not be making these kinds of grave mistakes. I’ll conclude by saying that the PPP while in government encouraged corruption among its constituency and the current government is doing the same. It’s like a copy and paste job is being conducted at almost every Ministry that exists. Who have eyes can see that the Volda Lawrence statement about she only giving ‘wuk’ to PNC people and that she only has PNC friends is alive and being well executed in Lethem Rupununi. So without further adieu, I am calling on the Ethnic Relations Commission which is intended, inter alia, to promote good relations, harmony, peace, tolerance and understanding between our peoples; provide equal opportunity between persons of different ethnic groups and proscribe ethnic discrimination to have a say on this grave injustice done by this REO. The sidelined contractors your excellencies, are only asking that a probe be launched here in Lethem, Region Nine on the manner in which awarding of contracts to questionable individuals without no evaluation process whatsoever by this REO. This is not what we voted for and is definitely not what we bargained for. It was the AFC that put this government in office and they were supposed to be the watchdog of this administration. Better must come. Best Regards, Romel Harrinandan AFC PR Candidate Constituency 4 Lethem
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Power of law may be needed CJIA “backdoor arrangement” to publish mineral contracts for duty-free shops removed - Trotman Guyana’s inaugural report to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) flags the fact that mineral contracts are yet to be made public. In fact, the report points out that there is no clause within Guyana’s laws, which prevent same from occurring. But while that may be the case, Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman noted recently that those very agreements have strict confidentiality clauses which require the permission of the operators for publishing. The Minister stated, “... It is good to make a blanket statement...And while the laws may not speak to confidentiality, the agreements have clauses embedded in them and they are strict in some cases and that is something we need to remember. The agreement is also a legally binding document...It is one thing to say you have to publish the contracts but the agreements have to be worked through.” He added, “I had said before that the oil companies were not opposed to publication of their agreements but we have had some concerns being expressed by mining companies. Be that as it may, the government is committed to getting this done...” The Minister said that making contracts public requires a process and “I believe if it is necessary, we may have to enact laws to ensure compliance...” EITI RECOMMENDS Guyana’s first report,
Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman which was handed over the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative firmly recommends that all mineral agreements must be made public. The document notes that this suggestion is in accordance with Requirement 2.4 (a) of the 2016 EITI Standard, which states that implementing countries are encouraged to publicly disclose contracts and licences that provide the terms attached to the exploitation of oil, gas and minerals. Further to this, the report notes that while the Mining Act (1989) does not include any expressed restrictions on the public disclosure of mineral agreements and licences by the government, mineral agreements are not currently available electronically. Furthermore, the report states that a common model agreement that provides the standard terms attached to the management of mines does not exist. On this ground, it was recommended that the EITI Secretariat in Guyana maintain an archive of copies
of all active mineral agreements is available. Additionally, it was recommended that the MultiStakeholder Group of the local EITI chapter set out a work plan for the publication of all mineral agreements in the mining sector. The report says that this work plan may include the following: defining how the electronic publication of mineral agreements can be undertaken; the steps required for all mineral agreements to be published electronically and how to make these accessible to the public; a realistic timeline as to when such data could be available; and performing a review of the institutional or practical barriers that may prevent such electronic publication. EITIAND GUYANA The EITI is an international body that requires implementing countries publish comprehensive reports which includes the full disclosure of government revenues from the extractive sector, as well as the disclosure of all material payments made to the government by companies operating in the oil, gas and mining sectors. The objective of Guyana’s first report is to help in the understanding of the level of contributions of the extractive sector to the economic and social development of the nation in order to improve transparency and good governance at all levels of the extractive industry value chain. BDO LLP was appointed as the Independent Administrator to prepare the first GYEITI Report for the year ended 31, December 2017.
- Locals will not be sidelined-authorities assure By Kiana Wilburg Executives at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) have taken a bold step to introduce a tendering process for a number of services as well as duty-free shops at its arrival and departure lounges. This was done to remove a “backdoor arrangement” that was in place for a number of years and essentially undermined transparency. Speaking with Kaieteur News last night, CJIA Execs said, “What used to happen was essentially a “backdoor arrangement”. A client would put together a proposal, fill out the documents, negotiate terms and conditions and once reasonable to both parties, they go ahead. That was just restricted to a small pool of entities. We have to move away from that. As such, we decided to make it more transparent.” In an invited comment, CJIA CEO, Ramesh Ghir addressed concerns that locals would be pushed out of the airport. He said, “Locals would have nothing to fear with this regularization as indigenous products would not be sidelined.” Ghir’s comments come on the heels of a Stabroek News article over the weekend, which noted the concerns of local businesses about being pushed out of the renovated airport due to the new tendering process. Their apprehensions according to Stabroek News are premised on the fact that there are three regional
companies holding spaces in the arrival lounge. They are Ansa McAL, TWEE and Kings Enterprises. But CJIA in a statement last night to the press sought to bring some clarity to the misconceptions. The management of the airport categorically stated that no new contract was entered into with the companies for Arrivals DutyFree Concession spots. It said, “Over the past few years, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation has been publicly advertising and inviting Expression of Interest for the various concessions available at the airport. This policy decision allows for qualifying individuals and companies to be awarded concessions in a fair, equitable and transparent manner.” Recently, the airport said it engaged in a public process for Expressions of Interest for Arrivals Duty-Free Concession; Departures Duty-Free Concession; Advertising Concession; Provision of Insurance Services; Provision of Legal Services; Ground Handling Concessions; Executive Lounge Concession and Office Rental Concession. Similar to the public tendering process, it said that the qualifying criteria for the various concessions are clearly spelt out in the Expression of Interest document. Once these Expressions of Interest are received, CJIA said that these are evaluated and a decision taken based on the criteria set out in the document. It stressed that the Ar-
CJIA CEO, Ramesh Ghir rivals Duty-Free Concession was publicly advertised and a conditional award was made to the most responsive bidders. Management said, “CJIAC values its relationship with its existing stakeholders and will continue to work with them to ensure that all new awards are done in an impartial and transparent manner. As a matter of fact, we have had several meetings with stakeholders to provide clarification and guidance on the bidding process. Notwithstanding the above, CJIAC has an obligation to provide a variety of services for airport users and we remain committed to promoting and supporting our local companies and manufacturers.” It added, “As in any public solicitation process, we are committed to honouring all the conditions set out in the evaluation and award process. (Continued on page 22)
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Monday May 06, 2019
Kaieteur News
U.S. report highlights police torture, unlawful killings in Guyana Police brutality in Guyana has come under a renewed international spotlight with the publication of a U.S. Department of Justice Report deploring the widespread ill-treatment of detainees. The report was unveiled in March and said that there were reports government or its agencies committed arbitrary or unlawful killings. Turning its attention to torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, the report said, “The law prohibits such practices. There were allegations, nonetheless, that prison officials mistreated inmates as well as claims that police tortured suspects and detainees. Although the law provides criminal detainees prompt access to a lawyer of their choice and to family members, authorities occasionally did not fully respect these rights.” According to the report, in January (2018) police shot and killed Marlon Fredericks, a mentally ill man. Police alleged Fredericks was killed as he attempted to escape custody. City Constabulary Lance Corporal, Gregory Bascom has since been charged with the unlawful killing of 34-year-old Frederick who ran out of the Outpost, where he was being detained on allegations of simple larceny, assault, and for assaulting a peace officer. The accused is on $800,000 bail as his case is still ongoing. The report points to a torture allegation against the police by Jameek Hakim. In July 2018, Hakim, then 19, alleged that he was tortured during an interrogation. A probe was ordered in that regard. Hakim of Berbice said that he was arrested at his home
and transported to the Whim Police Station, where ranks allegedly brutalised him. He stated that no reason was given by the police for his arrest but while at the station, he was reportedly put to kneel on the floor and was trashed with an electric wire. He was also allegedly kicked about his body. Hakim further stated that the ranks then questioned him about a gold chain and while they were questioning him, they dunked his head in a bucket of water. He stated that the police continued to do it after he denied knowing about the gold chain and shortly after pepper was placed in his mouth, which was taped shut. According to the report, “In January, the government charged a police officer for raping a minor in August 2017. The minor was in police custody at the time of the incident. The case against the police officer was in progress as of November 2018.” Based on information, City Constable Clifton Pellew was charged and later committed to stand trial at the High Court for engaging in sexual penetration with an underage boy. He is out on $500,000 bail. The incident allegedly occurred on August 15, 2018. According to reports, on the day in question, the juvenile was arrested and taken into custody for loitering and placed on a bench to sit. It was reported that around 23:00 hrs, a male constable woke the juvenile and told him to lie on his back, which he did. Shortly after, the male rank returned and told him to stand by the washroom. It was reported that the Lance Corporal returned and allegedly unbuttoned the juvenile’s pants, placed a condom on the
