Kaieteur News

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Four years later...

AIETEUR Govt. admits Saturday Edition NEWS hurdles in corruption fight May 11, 2019 - Vol. 13 No. 18

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

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- says brought Guyana on doorstep of unprecedented wealth

Online readership yesterday 125,255

CCJ President does not doubt absolute majority needed to pass no-confidence motion Tobacco Control GRDB fraud regulators meet trial begins, for the first time three testify The CCJ Judges

Justice Adrian Saunders Justice Maureen RajnauthLee

Justice David Hayton

Justice Jacob WItt

Winston Anderson

CCJ reserves decision, to decode constitutional complexity arising from no-confidence appeals

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CCJ President does not doubt absolute majority needed to pass no-confidence motion

A

s the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) yesterday entertained arguments to make a determination on the political stability of Guyana, the court's President, Adrian Saunders, said that no one is doubting that an absolute majority of all 65 members of the National Assembly is required for the successful passage of a no-confidence motion.

However, the President pointed out that the issue to determine is what constitutes an absolute majority.

According to Saunders the court has to determine whether to adapt the formula of dividing by two, rounding up to the nearest whole number and then adding one, which had been the case in the Solomon Islands, or just using the majority of the uneven number, 65 which is

33.

The coalition government has insisted that an absolute majority of 65 is 34, which was upheld by the Court of Appeal.

Chancellor of the J u d i c i a r y Yo n e t t e Cummings-Edwards and Justice of Appeal Dawn Gregory had held that in calculating the absolute majority, the 65 members of the National Assembly had to be divided by two, which would result in 32.5, but since the .5 represents half and there is no half-member, that number needs to rounded off to 33, and add one more, making it 34 –an absolute majority.

But lawyers for expelled Alliance for Change (AFC) Parliamentarian, Charrandass Persaud, Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram and Leader

Youths remanded

T

wo youths were y e s t e r d a y brought before the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts where they were made to answer to a break and enter and an assault charge. John Peters and Deon Singh both pleaded not guilty to the charges which were read to them.

The charge alleged that between May 4, 2019 and May 5, 2019 at Kumaka Water Front, North West District, the defendants broke and entered the dwelling house of Dwayne Payne and stole articles amounting to $1,502,000, property of the said victim.

Also it was alleged that on May 8, 2019 at Kumaka Water Front, North West District, Peters and Singh assaulted George Torez to cause him actual bodily harm.

Their attorney told the court that both men reside at Kumaka Water Front, North West District.

He further stated that Peters is a 22-year-old handyman while Singh is 25years-old. The attorney asked that reasonable bail should be granted and promised that both defendants will return for their trial.

Police prosecutor Tracey-May Gittens objected to bail for both defendants based on the seriousness of the offences and the value of the articles stolen. She added that Singh has a pending matter of break and entry before the court.

The Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan then adjourned the matter until May 21, 2019 where the men will make their next appearance at the Mabaruma Magistrate Court as they were remanded to prison.

of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo, are maintaining that there is no mention of an absolute or simple majority in the Constitution.

To this end, they are contending that the noconfidence motion was validly passed in the National Assembly on the night of December 21, 2018 with the votes of 33 of the 65 members present and voting which was the ruling by Chief Justice Roxane George. Yesterday was the final day for the hearing of arguments in the cases.

Thereafter, President Saunders informed the lawyers that the court would be informed when the court has reached a decision. Apart from Saunders, the panel of judges also includes Winston Anderson, Jacob Wit, David Hayton and Maureen Rajnauth-Lee. CALL ELECTIONS IMMEDIATELY Attorney-at-Law Kamal Ramkarran, who is representing Ram, urged the CCJ to issue an order for the holding of elections immediately once the court finds that the no-confidence motion was validly passed in the National Assembly.

He submitted that if the court finds that the noconfidence motion was properly passed, then as at May 10, (yesterday) Guyana has been in breach of the Constitution for 45 days.

Ram, himself a lawyer, had asked the court for a declaration that the noconfidence motion was validly and properly passed when it was voted for by 33 of the 65 members of the National Assembly; and that it requires that national and regional elections be held no later than Thursday, March 21, 2019, that date being the ninetieth day from December 21, 2018.

Expressing confidence that the CCJ will rule in his favour, Ramkarran said that the provisions of Article 106 (6) and (7) of the Constitution are clear. The lawyer insists that government was defeated by the no-confidence motion provided for under Article 106 (6) of the Constitution which essentially states that the Cabinet including the President, has to resign if the Government is defeated on a vote of no confidence.

Article 106 (7) of the Constitution of Guyana reads, “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.”

“Every single vote of confidence or vote of noconfidence…whatever you call it means that somebody has to cross the floor, in every country, not only in Guyana. It means that somebody has to vote against their list. What is distinct is that you can do it but there may be consequences and those consequences are set out in Article 156 (3) may or may not happen depending on how serious the party which forms the list considers the matter.”

The lawyer was at the time referring to Persaud who voted against the list from which his name was extracted by voting with the Opposition sponsored noconfidence motion “Shocking” was the adjective used by Ramkarran to describe the arguments

presented by lawyers for the Government which is being represented by Attorney General Basil Williams, former Attorney General of Belize Eamon Courtaney, and others.

A c c o r d i n g t o Ramkarran, the government is of the view that there is no freedom of expression or freedom of conscience in the National Assembly and that the President is not accountable to the National Assembly. In fact, he told the CCJ that this is not the case.

The lawyer said that the system of proportional representation which Guyana uses does not allow for this.

He urged that the court must make it clear that this is a different era of accountability, fundamental rights, democracy and the rule of law. Lawyers for the Government had in fact contended that it was guaranteed a five-year term under the Constitution.

However, in responding to a question posed by CCJ Judge Winston Anderson, who sits on the panel of judges hearing the cases, as in relates to fix term governments like the United States, Ramkarran made it clear, “In Guyana under Article 61 the President can dissolve Parliament and call elections at anytime. So we don't have a fix term government in Guyana.”

PRIOR NOCONFIDENCE MOTION The no-confidence motion moved in the National Assembly by the People's Progressive Party

(PPP) is not the first for Guyana.

This was the contention of Persaud who is adamant that a motion of noconfidence was moved against the then ruling PPP by the coalition government, which was at the time the Parliamentary Opposition, and that this forced the early calling of elections in 2015.

Chrrandass Persaud, through his Attorney-at-Law Sanjeev Datadin, told the CCJ that elections were called in 2015 because of such a vote being moved in the House.

Datadin reminded, “In 2011, we had a government.

We had a President and a Cabinet that did not control Parliament.

“What forced the 2015 elections was the current government (then in Opposition) moving a vote of no confidence. In response, the PPP prorogued Parliament knowing that when they came back to Parliament perhaps they would face the noconfidence vote which they probably would have had no chance of winning. They (the PPP) called elections.”

In this regard, Datadin submitted that the election of 2015 was forced by a noconfidence motion brought in the House. He said, “(The elections) were earlier than the five years.”

Datadin seemed to have questioned whether the provisions of Article 106 (6) of the Constitution provided for a no-confidence motion.

He however said that he would not belabour that (continued on page 24)

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Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Free health care is not for all Guyana offers free health care at the public level but the service lacks the professionalism that is common to high class medical service. The result is that people prefer to pay the private medical institutions because they feel that the service would be much better.

In the developed world citizens get medicare but that is reliant on what they pay during their working years, the same as when they contribute to the National Insurance Scheme.

The difference is that the medical scheme foots the entire bill. The National Insurance Scheme would only foot a part of the bill.

The United States, which is home to many Guyanese, offers Medicare. There is a push for Medicare for all. But not everybody likes or wants it.

“Medicare for all” is another name for socialized health insurance. The Congressional Budget Office published a paper on the general idea this week, reigniting debates over the costs. Follow the defenses of “Medicare for all” closely enough, through their twists and turns, and eventually you end up in a dead-end alley from which there is no escape.

Democrats’ plans to supposedly open up Medicare to everybody always end up in the same place: They absolutely must bar people from choosing to buy their own insurance instead.

The winding debate goes like this: Conservatives point out that turning the federal government into a massive health insurer for all Americans would increase federal spending by $32 trillion.

Socialists respond that, in fact, socializing health insurance will save Americans money because it will reduce the combined amount spent on healthcare by government, individuals, and private insurance.

How would that work? Well, recall what Democrats were calling socialized health insurance before they settled on the brand name of “Medicare for all”: Single-payer healthcare. This is what economists call a “monopsony”: When there is only one buyer of goods, he has a disproportionate power over prices, as multiple sellers must compete for his business.

This monopsony power is where the socialists hope to find savings. Single-payer healthcare can drive profit margins of healthcare providers — doctors, hospitals, drug companies, device makers, nurses — down to nearly zero.

But what if an independent family doctor, who lacks the economies of scale that bigger practices enjoy, bristles at Uncle Sam’s lower payments and opts instead to deal only with folks on private insurance? If any serious number of practitioners does this, then suddenly we’ve got exactly the thing the socialists were trying to prevent: competition!

Without monopsony power, the government can’t unilaterally set prices in healthcare.

This is why the most popular versions of “Medicare for all,” sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., would prohibit private health insurance that competes with the government’s insurance.

They want to run not only health insurance but the entire healthcare sector. This means they would also strip millions of Americans of their current healthcare plans.

We’ve seen this one before. Once again, the socialist journey that begins with laudable goals of standing up to big business and looking out for the poor ends up in the dark alley of government control with no individual choice.

Control over healthcare isn’t merely about controlling spending, controlling doctors, and controlling nurses. It’s also about controlling one of the most intimate aspects of our lives. When Uncle Sam is paying your bill, he also gets to tell you what to eat. Or when to stop having children. Or when Grandma has lived long enough. And so on and so forth.

So yes, it’s good to follow the money trail of “Medicare for all,” not because the money matters most, but because it leads us to the true cost, which is the loss of freedom.

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

The degrading of our women in police custody DEAR EDITOR, In the Kaieteur News of 23rd April 2019, under the caption “Woman alleges physical abuse by ranks at Parika Police Station,” we are given a most disgusting a c c o u n t o f a s i s t e r ’s experience at a police station.

According to the report, the alleged victim visited the station to make a report when a rank there “slammed a steel gate on her wrist.” Then with seeming contempt, he invited her to spank him on his buttocks. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated show of disrespect for females by the police in recent times.

In the Kaieteur News of 28th July 2017, we read that Ti l a w a t t i e S i n g h w a s allegedly severely beaten by the police. In her words “me hold meh head and me ah beg dem, “Ow officer, wha meh do? Wha meh do?” And “I was bleeding when dem people put me in the lock-up and these people even refused to give me sanitary pads, even though I told them I was bleeding.”

In the Guyana Times of 4th November 2018, an article captioned “Woman placed to sleep naked in Police lockups,” we are told the cell was devoid of a bed and so she had to sleep on the concrete. She added that she was “helpless as several male officers came and looked at her without any clothing….”

While all three of the incidents mentioned above should make us all feel a sense of outrage and shame that such things could be happening to our women at our police stations, it’s the latter two to which I want to direct my attention.

Women tend to suffer more injustice at the hands of the police when they are placed in holding cells, and on remand, than their male counterparts. This is simply so because their biological make up means that they have some specific needs that must be catered for.

Indeed, one writer looking at how women on remand are treated in Zimbabwe was forced to remind that, “failure to provide the means to manage menstruation in remand and holding cells punishes women because of their biological make up.”

Failure to cater for these specific needs of women in detention is a violation of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners. That rule states “no person under any form of detention or imprisonment shall be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

Not to provide women in police custody with the materials and conditions for taking care of their biological

demands, and placing them naked in cells, certainly qualify as ‘degrading treatment.’

What disappoints most is what seems to be a state of national apathy on this m a t t e r. W h e n t h e s e despicable acts are made public, the upper echelon of the police assures us that investigations are being undertaken. However the findings are rarely publicized or found to be inadequate when shared with the public. Similarly, the various women and religious organizations, who one would think would be livid, are rarely heard from on this issue.

Something needs to be done to hold the police accountable and to reduce the possibility for these acts to be perpetuated.

Fortunately, we can easily find help in this matter.

In 2018, a watchdog organization offered some suggestions for responding to this barbaric treatment of women in police custody, that plagues both rich and poor countries.

Guided by some of these suggestions, I make the following recommendations that seem most suitable for the Guyana situation: 1) The Commission on Women needs to become fully involved in this issue of how women are treated at

police stations.

2) The Commission must have representatives throughout Guyana, who must be contacted, by the police station in their vicinity, whenever a woman is to be detained for over six hours.

3) The Commission must be given the authority and responsibility to visit and monitor women who are being held in custody by the police.

4) This authority must enable them to visit such women at any hour of the day or night.

5) All police stations with holding facilities for women must have at least one female officer on duty at every shift.

6) All police stations with holding facilities for females must have in stock hygiene packs and regular sanitary products for use by female detainees.

7) All police stations with holding facilities for females must also have proper facilities for the healthy disposal of such products.

L e t u s r e m e m b e r, whether we care to admit it or not, in CARICOM countries our women are seen as the custodians of our decency, our values. To disrespect and shame our women in this manner is to undermine our sense of decency, our virtue.

Yours, Claudius Prince

The Police need to step up their game or accept the blame DEAR EDITOR, I am penning these few lines hoping that at the conclusion some degree of clarity will enshroud my enigmatic cranium. Once again (or as always) crime in Guyana is seemingly spiraling out of control.

While this in itself is of grave concern, even more serious is the mode of transportation being used by the perpetrators, along with an accompanying and increasing ability to elude capture.

At a press conference last week Friday, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, in reference to the country’s current crime rate, spoke thus, “the impression that Guyana is in a “really bad state” as compared to other countries with regard to the country’s crime rate is “not true”, “sometimes this thing is emblazoned across the front pages of newspapers giving

the impression as though we are in a real bad state, [but it’s] not really true”.

Conversely in September 2012, the then Guyana Police Force (GPF) Crime Chief Seelall Persaud, told Stabroek News that the utilization of motorcycles in the carrying out of serious crimes including executions and armed robberies were on the rise, but the numbers were not disquieting the police.

In fact, adding further national insult to civic injury, the Crime Chief claimed that the number was inconsequential when compared to the total of serious crimes committed, noting that for the first half of 2012 there had been 23 recorded cases of motorcycles being used in crimes.

In June 2012, while out dining with friends at a Thomas Street restaurant, Director of Pest Control Mohammed Baksh, was

fatally shot. The assassins fled the scene on motorcycles.

In August 2012 while sitting with some other males on Waterloo Street, Kevin Singh was gunned down; again a motorcycle was used as the getaway transportation.

Crime Chief Leslie James in 2014, further corroborated that CG Honda motorcycles were the preferred getaway bike used by criminal elements in the commission of crimes especially armed robberies yet nothing.

The emerging picture reveals— spiraling crime, passage of time, 2 Crime Chiefs, 7 years later, no change within range, just a country hurtling towards impending doom, because those in authority are totally disregarding the elephant in the room.

The lingering question remains: At the police station who is safeguarding the

safety and security of the nation? Whose role is it to control? Even in the face of the Canadian and US Governments circulating travel advisories, the rising crime rate still fails to be addressed with the level of immediate urgency it has merited.

In fact, in July 2011, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud, took umbrage at the advisory issued by the US State Department’s Overseas Security Advisory Council on crimes in Guyana in general, and Georgetown in particular.

Time should not be spent on ascertaining the source country of the motorcycles, the number of motorcycles in the country, or the means by which they arrived in the c o u n t r y. T h e G u y a n a Government and all representatives of the law are guilty by omission of not effecting measures that (Continued on page 5)

Saturday May 11, 2019

Disregard for pedestrians on Eccles housing scheme access road DEAR EDITOR, I’m writing you to bring to your attention the wanton disregard shown by some drivers, as well as their dangerous and careless use of the Eccles Housing Scheme access road during weekdays between the hours of 7am - 8:30am – rush hour traffic.

Many drivers who are following, wait their turn to access the public road, where a traffic police officer is

stationed, directing traffic by the traffic light. However, some impatient and careless drivers would decide to drive on the opposite side, bypassing the queue of drivers waiting their turn.

Many pedestrians are also using the road and parapet when these drivers are behind them overtaking on the other lane to beat the traffic.

This is a serious and dangerous accident waiting to happen, as pedestrians are

not focused on drivers coming from behind them, as they are walking on the right side of the road and only concentrating on the oncoming traffic.

There are no traffic police stationed in or patrolling this area during this time to help enforce the correct use of the road. I’m hoping that the Traffic Chief can look into this issue.

Respectfully Kenneth Hendricks

Why are some rice farmers unwilling to pay what is due to the N.D.I.A? DEAR EDITOR, From all indications the rainy season is here with us, and that is of course after a lengthy dry period. It was good that the rice farmers were able to harvest their crop without having to bother about rain which would have made harvesting difficult and of course, been more costly.

I can remember not so long ago, during the harvesting period, some of the dams were almost impassable to traverse with a full load of paddy - be it a truck or a tractor and trailer.

The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (N.D.I.A.) is doing a reasonably good job by cleaning the trenches, installing checks, kokers and revetments - not forgetting the many pumps that were installed - but maintaining the dams during the rainy season would always be a challenge.

With the above being said, the farmers have a duty to pay the collecting

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agency appointed by N.D.I.A. the rates for the cultivated area. That agency was the N e i g h b o u r h o o d Democratic Council (N.D.C.) and the Municipality, prior to 2007 and currently is the Water Users Association (W.U.A).

Early in 2013, in Region 2 (Pomeroon-Supenaam), a region that is heavily dependent on the rice industry, the amount of money owed to N.D.I.A. was in excess of one hundred and fifty million, and there was no evidence available that a genuine effort was made to collect these arrears from the delinquent farmers, although there was evidence in abundance that would suggest that most of the farmers in question could have afforded to pay at least a major part owed by them.

It is difficult for any rightthinking person to understand why some farmers for so long, though not

unable, are unwilling to pay what is due to the N.D.I.A. when it is accepted by all that drainage and irrigation is the most important aspect in the production of rice - this very product that many of their lives depend on, directly and indirectly.

It will certainly make interesting reading should the N.D.I.A. say how much is owed to them by farmers in each of our rice-cultivating regions.

The former administration must also inform the people of this country what action, if any, was taken to have the delinquent farmers honour that obligation.

The same must be done by this Coalition Government, which has the bounden duty to ensure that systems are in place to encourage the production of any crop, and manufactured items.

The farmers and manufacturers have some obligations also.

Archie W. Cordis Former AFC Councillor Region # 2

The Law is an Ass DEAR EDITOR, I noted this week, the media headline which stated ‘youth gets 2 years for possession of single bullet.’

The details from the news report suggest that the young man, who has no criminal record, admitted to being in possession of a single .32 bullet. A small bullet which is generally used in a .32 revolver. I was dismayed.

Last year, we had the case of a man who made an arrangement for sexual gratification one night with a young woman.

He alleged that after the exercise he fell asleep, and claimed when he woke up that a relatively small sum of money was missing from his pocket.

The woman, the mother of young children, was sent to prison. Of course, she could not afford a defence counsel.

In a morally erect society, this gentleman would have been reluctant to relate his alleged experience.

Daily, we read of persons being jailed for small amounts of marijuana.

The most recent was a middle-aged man who admitted using the substance, explaining that it was the only way he can obtain relief from his pains.

In Canada and several other countries, the use of marijuana for recreational and health purposes have been decriminalized.

The renowned English author Charles Dickens, thru his nineteen century popular novel Oliver Twist, was responsible for coining the

phrase “The Law is an Ass.” Our prisons are overcrowded and creating conditions for upheaval and jail breaks.

Yet, with gay abandon, our judiciary and the police send people to jail where they spend taxpayers’ money to feed, clothe and house them.

I mean no disrespect to our Magistrates and Police; I suppose they are doing their jobs as they understand it, but alas, the Law is an ass.

Today, we witness a continuation of corruption, theft of the people’s money.

We witness big ones defying the police.

Recently, we had a gentleman pulling a gun on a police party, but because of the legal and other contortions this gentleman, like others, still enjoyed freedom in the comforts of his home. The law is an ass.

We have not yet solved the ‘Monica Reece’ highprofile murder and it appears to me that in spite of the Government’s good intention, the system is still treating

certain folks with kid-gloves.

With due recognition to my friend C.N. Sharma ‘Justice should be for all’, but alas, this is not the case.

Why? Because the law is an ass.

Today, we note Attorneys forming political parties.

Where are the Attorneys with some sense of compassion to come to the aid of the likes of Steve King, thrown to the wolves to mix and mingle with hardened criminals? What have we done to the soul of this young man? Are the Bar Association and others not aware of the permanent damage being done to young people who have grown up in an era when there is an invisible line between right and wrong, good and bad?

In addition to our Attorneys, and also the media, when will our society show some compassion for those who make little missteps, while for those who plunder, it’s business as usual.

May God help us.

Hamilton Green

The Police need to step...

From page 4 would put crime in remission.

What happens next, now that the facts are known and the acts shown?

Various branches of law enforcement have sought assistance from overseas agencies in educating local personnel on measures to be adopted in eliminating/combatting crime. Have motorcycle crimes been overlooked? If so, what are the un-

derlying reasons for this blatant oversight? Could the assumption be applied that currently the criminals on motorcycles are more adept than the ranks?

Conclusively, cutting to the chase and circumventing all afore-expressed rhetoric by the Crime Chiefs, the call is being made for the Police to step up their game or accept the blame.

Yvonne Sam

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That American Trinity – don’t mess with it (or them) DEAR EDITOR, Narcotics, money laundering, and terrorism form a particularly evil trinity found sacrilegious by watchful America divinities. They are angry gods; harsh and unforgiving ones, too. Play games with any of those three sometimes interlinked devils and there is hell to pay at the hands of the still sole superpower around. Comes first through the crippling force of escalating sanctions.

Reaches everywhere; spares no one; not the rich, not the powerful, not the confrontational. And when economic sanctions do not go far enough, then there is always the specter of the purgatory called the Pentagon and its Horsemen of the Apocalypse. There are more than four of them in the American arsenal.

Cross the path and it is curtains. Worse than those black cats of legend and superstition. I warned in the heyday of the early days of this century that this country should not toy with those dangers; nobody listened.

Guyanese watched with disinterest, even humour, as its government responded with an upraised finger. Alarm

came slowly at the local level.

Against the grain and tide, I did warn loud, swaggering political leaders and groups that to connect with traffickers and washers and plotters was a Faustian bargain, and that there will be a payback time.

As usual nobody listened; the going was too good. All that money piling up, all those cash jets, all the real estate and unreal high life made the head swing. The local political swingers capitalized while the good times multiplied.

Something had to give; the ways of the world do not work like this anymore; at least not for too long. I suggest the skeptical familiarize themselves with the alphabet soup of powerful vigilante groups either American or allied with it: OECD, CFATF, DEA, EU, and departments of this and that.

Combined they are more than an alphabet: an armada of observers, scrutinizers, invaders, and troublemakers.

At least for those countries and leaders due for correction, subject to interference. I submit that, having willfully violated, or contributed heavily to the

violation of the sacred American trinity, this is what did happen in this country.

All diplomatic and domestic speeches and postures are recognized: May 2015 provided the proof. Get to the back of the class and stay there until we (Americans) decide that enough penance has been paid, and that it is genuine.

Men suddenly humble, suddenly contrite, suddenly discovering the art of kneeling, did a slow about face.

The talk is different these days: more subdued, more mature, and more temperate.

Mess with this earthly trinity at the peril of political longevity and political continuity. Reality-swift, jarring, relentless, and finalintroduces humility. No extraditions, no problem (will come in time).

No investigating and apprehending and punishing those pinpointed, not a bother again (then others will have to stand down; think political). There is something entirely clinical about all of this: there is neither the personal nor the ideological nor even the financial about any of this. Simply the

GWI is a hustler DEAR EDITOR, Over the past months, I’ve been faced with a frustratingly embarrassing dilemma. I have been disconnected prior to the due date on my bills, and have been asked to pay a reconnection fee.

Upon visiting the GWI’s customer service unit, who are far from courteous, I’ve been informed that there’s an adjustment made after the service has been disconnected and I should revisit the office a week after

disconnection.

I have requested that my meter be checked and serviced if necessary, and was not afforded this request until two months after, but have been disconnected a day past due. This strange occurrence leaves one to think that GWI is in the business of rooting persons’ hard earned monies out of their pockets by applying an exorbitant reconnection fee of $7500 as compared to the disparaging low sums you are often

disconnected for.

I work out of town, therefore I would resort to the GWI billing app that I assumed to be up to date with all current charges, however this is not the case, therefore the app can be said to be useless.

On the 10th day of May 2019, I was disconnected, but my bill and the GWI reflect a due date of 21st May 2019.

I am therefore requesting that GWI rectify their billing system and fix their app to reflect all outstanding balances and due dates, and they review the egregious reconnection fees.

Charlotte Street Resident

inevitability and irreversibility of the will of the divine, as embodied in the chosen people on earth. I trust that none are so ignorant that a tutorial is required.

Nationalism? Guyanese nationalism? What is that?

Whenever has it ever been that surging, triumphant essence in the fabric of this nation? Patriotism might be the only vice shunned with a passion in this country. Who said scoundrels did not have any virtues? Think of this: if it were not the American Gods, then there are sure to be some others. Vacuums do not stay that way too long. I offer Eastern airport builders, European reformers, and Latin American magnates of

a certain kind. The latter deal in certain varieties of businesses and products.

Today, the administration is viewed with some sympathy.

There is recognition that its inheritances include political, commercial, judicial, and social cargos and yokes that almost cripple, certainly limit.

The Americans are supportive, sometimes understanding of the delicate state of the government’s state; that it needs to be nurtured for greater future successes. It is felt that a genuine working relationship could be established; a lasting one.

I have some ideas as to how all of this would mesh

after the CCJ, Gecom, and the rest.

Of course, the government’s efforts and promises are not helped by the blasphemies of its own faithful. Love of money beats love of country. And the choirboys with the cash are lavish with their gifts. There was a wise Thessalian named Cineus, who once remarked when he came with bribes to court the Romans: there is no shield that immunizes from the irresistible power of gold.

In all of this, there is one simple, infallible truth for the government to worship: remember predecessor.

Blessings could follow for the devoted.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

This restructuring program is going to be a travesty on the forest sector, GFC and international community DEAR EDITOR, I refer to a Stabroek News letter of April 26th, 2019 titled (Hall-led restructuring of GFC will undo all of the good of UK-funded work). By extension of the same sentiments, the forest sector and GFC has benefited significantly over the years from support from the US Government through USAID and the Guyana Trade and Investment Project and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

From a sector point of view, in the early years of the USAID/GTIS project, a number of projects and initiatives were undertaken between the GFC and the forest sector.

There were a number of exchange visits to other tropical forest producing countries such as Brazil and Suriname, to share experiences and more importantly, observe value-

added production, and build the Guyana Marketing Council and Trade body.

These were all paid for by USAID/GTIS (US Government).

The USAID project also assisted the GFC and the forest sector to prepare and comply with the US Lacey Act when it was introduced, so that forest products entering the US market would comply with the Act. What we are seeing today in the proposed new structure is a dissolution of the marketing and trade body. All this US Government and taxpayers’ monies would thus have been lost and/or capacity developed not put to good use.

The forest sector and GFC again benefited significantly from direct support from USAID and USDA through support to Guyana National Forest Inventory and Guyana GIS/Remote Sensing Activities. Both of these functions are under a unit called the Forest Resources Management Unit.

The plan is to do away with this unit and subsume it under the Forest Monitoring

Unit. US Taxpayers’ monies were spent through the USAID project and USDA to assist Guyana to develop Inventory techniques and methodology. The US-paid consultants were sent to Guyana and similarly, staff and members of the private sector were sent to the US on exchange visits, especially to gather information and knowledge in this area.

Perhaps the biggest support came through a fulltime paid GIS Specialist working with the Guyana/GIS unit to provide capacity building for over 20 personnel at GFC, UG and the forest industry, and the setting up of a GIS lab over a 12 months period. This was a highly successful program and I am sure it cost quite substantially to the donor for a full-time expert to be stationed here in Guyana providing GIS support.

Former US Ambassador to Guyana, His Excellency D. Brent Hardt, was at the official closing ceremony held at the GFC, so were members of the private sector and media. So, by all means, (Continued on page 23)

Saturday May 11, 2019

PAGE 7

Kaieteur News

Four years later…

Govt. admits hurdles in corruption fight - says it has brought Guyana on doorstep of unprecedented wealth The Coalition Government is celebrating what it says has been a successful four years since the last general and region elections.

According to a Government of Guyana statement, the countrys economy has grown; respect has been restored for states democracy.

Today, marks the fourth anniversary of the General and Regional Elections, held in 2015, at which the six-party A Partnership For National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition was elected to form the Government of Guyana.

“Avoiding public fanfare and triumphalism, the Coalition Government steered the country forward as a stable and growing economy; promoted and defended its sovereignty and territorial integrity; restored respect for Guyana as a democracy in which all human rights and press freedom are protected; and supported and encouraged social cohesion among our multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, plural population,” government said in the statement.

It has not been an easy road.

Even as Guyana notes the anniversary, there is a major court battle in Trinidad and Tobago at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) over a December 21 no-confidence vote which toppled the government but which has been challenged in the courts.

The issue has divided the country deeply and early elections are likely.

The statement said that David Granger became the Head of State as Executive President and Commander-inChief of the Armed Forces while Moses Nagamootoo was appointed Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business in Parliament of “what has since emerged as a united and formidable coalition”.

Impacted favourably According to the coalition, over these past four years, the policies and programmes of the Coalition Government have favourably impacted every aspect of life in Guyana, from the coastland to the hinterland, and in the riverain and indigenous communities.

“No government before has done more within such a short span of time.”

The Coalition Government insisted that it is pleased that it has given the senior citizens and working people a reassuring glimpse of the good life.

“It has increased old age pension and social assis-

President David Granger tance, raised the national minimum wage and improved salaries, including those for sweeper/cleaners, nurses and teachers. Our Government, after giving some $43 billion in “bailouts” and severance payments to the sugar industry, took drastic action to save and secure the jobs of over 10,000 workers; and intervened in defence of bauxite workers.”

It also found new export markets for farmers to sell their paddy and rice, while maintaining essential infrastructural support.

“These are years to re-

member as our country emerged from the shadows of an authoritarian, narcocriminalised state into a respectable democracy that stands on the firm shoulders of the Constitution of the Republic, and guarantees the Rule of Law and the Separation of Powers, under which the Executive, the Judiciary and the Legislature enjoy full independence.”

According to the government statement, emerging from a past that was characterized by “pervasive corruption” and systemic, political patronage, it had become a gigantic task for the administration to combat and reduce acts of institutionalized criminality, corrupt practices and discourage conflict of interest situations.

There have been hurdles in the fight against corruption, the statement said.

“This remains an incomplete national task. But our Government has taken legislative and administrative steps to fight tax evasion, the illicit contraband trade, piracy, trafficking in persons, money laundering, abuse of the procurement processes, and non-compliance with requirements to ensure integrity in public life.”

Over these four years, the

Coalition Government also stressed that it has restored neighbourhood, indigenous community and municipal grassroots democracy by holding local government elections, which were denied for over 20 years ago, in 2016 and, again, in 2018.

“Three new townships have been created in hinterland settlements, and the state has commissioned six regional radio stations together

with internet connectivity to remove communities.”

According to the statement, the APNU+AFC Government has embarked on a programme of clean, modern and orderly development that is reflected in timely disposal of solid waste, construction of major new roads on the East Coast, West Coast of Demerara and East Bank of Demerara, the East Bank of Essequibo and Berbice, that have been fitted with road lamps. Municipal “smart”

roads have been provided with cameras.

Improved airports?

“Guyanese and foreign commuters have all recognized the enhanced facilities at our international airports, renovated airstrips and aerodromes, and refurbished steamers that ply all of our riverain and sea routes.