Marlon Fredericks
Shaquille Grant
juvenile’s private parts and let the teen have sex with him. On April 06, police shot and killed Teon Maxwell, 24, of Bare Root Village East Coast Demerara, as they attempt to arrest him. He, too, was shot and killed as he attempted to escape from the Vigilance Police Station, East Coast Demerara where he was held on allegations of abusing his reputed wife. Maxwell, who was armed with two knives, a cutlass and a hammer, managed to escape from the ranks and jumped into a police vehicle, which still had its engine running. He attempted to drive off which prompted a police rank to open fire while the man was still in the vehicle, killing him. A probe was launched. Security guard Mark Johnson, 48, of Corentyne, Berbice, was shot several times by a rank from a party of policemen after he insisted on brandishing a machete at them. He died at the hospital. Reports state that on March 09, police were patrolling the area, when they were stopped by a relative of the now dead man who alleged that he attacked her with a cutlass. It was reported that police
called out to the man and he brandished a cutlass at them, and made several advances. He was ordered by the ranks to drop the cutlass, but he refused, resulting in one of the ranks discharging a round at him. Rasville, Georgetown resident, Shamar Tanner, 19, has claimed that police ranks brutalised him on March 08. He alleged that police ranks ran him down and unleashed a sound beating on him with their firearms, causing him to lose several teeth. Based on reports, Tanner said that he was about to light a ‘spliff’ when the ranks caught him in the act and pursued him, after he threw away the illicit drug and bolted from them. The police, however, said that while they were trying to apprehend the teen someone threw a metal object at him, which struck him in the face causing him to sustain serious injuries. PAYOUTS In December last, a High Court Judge ordered the State to pay $21, 970,000 to the mother of Dameon Belgrave, who was shot and killed by police in October 2012. Following her son’s demise, Donna Sulker sued the State over his wrongful death. According to facts divulged in court, Belgrave, who was age 21, was shot and killed by then police ranks Sheldon Williams and Eric Williams, who according the Judge, recklessly discharged AK 47 rifles. Giving a summation of the evidence, the Judge said that on October 05, 2012 at around 18:30hrs, Belgrave went with friends to the White Castle Fish Shop at John and Hadfield Streets, Georgetown, where a vehicle that they were in was parked on the northern carriageway of Hadfield
Dameon Belgrave
Jameel Hakim Street. Belgrave and his friends exited the vehicle and began enjoying the services offered by the White Castle Fish Shop. It was revealed that both police ranks, who were part of a mobile patrol and armed, began discharging rounds recklessly in an attempt to intercept the occupants of a motorcar that they had been trailing. Belgrave, who was described as an innocent bystander by the Judge, was shot and later died at the Georgetown Public Hospital. Earlier in 2018, a charge was dropped against former Guyana Police Force Cadet Officer Franz Paul after he compensated $2M to Alex Griffith who he had shot in the mouth on April 30, 2014. Paul’s trial for assault causing actual bodily harm, which was at its final stages in the Magistrates’ Courts was dismissed after he offered to pay the monies following an agreement between him, the young man and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). It was reported that Paul’s sister was robbed on April 30, 2014. Thereafter, the Cadet Officer reportedly took her to the police station to make a formal report of the incident. Based on information received, Griffith, then 15, was later arrested by a party of
Clifton Pellew
Shamar Tanner displays injuries he allegedly received at the hands of police policemen under the command of Paul. It was during the process that the Cadet Officer allegedly discharged a loaded firearm in the teen’s mouth. During an identification parade held at the Brickdam Police Station, Griffith positively identified Paul as the shooter. Presently, another wrongful death lawsuit against the State is engaging the High Court. This has to do with the killing of Agricola, East Bank Demerara teen Shaquille Grant who was allegedly shot and killed by police on September 11, 2012 in the community. The court action was filed by the deceased’s mother Shonette Adams in 2014. The woman is seeking $10M. Former police ranks Terrence Wallace, Warren Blue and Jamal Lewis were subsequently charged for the murder of Grant. After a lengthy trial at the High Court in Georgetown, a 12 member mixed jury acquitted Wallace of the murder. While Lewis still remains at large, Blue was shot and killed on December 15, 2015 during a botched robbery at Montrose, East Coast Demerara. He never appeared in court to answer to the murder charge.
Monday May 06, 2019
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Kaieteur News
THE POLICE IS A LOST CAUSE Last week, there were three murders during home invasions. A pensioner was found dead, with stab wounds, at his home in Springlands. A mechanic in Parika was shot fatally to the head during what is believed to be a robbery. And a shopkeeper in Albouystown was strangled to death after bandits invaded her home. Yesterday, a video made rounds on social media showing three young men running away from the scene of a crime after robbing a foreigner of what appears to be a suitcase. Another one last week showed a young lady being robbed in front of Bishop’s High School in broad daylight. The cause of death is yet unknown of a 60 year old woman whose decomposed body was found in trench. A family was brutalised by bandits who invaded their home last Tuesday at Letter Kenny, Berbice.
Crime is out of control. Yet, the Minister of Public Security has said that Guyana is not in a bad state. What can be worst? It is true that homicides in Trinidad and Tobago are higher than in Guyana. But most of those deaths are either gang or drug related deaths. In the case of Guyana, the three persons killed last week were all victims of what appears to be robberies. And we should be ashamed of comparing ourselves with other regional crime hot spots. The government is making useless excuses because it does not know how to solve the problem. No government, PNC,PPP/C or APNU+AFC, for that matter have managed to come up with a workable plan to combat crime in Guyana. The government is fighting a losing battle. The Police Force, on whom they are relying is a lost cause. The police can no longer protect citizens but neither do
citizens have the means, or it is advisable, for them to attempt to protect themselves. The new changes in the police force have not had the desired impact. Perhaps it would have been better if the President had stuck with David Ramnarine as Commissioner. He was doing a far better job than the present leadership. By the time, the reform process within the Guyana Police Force is completed; it would have had zero impact. Foreign experts have proven ineffective in bringing about changes in the Force. All the monies, which the British government is pumping into security reform is going to go down the drain. These projects end up paying foreign nationals a great deal of money for consultancies, which produce reports but little results. The government is overwhelmed. The police are overwhelmed. The public is
DEM BOYS SEH
El Dorado and XM disappear from CJIA duty free shops
When people tek things fuh granted, dem does get lash suh hard dat dem don’t even know wha knock dem. Any businessman, who know dat he got a good thing and sit down because he is de best, does wake up one day and find dat he is no longer de best. Dat is wha happen in Guyana when dem Chinee come and open business. It happen de odda day but dis time at de airport. In de old airport Banks DIH and DDL control some powerful duty-free shops. Anybody who leffing de country and want to carry out likker had a choice of El Dorado or XM. Of course dem been at de airport so long dat dem never feel threaten. Dem got a new airport and Banks and DDL believe dat dem gon get back dem duty-free shops. Dem didn’t even lose sleep. But dem get a shock and de result is dat anybody who traveling overseas and want duty-free likker gon have to buy either VAT 69 or some rum dat does give headache. De airport decide to tender out de dutyfree shop. Banks and DDL believe dat charity begins at home. Dem didn’t realize dat Charity deh in de Pomeroon. Dem boys don’t know if
dem put in a bid or if dem tek things fuh granted and put in a low bid. When de results come out, dem find out dat a Trinidad company, Ansa McAl, win de right to sell likker from de Guyana airport. People can’t get El Dorado or XM. Imagine a foreign company gon control de duty-free shop. When dem boys go to Trinidad, dem did see an El Dorado duty-free shop but Trinidad dominate. Now Trinidad lef wheh dem deh and come and tek over de Guyana airport. Nobody don’t know wha happen wid Banks and DDL. Some people wondering if somebody in de tender board peep de bids and tip off Ansa McAl. Dat isn’t impossible. Right now de tender board trying to protect a man who does do dat. Banks and DDL in shock. Dat never happen before. Perhaps de government did give dem first preference in de past. Now somebody don’t have regard fuh local business. Is time to cry. Talk half and find out wha really happening in Guyana.
overwhelmed. Guyana has become unsafe. Life is cheap; bandits have the upper hand. Guyana is a lawless country. The prisoners burnt down the main prison in the city. During the inferno, a silly decision was taken to place the inmates in the prison sports club opposite the jail until arrangements could be made to move them. The prisoners looted the bar and then burnt down the entire structure. And guess, what? Not a single person has been held accountable for the inferno or for the destruction of the sports club in what was the worst jail-riot in the English speaking Caribbean. Only a few months earlier, 18 prisoners were incinerated when fires were set in the said Camp Street Prison. The government does not have the answers to the crime problem. They cannot deal with it. The Guyana Police Force is too disorganised, incompetent and corrupt to make any serious dent on
crime. The police have their hands full. Each day, the police are being overwhelmed with a large volume of minor offences – persons threatening one another; petty thieves, fights, minor assaults and battery, persons found with small amounts of marijuana, etc. The police hardly have the breathing room to address the major offences. Foreign help will not make a difference. The United States and Britain are more interested in stemming the narcotics trade than in helping to reduce criminality within Guyana’s borders. They know that trying to reform the Guyana Police Force is like trying to convert the devil. It is not going to happen. The situation is quite hopeless. Citizens are playing a game of luck and chance. Each one of them is hoping that the next day it will not be there turn to get robbed or beaten or
murdered. This is the state to which Guyana has become because crime has been encouraged for far too long and has become endemic. There is too much crime in Guyana. People are stealing water and electricity from the government; children are stealing things from other children in school; workers are bleeding the government dry; corruption is rife, consumers are being shortchanged with weight when they buy goods in the markets; the roads have become unsafe and dangerous. Today will not be any better. By tomorrow, the newspapers will be reporting on some serious criminal matter. Of that, you can be certain. What you cannot be sure of is whether you will be the victim.