“The charge for bridge crossings over the Demerara river remains subsidized, and the tolls at the Berbice (Continued on page 24)

PAGE 8

Saturday May 11, 2019

Kaieteur News

Family, friends in shock over Bagotstown killing of mall owner grandson Family and close friends of Patrick “White Boy” Fraser, 20, remained in deep shock yesterday over his fatal shooting Thursday night.

Police yesterday afternoon had no suspects in custody.

His shooting in a neighbourhood of Bagotstown known for being a hotspot for crime left everyone that knew him in shock.

Fraser had lived overseas before returning home to work with his family who owned the C&F Harbour Bridge Mall.

He and his father, Paul Fraser, were a regular sight, running the hardware store and the facilities.

According to police, the young Fraser, of 518 Republic Park, East Bank Demerara, was shot twice not far from his home.

Police said that the incident occurred about 20:30hrs on Thursday, in a yard at Norton Street, Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara. The half-burnt property had been empty for some time.

Police said that an initial investigation has so far revealed that the victim, whilst imbibing with

The scene at Norton Street, Bagotstown on Thursday night.

Patrick Fraser, 20, was a jovial person who was easy to be friends with. friends in the yard, was reportedly shot in the region of his right upper leg and right side ribs, by a person or persons unknown.

He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Diamond Hospital. The body was taken to the Lyken s Parlour, awaiting a post-mortem examination.

There were no arrests.

Fraser is the grandson of prominent businessman, Peter Fraser, who built the mall, and Dorothy Fraser, known for her work in the Red Cross.

He was a single child.

According to Dean Chandra, a family friend and a colleague in the Sonic Hunters Bikers Club, which Fraser was part of, he joined a few months ago.

He was an avid biker, riding the YZ250 dirt bike.

He was allowed, as the youngest b i k e r, to participate in the recent Pakaraima mountain safari, held over the Easter weekend.

“Patrick was a very jovial and very mannerly person, with respect for elders.”

According to Chandra, he understands that the young man had an argument with someone in Bagotstown that evening.

The person left and returned with a gun.

“Yes, his family is very traumatized. His dad was close to him. He loved the outdoors and would go hunting and fishing with his family. His family is a

Patrick Fraser loved his dirt bike, his friends disclosed yesterday. respected family.

This is deep shock to a family which is very well known and is finding it hard to have their loved ones life ended so

s u d d e n l y .

There was an outpouring of condolences and support for the family yesterday by persons who knew the family.

Saturday May 11, 2019

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

The middle class is no longer the same as it was yesteryear The middle class has never been a revolutionary class. However, most of the intellectual class who end up agitating for social change tend to originate within the middle classes, end up being part of the middle class or were captured by middle class values and interests.

In the early stages of revolutionary agitation, the middle class often takes the lead in mobilizing for change, but as the process unfolds the middle class fades into the background and leaves the task of foot soldiering to the working class.

The working class, however, always has to be led, and they are often led, sometimes to misfortune and betrayal, by the middle class.

Karl Marx once called on the workers of the world to unite since all they had to lose were their chains. In Russia there was a peasant revolution in 1917, but the leadership of that revolution was drawn from the intellectual and middle classes because when it comes to social change, the middle class views its interests as being served by encouraging such change which will allow its members greater upward

ascendency.

Burnham understood this very well, because he was a product of the lower middle class. He was ambitious. He saw politics as a means to personal glory and he used and sacrificed both the middle class and the workers to secure what he wanted.

When the bureaucratic class that he created joined forces with other elements of the professional class and with sections of the lower middle class to turn against him, Burnham knew their weak spots and how to deal with them.

He unleashed a reign of terror and intimidation, the likes of which have never been seen before in Guyana. He transferred teachers, dismissed those whom he felt were in sympathy with the WPA and set his goons loose on peaceful protestors.

Political opponents were intimidated. Their homes were searched and their every movement monitored. One young woman became casual friends with the wife of an opposition figure only to one day discover that she was being tailed by the Special Squad.

Agents of repression turned up all over. They were planted at the University of Guyana to moni-

tor what was being said in classes and to report back to their political masters.

In the face of these measures, the local middle class began to retreat slowly. Their revolutionary torches began to dim rapidly.

By the time Burnham unleashed his death squads, by the time Fr. Darke, Ohene Koama and Edward Dublin were taken out, the message was clear: Burnham would stop at nothing.

He made it clear that he would not easily entertain free speech. He not only sent his thugs to break up opposition meetings, these thugs went after Rodney forcing the man to have to scale fences to escape. This narrow escape from the clutches provided a source of humour for Burnham who publicly ridiculed Rodney by telling his cheering supporters that he would send Rodney to the 1980 Moscow Olympics to take part in the high jump.

Rodney did not end up in Moscow. He ended six feet under.

By the time Rodney was assassinated, the middle class had been softened up. Many of them who had flocked in droves behind the WPA aban-

Dem boys seh ...

Roll out de toilet paper uh months everybody had dem eye pun de CCJ. Charranrass start this whole thing when he vote wid de opposition. He actually bring down de government.

But when a man fall overboard he don’t just die like that. He does snatch anything that pas by he hand.

He wuss that chicken hawk going after chicken.

He does snatch and when he miss chicken he does carry grass.

Charranrass push de coalition overboard and dem grab pun anything.

De Chief Justice toss dem back in de water and was anodda set of scrambling.

Dem manage to grab de Appeals Court. That save dem but as de song go, ‘Is a long way to Tiperary.’

That is how dem end

up at de CCJ. Dem boys seh if dem had running belly before de sitting, by de time de sitting start people was doing wha a tietongue man does call sittin.

De CCJ judge mek Basil de Willie forget wha he go to Trinidad for.

He argue one thing and when de judges question him he argue something else. Dem boys deh home and dem start to wonder wheh he study law. Dem judge shake dem head.

One man even seh he should do wha Chris Ram do, get somebody fuh talk fuh him. Nuff people talk and when de court close last night dem judge seh dem got a headache and dem gun hand down dem decision later.

Was de constitution that cause de confusion. In no part

of de world any parliament got rubber stamp. Guyana put it in dem constitution that once de party pout you in parliament you got to vote fuh de party.

One judge ask dem fuh show de court wheh it order any member fuh vote only when de party tell him.

That is wheh people realize how Jagdeo and Corbin see party members. Of course, dem boys seh somebody show de judges.

That is how dem get de headache. Dem now promise to go and study de constitution like how people does study puzzle.

When dem come back that is when dem would have more tie tongue man sitting.

Talk half and bring de toilet paper.

doned ship and country.

Many of them are to be found outside of Guyana and some have become critics of the PPPC. Today, the middle class in Guyana is devoid of revolutionary instinct. There may be a few individuals who have the spirit within them but as a class, the middle class cannot be expected to lead any process of peaceful social change.

The middle class of today was not subject to the deprivations and loss of prestige that led them to flock behind the WPA. What we have today is a different middle class, one that is generally self-serving and selfish. To therefore

expect that this class will speak out as a class and agitate for improvements is to ask too much, way too much.

The WPA no longer has a lien on the loyalties of this class. This class was behind the AFC which is a party that is tied to business interests and which cannot be a vehicle for social change. The AFC was always incapable of organizing any meaningful social protest in Guyana and one reason is because the middle class is no longer the same as it was in yesteryear.

The middle class is not pleased with the APNU+AFC government. It however does not wish to go over to the PPPC. It is therefore up for

grabs. A New and United Guyana (ANUG) is hoping to carve out a niche within the middle class but the new party is ill-suited to this task. The way things are going it may not be able to field a slate for the elections.

The middle class therefore will end up in a quandary.

With no party to represent its interests, it will become like the Guyana Police Force, a lost cause.

PAGE 10

Saturday May 11, 2019

Kaieteur News

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

The CCJ judges’ questions are giving the APNU+AFC angina pains Here is an extract from my column, “The constitutional power of the president and the Opposition Leader “of Friday, October 19, 2018. “…It reduces the importance of the list, the role of the Opposition Leader in the selection of the GECOM chairman, and the consensus model in the constitution.

“Based on the ruling of the Court of Appeal, the Carter-Price formula did not really have the legal substance to create a consensus model.

The unanimous decision of the court that the president has the right to appoint a chairman of his own choice then means that since 1990 when the Carter-Price formula was adopted and then put into the constitution, it was merely a blueprint that the president can accept if he wants to.”

One of the judges of the

CCJ, Justice Saunders listening to arguments in the GECOM chairman case told the Guyana Government’s lawyers, “I’m getting the impression from you that the President can simply appoint whom he wishes.

That was what was in the previous constitution and there was a whole Herdmanston Accord and deliberations that said ‘we don’t want that anymore’ but you still seem to be stuck on what was there before.”

I believe this is a crucial point that Guyana’s Court of Appeal overlooked. Once the constitution was amended to incorporate the Carter/Price framework, it meant that Guyana’s legislators wanted a GECOM chairman that followed a consensus pathway.

Justice Wit concurred with Justice Sanders. He told the Government of Guyana’s attorneys that

since the president can unilaterally appoint a chairman then nothing has changed. He intoned, “I have difficulty accepting that that could be the proper interpretation.”

A certain query by Justice Saunders must be causing emotional stress among APNU+AFC leaders.

He noted that the president should have discussed why his rejections were not acceptable.

This is how he put it; “How do we know which person he found to be unacceptable and on what basis he found them not to be unacceptable?”

It must be recalled that when the High Court with the Chief Justice first heard the case, she took the position that President Granger should state his reasons why he found the nominees of the Opposition

Leader ineligible.

I repeat my opinion here contained in previous articles. I believe President Granger rejected every person on the three lists of the Opposition Leader because he had his choice waiting.

He had Justice Patterson in mind.

On the other hand, Bharrat Jagdeo baited the president so that Granger could act unilaterally then claim that the APNU+AFC government is undemocratic and wants to tamper with the forthcoming national elections.

What Jagdeo did was to insert certain implausible names on each of the three lists so Granger would react negatively. The plot was to devastate the AFC, not the PNC, since Jagdeo knew Indians would not vote for the PNC and he, Jagdeo needed those Indian votes that went in 2015 to the AFC. It worked for Jagdeo.

The AFC supported Granger’s unilateral action and that was one of the nails driven in the AFC’s

coffin.

If there were headaches in the Gecom Chairman litigation, there were more stress and strain in the no-confidence matter. Lawyers for the state in Guyana informed the CCJ that an MP cannot vote against his own party and that the constitution does not allow for this. But two judges were not persuaded.

Justice Saunders then wondered what the value was of having MPS vote and given such restrictions if the situation is not a charade.

Justice Saunders also wondered where that leaves the question of the freedom of conscience of parliamentarians.

Justice Wit enquired; “Is Parliament then a rubber stamp…What is left of the separation of powers?

This ties parliament completely to the executive.”

All of this makes Guyana look foolish in the eyes of the world. If the lawyers for the state contend that in Guyana parliamentarians cannot vote against their own party, then why didn’t the House Speaker

Frederick Kissoon disallow the tabling of a noconfidence motion since it would have been a waste of time to have the House spend an entire day debating a motion that cannot pass?

Why wasn’t the no-confidence article in the constitution not removed since House members cannot go against their own party?

I particularly like the remark of Justice Sanders about freedom of conscience.

I asserted in one of my columns when there was a nasty campaign against Charrandass about taking a bribe to vote, that such debates damage the psychology of Guyana’s youths because it devalues for the role of conscience in humans, a value that be instilled in our youths.

Saturday May 11, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

PAGE 12

Saturday May 11, 2019

Kaieteur News

CCJ to decode constitutional complexity arising from no- confidence appeals …reserves decision Guyana’s fate, in relation to the no- confidence motion against the government, now rests solely on the shoulders of judges of the Caribbean Court of Justice, (CCJ).

Yesterday, the Court heard the last of arguments presented by attorneys involved in the consolidated hearings of three cases arising out of the no confidence vote in Guyana last December.

CONSTITUTIONAL COMPLEXITY The panel of five judges, comprising President of the CCJ, Justice Adrian Saunders, and Justices Winston Anderson, Jacob Witt, David Hayton and Maureeen Ragnauth –Lee, have now been tasked with decoding, inter alia, the complexity of two major constitutional provisions arising out of the arguments presented in the no confidence appeals.

In their presentations, attorneys representing the Government in the matters, objected to the legality of the no -confidence vote on claims that Article 156(3) of the Constitution, preserves above all else a Parliamentarian‘s loyalty to his or her party’s list.

The issue raises serious

concerns about the Government’s interpretation of Article 156 (3) an anti -defection provision in the face of a Constitutional provision which subscribes to a person’s right to a confidence vote in favour of or against the ruling administration.

The Court had asked attorneys to quantity their positions as these relate to the two measures.

Opening the arguments on Day Two of the presentations, Attorney- at -law Neil Boston S.C addressed the point that the anti –defection provision essentially bars Parliamentarians from crossing the floor.

He explained that Article 156 (3) was initiated by the People’s Progressive Party, after Khemraj Ramjattan, a former PPP Executive, crossed the floor to join the opposing team.

“The then President Bharrat Jagdeo and the Opposition Leader, Robert Corbin, came to decide that they will have none of that.

No member will be able to cross the floor. That it is not acceptable.”

He noted in the circumstances, “Loyalty to the party

is the norm; to vote against your list is disloyalty; voting with other side, smacks of conspiracy.”

In reference to provisions in the Representation of the Peoples ‘Act, Boston said that Charrandass Persaud did not own the right to a seat in Parliament.

“Charrandass has no constituency. He was put there as a front for the APNU –AFC list. His function there was to carry out the mandate and the dictates of the list,” the attorney declared in the face of questions by Justice David Hayton “Where is the statutory provision that says that you must vote according to the list and if he doesn’t do so his vote will not be recorded? If that is what was intended, it should simply state that. Nowhere can I find any provision like that,” the judge said.

In as much as there is no such provision it is an obligation of the court having construed the purpose and intention of the constitution to make a determination.

Should it interpret the whole idea is to prevent a member from voting against his list, then the court is duty

bound to give effect to it.

The Judge noted however that the law should therefore be simple and clear as it relates to the issues.

Boston then stressed that the Court is duty bound to give effect to spirit and intention of Article 156(3).

Boston noted that antidefection provision sets out that a Member of Parliament cannot vote against his/ her list without sending a letter to Speaker of the National Assembly, notifying him of the intention.

The Senior Counsel cited authorities presented by Appeal Court Judges who in a majority ruling had nullified the no- confidence motion against the government.

The lawyer was later faced with the question of reconciling his position with Article 106(6) of the Constitution which sets out the Government and Cabinet can be defeated by a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly.

“How can the Government be a vote of confidence if nobody is allowed to cross the floor. How is it possible to give effect to Article 106 (6)?” asked Justice Anderson However, Boston noted that “the issue must be decided in the National Assembly at some future date…The legislature will have to deal with that conflict…”

ARGUMENTS He followed the contentions of former Attorney General of Belize, Eamon Courtenay, who on behalf of Attorney General, Basil Williams advanced that the noconfidence motion was invalid

because Guyana’s constitution prohibits Parliamentarians from being disloyal to the party’s list of candidates.

In support of his contention, Courtenay, cited Article 156(3) of the Constitution, which was amended in 2007 to essentially bar Parliamentarians from crossing the floor.

According to the attorney, the rule was placed there, as a reminder to Parliamentarians on each side of the House of how they got there, in the first place.

Courtenay noted that Persaud, being an Attorneyat-law, was well aware of the Article and its provisions.

The lawyer declared that the rules provide for a disgruntled member of the party to declare in writing to the Speaker or to the representative of the list from which his/ her name was extracted that he or she will not support the list from which his or her name was extracted.

He explained that rules essentially state that each member should make his or her contention known before it reaches the Parliament. He was adamant that the Article prohibits Parliamentarians from voting in accordance with their own convictions; they must remain within party lines The former Attorney General was at the time debunking claims by Opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo’s Counsel Douglas Mendes S.C that Persaud’s vote was validly passed even if he was not validly a member of National Assembly.