Monday May 06, 2019
Kaieteur News
PAGE 11
PAGE 12
Monday May 06, 2019
Kaieteur News
Crime Chief vows to stamp out human trafficking at nightclubs In the wake of the arrest and charging of an Essequibo businessman for human trafficking, police in Georgetown and the West Demerara District are moving to stem similar cases in their areas. This was disclosed by Police Crime Chief, Leslie Alves. Several strip clubs seem to be springing up around the city and other areas. Just recently, a team of CID ranks raided a popular nightclub in Poudereyen, West Bank Demerara. They had received reports that the proprietor has a number of girls from Brazil and Venezuela who are here illegally and are performing as strippers and sex workers. While the girls were not located during the operation, credible sources have said that the club owners were tipped off, and are keeping the girls at a separate house in another location. Last year, the very nightclub owner was fingered in a similar case where Cuban girls performing as strippers at his club were removed by police from a house in the Roraima Housing Scheme, West Bank Demerara. The house was reportedly rented for them by employees of the nightclub. The girls were taken away by police and reportedly sent back to their country of origin. It is reported that management of this nightclub has again managed to obtain a fresh group of girls who are in Guyana illegally. This time around, they are said to be housing them at another location, and not in rooms at the facility as was previously reported. Yesterday ‘D’ Division Commander, Edmond Cooper, informed that a recent raid came up empty, but noted that he will be willing to investigate fully any reports of human trafficking and prostitutions at any nightclubs on the Westside. He said if business owners are found to be guilty of this practice, they will face the full force of the law. POINTS FOR THE POLICE TO PONDER Campaigns against this illegal practice are commendable, but police may want to look into the fact that several nightclubs along the West Bank of Demerara are also reportedly engaged in this act. It is no secret that many clubs on the Westside are also trading in girls from interior locations with promises of a better life. The girls are then made to work at the clubs to attract customers and in some cases to solicit. There are also reports that a strip club is also operating full fledged on the East Bank Demerara public road, near a popular landmark. During a visit by a Kaieteur News reporter, some of the girls said that they came from countries like Brazil, Venezuela, Montserrat, and other areas. Many admitted that they are in Guyana illegally, as they attempt to seek a better life. But there have been no reports of any police raids at this club. The Kaieteur News reporter repeatedly observed patrolling police officers inside the club, in full view of the women. There is also another popular
strip club still operating in Georgetown despite two well publicised raids. At present, several Guyanese are before the courts for offences related to the alleged exploitation of Venezuelan women. One accused, Fiona Hopkinson, was slapped with nine counts of trafficking in persons. She is said to have trafficked eight Venezuelan women at the Diamond Hotel and Bar in Georgetown. Last year, Hopkinson and Rodwell Dempster appeared before a City Magistrate who remanded them to prison for the offences. It was alleged that Dempster and Hopkinson between September 2017 and January 2018, trafficked five Venezuelan women, who were brought to be commercial sex workers, at the business. According to reports, police carried out a raid at the club and 41 women, all foreign nationals, were detained. Most were alleged victims of human trafficking. Soon after, Hopkinson was back in court, this time for allegedly trafficking four Venezuelans for sexual exploitation. She was also charged for withholding an identification card belonging to one of them. It is alleged that she trafficked the women between September 1, 2018 and October 31, 2018, at Club Diamond. It was further alleged that between August 28, 2018 and October 31, 2018, Hopkinson unlawfully withheld the identification card of one of the Venezuelan nationals in aid of trafficking in persons. She once again denied the allegations after they were read to her by Senior Magistrate Leron Daly in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. According to information, on November 3, 2018, the police, at a roadblock, intercepted a car with four Venezuelan nationals. When asked to produce their identification cards, they were unable to do so. They were taken to CID Headquarters, where they alleged that during the month of August 2018, they were desperately in need of jobs and Hopkinson offered them jobs in Guyana. While in Guyana, the Venezuelans worked at Club Diamond. It was reported that Hopkinson withheld their identification cards and told them that after they paid off the $600 USD cost for transportation, only then would they be able to get back their identification cards and leave Guyana. Also before the courts is a Brazilian who has been living in Guyana for the past 11 years. The woman thirty-two-year-old, Christine Rodriguez, who is the owner of the Ola Hotel, which is located at Charlotte Street, is accused of trafficking two Venezuelans for sex and harbouring them for means of labour exploitation. It is alleged that between November 4 and November 28, last, at Ola
Hotel, Charlotte Street, Georgetown, while being an employer of two Venezuelans, for the purpose of trafficking, she knowingly confiscated immigration documents belonging to the women. She pleaded not guilty to the charges. It was further alleged that during that same period, Rodriguez engaged in trafficking of persons by harbouring two Venezuelans by means of abuse of her position, she hired the Venezuelans for means of labour exploitation. According to the police, Rodriguez hired the women to cook at her hotel and they were being paid $12,000 weekly. However, when the women requested their travel documents,
Rodriguez allegedly refused to hand them over. Hence, they reported the matter. Meanwhile, a miner was also charged in relation to trafficking of Venezuelan women. It is alleged between November 4 and November 28 last, Arnold Melville, 50 ,of Eteringbang, Cuyuni River, assisted by receiving and transporting two Venezuelans to Christine Rodriguez, to engage in trafficking them for the purpose of labour exploitation. Also before the court are a couple and a businesswoman. They are on trial for trafficking three Venezuelans for sexual exploitation. It was alleged that between November 1 and December 31, 2017, Lawrence Williams recruited, transported and harboured three Venezuelan nationals for sexual exploitation. His wife, June Williams, was also charged with recruiting, transporting and harbouring three Venezuelan women for sexual exploitation between April 1 and 30, 2018, at Itaki, Mazaruni. Also, businesswoman Arita Gould also faced a charge for trafficking a Venezuelan woman. The charge alleged that Gould, between May 1 and May 31, 2018, he trafficked a Venezuelan national at Itaki, Mazaruni. According to information, the couple owns the hotel where the women were all allegedly being held. But Venezuelan men are also being exploited. A wildlife expert is accused of trafficking two Venezuelan men to work
on his farm. The court heard that 61-year-old Feezal Shaw, a businessman of 69 Soesdyke Linden Highway, held two Venezuelans against their will and forced them to work on his farm by threatening to report that they are illegally in the country. With this threat, the defendant allegedly refused to pay the victims the salary they agreed to when they were first employed. The first charge stated that between February 14 and June 14, last, at Soesdyke, Linden Highway, Shaw engaged in trafficking in persons, in that he recruited, transported and harboured Hector Jose Rodriguez, in that he forced him to work without payment, by making constant threats to have him deported. It was further alleged that between February 14 and June 14, last, at Soesdyke, Linden Highway, Shaw engaged in trafficking in persons, in that he recruited, transported and harboured Eduardo Zarate Vivas, in that he forced him to work without payment, by making constant threats to have him deported. Shaw was not required to plead to the indictable charges after they were read to him by the Magistrate. According to the Prosecutor, on February 14, last, the Venezuelans entered Guyana illegally and on the following day, they were taken to a house at Soesdyke. The court heard that the victims were told that they would be paid $10,000 for each cage that they built for exotic animals, which the defendant normally exports. The Prosecutor added that the victims were however forced to work on a farm, where they had to feed and take care of animals. It was reported that after working for three days on the farm, the Venezuelans complained about the work and they were paid $5,000 each. It was disclosed to the court that on June 6, last, the victims were each given $100,000 and were promised the remainder of the money, but it was never given to them. The defendant then took away the victims passports and kept it in his possession. The matter was then reported, an investigation was then carried out and Shaw was charged for the offence. LAWS AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING Trafficking in Persons in Guyana is governed by the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act 2005 and came into effect on 7th April 2005. The Act provides for offences; the major one of which is Trafficking in Persons, Section 3 of the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act 2005. Trafficking in Persons includes engaging in, or assisting another person to engage in or organizing or directing other persons to engage in trafficking in persons. Trafficking means recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receiving a person by means of threat or the use of force or other means of coercion, or by abduction,
fraud, deception, abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability, or by giving or receiving payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purposes of exploitation. Exploitation means keeping a person in a state of slavery, subjecting a person to practices similar to slavery, compelling or causing a person to provide forced labour or services, keeping a person in a state of servitude, including sexual servitude, exploitation of prostitution of another, engaging in any form of commercial sexual exploitation, including but not limited pimping, pandering procuring, profiting from prostitution, maintaining a brothel, child pornography, illicit removal of human organs. The offence consists of three elements: The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receiving a person; by means of threat or the use of force or other means of coercion, or by abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability, or by giving or receiving payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person; or purposes of exploitation. The charges are both summary and indictable. The summary offences carry a mandatory penalty of imprisonment for a minimum sentence of not less than three years and a maximum sentence of not more than five years. Persons found guilty can also have their property forfeited. The property includes but is not limited to money, valuables and other movable and immovable property, which was used or intended to be used or was obtained in the course of the crime, or benefits gained from the proceeds of the crime. The property includes overseas assets and is forfeited to the State. RESTITUTION Courts can also order the persons convicted to pay full restitution to the trafficked persons. Restitution shall compensate the victim for costs of medical and psychological treatment, physical and occupational therapy and rehabilitation, necessary transportation, temporary housing and childcare, lost income, attorney’s fees, compensation for emotional distress, pain and suffering and any other losses suffered by the victim. The restitution is paid promptly to the victim upon conviction of the defendant with the proceeds from the property forfeited applied first to payment of restitution. INDICTABLE CHARGES In the case of an indictable charge, there is also a mandatory penalty of imprisonment to a minimum sentence of not less than five years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. CONSENT The alleged consent of a victim is irrelevant. Also irrelevant is the victim’s past sexual behaviour for the purpose of providing that the victim engaged in other sexual behaviour (Continued on page 13)
Monday May 06, 2019
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Kaieteur News
Implement sexual harassment policies in the workplaces - Women, Gender and Equality Commission Sexual harassment by definition is the unwelcome verbal, visual, non-verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature committed against someone in a severe or pervasive manner, which affects working their conditions or creates a hostile work in their environment. Although Guyana has certain laws in place to protect women and other vulnerable groups against all forms of discrimination, efforts to implement policies to guard against sexual harassment are often overlooked. A recent report prepared by the Women and Gender Equality Commission (WGEC) highlighted that there is sexual harassment in workplaces and no policy or laws specifically directed at this heinous act perpetrated against all genders, especially women.” The report outlined that the constitution is often overlooked in discussion on women’s rights. The document noted that sections of the law clearly state that sexual harassment at the work place is forbidden…Officers who engage in sexual harassment are liable to
disciplinary action, including dismissal. Further Section 8 of the Prevention of Discrimination Act Chapter 99:09 states that “Any act of sexual harassment against an employee committed by an employer, managerial employee or co-worker shall constitute unlawful discrimination based on sex within the meaning of Section 4 of this Act.” As such, WGEC noted that provision should be included in all employment situations. Meanwhile, the report outlined that while Guyana has shown significant leadership by introducing laws that protect women, there is little point in having a progressive legal framework if magistrates, judges, police officers and public officials lack the resources to identify, arrest, try convict and punish offenders or if the criminal justice system does not provide genuine opportunities for rehabilitation of the offenders or for any form of restorative justice for women. The WGEC is not the only organization that has
highlighted of sexual harassment in the workplace. President of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Coretta McDonald, highlighted struggles faced by women in the fight to achieve gender equality in the workplace. Addressing the crowds at the annual Labour Day Rally held at the National Park, last Wednesday, the trade unionist declared that now is the time to change the “unacceptable norm”. McDonald had previously noted that the work and struggles of the male gender often overshadow the issues faced by women in the labour spheres. According to McDonald, while women account for a significant portion of the labour force, issues facing them are often brushed aside. “There is hardly any mention made of the females and their struggles; it is as if they do not exist.” In her capacity as Leader of the GTUC, McDonald is seeking to shed more light on women’s and labour issues. She called on her male counterparts to take heed and
move towards addressing the cries of women in the workplace. “We must create the
platform for the empowering of the women and youth. We must continue to promote gender equality, while we
continue to advocate for improved working conditions for our women and youths. Continued on page 22
PAGE 22
Monday May 06, 2019
Kaieteur News
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Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisement, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6006887: We create A/works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. I N S TA L L AT I O N S , REPAIRS AND PARTS FOR AC, FRIDGE, WASHING MACHINE, STOVE ETC. CALL NICK 627-3206, 630-1600 Eagle’s re-gas AC, Fridge, Washing machine & computer repairs, Gas stove, Plasma flatscreen,Electrical installation & more. Call: 6972969/646-0966 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Design a Website for your Business that can be viewed on any device.Contact Computing Core@600-1096. TO LET 1 Bedroom apt for working couple/single person $35,000 monthly. Light & water included. Lodge. Call 623-0076 Office space to let.74 Brickdam opposite GT&T, 2 Floors fully Air conditioned, Generator, parking available.Call:226-6771/2264537. Ground and upper floor.Camp St for commercial purpose, Enmore Mall E.C.D.Commercial spaces.Richard #609-7675/ 674-1705/233-2614. LAND FOR SALE Transported land 11.6 acres. Lot 15 public road. #2 Village W.C.B. Price $18M. Contact 686-4818, 648-7109 Uitvlugt-$2.3M neg, Parfaite Harmony-$2M, Parfaite harmony-$1.7M. Tel#6976311.
7300 john Deeree combine (2000 hrs), Fiatagri L413 combine (2000hrs), Lavarda 132 combine, Massey 399, Massey 290, Fiat 110-90, 20 dish harrow.Tel#695-2220. 1 Pure breed German Shepherd pup black and tan.11 weeks old.Tel#626-0953 or 650-9998. Enclosed Canter Hino Dutro 2006.EngineN04C (Turbo).Price$3.1M (negotiable). Contact: 6013963. PROPERTY FOR SALE House for sale, Eccles Housing Scheme. 7 bedrooms, 3 toilets and bathrooms enclosed. $28.5M. Call 642-0391/ 001447587233657. yashardabhola4@gmail.com Lot 89 Robb Street, Lacytown, Georgetown. Next door to Mike’s Pharmacy.Land size- 3431.25 Sq.ft. Phone: 6175323, 666-8052. House for sale $2.5M neg (house only), 52 West Sideline Dam Victoria Village ECD. 6486457
One Apartment to rent in Charity.Contact#654-7162/ 687-5814.
Driver.Must have a sound secondary education.For more information please call:223-0090. One Manager to work @ Hotel PurpleHeart.Send Applications/CV’s to email: innovationsamericamng @gmail.com
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Industrial Sales Representative, 5 Subject CXC Age 25+ Experience in Sales, must own vehicle, email r e s u m e : vacancy@josarltd.com Driver must be able to assist in workshop at Eccles, age 2545, Car/Van licence.Call 6429823. Vacancy for porters. Apply at Alabama Trading. 65 Robb Street Bourda.
WANTED
From page We must continue to promote gender equality and continue the call for improved working conditions and eliminate the sexual and other forms of harassment in the workplaces,” McDonald stated. She said that the Union has received a number of complaints about sexual harassment from females, particularly those employed by private security firms. McDonald called on Unions to work in tandem with law enforcement, politicians and other stakeholders to help reduce the issues of sexual harassment in the workplace. The GTUC President emphasised the need for policies, which will protect workers from any forms of harassment, regardless of their gender.
CJIA “backdoor arrangement” for... From page 7 Companies and Bidders that require assistance / clarification on the tendering process are encouraged to reach out to the management of the airport for guidance and assistance.” CONCERNS Kaieteur News also spoke with Captain Learie Barclay, Director of Operations for Roraima Airways at CJIA. Captain Barclay was part of the team of persons who had approached Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson last week on the concerns of local businesses. The Director said, “On Monday, a team of airport operators had a meeting with Minister Patterson. The meeting was organised by the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA). We raised concerns with the Minister about the tendering process because we felt it was not giving us a fair advantage. We are homegrown companies and we developed the market. We felt we were being pushed out.” Captain Barclay continued, “But Minister Patterson made it very clear that local
Supervisor to work at Xenon Hotel Charity.Contact 2235273/74. Boys & girls to work @ Bonny’s.Apply in person with written application@302 Church street G/ town,Charlestown. WANTED
1 Couple to work and live in a farm house in Mahaicony River.1 part time domestic.6731131.
Wanted Administrative assistant.Age 25-55.Please Call:616-6988.
1 room available for a working class female/ Student.T el#227-2321.
Wanted Maid for cleaning and washing for Kitty. Call#223-5897.
Food & Beverages handler. House keeping. Tel#2252780/226-4001/623-0611.Call for an Interview.Kanuku Suites Hotel.
Female Domestic wanted for light housekeeping $3000 daily.Labourers semi skilled $4000 daily Vreed-En-Hoop 682-5230/615-4414.
Men to work in the interior on crusher (Gold Mining)Call#223-7165 1 Welder, gas welding & arc.Age 18-25.Apply@ 21 Broad street, Fat Man Welding shop.223-5595/6439125.
content at the airport is a paramount issue for him and he will do all that is within his power to ensure that we are not pushed out of the airport. He explained that what the Board is trying to do right now is ensure that there is transparency and accountability in the tendering process and that regulation should not be seen as a means to push out locals. He emphasised that locals are part of it and they will have their business at the airport.” He added, “A lot was not being told to us about it and he cleared up a lot of the misconceptions we had. We went in with one set of concerns and when we left, we realised that it was completely the opposite. It was not an issue to keep us out. It is being done to keep us in because the process was not regularised before. The Minister has given us his word that local business interests will be taken care of and we trust that he will do as he says and we will hold him to his word.” Captain Barclay went further to explain that the entire issue stems from a bid that was published for duty-free shops in the Arrival area and a “big local beverage manufacturing entity was informed that its bid was unsuccessful.” He said, “The company was worried that as a result, they would be pushed out and that the brand is not going to be represented at the airport. But they were assured that that is not the case. And they were assured that they would not be pushed out under the Minister’s watch.” Further to this, Barclay said that other concerns were raised in relation to the current tender process, one of which had to do with placement and size of facilities. He said that the Minister undertook to look into these issues and have them fixed.