Applied to Mr. Persaud ‘s situation even if this Court

were to find that he was invalidly elected or he is to be treated as having vacated his seat at some undefined date prior to December 21, 2018, his vote in favour of the motion is treated as valid under the de facto doctrine.

Arguing the point of a majority vote, Mendes noted that Attorney General Basil Williams accepts that the ordinary and legal meaning of the word majority is a number greater than half; that concession ought to lead to a shift in determination of this appeal.

Mendes added that half of 65 is 32.5; a number higher than 32.5 is 33. He stressed that Williams spoke about absolute and simple majority.

Those phrases are nowhere found in Guyana’s Constitution. He said that those words were simply injected into the arguments to suit the government’s position.

In his rebuttal of the arguments, Mendes stressed that the anti-crossing the floor mechanism does not make void the no confidence provision in the Constitution.

Mendes had stressed that Persaud’s membership of the House was valid because no one challenged him within the 28-day stipulated timeframe after an election through a petition. The attorney was also adamant that Persaud had the right to vote in keeping with his “conscience” vote since his convictions are supported by the Constitution.

In a wide ranging presentation that lasted nearly two (Continued on page 23)

Saturday May 11, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

PAGE 14

Food for the Poor donated 3,815 homes through Housing Programme

Kaieteur News

Saturday May 11, 2019

Schools across Guyana has benefited from FFP initiated feeding programmes

A

total of 3,815 families have been made happier after receiving homes through the Food for the Poor Guyana Inc. in a programme which commenced in 2005. The family houses have each been valued at some $1.2M.

Almost 4000 families have benefited from houses donated by FFP According to the entity's Public Relations Manager, Wayne Hamilton, “We at Food for the Poor have always taken great pride in making a difference in the lives of the poor and needy.

We have never grown weary of making others happy and we will certainly continue in that direction in years to come.�

He explained that the entity will continue to work passionately to satisfy the needs of the poorest of the poor in their midst, ensuring that they are given a life, less burdened by stress and poverty.

For the period January 1, 2018 to April 30, 2018, the organization has already completed 127 homes through the General Housing Programme, in Regions Two, Four and Six. F F P h a s a l s o collaborated with the Tr a f t m e n t C o m m u n i t y Development Council to build the Solus Christus Village at Union, West Coast Berbice, Region Five.

Some 64 families who lacked access to adequate housing were relocated as a result of this project.

A further two homes were constructed via the Food for the Poor Missions team from Florida in Pomeroon, Region Two. OTHER PROJECTS That aside, the implementation of the White-Water Community Development Project saw the upgrading (repainting) of a multi-purpose center building at White Water Village, Mabaruma Sub District, Region One, the construction of a perimeter fence at the Faith Bible Baptist Church.

The FFP has also completed the White Water Nursery School kitchen to facilitate a Ministry of Education sponsored school feeding programme. It has also installed photovoltaic (sonar panel) systems at the church and multi-purpose building to generate renewable energy.

Fifty houses were repaired at Hosanna and Mashabo Village, Essequibo Coast under the Hosanna Upgrading Project. Roofs, windows, external and internal walls were repaired, replaced and repainted, and renovation works were also done to stairways.

So far for 2018 some 56 students have received uniforms and school supplies to attend school during 2918, while four secondary school students from Karawab Village, Pomeroon River received financial assistance to travel to the Essequibo Coast to attend school each day.

Nine families have received weeding machines as part of their 'Start in Life Programme' which is to enable them to earn additional household income to boost their economic status.

At present, women from Hopetown, West Coast Berbice, are benefiting from the ongoing Women for Change initiative which is geared at empowering some 26 women, even as it upgrades their Agro-process Hut, and allows for procurement of new equipment and tools to expand their existing operations.

Added to that FFP in collaboration with overseas based Samaritan Charles Stoner have allowed for 11year-old Ashley Joseph whose eye was injured in a pencil accident, to have corrective surgery at the GPHC, thus regaining her sight in the left eye.

Five Primary schools are now the proud recipients of school feeding programme, and 467 students are now provided a hot meal daily, complemented with slice of fruit and fruit juice.

Some 60 persons are now participating in the Guyana Pig Project which was launched in April 2018. This project aims to provide alternative income for underprivileged families and to provide economic (continued on page 24)

Saturday May 11, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 15

HAPPY NURSES DAY

International Nurses Day is observed around the world on May 12 each year, to mark the contributions that nurses make to society.

Nurses of Pomeroon/Supenaam area, Region Two, celebrated Nurses Week with activities across the Region.

Mahdia miner killed after refusing to share drink

L

eavern Daniels, a 44year-old miner of Princeville Village, Potaro-Siparuni Region Eight, was on Thursday found dead following an argument he had with an individual after he refused to offer the suspect some high wine.

Police reported that on the day in question, the victim and some of his friends were imbibing alcohol at a shop in the village. The suspect later entered the shop and allegedly approached the victim at his friends' table.

He then asked to join them in their drinking. However, his request was turned down. The suspect reportedly became annoyed and threatened to harm the victim before storming out of the shop.

Shortly after that incident, about 23:45hrs Daniels left the shop and was on his way to a camp. He was allegedly approached by the suspect who attacked and stabbed him in his abdomen.

Daniels was found and rushed to the Mahdia Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

His body is at the hospital's mortuary awaiting an autopsy.

Moreover, police are currently on the hunt for the suspect who has been identified as “Tattoo Nose�. Further investigations are also ongoing into the matter.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 16

Saturday May 11, 2019

Land owners clash with residents over Kuru Kuru lands

A

lmost two weeks now a raging feud has been taking place over the ownership of the Kuru Kuru lands, East Bank Demerara.

Residents have clashed with the alleged owners who are relatives of an individual identified as Dr. Philip Charles.

They claim Charles is the owner of the lands in the question.

The alleged beneficiaries have surfaced claiming to have land titles for the lands in question. They are also accusing the residents of squatting on the lands for over 10 years. The lands are

now filled with persons some of whom have established concrete structures. Others have lived in Kuru Kuru for so long that their children were born there.

Kuru Kuru residents have sent a letter to the chairman of their Neighbourhood Democratic Council demanding his help into the matter. In the letter they have raised concerns in relation to the alleged ownership of the lands and the destruction of their properties.

According to the residents, the beneficiaries came with bulldozers and chain-saws and swarmed

Some of the concerned villagers

their way through their little settlement destroying their source of protection and crops. At least 150 residents signed to this letter.

One resident said, “These people just come and ripped out my barbed-wire fence and cut down crops like my coconut trees and so.

When we talk the people became more vex than us.”

Another resident stated, “I am a mother and on the day when these people came one of them looked at me and tell me that he will come and bulldoze my house and poison my water.”

In attendance at a meeting held with the residence was the Region Four Councilor, the chairman and the vice-chairman of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council of that area.

At the meeting persons spoke about the destruction of their properties. They attempted to seek answers as to what they should do next because amongst them are residents who have been living there for almost 15 years.

“I am a pensioner and I moved here since 2005 when was the flood. I need my place here because when it was a jungle you weren't seeing anybody. Now that it has developed almost like a city and people made so many sacrifices they [beneficiaries] want to claim ownership,” another resident mentioned.

The residents added that a police rank came with the

persons who destroyed their properties. However, before the men began their work the rank did not indicate their reason for being there and what they will be doing.

According to the chairman of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council, “Mr. Charles and his people are saying that they have two land titles and they also have another plot of land which is a part of their estate and we are on it.”

“However, from checks made by me at the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission, they have no records of his ownership.”

He went on to say that the land titles they have seen from Charles belongs to lands in Coverden, East Bank Demerara and plots behind that village, not for any section of Kuru Kuru.

The chairman further indicated that when he asked officers of the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission to come and speak to the residents on the issue, he was allegedly told that the matter is out of their hands.”

The chairman also stated that, “We will take legal actions from here because there are persons who are looking to upgrade their properties and are at a standstill because of the court order Charles have made.”

The residents are also now looking to create a list of the damage done to their properties and to seek legal actions for it.

A destroyed resident's fence

Saturday May 11, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 17

PAGE 18

Kaieteur News

Saturday May 11, 2019

High Court judge quashes committal order

N

azeema Permaul, her husband Oliver Permaul, a barber of Lot 100 Tain Settlement, Andre James and Rohan Johnson were committed to stand trial in the Berbice High Court on a charge of murder.

The matter was heard before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall in the Civil Jurisdiction of the Berbice High Court.

They were accused of murdering Leelawattie Mohamed a domestic worker of Tain on the evening of February 7, 2017.

Three men, clad in black and one armed with a loaded gun, stormed the home of Mohamed before shooting her dead at close range.

Following her committal Nazeema Permaul, through her attorney at law Murseline Bacchus applied to the High Court to have her committal quashed and for her to be released from jail immediately.

The action was filed against the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Police and the Director of Prisons.

Bacchus quoted a number of authorities both local and overseas and cited a number of deficiencies in the prosecution case.

He cited the High Court jurisdiction to quash a committal by way of certiorari. “I remind you that you are a judge of a Superior Court vested with authority over inferior Courts”.

He argued that the Magistrate did not hold a usual Preliminary Inquiry. Instead there was

…woman walks free of murder charge a paper committal.

Out-of –Court assertions of a co-accused is not evidence and cannot be used against another co-accused, he argued.

There was no evidence –direct or circumstantial--upon which his client could have been lawfully committed, Bacchus said.

He noted that according to law the function of the committing Magistrate was to ensure that no one should be sent to trial unless a prima facie case is made out.

Suspicion, cannot found a prima case.

Even if there is an admission, that the applicant gave money to Waterman, there is no evidence that money was given to Waterman to be given to Andy as payment to carry out the murder of Mohamed.

Bacchus cited the prosecution evidence in which it was stated that James said something to the effect that the applicant was enquiring why the lady was not dead, yet.

“This cannot be used as evidence against his client for the simple reason that the applicant was not present when James made that statement. The fact that the applicant said, “I have nothing to say” does not amount to an admission.

Since two Permauls (husband and wife) are charged and were in police custody there is no evidence that the “Permaul” in whose

presence James repeated a story was the applicant.

For the Magistrate to have lawfully committed the applicant she had to use the statements tendered by the prosecution and nothing more.

Alleged mastermind, Indira Outar, a businesswoman was also charged, but had her case discharged in the Magistrate court after her attorney Bacchus made no case submissions on her behalf.

Permaul, her husband, Andre James and Rohan Johnson, were allegedly hired by the businesswoman who was upset that Mohamed and her husband were reportedly having an affair.

She allegedly hatched a plan with the accused to kill Mohamed. They were allegedly promised $4 Million, but received only $400,000 instead.

There were reports of surveillance footage showing the businesswoman meeting with some of the accused at a hotel.

Attorney at law Mandel Moore appeared on behalf of the state. Justice Morris Ramlall after reviewing the submission made by both sides granted the order sought by Permaul.

She noted that the magistrate was wrong to conclude that there was sufficient evidence

Nazeema Permaul

for the woman's committal. Once there is not enough evidence the committal would be bad, she noted.

Kaieteur News

Saturday May 11, 2019

PAGE 19

Tobacco Regulators meet for the first time

T

h e To b a c c o Control Council convened and held a meeting for the first time, yesterday, in the boardroom of the Health Sector Development Unit of the Ministry of the Public Health.

Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, opened the meeting. She urged the members of the council to hold steadfast to its mandate. She said it is projected that, by 2030, Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) will account for about 75 percent of deaths, worldwide.

She expressed dismay at the fact that young people especially, are falling prey to those. Lawrence said that, at this rate, Guyana can't afford to provide comprehensive care with statistics that are so dire.

The Public Health Ministry, she said, plays a key role in ensuring that decisive actions and measures are taken to mitigate the adverse effects of tobacco usage. “I need to see action,� she told the councilors.

The members of the council are those mandated by the Tobacco Control Act of 2017, and are purported to be free of any conflict of interest. They are Mahadeo Ramjag of the Guyana Revenue Authority's Customs and Trade Administration Department, Shailendra Rai from Bureau of Standards, Melissa Del Richards (Assistant Director of Sport), Dr. Latoya Gooding (Founder of Giving Hope Foundation), Desiree Edghill (Executive Director of Artistes in Direct S u p p o r t ) , D r. M a y o n Amsterdam (Technical Officer of the Risk Factor Reduction Department at the Ministry of Public Health), Kesaundra Alves (Legal Officer) and Dr. Kavita Singh (Chronic Diseases Coordinator).

As mandated by the act, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, is the chairperson of the council.

In a presentation to the council, Alves spoke of the veracity with which certain sections of the tobacco industry operate. She recalled that when the Tobacco Control Act was to be passed in 2017, Demerara Tobacco pushed to persuade members of parliament to vote against it, by sharing propaganda.

The company had claimed that the bill is draconian, that it causes great harm to society, and that it would spur organised crime, among other things.

The Minister of Public Health convened the meeting of the Tobacco Regulators yesterday But the Bill was passed, setting in motion the mechanism that allowed for the formation of this council.

Alves explained this to make the point that the members of the council should guard themselves against lobbying by the industry.

Alves noted that in 2010, Guyana's tobacco prevalence rate was the third highest in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

But the Act has put in place certain measures to attempt to mitigate those ills.

It dictated a ban on smoking in indoor public spaces, certain outdoor spaces, and strict regulations about how cigarettes should be sold. For example, cigarettes may not be sold singularly, nor may they be sold to or from a minor.

Many other measures in the act are laid out to ensure that adults buying it are well informed about the risks, that smokers don't harm nonsmokers, and that the marketing of it would be heavily regulated.

At this juncture, Alves told the council that the onus now should be on ensuring that the act is implemented.

That involves producing a national tobacco strategy, raising public awareness, and training enforcement officers (including customs officers and health inspectors).

She affirmed that the right to health is the right to life, and that governments' have a responsibility to ensure those rights are respected.

The law mandates that the council meet quarterly, or more frequently if that is necessary to fulfill its duties.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

One freed, co-accused guilty in Bartica' 'peeping' murder of 'Radika'

Saturday May 11, 2019

GRDB bus catches fire

T

he High Court trial involving a Bartica man killed while watching a trio in a sex act ended this week with one man freed and another found guilty.

The case was heard over the period of April 16, 2019 to May 7, 2019, before Justice Nareshwar Harnanan at the Essequibo Assizes.

The jury of 12 handed down the verdict on Tuesday, May 7, 2019.

The number one accused, Elthon Gibson, was found guilty of manslaughter while the co-accused, Dion Samuels, was freed.

The state was represented by Shawnette Austin while attorneys-atlaw Charlene Fung-A-Fat appeared for Samuels and Lachmi Dindyal for Gibson.

Gibson will be sentenced

Sections of the burnt vehicle Kumar Persaud

by Justice Harnanan on May 23, 2019.

The men were accused of killing Kumar Persaud, called 'Radika' on April 26, 2017 at Third Avenue Beach, Bartica, Region 7.

The two men were accused of beating Kumar to

Dion Samuels and his attorney-at-law Charlene Fung-A-Fat shortly after he was freed in a Bartica court this week

Guilty: Elthon Gibson death after he refused to stop staring at a threesome act they were involved in with another woman. They were yesterday remanded to prison on a murder charge.

They were first remanded to jail in July 2017.

Gibson, 21, was said to be from Lot 171 Parika, East Bank Essequibo, while Samuels, 19, was from Bobagine Landing, Cuyuni River. They were not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleged that on June 26, they murdered Kumar Persaud, also known as Radika.

Kumar died while receiving treatment at the Bartica Hospital.

A c c o r d i n g t o information received, the victim was asked to remove from the beach by the murder accused who were reportedly involved in a “threesome” but he refused and continued staring.

As result of this, he was given a severe beating. An eyewitness summoned police ranks to the scene where the men were arrested.

The victim was rushed to the hospital in an unconscious state.

A

minibus attached to the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) at Burma caught fire on Thursday after it apparently suffered leakage.

According to reports, the bus which is usually used to transport school children whose parents are attached to GRDB, and which also runs errands, was at the time transporting fuel, when it caught afire.

A reliable source close to the entity said that, the driver of the bus contacted his superiors, to get permission to push the bus overboard into the Burma Trench to extinguish the flames.