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Kaieteur News
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Monday May 06, 2019
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Kaieteur News
Chelsea grab top-four spot as rivals self-destruct again
Greek Tsitsipas captures first claycourt title in Estoril (Reuters) - Greek youngster Stefanos Tsitsipas’ French Open preparations gathered momentum as he claimed his first claycourt title with a 6-3 7-6(4) victory over Pablo Cuevas at the Estoril Open yesterday. Top seed Tsitsipas made the most of his Uruguayan opponent’s struggles on the serve to clinch the opening set and grabbed an early break to serve at 4-3 in the second. But the Australian Open semi-finalist suffered a lapse in concentration and was broken for the first time in the contest during a stretch of nine consecutive points won by Cuevas. Tsitsipas regained his composure to save a set point in the 10th game before sealing the victory in the tiebreak for his third career title. “I was very calm. I stayed aggressive,
stayed motivated, didn’t think too much,” the 20-year-old said. “He didn’t get into my head after he broke me back in the second set. That was kind of frustrating, but I kept fighting, kept believing that I can still win it in two sets.” Tsitsipas now heads to back-to-back ATP Masters 1000 tournaments in Madrid and Rome before he bids for a maiden Grand Slam crown at Roland Garros, where he was knocked out by Dominic Thiem in the second round last year. “I’ve been building my game. It hasn’t been an easy transition from hard to clay this year, so I’ve been trying to play as many matches as I can before the big events start,” Tsitsipas added.
MotoGP champion Marquez goes top after win in Spain
Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga makes a save against Watford at Stamford Bridge. (REUTERS/Peter Nicholls) LONDON (Reuters) While the Premier League title race has been contested by two thoroughbreds the battle to finish third and fourth has descended into a demolition derby in which Chelsea emerged from the wreckage to seal a top-four finish yesterday. Maurizio Sarri’s team beat Watford 3-0 at Stamford Bridge in their penultimate game to ensure they will return to the Champions League next season but Manchester United will definitely not be joining them. United’s prospects were already slim but a woeful 1-1 draw away to bottom club Huddersfield Town ensured Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side can finish no higher than fifth. Arsenal then handed their London rivals Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur a welcome gift by only drawing 1-1 at home to a Brighton & Hove Albion side whose topflight survival had been sealed 24 hours earlier. That meant Chelsea were guaranteed a top-four finish while Tottenham Hotspur, whose domestic form has collapsed culminating in a nine-man defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday, are all but assured of a Champions League spot due to their superior goal difference. While Arsenal could still match their north London rivals’ total of 70 points should they win at Burnley on the final day of the season and Spurs lose at home to Everton, they must also achieve a highly unlikely eight-goal swing. “We knew it is going to
be difficult but our focus is now the Europa League,” Arsenal manager Unai Emery, whose side lead 3-1 going into the second leg of their semifinal at Valencia next week, said with an air of resignation. “We have the opportunity in the Europa League to do something important and we will try and do that.” Arsenal had taken an ninth-minute lead through P i e r r e - E m e r i c k Aubameyang’s early penalty but Glenn Murray’s spot kick dragged Brighton level, meaning Arsenal have earned a miserly one point from the past 12 on offer. Chelsea have not been a great deal better in an increasingly inept scrap for the top-four, picking up only two from nine points in their previous three games, and they were booed off at halftime against Watford with the score 0-0. Quickfire headers from Ruben Loftus-Cheek and David Luiz early in the second half, both from Eden Hazard assists, put them in control and Argentine marksman Gonzalo Higuain added a third in the 75th minute. “In the first half we were in trouble because we were tired, physically and mentally,” Sarri said. “We were lucky of course because we scored after two minutes and after the first goal, probably we improved mentally.” Sarri gave a brief substitute appearance to titlewinning defender Gary Cahill for what is almost certainly his last Chelsea appearance in the league at Stamford Bridge.
Manchester United, for whom Solskjaer’s impressive start after taking over from sacked former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho in December is now a fading memory, failed to even rouse themselves for a trip to Huddersfield, who until Sunday had managed 14 points. Looking for a first win in five matches in all competitions, United made a fast start with Scott McTominay putting them ahead. But they deteriorated and an error by Luke Skaw allowed Isaac Mbenza to race on to a goal kick and score his first ever Premier League goal after the break. “We’ve talked about next season as in we need to start to rebuild and of course next season will be one without Champions League football,” Solskjaer said. “We haven’t deserved to be top four, we’ve chased the pack and been given chances, the league is so tight. When we got the opportunities we didn’t take them.” Chelsea are 21 points behind second-placed Manchester City, who could go top with a home win over Leicester City today. Tottenham, considered title contenders as recently as January, have lost seven of their last 11 league games, evidence of just how far the chasing pack have fallen. One fan neatly summed it up on a BBC chatroom: “As a Chelsea fan it just doesn’t feel justified. We’ve been the best of a bad bunch,” he said.
Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez celebrates on the podium with sparkling wine after winning the race. (REUTERS/Jon Nazca) (Reuters) - World champion Marc Marquez swept back to the top of the MotoGP standings by a single point yesterday after running away with his home Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez. The Honda rider led from the first corner to checkered flag, heading a Spanish onetwo-three with Suzuki’s Alex Rins 1.654 seconds behind as runner-up and Maverick Vinales third for Yamaha. Marquez, who crashed while leading in the previous round in Texas, started third on the grid and now has 70 points after his second win of the campaign. Rins is on 69 thanks to his second successive podium, with Andrea Dovizioso dropping from the overall lead to third on 67 after finishing fourth on his works Ducati. The Italian was right on the tail of Vinales in the closing stages but ran out of time to get past.
“It was more difficult mentally than physically. After the mistake in Austin it is not easy to race here and lead the race from the beginning to the end,” said Marquez. “But I am convinced about my performance and of the bike, I’m feeling really good. “It was a bit hard to know why we crashed in Austin so today, this weekend, I felt really good, really smooth,
riding like I want.” Vinales said being on his home podium felt like a victory after a tough start to the season and struggling with starts. “Finally I think we found out a method that is working really good,” he said. “Actually I won some places at the start so I’m really happy. The team is working good, I need confidence.” His Italian team mate Valentino Rossi took sixth place after starting 13th. The 40-year-old great tumbled from second to fourth in the championship on 61 points after four rounds of the season. French 20-year-old Fabio Quartararo, who had started as the youngest ever rider on pole position, had looked set for the podium but his Petronas Yamaha slowed on lap 14 after getting stuck in third gear. The distraught rookie headed back to the garage and retired. Australian Jack Miller crashed his Pramac Ducati after colliding with Aprilia’s Spaniard Aleix Espargaro while trying to go through on the inside at turn 13. Aprilia’s Andrea Iannone, who crashed in Saturday practice, was ruled unfit to start after a morning medical. The next race is the French Grand Prix at Le Mans on May 19.
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Campbell and Hope’s historic day Defi Sportif Altergo guides Windies to emphatic win Walter Grant-Stuart captures gold in 40-mile road Race
John Campbell and Shai Hope put on the biggest opening stand in all ODI cricket. (Sportsfile via Getty Images) DUBLIN, Ireland, CMC – Led by a world record One Day International (ODI) opening stand between John Campbell and Shai Hope, the West Indies romped to an emphatic 196run win over Ireland in the first match of the Tri-Nation series here at the Clontarf Cricket Club yesterday. Campbell, who scored 179 and Hope who made 170, added 365 runs for the first wicket to help propel the West Indies to 381 for three, their second highest ever ODI total. Ireland never threatened their mammoth target, and once they were reduced to 21 for three early on, eventually folded for just 185 with offspinner Ashley Nurse being the main destroyer with four wickets. But the day belonged to the two 25-yearold batsmen who set a number of records during their historic partnership. They broke the previous highest ODI opening stand of 304 between Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq set last year. They also became the second set of openers behind New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum and James Marshall to both score 150 in an ODI. Campbell and Hope also came agonisingly close to posting the highest ever partnership in ODIs, but fell just short of the 372 put on by fellow West Indians Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels four years ago. And had they batted out the 17 balls remaining prior to Campbell’s dismissal, they would have become the first set of ODI openers to bat through the entire first innings of an ODI. In the absence of Evin Lewis and Chris Gayle who are both still in the IPL, Campbell took full advantage of the opportunity to open the batting. With no real threats, Ireland’s bowlers were put to the sword by Campbell and Hope. Apart from a few anxious moments courtesy of opening bowlers Tim Murtagh and Mark Adair, the two West Indies batsman completely dominated play. They scored just 37 runs from the first 10 overs, but then motored along, adding 222 runs in the next 30 overs and 106 runs from the final 44 deliveries they faced. Adair went for 21 in the 41st over, George Dockrell for 16 in the 42nd, Josh Little for 16 in the 45th, Adair for 18 in the 46th, and Murtagh for 17 in the 47th. Campbell was the more aggressive, smashing six sixes and 15 boundaries during his 137-ball knock, while Hope struck 22 boundaries and two sixes in his 152-ball
innings. But in sight of the record Gayle and Samuels set two months ago against England, Campbell was caught by captain William Porterfield when his top-edged shot ballooned to mid off. It was Ireland’s first ODI wicket in 374 balls. Hope then followed four runs later, picking out the fielder at deep square leg as the Windies could only muster 16 runs from the final three overs. In Ireland’s turn at the crease, fast bowlers Kemar Roach and Sheldon Cottrell virtually decided the outcome within the first few overs. Roach bowled Paul Stirling for a duck and removed Potterfield soon after to leave Ireland 21 for two. Cottrell then accounted for the wicket of Lorcan Tucker without another run added. Kevin O’Brien, who topscored with 68 brought some respectability to Ireland’s total, as he teamed up first with Andy Balbirnie to add 68 and then with Gary Wilson, who made 30. That initial partnership was broken up when Balbirnie was forced to retire hurt on 28 after being struck on the helmet by Shannon Gabriel. O’Brien then found a willing partner in Wilson and the pair added 63 runs to frustrate the Windies bowlers. But once Ashley Nurse struck to dismiss O’Brien and claim the first of his four wickets, Ireland’s innings quickly capitulated and they lost their last six wickets for just 32 runs to be bowled out in under 35 overs. Nurse was the pick of the bowlers ending with 4-51, while Gabriel took 3-44 and Roach 2-28.
SCOREBOARD WEST INDIES J Campbell c Porterfield b McCarthy 179 +S Hope c Tucker b McCarthy 170 D Bravo not out 9 *J Holder c O’Brien b Adair 1 Extras (b1, lb4, nb2, w15) 22 TOTAL (3 wkts; 50 overs) 381 Fall of wickets: 1-365, 2-369, 3-381. Did not bat: J Carter, S Ambris, R Chase, A Nurse, K Roach, S Cottrell, S Gabriel. Bowling: Murtagh 10-0-71-0, Adair 10-1-841, Little 10-0-72-0, McCarthy 10-0-76-2, Dockrell 7-0-57-0, O’Brien 1-0-10-0, Stirling 2-0-6-0. IRELAND *W Porterfield c Cottrell b Roach P Stirling b Roach A Balbirnie c Ambris b Gabriel L Tucker lbw b Cottrell KJ O’Brien c Holder b Nurse +G Wilson c Roach b Gabriel G Dockrell lbw b Nurse M Adair b Gabriel B McCarthy st Hope b Nurse T Murtagh not out J Little b Nurse Extras (lb 3, nb1, w11) TOTAL (all out; 34.4 overs)
12 0 29 0 68 30 2 10 9 10 0 15 185
Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-21, 3-21, 4-152, 5-152, 6-155, 7-159, 8-166, 9-185, 10-185. Bowling: Cottrell 6-1-33-1, Roach 7-0-28-2, Gabriel 8-0-44-3, Holder 6-0-26-0, 7.4-0-51-4. Toss: Ireland. Result: West Indies won by 196 runs. Points: West Indies 3, Ireland 0. Umpires: Aleem Dar, Alan Neill; TV: Mark Hawthorne.
Placed 3rd in TT but relegated to 6th Guyana’s top Differently Able cyclist Walter GrantStuart has once again proved that he belongs amongst the best in the world by putting on a world class display in winning the Defi Sportif Altergo Contre-La-Montre Cycle Road Race yesterday in Canada. Grant-Stuart, who broke away from the pack along with the World Time Trial Champion Michael Sametz and the World C3 Road Race Champion Tristen Chernove who ended second in the Time Trials. Grant-Stuart, who won gold in the same event last year, covered the 40-mile distance this time around in a record time of One Hour, 38 Minutes 02 Seconds. Speaking with Kaieteur Sport from Canada, he also revealed
that he did the third fastest time in the Time Trials but was relegated to 6th place because it was deemed that he had 100% stability as well as for the fact that he used a normal bike rather than a Time Trial Bike. Despite, Grant-Stuart still received points for his placing in the event that was won by the World Champion, Canadian Michael Sametz who has a stability measurement of 93.19% while second was Tristen Chernove with a stability rating of 89.60%. Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) President Horace Burrowes, who is Mexico at the Pan American U23 Championships, offered congratulations to GrantStuart for his heart warming performance and wished him
well going forward. Director of Sport, Christopher Jones has also congratulated Grant-Stuart on behalf of the government and people of Guyana for making the nation proud once again with the National Anthem being played. Apart from thanking Almighty God for allowing him to be victorious one again, Grant-Staurt is thanking his sponsors for their support which has made his achievement possible: National Sports Commission, Farfan and Mendes, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company, Guyana Fire Service, Soesdyke Neighborhood Democratic Council, Freight Link Express, Grace Kennedy, Sylvester Soup Man at the Soesdyke Junction.
Several teams on winners row as Corona Futsal Competition 2019 commences Several teams recorded contrasting victories when play got underway in the Corona Futsal competition played at the National Gymnasium on Saturday evening. Sparta Boss hammered Black Pearl 7-0 to record the biggest margin of victory of the night but the evening produced some high scoring encounters to the excitement of the fans on hand. The teams are battling for attractive cash prizes with the winners of the competition set to receive $500,000, while the runners up will pocket $250,000 so the action promises to be intense. In the full results of the opening night’s play: Game 1- Tucville vs Wolves United. Tucville won by walkover. Wolves did not get a full squad. Game 2- North East La Penitence 6 vs Northern Ranger 4 Goal Scorers North East Kelvin Moore 2nd, 4th, 13thmin Keifer Brandt 6th, 16th & 17thmin Northern Rangers Tevin Fowler 5th min Nigel Denny 15th & 18th min Stephan Reynolds 19th min Game 3- Leopold Street 6 vs Flamingo 5
Goal Scorers Leopold Street Eon Alleyne 2nd & 16th min Darren Benjamin 5th min Okennie Fraser 8th, 12th & 15th min Flamingo Andrew Murray 3rd & 11th min Lennox Cort 6th & 19th min Moses Griffith 11th min Game 4- Back Circle vs Camptown Back Circle won by walk over. Camptown failed to show up. Game 5- Sparta Boss 7 vs Black Pearl 0 Goal Scorer Jermaine Junior 1st & 7th min Kelsey Benjamin 5th min Dennis Edwards 11th, 13th & 18th min Devon Charles 14th min Game 6- Bent Street 7 vs GT Panthers 2 Goal Scorers Bent Street Pernel Schultz 1st, 11th, 12th & 13th min Sheldon Profit 9th min Andre Aaron 16th & 18th min Gt Panthers Vasco Cabral 8th min Mark Anthony 14th min The competition continues tomorrow, Tuesday 7th May, with the 2nd Elimination day.
Fixtures below show: Elimination Round Night 2 @ National Gymnasium 19:30 hrs Pele vs California Square 20:15 hrs GFC vs West Front Road 21:00 hrs Broad Street vs Mocha 21:45 hrs Order and Descipline vs Future Stars 22:30 hrs Beacons vs Sophia 23:15 hrs Eastveldt vs Tiger Bay 5/11/2019 Round Robin 5/14/2019 Round Robin 5/18/2019 Round Robin 5/25/2019 Quarter Finals 6/1/2019 Semi Finals 6/8/2019 Finals
Match # 7 8 9 10 11 12
Monday May 06, 2019
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Kaieteur News
Hand-in-Hand 3-day U-19 Inter-County cricket
Spinners dominate as Benjamin’s 50 give Berbice 1st innings points
Kevin Umroa followed his 5 wickets against the U-17s with 5-24 yesterday at Lusignan. On another wet and windy day at Lusignan the spinners on both sides exploited a track with bounce and turn and batsmen who lacked the temperament to play spin as Berbice, led by Garfield Benjamin’s even fifty, took first innings points from Essequibo as the second day of their Hand-in-Hand three-day U-19 second round Inter-County encounter ended prematurely yesterday. Responding to Berbice’s 200, Essequibo were dismantled for 62 after being dismissed for 75 in the first round by Demerara at Bourda. The defending Champions began a day in which the entire first session was washed out due morning rain, on 107-7
as the Essequibians won the only session on Saturday before bad light stopped play. The overnight pair of Benjamin and Nigel Deodat extended their seventh wicket stand to 81 as both batsmen batted well after play started after Lunch. Benjamin, who reached the boundary four times and cleared it once in his 145minute and 122-ball 50, shared in a crucial half-century stand on the slow outfield with Deodat, whose 48 lasted 85 minutes and 84 balls and was decorated with four boundaries as they consolidated the position to help push their team to the 200 mark. Persaud, who again
bowled the bulk of the overs (31.1), bowled too fast and frequently ‘pulled down’ the ball; offering free scoring opportunities and on a track which provided prodigious turn, as he used his arm ball as his wicket-taking ball. He eventually broke the partnership which had dashed Essequibo’s hopes of limiting Berbice to a 150 score as it seemed likely when play started when he removed Deodat at 172-7 and Benjamin at 189-8. Leon Swamy hit a six and a four but was removed by Persaud for 12 as the burly spinner ended with 6-93. Fellow offspinner Lance Roberts supported with 4-42 from
18 overs as many off the batsmen gifted their wickets with poor shot selection. When Essequibo began their reply, Orlando Jailall (18) and Kevin Christian (14) provided their team with a promising start with Jailall hitting three boundaries off Swamy, including a glorious square drive. But with the score on 20, Jailall, who made 27 and 60 at Bourda, played his favourite shot, an on drive with too much bottom hand as he hit leftarm spinner Kelvin Umroa to deep wide mid-on. Amir Singh never suggested permanence and edged Kevlon Anderson, bowling seam, to slip for a duck, while a run later, Umroa trapped Roberts (0) LBW at 23-3. Jerimiah Scott (4) seemed in a great hurry and lifted Umroa just over the head of mid-on four but repeated the illadvised shot and was taken at mid-on as Umroa struck once more. When Anderson sent back Christian and Bhumeshwar Ramkisoon (2) with the score on 40, no one else except pacer Elian Whyte (10) reached double figures. Umroa followed up his five-wicket haul in the first round with 5-24 yesterday but his new action seems to be hampering his ability to the extract the prodigious turn he got last year and like Persaud is bowling too quickly despite his success in this tournament. Umroa and Anderson (312) were supported by Chris Harry who finished with 2-6 to wrap up the innings. Another shower prevented Berbice, with a lead of 132, to start their second innings and with more rain forecast for today the 9:30 hrs start seems unlikely. (Sean Devers)
Garfield Benjamin cuts during his fifty for B’ce yesterday.