At the time he heard that the fire tender was on its way from the Onverwagt Fire Station. The driver was denied; his superiors claimed they had to contact someone higher to get that permission.

After waiting for some time, the said “higher office” relayed that they couldn't give that permission either and so they had to call even higher authorities. By this time the bus was engulfed in flames and blazing.

When the fire tender arrived at the scene, only the shell remained along with the metal parts of the seats after it was extinguished.

Efforts by this publication to contact the Mahaicony Police Station and the General Manager of the GRDB proved futile.

However a source close to the Guyana Fire Service stated that “a slack battery lug caused sparking. The sparks came in contact with combustible material and the flame spread to the entire vehicle.”

They did all they could but by the time the flames were extinguished there wasn't much to salvage.

GDF is now full member of the Int’l Military Sports Council (CISM)

T

he Guyana Defence Force is now a full member of the International Military Sports Council (CISM). This followed the organ is atio n ' s G en eral Assembly and Congress held recently in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

CISM is an International Sports Association composed of the armed forces from member nations accepted by the General Assembly. It is open to the armed forces of all nations officially recognised by the United Nations (UN).

The fundamental aim of

CISM is to promote sports activity and physical education between armed forces as a means to foster world peace. This ideal is encapsulated in the CISM motto, “FRIENDSHIP THROUGH SPORT”.

Attending the conference was Second in Command of the Coast Guard, C o m m a n d e r Ve r n o n Burnette. He represented Guyana and received the o ff i c i a l c e r t i f i c a t e o f membership. Guyana's accession to full membership means that soldiers will now be able to compete at all CISM activities, considered

by some to be the Olympics of Armed Forces with over twenty Military World Championships for different sports.

They also organise continental and regional competitions, including the Military World Games and Winter Games. These are multisport events organised

by CISM in conjunction with CISM member nations.

The first Military World Games was held in 1995 in Rome where 93 nations competed in 17 different sporting events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the end of the 2nd World War.

Saturday May 11, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 21

PAGE 22

Saturday May 11, 2019

Kaieteur News

GRDB fraud trial begins…three testified FOR RENT

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menced in the courtroom of the Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts.

The crime allegedly took place between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2015.

The fraud involved tens of millions of dollars. The total is said to be over $400M. There are 17 charges of keeping fraudulent accounts, 16 for fraudulent appropriation and five for the falsification of accounts.

The defendants are former accountant, Peter Ramcharran; former General Secretary of the Rice Producers Association (RPA), Dharamkumar Seeraj; and former Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Nigel Dharamlall.

Also joining them are former General Manager of the Guyana Oil Company, Badrie Persaud; and the Deputy Permanent Secretary Finance Ministry of Agriculture, Prema Roopnarine.

They had all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Special Prosecutor Patrice Henry who is working for the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) is representing the state. Attorneyat-law Glen Hanoman is representing the defendants.

The GRDB found itself in the spotlight after a forensic audit of that entity revealed several “anomalies” where loans without proper paperwork or promissory notes were found.

From about 2009 to 2015, Guyana, under the administration of the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic, had entered a multi-billion-dollar oilfor-rice arrangement where GRDB was the clearing house for farmers.

However, millions of dollars of those monies were reportedly siphoned off via third-party arrangements, including rental of ships and other sweetheart deals for a few millers. SOCU is investigating other aspects of the audit report.

Saturday May 11, 2019

PAGE 23

Kaieteur News

CCJ to decode constitutional... Hard Rock Café to open on May 11th From page 12 hours, Mendes challenged the notion that the majority of 65 can be anything but 33 which is simply the greater part of any other combination. Further, Mr. Mendes challenged the notion that what transpired on December 21 was not a no confidence vote but rather a vote of confidence which could only be tabled by the government.

The Trinidadian Senior Counsel made a substantial part presentation on whether the vote by Charrandass Persaud, who holds dual citizenship for both Guyana and Canada was valid, since on the face of it, Persaud was not eligible for election to the national assembly.

Mendes acknowledged the disqualification but noted that his vote was saved by the Constitution.

Both Ramkarran and Basil Williams sought to locate the significance of the vote in Guyana’s

politics and its history with questionable elections going back decades. Williams told the Court that for the elections between 2001 and 2015, inclusive, had been generally considered to be free of any discord or controversy. The AG also referred to the Carter Formula, the execution of which came up for adjudication in a case heard by the CCJ on Wednesday, brought by Zulfikar Mustapha, an executive member of the PPP. Williams later argued that; what is required to pass the noconfidence motion was an absolute majority and not a simple majority. Williams also stated that the majority required couldn’t be a simple majority, given the catastrophic consequences of the no-confidence vote.

He also told the panel of Judges that Former CCJ President, Sir Dennis Byron, had determined that Guyana’s Assembly to have both a simple and

absolute majority.

However, Justice Winston Anderson responded that what Sir Dennis Byron said was that a simple majority is a majority of those who voted while an absolute majority is the majority of all of those entitled to vote.

Devindra Kissoon, Ramkarran’s co-counsel, shared Ramkarran’s time and dealt mainly with potential remedies and orders which the court could make if the court decided that the motion was duly and properly carried and that elections needed to be held under Article 106 (7).

The consolidated hearings for the cases involving Christopher Ram, Attorney General Basil Williams, Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo and Joseph Harmon, Speaker of the National Assembly Dr. Barton Scotland, Charrandass Persaud and Compton Herbert Reid garnered much attention from Guyanese at home and abroad.

This restructuring program is going...

From page 6 it was a very successful program by the US Government through USAID. Fast forward to 2019, all this capacity building and taxpayers’ monies will be effectively put to waste or will be lost through the planned restructuring. This does not send a good message to the general public, the forest sector and more importantly international donors.

The honour is yours Honourable Minister to fix, as you will be judged by the travesty that this restructuring program is going to be on the forest sector, the GFC and the international community.

Yours faithfully, Mark Fraser PhD Forest Sector Stakeholder/Specialist

The 4,600 square feet, state of the art, Hard Rock Café is scheduled to open its first location in Guyana to the public today.

The Café located at Movie Towne on the Rupert Craig Highway, Turkeyen, East Coast of Demerara. Yesterday the Café held a press conference to give the media a taste of what they have to offer.

Assistant general manager, Ranga Swamaiah, said, “This is kind of an exploding [bringing Hard Rock Cafe] to every country.

“This is another opportunity where Hard Rock Café found that this country, Guyana, is gonna be so famous [with the oil industry] in a couple of months or years.

“Experts are gonna start coming to Guyana. I mean it looks like everything is gonna go well. Like Movie Town is a new mall and this is a good

platform for that café.

“We [have] almost 20 staff from overseas, from different countries coming here and training the Guyanese staff to upkeep our standards. They will help them to be professional.

“The overseas staff has been here for 15 days and will be here for an additional week and once everyone is fully trained they will leave.”

Since its establishment in 1971, Hard Rock has been committed to a wide variety of philanthropic causes and activities around the world. Staff makes it a priority to become a valuable partner and Hard Rock Guyana is well on its part to continuing the tradition.

With venues in 75 countries, including 185 cafes, 27 hotels and 11 casinos it is one of the most globally recognized companies.

Beginning with an Eric

Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the worlds most valuable music memorabilia, this being displayed at locations around the world and its Guyanese location is no different.

Tendai a Guyanese employee said that she initially applied as a kitchen staff upon the insistence of her boyfriend, but at the interview she was asked to be a server by one of the managers.

“It is a whole new experience. It was like two weeks of intense training, we had to know like the menu out of our head, the steps of service, the history of the café and a whole lot more.”

She said so far it has been great working at the café. She is looking forward for the future. Music, food and drinks are all in one place as the aim is to be simple and feel like home.

PAGE 24

Saturday May 11, 2019

Kaieteur News

As Maduro cracks down, Venezuela legislators see intimidation CARACAS (Reuters) - A Venezuelan opposition legislator yesterday fled to Colombia while others said threatening messages had been spray-painted on their homes or intelligence agents had been following them, amid a broad crackdown by President Nicolas Maduro against congress.

The country’s top court this week accused 10 legislators in the opposition-run congress of treason for participating in a failed April uprising against Maduro’s government, and security forces on Wednesday arrested the second-highest ranking legislator, Edgar Zambrano.

Further arrests could cripple the functioning of the legislature, which has been a crucial part of the opposition’s strategy to unseat Maduro amid a hyperinflationary economic collapse that has fueled an exodus of millions of citizens.

A senior U.S. administration official said yesterday that the U.S. government had seen its contacts with Venezuelan military officials surge since the attempted uprising. Officials had also been in touch with the former head of Venezuela’s SEBIN intelligence service, who broke with Maduro last week and left the country, to offer support, the official said.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro Luis Florido, one of the lawmakers accused of treason, said in a social media post that he left for neighbor-

Antigua and Barbuda makes formal approach to purchase Barbados shares in LIAT ST. JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – The Antigua and Barbuda government has made a formal offer to Barbados to acquire its shares in the cash-strapped regional airline, LIAT. A statement issued following the weekly Cabinet meeting said that “Prime Minister Gaston Browne indicated to the Cabinet members that he has written to Prime Minister Mia Mottley on the LIAT restructuring plan”.

The brief statement said that “an offer was made for Antigua and Barbuda to acquire the LIAT shares owned

by Barbados, through a takeover of the liability of Barbados to the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).”

The statement did not say when the letter had been written but added “no reaction has yet been received”.

Last week, St. Vincent and

the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves said that the shareholder governments – Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines – agreed to give further consideration to a proposal by Prime Minister Browne regarding the future direction of the airline.

Gonsalves told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that Antigua and Barbuda had made an oral presentation to the shareholders meeting and would present a written document over the next few days.

“The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda presented orally a proposal and the proposal would be put into writing within a week and this proposal involves among other things a particular way to finance the keeping of the three planes owned by the

CDB”.

Gonsalves said he hopes that the proposal from Antigua and Barbuda would be discussed by the shareholders “before the end of May is out”.

Last Friday, Attorney General Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin told CMC that St. John’s was prepared to purchase the shares owned by the Barbados government.

“My understanding is that the Barbados government may be thinking of ridding themselves of the shares of LIAT. If that is in fact so then we will take them up, I am sure of that,” he said in Trinidad, where he had been attending a special Caribbean Community (CARICOM) summit on security.

Mottley was also present at that conference and did not officially comment on the statement by Benjamin.

Food for the Poor donated 3,815...

From page 14 development. FFP in collaboration with the Guyana Livestock Development Authority, and Ministry of Agriculture has conducted a four weeks capacity building training in pig management.

Through partnership with the World University Service of Guyana (WUSC) assisted nine farming groups in Regions Four, Five, and Six with agricultural equipment and supplies to enhance their farming practices.

An average of 300 families in Regions Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten and five schools, ben-

efited from a distribution of farming tools, seeds and small equipment as well. Also benefiting in this area was the Guyana Prison Service, and the Hugo Chavez Rehabilitation Centre. The West Coast Berbice Bee Projects which started in November 2017 is still ongoing, while the Angels of Hope Programme has seen some 221 children from 19 orphan homes benefiting from distribution of food items, clothing and toiletries in 2018.

A wide variety of furniture has been distributed to schools countrywide, while the Berea Seventh Day Adventist Church and Mer-

cury, and the Council of Friends at New Amsterdam, Band Corps, are the happy recipients of marching bands.

The Health Sector and the GPHC has also benefited from large donations of medical supplies AND EQUIPMENT. Through the collaborative effort of the Wheel Chair Mission of the United States, some 550 wheelchairs have been distributed across Guyana.

That aside, some 201 containers containing rice, beans, canned foods, clothing have been distributed to thousands of citizens across Guyana.

ing Colombia to avoid possible arrest.

“I consulted with many of my friends before leaving the country, and they all told me I should not let them catch me, that I should not give a trophy to the regime,” Florido said.

Opposition leader and congress chief Juan Guaido, who assumed the

interim presidency in January after calling Maduro’s 2018 re-election a fraud, on April 30 called on the armed forces to rise up against the government. The military never joined and the uprising fell apart.

In a speech yesterday afternoon, Maduro accused Cristopher, the former spy chief and a military general, of helping to plan the April 30 uprising, which he described as a “coup.”

He said he had full confidence in Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino and Supreme Court chief Maikel Moreno, who U.S. officials said had been in talks with the opposition about plans to oust Maduro.

He said Padrino, Moreno and presidential guard commander Ivan Hernandez warned him of the plot a week in advance.

“He left his troops alone, he fled the first thing

in the morning,” Maduro said, referring to Cristopher. “He is still in hiding, and the last time he spoke with me he said, ‘My commander in chief, I recognize your presidency’.”

“COLECTIVOS” C r i s t o p h e r, who Maduro called a “traitor,” on Thursday shared a video from an undisclosed location urging Venezuelans to “build a new state” and combat corruption. Earlier in the week, the United States lifted sanctions on Cristopher, saying it hoped other senior military figures would align with Guaido.

“We have been in contact with General Cristopher,” the U.S. administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to a small group of reporters, noting that conversations continue.

Govt. admits hurdles in...

From page 7 River bridge have been reduced.”

The government also stressed that since 2015 there have been incremental improvements in the delivery and reliability of electricity supplies nationwide, expansion of potable water facilities and installation of several heavy-duty pumps to reduce seasonal flooding.

“In the social sectors, greater financial allocations for public education, health and housing have resulted in remarkable and better results. These have been challenging but hopeful years that prove that Guyana could emerge from poor governance and sloth in socio-economic development.”

It said that fresh hope has been provided by the Governments green growth pathway, the diversified but balanced agro-industrial strategy, and plans for prudent use of our oil

revenues to enrich the lives and living standards of all of our people.

“The good news is that the APNU+AFC Coalition Government has brought Guyana, in these past four years, to the door-step of unprecedented wealth with imminent production from our off-shore wells, that hold an estimated 5.5 billion barrels of oil.”

That statement said that Government confidently believes that there are good reasons for all Guyanese, here and in the diaspora, to celebrate the achievements of the past four years. “All Guyanese have good reasons to remember this day May 11 when we started the journey to build a new Guyana.

May 11, 2019 marks the gateway to new opportunities, and the prospects for a return of the Coalition, for a second consecutive term, as the best-ever Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.”

CCJ President does not doubt...

From page 3 issue. According to him, prior to the moving of the no-confidence motion everybody knew what it was for, and what was going to happen. He said that following Persaud's vote, everybody agreed that the government had fallen and that elections had to be held.

Datadin argued, “The (Article) 106 which is the no-confidence motion was not in the Constitution.

It was removed in 1980 and came back in 2000.

There was a reason why it was brought back. There was a reason why the Constitution Reform Commission wanted to put this power in. They wanted to say there should be the power for a no-confidence motion to be brought and it should be through a vote by the representatives of the list.”

Further on, Datadin was quick to dismiss submissions by Senior Counsel Neil Boston who argued that Persaud was duty bound to vote for the list from which his name was extracted. Boston represents private citizen Compton Reid who was granted a declaration in both the High Court and Appeal Court that Persaud was not eligible to be a member of the National Assembly owing to him being a dual citizen.

Datadin reasoned that Boston's contention was

clearly not the case. “Cleary there are some differences. In a majority of time does everybody go along party lines? Everywhere in the world that happens. There are certainly times everywhere in the world where you do not go exactly as your party wishes,” Datadin told the panel of judges.

Datadin asked, “Do you have the power in Guyana to say that if you do not do that I will recall you from the list?”

“Yes,” he responded to his own question, adding that it has happened before. He added that, “There are instances where you have done your conscience, your freedom and it has not happened.”

“And your vote has been recorded as a bad vote,” said Justice Wit. Datadin replied in the affirmative and noted that in this case a government has been put out of power; something it wished did not happened.

“They (the government) would like to stay in power…do what they can do to perhaps delay, drag. I don't want to say that's what is happening.”

He said that the consequence of the passage of the no-confidence motion is unavoidable. There was a vote of 33 to 32 members and elections must be held within three months from its successful passage, he argued.

Saturday May 11, 2019

Kaieteur News

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Saturday May 11, 2019

Kaieteur News

U.S. warns merchant ships of possible Iranian attacks; cleric threatens U.S. fleet LONDON/DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran could target U.S. commercial ships including oil tankers, the U.S. Maritime Administration said yesterday, as a senior Iranian cleric said a U.S. Navy fleet could be “destroyed with one missile.”

In the latest tense exchange between Tehran and Washington, Iran’s hardline Revolutionary Guards separately said Iran would not negotiate with the United States, a stance that seemed partly aimed at discouraging Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his moderate allies from taking up a U.S. offer of talks.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Iran’s leaders talk with him about giving up their nuclear program and said he could not rule out a military confrontation.

Trump made the offer as he increased economic and military pressure on Iran, moving to cut off all Iranian

oil exports this month while beefing up the U.S. Navy and Air Force presence in the Gulf. Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan approved a new deployment of Patriot missiles to the Middle East, a U.S. official told Reuters yesterday.

The U.S. aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, deployed as a warning to Iran, passed through Egypt’s Suez Canal on Thursday and American B52 bombers have also arrived at a U.S. base in Qatar, U.S. Central Command said.

Iran has dismissed both moves - which the United States said it took after U.S. intelligence signaled possible preparations by Tehran to attack U.S. forces or interests as “psychological warfare” designed to intimidate it.

In an advisory posted on Thursday, the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) said that since early May there had been an increased possibility of Iran or its regional proxies taking action

against U.S. and partner interests.

These included, MARAD said, oil production infrastructure, after Tehran threatened to close the vital Strait of Hormuz chokepoint through which about a fifth of oil consumed globally passes. “Iran or its proxies could respond by targeting commercial vessels, including oil tankers, or U.S. military vessels in the Red Sea, Babel-Mandeb Strait, or the Persian Gulf,” MARAD said.

“Reporting indicates heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against U.S. forces and interests.”

HEATED RHETORIC Millions of barrels of oil pass daily through the various bottlenecks from Middle East oil producers to global markets.

U.S.-Iranian tensions have risen since Trump withdrew a year ago from a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and major powers and began

U.S. House panel chairman subpoenas Trump’s tax returns WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal yesterday subpoenaed President Donald Trump’s tax returns, giving the U.S. Treasury and Internal Revenue Service one week to turn over the tax records.

In the latest salvo of a political battle widely expected to end in federal court, Neal issued separate subpoenas to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig that seek six years of Trump’s individual and business tax returns. The officials have until 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT) on May 17 to produce the material.

Trump is stonewalling oversight investigations by Neal and five other Democratic committee chairs in the House of Representatives, prompting Democrats to warn Trump officials that they could face contempt citations along with heavy fines and even impeachment by defying congressional subpoenas.

The Democratic-led House Judiciary Committee voted to recommend a contempt of Congress citation against Attorney General William Barr this week after he

defied a subpoena seeking the unredacted report on Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.

“While I do not take this step lightly, I believe this action gives us the best opportunity to succeed and obtain the requested material,” Neal said in a statement issued by his committee.

“I sincerely hope that the Treasury Department will furnish the requested material in the next week so the committee can quickly begin its work,” he added.

As House Ways and Means Committee chairman, Neal is the only House lawmaker authorized to seek Trump’s tax returns under a federal law that says the Treasury secretary “shall furnish” such documents upon request.

Democrats want Trump’s returns as part of their inquiry into possible conflicts of interest posed by his continued ownership of extensive business interests, even as he serves as president.

On Monday, Mnuchin denied Neal’s formal April 3 request for the returns, arguing that the committee request lacked “a legitimate legislative purpose.”

Trump has broken with a decades-old precedent

among recent U.S. presidents by refusing to release his tax returns while a presidential candidate in 2016 or since being elected, saying he could not do so while his taxes were being audited.

His former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, told a House panel in February that he does not believe Trump’s taxes are under audit. Cohen said the president feared releasing his returns could lead to an audit and IRS tax penalties.

Trump administration officials and Republicans in Congress have condemned Democratic efforts to obtain Trump’s tax returns, saying it could “weaponize” the IRS and confidential taxpayer information for political purposes.

Representative Kevin Brady, the top Ways and Means Republican, sent a letter to Neal earlier on Friday, urging the chairman not to proceed.

“Such actions would be an abuse of the committee’s oversight powers and further examples of the Democrat majority’s coordinated attempt to weaponize the tax code and use Congress’s legitimate oversight authority for political gain,” Brady wrote.

ratcheting up sanctions to throttle Tehran’s economy.

Vice Admiral Jim Malloy, commander of the U.S. Navy’s Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet, told Reuters on Thursday its forces were on a heightened state of readiness, although the U.S. military was not seeking or preparing for war with Iran.

MARAD said U.S.flagged ships were encouraged to contact the Fifth Fleet at least two days before sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. The fleet’s job is to protect commercial shipping in the area.

Washington further tightened sanctions on Iran this month - eliminating waivers that had allowed some countries to buy its oil - with a goal

of reducing Tehran’s crude exports to zero.

Iran responded by relaxing some curbs on its nuclear program concerning material stockpiles but continues to comply with commitments to restrict its uranium enrichment activity.

Rhetoric has grown heated on both sides.

The semi-official ISNA news agency quoted hardliner Ayatollah Tabatabai-Nejad in the city of Isfahan as saying: “Their billion (-dollar) fleet can be destroyed with one missile.

“If they attempt any move, they will ... (face) dozens of missiles because at that time (government) officials won’t be in charge to act cautiously, but instead things

will be in the hands of our beloved leader (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei),” he said.

‘SANCTIONS HAVE NO EFFECT!’ Separately, Yadollah Javani, the elite Revolutionary Guards’ deputy head for political affairs, said: “No talks will be held with the Americans, and the Americans will not dare take military action against us.”

“Our nation ... sees America as unreliable,” he said, according to the semiofficial Tasnim news agency, echoing a stance Iran has taken since the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 deal under which Iran curbed its nuclear program in return for relief from economic sanctions.

China, U.S. agree to hold more trade talks: Vice Premier Liu He (Reuters) - China and the United States have agreed to hold more trade talks in Beijing, Vice Premier Liu He told Chinese state media in the United States yesterday, following a round of discussions in Washington which he described as “honest” and “constructive”.

The United States escalated a tariff war with China on Friday by hiking levies on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods in the midst of lastditch talks to rescue a trade deal.

U.S. President Donald Trump issued orders for the tariff increase, saying China “broke the deal” by reneging on earlier commitments made during months of negotiations.

“Negotiations have not broken down,” Liu, China’s chief negotiator in the talks, said in a video clip posted by China Central Television (CCTV) on its mobile app.

“Quite the opposite, I think small setbacks are normal and inevitable during the negotiations of both countries. Looking forward, we are still cautiously optimistic.”

China strongly opposes the latest U.S. tariff hike, and as a nation, has to respond to that, Liu told a small group of Chinese reporters in the video clip.

“Right now, both sides have reached mutual understanding in many things, but frankly speaking, there are also differences. We think these dif-

China’s Vice Premier Liu He exits the office of the U.S. Trade Representative following a morning round of negotiations on the second day of last ditch trade talks in Washington, U.S., May 10, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis ferences are significant principle issues,” Liu said.

“We absolutely cannot make concessions on such principle issues,” Liu said, without giving details on what those issues were.

Sources told Reuters this week that China had deleted its commitments in the draft agreement that said it would change laws to resolve core complaints of the United States: theft of U.S. intellectual property and trade secrets; forced technology transfers; competition policy; access to financial services; and currency manipulation.

ECONOMY OPTIMISM Liu also said he was opti-

mistic about China’s economy in the longer term, adding that it had entered an up-cycle after bottoming out somewhat last year.

He said he believed the Chinese economy would maintain a stable and healthy trend despite some downward pressure, and that China had ample room for fiscal and monetary policy maneuvers.

On Monday, hours after Trump said he intended to raise tariffs, the Chinese central bank cut the amount of reserves that some small and medium-sized banks need to hold, freeing up more funds for lending to cash-strapped firms.

Saturday May 11, 2019

PAGE 27

Kaieteur News

Vaughan expects Archer to be part of WC, Ashes squads

Barbados-born England fast bowler, Jofra Archer.

LONDON, CMC – Former England skipper Michael Vaughan expects Barbadian fast-bowling sensation, Jofra Archer, to be a shoo-in for the World Cup and the Ashes this summer. In fact, Vaughan said he would be “absolutely staggered” if the 24-year-old was not a part of either showpiece.

“I would be absolutely staggered if he’s not taking part in the Ashes series as well as the World Cup,” Vaughan told media here.

“He’s just got a gift and when you get that kind of quality you have to get those players involved in all formats of the game.

“He’ll win England World Cup games, he’ll win them T20 games and I’m very, very

Saturday May 11, 2019 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) A social event or group rally could put you in touch with some new, exciting people in interesting fields, Aries. You might run into an old friend you haven't seen in ages.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Today you could be hit with some exciting news, Taurus. This could involve new people or equipment coming onto the scene or an entirely new project or course of action that you'd never have dreamed of.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Information that you receive from others and from within your own heart could compel you to participate in some ambitious projects.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) You could meet some fascinating people,and perhaps learn Earthshaking information that impacts your life.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Group activities or social events in your neighborhood could put you in touch with new and exciting people who eventually become friends, Leo. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Have you wanted to move in a new direction, Virgo? If so, this could be when you get the lead of a lifetime.

You might receive unexpected information indicating possible new sources of income

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Unusual circumstances could arise that change your creative orientation.

It's likely that they involve the gathering, sharing, and using of information.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Today you could decide to attend a workshop or social event involving people in a spiritual, metaphysical, or intellectual field, Scorpio.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) New information could come at you from all sides today. Books, magazines, TV, the Internet, and conversations are likely to bring exciting knowledge your way that reinforces some of your convictions.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Surprising news about your finances and the economy in general could cause you to feel confident and secure about your financial future AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Some fascinating new information, possibly spiritual or metaphysical, could come today from periodicals, TV, or the Internet.

This could set you on a new course of study, Aquarius.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Dreams and meditations could lead to insights about how best to handle your finances, Pisces.

Your intuition is very strong.

confident that he’ll have a big say in winning Test matches this summer as well as down the years.”

Archer was overlooked for England’s preliminary 15man World Cup squad but included in the ongoing fivematch one-day series against Pakistan. However, he can still force his way into the final squad with strong performances in coming weeks.

He made his England debut last week and since played two One-Day Internationals and a T20 International, impressing with his pace and aggression.

And Vaughan joined the list of those arguing that Archer’s qualities made him key for England both in the limited overs and Test format.

“He’s outstanding. He’s different, he plays cricket in the way I wished I could have played the game in terms of mentality,” said Vaughan, who averaged 41 in 82 Tests.

“You speak to any psychologist and they will say ‘you’ve just got to play

Backcourt boosts...

From page 30 Zach Collins (14) combined for 39 points off the bench, helping the Portland reserves dominate the Denver bench 42-13. Trail Blazers big man Enes Kanter was the game’s leading rebounder with 14 to go with six points.

All five Denver starters scored in double figures, led

by Jokic with 29 points. He added a team-high 12 rebounds plus eight assists.

Murray (24), Paul Millsap (17), Harris (15) and Torrey Craig (10) also scored in double figures for the Nuggets, who won 124-98 when the teams last faced off in Denver in Game 5.

The Trail Blazers outshot the Nuggets 46.1 percent to 38.4 percent.

(Field Level Media)

Dequan and Delmur...

From page 28 Shipping and Trading, said the company understands the difficulties local boxers face; hence he is, “proud and happy to help.”

In a brief statement, Eastman, the nephew of distinguished Guyanese boxer Howard ‘Battersea Bomber’ Eastman, said he is enthused by the support given and promised to do his best to ensure the Caribbean Lightweight belt stays in Guyana.

another game’. It’s very difficult at the highest level, there’s just too much going on in people’s minds,.

“I see no reason, whether it’s another game for the Hobart Hurricanes, the Rajasthan Royals to England in coloured clothes, to putting the whites on and playing Test match cricket – he bowls 90 mph, he’s got the skill levels. He bats, he fields like a gun. He’ll be playing Test cricket soon.”

He added: “I will drive personally to Sheffield and drag [England captain Joe Root] out of bed if he

(Archer) is not involved in some stage during the Ashes.”

Archer was born in Barbados but holds a British passport through his father.

He played a handful of matches for West Indies Under-19s six years ago but moved to England shortly afterwards with the hope of representing his adopted country.

He became eligible to represent England last March after the cricket board here reduced their residency criteria from seven years to three.

PAGE 28

Saturday May 11, 2019

Kaieteur News

Hamilton says engineer move has given Bottas a helping hand BARCELONA (Reuters) Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes team mate Valtteri Bottas has been given “a nice helping hand” by one of the Briton’s long-term race engineers crossing the garage to work with the Finn.

Bottas leads five times world champion Hamilton by a single point after four races, with both men having won twice each this season.

The Finn, whose advantage stems from a fastest lap in Australia that was worth an extra point, failed to win a race last year while Hamilton was triumphant 11 times.

“This year he has my number two engineer...and he is learning a lot from that,” the champion told reporters at the Spanish Grand Prix. “That’s to

be expected, the little bit of a step that he’s taken.

“I’ve got a new engineer and we are working really well together but it takes time to build relationships with people and to continue to grow.

“When you take one element away, whatever element you take away, initially it’s not as strong as something you have built over six years.

“We are building back to being stronger and trumping that. It’s only been four races, so just watch this space.”

Bottas was fastest in both practice sessions at the Circuit de Catalunya on F r i d a y, w i t h H a m i l t o n ending the day second quickest.

T h e F i n n ’s p r e v i o u s race engineer Tony Ross left the Formula One team

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton during practice. (REUTERS/Albert Gea) at the end of last season to lead the engineering side at the Mercedes H WA Racelab Formula E outfit that is due to debut later this year.

Swiss attorney general blasts investigation into handling of FIFA probe BERN (Reuters) - Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber yesterday called a disciplinary probe into his conduct in a soccer corruption investigation an attack on his office’s independence.

The watchdog overseeing Swiss federal prosecutors has ordered a disciplinary investigation into Lauber over private meetings with the head of the global soccer body FIFA. “It’s not only a full frontal assault on my person,” he told a news conference called after the watchdog announced the investigation. “In my opinion, it’s also an infringement on the independence of the Office of the Attorney General.”

Lauber said “conspiracy theories” over his m e e t i n g s w i t h F I FA President Gianni Infantino and presumptions of dishonesty were interfering with prosecutorial integrity ahead of a parliamentary vote over his re-election

due in June.

Lauber has been investigating several cases of suspected corruption involving FIFA, based in Zurich, dating back to 2014 and the presidency of Sepp Blatter. The criminal probe treats FIFA as a victim rather than a suspect.

Lauber had acknowledged two meetings with current FIFA president Infantino in 2016, saying they were intended to help coordinate his investigation.

But media reports of a third meeting in 2017 prompted a preliminary investigation by the Supervisory Authority for the Office of the Attorney General, which said Lauber had denied having any other such meetings while in office.

Lauber later said he did not recall the third meeting but that it must have occurred based on diary entries and text messages.

“A memory is there or it’s not there. I don’t have any motive to conceal the truth,” he said on Friday.

The Supervisory Authority - which has chided Lauber for not documenting the meetings with Infantino, exposing him to potential allegations of bias - is asking an outside expert to look into the matter.

It did not immediately name the expert.

Lauber called the authority’s actions disappointing and arrogant.

“Based on the current situation and the supervisory authority’s report, I have to assume that the authority under its current chairmanship does not assume a relationship of trust,” he said.

L a u b e r ’s o ff i c e h a s been involved in a number of sprawling, high-profile money laundering and corruption cases linked to Brazilian state oil firm Petrobras, Malaysian state development fund 1MDB and FIFA, but has yet to bring charges.

The chief of its whitecollar crimes unit, which is overseeing all three investigations, was suspended in September over questions regarding his conduct in the FIFA case. He was ultimately cleared by an independent investigation, but resigned from his role in December.