Amit Persaud followed up his 7 wickets against Demerara with 6-49 against B’ce yesterday at Lusignan to take his wicket tall to 13.
Diamond New Scheme are MYO Inter...
Nigel Deodat drives during his 81-run stand with Benjamin at Lusignan yesterday.
From page 30 quota of six overs with Imtiaz Hack scoring 21; Aslam Wajid took two wickets. New Amsterdam made light work of the total as they raced to 65 for 1 in 5.3 overs with Martin Singh making 25 and Keion De Jesus 19. At the presentation ceremony, Mr. Imran Ally thanked all the teams for participating and also said that the competition was played in its true spirit of its motto “Unity and Brotherhood through Sports”. He also thanked the media who have created an atmosphere of excitement through their coverage; Mr. Timothy of the Guyana Times, Mr. Fizul Deo of the Guyana Chronicle and
Mr. Zaheer Mohamed of the Kaieteur Newsthey were presented with medals for their services rendered. Man of the Match in the final was Rajesh Reddy for his match winning knock of 63 runs; Most runs scored in the competition (Preliminary round)Keion De Jesus (New Amsterdam) of 335 runs; Highest individual score (Preliminary Round)- Keion De Jesus (New Amsterdam) 122 against LBI; Best Bowling Figures (Preliminary Round)- Wahab Riaz (New Amsterdam) of 7 for 16 against LBI; Most wickets in the competition (Preliminary Round)- Wahab Riaz (New Amsterdam) 18 wickets.
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Monday May 06, 2019
Kaieteur News
GFF/KFC U20 Independence KO Cup –WDFA Leg
Pouderoyen and Uitvlugt Warriors advance; matches continue today
National Junior and Youth Championships
Two-day event completed despite rain
Pouderoyen FC goalscorers. The West Demerara Football Association leg of the GFF/KFC U20 Independence Cup KO tournament kicked off on Saturday afternoon with two matches at the Den Amstel Community Centre Ground. Pouderoyen Football Club and Uitvlugt Warriors were the teams registering wins, the former recording a huge 7-0 win over Stewartville, while the latter got past Crane FC by a 3-2 margin. Devin Gaskin (3rd, 18th) and Teffon Fraser (8th, 25th) netted a double each for
Pouderoyen, while there was one each for Donte McAulay (27th), Stefon Jupiter (48th) and EJ Marks in the 59th minute. Andre Heywood netted in the first minute of their clash with Crane thanks to Andre Heywood but Crane responded in like manner on nine minutes through an Alex Ward goal. Kendall Ruel restored Uitvlugt’s advantage in the 40th minute but again, Crane evened things up on the stroke of half time through a Keron Innis effort.
The second half was all to play for and as it turned out Uitvlugt Warriors again went ahead but this time, Crane were not able to respond which meant that Uitvlugt walked away winners of the clash. J. Senson netted the winner in the 65th minute. Play will continue today at the same venue when Eagles will take on De Kenderen from 14:00hrs followed by a clash between Den Amstel and Beavers FC. Stewartville drew the bye to the next round as only nine (9) clubs are contesting.
Moments before Anfernee Headecker ran out of gas and was overtaken by winner of the 800m open invitational; Devaun Barrington in the final straight. The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) was unmoved by the intermittent showers of the eminent May-June rainy season and all the scheduled events for the second and final day of the National Youth and Junior Championships were completed yesterday at the National Track and Field Center (NTFC), Leonora. Among the winners yesterday were 2019 Carifta games gold medalists Anisha Gibbons and Matthew Gordon, while Adriel Austin, who was also part of the AAG’s team that finished fourth overall, also picked up a win. Austin, who is a member of the Police Progressive Youth Club (PPYC), won the girls’ under-18 800m in a decent time of 2 minutes 22 seconds ahead of Shaquka Tyrel of Christianburg Wismar Secondary School (CWSS) and third place Kissanna Glen of Running Brave athletics club (RBAC). Gordon (Hopetown Flames) won the boys’ under-18 3000m by some distance after registering a time of 9 minutes 38 seconds with Cordell Charles coming in second almost an entire minute slower in 10 minutes 25 seconds. Gibbons (Rurallites) threw a top distance
Uitvlugt Warriors FC goalscorers.
Gayle back home with Tallawahs KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The Jamaica Tallawahs will once again have the services of Chris Gayle for this year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL). The 39-year-old Gayle who represented St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the last two editions of the CPL has been selected as the Tallawahs’ marquee player. The big-hitting opening batsman previously led the Tallawahs to two titles in 2013 and 2016. “We are delighted to have Chris playing for his home team for the 2019 season,” Tallawahs’ chief executive officer Jefferson Miller said in a release. “There is no bigger name in Twenty20
cricket and we can’t wait for him to arrive and make the Jamaican fans proud. We are looking forward to Chris being a big part of our push for a third CPL title.” Gayle is the leading run-scorer in CPL with a tally of 2111 runs and has three centuries in the league, all for Tallawahs. They will be playing five home games at Sabina Park once the tournament starts on September 4. He will be also be playing in the World Cup, after which he is expected to retire from ODIs. Gayle was in tremendous form in this year’s Indian Premier League for the Kings XI Punjab where he scored 462 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 158.76 and average of 42, with four half-centuries.
Whiddon Antigua of Running Braves won the boys’ under-17 800m yesterday.
of 37.18m in the girls’ under-18 Javelin. The 800m event wasn’t short of entertainment; Daniel Melville (PPYC) won the boys’ under-20 category in 1minute 59 seconds ahead of Jevon Harris of RBAC. In the men’s open invitational, Devaun Barrington of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) club ran a decent 1minute 53 seconds ahead of Anfernee Headecker, who was overtaken in the final 80meters of the race that was livened up by a pacy rabbit. Following the race, Barrington noted that he has a lot of work to do since his winning time was only good enough for fifth place at the last Carifta Games. National record holder in the men’s Javelin, Leslain Baird, as expected, comfortably won his event with a best throw of 69.02 meters in the men’s open invitational. Head of the AAG, Aubrey Hutson, noted satisfaction with the event and explained that the association will now look forward to the South American Senior Championships which will be held in Lima, Peru, where the likes of Devaun Barrington and Akeem Stewart are set to compete. (Calvin Chapman story and photos)
Monday May 06, 2019
Kaieteur News
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FA Champions League – Zeeburg claim FAB Mining/ Rupununi Quarter Finals Amrit Rai Memorial T20 title Guyana Rush Saints
Females trounce Sun Parakeets; Paiwomak males triumph
Members of the victorious Zeeburg team with their accolades. By Zaheer Mohamed Zeeburg defeated Rising Stars by 64 runs to win the final of the Amrit Rai Memorial T20 tournament on Wednesday last at the Met-en-Meer Zorg, West Coast Demerara. Openers Balbinder Shivpersaud and Yetesh Dhanpaul added 37 to hand their team a brisk start before Keon Roberts provided Rising Stars with the breakthrough by removing Dhanpaul for 15. Shiverpaud departed shortly after, caught off the bowling off Shane Persaud for 14, before Malcolm Hubbard and Ricardo Poloram steadied the innings with a third wicket stand of 59. Hubbard slammed one fours and one six in scoring 22, while Poloram struck two fours and three sixes in a cameo 39 before he was removed by Shaquille Brisport. Rising Stars managed to pick up a few quick wickets thereafter, limiting Zeeburg to 122-7, however, Cornelius Jai Singh propped up the total with a quick fire 32 which contained four fours and a six as Zeeburg were bowled out for 154 in 18.3 overs, in front of a fair size crowd. Shane Persaud captured 426, Brisport had 3-32 and Marvin Cheong had 2-3. Roberts (01) was lbw to Travis Drakes before Mark Jeffers removed Marvin Cheong (01), while Elroy Fernandes who stroked four fours was removed by Drakes for 18, reducing Rising Star to 23-3, in reply. Anand Bharat and T. Jairup put on 27 for the fourth wicket, but Rising Star suffered another set back when Bharat was forced to retire hurt when on 16 with two fours. Pacer Reon Kingston accounted for Jairup for 15 before Hubbard destroyed the rest of the batting with
consistent bowling. K. Mangar made 17, while T. Cort chipped in with 15 as Rising Stars were bowled out for 90 in 14.1 overs. Hubbard picked up 4-24 from four overs and was given the man-of-the-match award; Drakes had 2-9 while Dhanpaul, Kingston and Jeffers had one each. Meanwhile, prior to the final, Odyssey XI overcame the Media XI by four runs. Batting first, Odyssey XI managed 153-7 from their reduced quota of 18 overs. Feroze Barakat scored 33 while S. Alleyne made 31 and A. Fira 24 not out. Fardeen Sheriffudeen grabbed 4-21 and A. Makeram 2-9. Set a revised target of 128 from 15 overs, the Media XI threatened, but fell short by four as they finished on 124-6. Esan Griffith struck 43 with five fours and one six while Safraz Sheriffudeen made 24. A. Alleyne took 3-15 and Barakat 2-18. Police Gunners (G Division) were given the fair play award, Shivpersaud received the prize for scoring the most runs and Marvin Cheong took the accolade for taking the most wickets in the tournament. Zeeburg received a trophy and $200,000, Rising Star pocketed a trophy and $100,000 and Hubbard a trophy and $10,000. Speaking at the presentation ceremony, CEO of FAB Mining and Odyssey Transport Services, Feroze Barakat congratulated both teams and pledged his continued support for the development of the game in the area. The competition was sponsored by FAB Mining and Odyssey Transport Services, and was played in memory of former Zeeburg and Wolf’s Warriors Captain Amrit “Rocky” Rai.