Lauber was quizzed by a parliamentary controls committee yesterday and said he would face other committees next week.

His place was taken by Italian Riccardo Musconi, previously Hamilton’s performance engineer.

“Whenever you have new people around it makes you think about some things differently,” Bottas told reporters.

“It can open up some new routes on the set-up and the direction. It has started really well. We have been learning

Valtteri Bottas led Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes dominated second practice at the Spanish Grand Prix. (Getty Images) a lot as an engineering team all the time and it’s getting better and better.”

In 2016 Hamilton was unsettled when the team switched five of his mechanics to Rosberg’s car, while others went in the opposite direction.

Hamilton felt Bottas, who joined Mercedes in 2017 after 2016 champion Nico Rosberg abruptly retired, had also

become more focused.

“The things that he’s doing on track, which my engineer has obviously encouraged him to do, the things I was doing with settings, he is doing now and he’s definitely moved in the right direction there,” he said.

“Otherwise he is still the strong Finn that he’s been before.”

Jamaica’s future bright after Bolt, warns Fraser-Pryce YOKOHAMA, Japan (AFP) — Jamaica’s ShellyAnn Fraser-Pryce has called on the country’s track athletes to step up a t n e x t y e a r ’s To k y o Olympics — the first since sprint king Usain Bolt hung up his spikes.

The two-time Olympic 100m champ, competing at t h i s w e e k e n d ’s w o r l d relays in Yokohama after returning from maternity leave, predicted a bright future for Jamaican sprinting after Bolt bowed out in 2017 with eight Olympic gold medals and 11 world titles.

“It’s a totally different feeling without Usain,” Fraser-Pryce told AFP. “But as anything, with time things change. We have a lot of young athletes here and this is a time for them to create a name for themselves.

“I don’t think any athlete should try and pressure themselves to fill Usain’s shoes,” added the 32-year-old.

“What he did was remarkable for the sport, so for us it’s just a case of trying to do our best.”

J a m a i c a ’s male sprinters struggled at last y e a r ’s C o m m o n w e a l t h Games, where Yohan Blake trailed in third in the 100 m e t r e s a n d t h e m e n ’s

4x100m relay team settled for bronze behind England and South Africa.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Michelle-Lee Ahye also pipped J a m a i c a ’s Christania Williams to gold in the women’s 100m on the Gold Coast, while England beat the Jamaicans in the 4x100m.

But Fraser-Pryce, who captured back-to-back 100m Olympic titles at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games, backed her fellow Jamaicans to hit back in the run-up to the 2020 Tokyo Games.

“It’s not about Usain, he’s not here,” said the seven-time world champion.

“Yes he left a legacy that I don’t think anyone will match for a very long time. But we have it to look to as inspiration. I think it’s going to be a beautiful transition for Jamaica.”

- Sleepless nights Fraser-Pryce, whose bid for an Olympic 100m hattrick ended in bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics, admits to sleepless nights being away from her baby son Zyon, born in August 2017.

“In Jamaica we’re about 15 hours behind so I got up at three this morning just to FaceTime,” she said. “ I t ’s s t i l l a s u r r e a l moment for me because as

a mum I would love to bond with my son every day. But you don’t get that chance as an athlete.

It’s very hard to be away.”

Fraser-Pryce goes in the women’s 4x200m in Yokohama tomorrow — Mother’s Day, a date not lost on her.

“When I heard I would be missing my son on Mother ’s Day... the sacrifices you make sometimes it makes you want to cry,” she said.

“But it comes with the territory and competing with such a strong team gives me motivation.”

Fraser-Pryce is set to run the third leg alongside Elaine Thompson, Shericka Jackson and Stephenie Ann McPherson.

“I’ve never run a 4x200 before so I’m depending on the first two ladies to get off to a good start,” said FraserPryce, who bagged an individual silver medal in the 200m at the London Olympics.

“But I don’t usually have nerves when it comes to the relays — I’m j u s t m o r e f ocused on getting the stick around. If we have that solid first leg, we will have less pressure so we can relax and run as fast as we can.”

Saturday May 11, 2019

PAGE 29

Kaieteur News

New Building Society Ltd renews sponsorship of BCB 40-Overs Second Division Tournament - 90 Teams to contest as $820,000 pumped into Berbice Cricket One of Guyana’s leading Financial Institution, the New Building Society has renewed its long standing sponsorship of the Berbice Cricket Board 40-Overs Second Division Tournament.

The New Building Society would be pumping over $800,000 into the Tournament which is by far the largest cricket tournament in the Caribbean with ninety teams playing on the Round Robin basis. The simple launching ceremony took place at the NBS, New Amsterdam Branch on Friday last.

BCB President Hilbert Foster hailed the renewal of the tournament for another year as another red letter day in the rapid development of Berbice Cricket over the last fourteen months.

The Tournament is the 41st major tournament to be launched since Foster was elected President late February 2018. Foster stated that the 2018 edition was completed in a record of seven months despite a break of three months for rain and committed the Berbice Cricket Board to completing the 2019 edition by December unless there is a lengthy delay due to an excessive rainy season.

Rose Hall Town Bakewell defeated D’Edward Cricket

Club in the 2018 finals at Albion Community Centre Ground by close to 80 runs to lift the NBS Title for the second time.

Foster stated that the 40Overs event was the premier Second Division Tournament with Clubs also involved in 100 Balls and 20/20 leagues at the Internal Zone levels.

The main objectives of the NBS is to promote the game of cricket at the grass root level in every Berbice Village, to expose new talents, to allow elder players to play and to allow younger players to interact with experienced payers on the field and in the dressing room. Most of the Teams have players between the ages of 26 to 40 years, while 40% of the Players are juniors.

One of the New Rules for this year tournament would make it compulsory for every team to play a maximum of two Under-19 Players (born on or after the 1st September, 2000).

Under-19 Players are not considered First Division Players in Berbice.

Teams to participate in this Edition of the Tournament would include Blairmont Community Centre, Achievers Cricket Club, D’Edward Cricket Club, Cotton Tree Die Hard, Bush

BCB President Hilbert Foster received sponsorship cheque and Trophy from NBS Manager Rana Persaud in the presence of other staff members.

Lot United, Bush Lot Rising Star, Police Cricket Club, Edinburgh Warriors Cricket Club, East Bank Blazers, Tucber Park Cricket Club, Young Warriors, Rose Hall Canje Welfare, Mt Sinai Cricket Club, Mental Hospital Cricket Club, Guymine Cricket Club, Kildonan Cricket Club, Whim National, Rose Hall Town Bakewell, Port Mourant Cricket club, Albion Community Centre. Tamarind Root, Toopoo Cricket Club, Fyrish Cricket Club, No. 72 Cut and Load Cricket Club, Dukestown Cricket Club,

Former Sri Lanka international Gunawardene charged with match-fixing (Reuters) - Former Sri Lanka batsman Avishka Gunawardene was provisionally suspended with immediate effect yesterday after being charged with match-fixing by the International Cricket Council.

The charges relate to the United Arab Emirates’ T10 League held in December 2017.

The 41-year-old has been charged with two counts of

breaching the Emirates Cricket Board’s (ECB) anticorruption code, including “directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any participant” to fix a match.

Gunawardene, who played six tests and 61 oneday internationals (ODI) between 1998 and 2006, was also suspended by Sri Lanka Cricket as the head coach of

the country’s Emerging Team.

Former Sri Lanka paceman and bowling coach Nuwan Zoysa also faces fresh charges of breaching the ECB’s anti-corruption code.

Zoysa, who played 30 tests and 95 ODIs between 1997 and 2007, was already provisionally suspended for three breaches of the ICC’s anti-corruption code in November.

The duo have until May 23 to respond to the charges.

File photo: Avishka Gunawardene (right) has worked as the head coach of the Sri Lanka A side and the Emerging team. (AFP)

Skeldon Titans Cricket Club, Crabwood Creek All Family Cricket Club, No. 64 Fighting Marines and No. 48 Challengers Cricket Club.

The Teams would be divided into eighteen Zones with the top one from each zone advancing to the Playoffs and then Quarterfinal.

Foster hailed the long standing relationship with New Building Society and stated that the Financial Institution’s sponsorship was vital to the continued development of the game in

both Regions 5 and 6. With players like Kevlon Anderson, Kevin Sinclair, Adrian Sukwah, Kevin Umroa, Garfield Benjamin, Nigel Deodat, Seon Glasgow, Devon Clements, Sasenarine Sukhu expected to play, Foster is confident that the popular tournament to be very competitive.

Special thanks were extended to the Company’s Board of Directors. Persaud in brief remarks stated that the New Building Society was pleased with its relationship with Berbice Cricket. The

Tournament over the years has been well organised, while every cent of the investment over the years has worth it, Persaud stated as the New Building Society event is very popular among the teams.

Persaud expressed confidence that the 2019 edition would be another successful one.

The winning team would carry home $100,000 and the NBS trophy, while the Runner-up would get a $50,000 prize along with a trophy.

Halep beats Bencic to reach fourth Madrid Open final MADRID (Reuters) Simona Halep reached her fourth Madrid Open final with a 6-2, 7-6(2), 6-0 win over Belinda Bencic yesterday.

The world number three will move back to the top of the WTA rankings with a win in today’s final against either Kiki Bertens or Sloane Stephens.

Tw o - t i m e Madrid winner Halep broke the unseeded Bencic in the first game of the first set, the Swiss’s errant reverse flying out, but she broke back to tie at 2-2.

The Romanian’s downthe-line shot sealed another break in the penultimate game and she served out to win it comfortably in 27 minutes.

Halep won virtually all of the long rallies, but Bencic reacted well at the start of the second set, playing more aggressively.

Bencic broke to go 3-1, enjoying a stroke of luck with a shot that clipped the net and dropped just over.

Halep battled back, earning a tiebreak, but

Romania’s Simona Halep celebrates after winning her semi final match against Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic. (REUTERS/Susana Vera) Bencic won it comfortably to force a deciding set, although she immediately started to struggle.

At three games down, she cried during the break, visibly emotional, with Halep immediately breaking for 4-0 when play resumed, going on to wrap up the set and the match with ease.

“It’s a nice feeling to be

back in the final of this special tournament, I’m really happy playing here,” said Halep. “In the second set in that tie break I was rushing too much, I lost control of it, but then I just calmed down, told myself I had to start the match again.

“I started to play smarter, opened the court more and became more aggressive.”

PAGE 30

Saturday May 11, 2019

Kaieteur News

Corona Futsal tourney Group round- Dequan and Delmur Shipping Companies in Eastman’s corner robin actions kicks off tonight The anticipated group stage, round-robin action begins tonight in the fourth annual Corona futsal tournament that will see over $1million in cash and prizes being handed out to the top teams.

Twelve teams have been divided into three groups following the initial two nights of elimination matches in the tournament that is being contested at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue. Those teams are: Tucville, North East la Penitence, Leopold Street, Back Circle, Sparta Boss, Bent Street, 5/11/2019 19:30 hrs 20:15 hrs 21:00 hrs 21:45 hrs 22:30 hrs 23:15 hrs

California Square, West Front Road, Mocha, Future Stars, Beacons and Tiger Bay. The teams which come out on top in the group stages will be awarded as follows: first $40,000; second $30,000; third $15,000, and fourth $10,000, as an added incentive.

In the grand finale, first place winner will receive $500,000, while second place will pocket $250,000. Third place will cop a $125,000 prize; while fourth will have to settle for $75,000.

Please see tonight’s fixtures below.

Round Robin Night 1 Gymnasium Tucville vs North East La Penitence Bent Street vs Mocha Leopold Street vs Future Stars Sparta Boss vs Beacons West Front Road vs Tiger Bay Back Circle vs California Square

Match # 13 14 15 16 17 18

RDC #4 horserace meet at GT turf club rescheduled to July 7 The Regional Democratic Council (RDC) number four has rescheduled the date for their grand one day horserace meeting which was originally set for tomorrow the Georgetown Turf Club located at Mocha Arcadia on the East Bank of Demerara.

The new date for the event is July 7.

The current rainy weather has taken its toll on the surface at the venue hence the organisers deferring the date.

Seven races are carded for the event with the feature race being the J/Class and lower

which will see the winner carting away $180,000, second $90,000, third $45,000, $22,500.

Other races during the meet will be the L/ Class open, L/Class non-winner, unclassified, two-year-old Guyana bred, L3 and First Time Starter.

According to the organisers, the meet will attract a total of over $2million is cash and prizes.

Information can be accessed by calling telephone numbers, 657-0071, 600-7690 and 667-7779 on the event.

South Turkeyen SC dominoes on today South Turkeyen Sports Committee will be hosting a pre-Independence King Dominoes competition starting at 21:00hrs at Beck Hill Spot 244 South Vryheid’s Lust Housing Scheme today.

Teams from Plaisance, Better Hope and Vryheid’s Lust are expected to take part and entrance fee is $1,000 per team. At stake are trophies, medals and cash prizes sponsored

by Trophy Stall and Tent City.

- To provide monthly stipend to the Caribbean Champion Guyana and Caribbean Lightweight Boxing Champion, Jamal Eastman, has embarked on a historic partnership with Dequan Shipping and Trading and Delmur Shipping Companies, which are located in Omai Street, Campbellville.

The partnership will see Eastman benefitting from a monthly stipend from the company so he can be able to focus on training and competing on a full-time basis.

The Rose Hall Jammers boxing gym fighter will also receive special support from his new corporate backers when he has to travel overseas to represent the Golden Arrowhead.

Head of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Steve Ninvalle, commented briefly on the pugilist’s character, “Jamal Eastman is a man of few words; he does the talking in the ring.”

Ninvalle made the comment yesterday at the headquarters of Dequan Shipping and Trading and Delmur Company Limited in Prashad Nagar, Georgetown.

The occasion was to

Jamal Eastman (left) doing battle with Keevin Allicock at a boxing bout in the National Gymnasium in the past. formalise the entities’ financial and other forms of support for the young Eastman as he eyes a successful defence of his title in Trinidad and Tobago in December this year.

The boxer also received a pair of Everlast gloves and a cheque to commence the alliance.

Ninvalle wants other companies to follow suit, as he emphasised the point that in many instances overseas

Georgetown Grand Prix

Jeffrey, Boodram and Daley battle headlines action - Thomas and Kumar to debut

Dominic Thiem beats Roger Federer to set up Novak Djokovic meeting BBC Sport - Dominic Thiem saved match points to end Roger Federer’s claycourt return and reach the Madrid Open semi-finals.

Swiss Federer saved match points in his quarterfinal on Thursday but squandered two of his own in the second-set tie-break against Thiem.

Austria’s Thiem eventually came through 3-6 7-6 (13-11) 6-4 to set up a meeting with world number one Novak Djokovic.

Fifth seed Thiem previously beat 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer in the Indian Wells final in March.

Fourth seed Federer, 37, was playing in his first claycourt tournament for three years.

Thiem, a predominantly clay-court player who lost to Rafael Nadal in last year’s French Open final, recovered

Dominic Thiem beat Roger Federer in the Indian Wells final in March. (Reuters) from a slow start against Federer.

He created five break points on the Federer serve in the second set, but the Swiss held to force an eventual tie-break.

Federer had match point at 8-7 and 10-9 in the tie-break but Thiem saved them both and won four of the final five

points to ensure a deciding set. Thiem broke Federer early and went on to serve out the match at the second attempt.

He will play Djokovic today after the Serb received a walkover to the semi-finals.

Djokovic had been set to face Marin Cilic but the Croat pulled out after suffering with food poisoning.

boxers have the luxury of solely training and box, while Guyanese have to first earn a livelihood and then focus on training.

Ninvalle, who labeled the occasion “simple, but significant”, hopes such benevolence bestowed on Eastman yesterday can stimulate more ‘talking’ in the ‘square jungle.’

Darren Elcock, representing Dequan (Continued on page 25)

Kristian Jeffrey, who yesterday saw his sponsorship with Torginol Paints being renewed, will have stern competition from the likes of Jamaican Colin Daley Jr. and Zachary Boodram from Trinidad & Tobago (T&T) to go along with the challenge of defending champions Stefan Jeffrey and runner-up Steven DeNobrega, in the Easy Cup Super category of Georgetown Grand Prix karting competition.

The one-day meet, which is being hosted by GT Motorsports on Thomas Lands and Albert Street, speeds off today with qualification beginning at 15:00hrs.

Kristian, who had a good showing at the final race meet as he emerged Champion driver in the 125cc seniors, spoke about competing against the Jamaican, “I know Collin, I got him the last time here in December and he’s coming back with a

vengeance to get me but the sport is all about competition and I expect him to come hard at me and I’ll be ready because I’ve got the best paint, Torginol on board with me and we are going for the win.”

He contended that the Torginol sponsorship which extends to his Radical is also going to play a big part in his 2019 plans.

Speaking with Kaieteur Sport, Daley noted that, “I am feeling good. I am in good shape coming from races abroad and we are trying to stay out of crashes and finish every race after being plagued with that the last time.”

Zachary Boodram, despite not been fully active in karting of late due to turning attention to his newly acquired Radical, says he is ready for the 125cc Seniors battle. The son of Caribbean Motor Racing top driver Frankie Boodram, despite finishing seventh the last time round is confident going forward.

“Colin and Kristian are super quick and they are much taller than me. I am basically half their size; in karting there is a lot of weight distribution so I always try to put up a fight and try to run podium. I always try to run podium when I come here (Guyana) and that is what I do, and you never know how things may go when that flag drops anything is possible,” he noted to the media.

Among the foreign competitors is Tommi Gore of Jamaica, who is coached by Daley Jr. and will be in the 125cc junior category. He shared with Kaieteur Sport that he is has received a stern warning from the local competitors that they aren’t going to let him reach the podium.

Making debuts in the event are local videographers, Ackeem Thomas and Louis Kumar, who will be moving from behind the cameras to behind the wheel when the action gets underway today. Both drivers will be competing in the Easy Cup Rookie class.

Kaieteur News

Saturday May 11, 2019

PAGE 31

Hand-in-Hand 3-day U-19 Inter-County Cricket

Umroa bowls B’ce to Title with less than convincing win over Demerara Joel Spooner top scored for Demerara before taking 2-21 at Lusignan yesterday to move to 17 wickets.

Skipper Ashmed Nedd was bowled as Demerara were bowled out for a disappointing 58 yesterday.

By Sean Devers

T

here was just a handful of spectators present at Lusignan yesterday and they endured one of poorest displays of senseless batting by both teams as defending Champions Berbice, led by an 11-wicket haul from Manof-the-Match Kelvin Umroa, retained their Hand-in-Hand three-day Inter-County U-19 title by beating Demerara by five wickets.

In the end, Berbice bowled out Demerara, 15-5 overnight, for 58 with only all-rounder Joel Spooner, who hit two fours and a six in his 17 and last man Qumar To r r i n g t o n , w h o l i k e Spooner, deposited Umroa for six in his unbeaten 15, reached double figures.

Left-arm spinner Umroa had 6-41, his fourth five-

wicket haul in the tournament in which he finished with 23 wickets.

Umroa was supported by Junior Sinclair (2-9) and Nigel Deodat (2-2).

Berbice, set just 65 to win, made the task a hard as running from Skeldon to Lusignan before they huffed and puffed to 65-5 as Seon Glasgow (18), Kevlon Anderson (16) and Alex Algoo (10) got into doubles figures before they all threw their wickets away with reckless shots.

Spooner had 2-21 to finish with 17 wickets and showed why he is regarded by some as the best offspinner on show. West Indies U-19 left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd had 2-26.

Scores: Demerara 60 & 58, B’ce 54 & 65-5.

A win is a win, but it was far from a clinical victory on

a track with no devil in it as batsman after batsmen threw their wickets away with wild swipes, senseless run outs and an embarrassing display of extremely poor shot selection.

This game ranked among the most brainless batting performances seen in an Inter-County U-19 game between the two best teams in the competition and with the 50-over version scheduled to start on Monday, the selectors would be as just as disappointed as those who had watch this ‘U13 standard’ display by both sides.

After a day and a session were washed and 25 wickets tumbled in just two sessions on Thursday, Demerara had a slim lead of six runs when play started at 13:30hrs on the final day in overcast conditions.

Demerara lost three wickets for three runs as they slumped from their overnight 15-5 to 18-8 as Umroa removed Garfield Bamfield (2) and Pradesh Ballkishun (3), while Sinclair bowled the left handed West Indies U-16 Skipper Sachin Singh for his second duck of the game as he played back to one that ‘rushed’ him.

Spooner, who deposited Umroa for six and Nedd, took the score to 37 before Spooner, unwisely attempted to tuck one that turned away from him to mid-wicket and spooned a catch to point off the leading edge as Umroa struck again.

Torrington played a few lofty shots before Skipper

Nedd (7) was bowled by the impressive Deodat to end the innings.

When Berbice began their chase Sinclair and Algoo put on 24 for the first wicket before Algoo attempted to hit Spooner for six and was taken at long-off before Sinclair, who made more than half of his team’s runs (27) in the first innings, was senselessly run out for seven at 32.

Three wickets fell with victory two runs away when Anderson, with just one fifty in the tournament, tried to win the match with a big shot and was taken at mid-wicket off Nedd.

The left-handed Glasgow, seemed intent on b e l t i n g S p o o n e r, w h o

operated with nice flight and turn and teased him into ‘hitting big’ and dismantled his stumps when he missed a wild swipe as two wickets fell at 63.

With one run to get and the entire last session to get it, Garfield Benjamin inexplicably charged Nedd, missed a mighty slog and was bowled before Nedd overstepped to bring a conclusion to a substandard contest from both sides.

Inter County cricket returns to Berbice for the first time in over a decade when Essequibo travel to Albion to face the home team on Monday in 50-over format, Demerara face the U-17s in the other game in the City.

Djokovic in Madrid Open semis after Cilic food poisoning withdrawal MADRID (Reuters) World number one Novak Djokovic automatically progressed to the Madrid Open semi-finals after his quarter-final opponent Marin Cilic was forced to withdraw because of food poisoning yesterday.

“Dear fans, Madrid Open organisers, Novak Djokovic, I am sorry to announce that I must withdraw from today’s match,” said the Croatian on Twitter.

“I have had a terrible night dealing with a case of food poisoning. I am extremely disappointed to have my time in Madrid end in this way. Thank you for the support.”

Djokovic, in his 250th week at the top of the men’s

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in action during his third round match against France’s Jeremy Chardy. (REUTERS/Susana Vera) ATP rankings, will face Roger Federer who beat Dominic Thiem in the semifinal today.

The Serbian, who

triumphed in the Spanish capital in 2011 and 2016, beat Taylor Fritz and Jeremy Chardy in the second and third rounds.

Man-of-the-Match Kelvin Umroa collects his trophy from Hand-in-Hand rep Sachin Kanhai.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 32

Saturday May 11, 2019

Rain forces draw between E’bo and Select U-17 at Everest

R

ain prevented any play on the final day of the Hand-in-Hand Inter County U19 three-day tournament between Essequibo and the Select U17 team at the Everest Cricket Club yesterday.

Following a heavy downpour which left the outfield soggy and sections of it waterlogged, play was called of at 14:20hrs.

The Select U17s were set to resume on 77-3, with Mavindra Dindyal on 21 and Andre Seepersaud on one, in reply to Essequibo’s first innings total of 145 all out.

Orlando Jailall top scored for Essequibo with 34, while Ameer Singh made 29 and Azim Mohamed 24 as Chanderpaul Ramraj claimed 3-6 and Marvin Prashad 2-0.

Zeynul Ramsammy scored 28, while Matthew Nandu got 24 for the U17

lads.

Speaking with Kaieteur Sport, Coach of the U17 team, Orin Bailey said his players are aware of the basics but need to gel more so that they can play better as unit.

He added that the players are looking forward to the one day tournament and hopes the weather improves.

Bailey, a former Guyana first class batsman stated that fielding and running between the wickets are some of the areas of concern.

Essequibo Coach, Ryan Hercules said the players need to show more maturity.

“We are not seeing that level of maturity from the players; we had players like Keemo Paul, Ronsford Beaton and my self playing U19 and senior cricket at the same time, and we were competing.”

Hercules stated that he is

The outfield at the Everest Cricket Club following the showers yesterday. very concerned about the batting, which he said has been below par.

“When you take into consideration, the next level is the franchise league, we need to have players batting for longer periods, and here

we are not seeing that.”

“I have Essequibo cricket at heart and I am very concerned, the players have the potential, but they seem to have some difficulty taking it in the middle.

So this is an area we have to look at,” he said.

“Our bowlers have done a good job in restricting teams for gettable totals, but the middle order needs to build on the starts provided

by Kevin Christian and

Orlando Jailall.”

Both teams gained four points from the encounter with the U17 side ending on 14.5 and Essequibo on 4.2.

The 50-over version will commence on Monday.

(Zaheer Mohamed)

Backcourt boosts Blazers Bravo helps power CSK into final past Nuggets, sets up Game 7 Faf du Plessis goes big

The host Portland Trail Blazers forced a Game 7 in their Western Conference semifinal playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a dominant second-half performance that produced a 119-108 victory in Game 6 on Thursday night.

Damian Lillard put the Blazers ahead to stay with a 3-pointer with 4:18 remaining in the third period. Portland’s Rodney Hood hit two key hoops when the second-seeded Nuggets threatened early in the fourth, helping the thirdseeded Trail Blazers send the series back Denver for a winner-take-all contest tomorrow.

Denver, which had won the past two games to go up 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, went in front by as much as 10 points in the first half of the potential seriesclincher before getting seriously outplayed by the Trail Blazers over the final 2 1/2 quarters.

Down by four at the half, the Nuggets did manage to seize a 76-75 lead on a 3pointer by Nikola Jokic with 4:33 remaining in the third quarter.

Portland countered with a 12-2 burst, with Lillard providing the first eight points on a 3-pointer, two free throws and another trey.

Denver made one more push early in the fourth,

during his 50. (BCCI)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball as Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum (3) defends during the first half in game six of the second round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Moda Center. (Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports)

getting within four points on two occasions. But that’s when Hood dropped in his 2and 3-point hoops to open a nine-point margin, and Portland kept the visitors at arm’s length the rest of the way.

For most of the night, Lillard and backcourt mate CJ McCollum were a twoman wrecking crew. They

combined for eight 3pointers and 62 points, outscoring Denver counterparts Jamal Murray and Gary Harris by 23.

With more than half of his points coming on six 3pointers, Lillard was the game’s leading scorer with 32 points. McCollum added 30. Hood (25 points) and (Continued on page 27)

V

ISAKHAPATNAM, India, CMC – Dwayne Bravo grabbed a brace of wickets in a miserly spell as his Chennai Super Kings booked a spot in tomorrow’s final of the Indian Premier League with a six-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals here yesterday.

Chasing a modest 148 in the final qualifier at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, CSK reached their target with an over to spare, setting up a meeting with Kieron Pollard’s Mumbai Indians in the championship game.

It was Bravo’s spell which helped CSK early on as the veteran all-rounder snatched two for 19 from four excellent overs of medium pace to limit Capitals to 147 for nine off their 20 overs.

Rishabh Pant top-scored with 38 from 25 balls and Colin Munro struck 27 but no other batsman passed 20, as Capitals found it difficult to build partnerships.

Rookie West Indies and Guyana allrounders Sherfane Rutherford (10) and Keemo Paul (3) failed to have any impact. In fact, it was Bravo who removed Paul in the 18th over, bowled by a pacy leg-stump yorker.

Bravo was supported by left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (2-23), seamer Deepak Chahar (2-28) and veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh (2-31) all of whom finished with two wickets each.

In reply, Australian Shane Watson and South African Faf du Plessis both struck 50 apiece in an 81-run, opening stand which laid the foundation for an easy run chase.

Paul proved expensive, conceding 49 runs from his three overs of medium-fast bowling.

Scores: Chennai Super Kings 151 for 4 (Watson 50, du Plessis 50) beat Delhi Capitals 147 for 9 (Pant 38, Bravo 2-19, Jadeja 2-23) by six wickets.

Kaieteur News

Saturday May 11, 2019

PAGE 33

Guyana in group ‘D’ as final rosters confirmed for the - Two spots up for grabs at FIFA 2019 Concacaf Beach Soccer C’ship Beach Soccer World Cup Paraguay 2019 M i a m i - T h e Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) yesterday confirmed the final 12-player rosters for the Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship.

T h e b i a n n u a l competition is set to take place from May 13-19, at the Vi s i t P u e r t o Va l l a r t a Stadium, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The 2019 edition, to be held with the support of the Municipal Government of Puerto Vallarta, will have the participation of the 16 best national beach soccer teams in the region.

The competition finalists will qualify for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Paraguay 2019. In line with the competition regulations, teams may make injury related changes to their final 12-player rosters up until 24 hours before their first match.

The groups are as follows: Group A – Mexico, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Guatemala. Group B –

Panama, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands. Group C - United States, Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, Bonaire. Group D - El Salvador, Guadeloupe, Belize, Guyana.

After round-robin play, the first and second place finishers of each group will advance to the quarterfinals.

Quarterfinals winners will advance to the semifinals.

Semifinal winners will automatically qualify for the tournament’s final, as well as the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Paraguay 2019.

Guyana will open their a c c o u n t n e x t Tu e s d a y a g a i n s t E l S a l v a d o r, Guadeloupe on Wednesday, while they face Belize on Thursday. In the last edition of the Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship in the Bahamas, Panama overcame Mexico in the final, to win its first Beach Soccer title.

Guyana’s Jamal Haynes received the Scotiabank Young Player Award at the 2017 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship.

Team Guyana for the 2019 edition: Position Name Pivot Trevon Archibald Pivot Jeffon Figueira Pivot Deshawn Joseph Pivot Kenard Simon Defender Jermane Grandison Wing Jamal Haynes Wing Cordel Johnson Wing Shane Luckie Wing Jahshaun Moore Wing Keon Sears Wing Ethan Sparman Wing Michael Wilson

Date Of Birth 08.01.1995 28.09.1996 27.02.1991 27.12.1989 08.01.1986 26.10.1995 22.05.1987 02.01.1997 16.10.1996 13.09.1987 31.12.1995 15.02.1992

One-Day Circle Tennis programme set for May 19 Our National Game of Circle Tennis will make a big return with the National Sports Commission sponsoring a one day tournament as part of Guyana’s 53rd Independence Celebration on Sunday May 19. This tournament will see the participation of teams from Region 2,3,4,5,6,10 and Georgetown in action.

According to the organiser A. Munroe this programme was long in the making in which Director of Sport Christopher Jones

agreed to hold it in Georgetown in an effort to bring back the memories of those days of the Guyana Games. During the last two years a number of Circle Tennis workshops were conducted in various Regions in an effort to revive the game, so this programme serves as an evaluation for the NSC. The venue for the tournament will be identified shortly.

Drawing of the fixtures was done at the NSC office under the watch full eyes of Mr. Jones.

Flashback! Belizean goalie Frank Lopez is floored by Guyana’s Captain Deshawn Joseph’s second goal at the 2017 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championships in the Bahamas.

t r o Sp Georgetown Grand Prix Dequan and Delmur Shipping Companies in Eastman’s corner Jeffrey, Boodram and Daley - To provide monthly stipend to the Caribbean Champion

battle headlines action

Colin Daley Jr.

- 90 Teams to contest as $820,000 pumped into Berbice Cricket

Kristian Jeffrey.

- Thomas and Kumar to debut

From left, GBA head Steve Ninvalle looks on as Jamal Eastman receives his gloves and first sponsorship cheque from Darren Elcock of Dequan Shipping and Trading.

New Building Society Ltd renews sponsorship of BCB 40-Overs Second Division Tournament

Tommi Gore.

Ackeem Thomas.

Louis Kumar.

Hand-in-Hand 3-day U-19 Inter-County Cricket

B’ce put on an embarrassing batting display but retained their Hand-in-Hand U-19 title yesterday at Lusignan. (Sean Devers photo)

Umroa bowls B’ce to Title with less than convincing win over Demerara Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.