Rain ruins second day’s play at Bourda
Amanda Cabral (right) and Rosie Ritchie Guyana Rush Saints FC Guyana Rush Saints Female Team blanked the home team Sun Parakeets 5-0 when the quarter finals of the Fourth Rupununi Football Association (RFA) Male and Female Champions League kicked off on Friday last at the Sun Parakeets Sports Ground. The other match of the double header which was the curtain raiser resulted in Paiwomak FC edging past Sun Parakeets 2-1 in a male clash. Amanda Cabral led the Guyana Rush Saints Females with a helmet-trick of goals that were scored in the 16th, 24th, 31st and 87th minutes; the other coming off the boot of Rosie Ritchie in the 65th minute. Netting for Paiwomak in their win over Sun Parakeetes were Stephen Glasgow in the 11th minute and Joisu Xavier in the 38th minute. Sun Parakeets’ lone goal was scored by Royal Leo in the 52nd minute. Two more matches were carded for yesterday at the Strikers Sports Ground. The female clash featured Titans FC and Strikers FC, while over at the Wadapna Sports Ground, Tabatinga were scheduled to face Titans FC.
Both teams will be looking for an improved weather condition today. Due to rain, no play was possible yesterday at Bourda during the second day of the Hand-in-Hand Inter County U19 three- day tournament between Demerara and the Select U17 team. The U17 side were 28-1 at stumps in the first day in reply
to Demerara first innings score of 169, with Matthew Nandu on six and Zeynul Ramsammy on 10. Earlier, Robin Williams top scored with 54 for Demerara, while Chanderpaul Ramraj bagged 5-34. Weather permitting, play is set to start at 09:30 hrs today.
Stephen Glasgow and Joisu Xavier Paiwomak Warriors FC
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Monday May 06, 2019
Kaieteur News
Diamond New Scheme are MYO Inter Jamaat softball champs Diamond New Scheme Masjid won the Muslim Youth Organisation Inter-Jamaat 15over softball competition with an exciting three-wicket victory over host MYO in the final which was contested on Wednesday last. With a good size crowd and rain threatening, the home side were inserted and their opening pair of Shaheed Gittens and Safraz Esau gave MYO a solid start making 106 runs in 7 overs before Esau was bowled for 49 runs (6 x 6, 1 x 4) off the bowling of Patrick Khan, who also removed Gittens for 55 (4 x 6), 6 x 4). MYO lost Javed Kayum and Latiff for three and eight runs respectively off the bowling of Rickey Sargeant and Shedon Perch in that order, but managed 176 for 8 in their 15 overs with 70 runs coming in the last eight overs. The pick of the bowlers were Patrick Khan and Sheldon Perch with two wickets a piece. Needing to go at 11.73 runs for over, Diamond New Scheme got off to a bad start when the in-form opener Rawl Reid was caught off Fazal Nazeem without scoring and Keisho Ramsarran was removed by Timore Mohamed for one. Rickey Sergeant was then brilliantly caught off 11 year-old Riyad Latif off Mohamed for 17, while Ajay Kishan was bowled by Safraz Esau for 13 leaving the score at 47-4.
The victorious Diamond New Scheme Masjid team. Ameer Khan and Rajesh Reddy steadied the chase fairly with some attacking batting before Khan fell 12th over for 59 (4 x 6, 2 x 4). With 39 to get from three overs, Patrick Khan joined Reddy and took their team close to the target before Richard Latiff was entrusted to bowl the final over with 11 runs to defend. Reddy was bowled off the first ball for 63 (8 x 6, 2 x 4),
while Sheldon Perch was dismissed in similar fashion off the second ball. In came Safraz Mohamed with 11 still to get in 4 balls, he took a single bringing it to 10 from 3 balls. Patrick Khan took strike and smashed the next ball for six over midwicket, reducing it to four from two. Latiff then produced a dot and four was needed from one ball, but Latiff did the unexpected and
bowled a wide ball down the leg side and the batsmen ran two and one was required from one and once again Latiff bowled a wide down the leg side, giving Diamond New Scheme the Victory. Latiff ended with 3 wickets for 27 runs. In the first semi final, Tuschen Train Station batted first and managed 193-9. Imtiaz Hack struck 73 (2x4, 9x6) while Timoth Persaud
Dr. Terrence Joseph is GDA President
From left: Forbes July, Adrian Damon, Terence Joseph, Fidel Hunter, Victorine Chandro, Melissa Smartt, Edward Richmond, Shondel Hyles, Sean Fenty, Nicholas Young. Last Friday night the Guyana Darts Association elected their executive committee to chart its course for the next two years. Dr. Terence Joseph was unanimously elected President, while Ms Victorine Chandro is the new Vice-president. Sean Fenty and Adrian Damon were respectively elected
to the positions of Secretary and Assistant Secretary/ Treasurer, while Melissa Smartt was returned as the Treasurer. Edward Richmond is the new P.R.O. and the four committee members are Nicholas Young, Shondell Hyles, Fidel Hunter and Forbes July. The Returning Officer was Mr. Ronald Williams.
made 52. Rickey Sargeant and Patrick Khan picked up two wickets. In reply, New Diamond Scheme Masjid were reduced to 82-4 before Patrick Khan and Rajesh Reddy took them to victory with one over to spare as they plundered 112 from six overs. Reddy blasted an unbeaten 60 (5 x 6, 5 x 4) and Patrick Khan 33 not out (2 x 6, 2 x 4), while Rawl Reid made 45 earlier. Daniel Chunno had 2 for 16. In the second semi final,
MYO managed 242-3. Richard Latif smashed an unbeaten 126 (12x4, 11x6), while Timore Mohamed made 41, Shaheed Gittens 22, Javed Kayum 21 and Safraz Esau 20. New Amsterdam were bowled out for 126 in 14.1 overs in reply. Ricky Boodhoo made 50 and Keion De Jesus 24; Riyad Latiff claimed two wickets for MYO. In the third place play off, Tuschen Train Station Masjid made 64-5 from their reduced Continued on page 27
Ryan Crawford Horserace meet rescheduled The one day horserace meet organised by the Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club, which was scheduled for yesterday at the Club Facility, Alness Village Corentyne, East Berbice, has been rescheduled to Independence Day (May 26). According to the organisers the postponement has come about to facilitate the celebrations of the Arrival Day, national holiday. The programme remains the same with seven races listed for the day. The feature event is the Alness Classic over 1400M for a winning purse of $500,000 and trophy. There is the ‘I and Lower’ event over 1000M for a first prize of $240,000 and trophy. Then there is the ‘3-Year-Old maiden horses’ event, which will see the animals running over 900M for a prize of $200,000 and trophy. The horses classified ‘L and Lower’ will be competing for a pole position takings of $200,000 and trophy over 1200M. The 1000M event for horses classified ‘J and Lower’, will see the winner pocketing $170,000 and a trophy. The ‘L3 Unclassified’ horses will race over 1000M with the winner taking away $100,000 and trophy. The ‘L1 and Lower’ 1200M race will see the animals competing for a top prize of $100,000 and trophy. The ‘L2 and Lower’ race is for colts and geldings, over 1000M with the first prize being $80,000 and trophy. Trophies and other incentives will be given to outstanding jockeys and stables. Banks DIH Limited and Attorney-at-Law R. Poonai SC are among the major sponsors. Contact can be made with Marcel Crawford Jr on 6785342 or 696-9009 for further information.